THE MODERATING EFFECT OF GOVERNANCE REFORMS ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ORGANIZATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS AND PERFORMANCE OF SEAPORTS IN ANGLOPHONE AFRICA

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the moderating effect of governance reforms on the  relationship between organizational characteristics and the performance of seaports in Anglophone Africa. This study adopted a positivist research philosophy with a descriptive cross-sectional census survey design. Structured questions in the form of questionnaires were employed to collect primary data targeting chief executive officers of seaport terminals in Anglophone Africa who are conversant with port operations and management. The targeted population of the study was 54 seaports in Anglophone Africa for which the questionnaires were administered through email. Sample questions were sent to at least one port in each of the three port regions in Anglophone Africa and

the initial responses and comments made were used to refine the questionnaires before they were administered to all the 54 targeted seaports. Out of these, only 46 seaports responded, thus a response rate of 83.6%.  The questionnaires conceptualized four governance reform models, private service, public service, corporatization, and landlord models to establish which ones were prevalent in Anglophone Africa. Out of the 46 respondents, 36 of them, or 78% were found to have adopted the landlord model, while 10 of them, or 22% had a public service model. There was no response on the private service model and corporatization model.  Model fitness was confirmed by the use of Standardized Mean Root Square Residual (SRMR) and Normed Fit Index (NFI). Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) using Smart PLS 4.0 software was used for data analysis The findings established a positive and significant moderating effect of governance reforms on the relationship between organizational characteristics and organizational performance. The study concluded governance reforms have a positive and significant impact on the performance of seaports in Anglophone Africa. The study also finds that seaports in Anglophone Africa are increasingly identifying with the understanding of port governance reform models seen from both theoretical and empirical points of view. The study recognizes that the landlord model of port governance is already predominant amongst African seaports and concludes with the recommendation that all African seaports that are still operating as public service ports should reform and adopt the landlord model to achieve remarkable performance. 

Keywords: organizational characteristics, governance reforms, partial least squares structural equation

modeling, landlord model.   3