Eco-market orientation in the logistics industry: a conveyor belt for achieving organizational outcomes via green logistics practices
The International Journal of Logistics Management
ISSN: 0957-4093
Article publication date: 22 March 2022
Issue publication date: 19 April 2022
Abstract
Purpose
The compounding impacts of climate change has mobilised unstinting endeavours of researchers, ecologists and corporate leaders to explore new ways for the logistics industry to manage environmental problems, improve social outcomes and gain competitive advantage. The purpose of this study is to investigate the mediation roles of inbound green logistics practices and outbound green logistics practices between eco-market orientation, green value competitiveness and social sustainability.
Design/methodology/approach
By employing explanatory research design, with questionnaire-based survey, data for the study was collected from Ghanaian logistics firms. The data is analysed using the partial least square structural equation modelling.
Findings
The results indicate that eco-market orientation has a significant positive impact on green value competitiveness. However, eco-market orientation was found to have an insignificant impact on social sustainability. The results further confirmed the notion that eco-market orientation substantially strengthens the implementation of inbound green logistics practices and outbound green logistics practices. Specifically, the mediation analysis confirmed that inbound green logistics practices and outbound green logistics practices serve as indirect mechanisms through which eco-market orientation significantly influences green value competitiveness and social sustainability.
Originality/value
Compared to previous literature, this is a pioneer study that develops an explanatory research framework under the lenses of the natural resource-based theory, stakeholder theory and resource advantage theory in illuminating how inbound green logistics practices and outbound green logistics practices act as mediation mechanisms between eco-market orientation and green value competitiveness and eco-market orientation and social sustainability.
Keywords
Citation
Afum, E., Agyabeng-Mensah, Y., Baah, C., Asamoah, G. and Kusi, L.Y. (2022), "Eco-market orientation in the logistics industry: a conveyor belt for achieving organizational outcomes via green logistics practices", The International Journal of Logistics Management, Vol. 33 No. 2, pp. 712-734. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJLM-07-2021-0383
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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