A Multilevel Perspective Analysis of Stakeholders in the Port Sector and Their Efforts in Emission Reduction

Abstract

The transition to sustainable business practices and climate change mitigation is the key challenge of modern society and businesses. This thesis provides an insight to this challenge via a case study of the inland port sector of the Upper Rhine Valley. The Multilevel Perspective approach is used to analyze the findings. The agency of the actors is of key importance to combat criticism of the lack of agency within the MLP. Numerous actors of the sector were interviewed to showcase barriers and working solutions within the network. The MLP is not only the framework but also provides an analytical footing for the driving factors and barriers encountered within the cases. The structuring of the cases by reference to the dynamics of strategic reorientation is done to have a comparative reference frame oriented on the target of the thesis topic rather than other categories on analysis. This thesis also showcases weaknesses and strengths of the MLP within its categorizations when confronted with case situations. Additionally, there are a wide range of solutions brought forth that can be implemented within companies to better or start their transition to emissions reduction and sustainability. This thesis shall also function as a foundation piece for further research in different settings to provide a comparable case study within the MLP transition literature.