Digital Logistics Platforms in the BRICS Countries: Comparative Analysis and Development Prospects

Abstract

The BRICS Group unites the most rapidly developing large countries, the trade and economic interaction between which can make a significant contribution to both the region’s and world’s development. The purpose of this article is to analyze the development of trade and economic interaction and logistics infrastructure in the BRICS countries, as well as to develop an analytical concept of the BRICS Digital Logistics Platform (DLP) as a tool for the BRICS development. The research methodology includes methods for statistical data analysis, a case study of the DLP development in the BRICS countries, an analysis of the existing definitions and methods for developing DLP, and methods of systemic analysis. The research results present the trade and logistics interaction between the BRICS countries. The level of logistics development in these countries is analyzed based on the World Bank Logistics Performance Index. The article highlights the existing restrictions for the expansion of the economic interaction between countries, one of which is the uneven development of the logistics infrastructure. The article states that the BRICS DLP can be a tool for overcoming the limitation of uneven logistics infrastructure and intensifying trade interaction between the BRICS countries. The experience of creating national DLPs in each of the BRICS countries is analyzed. It is shown that the BRICS countries cannot join one of the existing national DLPs because of the risks for the national sovereignty of the participants. Therefore, an original analytical description for the international BRICS DLP is proposed. It will focus on the simplicity and transparency of the interaction between all of the participants of trade and economic interactions at various levels, as well as on the reduction of economic and logistics risks.