Title: Shipbuilding performance benchmarking

Authors: Floriano Pires Jr., Thomas Lamb, Cassiano Souza

Addresses: Ocean Engineering Department, Graduate School of Engineering – COPPE, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Centro de Tecnologia – UFRJ, S. 203, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21945–270, Brazil. ' Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, University of Michigan, 2735 Winter Garden Court, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA. ' Ocean Engineering Department, COPPE/Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Centro de Tecnologia – UFRJ, S. 203, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21945–270, Brazil

Abstract: The purpose of the paper is to present a methodology for shipbuilding performance assessment, taking into account the characteristics of the shipyard, the production pattern and the industrial environment of the country or region. A Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model to assess shipyard performance is proposed. An Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method for obtaining an indicator of the extent to which the industrial environment of a region is favourable to shipbuilding development is introduced. The model was applied in comparing the efficiency of 12 shipyards in Japan, South Korea, China and Europe. The analysis was supported by visits to each shipyard in the sample and interviews with key technical and managerial personnel. The results indicate that some shipyards that do not have the highest technological level in the world are highly efficient in attaining performance indicators, even in conditions less favourable than for the global leaders.

Keywords: performance evaluation; performance benchmarking; shipbuilding benchmarking; data envelopment analysis; DEA; shipyard performance; analytical hierarchy process; AHP; Japan; South Korea; China; Europe.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBPM.2009.024372

International Journal of Business Performance Management, 2009 Vol.11 No.3, pp.216 - 235

Received: 09 Apr 2008
Accepted: 28 Nov 2008

Published online: 02 Apr 2009 *

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