Emotional Intelligence as a Predictor of Managerial Performance among Middle-Level Managers in Customs House Agents and Freight Forwarding Firms at V.O. Chidambaranar Port

Abstract

Emotional intelligence has emerged as a critical managerial competency that significantly influences leadership effectiveness, decision-making, conflict management, stress management, and overall organizational performance. In the highly competitive logistics and supply chain sector, middle-level managers play a pivotal role in coordinating operational activities, managing teams, and ensuring effective communication between senior management and frontline employees. This study examines Emotional Intelligence as a Predictor of Managerial Performance among Middle-Level Managers in Customs House Agents (CHA) and Freight Forwarding Firms with reference to Thoothukudi District. The primary objective of the study is to assess the influence of emotional intelligence on managerial performance. Specifically, the study examines the five dimensions of emotional intelligence, namely self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills, and evaluates their contribution to managerial performance measured through leadership, decision-making, conflict management, and stress management. The study is based on both primary and secondary data. Primary data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to 110 middle-level managers selected using a convenient sampling technique from Customs House Agents and Freight Forwarding firms associated with logistics operations connected to V.O. Chidambaranar Port. Secondary data were collected from books, journals, research articles, government publications, and relevant online sources. The collected data were analysed using Percentage Analysis, Mean and Standard Deviation, Pearson's Correlation Analysis, and Multiple Regression Analysis with the help of SPSS. The findings reveal that leadership recorded the highest mean score among the managerial performance dimensions, followed by decision-making, conflict management, and stress management, indicating a high level of managerial performance among the respondents. Correlation analysis revealed that all five dimensions of emotional intelligence have a positive and statistically significant relationship with managerial performance. Among them, social skills exhibited the strongest positive correlation, followed by motivation and self-regulation. Multiple regression analysis further confirmed that emotional intelligence is a significant predictor of managerial performance, explaining 70.9% of the variance (R² = 0.709). Social skills emerged as the strongest predictor, followed by motivation, self-regulation, self-awareness, and empathy. The study concludes that emotional intelligence plays a vital role in enhancing managerial effectiveness and recommends that Customs House Agents and Freight Forwarding firms implement emotional intelligence-based training programmes, leadership development initiatives, coaching, and periodic behavioural assessments to strengthen managerial competencies and improve organizational performance.