Search

To critically evaluate the role of interlinked factors in determining the relationship between female representation at top tier and overall competitiveness"

AI
Jun 1, 2024
2 min read

Comparative Analysis of Cargo Logistic Firms in Pakistan (Emerging Economy) and Canada (Developed Economy)

Abstract of the Student #Thesis: Riffat Faizan

This thesis aimed to investigate the interrelated variables of gender diversity, leadership style, top team-task performance, and autonomy in determining the relationship between female representation at the top tier and the overall competitiveness of cargo logistics firms in Canada (a developed economy) and Pakistan (an emerging economy). To achieve both numerical significance and qualitative insights, the researcher focused primarily on literature from the past one and a half decades, reflecting the post-recession shift in paradigms. The major theme of this research centers around the 2008 recession, a period during which the logistics environment underwent drastic operational changes. Consequently, the literature from the last decade forms the core of this study.

Addressing the limitations of earlier empirical research, this study adopted a pragmatic approach using a hypothetico-deductive-inductive model. The philosophical stance is realism, with a largely positivist research paradigm. The ontological stance is critical realism, while the epistemological stance is objective. A cross-sectional comparative analysis was conducted using a combination of probability (random stratified) sampling and non-probability (convenience, quota, and snowball) sampling techniques to reach 584 survey respondents and conduct 27 interviews. Quantitative survey results were analyzed using SPSS 23.0, and qualitative aspects were explored through thematic analysis.

The results revealed significant correlations between gender diversity and competitiveness (p=0.000 < 0.05), leadership style and competitiveness (p=0.000 < 0.05), and top team-task performance and competitiveness (p=0.001 < 0.05). However, there was no significant relationship between autonomy and competitiveness (p=0.0852 > 0.05). Gender diversity at the top tier accounted for the highest variation (85%) between female representation and competitiveness. Furthermore, Pakistani organizations were found to have higher female representation at the top and better progression opportunities for females than Canadian organizations. This thesis confirms that female representation at the top tier increases firms' overall competitiveness and operational efficiency in contrasting economies.

Based on the current findings, recommendations are provided to targeted cargo logistics firms in Canada and Pakistan to enhance their operational efficiency and competitiveness in a volatile and dynamic environment.

Comments

This article is licensed under CC BY 4.0

Open Access License Statement

© The Author(s). This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, adaptation, and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as appropriate credit is given to the original author(s) and the source, and any changes made are indicated.

Unless otherwise stated in a credit line, all images or third-party materials in this article are included under the same Creative Commons license. If any material is excluded from the license and your intended use exceeds what is permitted by statutory regulation, you must obtain permission directly from the copyright holder.

A full copy of this license is available at: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).

License

How to Cite and Reference U7Y Journal Articles

To ensure consistency and proper academic recognition, all articles published in the U7Y Journal – The Seven Continents Yearbook of Research should be cited following internationally recognized bibliographic standards. The journal supports multiple citation styles to accommodate diverse academic disciplines and indexing systems.
Here are standard reference formats for citing articles published in the U7Y Journal – The Seven Continents Yearbook of Research (ISSN 3042-4399). Authors, readers, and indexing services may use any of the following styles according to their institutional or publisher requirements.