Financing and development of Innovation in commercial sea ports

Abstract

Innovation is fast becoming a major driving force in the improvement of social welfare, a crucial factor in the long-term growth and survival of companies and a key elemnet in achieving the sustainable development of economies. In the port sector, the big changes caused by the globalization process are leading commercial sea ports to design strategies in the field of innovation allowing them to take on present and future challenges in a sector where deregulation and competition are increasingly present. In this context, the present paper analyses innovation in the commercial sea ports. The specific objective is to determine who develops and finances innovation in the commercial sea ports. The methodology of analysis applied is the Rasch technique. Categorical variables have been used in the surveys carried out on the Port Authorities of the Spanish port system. The results obtained on innovation in Spanish ports provide answers to questions such as: Who finances the innovation? Who develops it internally or purchases it? Who acts individually? Who resorts to cooperation and which partners are chosen for the joint development of innovations?