La agricultura es considerada uno de los sectores de mayor importancia alrededor del mundo, cuya demanda ha aumentado año tras año. Sin embargo, en los últimos años la participación del PBI agrícola en Perú ha decrecido cerca del 5%, debido a que muchos de los habitantes rurales continúan laborando en agropecuarios familiares o individuales, pese a que sus ingresos son extremadamente bajos y cerca del 80% de estas tierras tienen menos de 5ha, desarrollando una agricultura de bajos insumos y producción. Por tanto, el proyecto se aplicó en Ocucaje-Ica, donde se identificó que en la cadena de suministro actual del zapallo 42.86% de las actividades no generan valor y estas representan el 20% de tiempos desperdiciados. Por ello, la investigación se realizó con la finalidad de reducir los tiempos logísticos e incrementar la participación de los pequeños agricultores, ello mediante la presentación de un diseño mejorado de esta gestión, aplicando teórica y prácticamente la técnica LSCM, particularmente la herramienta VSM, la cual permite visualizar, identificar y evaluar actividades a lo largo de la cadena, pudiendo presentar mejoras en un mapa propuesto de estado futuro. No obstante, dado la coyuntura que se atraviesa el año 2020 (pandemia covid-19), los posibles resultados se presentaron en 3 posibles escenarios (pesimista, conservador y optimista) en los que el proyecto pueda afectar positivamente en la producción. Estas mejoras se pueden visualizar en un VSM futuro, reduciendo actividades innecesarias en 50% y disminución en tiempos de 13.3%. / Agriculture is considered one of the most important sectors around the world, whose demand has increased year after year. However, in recent years the share of agricultural GDP in Peru has decreased by about 5%, because many of the rural inhabitants continue to work in family or individual farms, despite the fact that their income is extremely low and close to 80% of these lands have less than 5ha, developing low-input and low-production agriculture. Therefore, the project was applied in Ocucaje-Ica, where it was identified that in the current supply chain of pumpkin 42.86% of the activities do not generate value and these represent 20% of wasted time. Therefore, the research was carried out in order to reduce logistics times and increase the participation of small farmers, by presenting an improved design of this management, applying theoretically and practically the LSCM technique, particularly the VSM tool, the which allows to visualize, identify and evaluate activities along the chain, being able to present improvements in a proposed map of the future state. However, given the current situation in 2020 (covid-19 pandemic), the possible results were presented in 3 possible scenarios (pessimistic, conservative and optimistic) in which the project could positively affect production. These improvements can be seen in a future VSM, reducing unnecessary activities by 50% and decreasing time by 13.3%. / Tesis

M. Tech. (Department of Logistics, Faculty of Management Sciences), Vaal University of Technology. / This study examines the influence of lean supply chain management (LSCM) on supply chain competitiveness in the steel industry in Gauteng, South Africa. The industry suffered a huge blow when imported steel took over the market and collapsed big players within the industry in South Africa.A range of problems hit the market hard, leaving companies applying for section 189 of the labour law to reduce overheads and restructure their organisations. It is evident that organisations need to change their way of thinking,heighten their supply chain strategies and adopt international standards like lean supply chain management practices to become competitive in a broader spectrum. Using a data set of 265 supply chain professionals drawn from the steel manufacturing industry in Gauteng, results showed the importance of proper implementation of LSCM woulddirectly influence SCC, leading to improved organisational performance. The collected quantitative data were analysed using the Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS version 27.0) statistical software.Techniques such as correlations and regressions were used to test the hypotheses.The results of the study showed that four lean practices, namely Just in Time, Total Quality Management, Strategic Partnership and Waste Elimination all predictthe establishment of a lean culture. However, Human Resource Management was statistically insignificant. The results further showed that Lean culture predicts the competitiveness of the steel supply chain. Thererefore, an emphasis on lean supply chain management in the steel industry is anessential contributor to its success.

This study determined whether local manufacturers of light vehicles in South Africa employ supply chain best practices and strategies. The research design employed was a combination of exploratory and descriptive research design using qualitative and quantitative approaches based on a survey of light vehicle manufacturers in South Africa. A face-to–face, semi-structured interview questionnaire was used, based on purposive sampling. Descriptive statistics using SPSS software were used for the data analysis and interpretation. The findings of the study revealed that across the supply chain, best practices were implemented to a large extent by all manufacturers. Light vehicle manufacturers in South Africa, however face supply chain challenges, which include technological, infrastructural, cost, market/service and production/skills challenges. The most important supply chain performance indicator that contributes to optimisation of performance is quality, followed by final product delivery reliability, and then cost and supplier reliability. 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 supply chain. One of the conclusions of the study was that local manufacturers of light vehicles do not always make decisions and implement practices in line with their chosen supply chain strategies. The study concluded by developing a framework for determining supply chain best practices in line with a chosen strategy that could guide supply chain managers (in locally manufactured light vehicles) in the automotive in South Africa in their decision making. / Business Management / D. Com. (Business Management)

<a>Global trends and factors, such as the increased level of globalization, climate change, resource scarcity, and awareness of social and environmental responsibilities, as well as fiercer competition and lower profit margins in all industries, force organizations to act to retain, regain, or sustain their competitive advantages for long-term survival. These trends and factors are historically known to bring about innovations that drive the evolution of industries. Sustainability is considered to be such an innovation to achieve fiscally sound, environmentally conscious, and socially progressive organizations and supply chains. Sustainable Development and Sustainability notions are among trending topics of 21st century. Elevated sustainability concerns of various stakeholders have been forcing members of all industries to evolve into their more environmentally and socially responsible versions. This study was initiated through a comprehensive literature review phase that reviewed 477 articles published in five major databases from 1990 to 2018. The purpose of this review was to assess the current state-of-the art on the subject of lean-driven sustainability. Based on descriptive and contextual analysis, synergies, divergences, and the extent of two-way permeability of lean and sustainability concepts from the perspective of intra- and inter-organizational operations were identified along with future research opportunities. Fundamental strengths and weaknesses of both concepts, existing strong synergies and untapped potential, along with their key contributors, the potential-use cases of lean tools to derive sustainable solutions are highlighted in this review. Next, based on the findings of systematic literature review, an innovative, holistic, versatile and scalable tool was developed to assess and benchmark sustainability performance of organizations and supply chains. The proposed framework was established upon trivet structure of Triple Bottom Line philosophy and fueled by Lean, Six-Sigma and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodologies for accurate and effective measurement of sustainability performance. Completeness of the framework was ensured through development of first-generation Key Performance Indicator (KPI) pool with 33 indicators, a unique work environment assessment mechanism for safety and environmental protection issues in terms of 11 risk categories and by construction of an ownership structure for ease of framework deployment. Proposed framework is expected to help with true sustainability performance improvement and benchmarking objectives at a range of business levels from facility to sectoral operations. Upon completion of the development phase, the Sustainability Benchmarking Tool (SBT) Framework was validated at the facility level within the context of value-added wood products manufacturing. Strengths and weaknesses of the system were identified within the scope of Bronze Frontier maturity level of the framework and tackled through a six-step analytical and quantitative reasoning methodology. The secondary objective of the validation phase was to document how value-added wood products industries can take advantage of natural properties of wood to become frontiers of sustainability innovation. In the end, True Sustainability performance of the target facility was improved by 2.37 base points, while economic and environmental performance was increased from being a system weakness to achieving an acceptable index score benchmark of 8.41 and system strength level of 9.31, respectively. Social sustainability score increased by 2.02 base points as a function of better gender bias ratio. The financial performance of the system improved from a 33% loss to 46.23% profit in the post-improvement state. Reductions in CO₂ emissions (55.16%), energy consumption (50.31%), solid waste generation (72.03%), non-value-added-time (89.30%) and cost performance (64.77%) were other significant achievements of the study. In the end, SBT Framework was successfully validated at the facility level and target facility evolved into its leaner, cleaner and more responsible version of itself. Furthermore, manufacturing industries of all sorts are key stakeholders, which rely on universities to satisfy the demand for competent workforce. Society also expects universities to educate youth and contribute to their self-development by achieving both, scientific and intellectual knowledge saturation. To expand the contribution of the study to the body of knowledge in the fields of Sustainability and Modern Management techniques, an undergraduate level course curriculum that integrates modern management techniques and sustainability concepts with wood products industry dynamics was developed. Students’ pre- and post-education awareness of, and familiarity with sustainability, potential consequences of ignored sustainability issues, modern management techniques, global trends, innovation waves, and industry evolution were compared through a seventeen-question survey. Results showed that course content was successful at increasing sustainability awareness at both overall and individual sustainability pillar levels, At the end, 100% of students were able to develop complete understanding of various modern management techniques and stated that they felt confident to apply learnt skills to real life issues within their profession upon graduation. Overall, this study empirically documented how synergies between Lean, Sustainability, Six-Sigma and Life Cycle Assessment concepts outweigh their divergences, demonstrated viability of SBT Framework and presented a proven example of modern management techniques powered transdisciplinary sustainability curriculum.</a>

This study determined whether local manufacturers of light vehicles in South Africa employ supply chain best practices and strategies. The research design employed was a combination of exploratory and descriptive research design using qualitative and quantitative approaches based on a survey of light vehicle manufacturers in South Africa. A face-to–face, semi-structured interview questionnaire was used, based on purposive sampling. Descriptive statistics using SPSS software were used for the data analysis and interpretation. The findings of the study revealed that across the supply chain, best practices were implemented to a large extent by all manufacturers. Light vehicle manufacturers in South Africa, however face supply chain challenges, which include technological, infrastructural, cost, market/service and production/skills challenges. The most important supply chain performance indicator that contributes to optimisation of performance is quality, followed by final product delivery reliability, and then cost and supplier reliability. 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 supply chain. One of the conclusions of the study was that local manufacturers of light vehicles do not always make decisions and implement practices in line with their chosen supply chain strategies. The study concluded by developing a framework for determining supply chain best practices in line with a chosen strategy that could guide supply chain managers (in locally manufactured light vehicles) in the automotive in South Africa in their decision making. / Business Management / D. Com. (Business Management)