Digital Transformation Strategies and Operational Performance of Port Harcourt Int’l Airport, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
The study investigated relationship between digital transformation strategies and operational performance of Port Harcourt Int’l Airport, Port Harcourt. The research design for the study was correlational. The study operationalized the digital transformation strategies into strategies of Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Everything and weighed in the measures of operational performance of the airlines. The population of the study was 145 which consisted of staff of Dana Air, Ibom Air, Arik Airline, and Air Peace operating at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Rivers State, Nigeria. It adopted the census sampling technique which involved studying the entire population. Out of 145 sampled respondents, 130 representing 87% of the total administered questionnaire were returned. The study used the returned 130 for its analysis. The questionnaire was validated by a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Measurement and Evaluation, Niger Delta University, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. The reliability test of the study was tested using Crombach Alpha and showed .98>.71 which implied high reliability of the questionnaire instrument used. The research questions were answered using Mean and Standard Deviation (descriptive statistics) at mean benchmark of 2.5, while the null hypotheses were tested using Pearson Product Correlation Coefficient at .05 significance level. The findings of the study showed a significant relationship between digital transformation strategies and operational performance of public sector, a study of Port Harcourt Int’l Airport, Port Harcourt. It concluded that that listed airlines in the Port Harcourt International Airport have understanding or availability of Artificial Intelligence but that it does not reflect on their information strategies in the use of internet of Everything. That customers are not aware of changes within reasonable period of time. The airlines investigated do not have the time consciousness of its customers by relating information of travel of importance to such passengers as early as possible. The study recommended that management should upgrade its Artificial Intelligence facilities to be prompt in informing passengers on any travel changes, including flight cancellation. And to train and retrain staff, possibly over-seas, on the use of information high way or internet in management information of passengers in the listed airlines.

