Theses and Dissertations (Logistics)
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Browsing Theses and Dissertations (Logistics) by Subject "Business logistics -- South Africa."
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Item An empirical exploration of supply chain constraints facing the construction industry in South Africa(Vaal University of Technology, 2016) Pillay, Poobalan; Mafini, Chengedzai, Dr.; Pooe, David, Prof.The South African Construction Industry is one of the largest contributors to the gross domestic product of the country as well as to employment. It has, however, been experiencing significant challenges due to multifaceted factors. The main objective of this research was to identify the supply chain management constraints within the South African Construction Industry and how these can be overcome. This study is by nature descriptive and exploratory and contains qualitative elements. The problems were identified through a literature review, focused group discussions and interviews with major construction companies in South Africa. The findings also indicate that the main supply chain management constraints are to a greater extent internal and typical of supply chain methodologies and approaches. These constraints are among others the lack of coordination, collaboration and commitment between suppliers and clients within the supply chain, poor leadership in key areas of systems, design problems (many changes and inconsistent information), deficient internal and external communication and information transfer, inadequate management within the supply chain, mainly poor planning and control just to mention a few. A model based on supply chain system management as well as the Theory Of Constraints (TOC) has been developed that can be a useful tool to address the constraints in the construction sector. Originating from the study are applicable recommendations for the South African construction industry supply chains, covering key themes that have been articulated in the study, particularly benchmarking to the theory of constrains. Such recommendations include further research core components of supply chain such as, collaborations, logistics and how each of system components can be linked to performance of the supply chain management system.Item An evaluation of the supplier relationship management and procurement practices at a parastatal: the case of Eskom Holdings Limited(Vaal University of Technology, 2014) Jonathan, Ellsworth Chouncey; Mahlasela, E. R., Dr.; Pooe, David, Prof.The primary objective of this study was to investigate the supplier relationship management practices at Eskom. Currently, the challenges faced by the parastatal include diminished reserve margin, increased unplanned generation plant outages as well as coal supply and quality constraints coupled with ever-rising primary energy costs. It is, therefore, evident that as a national asset, Eskom cannot overcome the current challenges successfully without strong partnerships with key suppliers. A framework for supplier management containing four different elements was researched. The first element, which forms the basis for all supplier management operations, is the development of supplier management relationships. The framework also includes supplier collaborations and the various aspects of discovery, supplier pre-selection, and supplier selection, which relate to finding, qualifying, and choosing the best suppliers. Lastly, and also very important was the supplier development and localisation as well as the legislature thereof. A quantitative cross-company survey was conducted using a sample of 260 suppliers, who have been on the database for more than twelve (12) months and who responded to the business requests to update the data on the system. The findings of the study are largely supported by the literature. Finally, the study makes recommendations and highlights further research, managerial, and policy implications.Item Operational capabilities, firm competitive performance, and supply chain responsiveness in the fast-moving consumer good manufacturing industry in Gauteng Province(Vaal University of Technology, 2022-11) Hweshure, Nyashadzashe Caleb; Mafini, C., Prof.; Okoumba, W. V., Dr.The importance of the fast-moving consumer goods manufacturing industry and its contributions to economic growth and competitiveness in South Africa is well-documented in the literature. The industry’s economic contributions are recognised in employment/job creation, economic empowerment/development, gross domestic product and socio-economic development. However, despite the contributions, the South African fast-moving consumer goods manufacturing industry faces several challenges, which negatively impact its prospects for growth and success. Internal and external challenges include labour costs, poor leadership skills, food labelling scandals, supply chain uncertainties, the Covid-19 pandemic, public unrest/protests in South Africa and natural disasters. One of the proposed solutions to address operational challenges is the implementation of operational capabilities, namely manufacturing and technological capabilities, supply network flexibility and innovation capability. Therefore, the study aimed to investigate operational capabilities’ impact on firm competitive performance and supply chain responsiveness in the fast-moving consumer goods manufacturing industry. A positivist approach that followed a quantitative research method in data collection was used in this study. A structured survey questionnaire was developed using adapted measurement scales and administered to 420 supply chain management professionals in the fast-moving consumer goods manufacturing industry in Gauteng. Respondents were selected using the non-probability purposive sampling technique. The applied data analysis techniques included descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. Inferential statistics used two approaches, namely exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modelling. The former tested for the factor structure of the collected data, whereas the latter tested for both the psychometric properties of measurement scales and the relationships in the proposed hypotheses. The results of the study showed an inverse relationship between manufacturing capability and competitive performance. The other three predictor constructs; Technological capability, supply network flexibility and innovation capability, all significantly and positively predicted competitive performance. In turn, firm competitive performance significantly and positively predicted supply chain responsiveness and flexibility. From a theoretical standpoint, the study generated new information on the relationship between operational capabilities, firm competitive performance, and supply chain responsiveness in the fast-moving consumer goods manufacturing industry of South Africa. The insights from this research provide new knowledge that complements existing literature. Practically the study enables continuous improvement within the fast-moving consumer goods manufacturing industry, allowing it to respond effectively to local and global environments.