Despite 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. / Business Management / M. Tech. (Business Administration)

In a complex and challenging global economy for supply chains to improve their performance, different types of technologies are deployed. The Internet of things (IoT) as one of these technologies enables devices to be connected via a network, i.e. internet. This connectivity provides a variety of possibilities, capabilities, and values to the chain. The scope of this study is to analyze the impacts of IoT on the SCM of e-commerce. By deploying a qualitative approach, the study aims to identify the capabilities enabled by IoT and find a connection between the capabilities and challenges that e-commerces faces in their supply chain management. The research is based on reviewing existing literature, followed by empirical investigation, conducting interviews, and secondary data driven from 3PL to cover focal actors in the case of e-commerce SCM.  IoT technology and the knowledge around it as a resource to SCM of these firms is studied in a resource-based view to understand what role IoT plays in gaining competitive advantage for such firms.  The empirical of this thesis is gathered by interviews with supply chain managers of medium-sized e-commerce firms and a warehouse associate. In addition, the DHL fulfillment center is used as the secondary data stream.