An outlook into the development of the Philippine Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Sectors / John Dee de Guzman. 6

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, 2009.;A dissertation presented to the faculty of the Graduate School of Management in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Business Administration. 56

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ABSTRACT: The study looks into and assesses the status of existing policies affecting the local SBSR Industry, and the effectiveness of RA 9295 in promoting the development of the industry. The survey collected were analyzed to determine the industry players' perception of the state of affairs of the SBSR with respect to its economic, technical, social and legal aspects. Accordingly, the study outlined recommendations based on the findings and conclusions drawn in the paper. Specifically, the study sought to find answers on the issues involved on questions of: 1. The status of existing SBSR policies, and the respondents' perceptions on the effectiveness of RA 9295 with respect to economic, technical, social and legal aspects; 2. The impediments hindering the local SBSR industry from achieving optimum contribution to the economy; 3. The significant effects of RA 9295 on the performance of the local SBSR industry in terms of output, employment, tax revenue generation, and in the facilitation of export/ import flows. Focus of research in this study is the SBSR industry in Luzon which comprises 54 percent of the 142 licensed shipyards across the Philippines. Since most of the SBSR firms listed in the SBSR directory are no longer existent, or are otherwise subsidiaries or sister companies under big umbrella firms, the delimitation in the study was the fewer number of possible survey respondents. Despite such limitation, the researcher proceeded with the study after experts' statisticians deemed the survey participants as representative of the SBSR industry in Luzon. The study adopted the descriptive and normative survey type of purposes of the paper. It entailed a descriptive analysis of the status of the SBSR industry and how the present regulations are coming about its goals. It likewise involved an investigative approach since no study of this kind is available and only minimal data may be utilized to establish significant patterns or relationship of variables giving way to a causal dimension in examining the effect of RA 9295 on the SBSR sector per se and the economy as a whole. This study / research endeavor utilized three statistical tools, namely: the (1) frequency distribution analyses; (2) the chi-square test; and (3) the Paired Samples T-Test. The relative frequency of percentage distribution was employed for a preliminary analysis of market players' perception of the status of existing SBSR policies and the effectiveness of RA 9295 in promoting the development of the SBSR industry. The Chi-square test is then employed to describe the homogeneity and/ or heterogeneity of responses, and to evaluate significant differences in the responses of survey participants. Under a chi-square statistics, the null hypothesis-that there are no significant differences in the responses-is tested at the 5 percent significance level. The decision rule is that if the calculated or observed value is equal to or greater than the critical value, the null hypothesis is rejected. Finally, the Paired Samples Test was used to determine if RA 9295 has a significant effect on the performance of the SBSR industry in terms of income, employment, tax revenue generation and trade facilitation in the flow of exports and imports. The test was used to compare the means of the variables of interest before and after the implementation of RA 9295. Under the Paired Samples T-Test, the null hypothesis that there are no significant differences in the means of the two sets of variables of interest-is tested at the 5 percent significant level, which is rejected if the calculated or observed t value is greater than the critical t value at (n-1) degrees of freedom. FINDINGS Below is the summary of the major findings: 1. On the status of SBSR policies and the respondents' perceptions on the effectiveness of RA 9295 with regards to economic, technical and social aspects, market sentiment is mixed as revealed by the cumulative and frequency distribution analyses. There are certain areas wherein market players feel that existing policies gave largely improved, but the market still believes that significant progress has yet to occur. For instance, there is marked satisfaction in terms of increased passenger and cargo traffic. The market also believes that business profitability has picked up since the implementation of RA 9295. 2. On the market players' ranking of impediments that hinder the industry's development, the analyses of survey responses yield even more mixed results. The impediments range from the lack of financing and fiscal incentives, to cost availability of materials used in the local SBSR industry as well as old and antiquated SBSR facilities and equipment, certain impediments viewed most severe by some market players were perceived as least serious by others. Market opinion as to the ranking of the tested impediments as thus far from unanimous. 3. On the significant differences in survey responses in terms of 1 and 2, one third of the market ranked the issue of compliance with mandatory rules and regulations, guidelines and standards set by maritime organizations as the most severe issue for the industry, while 25% ranked the lack of financing and other fiscal incentives as the second most serious impediment that hinders the industry's development. The affordability and availability of local materials is ranked the third most serious problem of the industry by 25% of the respondents, and another 25% ranked financing and local incentives as the third most serious problem. 4. To examine if RA 9295 affects the performance of the SBSR industry in terms of income, employment, tax revenue generation, and in terms of trade facilitation via increases in exports and imports, this study employed the Paired Samples T-test. This tool was used to discover if there are significant differences in the means of the abovementioned data before and after the implementation of RA 9295, and if these differences may be attributed to the implementation of said legislation. The results of the test indicate that RA 9295 has no effect on the performance of the local SBSR industry in terms of facilitating the flow of exports. However, the results indicate that RA 9295 significantly affects the performance of the SBSR industry in terms of facilitating the flow of imports. CONCLUSIONS 1. An appraisal of the status if SBSR policies was done through frequency distribution analyses. The study generally indicates mixed results, particularly in its assessment of market perception on the status of SBSR policy with regards to the industry's economic, technical, social and legal aspects. The frequency distribution analyses revel that some market players feel that SBSR policy has generally improved since the implementation of RA 9295, while others believed otherwise. Thus, while this paper concludes that the market perceives that SBSR policies have generally improved in promoting the development of certain areas of the industry in terms of its economic, technical, social and legal aspects, this paper also wishes to emphasize that there are still issues surrounding the industry that will have to be addressed, as perceived by the market players. 2. An appraisal of the effectiveness of RA 9295 in promoting the industry's development was done through frequency distribution analyses. The study generally indicates mixed results, particularly in its assessment of market perception on the effectiveness of RA 9295 with regards to the industry's economic, technical, social and legal aspects. The frequency distribution analyses reveal that some market players feel that RA 9295 has been very effective in promoting the local SBSR industry, while other market players feel that the legislation has been effective in promoting the plight of the industry. Thus, while this paper concludes that the market perceives that RA 9295 has been generally effective in promoting the development of certain areas of the industry in terms of its economic, technical, social and legal aspects, this paper also wishes to emphasize that there are still some issues surrounding the legislation that will have to be addressed, as perceived by the market players.

RECOMMENDATIONS Considering the market players' perceptions on the local SBSR industry and RA 9295 in their economic, technical, social and legal aspects, and together with the analyses of survey results, what has been revealed was the ineffectiveness of the legislation in developing the local shipping industry. Thus, the overall recommendation of this study is the extensive review or appraisal of the law, to ensure that it enhances the growth of the shipping industry, as in the original intention and purpose for which the law has been enacted.

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