Human resource management and competitive advantage: An application of resource-based view in the shipping industry

The resource-based view (RBV) of the firm has been established as one of the main approaches to strategy formulation for the development of sustainable competitive advantage. Moreover, human resource management can be conceptualised as a source of competitiveness. This paper proposes that RBV could contribute to the confrontation of the hindrances that shipping companies face in the management of their human resources, and to the formation of sustainable competitive advantage. The paper analyses the findings of a field study, regarding the different human resource and crew management practices that are applied by Greek-owned shipping companies. Finally, based on the RBV of the firm, it proposes an integrated framework for managing human resources in the shipping industry in a way that could lead to the formation of sustainable competitive advantage. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.