Title: Hierarchical digital enabling technologies adoption and sustainable logistics practices in emerging economies

Authors: Peter Yacob

Addresses: Perak, Malaysia

Abstract: This study endeavours to empirically investigate the relationship between digital enabling technologies (IoT, BDA, CL, AI, and BCT), employee engagement, and the adoption of sustainable logistics practices (SLPs) within the logistics companies in Malaysia. Data were collected through a questionnaire administered to 316 Malaysian logistics companies. The relationships proposed in the developed conceptual framework were represented through four hypotheses, and partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the hypotheses. The findings revealed that IoT, BDA, CL, AI, and BCT are significantly related to sustainable logistics practices. The mediation analysis confirms that employee engagement fully mediates the association of digital enabling technologies and sustainable logistics practices. This study recommends that digital technologies and human processes through employee engagement are essential for ensuring precise and rapid responses to rising consumer demands for logistic services in shaping sustainable logistics practices.

Keywords: digital technologies; logistics; sustainability; employee engagement.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMDM.2026.154608

International Journal of Management and Decision Making, 2026 Vol.25 No.4, pp.390 - 416

Received: 23 Apr 2025
Accepted: 07 Oct 2025
Published online: 07 Jul 2026 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article