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Low-Carbon Initiatives of Logistics Service Providers: The Perspective of Supply Chain Integration

Author

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  • Cheng Qian

    (Business School, Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing 100081, China)

  • Shenghui Wang

    (Business School, Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing 100081, China)

  • Xiaohong Liu

    (Business School, Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing 100081, China)

  • Xueying Zhang

    (Business School, Central University of Finance and Economics, Beijing 100081, China)

Abstract

Logistics service providers (LSPs) are under tremendous pressure in the fight against global climate change. While existing research has examined the operational importance of LSPs in decarbonizing supply chains, the strategic perspective of LSPs on low carbon supply chains has not received enough attention. Motivated by the evolving role of LSPs from a service provider to a resource integrator in the supply chain, drawing on the relational view of inter-organizational competitive advantage, this paper focuses on LSPs’ low-carbon supply chain integration (SCI) and empirically investigates its drivers and outcomes. Data from 124 Chinese LSPs shows that LSPs’ corporate environmental responsibility and customer environmental requirement have positive relationships with LSPs’ low-carbon SCI, and that LSPs’ low-carbon SCI is positively related to LSPs’ environmental and financial performance. In addition, LSPs’ environmental performance is found to have a positive relationship with LSPs’ financial performance. These findings not only provide new insights for LSPs’ low-carbon supply chain initiatives, but also highlight the importance of SCI as a strategic approach in low-carbon supply chain management.

Suggested Citation

  • Cheng Qian & Shenghui Wang & Xiaohong Liu & Xueying Zhang, 2019. "Low-Carbon Initiatives of Logistics Service Providers: The Perspective of Supply Chain Integration," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-13, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:12:p:3233-:d:239023
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    Cited by:

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    6. Noorliza Karia, 2022. "Antecedents and Consequences of Environmental Capability towards Sustainability and Competitiveness," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-16, September.
    7. He, Peng & He, Yong & Tang, Xiaoying & Ma, Shigui & Xu, Henry, 2022. "Channel encroachment and logistics integration strategies in an e-commerce platform service supply chain," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 244(C).
    8. K. Noorliza, 2023. "Determinants of an Environmentally Sustainable Model for Competitiveness," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-18, January.
    9. Veronica S Ülgen & Maria Björklund & Niklas Simm & Helena Forslund, 2019. "Inter-Organizational Supply Chain Interaction for Sustainability: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-25, October.
    10. Fei Ma & Huifeng Xue & Kum Fai Yuen & Qipeng Sun & Shumei Zhao & Yanxia Zhang & Kai Huang, 2020. "Assessing the Vulnerability of Logistics Service Supply Chain Based on Complex Network," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-18, March.
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