The Effect of Governance Quality on International Logistics Performance

Purpose - This study investigates the direct effects of national governance quality on international logistics activities. The results provide practical insights for different stakeholders such as policymakers and offer detailed recommendations for improving national governance quality in projects aimed to enhance cross-border logistics operations. Design/methodology/approach - To test the hypotheses, a multivariate linear regression model using the ordinary least squares estimator is applied to 166 countries covering six periods: 2007, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018. Findings - All national governance indicators have a significant positive influence on the performance of cross-border logistics operations. At the dimensional level, government effectiveness, legal systems, anti-corruption efforts and regulatory quality have a greater impact than democracy and a stable political environment on all dimensions of logistics performance. Research implications or Originality - This study sheds light on how the quality of governance directly affects trading logistics. It advises governments to enhance governance quality and nurture a supportive institutional environment to improve transnational logistics proficiency. It also provides a better understanding of the institutional backgrounds of international logistics companies in target countries before their performance plans.