Journal of Research in Business, Economics and Management (JRBEM) ISSN: 2395-2210 Volume 11, Issue 2 available at www.scitecresearch.com/journals/index.php/jrbem 2131 SCITECH Volume 11, Issue 2 RESEARCH ORGANISATION August 4, 2018 Journal of Research in Business, Economics and Management www.scitecresearch.com Enhancing Exports through Managing Logistics Performance: Evidence from Middle East and African Countries Mahmoud Barakat 1, 3 , Gamal Haikal 1 , Ahmed Ali 4 , & Ahmed Eid 2 1 Arab Academy for Science Technology and Maritime Transport, Collage of international transport and logistics, logistics of international trade department, Alexandria, EG. 2 Arab Academy for Science Technology and Maritime Transport, Collage of international transport and logistics, transport and logistics management department, Alexandria, EG. 3 University of Huddersfield Business School, Department of logistics, Operations, Hospitality, and marketing, Huddersfield, Kirklees, UK. 4 Universitat Duisburg-Essen Fakultat fur Ingenieurwissenschaften, Duisburg, Nordrhein-Westfalen, DE Correspondence: Mahmoud Barakat, Arab Academy for Science Technology and Maritime Transport, Collage of international transport and logistics, logistics of international trade department, Alexandria, EG. Abstract Logistics activities and its cost affect daily businesses operations and eventually the country’s economy. If countries are able to manage logistics performance efficiently it will be able to compete better internationally. The key objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between the logistics performance index and its components and exports focusing on Middle East and African countries using a regression model. Results of this study indicated that the logistics performance index positively enhance countries exports. In addition, logistics performance index components namely; customs, infrastructure, international shipments and timeliness have a significant impact individually, except for logistics quality, competence, tracking and tracing. The paper aims at supporting the economic policy maker to improve the economic decision in the field of logistics. Keywords: Logistics Performance Indicator; Exports; Middle East And North Africa; Panel Data. 1. Introduction The complexity of supply chain management and the highly competitive economy led companies to find the best technique to evaluate the efficiency and the effectiveness of supply chain logistics activities by using set a qualitative and quantitative methods to measure supply chain and logistics activities. Quality, timely, flexibility, reliability, and cost were the main dimensions to measure supply chain efficiencies (Beamon, 1999). However, logistics is not only a concern of the private sector, put also a public policy concern. The supply chain performance depends on the public procedures directed toward infrastructure , urban planning and other connectivity-related activities (Arvis et al., 2016). The logistical costs represents a vital part of exports costs Anderson and Van Wincoop (2004) estimate the tax equivalent of "representative" trade costs of 170 percent for industrialized countries. This number breaks down to 21 percent transportation costs, 44 percent border-related trade barriers, and 55 percent retail and wholesale distribution Costs. Moreover, the time of shipping in addition to the uncertainty of shipping time add a significant costs to the exporters, each day saved in shipping time is worth 0.8 percent ad-valorem tariff for manufactured goods (Hummels & Schaur, 2012). Efficient logistical activities have a significant effect over exports costs and thus competitiveness.