M.Com. (Business Management) / Retailers are the main link between product suppliers and final consumers and therefore in a position to play a pivotal role in driving environmental sustainability by encouraging the adoption of appropriate greening practices in their total supply chain activities. Whilst studies have been conducted on the green supply chain practices of leading retailers from around the world, few studies have been conducted on retailers in South Africa. The objectives of this study are to explore the range of green supply chain best practices currently adopted amongst consumer services retailers listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, the extent to which green supply chain best practices are adopted in their total supply chain activities, the level of maturity of their green supply chain management practices, and the main driving forces for, benefits of and barriers to the adoption of green supply chain practices. A conceptual framework is derived from a literature review and used to develop a highly structured survey questionnaire to collect empirical data for analysis in relation to the objectives of the study. The questionnaire was administered by engaging in face-to-face interviews with respondents representing listed consumer services retailers. The empirical data collected was analysed using a Microsoft Office Excel spreadsheet model. The findings of the study indicate that the majority of the retailers studied are adopting all those green supply chain best practices identified in the literature review at least to some extent. Although a few of the retailers studied have reached a high level of maturity in their green supply chain management practices, the majority have recognised the importance of environmental sustainability related issues, have started incorporating appropriate greening practices into their total supply chain activities and therefore have progressed beyond a low level of largely ignoring green supply chain practices to the intermediate levels of maturity. This implies that they are taking environmental sustainability related issues seriously and not merely engaging in acts of green-washing. However currently these retailers are focusing first on those internal operations where they consider greening practices to be within their sphere of influence, easy to formulate, quick to implement and which can have a positive impact on environmental sustainability and the organisation in the short- to medium-term. These internal operations include transportation and logistics, solid waste management and energy usage management. Most of the main driving forces for the adoption of green supply chain practices come from outside the organisations and include an increase in disclosure requirements for sustainability policies and practices, government environmental regulations, and risks of disruptions in energy and raw material supply.

The thesis "Supply Chain Management in Furniture Retail Industry" tries to determine the current status of an integrated supply chain management in the furniture industry. The importance of the supply chain in the modern economy is discussed as well as the difficult economical conditions for furniture dealers, with consumers spending more on cellphones, the national lottery and transport. The importance of the supply chain as a vehicle to optimize shareholder funds is stressed. The literature study sets out to prove that as a result of the new paradigm that exists within the organisational system, that the supply chain system needs new ideas, thought process and structures to ensure that the full potential is realised. In order to maximise returns from the supply chain business process, re-engineering and design will have to take place. Organisations must be willing and able to radically re- think and re-design the existing process. A paradigm shift is absolutely essential to obtain the maximum returns for the organisation. Certain pre-designed supply chain models are discussed and advantages and disadvantages are analysed. The models are the, the Growth Model, the Supply Chain Management Systems Framework, the Semantic Model for Internet Supply Chain Collaboration and the Supply Chain Operations Model. The models differ in their approaches and is an effort to expose the reader to current best practises in integrated supply chain management. Thirdly, key factors for supply chain success are discussed. Research has shown that if organisations fail to meet certain basic requirements, any attempts at influencing or improving the process are doomed. Internal excellence is a basic requirement followed by external integration and excellence. Two other important issues are supplier relationships, and the critical importance of information technology in assisting organisations to obtain supremacy. The literature study ends with the discussion of a financial model for measuring the success of supply chain interventions. The final word in any change process is financial. If Economic Value is not added, then the process can be seen as a failure. Chapter Three discusses the methodology that was followed in conducting the research. Chapter four analysis the findings and make certain recommendations for the furniture industry in South Africa that will assist in improving supply chain management. / Thesis (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2004. / Graduate School of Management / unrestricted

Thesis is about various implications that can be seen in business processes. It defines the term, describes history, the most important offshoring destinations and positive, as well as negative influences that offshoring has on firms. Practical part demonstrates decisions which firm has to make when it considers various locations of manufacturing.

In the thesis, the author wanted to research the topic of implementation of cloud-based solutions in the area of Supply Chain Management. The first part is devoted to theoretical background of Cloud Computing -- different types of solutions are suitable for various kinds of business activity, and Supply Chain Management. In the second part, the author focused on an analysis of a company - FN Granum and searched for a Cloud Computing solution, which would be the best for it, taking into account current situation and future plans of the entity. Such extensive research resulted in a set of conclusions and recommendations, which may be helpful for any manager considering an implementation of cloud-based solutions into their supply chains.

Idag har bygg- och anläggningsbranschen låg produktivitet och icke-värdeskapande aktiviteter uppgår till 30- 35% av projektets produktionskostnad. Genom en effektiv logistikhantering ökar produktiviteten och minskar slöserier och därmed byggkostnaden. Studien fokuserar på anläggningsbranschen då det i dagsläget är brist på forskar- och grundutbildad personal inom anläggning vilket även speglar sig i antalet vetenskapliga artiklar som publicerats inom anläggning. Det finns därför ett syfte i att skapa en större teoretisk förståelse för anläggningsbranschen. Studiens syfte har varit att undersöka planeringsfasen för logistik i ett anläggningsprojekt och ta fram en konceptuell logistiskmodell för ett anläggningsprojekt. I anläggningsprojekt är det ofta problem med stora projektytor och svåråtkomlig terräng men det kan även vara problem med trånga utrymmen runt projektet. Dessutom innebär projekt i anläggningsbranschen ofta omfattande hantering av massor. I fallföretaget finns det ingen tydlig logistiskmodell som efterföljs och man har svårt att se fördelarna med att använda logistik. Målet med studien är att genom den konceptuellt framtagna logistiskmodellen få ett standardiserat arbetssätt och därmed effektivisera produktionen och minska kostnaderna. Dessutom är målet att bidra till forskningen om logistik i anläggningsbranschen. Explorativt forskningssyfte har använts för att uppfylla studien syfte. Detta för att skapa en större förståelse för logistik i anläggningsbranschen. Forskningsansatsen är deduktiv i och med att logistikmodellen har utvecklats från befintlig teori, och testas empiririsk i fokusgrupper. En kvalitativ strategi har tillämpats på denna studie då fokus är på att skapa en djupare förståelse och ge möjlighet till anpassning beroende på vad som hittas i datainsamlingen. De datainsamlingsmetoder som har använts är litteraturstudie, intervjuer, fokusgrupper och kvalitativ sekundärdata. För att säkerställa studiens kvalitet användes triangulering men även granskning av handledare och personer som deltog under fokusgrupper och intervjuer. Den konceptuella logistiskmodellen består av sjutton komponenter som innehåller aktiviteter/verktyg och förutsättningar som krävs för en effektiv logistikhantering i anläggning. Med hjälp av denna modell kan företag utvärdera vilka logistiska aktiviteter som bör genomföras i ett anläggningsprojekt samt se vilka förutsättningar som krävs. I fallföretaget genomförs inte alla dessa aktiviteter och det är vissa viktiga förutsättningar som fattas. Fallföretaget rekommenderas att upprätta en utbildning om logistik, skapa en tydligare logistikorganisation och ta fram standardiserade processer för logistik. / Today the construction industry has low productivity and the waste is about 30-35% of a project's production cost. By using an efficient logistics management the productivity will increase, which will reduce the waste and production cost. This thesis focuses on the construction industry with focus on civil engineering projects. It is a lack of research that focus on civil engineering projects, which is reflected in the number of scientific articles that has been published in this area. Hence, this is a reason to research further about civil engineering projects in order to create a bigger theoretical understanding. The aim of this thesis was to investigate the planning process with focus on logistic and to develop a conceptual logistic model for civil engineering projects. In civil engineering projects, companies often have problem with large project areas and difficult terrain around the project. But there can also be problems with narrow spaces. In addition to this, civil engineering projects often have to manage a large amount of masses. The company that this thesis has been conducted at has no clear logistic model that the staff follows, and they find it difficult to see the benefits with logistic. The aim of this thesis is to develop a conceptual logistic model that generates a more standardized work method that streamline the production and reduce the costs. In addition, the goal is also to contribute to research on logistics in the construction industry that focus on civil engineering projects. To fulfill the aim of the thesis an exploratory research have been used. This to create a greater understanding of logistics in the construction industry with focus on civil engineering projects. The research approach is deductive because the logistic model has been developed from existing theory and been empirically tested by using focus groups. A qualitative strategy has been applied on this thesis since the aim is to create a deeper understanding and a qualitative strategy gives an opportunity to adjust the thesis depending on what is found in the data collection. The data has been collected through a literature study, interviews, and focus groups. Data has also been collected from qualitative secondary data. During the focus groups the conceptual logistic model, which are based on the data from theory, interviews and empirical data, was tested. In order to ensure the quality of the thesis, triangulation was used. But the thesis was also reviewed by the supervisors and the persons who participated in the focus groups as well as the interviews. The conceptual logistic model consists of seventeen components that contains activities/tools and conditions that are required for an efficient logistics management. With this model the company that the thesis has been conducted at, but also other similar companies, can see what logistics activities needs to be done but also see what conditions are required. The company where the thesis has been conducted at does not perform all of these activities and some important conditions is not fulfilled. The company is recommended to educate in logistics, make a clear logistic organization and develop standardized processes for logistics.

Orientador: Eduardo Guilherme Satolo / Resumo: A cadeia de produção do leite é composta por diversos agentes que integram a cadeia de suprimentos desde a aquisição da matéria-prima até a distribuição do produto para o cliente final. Esta cadeia tem importância em termos de contribuição econômica e social para o país ou região. Desta forma, a obtenção de produtividade não está relacionada apenas aos benefícios para o produtor, como aumento de lucratividade, competitividade no mercado, eficiência na gestão das propriedades, mas em aspectos que geram impactos na sociedade, como por exemplo geração de novos postos de trabalho. Este trabalho tem como objetivo geral, analisar quais os principais gargalos na gestão da cadeia de suprimentos leiteira de pequenos produtores da região de Tupã/SP. Desta forma, é indispensável explorar os impactos sofridos pelos produtores, a falta de apoio e orientação para que os mesmos consigam conduzir e realizar uma gestão eficiente em sua propriedade. Tal estudo apresenta a metodologia aplicada em forma de pesquisa de campo de caráter descritiva, com abordagem qualitativa, do tipo survey com aplicação de questionário com questões predominantemente fechadas com uso da escala Likert. O resultado da coleta foi apresentado por meio da análise de correspondência. Tais resultados demostraram os gargalos na cadeia de suprimentos, baseado nos oito pilares da abordagem LSCM, sendo: Gestão da Tecnologia da Informação, Gestão de Fornecedores de Insumos, Eliminação de desperdícios, Produção, Gestão de Relac... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The milk supply chain is made up of products that integrate the supply chain from the raw material to the final distribution of the product to the end customer. This organization has an economic and social building base for the country or region. Thus, a strategy option is not only an advantage for the producer, such as the increase of profitability, market competitiveness, management performance of companies, but also the managerial impact on society, such as the generation of new jobs. This paper aims to analyze what are the main bottlenecks of the milk and milk industry of small farmers in the Tupã / SP region. Therefore, is necessary It is necessary to explore the impacts suffered by the producers, the lack of support and guidance for them to be able to conduct and efficiently manage their property. The study presents the applied method in the search fields, descriptive, with a qualitative approach, on the survey form, of general studies predominated closed to use the scale of Likert. The result of the collection was presented through the correspondence analysis. These results demonstrated bottlenecks in the supply chain, based on the eight pillars of the LSCM approach, namely: Information Technology Management, Input Supplier Management, Waste Disposal, Production, Customer Relationship Management, Logistics Management, Owners Commitment, and Continuous Improvement. Stands out the result of data collection for the need to improve quality, the implementation of technologi... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

One of the most important areas of development within the evolution of commerce, is the acknowledgement that businesses can no longer compete as individual entities, but rather must function as part of a supply chain. Within an ever-competitive business environment, the ultimate success of a business can often be tied directly to the overall functionality and efficiency of its supply chain. Research within the area of supply chain management is vast, with prior contributions exploring the function of a supply chain from a plethora of social, economic, and commerce perspectives. Prior research has extended to evaluate multiple industries and geographies, over a number of economic and social issues (e.g. environmental sustainability through transport route modification, poverty reduction through global value chain refinement), along with core management and commerce areas (e.g. marketing initiatives through production cycle analysis, operations management through production capacity). Substantial contributions exist which focus on the role of supply chain management and the value of refining, optimizing and designing a chain to the requirements of an industry, economic environment, or business process. In addition to investigation on the definition, function, and applicability of the concept, prior contributions have effectively demonstrated the value of supply chain management in gaining competitive advantage, and improving the overall performance of a business. The notion that supply chain efficiency defines business advantage, has led to exploration of physical configurations and specifications of supply chains; with the primary undertone often centering around evaluating drivers of supply chain optimization, and therein organizational performance. Within existing research, the process of physical site placement, and managerial decision makers within an organization are identified as being key factors in the optimization of a supply chain. As such, a number of prior studies have investigated the drivers which influence physical location decisions, with the majority of research focusing on the impact of geographical location factors. Other studies have centered on the impact of management structure as a catalyst in refining and optimizing a supply chain. While significant research has focused on both areas individually (Barney, 1991; Chopra & Meindl, 2002; Christopher, 1998), relatively little attention has been placed on evaluating the correlation between these paradigms, and therein exploring the root drivers for management decisions. There appears to be substantial value in directly investigating this relationship, as the analysis of this interaction would provide a comprehensive interpretation of specific factors contributing to physical supply chain development decisions. This research evaluated decision making drivers impacting the placement of physical supply chain entities using augmented qualitative and quantitative primary data. One of the main objectives of this study was to define the accepted sequence of decision making priority with respect to land value determination, transportation and accessibility considerations, and tax incentive structures. Data for the study was collected through electronic surveys and interviews, from supply chain managers working at organizations with a minimum annual revenue of $1,000,000 USD. The proposed relationships were evaluated using rigorous statistical analysis including factor analysis and structural equation modelling. Results indicated the existence of a clear sequence in decision structure, with a measurable pattern of priority placed on specific decision criteria. Aspects of corporate culture within the scope of supply chain decision making were explored with insight into the foundation for physical site evaluation. Empirical data suggested the value of land as having the most substantial influence when making physical location decisions. A number of factors influence how managers determine land value, however the location of a site and its proximity to a firms affiliates (e.g. potential partners, strategic alliances) were identified as having the strongest impact. Other considerations including transportation structures, tax incentives, and the ability of a firm to attract highly productive labor also influenced location decisions, albeit to a lesser degree. While prior research suggests businesses often design supply chains with the intention of attracting inexpensive labor, the results of this study were contradictory. Specifically, this study identified a common hierarchical decision making structure, and finds businesses often place value on highly productive labor (not inexpensive labor) when making supply chain location decisions. Fundamentally, the results presented in this study allows firms to gain insight on how decision makers process and interpret information. Establishing the pattern and sequence of decision making priority in the initial physical site placement stage is critical in ascertaining how supply chain networks develop and grow. From an economic standpoint, findings from this study could be applied to competitor assessment, growth planning, and managerial assessment. Based on the notion that competition takes place through supply chain performance, the practical applications of this study provide a meaningful foundation for optimization and therefore competitive advantage. On a larger scale, this contribution is substantial, as it holds value to both academic and business paradigms in further evaluating the definition and optimization potential of a supply chain, and in providing insight into additional areas of business competitiveness.

Supply chain integration (SCI) is a phenomenon that has received growing attention from academia and industry practitioners alike. Studies suggest that firms with highly integrated supply chains can positively influence firm performance from both an operational and financial standpoint. The literature emphasizes three distinct dimensions of SCI; internal integration, supplier integration and customer integration. However, the scarcity of highly integrated supply chains could be widespread in South Africa due to the SCI perception gaps prevalent among supply chain practitioners in South Africa. The literature reveals that there are countless inconsistencies pertaining to the interpretation and execution of supply chain management practices among supply chain practitioners, across myriads of industries. This study aimed to investigate the various perceptions of the SCI construct harboured by supply chain practitioners in fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) manufacturing firms. A generic qualitative research strategy was used as the method of inquiry in this research. Five FMCG manufacturing firms were sampled and a total of fifteen participants were interviewed though semi-structured interviews. The main findings of the study reveal that supply chain practitioners in FMCG manufacturing firms interpret the SCI construct differently. While some supply chain practitioners interpret the SCI construct in line with what is documented in the literature, others have misaligned interpretations of the construct. These differences in interpretation span across all tiers (strategic, tactical and operational) within FMCG manufacturing firms. The findings also reveal that supply chain practitioners in South African FMCG manufacturing firms, to a significant extent, identify with all the supply chain integrative practices relating to supply chain collaboration, intra/inter firm interaction and information sharing, as documented in the literature. The study’s findings contribute to the supply chain discipline by helping researchers as well as supply chain practitioners develop a complete understanding of the SCI construct which deliberately elaborates on the associated SCI dimensions, and explicitly articulates the integrative practices associated with the phenomenon. Managerial implications emanating from this study suggest that supply chain functions should strive to create awareness around the focal firm’s end-to-end supply chain activities, and how these activities impact each other. This can be done through building a culture of frequent inter- and intra- organisational interaction, as well as implementing relevant organisational learning interventions across all tiers within the focal firm. In addition, focal firms should also adopt and leverage off new technologies to ensure more reliable and real-time data, thus enabling more effective decision-making. / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2020. / Business Management / MCom / Unrestricted

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Plantilla para elaborar Trabajo de investigación de Maestría en Supply Chain Management para optar el grado académico de Maestro en Supply Chain Management en el Programa de Maestría en Supply Chain Management. Escuela de Postgrado. Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas.