Organisational Conditions Shaping Behaviour in the European Transport and Warehousing Sector: A Multidimensional Comparative Analysis
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess and compare selected organisational conditions shaping organisational functioning and behavioural responses in the transport and warehousing sector across the EU Member States. The study focuses on differences in the country-level conditions under which logistics organisations operate, with particular attention to digital readiness, employee development, working-time conditions, occupational safety, labour-market pressure and the institutional environment. Design/Methodology/Approach: The study adopts a multidimensional comparative approach based on a synthetic measure constructed using secondary country-level data for the EU-27 Member States. The selected diagnostic variables capture five main dimensions of organisational conditions: digitalisation capacity, investment in ICT competencies, working-time conditions, occupational safety and labour-market pressure. The institutional environment is incorporated as an additional contextual dimension reflecting the broader conditions in which logistics organisations operate. Data were obtained primarily from Eurostat and Transparency International. The synthetic measure is used to compare Member States and identify differences in the overall level of the selected organisational conditions. Findings: The results reveal substantial differences between EU Member States in the selected organisational conditions. The findings indicate varying levels of digital readiness, employee development, working-time conditions, occupational safety, labour-market pressure and institutional quality across countries. The observed differences suggest that logistics organisations operate within significantly different national environments, which may affect organisational functioning and employee behavioural responses. The study also demonstrates the usefulness of a multidimensional approach for capturing the diverse conditions shaping the transport and warehousing sector. Practical implications: The findings may support policymakers and logistics organisations in identifying areas requiring improvement, particularly in digital competence development, occupational safety, workforce management and the institutional environment. A country-level assessment of these conditions may assist in identifying structural areas that require targeted policy interventions and organisational initiatives aimed at improving the functioning of the transport and warehousing sector. Originality/Value: The study contributes to the literature by providing a multidimensional country-level assessment of selected organisational conditions in the transport and warehousing sector across the EU Member States. By integrating economic, technological, labour-related, safety and institutional dimensions into a synthetic measure, the study complements approaches focused primarily on operational and economic performance. Importantly, the synthetic measure is not interpreted as a direct measure of organisational behaviour, but as a comparative assessment of country-level conditions that may influence organisational functioning and behavioural responses.