Toward a framework for sustainable cross-border electronic commerce

Cross-border electronic commerce (CBEC) is an essential contributor to global economic development as it opens up a global digital market for both production and consumption ends. However, CBEC inevitably poses threats to environmental sustainability because of the intensified carbon footprints through the convoluted and prolonged logistics processes for exporting and importing parties. While various CBEC logistics fulfilment operations (e.g., direct shipment or consolidated shipping; by sea or air freight; via free trade zone or not) have caused different environmental impacts, little is known about the environmental impacts of CBEC businesses, especially those impacts under different modes of CBEC logistics operations. This study contributes to this gap by developing a conceptual framework that dissects the processes of the CBEC logistics operations and assesses their carbon footprints throughout these processes. This paper reports on an in-depth literature review that informs the conceptual framework that not only evaluates the environmental impacts of CBEC logistics but also enables comparisons of carbon footprints under different modes of logistics operations through scenario analysis. The proposed conceptual framework also illustrates the overall distribution of environmental impacts across CBEC operations. In general, this study is one of the earliest studies that focus on sustainability in CBEC. Theoretically, this study advances the knowledge of optimally managing the carbon footprints of various logistics operations modes in the CBEC context. Practically, this information can help CBEC business leaders to set the organisation's environmental strategic directions. The proposed framework also provides CBEC practitioners (e.g., suppliers, third-party logistics service providers, and platforms) with a comprehensive guideline to improve production and operation patterns and move towards greener strategies of business and operations management. Furthermore, and from a consumer perspective, the findings may inform future research on behavioural science to explore consumers' willingness to comprise efficiency for environmental-friendly alternatives. In these ways, this study on sustainability in CBEC logistics aims to contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).