Background: Supply chain resilience (SCR) is critical for maintaining business continuity and competitive advantage in a global environment increasingly prone to disruptions like natural hazards and geopolitical tensions. However, a significant problem exists in the lack of standardised, data-driven metrics to compare and monitor vulnerabilities across different transport modes, which hinders effective risk mitigation. Objectives: This study develops a roadmap for SCR in multimodal transport networks by identifying systemic logistical vulnerabilities. The research focuses on creating dimensionless resilience metrics that can support both real-time operational monitoring and long-term strategic decision-making. Method: The research employs a quantitative, data-driven strategy. We analysed six real-world datasets – including aviation, maritime, rail, road and an Amazon last-mile delivery case study – through a rigorous pipeline of cleaning, contextual enrichment and indicator calculation. Results: Findings reveal critical systemic risks: 21% of flights experience disruptions, and rail transport faces a 59% derailment rate. Navigation errors account for 60% of maritime incidents. Furthermore, the case study highlights those orders placed after 17:00 face a 70% delay rate, demonstrating a strong correlation between peak-hour traffic and delivery failure. Conclusion: The study concludes that understanding the interplay between environmental factors and operational data is essential for proactive resilience. Contribution: This article contributes a solid foundation for crisis simulation and strategic management. We recommend that logistics managers implement exact actions, such as adjusting delivery schedules based on temporal traffic density and weather forecasts, to meet resilience goals.
Background: Environmental uncertainty, characterised by rapid changes in macroeconomic policies, geopolitical instability, and sectoral volatility, has become a major driver of supply chain risk. Objectives: This study examines the relationships among environmental uncertainty, supply chain risk, supply chain security, and supply chain efficiency. Growing environmental unpredictability compels organisations to strengthen security measures and build resilient supply networks. Furthermore, the study investigates how firms allocate resources to mitigate risks and enhance security capabilities to reduce disruptions and maintain operational continuity during periods of instability. Method: A quantitative cross-sectional research design was employed. Data were collected through a self-administered survey from 190 logistics, supply chain, and operations management professionals working in commercial companies in Sudan. The data were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Results: The results indicate that environmental uncertainty does not directly affect supply chain efficiency. However, environmental uncertainty was found to have a significant positive relationship with both supply chain risk and supply chain security. In addition, supply chain risk and supply chain security positively mediate the relationship between environmental uncertainty and supply chain efficiency. Conclusion: It is crucial that no organisation can adapt to uncertainty in its environment directly; they need to create integrated risk management and security systems that act as protective mechanisms for supply chain efficiency. Contribution: Organisations should strengthen resilience through flexible sourcing strategies, strategic inventory management, operational decentralisation, and predefined emergency response protocols to ensure continuity during disruptions.
Background: Mineral water companies face growing environmental challenges and resource depletion, yet circular supply chain (CSC) adoption remains uneven. In developing economies, structural resource scarcity limits firms’ ability to build capabilities using conventional models, creating a gap in understanding how circular practices emerge under constraints. Objectives: This study examined how internal organisational factors influence CSC implementation in Liberia’s mineral water sector, and how government policy moderates this relationship, focusing on firms operating under resource scarcity. Method: A quantitative approach surveyed 306 respondents from three mineral water companies. Data were collected from supply chain personnel and analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling to examine the effects of managerial commitment, operational process capability, resource allocation discipline and government policy on CSC adoption. Results: Managerial commitment, operational process capability and disciplined resource allocation significantly influenced CSC implementation. Government policy strengthened the link between internal capabilities and implementation, enhancing adoption when aligned with firm capacities. Conclusion: Internal organisational factors are critical drivers of CSC implementation under scarcity, and supportive policy frameworks amplify their effect. Scarcity can act as a generative condition that reshapes resource prioritisation and allocation for sustainable operations. Contribution: The study extends the resource-based view by demonstrating how firms develop circular capabilities under persistent scarcity. It offers empirical evidence on internal mechanisms and policy interactions that enable CSC implementation in developing economies, providing insights for managers and policymakers seeking to enhance sustainability in resource-constrained contexts.
Background: Tzaneen’s avocado supply chain (ASC) plays a critical role in South Africa’s avocado industry but faces significant inefficiencies caused by organisational silos, weak communication, postharvest losses, and fragmented coordination across its six supply chain stages. These challenges hinder competitiveness, reduce product quality, and limit the region’s ability to respond effectively to global market demands, highlighting the need for improved cross-functional integration (CFI). Objectives: This study aimed to develop a comprehensive framework for introducing CFI in Tzaneen’s ASC by identifying challenges, proposing strategies, determining key stages for enhancement, and creating a cohesive model to reduce silos and improve efficiency. Method: This is a conceptual article that relies solely on an extensive literature review to build a theoretical framework for understanding and reducing silos in Tzaneen’s ASC. Results: The study reveals that organisational silos, communication gaps, and poor cross-functional coordination across Tzaneen’s ASC significantly hinder efficiency, increase postharvest losses, and weaken supply chain performance. Conclusion: The study concludes that implementing structured CFI is crucial for reducing silos, enhancing information flow, and improving the competitiveness and sustainability of Tzaneen’s ASC. Contribution: This article presents a theoretically grounded framework that identifies the causes of silos and outlines strategies for implementing CFI to enhance collaboration and performance within Tzaneen’s ASC.
Background: Green Public Procurement (GPP) is a key policy instrument for advancing sustainable development, yet the factors driving its adoption in developing economies remain underexplored. Objectives: This study examines the institutional pressures influencing GPP implementation in Nigeria’s automotive aftermarket sector, a strategically important but understudied context. Method: A qualitative research design was employed, drawing on 14 in-depth interviews with senior managers in Nigeria’s Ministry of Transportation. Guided by institutional theory, the study explores how green purchasing is used to promote supplier compliance with environmental requirements. Results: The findings reveal that GPP implementation is largely compliance-driven and shaped primarily by coercive pressures. National regulatory requirements and mandatory ISO 14001 certification emerged as key drivers of green procurement practices. Mimetic pressures helped to reduce uncertainty through the adoption of recognised best practices, while normative pressures were comparatively weak. This imbalance created an external–internal knowledge gap that hindered the deeper institutionalisation of sustainability values within public organisations. Conclusion: Although coercive mechanisms play a critical role in driving GPP adoption, their effectiveness is limited without stronger normative capacity and greater internal commitment to sustainability. Environmental certification also serves as an important gateway for suppliers seeking access to public sector contracts. Contribution: By providing a rare empirical account of compliance-driven GPP in a developing economy, this study extends institutional theory and offers practical insights into how public organisations respond to institutional pressures in pursuing sustainability objectives beyond economic considerations.
Background: Public procurement is one of Ghana’s largest channels of public expenditure, yet institutional inefficiencies, corruption, and political interference limit its contribution to sustainable development. Empirical evidence on threshold effects – the point beyond which rising procurement budgets yield diminishing economic returns – remains scarce in the Ghanaian context. Objectives: This study investigates threshold effects of public procurement budget allocations on economic development in Ghana, examining how budgetary levels shape procurement effectiveness and outcomes, and assessing the moderating roles of budget allocation and procurement policy. Method: A quantitative, deductive design was used. Structured Likert-scale questionnaires were administered to 100 purposively selected procurement managers, finance officers, and decision-makers from public and private organisations. Data were analysed in SPSS using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and hierarchical regression. Results: Descriptive statistics showed moderate perceptions across variables (means: 2.91–3.00). Correlation revealed a significant negative relationship between budget allocation and procurement effectiveness. Regression confirmed that the threshold effect significantly and negatively predicts economic development, while budget allocation (p = 0.234) and procurement policy (p = 0.419) were non-significant (R2 = 0.057). Conclusion: Exceeding optimal procurement budget thresholds produces diminishing returns; increasing budgets without institutional capacity, transparency, and enforcement does not improve outcomes. Ghana’s procurement system needs strategic budget optimisation, depoliticised decision-making, and sustained capacity development. Contribution: The study applies a threshold effects framework to Ghanaian public procurement, extending Public Choice and Institutional Theory by showing that political incentives and weak institutional capacity jointly produce non-linear procurement–development relationships, offering guidance for Ghana’s Public Procurement Authority.
Background: Digital twin technology can improve operational visibility, system monitoring and decision support in logistics. However, empirical evidence on organisational readiness for adoption remains limited in emerging logistics economies. Objectives: This study examines organisational readiness for digital twin adoption in Egypt’s logistics sector by assessing the effects of perceived operational benefits, digital workforce skills, managerial support and investment uncertainty. Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 500 logistics professionals across major logistics hubs in Egypt. The questionnaire measured perceived digital twin benefits, workforce digital capabilities, managerial commitment and financial uncertainty. Multiple regression analysis was used to test the determinants of adoption readiness. Results: Perceived operational benefits, digital workforce skills and managerial support had significant positive effects on adoption readiness. Investment uncertainty had a significant negative effect, showing that financial concerns remain an important implementation barrier. Conclusion: Digital twin adoption readiness in logistics depends less on technological feasibility alone and more on organisational capability, managerial commitment and investment clarity. Contribution: The study provides Egypt-specific evidence on the readiness conditions shaping digital twin adoption before full implementation. It offers practical guidance for logistics firms and policymakers seeking to move from digital twin awareness to adoption readiness.
Background: Resource-dependent economies with limited domestic manufacturing capacity rely almost entirely on imports for consumer goods, food and industrial inputs. Despite the growing literature on supply chain risk and supply base management, the import source concentration patterns of such economies have received little empirical attention. Objectives: This study characterised the evolution of import source concentration in Kuwait, a trade-dependent, resource-based economy, over 25 years; decomposed the drivers of rising concentration; and tested whether oil revenue dynamics influence sourcing patterns. Method: Monthly bilateral import data for Kuwait from 217 partner economies over 2000–2024 (50,709 observations) were obtained from the IMF Direction of Trade Statistics. Concentration was measured using the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI), Concentration Ratios (CR4, CR10) and Theil Entropy Index. Trend analysis with Newey–West standard errors, Chow structural break tests and Granger causality analysis were employed. Results: Import concentration rose 47% over 25 years (HHI: 468–687), accelerating from 4.0 points per year in 2000–2007 to 20.2 in 2020–2024. China’s share rose from 3.7% to 18.0%, displacing European suppliers. Oil prices Granger-caused China’s share (p < 0.001), with no reverse causality. Findings were robust to alternative measures and sub-period analysis. Conclusion: Kuwait’s import supply base is concentrating at an accelerating rate, creating measurable supply chain vulnerability that warrants policy intervention. Contribution: This study provides a high-frequency empirical characterisation of import supply base concentration in a Gulf Cooperation Council economy, bridging the supply chain risk literature and the trade dependency challenges of resource-based economies.
This Table of Contents reflects the print compilation of peer-reviewed articles published in the journal. Each article listed was originally published online under the journal’s open access model and remains individually accessible and citable. This compilation has been created solely for print distribution, reference, and archival purposes. No new research content is introduced. The publisher affirms that all articles included in this compilation have undergone the journal’s standard editorial and peer-review processes.
Background: Growing international trade in floricultural products has increased the importance of cold chain logistics (CCL) for preserving quality, shelf life and export competitiveness. However, conventional evaluation approaches poorly capture the operational, economic and environmental complexities of floriculture cold chains. Objectives: This study aims to develop an integrated framework for analysing export-flower CCL in an emerging economy, using the Ethiopian floriculture industry context. Method: A multi-stage design that integrates a literature review, expert evaluation, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and discrete event simulation (DES) was adopted, structuring CCL evaluation into hierarchical dimensions, indicators and metrics within the DES model. Results: Simulation results revealed substantial heterogeneity across growers. Daily throughput ranged from 201 to 4870 boxes and mean process times from 41.85 h to 44.84 h, while shelf-life consumed varied from 13.73 h to 22.55 h. Environmentally, the international flight stage accounted for the highest energy use (97.8%) and emission levels. Conclusion: Disparities emerged in operational efficiency, responsiveness, quality, economic and environmental performance. Large-scale operations achieved higher throughput and lower cost per box, but not necessarily better environmental outcomes. Quality results, temperature degree-hours and shelf-life consumed varied with temperature management and process stability, underscoring the need for tailored interventions. Contribution: The study integrates multi-criteria prioritisation with simulation-based system analysis in floriculture exports, offering evidence-based insights for growers, logistics providers, handling agents and policymakers seeking to improve effectiveness, minimise losses and enhance sustainability.
Background: Grocery small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operate in highly competitive retail environments where transportation and delivery costs constitute a substantial proportion of operating expenses. Limited economies of scale, increasing fuel prices and frequent replenishment requirements place significant pressure on logistics operations, reducing SMEs’ ability to compete with larger retailers that possess more sophisticated distribution networks. Shared outsourced transportation has emerged as a potential strategy to improve logistics efficiency and reduce delivery costs. However, limited qualitative evidence exists on how grocery SME owners perceive the value and practicality of shared transportation within their operational contexts. Objectives: This study explored grocery SME owners’ perceptions of shared outsourced transportation as a strategic approach to reducing delivery costs and improving competitiveness in the grocery retail sector. Method: An interpretivist research philosophy and qualitative exploratory design were adopted. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 12 grocery SME owners and senior managers responsible for transportation and logistics decisions. The data were analysed using thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns and perceptions regarding shared transportation practices. Results: Four themes emerged: Perceived cost-saving benefits of shared outsourced transportation, improved operational flexibility and risk-sharing, coordination and service reliability challenges, and the perceived influence of shared transportation on competitiveness and market positioning. Conclusion: Participants perceived shared outsourced transportation as a viable strategy for reducing delivery costs and improving operational efficiency. These findings represent participants’ experiences and perceptions rather than objectively measured organisational performance. Contribution: The study contributes qualitative insights into collaborative transportation practices and demonstrates how shared outsourced transportation may strengthen the competitiveness of grocery SMEs.
Background: Cold storage facilities must balance energy conservation with temperature compliance for perishable exports, yet comparative evidence on airlock design and refrigeration technology remains limited. Objectives: This study compared cooling performance of two cold storage facilities with differing refrigeration technologies and airlock configurations during orange handling. Method: iButtons® were placed in orange cartons across five pallets per facility during July–August, coinciding with peak Western Cape Valencia orange export season. CS1 used conventional refrigeration with non-temperature-controlled (NTC) airlocks; CS2 used advanced refrigeration with temperature-controlled (TC) airlocks. Data were recorded at 15-minute intervals and analysed using descriptive statistics, a chi-square test, and the Mann–Whitney U test. Cooling rate was defined as time elapsed until average pallet temperature first reached 5 °C. Results: CS2 achieved superior control, with 85.92% of readings at or below 5 °C versus 57.46% for CS1. Mean temperatures were 2.98 °C (CS2) and 6.14 °C (CS1). CS2 reached 5 °C within approximately 1.5 hours of pallet arrival; CS1 required approximately 25 hours. Differences between facilities were highly significant (p < 0.001), with large effect sizes (Cohen’s d = 1.04; rank-biserial r = 0.73). Conclusion: TC airlock systems substantially improved protocol compliance over selective-cooling approaches. For citrus exports requiring sub-5 °C storage, TC airlocks are essential for maintaining export quality. Contribution: Findings offer evidence-based guidance for cold chain operators and policymakers balancing energy efficiency with temperature control in South African agricultural export management.
Background: Green logistics can reduce emissions and waste while sustaining cost and service performance, yet adoption remains uneven in emerging-economic provinces because of heterogeneous enforcement, technology access and managerial capabilities. Objectives: This study examines the key determinants of green logistics adoption (GLP) among manufacturing enterprises in Thai Nguyen province, Vietnam, by integrating the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and the Technology–Organisation–Environment (TOE) framework, and by testing whether environmental – social awareness mediates the effect of external pressure (EXT) on adoption. Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 30 manufacturing enterprises, yielding 60 valid responses (two informants per firm). The model assesses the effects of environmental-social awareness (ENV), EXT, perceived cost-effectiveness, internal capabilities (INT) and technological infrastructure (TEC) on GLP. The data were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) with 2000 bootstrap resamples. Results: Perceived cost-effectiveness, TEC, ENV and EXT show significant positive effects on adoption, whereas INT is not significant. External pressure significantly increases environmental – social awareness, and the indirect effect EXT → ENV → GLP is significant, indicating partial mediation. The model explains 63.8% of the variance in adoption and demonstrates predictive relevance. Conclusion: Green logistics adoption in Thai Nguyen province is primarily driven by a clear business case, enabling technologies, and institutional and market pressures that are partly internalised through managerial awareness. Contribution: The study provides provincial-level evidence from Vietnam, extends prior work that typically applies TPB or TOE in isolation, and clarifies an awareness-based mechanism through which EXT is translated into GLP.
Background: This study investigates the role of logistics clusters, specifically logistics providers (LP), on international trade, focusing on Rades Port in Tunisia. We aim to assess how the co-location of logistic service providers (LSPs) affects port connectivity and trade flows, and how the competence and productivity of logistics services contribute to export performance. Objectives: The research analyses the effect of logistics clusters, particularly the co-located seaport logistics providers, on trade dynamics, focusing on exports from Rades port to its eight main importers. Method: The gravity model incorporates variables such as importer gross domestic product (GDP), distance, and measures of capital productivity of LSPs, both those co-located within LP and those operating outside. Results: The results confirm a positive correlation between the GDP of importing countries and trade volumes, highlighting the role of economic size in driving exports. Interestingly, the capital productivity of LSPs co-located within the LP is found to negatively impact trade, suggesting potential inefficiencies or overconcentration. In contrast, a 10% increase in the capital productivity of LSPs located outside the platform corresponds to a 14% increase in trade. Additionally, a 10% reduction in geographical distance between countries leads to a 16% increase in exports, reinforcing traditional gravity model expectations. Conclusion: The findings have important implications for logistics and port policy. Policymakers should reconsider how logistics clusters are managed and supported, as simple co-location may not guarantee improved performance. Enhancing service quality and ensuring competitive dynamics within LPs may be more critical for trade facilitation. Contribution: The study offers novel insights into how logistics infrastructure and organisational factors influence trade from a major North African port.
Background: The sports industry increasingly demands logistics systems that are not only efficient but also sustainable and digitally integrated. As globalisation and the complexity of sporting events increase, so does the need for environmentally conscious and technologically advanced logistics solutions. Objectives: This study aims to offer a theoretical analysis of sports logistics, focusing on the integration of sustainability and digital transformation. It seeks to identify key components and propose a new framework − the Sustainable Sports Logistics System (SSLS). Method: A qualitative research methodology was applied using secondary literature analysis. Sources were selected from peer-reviewed academic journals and international reports to develop the SSLS model conceptually. Results: The SSLS model incorporates resource optimisation, green transport, digital traceability and circular asset use. Findings indicate that combining sustainability with digital tools boosts efficiency, resilience and adaptability. This is particularly evident during disruptions such as venue shifts or equipment breakdowns. Conclusion: There is a growing necessity to re-evaluate sports logistics from both operational and strategic standpoints. The integration of sustainability and digitalisation is not optional but essential for future-ready logistics systems. Contribution: This study offers a conceptual framework that bridges theoretical insights with practical applications. It provides guidance for sports event organisers, logistics providers and facility managers on how to implement greener, more adaptable and digitally integrated logistics systems.
Background: This study examines how digital supply chain transformation can enhance public health logistics in Zimbabwe, a country facing systemic infrastructure and resource limitations. While digitalisation promises increased transparency, better inventory management and timely delivery of medical supplies, widespread adoption remains challenging. Barriers such as poor infrastructure, financial constraints and low technological literacy limit progress. Objectives: To identify the key systemic and human factors influencing digital health supply chain adoption in Zimbabwe and to propose strategies for leveraging digital transformation to strengthen public health logistics. Method: Employing a qualitative desk review, the study draws on Institutional Theory and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). It analyses literature, policy documents and reports to identify both systemic and human barriers to the adoption of digital health technologies. Results: The findings reveal that reliance on manual processes and limited digital literacy perpetuate inefficiencies and stockouts, hampering health service delivery. Main obstacles include weak policy enforcement, fragmented systems, infrastructure gaps and low acceptance of technology. Adoption of innovations like blockchain and e-procurement could improve transparency if accompanied by institutional reforms. Conclusion: Strategic investment in digital infrastructure, workforce training and coherent policy is crucial to the success of digital health initiatives. Integrating infrastructure, capacity building and institutional reform is essential to overcoming barriers and realising the benefits of digital transformation in Zimbabwe’s public health logistics. Contribution: This article analyses barriers to digital supply chain transformation in Zimbabwe’s public health sector, emphasizing infrastructural, institutional, and human resource challenges. It highlights the importance of strategic reforms, capacity building, and policy support to enhance visibility, efficiency, and health outcomes through context-specific digital solutions.
Background: This study analyses how digitalised supply chains affect value co-creation and performance among small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs) in KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape, South Africa. Objectives: It aims to provide insights into how digital technologies enhance supply chain efficiency and support sustainable development goals through innovation and collaboration in the tourism sector. Grounded in dynamic capabilities theory, the study explores how SMMEs integrate and reconfigure resources to sustain competitive advantage in dynamic environments. Method: A quantitative approach using regression analysis was employed to assess the relationships among supply chain digitalisation, value co-creation, and enterprise performance. Results: Digitalised supply chains positively influence value co-creation and performance, enabling SMMEs to optimise processes, improve customer satisfaction, and achieve sustainable competitiveness. Conclusion: The study provides strategic insights for managers and policymakers to promote digital transformation and strengthen SMME performance in the tourism value chain. Contribution: The study links digitalised supply chains with value co-creation in SMMEs, particularly in developing economies. It highlights how digital technologies facilitates collaborative value creation through improved connectivity among supply chain actors. It also identifies the digital capabilities and relational mechanisms essential for SMMEs to realise shared value value. This integrated perspective connecting digitalisation and co-creation outcomes aligns with the Journal of Transport and Supply Chain Management’s focus on innovation and value creation within resilient, digitally enabled supply chain systems.
Background: Sustainable procurement is a crucial pillar of corporate governance and competitiveness, particularly in resource-constrained environments such as Namibia. Regardless of the rising interest in sustainability principles, the bulk of parastatals face difficulties in embedding environmental, social and economic considerations into internal procurement processes. Namibia Corporation (NAMCOR) exemplifies this challenge, where balancing cost efficiency, compliance and sustainability remains a complex task. Objectives: This study aims to highlight and evaluate the key drivers influencing sustainable internal procurement at NAMCOR. Method: An exploratory qualitative approach, interpretivist philosophy and case study design were adopted. Data were collected from 20 participants purposively selected from NAMCOR using semi-structured interview guide. Document analysis was also used to collect data, and thematic analysis was applied during data analysis. Results: The results indicate that leadership commitment, corporate values, compliance with government policies, economic efficiency, employee competence, shareholder influence and supplier collaboration are the key factors of sustainable internal procurement. The adoption of sustainable practices is hampered by misaligned departmental priorities, weak sustainability awareness and inadequate monitoring mechanisms. Conclusion: The study reveals that sustainable internal procurement needs a comprehensive strategy that combines governance, capacity building and digital technology. Stakeholder engagement and policy alignment will stimulate sustainability and organisational performance. Contribution: This research enhances the understanding of sustainable procurement in Namibia. It provides a conceptual framework for adopting sustainability in procurement in the oil and gas industry. It offers practical guidance for corporate leaders who aim to align operational processes with sustainability objectives.
Background: In the rapidly expanding e-commerce sector, stock-outs remain a critical failure, eroding customer trust and revenue. While lean principles are often applied to optimise internal inventory, this study proposes a paradigm shift: leveraging lean to transition the online retailer from a mere inventory holder to a dynamic logistics orchestrator. Objectives: The objective of this study is to propose a dynamic fulfilment framework, grounded in lean principles, to eliminate stock-outs in online retail by transforming supply chains from static inventories into agile, networked ecosystems. Method: This research investigated a South African case through 12 semi-structured interviews and workplace observations. It confirms that the root cause of stock-outs is systemic latency, where non-integrated systems and batch-processing create a misleading representation of available stock. Results: Moving beyond the standard recommendation for system integration, this article introduces a novel dynamic fulfilment framework. We argue that by applying lean value stream mapping to the entire supply network, retailers can pre-empt stock-outs not only by improving forecasting but by creating a resilient, multi-sourced fulfilment ecosystem. When an item is unavailable in the primary warehouse, the system can instantly offer customers alternative fulfilment paths, such as direct supplier shipping or a peer-to-peer store transfer, thereby transforming a potential service failure into a demonstration of agility and customer commitment. Conclusion: This research provides a forward-leaning, actionable model for using lean retailing to build not just efficiency, but unshakeable competitive resilience. Contribution: This article contributes to the field of supply chain and retail management by identifying and analysing the key factors contributing to stock-outs in online shopping and demonstrating how lean retail principles can be applied to improve inventory availability and operational efficiency in the South African retail context.
Background: Whilst logistics performance is central to economic development and international integration, the influence of national culture on logistics outcomes remains underexplored, as prior studies have largely emphasised infrastructure, policy and firm-level factors. Objectives: This article examines how national culture, as defined by Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions Theory, influences countries' logistics performance. It empirically analyses the impact of six cultural dimensions on the national logistics performance, providing insights for theory and policy development. Method: Using panel data of 628 country-year observations from 95 countries over 2010-2022, a robust random-effects model (REM) is employed, supported by Hausman and Breusch-Pagan Lagrange Multiplier tests, confirming significant unobserved heterogeneity and the appropriateness of REM over alternative models. Results: Individualism (IDV) and long-term orientation (LTO) have positive impacts, whilst power distance (PDI) and uncertainty avoidance (UAI) negatively influence national logistics performance. Masculinity and indulgence vs. restraint show no significant association with logistics outcomes of countries. Conclusion: National culture significantly influences logistics performance, with IDV and LTO enhancing efficiency, whilst PDI and UAI reduce flexibility and innovation. These results highlight the importance of cultural factors in national logistics governance and performance improvement. Contribution: This study contributes to logistics performance research by integrating Hofstede's cultural dimensions at the country level, providing evidence that cultural values shape how national logistics systems function. The findings offer practical guidance for policymakers to develop culturally aligned strategies that enhance coordination, innovation and sustainable logistics development.
