DIDGAH
Year:2013 | Volume:- | Issue:-|Papers Count:5

Analytic Hierarchy Process is an optimum approach in multi-criteria decision-making process and its most common application is in resource allocation and problem solving. SWOT Analysis is an efficient tool for identifying the abilities, qualifications, and requirements of organizations, but it is not a precise analysis tool to determine the importance of various factors and to evaluate the strategic options, because it has some shortcomings in measurement and evaluation of the various factors which will be compensated by Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). In this paper, Delphi method is used to collect the opinions of key experts. First, required data is gathered by asking the questions as well as face to face interviews with senior managers, key decision-makers, and experts of Iranian southern ports. Then, gathered data is analyzed by Expert Choice Software and the best strategy for each port is selected. Results of the study show that the best strategy for Khoramshahr Port is to dredge Arvandrood and to expand the canal for more effective access to Iraqi market. The best strategy for the Port of Abadan is to benefit from the opportunities of locating in free zone and to build a strategy for port development. For the Port of Shahid Rajaee, the best strategy is to use the softwares that are specific to container operations and to reform the rules and regulations that limit the privatization in order to reduce the threats of the Port of Jebel Ali. And for the Port of Chabahar, the best strategy is to develop the railway network and to reform the rules and regulations in order to reduce the negative impacts of Port of Jebel Ali.

Ship repair industry is one of the most important industries of the world and it plays an important role in transportation, investment volume, and employment. In addition to economic benefits, ship repair industry prevents from additional costs, capital flight, and loss of employment and investment opportunities. With its vast water borders in north and south, Iran also has very great opportunities to develop ship repair industry. Especially, due to the high vessel traffic in northern water borders of the Caspian Sea, it is very necessary to build a ship repair facility in this region. This paper is a feasibility study of construction of a ship repair facility in Iranian northern ports. This feasibility study is based on an algorithm developed by UNIDO and includes market assessment, technical and financial evaluation as well as economic evaluation. In the market assessment, the market of vessels in Caspian Sea and future of ship repair market is assessed. In technical evaluation, the advantages and disadvantages of different types of ship repair workshops are studied and syncrolift system is selected as the best ship repair system. Then, this system is evaluated in terms of economic features. In financial and economic evaluation, the profitability and financial ratios for the target market)- Port of Anzali which is considered as an appropriate area for constructing a ship repair facility- are evaluated. Finally, social and political advantages of this development plan are discussed. The results of this study not only reveal the future of this industry for authorities, but also help them to achieve self-sufficiency in marine maintenance.

Studying the behaviors and skills of personnel in organizations as well as their human factors, this paper tries to introduce a method by which managers will be able to increase organizational effectiveness in a competitive environment and to gain competitive advantage compared with their counterpart organizations. Today, ports do not operate in an isolated environment. They face same competitors as other industries and businesses. Competition between existing competitors, constant threats from new competitors, potential for global alternatives, presence of the costumers and powerful service providers are some of the characteristics of such an environment. These forces have always been challenging for managers and port authorities; therefore, they should be fully aware of the needs and requirements of port users as well as their limitations in global market and they should also have an appropriate approach to turn the port to a partner in a business environment. To do this, MVPs can be a useful tool for overcoming most of challenges that ports face to become a competitive port. Basically, both local and international activities of each port assessed based on the global trade rules. Since most of the ports around the world compete together on a global scale and due to huge gains in productivity of maritime transport in the last few decades, they are known as controllable factors for improving the efficiency of maritime transport policies. In this regard, human asset plays a very important role in the competitiveness of ports. Regarding global changes and developments, organizations can no longer response to rapid environmental developments by routine management and planning methods and they have to use human asset (MVP) to deal with these changes and developments. In fact, these are MVPs that make the real human asset of each organization and success of organizations largely depends on them.

Considering globalization and very intense competition between the main ports of the world, this paper tries to assess re-engineering processes using new servicing techniques in some of the most important regional and international ports. Today, traditional practices are considered as barriers to growth and expansion of the ports. High speed transportation and cargo handling requires new strategies and technologies. Regarding the intense competition to attract the customers, it is very necessary for Iranian ports to offer new services that satisfy customers. Using Information Technology (IT) and being adherence to international organizations like UN/CEFACT (United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business) are some of these practices. Many ports have boomed with increasing global trade and therefore have faced new opportunities. Single Window is one of the technologies that ports use to handle the high volume of goods and cargoes.

This paper discusses the limitations of rational models of strategy design and describes the procedural methods of strategy design as an alternative for them. This paper also identifies the learning organization and suggests organizational learning as an alternative for procedural models of strategy development. In this regard, it is suggested that organizational learning be considered as a basis for strategic changes. In addition, this paper also investigates the strategy development via organizational learning. Results of this study show that the approaches and procedures of learning organization will help to overcome the limitations of rational models. These results also reveals that applying the five learning disciplines of Peter Senge will be effective in strategy design. These five disciplines include shared vision, mental models, personal mastery, team learning, and systems thinking which are defined in strategy design. Also, in post-modern strategy design, organizational learning would be a suitable alternative for strategy design. Since this article is written in the field of social sciences, it is faced with the constraints of operationalization of variables.