China's logistics green competitiveness promotion path: a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis approach

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Business Administration
• Regional Economics

Background:

• Growing environmental concerns necessitate green development across industries.
• The logistics sector's environmental impact is significant, yet its green competitiveness drivers are understudied.
• Green competitiveness is a key objective for policymakers and industry leaders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the condition configurations that enhance green competitiveness in China's logistics industry.
• To apply Porter's diamond model and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis to identify effective strategies.
• To provide practical insights for improving regional logistics green competitiveness.

Main Methods:

• Utilized fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA).
• Analyzed data from 30 provincial regions in mainland China.
• Incorporated factors: logistics technology innovation, market demand, tertiary industry proportion, enterprise management, environmental regulation, and internet penetration.

Main Results:

• Green competitiveness is multifactorial; no single element is sufficient.
• Identified three equally valid pathways to enhance logistics green competitiveness.
• Environmental regulation is crucial for regions with low-value output; internet support is vital for regions with geographical advantages and many logistics firms.

Conclusions:

• Regional strategies for enhancing logistics green competitiveness must consider specific local conditions and factor configurations.
• Environmental regulation and internet support are key levers, particularly for specific regional contexts.
• The study offers a practical framework for diverse regions to foster sustainable logistics operations.