Strategic evaluation of European Inland transport companies for European green deal compliance: A multi-criteria decision making-analysis.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the readiness of European inland transport companies for the European Green Deal by analyzing the causal relationships between key factors essential for EGD implementation. The research identifies six critical factors: Investment in Green Technologies, Policy Alignment and Compliance, Stakeholder Collaboration, Resource Management, Employee Training and Engagement, and Emission Reduction Initiatives. This research offers the first integrated evaluation of EGD readiness utilizing a combination of fuzzy-DEMATEL, multiple regression analysis, and Structural Equation Modeling aimed at uncovering systemic interactions among the factors in the system. The study revealed Resource Management and Employee Training as significant drivers in enhancing the readiness, highlighting the role of human capital and resource optimization in environmental sustainability. Expert panel, consisting of 19 industry representatives selected through purposive sampling, provided insights on the effective relationships which offer practical strategies for managers to prioritize resource management and employee engagement to achieve Green Deal compliance and guiding more strategic and efficient allocation of resources to enhance alignment with European Green Deal stipulations.