Complementary Assets And Green Practices A Multiple Case Study Analysis In Shipping Management

In recent times many shipping firms have begun to respond to environmental challenges by embracing Green Shipping Practices (GSPs). These practices require the introduction of environment-friendly equipment and facilities not only by shipowners, but also by other supply chain players who control critical complementary assets. In particular, these assets, whose nature is both specialized and cospecialized, are those where there is respectively unilateral or bilateral dependence between innovation and complementary assets. This study deals with the role of complementary know-how and assets in the development of green shipping practices by container shipping companies. The research is conducted utilizing a multiple case-study analysis based on leading container shipping companies involved in cooperative networks. The main findings unveil that the implementation of successful green shipping practices not only requires the operational integration of green attitudes/technologies among supply chain players, but also the strategic coordination among them.