Characteristics such as speed of reaction, order accuracy, operational flexibility and sustained
quality have become fundamental in successful business today. The success of aligning a
supply chain to attain these characteristics depends largely on the use of efficient
communication and information technology. Communication between supply chain members
requires that relevant information is transferred from its point of inception to the next point(s)
of use. The transfer of information entails an efficient flow of information between systems,
between systems and humans and between humans, which is directly associated with the
effective interoperability between the various entities handling the relevant information.
Accordingly, the realisation of interoperability will mean a faster information flow and, thus,
an effective decision-making process. This research, therefore, will propose indicators and
metrics for the assessment of the information flow efficiency of a business and, in particular,
of a supply chain, examine the existing techniques of information flow measurement, and
identify inherent weaknesses.
New information flow efficiency metrics are developed and categorised into different
indicators, which are based on the quality of the information as it is applied in finance,
information technology and the principles of business performance measurements. This
research will illustrate that these quality characteristics drive an effective and efficient
information flow which, in turn, enables them to be used both as indicators and as associated
metrics of information flow efficiency. Explorative analysis and statistical cluster analysis
identified the most important indicators and associated metrics based on the results of a
survey instrument designed specifically for this purpose.
Scales were developed to facilitate the numeric assessment of the metrics and indicators. In
order to prove the ability of the new indicators and associated metrics to differentiate
between different levels of information flow efficiency, the new metrics were applied in
sample organisations and the responses evaluated. This research lays an important foundation
in terms of the ability to assess information flow efficiency which is, in turn, necessary in order
to gain a better understanding of the performance of supply chains in a time where real-time
information flow and electronic integration are becoming strategic business success factors. / Business Management / D. Com. (Business Management)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:unisa/oai:uir.unisa.ac.za:10500/8772 |
| Date | 11 March 2013 |
| Creators | Maurer, Claus |
| Contributors | Badenhorst-Weiss, J. A. (Johanna Adolphina), 1954-, Brevis-Landsberg, T. |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 1 online resource (xxx, 509 leaves) |
| Rights | University of South Africa |
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