Safety Culture and Management Capabilities Driving Organizational Effectiveness in Maritime Transport

This study empirically investigates how safety culture, customer relationship management (CRM), and quality management jointly drive organizational effectiveness within Thailand’s maritime transport sector. Grounded in the Resource-Based View (RBV) theoretical framework, the research examines these vital intangible capabilities as synergistic drivers of sustained competitive advantage. Using a quantitative approach, the study collected empirical data from 270 maritime transport organizations through targeted executive surveys and analyzed them using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings robustly reveal that safety culture significantly and directly enhances both CRM and quality management, while concurrently exerting a direct positive effect on overall organizational effectiveness. Furthermore, CRM and quality management serve as crucial internal mediating mechanisms that significantly boost operational success. Ultimately, the study highlights that safety culture is not merely a regulatory compliance requirement but a foundational strategic resource. Integrating safety protocols with robust relationship and quality systems fundamentally empowers maritime firms to achieve sustainable organizational effectiveness amidst intensifying global competition.