Osama Fayez Atayah, Mohamed Mahjoub Dhiaf, Khakan Najaf and Guilherme Francisco Frederico
This study aims to contribute to the extant literature on logistics by investigating the interrelationship between the financial performance of listed logistics firms and the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to contribute to the extant literature on logistics by investigating the interrelationship between the financial performance of listed logistics firms and the COVID-19 and compare the logistics firms’ financial performance of G-20 countries during the pandemic period.
Design/methodology/approach
To conduct the confirmatory analysis by testing the hypotheses formulated for this study, data have been collected from Bloomberg of all logistics firms from G-20 countries. This paper gathered the first quarter from 2010 until the last quarter of 2020 as the research sample to examine the pandemic impact on financial performance.
Findings
The results show that the financial performance of logistic firms was significantly higher during 2020. Overall, the country-wise findings corroborated with the main results and the financial performance of 14 countries’ logistic firms out of 20 ones analysed has been significantly elevated, during the pandemic period. However, this paper has found out a negative financial performance of the logistics firms during the COVID-19 period in six countries (Germany, Korea, Russia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia and the UK), which support the second proposition.
Research limitations/implications
The study’s results were important as they highlighted the role of logistics firms in offering insights to academics, practitioners, policymakers and logistic firms’ stakeholders. For future research, this paper suggests including some other variables that might influence firm performance and that have not been considered in this study, which is a limitation, and going more deeply into the logistics sector by comparing the financial performance of the sub-sectors.
Practical implications
As the importance of logistics services during the pandemic period is relevant, this study may provide significant insights because the logistics firms play a crucial role by anticipating to ensure the supply of essential items such as food, medicine, then supporting for the continuity of supply chains. The view of finance impacts during the pandemic may provide insightful perspectives for logistics companies, allowing them to understand those impacts and better prepare for likely disruption events such COVID-19 pandemic.
Originality/value
This paper is novel considering that it is unique in evaluating logistics firms’ financial performance from a global perspective, considering the context of this historical pandemic.
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Khakan Najaf, Mohamed Mahjoub M. Dhiaf, Hazem Marashdeh and Osama F. Atayah
Social risk management is vital for growth and business continuity. This study investigates the social risk shift in supply chain management during the Coronavirus Disease 2019…
Abstract
Purpose
Social risk management is vital for growth and business continuity. This study investigates the social risk shift in supply chain management during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were retrieved from Bloomberg between 2010 and 2021 regarding all supply chain enterprises from nine countries. The authors undertake a confirmatory examination of formulated hypotheses. Social supply chain risk (SSCR) refers to “firms that took the necessary steps to decrease social risks in their supply chain. Social risks involve the child or forced labor, poor working conditions, lack of a living and fair or minimum wage”. The authors complement the analysis and address the endogeneity issue using the dynamic generalized moments method (GMM).
Findings
A significant positive relationship between COVID-19 and SSCR was discovered in this study. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain firms faced supply chain social risk. Notably, SSCR policies differ from one country to another during this period.
Research limitations/implications
The research has some limitations. The sample data are limited to 9 countries. Furthermore, it was somewhat difficult to determine the country-wise difference using COVID-19 as a dummy variable. Future research may adopt qualitative approaches, such as structural or semi-structural interviews.
Practical implications
The results have important implications for supply chain practitioners to consider the critical role of social risk in their operations. COVID-19 has exposed the new political economy and re-centered governments as the key actors in tackling grand challenges to safeguard workers, produce socially useful products and protect their stakeholders. Also, the study highlights the importance of governments and policymakers having a well-structured regulatory framework and environment for firms to comply with the social norms in their supply chain management. Finally, the study's findings should encourage supply chain managers to adopt a proactive mechanism that reduces the social risk impacts of pandemics.
Originality/value
Considering the historical backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, this study is unique in measuring the SSCR of enterprises from a worldwide viewpoint.
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Keywords
Rim El Khoury, Nohade Nasrallah, Osama F. Atayah, Mohamed Mahjoub Dhiaf and Guilherme F. Frederico
This study investigates the impact of green supply chain management (GSCM) practices on environmental performance in firms operating in the discretionary sector in the G20…
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates the impact of green supply chain management (GSCM) practices on environmental performance in firms operating in the discretionary sector in the G20 countries. The sample covers 749 firms for the period 2010–2020.
Design/methodology/approach
This study combines qualitative and quantitative data to examine the impact of the implementation of GSCM on accounting performance measured by the operating margin (OM) and return on assets (ROA). The authors also moderate the effects of Six Sigma and quality management (QM) and ISO 9000 and control for firm variables and COVID 19.
Findings
Using a panel data regression and structural equation modeling (SEM), results indicate that discretionary firms with internal solid GSCM practices combined with external environmental monitoring of suppliers are likely to outperform their peers in environmental issues. Using hierarchical regression, results indicate that both ISO 9000 and S&QM have moderating effects at some level of performance. Furthermore, environmental performance is positively correlated with accounting performance. This study contributes to the literature by addressing the impact of GSCM and the importance of reinforcing green and social regulations to protect the planet.
Originality/value
The paper is one of the first to measure GSCM triple components and account for COVID-19 in the context of discretionary companies and G20 countries. It highlights the impact of green initiatives to cope with major disruptions and decrease pollution and environmental disasters.