Research Information System
4TH CURRENT ISSUES IN BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC STUDIES CIBES CONFERENCE 2024, Rome, Italy, 20 - 22 June 2024, pp.100-1011
An
Examination of Sustainability-oriented Innovations of a Port Business:
A
Borusan Port Case Study
Burhan KAYIRAN1 Ömür Yaşar SAATÇIOĞLU2
For the successful implementation of sustainability
activities in organizations, the basic characteristics that define innovations
in sustainability activities (Wilkerson and Trellevik, 2021: 2) and the roles
and responsibilities in sustainability activities (Adams et al., 2012:
17-20-21) must be consciously determined. Innovations that include
sustainability activities are sustainability-oriented innovation (SOI)
activities, which is an umbrella structure. These activities should be
established in a case-oriented manner in terms of impact levels, stakeholders,
roles and responsibilities (Adams et al., 2012: 17-20-21). In this way, the
uncertainties arising from the existence of many conceptualizations such as
circular, green, eco, environment can be managed correctly (Ulvenblad et al.,
2019: 5). In this study, three different sustainability-oriented innovation
(SOI) applications implemented at Borusan Port, located in the Gemlik Bay of
the Marmara region in Turkey, were examined. First of all, the SOI activities
of the port have been examined using grounded theory with 12 sustainability
reports of the port consisting of 1044 pages, a 25-page sustainability guide
and 10 hours of in-depth and simultaneous interviews with the port senior
management. The conceptual levels of SOI activities, their relational
dimensions and levels with business activities, roles in SOI processes,
categories and levels of SOI activities were evaluated through the SOI
dimensions put forward by Adams et al. (2012: 17-20-21) and Borusan Port's
level of being an organization capable of SOI has been determined. This study
is the first business research that brings the subject of
sustainability-oriented innovations in the literature into practice through the
theoretical SOI model of Adams et al. (2012: 17-20-21). The study has showed
that Borusan Port is an SOI-based business that achieves social transformation
and reaches the system design level with the SOI applications it puts forward
in its operational and commercial activities. It has been determined that the
port's being an SOI implementer at the system design level is effective in
guiding the sector and public decision makers.
Keywords: Sustainability-Oriented Innovation; Operational optimization;
Organizational Transformation; System Building; SOI dimensions; Grounded
Theory; Case Study; Seaport Businesses.
1Res. Asst. Dr., Karadeniz Technical University, Faculty of Marine
Sciences, Surmene-Trabzon, Turkey, burhankayiran@gmail.com
2Prof. Dr., Dokuz Eylul University, Maritime Faculty, Buca-Izmir, Turkey,
yasar.saatci@deu.edu.tr