Ports as Actors in Industrial Networks

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to consider how port authorities can be characterized as actors in industrial contexts. The thesis uses the Industrial Network Approach to avoid bringing in typical views of what a port is and hence to allow for alternative views and ideas about the port as an actor. Four case studies are used to assess and discuss how port authorities can be considered actors in industrial networks through the use of the Actor-Resource-Activity model. Overall, the main findings of the thesis are that (i) the industrial network Actor-Resource-Activity model can be used to investigate non-business actors in industrial settings and (ii) it is problematic for a port authority to as a non-business actor to actively intervene in an industrial context without creating wedges to interaction that leads to discrimination across users.