Assessing hierarchical corporate sustainability transition practices under uncertainty: An approach in the port and shipping industry in Southeast Asia

Abstract

The port and shipping industry in Southeast Asia has experienced significant development in response to the increasing demand for maritime logistics and transportation services. However, this expansion has resulted in notable social and environmental impacts. Consequently, it is imperative for both scholars and practitioners to comprehend the concept of corporate sustainability transition (CST), which entails the establishment of shipping operations that effectively balance environmental, social, and economic considerations. Additionally, technologies that are used to facilitate the transition process must be investigated. Several studies have been undertaken to ascertain the attributes pertaining to sustainability transition. Nevertheless, there has been a lack of sufficient focus and consideration in performing a comprehensive and valid assessment of CST attributes, particularly in terms of their causal interrelationships. In fact, this analysis has been predominantly overlooked or disregarded. Therefore, this study builds a hierarchical framework to address these issues using linguistic preferences. Regarding the attributes, the fuzzy Delphi method (FDM) is used to confirm their validity. In nature, there are complex interrelationships among the attributes; hence, the fuzzy decision making trial and evaluation laboratory method (DEMATEL) is employed to visualize the interrelationships. The results reveal that stakeholder management, communication and cooperation are the most important influencing aspects. Research and development (R&D) promotion, environmental training, international treaties, shareholder value, and owner support are the top causal criteria that practitioners must improve to develop CST performance.