Title: Responsible port innovation in China: the case of the Yangshan port extension project

Authors: Lili Song; Wim Ravesteijn

Addresses: School of Economics and Management, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China; School of Management, Harbin Normal University, Harbin, China ' Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands; School of Economics and Management, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China

Abstract: Port authorities are facing serious and conflicting challenges. Factors like the increasing international trade and continuous technological development necessitate ports to expand, but social and environmental concerns complicate these efforts. These worries are especially voiced by citizens and other stakeholders, whose influence is increasing in the globally expanding network and civil society. This forces ports to redefine the 'double aim' they always pursued: both economic and social development. This paper applies responsible innovation to world ports, focusing on the ongoing Shanghai Yangshan port extension project in China and using the Rotterdam Port Maasvlakte 2 project as a reference case. It investigates how the double aim of port development has been and is being defined and tackled in this project and explores the necessity and possibilities to adjust the project trajectory in view of new developments and demands. Stakeholder involvement and process management are raised as essential for the way forward in the Yangshan case and responsible port innovation in general.

Keywords: port infrastructure; sustainable development; double aim; value conflict; responsible port innovation; stakeholder involvement; process management; social cost-benefit analysis; port extension projects; China; economic development; social development; port development; sustainability; ports.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCIS.2015.073841

International Journal of Critical Infrastructures, 2015 Vol.11 No.4, pp.297 - 315

Received: 10 Jan 2014
Accepted: 03 Jun 2014
Published online: 24 Dec 2015 *

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