Research Publications

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    In Search of a Linkage Between Personality Traits and Interpersonal Behaviour During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study on Indian Marine Engineers Using Structural Equation Modelling
    (Galenos Publishing House, 2024) Mitra, Toorban
    Building and maintaining social and interpersonal relationships are crucial for mental health. However, due to the unique characteristics of jobs, building and maintaining such interpersonal relationships with colleagues as well as others may not be as similar to off-shore employees like shorebased ones. On the contrary, preference towards exhibiting interpersonal relationship behaviour is another area that needs attention in the maritime sector. Such preferences may be unique while individuals pass through uncertain situations like the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, this study investigates the linkages between personality traits and interpersonal relationship behaviours among Indian marine engineers. Data was gathered through snowball sampling from 385 marine engineers utilising the Big Five Inventory and the Fundamental Interpersonal Relationship Orientation-Behavior™ framework after necessary adaptations of these instruments. Results show that conscientiousness is linked to expressed inclusion and wanted control. Extraversion is linked with all behaviours except wanted control, while agreeableness is associated with expressed control. Neuroticism shows linkages with wanted inclusion, expressed control, and wanted control. This study fills critical research gaps by examining the missing links between personality traits and interpersonal relationships in a high-stress environment like the maritime sector and that too during the COVID-19 pandemic. These insights emphasise the need for effective communication and teamwork in high-stress maritime environments.
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    Linking Leadership Integrity - Depression, Anxiety and Stress (DAS) among Sailing Indian Marine Engineers During Covid-19
    (Barcelona School of Nautical Studies, Barcelona, 2024-06-05) Mitra, Toorban; Pattanaik, Krushna Mohan
    Modern-day leadership demands competencies to embrace challenges and uncertainties as a part of a working career. Uncertainties bring in many unknown outcomes and a loss of direction to any team. This is much acknowledged when the unknown outcomes are affecting the team spirit and, in turn, organisational sustainability. Leadership integrity is a watershed to handle such uncertainties with positive outcomes. Like in any other business domain, uncertainties are part of the business in shipping. However, there are specific instances in the nature of COVID-19 that came with many challenges, like extended work contracts, no shore leaves, infrequent crew change, quarantine rules before sign-in, online surveys, etc. Such an uncertain and challenging work environment on board a ship (which itself is an organisation) results in anxiety, stress and depression. In this context, leadership integrity provides much-needed direction and can create a healthy work environment in any organisation. It is in this context that this paper tries to measure this hypothesis in an explorative study, particularly among active marine engineers who worked on board ships during the COVID-19 pandemic. Such knowledge facilitates the understanding of organisational behaviour during challenging times and provides a timely prescription for organisational success during uncertainties and challenging times with much significant focus on the integrity of leaders.
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    Linking Personality Traits with Entrepreneurial Attitude with Mediation of Entrepreneurial Alertness: An Explorative Study on Indian Marine Engineers
    (Journal of Maritime Research, 2023-09-16) Pattanaik, Krushna Mohan; Mitra, Toorban
    On the discourse of virtues of entrepreneurship to economic development, a spate of scientific evidence illuminates the mediation effect of entrepreneurial alertness on the linkage between personality traits, and entrepreneurial attitude carried out among university students, and many of the studies are Western oriented. Also, the scanty nature of such studies on the Indian maritime sector calls for an explorative intervention to identify such mediation effects. Using standard questionnaires for measuring personality traits, entrepreneurial attitude and alertness, this study uses convenience sampling to gather evidence from active Indian marine engineers to establish linkages among such attributes. The basis of research anxiety is due to a lack of formal ways to channelise the entrepreneurial attitude among Indian marine engineers. This study calls for arenas of re-conceptualising policy interventions to formalise investment opportunities for marine engineers and thus contribute to higher growth rates of the blue economy of India.
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    Logistics performance as facilitator to trade performance: An Indian perspective
    (The International Maritime Transport and Logistics Conference "MARLOG 13", 2024-03-03) Dasgupta, Mrinal Kumar; Mitra, Toorban; Pattanaik, Krushna Mohan
    With the growing realisation of the importance of global integration in the production and consumption value chain, the importance of maritime logistics and transportation facilitating international trade is profoundly recognised. Further, a proliferation of collaborative trade agreements among different trade partners is ascribed to play a significant role. However, such external dynamics and engagements in international trade would propel blue economic growth if backed by strong maritime logistics initiatives and establishment. In this context, deep routed challenges, particularly in the domestic maritime logistics sector in manufacturing hubs like India, could potentially hamper her comparative advantages in international trade. It is in this context that this paper comes as an intercession by analysing India’s Logistics Performance Index (LPI) and its impact on trade performance. Also, this paper provides a comparative analysis of India’s LPI with that of other trade competitors from South and East Asia and tries to find out challenging areas of maritime logistics for India and suggest the required policy prescription thereof. Such acknowledgement is a compulsion for a country like India when escalated uncertainties due to episodes of COVID-19, the Russia-Ukraine War, and dips in the business cycles of many countries that demanded green and resilient supply chain and logistics practices. The paper prescribes that domestic reforms to ease out challenges in Indian maritime logistics coupled with external engagements would provide a flat form for India to reap the optimal gains from international trade.
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    Optimising manpower and compensation: an empirical study on selected major ports of India
    (Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management, 2013) Mitra, Toorban
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    Linkage of job ranks and personality traits with augmented stress: a study on Indian marine engineers in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic
    (International Maritime Health, 2023-05-04) Mitra, Toorban
    Background: Marine engineering is a profession that affects a high level of physical and psychological stress. Such a high level of stress was further aggravated during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. On the other hand, personality traits and perceived stress are linked with each other, while job ranks also influence stress levels among employees. However, very few clinical studies are available on this mechanism in seafarers. This study explores the hidden area through the collection of cross-sectional data. Materials and methods: Big Five personality traits instrument, along with a stress augmentation questionnaire, were administered among 280 Indian marine engineers across job ranks who have sailed prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The collected data were analysed using Kruskal-Wallis test and structural equation modelling. Results and Conclusions: The analysis reveals significant differences among Indian marine engineers across their job ranks towards their perception of augmented stress levels. It also indicates that, except for extraversion, personality traits have linkages with levels of augmented stress among Indian marine engineers during the pandemic.
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    Measurement of stress among marine engineers: a methodological intervention
    (The International Maritime Transport and Logistics Journal, 2022) Mitra, Toorban; Pattanaik, Krushna Mohan
    Stress measurement has been an issue on the backburner for maritime sector. In this sector, job related stress has been considered as a way of life. With the onset of pandemic, understanding stress and its management on board ships has become a challenge and of paramount significance to seafarers and shipping companies. Extended contracts of employment, constraints on ships, work fatigue, away from family have all highlighted the need for scientific research on understanding stress on board ships, particularly during challenging times. Most of the studies on stress management and measurement among seafarers employ generalized stress management techniques which do not illuminate sector specific stressors, particularly during uncertain times like Covid-19, let along illuminating general job related stressors. Lack of scientific understanding of stress and stressors in maritime sector adds on to this challenge and thus calls for a sector specific methodological intervention to understanding of stress and stressors among seafarers. In this backdrop, based on previous evidences and discussion with seafarers, a methodology is developed to use a structured questionnaire covering stressors like job itself, company policies, planning activities, away from family, cultural differences and lack of socialization. Since pandemic posed dynamic constraints in the maritime ecosystem, such a structured questionnaire would help in understanding stress and stressor among marine engineers during Covid-19 and facilitate in the development of appropriate stress management strategies by firms in maritime sector. Reliability and validity of the questionnaire has been checked