Managerial Factors Influencing Inland Container Depot Operational Performance in Tanzania: A Case of Dar es Salaam Inland Container Depot (DICD), Kurasini, Tanzania

This study examined the associations of leadership quality, staff competency and strategic decision-making with operational performance at Dar es Salaam Inland Container Depot (DICD), Kurasini, Tanzania. Using a pragmatic mixed-methods design, the study analysed 119 questionnaire responses through descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation and multiple regression, complemented by thematic interpretation of managerial interviews. All three factors were positively correlated with operational performance (leadership quality: r = .58; staff competency: r = .66; strategic decision-making: r = .54; all p < .01). In the reported regression, staff competency showed the largest standardised coefficient (β = .42, p < .001), followed by leadership quality (β = .31, p = .002) and strategic decision-making (β = .27, p = .011). The study contributes context-specific evidence that managerial capabilities are jointly associated with perceived ICD performance and suggests prioritising workforce development, operational communication and transparent, data-informed decisions. These cross-sectional associations do not establish causality.