Optimizing logistics performance through internal investment levers: Empirical evidence and managerial implications from Moroccan firms

Abstract

Logistics performance has become a central determinant of firm competitiveness because it directly reflects the reliability, speed, service quality, and cost efficiency experienced by customers and supply chain partners. In emerging economies, however, these outcomes depend not only on infrastructure and institutional conditions but also on the way firms mobilize and orchestrate their internal resources. Against this background, the purpose of this study is to examine how internal investment levers influence logistics performance in Moroccan firms. Drawing on the Balanced Scorecard framework and capability-based reasoning, the study analyzes four complementary dimensions of investment: strategic investment, internal process management, human resource investment, and technological investment. A quantitative, explanatory design was adopted based on a cross-sectional survey of 384 Moroccan firms collected between September 2025 and January 2026. The hypotheses were tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling with ADANCO. The findings show that all four investment levers positively influence logistics performance, although with different intensities. Internal process management emerges as the strongest predictor (β = 0.6162; p = 0.003), followed by human resource investment (β = 0.4029; p = 0.040), technological investment (β = 0.2891; p = 0.0027), and strategic investment (β = 0.2485; p = 0.0020). These results indicate that logistics performance is shaped less by the mere level of financial commitment than by the organization’s ability to convert investments into stable routines, coordinated execution, and continuous improvement. The study contributes to the logistics and supply chain literature by showing that internal investments operate as an interdependent portfolio rather than as isolated drivers. From a managerial perspective, the findings suggest that firms should prioritize process governance as a foundational lever capable of strengthening the returns of technological and human capital investments, particularly in the Moroccan context.