Enhancement of productivity through an integrated crew management system

Purpose - The management of human resources (HR) in the shipping industry is a continuing object of cost management due to the fact that labor cost is becoming an increasingly larger element of the overall operational costs. While the fleet of merchant vessels constantly increases in size, organizations struggle to administrate their personnel more efficiently. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the administrative environment of one of the world's largest crew management companies, Marlow Navigation, in order to identify flaws in management structure and propose the framework variables of respective solutions to improve productivity and quality of work. Design/methodology approach - A questionnaire survey has been undertaken to gather data related to the administrative productivity of Marlow and to the use of available IT applications. The approach consists of two steps: first, descriptive statistics are used to provide quantitative descriptions of questionnaire results (problem identification). Second, qualitative analysis, through 'focus group discussion', aims to identify the specific administrative areas where changes must be effected and to propose the key parameters for their implementation (solution). Findings - Enhanced administrative productivity is accomplished through an integrated system of crew management based on specialized IT instruments, innovative workflow and employees' multidiscipline knowledge. Originality/value - The proposed key variables of an HR management system can serve as a model for other business organizations, providing a basis for innovative progression with the potential for differentiation from traditional commercial shipping practices.