scholarly journals Enhancing business competitiveness of medium-sized food produce retailers through supply chain management

Author(s):  
Kgosietsile F. Monnagaaratwe ◽  
Keletsamaile W. Motatsa

Background: Adoption of supply chain management (SCM) initiatives by businesses has resulted in businesses to follow a customer-centric approach in their operation. SCM initiatives nowadays play a critical role in the success and business competitiveness of organisations in ensuring that the customer requirements are satisfied. The purpose of this study was to explore whether business competitiveness of medium-sized food product retailers in Mahikeng is enhanced through SCM in South Africa. There was no empirical evidence of SCM practices found relating to SCM of medium-sized food product retailers in Mahikeng.Research objectives: This study explored whether SCM and supply chain collaboration enhance business competitiveness of medium-sized food product retailers in Mahikeng town, South Africa.Research methodology: A qualitative research method, descriptive design, non-probability sampling strategy were followed to conduct the study. The notes and recorded interviews were transcribed, coded and analysed following thematic data analysis to get to the results.Results: The study showed that SCM enhances the business competitiveness of medium-sized food product retailers in South Africa. The results revealed that the competitiveness of the retailers is enhanced through good and improved supplier/ customer relationships by sustained continuous flow of goods and services.Conclusion: This study implicated that competitive advantage and resource-based view theories can be used to explore business competitiveness in South Africa. Implications of the findings indicated that owner/managers will understand the benefits of adopting initiatives of SCM.

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 265-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bhavana Mathur ◽  
Sumit Gupta ◽  
Makhan Lal Meena ◽  
G.S. Dangayach

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the causal linkages among supply chain practices, effectiveness of supply chain performance (SCP) and organizational performance (OP) in Indian healthcare industries.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is helpful in developing a framework for linking a healthcare supply chain practice to its OP, and thus identifies how such a linkage can be connected to the effectiveness of SCP. Such effort also enables the authors to derive a set of recommended supply chain practices for SC performance.FindingsFrom the literature review, this paper finds that, in the context of Indian healthcare industries, efficient SC performance may play a critical role for overall OP improvement, as there is a close interrelationship between supply chain management (SCM) practices and SCP that may have a more significant effect on OP improvement.Research limitations/implicationsThe principle limitation of the paper is that it is performed only in a particular industry and with a questionnaire survey which could be extended in future for other industries also. Another limitation of the paper is that it is focused only on the SCP of medical device and equipment supply chain which is a small portion of the whole healthcare supply chain, and therefore requires further research covering various other domains of healthcare supply chain. Another limitation of the study is that the sample survey has been taken from only one respondent per company at one point of time which may create biasness in the results. Thus, future research should collect data through multiple members from the organization.Practical implicationsThis study contributes to know the effect of SCM practices on healthcare SCP and provides a practical and useful tool to evaluate the extent of effectiveness of SCP and finally their impact on the healthcare OP. Finally, this study provides conceptual and descriptive literature regarding SCM practices that leads to improvement in healthcare performance.Social implicationsThis study adds to the knowledge on healthcare SCM performance by exploring the relationship between supply chain practices, healthcare SCP and healthcare OP and by developing and testing a research framework thus help in improving patient satisfaction.Originality/valueThis study attempts to show how the potential benefits of supply chain practices can no longer be ignored in healthcare supply chain.


Author(s):  
Tim S. McLaren ◽  
Milena M. Head ◽  
Yufei Yuan

Recent advances in supply chain management information systems (SCM IS) have enabled firms to more fully collaborate with their supply chain partners — driving out costs while increasing responsiveness to market demands. This chapter examines various types of SCM IS — from traditional EDI systems to more recent Web-services-based e-business applications. It argues that the approach best suited for an organization depends in part on the degree of integration between the partners, the complexity of the business processes, and the number of partners involved. A model is presented for analyzing the costs and benefits that can be expected from each type of SCM IS. The model enables researchers and practitioners to better understand the differences among SCM IS and thus can help reduce the risks of implementing these valuable yet complex information systems.


Author(s):  
Ayansola Olatunji Ayandibu ◽  
Irrshad Kaseeram ◽  
Elizabeth Oluwakemi Ayandibu

This chapter addresses the changes (finance, human resources management, supply chain management, and regulatory) that affect the growth, sustainability, and survival of SMMEs world. These challenges are common among SMMEs in every country. In order for SMMEs to achieve growth, sustainability, as well as survive in the competitive global market, SMMEs must deal with these challenges. This chapter also creates a conceptual model that addresses these challenges and provides solutions that can be used to improve SMME challenges. SMMEs from South Africa, Nigeria, and Ghana were also discussed.


Author(s):  
Wesley S. Boyce

The evolving field of supply chain management is rooted in the premise that traditionally independent firms need to work together in order to achieve supply chain success. This article outlines supply chain collaboration, which is a critical strategy for the field of supply chain management. While firms have traditionally operated in a manner that only considers their own well-being, a transition is occurring where open market relationships are diminishing and cooperation, coordination, and collaboration are becoming much more common. There are several key dimensions of collaboration that serve as drivers to its success, and firms that engage in these activities should experience closer relationships with channel partners and ultimately achieve higher levels of success. While this issue has been thoroughly covered in the logistics and supply chain management literature, its limited implementation and lack of widespread success provides evidence that the topic should continue to be a focal point in future research.


Author(s):  
Chengedzai Mafini ◽  
Asphat Muposhi

Background: South Africa has a high rate of small to medium enterprises (SMEs) failure, especially in the manufacturing sector. The operational challenges confronting manufacturing SMEs are acknowledged by the Global Competitiveness Index that ranked South African SMEs as one of the lowest in emerging economies.Objectives: The aim of this study is to examine the association between green supply chain management (GSCM) practices, environmental collaboration and financial performance in SMEs.Method: The study is quantitative in nature and involves a convenient sample of 312 SMEs based in Gauteng Province, South Africa. Data analyses follow a two-step process involving a confirmatory factor analysis to test the psychometric properties of the measurement scale and Structural Equation Modelling to test the proposed hypotheses.Results: The study shows that three GSCM practices, namely, green procurement, green logistics and green manufacturing in SMEs exert a positive effect on environmental collaboration, with green manufacturing exerting a higher effect than the other two constructs. In turn, higher levels of environmental collaboration inspired higher levels of SME financial performance.Conclusion: The study advances that SMEs can succeed financially through the influence of enhanced environmental collaboration, which emanates, in part, from the adoption and implementation of GSCM practices.


Author(s):  
Hans W. Ittmann

Background: Change is inevitable and as supply chain managers prepare for the future they face many challenges. Two major trends over the last few years are the growing importance of ‘big data’ and analysing these data though ‘analytics’. The data contain much value and companies need to capitalise on the variety of data sources by in-depth and proper analysis through the use of ‘big data’ analytics.Objective: This article endeavours to highlight the evolving nature of the supply chain management (SCM) environment, to identify how the two major trends (‘big data’ and analytics) will impact SCM in future, to show the benefits that can be derived if these trends are embraced and to make recommendations to supply chain managers.Method: The importance of extracting value from the huge amounts of data available in the SCM area is stated. ‘Big data’ and analytics are defined and the impact of these in various SCM applications clearly illustrated.Results: It is shown, through examples, how the SCM area can be impacted by these new trends and developments. In these examples ‘big data’ analytics have already been embraced, used and implemented successfully. Big data is a reality and using analytics to extract value from the data has the potential to make a huge impact.Conclusion: It is strongly recommended that supply chain managers take note of these two trends, since better use of ‘big data’ analytics can ensure that they keep abreast with developments and changes which can assist in enhancing business competitiveness.


Author(s):  
Stephen Kruger

The Department of Transport and Supply Chain Management at the University of Johannesburg proudly presents to you Volume 7 of the Journal of Transport and Supply Chain Management (JTSCM), an accredited publication unique to South Africa.


2015 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 2197 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khathutshelo Makhitha

Craft producers in South Africa (SA) face many challenges including supply chain challenges. There is no existing study that has investigated the supply chain management of the craft industry in SA. There is also dearth of literature on supply chain management of small businesses. The purpose of this study was to investigate the supply chain practices and challenges of craft producers in South Africa. A survey was conducted among 199 craft producers in Gauteng, South Africa. A convenience sampling method was adopted owing to the difficulty of accessing a reliable database of craft producers. Craft producers rely mainly on phones for customers to place orders. However, they use variety of methods for order placement. Customers are allowed to also visit the factory to buy products and they can buy at the exhibition. They use a variety of production methods. Due to transportation challenges, craft producers also make use of public transport to deliver goods and keep some products at the warehouse. 


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