THE IMPACT OF SUSTAINABLE COLLABORATION ON THE BUSINESS PERFORMANCE OF TURKISH SHIPPING COMPANIES: THE ROLE OF LINKING STRATEGIES

In light of the increasing pressures on the environment and the necessity of globalisation, it is imperative that maritime companies achieve sustainability goals. In this context, the establishment of collaborative relationships between firms constitutes a pivotal strategy for the attainment of competitive advantage. In particular, it is emphasised that financial, social, and structural linking strategies contribute to sustainable cooperation. The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of sustainable inter-firm collaboration on business performance in the maritime industry. The study is based on an analysis of survey results from 56 maritime firms in Turkey employing the structural equation modelling method. The findings indicate that financial linking strategies have the most significant influence on sustainable cooperation, followed by social linking strategies. In contrast, structural linking strategies appear to exert relatively limited influence. Furthermore, the findings indicate that sustainable cooperation has a direct influence on business performance while indirectly contributing to financial performance through customer loyalty. This study proposes that maritime firms should prioritise financial and social linking strategies to gain a competitive advantage. Consequently, sustainable cooperation strategies emerge as a pivotal factor for long-term success in the maritime industry, positively affecting business performance.