Research on the Impact of Digital Logistics Capability on Sustainable Operation Performance of E-commerce Logistics Enterprises

Abstract

Global logistics industries are undergoing widespread digital transformation, which has become a decisive factor promoting sustainable operational improvement for e-commerce logistics service providers. Conventional logistics operation modes are frequently criticized for high operational costs, inefficient resource allocation and insufficient low-carbon operational capacity, making it difficult to accommodate the personalized and high-frequency logistics demands generated by booming online retail markets. Based on valid data collected from 312 domestic e-commerce logistics firms, this study establishes an empirical framework to explore how multi-dimensional digital logistics capabilities affect corporate sustainable operational performance. Four core capability dimensions are adopted as independent variables, including data acquisition and analysis capability, intelligent scheduling optimization capability, cross-enterprise resource collaboration capability and digital service iteration capability. Sustainable operational performance is comprehensively measured from economic, ecological and service quality perspectives. Empirical results derived from reliability verification, correlation analysis and multiple regression estimation demonstrate that all digital capability dimensions positively and significantly enhance corporate sustainable performance. Among these indicators, intelligent scheduling capability presents the strongest predictive power with a regression coefficient of 413, followed by resource collaboration and data analysis capabilities. Further heterogeneity analysis reveals that medium-sized logistics enterprises benefit most from digital upgrading, while micro and large-scale firms display relatively weaker performance improvement effects. This research clarifies the internal driving mechanism of digital empowerment in sustainable logistics operations and provides practical optimization suggestions for enterprises intending to promote digital transformation and long-term high-quality development.