최근 정보화는 사회전반에 걸쳐 핵심 전략수단이 되었으며, 항만에 있어서도 정보화 및 정보기술의 중요성은 예외 없이 강조되고 있다. 그러나, 이러한 항만 정보화의 중요성에도 불구하고 이에 대한 기반연구가 부족하고, 게다가 항만의 정보화 수준을 제대로 측정할 수 있는 기준과 그 수준을 분석한 연구는 거의 없는 실정이다. 본 논문에서는 이러한 점에 주목하여 항만의 정보화 수준을 파악하기 위한 기준을 수립하고, 정보화 수준 평가지수를 개발하는 것을 연구의 목적으로 한다. 그리고, 수립된 지수모델을 바탕으로 그 적용가능성을 가늠해보고자 한다.

Shipping industry continues to face dramatic changes in its environment ranging from development in containerization, computerization and telecommunications to the emergence of global marketplace. Perhaps the most significant trend - representing both a threat and opportunity - is the increasingly competitive nature of shipping service market. In order for the shipping companies to cope with those improvements and challenges, they should analyze and clarify customer's DM(decision making) process for the purchase of container shipping service. The major research findings from the study were found as follows; 1) The degree of shipper's involvement in purchasing shipping services was found to be a discriminating variable affecting the information sources consisting of personal and non-personal information sources. 2) The positive relationship was found between the experiences on shipping services and non-personal information sources. 3) It was observed that as people had more experience searching for information, the more in depth their searches became. 4) There existed a positive relationship between knowledges on shipping services and information search. 5) According to the SEM analysis, the shipper's information search on shipping services was also found to have a great influence on the shipper's purchasing behavior. The shipper's search was resulted in positive customer satisfaction.