The Effect of Knowledge Management Orientation on the Performance of Container Shipping Firms: Supply Chain Integration as the Mediator

Abstract

Design/methodology/approach - This research employed a quantitative survey method for data collection purpose. Questionnaire responses were collected from 17 container shipping companies and 154 container shipping agencies. Analysis included demographics, validity and reliability tests, and hypotheses testing. The Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) analysis was applied. Purpose – The purpose is to determine if the debatable supply chain integration (SCI) could mediate knowledge management orientation (KMO) and firm performance in container shipping. This fills the gap to bridge KMO and firms’ performance. In addition, it is to confirm the following relationships – KMO-Firm Performance, KMO-SCI, and SCI-Firm Performance. Findings - SCI has a mediation effect between KMO and firm performance. The findings confirmed KMO is positively related to SCI and firm performance, while SCI is positively related to firm performance. Originality/value – The results show firms could invest in SCI strategies to mediate firms’ KMO and firm performance in an otherwise debatable SCI. The originality lies in the rare SCI mediator investigation in container shipping research