22 research outputs found
An exploration of supply chain management practices in the West Rand District Municipalities
No full textDespite reform processes in the employment of Supply Chain Management (SCM) as a strategic tool in the South African public sector, there are predicaments in SCM practices, especially in municipalities. This notwithstanding, research that demystifies the SCM implementation practices in local municipalities within the West Rand District, SA is lacking. This study explores supply chain management practices implemented at the West Rand District municipalities. An exploratory and descriptive study was conducted based on a semi-structured questionnaire. The collected data was analysed descriptively using SPSS, inferentially using Fisher Exact test, as well as by content analysis using Atlas.ti.
The findings of the study revealed that overall the West Rand District municipalities have adopted and implemented the SCM practices. However, SCM practices are sometimes not always aligned with government policies. The most implemented SCM practice was demand management, followed by acquisition management. The least implemented practices were logistics, disposal, risk and performance management. No significant differences were observed among the municipalities, except for municipality C (within its own supply chain practitioners). The municipalities face serious SCM challenges in implementing their SCM practices. These challenges stem from: a lack of training for SCM staff, lack of proper capacity, poor planning, and ineffective black economic empowerment in the West Rand District. Based on the results, there is a need of training for SCM staff, capacity building, better planning interventions, and more effective black economic empowerment. It should be reiterated that the lack of proper SCM processes and procedures are the root cause of problems in service delivery in South Africa. The study concludes by recommending that SCM practitioners should regularly update their SCM policies, ensure proper compliance with the elements of SCM, as well as to source competencies, skills, and knowledge from higher education institutions and private accredited service providers.M. Tech. (Business Administration)Business Managemen
Procurement of learner teacher support materials in East London District public secondary schools
No full textThis study explores the flawed procurement and delivery of Learner Teacher Support Materials (LTSM) in East London district at public secondary schools in the Eastern Cape province. Poor management of the procurement of LTSM has the result that some schools in the country have limited access to LTSM because of late delivery, non-delivery, incorrect and, or delivery shortages. These problems have contributed to under-achievement in the affected schools and in turn undermine the learners’ constitutional rights and educational aims and goals. Like many other provinces, the Eastern Cape also encountered difficulties with the procurement and delivery of textbooks to various public schools.
To investigate the problem, a qualitative and exploratory study was carried out. The data were collected from a sample of 19 participants involved in the three levels of the procurement process; that is, district officials, school principals and the provincial head office officials. The researcher conducted face-to-face interviews using open-ended questions. The research results showed that although the procurement process of LTSM is centralised at the head office level, the other two levels, namely the district office and the school levels, play a significant part. While these levels play an important role in determining and collating the textbook needs, they require additional communication processes and systems to be in place to avoid prolonged timeframes and follow ups that bring about delays of the overall procurement process. Between communication of the relevant guidelines, and collating and submitting book needs information, delays happen along the way at one or more levels and these ultimately lead to either late procurement, late or non-delivery of books to the relevant schools.
The study showed that although there are rules, regulations and various policies that serve as guidelines in the procurement process, the actual implementation and monitoring is flawed. The lack of coherence promotes mistrust and conflict between the relevant stakeholders, which in turn brings about minimal consultation on changes relating to effective management processes during procurement and distribution of LTSM. The study recommends changes that are needed to achieve effective management to alleviate problems encountered during the procurement and distribution of LTSM in the East London district public secondary schoolsM. Com. (Logistics)Entrepreneurship, Supply Chain, Transport, Tourism and Logistics Managemen
Procurement’s contribution towards socio-economic objectives within the commuter bus industry
No full textIn South Africa, procurement, seen as a strategic tool for socio-economic development, is guided
by the Supply Chain Management Policy Framework developed in 2003 (Ambe, 2016:280). Each
government entity is driven by its own SCM which is unique to its operations. However, the
commuter bus industry is complex and its operations are not in line with the recommended
regulations. Procurement in the industry is marred by a lot of challenges, such as the fact that to
date no new contracts have been concluded since 2001 (Walters & Manamela, 2016:3). The
Small Bus Operators (SBOs) cannot participant in the government contracting system. This paper
explores procurement’s contributions towards socio-economic objectives within the commuter
bus industry in South Africa. The paper is both descriptive and exploratory in nature, and employs
a mixed-method research approach. The data were collected from a sample of 18 respondents
who are key stakeholders directly involved in the procurement of subsidised commuter bus
services in Gauteng. Face-to-face interviews and a semi-structured questionnaire were used. The
findings of the study reveal the role of the procurement function within the commuter bus industry,
including the development of small, medium, micro enterprises and its contribution to the country’s
Gross Domestic Product (GDP).Transport Economics, Logistics and Touris
Strategies of light vehicle manufacturers in South Africa based on supply chain decision drivers
No full textAlignment of supply chain strategies and practices of locally made vehicles in South Africa.
No full textThis paper sought to investigate the alignment between supply chain strategies and practices of local manufacturers of locally made light vehicles in South Africa. The research design employed was a combination of exploratory and descriptive research design using a qualitative approach. A face-to-face, semi-structured interview questionnaire was used, based on purposive sampling. Descriptive statistics using SPSS software was used for the data analysis and interpretation. The findings of the research revealed that across the supply chains of locally made models, all the manufacturers followed a lean strategy for their inbound supply chain and some had a lean supply chain strategy for their outbound supply chain. A number of them also had an agile supply chain strategy in the outbound supply chain, which suggests a leagile supply chain strategy. It was also found that in some instances there was a mismatch between strategies and practices in the area of product characteristics, manufacturing characteristics, and the decision drivers of the supply chain. Local manufacturers of locally made light vehicle models in South Africa do not always make decisions and implement practices in line with their chosen supply chain strategies.Business Managemen
Differentiating supply chain strategies: the case of light vehicle manufacturers in South Africa
No full text
The use of Postponement Decisions in Determining Supply Chain Strategies of Light Vehicle Manufacturers in South Africa
No full textThis article investigates the use of postponement decisions in determining the supply chain strategies of light vehicle manufacturers in South Africa. The article is exploratory and descriptive in nature. A survey was conducted among light vehicle manufacturers and the findings analysed by means of descriptive statistics. The results revealed that postponement decisions could be used to determine the supply chain architecture used by light vehicle manufacturers in South Africa. With regard to postponement decisions, the study found that all the light vehicle manufacturers made use of a lean supply chain strategy, while a few made use of an agile supply chain strategy. The results also revealed that all the production lines engaged in full speculation based on projected forecasting, and therefore employed a lean supply chain strategy. In terms of the postponement decisions made in line with the parent company of origin, European manufacturers 1 and 2 kept a work-in-progress inventory of stock to be customised for a particular customer. These manufacturers thus employed a lean and agile supply chain strategy, while most of the manufacturers adopted a lean supply chain strategy. All the manufacturers, except Asian manufacturer 1 and the American manufacturer, employed both lean and agile supply chain strategies. Therefore, the majority of the light vehicle manufacturers employed lean supply chain strategies in their inbound and outbound supply chain, while a few employed an agile supply chain strategy in their outbound supply chain, there by indicating leaglity. The article provides evidence of some form of postponement practice being followed by light vehicle manufacturers
The use of Postponement Decisions in Determining Supply Chain Strategies of Light Vehicle Manufacturers in South Africa
No full textThis article investigates the use of postponement decisions in determining the supply chain strategies of light vehicle manufacturers in South Africa. The article is exploratory and descriptive in nature. A survey was conducted among light vehicle manufacturers and the findings analysed by means of descriptive statistics. The results revealed that postponement decisions could be used to determine the supply chain architecture used by light vehicle manufacturers in South Africa. With regard to postponement decisions, the study found that all the light vehicle manufacturers made use of a lean supply chain strategy, while a few made use of an agile supply chain strategy. The results also revealed that all the production lines engaged in full speculation based on projected forecasting, and therefore employed a lean supply chain strategy. In terms of the postponement decisions made in line with the parent company of origin, European manufacturers 1 and 2 kept a work-in-progress inventory of stock to be customised for a particular customer. These manufacturers thus employed a lean and agile supply chain strategy, while most of the manufacturers adopted a lean supply chain strategy. All the manufacturers, except Asian manufacturer 1 and the American manufacturer, employed both lean and agile supply chain strategies. Therefore, the majority of the light vehicle manufacturers employed lean supply chain strategies in their inbound and outbound supply chain, while a few employed an agile supply chain strategy in their outbound supply chain, there by indicating leaglity. The article provides evidence of some form of postponement practice being followed by light vehicle manufacturers.</jats:p
Supply chain management implementation in the central district municipality
No full text(M.Com.) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2006The aim of this research was to examine whether and to what extent supply chain
management (SCM) officials in the Central District Municipality designed and
implemented SCM in a manner that encouraged sound financial management and
compliance to SCM legislative requirements in local government. The substantive area of
research was the Central District Municipality and its five local municipalities.
The researcher used both qualitative and quantitative research designs with semi-structured face-to-face interview questionnaire administered over three months. The
sampling population was the Central District Municipality and its local municipalities.
The researcher conducted 30 interviews and the research analysis strategy was the
grounded theory supported by quantitative presentation of closed ended questions in
tables and figures with the use of statistical package for social sciences (SPSS).
The findings of the study revealed that Central District Municipality to a certain extent
depicted the practice of some of the elements of SCM. SCM implementation is currently
at an infancy stage and these municipalities do not fully comply with national treasury
circulars and regulations. The municipalities are faced with problems of lack of
knowledge, skills and capacity. The study concludes with the development of proposition
that need to be tested on SCM implementation and recommendations on how the central
district municipality can improve SCM implementation process.Master
