Due to the significant cost of transport in the sugar industry, a model, named FastTrack, was developed to investigate infrastructure planning opportunities. The model mathematically incorporates road construction and maintenance costs, terrain and land-use maps, vehicle performance specifications and annual sugarcane volumes to determine the most cost effective route, per vehicle type, from a production region to a mill. Route planning using geographical information systems (GIS) is a standard approach for determining the optimum alignment for pipelines, roads and canals. Theory of this approach was reviewed to create a foundation for the development of FastTrack. A small portion of the Noodsberg sugar mill region in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands was selected as a case study area to test the capabilities of FastTrack. A start location was identified as a natural flow point for 70 000 tons of sugarcane hauled from an area south of the mill. Currently this volume is transported along a 9.3 km stretch of national road from the start location to the sugar mill, while the Euclidean distance is approximately 7 km. Three vehicle types, differing in payload, fuel consumption and road speed were assessed. Two common and currently utilised vehicles, the tractor hilo and interlink combinations, were aligned by FastTrack along existing national roads. A financial penalty for driving on national roads was assumed for the third vehicle type considered, land trains, as these are currently not permitted to operate on national roads in South Africa. This high bulk vehicle was selected to test the capabilities of FastTrack and to identify if cost savings could be realised through increased consignment capacity as has been achieved in Australia, Malawi and Brazil. Utilising the model a new and more direct theoretical route was generated for the land train with a length of 7.4 km. Existing farm roads which would require upgrading made up 34 % of this proposed route. An economic analysis was conducted and showed that under current conditions, the private route generated by FastTrack for land train use, would be the most cost effective, with a system cost of R 57.50 t" . The tractor hilo and interlink had system costs of R 59.58 t" and R 60.98 t"1 respectively. Repeating the economic analysis with projected fuel prices indentified that the cost saving advantage of the land train system over the other two vehicle configurations increases with increasing fuel costs. A rigorous validation process, including a sensitivity analysis of results from FastTrack, revealed that the model performs predictably under a wide range of input conditions and could be a valuable tool for decision making in the sugar industry. However, further research is required to combine more economic and logistical aspects into FastTrack and to increase its usability. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2008.

In this thesis, we investigate synergies between participants in transportation and distribution systems and we explore collaborative approaches to exploit these synergies to reduce transportation and distribution costs. We study collaboration in two environments: truckload transportation and vendor management inventory replenishment. The first part of the thesis addresses the cost allocation problem of a collaborative truckload transportation procurement network. We study a logistics network where shippers identify collaborative routes with few empty truck movements to negotiate better rates with a common carrier. We investigate how to allocate the cost savings of these routes among the members of the collaboration. In the second part of the thesis, we investigate collaboration opportunities among carriers. When several carriers have to satisfy truckload transportation requests from various shippers, they may reduce their transportation costs by exchanging requests. First, we focus on computing the minimum cost to satisfy all requests. Next, we develop and analyze various exchange mechanisms that allow carriers to exchange requests in order to realize some of the potential costs savings. In the last part of the thesis, we study VMI replenishment. Simple cost allocation methods ignore synergies between the customers, due to their locations, usage rates, and storage capacities. As a result, the price charged to a customer for distribution does not represent the actual cost of serving that customer. We design a mechanism capable of computing a cost-to-serve for each customer that properly accounts for the synergies among customers.

This dissertation contains two topics in operations research. The first topic is to design a distribution network to facilitate the repeated movement of shipments from many origins to many destinations. A method is developed to estimate transportation costs as a function of the number of terminals and moreover to determine the best number of terminals. The second topic is to study dynamics of a buyer's behavior when the buyer can buy goods through both option contracts and a spot market and the buyer attempts to learn the probability distribution of the spot price. The buyer estimates the spot price distribution as though it is exogenous. However, the spot price distribution is not exogenous but is endogenous because it is affected by the buyer's decision regarding option purchases.

Thesis (M.S.)--Mississippi State University. Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: United National Breweries (SA) (PTY) Limited (UNB) has been manufacturing, marketing and distributing sorghum beer for the last twenty years. Sorghum beer has a short shelf life of five days and hence requires an integrated and efficient distribution system to back its production and marketing. Though the company has changed owners twice during this period, it has retained its knowledge base. The company has outgrown most of its competitors over the last four years, however in order to maintain its leadership, it has identified better market penetration through improved distribution as a major area of opportunity. Almost seventy percent of UNB products are sold and consumed in the townships. These products are almost exclusively consumed by black South Africans. The analysis done by the company on the basis of population and market segmentation indicates that the maximum opportunity of product growth lies in townships most of which are affected by high level of crime. KwaMashu is one such township in Durban. B B Bakeries (BBB) has been manufacturing, marketing and distributing bread in most provinces of South Africa. They are part of Premier Foods. Though their business has been growing in KwaZulu Natal for the last three years, they have been focussing on improving distribution in these markets. Bread, like sorghum has a short shelf life and hence depends heavily on an effective and efficient distribution system. New product variations are also being explored to gain more market share. The aim of this study project was the development of an effective physical distribution system for short shelf life products in crime affected KwaMashu township. “An analysis of the external environment is undertaken to discover the opportunities and threats that are evolving and that need to be addressed by the organization” (Drummond & Ensor; 2005: 33). The external environment for analysis was broken down into three key steps, each becoming more specific to the organization. The first step was an analysis of the macro- environmental influences that the organization faces. This was followed by an examination of the competitive environment the organization operates within and for this Porter’ five forces model was chosen. Finally the integration of such inputs which emerged out of the social environment, business understanding and empirical data was done to come up with a comprehensive strategy. The departure point was the analysis of the characteristics of the environment prevailing in the township. These included study of crime, inputs from police and community policing forum, needs of informal businesses, role of locals to the trade, their possible impact on thefts and hijackings and changes if any envisaged in the near future. The outcome of the study addresses the penetration of the retail segment despite the crime environment. It had to take risk to vehicles, staff and cash while planning distribution while ensuring that the company maintains a hold on the retail market to a reasonable degree. Company’ future growth plans which included new product introductions also had to be taken into account. Out of the possible alternatives, the outsourcing of distribution to local vendor drivers was recommended. Practical guidelines regarding the implementation of such a system keeping in view the unique environment, in which business is conducted, were discussed. Recommendations were made keeping such challenges in view while also supporting the company’ current and future plans. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: United National Breweries (SA) (PTY) Beperk (UNB) vervaardig, bemark en versprei sorghum bier vir die afgelope twintig jaar. Sorghum bier het ‘n kort rakleeftyd van vyf dae and vereis dus ‘n geïntegreerde en effektiewe verspreidingstelsel om die produksie en bemarking te rugsteun. Alhoewel die maatskappy twee keer van eienaars verwissel het oor die afgelope vier jaar, het die kennisbasis behoue gebly. Die maatskappy het die meeste van sy kompetisie ontgroei oor die afgelope vier jaar maar om voor te bly is markpenetrasie deur verbeterde verspreiding as ‘n belangrike geleentheid gedefiniëer. Byna sewentig persent van UNB se produkte word verkoop en verbruik in swart woongebiede. Hierdie produkte word byna uitsluitlik verbruik deur swart Suid- Afrikaners. Die analise wat die maatskappy on die basis van die bevolking en marksegmentasie gedoen het dui aan dat die maksimum groeipotensiaal in juis in dié swart woonbuurte lê wat deur hoë vlakke van kriminaliteit geaffekteer word. KwaMashu is een so ‘n woonbuurt in Durban. BB Bakeries (BBB) produseer, bemark en versprei brood in die meeste provinsies van Suid-Afrika. Die maatskappy is deel van Premier Foods. Alhoewel die besigheid in KwaZulu Natal gegroei het oor die afgelope drie jaar, het hulle ook gefokus op die verbetering van verspreiding in hierdie markte. Brood is ‘n kommoditeit wat net soos sorghum bier, ‘n kort rakleeftyd het en dus afhanklik is van effektiewe en suksesvolle verspeidingsisteme. Nuwe produktvariasie word ook ondersoek ten einde groter markaandeel te verkry. Die doel van die studie is om die ontwikkeling van fisiese verspreidingsisteme vir kort rakleeftydprodukte in die kriminaliteit geaffekteerde KwaMashu woongebied. “An analysis of the external environment is undertaken in order to discover the opportunities and threats that are evolving and that need to be addressed by the organization” (Drummond & Ensor 2005:33). ‘n Analise van die eksterne omgewing moet afgebreek word in drie sleutel stappe waarvan elkeen telkens meer spesifiek op die organisasie toegespits word. Die eerste stap is die analise van die makroekonomiese faktore wat die organisasie beïnvloed. Dit word opgevolg deur ‘n ondersoek van die kompetisie (mikro) omgewing waarbinne die organisasie sake doen. Hirvoor is Porter se bekende ‘five forces’ model gekies. Laastens word ‘n spesifieke kompeterende analise gedoen waarin die kragte wat voorspruit uit die sosiale omgewing, besigheidsbenadering en empiriese date geintegreer word vir ‘n omvattende strategie. Die vertrekpunt is die analise van die eienskappe van die omstandighede in ter sake swart woongebiede. Hierdie sluit die studie van kriminaliteit met polisie, gemeenskap en polisiëringsforums-perspektiewe, die behoeftes van informele besighede met die rol van plaaslike handelaars en hul impak op diefstal en skakings asook veranderings wat in die nabye toekoms geantisipeer word. Die resultaat van die studie het implikasies vir die deurdringingskrag van die kleinhandel ten spyte van die kriminaliteit in die omgewing. Risiko ten opsigte van voertuie, personeel en kontant moet in ag geneem word tydens verspreidingsbeplanning. Daar moet verseker word dat die maatskappy sy houvas op die kleinhandel mark tot ‘n redelike mate behou. Daarmee word die maatskappy se toekomstige groeiplanne met die invoer van nuwe produkte ondersteun. Van die moontlike alternatiewe word die uitkontraktering van plaaslike afleweraars aanbeveel. Praktiese riglyne vir die implimentering van sodanige sisteme word bespreek en aanbeveel in terme van die maatskappy se huidige en toekomstige beplanning.

O presente trabalho trata da avaliação de medidas voltadas à distribuição urbana de cargas considerando ser essa uma etapa fundamental do processo de tomada de decisão, pois permite a análise dos possíveis resultados acerca dos objetivos pretendidos, os quais geralmente estão relacionados à diminuição dos congestionamentos de veículos e das emissões de gases poluentes. Considerando que grande parte dos problemas decorrentes da distribuição urbana ocorrem localmente, no nível desagregado, propõe-se um procedimento que dê subsídios ao desenvolvimento de uma metodologia para a avaliação de medidas através da microssimulação de tráfego. Isso porque a microssimulação permite um alto nível de detalhe na modelagem e na observação do comportamento dos veículos, o que é essencial para a quantificação dos possíveis impactos locais gerados pelos veículos de carga. A integração entre as coletas de dados e os modelos que compõem o procedimento forneceu os dados necessários à representação dos movimentos dos veículos de carga no VISSIM, onde foram simulados três diferentes cenários, cada um representando alterações impostas por diferentes medidas em avaliação. A aplicação do procedimento proposto, a modelagem no VISSIM e os resultados da microssimulação permitiram a ponderação sobre o uso dessa técnica para a avaliação de medidas voltadas à distribuição urbana de cargas, considerando suas vantagens e limitações. / The present research deals with the evaluation of urban freight policies, considering this is fundamental for the decision making process of a policy implementation. Evaluation allows an analysis of the possible policy effects compared to its intended objectives, which are generally related to reductions in traffic congestion and pollutant emissions. Whereas most of the problems caused by urban distribution occur locally, in the disaggregated level, we propose a procedure that supports the development of a methodology for evaluating freight policies through traffic microsimulation. That\'s because this technique allows a high level of detail in modeling and observation of vehicles\' behavior, which is essential for quantifying the likely local impacts generated by freight vehicles. The procedure is based on a set of integrated data collections and models, which provided the data for representing freight vehicles movement in VISSIM, were three different scenarios, each one representing changes imposed by different freight policies, were simulated. The application of the proposed procedure, the VISSIM\'s modeling process and the microsimulation results allowed the weighing for the use of this technique in evaluating urban freight policies, considering its advantages and limitations.

Submitted by Maria de Lourdes Mariano (lmariano@ufscar.br) on 2017-02-24T18:09:59Z No. of bitstreams: 1 SOTO_DE_LA_VEGA_Diego_2014.pdf: 73992036 bytes, checksum: fdf7a66d32485844fff894b41112d2b1 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Maria de Lourdes Mariano (lmariano@ufscar.br) on 2017-02-24T18:10:08Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 SOTO_DE_LA_VEGA_Diego_2014.pdf: 73992036 bytes, checksum: fdf7a66d32485844fff894b41112d2b1 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Maria de Lourdes Mariano (lmariano@ufscar.br) on 2017-02-24T18:10:13Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 SOTO_DE_LA_VEGA_Diego_2014.pdf: 73992036 bytes, checksum: fdf7a66d32485844fff894b41112d2b1 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-02-24T18:10:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 SOTO_DE_LA_VEGA_Diego_2014.pdf: 73992036 bytes, checksum: fdf7a66d32485844fff894b41112d2b1 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-10-01 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Este trabalho apresenta uma abordagem multi-metodológica de otimização e análise multicritério para tratar o problema integrado de distribuição e estoque considerando múltiplos modos de transporte de carga. O sistema analisado fundamenta-se na rede de distribuição de uma empresa no setor de telecomunicações, cujas operações são típicas do setor. A rede de distribuição é composta por um conjunto de centros de distribuição que atendem as demandas de centros de distribuição regionais sobre um horizonte de planejamento de médio prazo. No transporte da mercadoria, os modos de transporte de carga completa (Full truckload -FTL) e fracionada (Less Than Truckload -LTL) foram considerados. Para uma carga completa, um valor fixo é constituído em função da capacidade do veículo utilizado, enquanto que para a carga fracionada, o custo é baseado na quantidade embarcada e na distância percorrida. As decisões do planejamento da distribuição neste problema envolvem definir as quantidades e datas de envio desde cada origem para cada destino indicando o modo de transporte de carga utilizado, para carga completa deve se definir ainda o tipo de veículo, considerando uma frota heterogênea em custo e capacidade. Os estoques de segurança em cada centro de distribuição regional também devem ser determinados em função da variabilidade da demanda e dos tempos de atendimento, bem como o nível de serviço desejado. Estas decisões devem ser definidas de modo a minimizar os custos associados a transporte e estoque, e levando em conta critérios relevantes para o problema de difícil quantificação tais como: facilidade de rastreamento, histórico de desempenho, segurança da carga, disposição para negociar os fretes, serviços de documentação e faturamento, entre outros. Uma formulação matemática específica foi utilizada para geração de soluções e uma estrutura decisória construída através dos métodos SMART (Simple MultiAttribute Ranking Technique) e AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) permitiu avaliar estas alternativas. Um caso real foi abordado em uma empresa brasileira para testar a eficiência da abordagem em situações reais. Como resultado, a abordagem proposta permitiu analisar com robustez a decisão mais adequada segundo as preferências e aversão ao risco inerentes dos decisores da empresa. Neste sentido, conclui-se que a preferência dos decisores, direcionou a metodologia na proposição de um planejamento focado principalmente na eficiência, a rápida entrega e na confiabilidade dos tempos de atendimento. / Este trabalho apresenta uma abordagem multi-metodológica de otimização e análise multicritério para tratar o problema integrado de distribuição e estoque considerando múltiplos modos de transporte de carga. O sistema analisado fundamenta-se na rede de distribuição de uma empresa no setor de telecomunicações, cujas operações são típicas do setor. A rede de distribuição é composta por um conjunto de centros de distribuição que atendem as demandas de centros de distribuição regionais sobre um horizonte de planejamento de médio prazo. No transporte da mercadoria, os modos de transporte de carga completa (Full truckload -FTL) e fracionada (Less Than Truckload -LTL) foram considerados. Para uma carga completa, um valor fixo é constituído em função da capacidade do veículo utilizado, enquanto que para a carga fracionada, o custo é baseado na quantidade embarcada e na distância percorrida. As decisões do planejamento da distribuição neste problema envolvem definir as quantidades e datas de envio desde cada origem para cada destino indicando o modo de transporte de carga utilizado, para carga completa deve se definir ainda o tipo de veículo, considerando uma frota heterogênea em custo e capacidade. Os estoques de segurança em cada centro de distribuição regional também devem ser determinados em função da variabilidade da demanda e dos tempos de atendimento, bem como o nível de serviço desejado. Estas decisões devem ser definidas de modo a minimizar os custos associados a transporte e estoque, e levando em conta critérios relevantes para o problema de difícil quantificação tais como: facilidade de rastreamento, histórico de desempenho, segurança da carga, disposição para negociar os fretes, serviços de documentação e faturamento, entre outros. Uma formulação matemática específica foi utilizada para geração de soluções e uma estrutura decisória construída através dos métodos SMART (Simple MultiAttribute Ranking Technique) e AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) permitiu avaliar estas alternativas. Um caso real foi abordado em uma empresa brasileira para testar a eficiência da abordagem em situações reais. Como resultado, a abordagem proposta permitiu analisar com robustez a decisão mais adequada segundo as preferências e aversão ao risco inerentes dos decisores da empresa. Neste sentido, conclui-se que a preferência dos decisores, direcionou a metodologia na proposição de um planejamento focado principalmente na eficiência, a rápida entrega e na confiabilidade dos tempos de atendimento.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:50:13Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 4048.pdf: 15485540 bytes, checksum: 8217a8cf74addc37b8dd9a84c29ce96f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-11-28 / Beverage industries in Brazil are in pursuit of improvements in customer services to fulfill the new marketplace needs, taking into consideration both the change in consumer, habits which now show a preference for healthier goods, and the recent growth in all social economic levels. The services that need more attention are the sales and distribution departments. The former because it is trying to improve the service level to adjust to the new reality, the latter because it faces the challenge of optimizing and properly playing its role in terms of performance and cost effectiveness. Considering that improvements in sales service levels may result in a worse performance and higher distribution costs, conflict between the areas are probable and expected, especially when each one is trying to improve results individually. The service level in sales within the beverage industry could be divided into components, for example: weekly visit frequency, visit duration, weekdays for visiting clients and deadlines for delivering the goods. The primary objective of this study is to verify two hypotheses: (a) whether the manner in which sales functions are organized affects performance and costs in beverage distribution and, (b) in that case, to which degree it quantitatively affects the company s expenses. In other words, to verify that service levels defined by the sales planning team and offered to clients directly reflects the performance and delivery cost for each service level component, with an associated specific cost. Once this cost aggregation is proved, the intention is to analyze and quantify it. In order to validate these hypotheses, a case study is developed in a typical beverage company in Brazil, which has already defined their new service levels without considering its effect on performance and distribution costs. As a consequence of these actions, the studied company had observed a significant rise in these costs and to revert the situation, has considered new alternatives to balance the sales service levels, regarding delivery costs and distribution performance. The company then decided to support the development of a technique known as territory compacting, aiming to improve logistics performance and reduce distribution costs while service levels remain unaffected. Among the precautions adopted to avoid possible service level deterioration, the studied company monitored client perception related to its distribution effectiveness, before and right after the territory compacting was implemented in the most relevantly attended city. Using the technique named Correspondence Analysis, client perception was then rated for various specific sales service levels to avoid damaging the most valued ones for each client. Main operational indicators in sales and distribution are also compared, taking into consideration variations of different periods in cities where territory compacting was applied. Bearing in mind the nature of this study and the participation of the research author, this case study can be sub-classified as action research. / As empresas de bebidas do Brasil buscam melhorar seu atendimento para satisfazer as necessidades do mercado atual, considerando as mudanças de hábitos dos brasileiros por produtos mais saudáveis e pela recente expansão de consumo em todas as classes sociais. As funções que merecem mais atenção neste trabalho são a comercialização e a distribuição. A primeira porque é a que tem buscado melhorar o nível de serviços em vendas para se ajustar às tais mudanças. Já a função distribuição ou entrega dos produtos aos clientes tem como principal desafio otimizar-se para cumprir seu papel em termos de desempenho e custos. Como a melhora nos serviços em vendas pode impactar em piores desempenhos e custos maiores na distribuição, é possível ocorrer conflito entre ambas as funções, especialmente quando cada uma delas busca otimizar-se individualmente. O nível de serviço em vendas na indústria de bebidas pode ser desdobrado em componentes, por exemplo: freqüência semanal de visitas a clientes, tempo de visita, dias da semana a ser visitado e prazo de entrega das mercadorias. O objetivo principal deste trabalho é verificar duas hipóteses: (a) se a forma como a função comercialização se organiza influencia o desempenho e os custos de distribuição de bebidas e, (b) existindo tal influência, em que grau ela ocorre, em termos quantitativos. Em outras palavras, que o nível de serviços em vendas, definido e oferecido aos clientes pelo planejamento da equipe de vendas, influencia o desempenho e o custo da entrega dos produtos, e que a cada componente do nível de serviços agrega-se um custo de distribuição. Comprovada a agregação desse custo, pretende-se analisá-la e quantificá-la. Para melhor avaliar essas hipóteses, desenvolve-se um estudo de caso em uma empresa típica do setor de bebidas no Brasil que, na busca pela melhoria de seus serviços em vendas, definiu sua ida ao mercado sem avaliar os reflexos dessa busca nos custos e desempenho da distribuição. Em razão disso, a empresa observou aumento significativo desses custos e para reverter a situação, procurou caminhos alternativos para balancear melhor o nível de serviço em vendas, considerando os custos e desempenho da distribuição. Para tanto, a empresa decidiu apoiar o desenvolvimento de uma técnica denominada adensamento de territórios como forma de melhorar seu desempenho logístico e reduzir seus custos logísticos sem deteriorar muito seu nível de serviço. Dentre os cuidados tomados para evitar esta possível deterioração do serviço, a empresa consentiu em realizar pesquisas com seus clientes antes e depois do adensamento na sua principal cidade de atuação. Com o uso da técnica estatística denominada Análise de Correspondência, avaliouse a percepção dos clientes em relação a alguns componentes do nível de serviço em vendas para, com isso, evitar prejudicar aqueles mais valorizados. Os principais indicadores operacionais de vendas e de distribuição também são comparados, avaliando suas variações em diferentes períodos e cidades em que o adensamento foi aplicado. Pela natureza do estudo e pelo tipo de participação do autor na pesquisa, este trabalho pode ser classificado como estudo de caso e pode ser subclassificado como pesquisa-ação.

M. Tech. (Department of Logistics Management, Faculty of Management Sciences), Vaal University of Technology. / The application of business ethics in Supply Chain Management (SCM) activities in the business environment has attracted much-needed attention from research academics and practitioners alike in recent years. SCM activities within organisational processes are subject to various ethical principles when facilitating contractual procedures between supply chain partners. In a broader context, ethical SCM has mostly been applied to the public industry. Less attention has been directed, however, towards private businesses that seek to employ ethical compliance towards SCM processes. In view of the growing importance of ethical conduct in the private industry, the purpose of this study is to explore the factors that determine ethical SCM in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods Industry (FMCG) in Gauteng Province. In this study, a quantitative research approach was employed to examine and test the factors that have an influence on ethical SCM in the FMCG industry within South Africa. A cross-sectional survey design was utilised to collect and test the empirical data collected from 221 purposively selected professional employees and managers in the FMCG industry in Gauteng Province. The collected data were analysed through the use of the Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPPS version 26.0) software and analysed using a combination of descriptive and inferential statistics. Specifically, the techniques used to analyse data include frequencies, percentages, mean scores, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson correlations and regression analysis. Using the EFA technique, six legal components of ethical SCM were identified. These are moral standards, transparency, professional competence, corporate governance, accountability and fairness. Three components, namely supplier assessment and monitoring, relationship commitment and supplier collaboration, were extracted in the EFA procedure. A further three personal ethics components were extracted, namely intrinsic values, honesty and integrity and skills. Descriptive statistics reveal that most managers and professional employees within the FMCG industry believe that they follow the legal aspects of SCM ethics. They also indicated that their firms are effective in managing their suppliers. The managers and professional employees in the FMCG industry also perceived that they espouse a high standard of personal ethics in their SCM activities. The results of the t-tests revealed that female respondents are more likely to adhere to personal ethics than their male counterparts. Results of the ANOVA tests revealed significant statistical differences on the race and occupational area categories of the FMCG employees that participated in this study. Under the race category, Whites and those of the Mixed race have different attitudes towards supplier collaboration when compared to other racial groups. Managers and professional employees from the procurement department have different attitudes on legal aspects when compared to those in other departments such as transport, warehouse, contract management and customer services employees. Pearson correlations revealed that connections between the constructs were either weak or moderate. Regression analysis revealed that among all legal components and personal ethics factors, only fairness significantly and positively predicted supplier management. The study recommends that the FMCG industry should recruit and develop managers and professional employees with a recruitment process that is more structural and process-driven as this promotes a unique brand of leaders that dictate sound and effective leadership processes. To maintain effectiveness amongst managers and professional employees, training remains a catalyst in increasing knowledge, skills and overall competency within the FMCG industry.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2007. / Please refer to fulltext for abstract