Assessment of logistics service quality based on the application of fuzzy methods modeling

In this present age of globalization, the logistics and transportation industry has become an integral part of most businesses/firms as it is aimed at ensuring the effective movement of people, distribution of goods and services from one location to another on time. Therefore, this paper aims to analyze the impact of COVID-19 on the logistics and transportation sectors. The qualitative research approach was adopted using analysis and synthesis of scientific literature, data from news reports, organizational sites, and a case study of data contents. The paper presented the analysis of negative and positive effects of COVID-19 on the logistics and transportation industry. The study also discusses possible strategies and further steps for improvement of the logistics and transportation sector, including the automation and introduction of other technologies, a sustainable and flexible transportation system, cooperation of logistics and transportation business. Findings regarding the positive implications of COVID-19 show noticeable advancements in the logistics and transportation sector, such as the rise of e-commerce businesses with efficient delivery options, and the development of 3rd party logistics services as more companies outsource supply chain operations. The study revealed the importance of strategic planning with a joint effort from the research centers, public sector, private sector, and educational institutions as one of the proposed solutions for the logistics and transportation industry.

In the context of sustainable development, the need to improve the models of functioning and development of society, as well as the scientific knowledge underlying them is urgent. In particular, an ecologically oriented improvement of logistics science is needed to ensure the full use of its tools to resolve the modern socio-ecological and economic problems of resource use. In this regard, it is important to identify the directions and content of the ecologically related transformation of theoretical and methodological foundations of logistics, which is the purpose of this article. The paper outlines the main directions of logistic theory change in the context of the sustainable development paradigm. These changes embrace the improvement of the methodological basis of logistic science on the ground of provisions of ecological economics, environmental ethics, and principles of industrial ecology, etc. As a result, modern logistic management goals and objectives include environmental and social targets, and wider interpretation of material flow allows to manage the waste, emissions, secondary materials, and flaw components. The improvement of a methodical framework of logistic decision-making is associated with the environmentally adjusted calculation and analysis of total costs, proceeding from the assessment of environmental aspects of flow processes through the use of material flows analysis and life cycle assessment tools. Thus, the conceptual provisions of logistics may be used to solve various tasks in the context of sustainable development, in particular: to minimize the negative environmental impact of certain production process, enterprise, network (supply chain), as well as to form the regulatory framework for the promotion of ecoindustrial parks.

After restrictions on community activities caused by the COVID-19 pandemic were lifted, numerous businesses, including restaurants and cafes, have already resumed normal operations. Competition is also unavoidable. Thus, companies should motivate their managers to develop various operational strategies to increase customer satisfaction. This study aims to analyze the relationship between customer satisfaction and operational management activities, including layout, decoration, location, and cleanliness. In addition, it examines human resource management, food quality, and atmosphere as mediating variables. Data were obtained using an online questionnaire conducted between June and December 2021. A total of 1,068 clients of cafes and restaurants were selected as the participants using purposive random sampling. Data were evaluated using variance-based structural equation modeling. The results showed that operational management activities promote cafes and restaurants (p-value = 0.000). Furthermore, this study indicates the role of infrastructure elements, specifically human resource management, atmosphere, and food quality, as moderating variables on customer satisfaction (p-value = 0.000). Overall, the findings of this empirical study provide a theoretical contribution by emphasizing cafe and restaurant operational strategies that enhance customer satisfaction.