How Stable Is Logistics Performance in Leading Economies? An Analysis of World Bank Logistics Performance Index Scores, 2007–2023
0 viewsAbstract
In this study, I look at whether the logistics performance of the leading economies remains stable over time. Since transport and logistics are of great importance for trade, only a small number of studies have tracked the same group of top countries in each edition of the World Bank Logistics Performance Index (LPI), including the 2023 edition which followed the period of the COVID-19 pandemic. I have used secondary data, consisting of the overall LPI scores for 12 high-income economies across seven editions (2007, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2023). I analyzed the average score of the group, the changes in each economy's score between editions, the shifts in their rankings, and the amount by which each economy's score increased or decreased. The findings indicate that the average score of the group was almost identical in 2007 (4.01), in 2018 (4.00) and in 2023 (4.04). Between 2018 and 2023 six economies improved while six declined. A high score in 2018 did not ensure a high score in 2023 and the rankings changed significantly: Canada advanced by 13 places whereas the United Kingdom dropped by 10. Japan had the most stable scores and Finland and Austria the least stable. The results demonstrate that holding a top position in the LPI does not guarantee a future top position. However, the sample is small and the 2023 scores are rounded, so the conclusions have to be treated with caution.
Keywords
Logistics Performance, Logistics Performance Index (lpi), Supply Chain, Trade Facilitation, Transport