Port Authorities' Performance in Times of Crisis

This report provides a factual perspective on the immediate responses of port industry to the 2008’s economic downturn. Specifically, it investigates the port authorities’ performance located in four geographical areas – Europe, Canada, USA and Oceania – in reaction to the current economic crisis. First of all, it translates the general theories on organisations that better adapt to crisis conditions into the practical setting of port authorities. Further, based on comprehensive literature, it concludes that several factors positively associate with better response of organisations, in general, and port authorities, in particular, to difficult economic conditions. The review of the exiting literature allowed formulating the hypotheses basing the application of adaptability of businesses to external economic shocks theories to port authorities.