The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Logistics Performance Index (LPI) on international trade of nations across each continent and worldwide. Secondary data collected on 142 countries—37 Asian, 41 European, 41 African, 3 Oceania, 14 Middle East, 11 North American and 9 South American–were analysed across the years 2007, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018. Panel regression technique was applied and the random effect (RE) model was chosen based on the results of the Hausman tests and Breusch–Pagan Lagrange Multiplier test. The findings revealed that the LPI has a positive relationship with net exports globally and specifically within the continents of Asia, Europe, and Oceania. Moreover, while the GDP appears to have a significant negative impact on net exports, specifically within Asia, in contrast, countries in Oceania and the Middle East present a positive relationship. Also on the African continent, GDP has a significant negative impact on the net exports. Findings provide a holistic picture of the impact of LPI & GDP on net exports, which will assist governments in the formulation and revision of its strategies and policies to expedite the growth of exports and in turn, the economy. This study was the first of its kind to explore the impact of GDP and LPI on international trade of nations across worldwide.

PurposeThe main aim of this study is to explore the appropriate factors in measuring COVID-19-induced supply chain disruptions and the impact of these disruptions on the economic vulnerability of small-scale farmers in Sri Lanka.FindingsThe findings revealed that most of the farmers have continued to cultivate even during the pandemic despite several challenges which affected their economic status. Therefore, it is concluded that COVID-19-induced transportation and demand disruptions exacerbated the economic vulnerability of small-scale farmers over the disruptions in supply and production.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study are crucial for formulating novel policies to improve the sustainability of the Sri Lankan agricultural sector and alleviate the poverty level of Agri-communities in the countryside. As farming is a vital sector in the economy, increased attention ought to be given on facilitating farmers with government-encouraged loans or allowances for their financial stability. Further, the respective government authorities should develop programs for importing and distributing adequate quantities of fertilizers among all the farmers at controlled prices so that they can continue their operations without any interruption. Moreover, the government could engage in collaboratively work with private organizations to streamline the Agri-input supply process. There should be a government initiative for critical consideration of the issues of farming families and their continued motivation to engage in agriculture. Thus, farmers' livelihoods and agricultural prosperity could be upgraded through alternative Agri-inputs and marketing strategies, providing financial assistance, encouraging innovative technology, etc.Originality/valueDespite the significance and vulnerability of the vegetable and fruit sector in Sri Lanka, there is a limitation in the empirical studies conducted on the supply chain disruptions caused by COVID-19 measures and their implications on the farmers' livelihood. Furthermore, previous empirical research has not employed adequate quantitative tools to analyze the situation or appropriate variables in evaluating COVID-19-induced disruptions. Hence, the current study explored the appropriate factors for measuring COVID-19-induced supply chain disruption using exploratory factor analysis. Then, the impact of those factors on the economic vulnerability of the small scale farmers was revealed through the ordinal logistics regression analysis.

With the rapid technological advancements, E-commerce deliveries in Sri Lanka have been flourishing tremendously. However, payments have still been identified as one of the main obstacles to the developments of the E-commerce sector. The Cash on Delivery (COD) method has played a significant role in driving the growth of the E-commerce industry and accounts for more than 60% of all E-commerce transactions in Sri Lanka. Although COD is so important, many companies still waver with its processes as it has become a notoriously problematic area in terms of on-time and successful deliveries. Hence, the purpose of this study was to investigate the critical factors influencing online customers' preference of cash on the delivery method to provide insights into the management of E-commerce and logistics industries on the usage of appropriate payment methods for E-commerce transactions. This empirical study is based on the primary data obtained through a survey conducted among Sri Lankan online customers. The data were analyzed using the Partial Least Squares–Structural Equation Modelling technique. Consequently, 'Sri Lankan origin of the online seller,' 'Selling specialized products by the online seller,' 'Availability of wide choice of payment methods,' 'Offering a wide assortment of foreign products by the online seller,' 'Lack of trust on online payments' has been identified as the critical factors influencing Sri Lankan online customers' preference of cash on delivery method.