IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/bstrat/v34y2025i7p8194-8212.html

Does Twin Transition Facilitate Exporting? The Case of Logistics Innovation

Author

Listed:
  • Areti Gkypali
  • Kostas Tsekouras
  • Andriana G. Dimakopoulou

Abstract

Firms need to overcome two hurdles to enter foreign markets: deciding whether to export and the intensity of their export sales. Although logistics plays a crucial role in exporting, the link between logistics innovation and exporting remains unexplored. However, logistics innovation is vital for firms to respond to the emergence of digital technologies and the urgency to make their global value chains more sustainable. To address this research gap, we investigate the impact of digital logistics innovation (DLI) and environmental logistics innovation (ELI)—core components of the ongoing ‘twin transition’—on exporting. Using data from the 2014–2016 Community Innovation Survey for 2171 Greek and 4779 Portuguese firms, we estimate a double hurdle model. Empirical results suggest that ELI primarily facilitates market entry, whereas DLI enhances export intensity, pointing to a substitution rather than a complementary relationship between them. Our findings highlight country‐specific patterns and the need for tailored twin transition policies.

Suggested Citation

  • Areti Gkypali & Kostas Tsekouras & Andriana G. Dimakopoulou, 2025. "Does Twin Transition Facilitate Exporting? The Case of Logistics Innovation," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(7), pages 8194-8212, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:bstrat:v:34:y:2025:i:7:p:8194-8212
    DOI: 10.1002/bse.70028
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.70028
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/bse.70028?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Efrat, Kalanit & Hughes, Paul & Nemkova, Ekaterina & Souchon, Anne L. & Sy-Changco, Joseph, 2018. "Leveraging of Dynamic export capabilities for competitive advantage and performance consequences: Evidence from China," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 114-124.
    2. Adelheid Holl & Ilaria Mariotti, 2022. "An empirical study of drivers for the adoption of logistics innovation," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(6), pages 760-791, July.
    3. Bodlaj, Mateja & Čater, Barbara, 2022. "Responsive and proactive market orientation in relation to SMEs’ export venture performance: The mediating role of marketing capabilities," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 256-265.
    4. Gao, X.M. & Wailes, Eric J. & Cramer, Gail L., 1995. "Double-hurdle Model with Bivariate Normal Errors: An Application to U.S. Rice Demand," Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 27(2), pages 363-376, December.
    5. Azar, Goudarz & Ciabuschi, Francesco, 2017. "Organizational innovation, technological innovation, and export performance: The effects of innovation radicalness and extensiveness," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 26(2), pages 324-336.
    6. Gligor, David & Russo, Ivan & Maloni, Michael J., 2022. "Understanding gender differences in logistics innovation: A complexity theory perspective," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 246(C).
    7. Cragg, John G, 1971. "Some Statistical Models for Limited Dependent Variables with Application to the Demand for Durable Goods," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 39(5), pages 829-844, September.
    8. Areti Gkypali & Kostas Tsekouras & Nick von Tunzelmann, 2012. "Endogeneity between internationalization and knowledge creation of global R&D leader firms: an econometric approach using Scoreboard data," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 21(3), pages 731-762, June.
    9. Do, Quynh & Mishra, Nishikant & Colicchia, Claudia & Creazza, Alessandro & Ramudhin, Amar, 2022. "An extended institutional theory perspective on the adoption of circular economy practices: Insights from the seafood industry," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 247(C).
    10. Huang, Yongming & Zhang, Yanan, 2023. "Digitalization, positioning in global value chain and carbon emissions embodied in exports: Evidence from global manufacturing production-based emissions," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 205(C).
    11. Bruno Cassiman & Reinhilde Veugelers, 2006. "In Search of Complementarity in Innovation Strategy: Internal R& D and External Knowledge Acquisition," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 52(1), pages 68-82, January.
    12. Isabel-Maria Bodas Freitas & Jojo Jacob & Lili Wang & Zibiao Li, 2023. "Energy use and exporting: an analysis of Chinese firms," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 33(1), pages 179-207, January.
    13. Elia, Stefano & Giuffrida, Maria & Mariani, Marcello M. & Bresciani, Stefano, 2021. "Resources and digital export: An RBV perspective on the role of digital technologies and capabilities in cross-border e-commerce," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 158-169.
    14. Jeremy Galbreath, 2019. "Drivers of Green Innovations: The Impact of Export Intensity, Women Leaders, and Absorptive Capacity," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 158(1), pages 47-61, August.
    15. Gkypali, Areti & Love, James H. & Roper, Stephen, 2021. "Export status and SME productivity: Learning-to-export versus learning-by-exporting," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 486-498.
    16. Bram Timmermans & Dario Diodato & Elena Huergo & Francesco Rentocchini & Pietro Moncada-Paternò-Castello, 2023. "Introduction to the special issue on “the twin (digital and green) transition: handling the economic and social challenges”," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(7), pages 755-765, August.
    17. Gao, Xinchuchu, 2025. "The EU's twin transitions towards sustainability and digital leadership: a coherent or fragmented policy field?," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 124203, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    18. Conconi, Paola & Sapir, André & Zanardi, Maurizio, 2016. "The internationalization process of firms: From exports to FDI," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 16-30.
    19. Halaszovich, Tilo F. & Kinra, Aseem, 2020. "The impact of distance, national transportation systems and logistics performance on FDI and international trade patterns: Results from Asian global value chains," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 35-47.
    20. Biswas, Debajyoti & Jalali, Hamed & Ansaripoor, Amir H. & De Giovanni, Pietro, 2023. "Traceability vs. sustainability in supply chains: The implications of blockchain," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 305(1), pages 128-147.
    21. Ancarani, Alessandro & Di Mauro, Carmela & Mascali, Francesco, 2019. "Backshoring strategy and the adoption of Industry 4.0: Evidence from Europe," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 54(4), pages 360-371.
    22. Lai, Kee-hung & Wong, Christina W.Y. & Cheng, T.C.E., 2012. "Ecological modernisation of Chinese export manufacturing via green logistics management and its regional implications," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 79(4), pages 766-770.
    23. ElMassah, Suzanna & Mohieldin, Mahmoud, 2020. "Digital transformation and localizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Kaliba, Aloyce R. & Mushi, Richard J. & Gongwe, Anne G. & Mazvimavi, Kizito, 2020. "A typology of adopters and nonadopters of improved sorghum seeds in Tanzania: A deep learning neural network approach," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    2. Nguyen, Quyen T.K. & Almodóvar, Paloma & Wei, Ziyi, 2022. "Intra-firm and arm’s length export propensity and intensity of MNE foreign subsidiaries," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 288-308.
    3. Spyros Arvanitis & Areti Gkypali & Kostas Tsekouras, 2014. "Knowledge Base, Exporting Activities, Innovation Openness and Innovation Performance," KOF Working papers 14-361, KOF Swiss Economic Institute, ETH Zurich.
    4. Paula Quiroz‐Rojas & Mercedes Teruel, 2024. "The role of information sources as a driver of innovation," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 45(6), pages 4173-4190, September.
    5. Egemen İPEK, 2019. "An Empirical Study on Alcohol Participation and Consumption Decision in Turkey," Sosyoekonomi Journal, Sosyoekonomi Society, issue 27(41).
    6. Ramdani, Boumediene & Belaid, Fateh & Goutte, Stephane, 2023. "SME internationalisation: Do the types of innovation matter?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    7. Miftha Beshir & Menfese Tadesse & Fantaw Yimer & Nicolas Brüggemann, 2022. "Factors Affecting Adoption and Intensity of Use of Tef- Acacia decurrens -Charcoal Production Agroforestry System in Northwestern Ethiopia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-15, April.
    8. Marcos Carchano & Inmaculada Carrasco & Ángela González & Francisco J. Sáez‐Martínez, 2024. "Analysis the nexus between internationalization and financial performance in wine industry: The effect of proactive environmental strategy and eco‐innovation," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(6), pages 5954-5970, November.
    9. Ebrahim Endris & Andualem Kassegn, 2023. "Profitability of Agricultural Micro and Small-Scale Enterprise in North Wollo Zone, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(2), pages 21582440231, May.
    10. Asa Romeo Asa & Harold Campbell & Johanna Pangeiko Nautwima, 2022. "A Critical Review of Organizing Knowledge Management for Innovation," International Journal of Management Science and Business Administration, Inovatus Services Ltd., vol. 8(2), pages 7-15, January.
    11. Wu, Lichao & Wei, Yingqi & Wang, Chengang & McDonald, Frank & Han, Xia, 2022. "The importance of institutional and financial resources for export performance associated with technological innovation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).
    12. Quang-Huy Ngo, 2025. "How Vietnamese Exporting SMEs Translate Green Practices into Export Performance Through Incremental and Radical Green Innovation," SAGE Open, , vol. 15(2), pages 21582440251, June.
    13. Ali, Imran & Gligor, David & Balta, Maria & Bozkurt, Siddik & Papadopoulos, Thanos, 2024. "From disruption to innovation: The importance of the supply chain leadership style for driving logistics innovation in the face of geopolitical disruptions," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
    14. Mukut Sikder & Chao Wang & Frederick Kwame Yeboah & Jacob Wood, 2024. "Driving factors of CO2 emission reduction in the logistics industry: an assessment of the RCEP and SAARC economies," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(1), pages 2557-2587, January.
    15. Qu, Yan & Mardani, Abbas, 2023. "Market orientation, technological opportunity, and new product innovation performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    16. Qu, Hongyan & Ding, Zhujun & Ahlstrom, David & Wu, Changqi & Cai, Huifen Helen, 2025. "When I have to versus when I am able to: Behavioral and resource explanations for firms’ international expansion via exporting," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(1).
    17. Yueling Cai & Gongliang Wu & Dingsheng Zhang, 2020. "Does Export Trade Promote Firm Innovation?," Annals of Economics and Finance, Society for AEF, vol. 21(2), pages 483-506, November.
    18. László Erdey & Laisha Liu & Adrián Nagy, 2024. "The nonlinear relationship between digital affordances and firm‐level export performance: The moderating role of organizational ambidexterity," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 45(4), pages 1944-1964, June.
    19. Adams, Pamela & Bodas Freitas, Isabel Maria & Fontana, Roberto, 2019. "Strategic orientation, innovation performance and the moderating influence of marketing management," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 129-140.
    20. Miocevic, Dario, 2021. "Dynamic exporting capabilities and SME’s profitability: Conditional effects of market and product diversification," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 21-32.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:bstrat:v:34:y:2025:i:7:p:8194-8212. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1099-0836 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.