A Study on the Measurement and Effect Factors of Productivity of the Korean Ocean Carriers

Abstract

In this study, we first measured the Malmquist productivity index by DEA among the Korean ocean carriers. Second, it was intended to present measures to improve productivity by identifying the influence and discriminating power between productivity and the major financial ratios (profitability, financial stability, liquidity, efficiency and value-added productivity). Compared to 2017, there are 11 more shipping carriers with decline in productivity (MPI) than those with an increase in 2018. The increase in productivity is attributed to an increase in the Technology Change Index (TCI) affected by the external environment. There is strong significant correlation between the productivity (MPI) and the management efficiency (CRS). Additionally, the TECI (TECHI) index of the technological efficiency changes from internal factors of the shipping carrier is significantly higher than that of the efficient shipping carrier. This is because of the differences in scale efficiency. The ratio of charter cost/sales is also lower than that of the carriers with high productivity (0.17) and with low productivity (0.21). With 7% of the shipping carrier with MPI>1, only 1% of MPI <1 is found to have a significant impact on its productivity.