Title: Analysis of the effect of cruise service supply chain network properties on economic profits

Authors: Ling Sun; Wei Liu; Hanwen Zhang; Yan Jin; Gaoqiang Zhuo

Addresses: College of Transport and Communications, Shanghai Maritime University, 1550 Haigang Avenue, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 201306, China ' College of Transport and Communications, Shanghai Maritime University, 1550 Haigang Avenue, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 201306, China ' Zhoushan Municipal Port and Shipping Administration, 555 Wengshan Road, Dinghai District, Zhoushan, Zhejiang, 316000, China ' College of Transport and Communications, Shanghai Maritime University, 1550 Haigang Avenue, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 201306, China ' Castlight Health, 150 Spear St., San Francisco, CA, 94105, USA

Abstract: The cruise service supply chain (CSSC) is an integrated supply chain dominated by the cruise tourism service. It consists of a series of demand service providers, such as food, accommodation, transportation, travel, shopping, and entertainment. Based on social network theory, we outline the network properties of CSSCs. Using game theory models we compute the profit distribution in a simplified version of the CSSC network. After studying different cooperation strategies among network members, we find that the overall network profit and profit distribution change with the network properties. When the network range and scale are fixed, the overall profit of the network increases with the relationship persistence, relationship strength, and cooperation between network members, while it decreases when there is top-down exploitation among network members. After evolving rules of the network structure, this paper further refine the research based on the proposed growth path of CSSC, which is exactly from the centralised network to the distributed network and finally to the interconnection network. It is consistent with the decentralised trend of the block chain. Eventually this paper provides recommendations for the development mechanism of each CSSC network growth stage and for enhancing cooperation among network members.

Keywords: cruise service supply chain; profit distribution; network property; centrality; structural hole.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSTL.2021.118525

International Journal of Shipping and Transport Logistics, 2021 Vol.13 No.6, pp.569 - 599

Received: 13 Mar 2019
Accepted: 22 Feb 2020
Published online: 28 Oct 2021 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article