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Evaluating environmental sustainability strategies in freight transport and logistics industry

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  • Piera Centobelli
  • Roberto Cerchione
  • Emilio Esposito
  • Shashi

Abstract

This paper provides a conceptual framework on green initiatives adoption in companies operating in freight transport and logistics industry and presents an overview on the emerging green practices and information systems adopted. On the basis of a literature review on the topic, a research question was identified and addressed through an analysis conducted in a sample of freight transport and logistics companies. This research question regards the behaviours of freight transporters in adopting green practices and information systems. As for the adoption of both green practices and information systems, the paper shows that freight transporters are not a homogeneous industry, but different types of behaviour emerge. As for the relationship between the degree of adoption of green practices and information systems, the paper proposes a taxonomy bringing together sustainable strategies for adopting green initiatives. Specifically, four strategies are identified: sustainability leaders, green practice adopters, information system adopters, and sustainability followers. These sustainable strategies highlight the different phases of the process of adoption of green initiatives.

Suggested Citation

  • Piera Centobelli & Roberto Cerchione & Emilio Esposito & Shashi, 2020. "Evaluating environmental sustainability strategies in freight transport and logistics industry," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(3), pages 1563-1574, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:bstrat:v:29:y:2020:i:3:p:1563-1574
    DOI: 10.1002/bse.2453
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    3. Memon, Khalid Rasheed & Ooi, Say Keat, 2023. "Identifying digital leadership's role in fostering competitive advantage through responsible innovation: A SEM-Neural Network approach," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
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    5. Pei‐Ju Wu & Chun‐Kai Yang, 2021. "Sustainable development in aviation logistics: Successful drivers and business strategies," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(8), pages 3763-3771, December.
    6. Anastasios Tsakalidis & Konstantinos Gkoumas & Ferenc Pekár, 2020. "Digital Transformation Supporting Transport Decarbonisation: Technological Developments in EU-Funded Research and Innovation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-13, May.
    7. Diego Pereira Ribeiro & Ualison Rébula de Oliveira & Aldara da Silva César & Vicente Aprigliano Fernandes, 2021. "Evaluation of Medicine Reverse Logistics Practices in Hospitals," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-14, March.
    8. Vera Gelashvili & Juan Gabriel Martínez-Navalón & Miguel Ángel Gómez-Borja, 2024. "Does the intensity of use of social media influence the economic sustainability of the university?," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 49(1), pages 19-43, February.
    9. Paul D. Larson, 2021. "Relationships between Logistics Performance and Aspects of Sustainability: A Cross-Country Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-13, January.
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