Enhancing Türkiye's logistics competence score by improving kpi management

Türkiye's strategic geographic position— linking Europe, Asia, the Black Sea, and the Mediterranean— creates strong potential to become a regional logistics hub. However, the country's Logistics Performance Index (LPI) score remains below the average of highest-performing OECD countries, highlighting the necessity for improvement. Since the global logistics market is projected to exceed USD 23 trillion by 2034, enhancing Türkiye's LPI performance is essential for increasing competitiveness, attracting foreign investment, and contributing to national economic growth. Among the six LPI indicators, Logistics Competence is the most critical input. This study therefore, focuses on strengthening Türkiye's logistics competence through improved Key Performance Indicator (KPI) management by third-party logistics (3PL) service providers. A survey was conducted with senior managers from seven local and seven global 3PLs operating in Türkiye. The questionnaire, derived from a comprehensive literature review, asked participants to prioritize main and sub-criteria across internal (organizational objectives) and external (customer perception) dimensions. The responses were analyzed using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), which generated internal and external KPI prioritization models reflecting the shared perspectives of local and global service providers for comparative analysis. The findings reveal that global 3PLs systematically prioritize Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) compliance, whereas local firms emphasize financial stability and cost optimization. These differences stem largely from structural context rather than managerial preference. Overall, the study concludes that broad adoption of KPI management, particularly with ESG prioritization, can strengthen firm-level resilience and enhance Türkiye's overall logistics competence thereby contributing to national economic growth.