Investigating Factors for an Inclusive Workforce for Women in the Logistics and Supply Chain Industry

ABSTRACT This study seeks to identify and analyze the major factors that contribute to an inclusive workforce for women in the area of logistics and supply chain. It further addresses the need for gender diversity and inclusivity in a traditionally male‐dominated field by adopting a human‐centric approach. This study employs a combination of Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM) and Fuzzy Best Worst Method (FBWM) for methodically identifying and prioritizing factors that influence inclusiveness for women in the logistics and supply chain industry. FDM gathers experts' opinions and achieves a consensus on the identified relevant factors. Subsequently, FBWM is used to analyze the factors, providing a clear priority ranking based on their relative significance. The analysis identified potential factors that are crucial for fostering an inclusive workforce in the logistics and supply chain industry for women. The factors were classified into three main categories: employee growth and culture, inclusive business ecosystems, and accessibility and diversity factors. Based on the global weights, the top three ranked factors are: gender‐inclusive supply chain practices, skill development workshops, and supporting women‐owned businesses. This study is original in terms of gender inclusiveness in the logistics and supply chain industry. The innovative combination of multiple methods stipulates a robust methodology for identifying and analyzing the factors that impact inclusiveness, offering a novel contribution to the literature and practical applications in this field.