Digital Technology, Skill Transformation, Work Design and Social Dialogue in the Port Industry: A Contextual Review and Research Direction

Abstract

This paper provides conceptual and methodological explorations on the imperatives and the need for researchers conducting workplace study to focus on how to develop and profile innovative workplace practices for effective management at the ports. It also aims to identify the imperatives of conceptual and empirical analysis to support workplace work-design, even in the context of emerging technology and automation in the port industry. The paper which is analytical review and scope study of sea ports in Australia and Nigeria provides insights to understanding the theoretical and conceptual remits of work-design and social dialogue as institutional framework for effective leadership management and innovative work practices at the waterfronts, and how these can enhance productivity and workers well-being at the ports. Institutional framework of Social Dialogue, combined with effective leadership at the port, is expected to provide Management and other stakeholders with opportunities to expand  the benefits of port reforms, and the potentials of innovation; even as ports operations are continuously automated with challenges of skills transformation, and how  these  can  ensure decent work at the seaports. Further, the contextual review described in this paper explores the broad understanding of global governance and management of ports reforms, and how to integrate this with the concept of work-design for innovative work practices. In particular, the paper engages with the epistemic understanding of work-design, and how this could further be advanced through Social Dialogue in the port industry.