Fast Moving Consumer Goods Supply Research Articles

The Effectiveness of Service Delivery in Fast Moving Consumer Goods Supply Value Chain: A Case Study of Brands Africa Zambia Limited Company

The study focused on analysing the effectiveness of service delivery in fast moving goods supply chains taking Brands Africa as a case study. Some observed supply chain related challenges of Brands Africa that included lower sales volume, high volume of product returns, sale of some expired products out of stock of some product lines and high prices of some merchandise made the study to be mandatory. A pragmatic research paradigm was used in collecting data from a cross-sectional survey sample of 87 respondents and a case study sample of 5 research participants using a survey questionnaire and an in-depth interview guide as research instruments, respectively. The study concluded that supplier contact was strongest on communication with suppliers, importing goods to Zambia and good relationships with suppliers. The study showed Brands Africa had good advertising and merchandising services, and effective marketing research activities in its supply chains The study established that quality of merchandise high, and market image and reputation of Brands Africa was high, and that inventory management, price of merchandise and efficiency of supply chains needed improvement. The study also concluded that there is a significant relationship between supplier contact and marketing contact activities of Brands Africa with the overall satisfaction of its stakeholders. The research recommends Brands Africa to upgrade its product, financial, information and social with its suppliers, transporters, wholesalers and retailers. The study will also guide managers on cost cutting ways, quality management, ensuring efficient operations and maintaining positive image of Brands Africa. The study recommended Brands Africa’s on policy issues like quality of merchandise, quantity of merchandise, price range of merchandise, delivery schedules and communication systems will be improved. The researcher recommends another research to be carried out at national level covering supply chain of other fast-moving consumer goods companies and also considering more independent variables.

An integrated strategic-operational supply chain network design: a case of consumer goods supply chain

This study is motivated by a real-world supply chain that expects unprecedented high demand for some of its products. The fast-moving consumer goods supply chain under study is characterised by a large number of supply points (manufacturing plants) and a limited number of warehouses. It operates under the 'avoidance of missed demand' policy. The aim of this research is to develop a large-scale supply chain model that can enable supply chain managers in general and the manager of this supply chain in particular, to function under various circumstances. The model is formulated using mixed integer linear programming (MILP). The proposed model is verified and validated to assure accuracy and credibility. Model verification is done by the aid of data generated for supply chain networks with different sizes using MATLAB software. Validation of the model's assumptions, structure and objective is done through intensive discussion with supply chain experts from industry and academia. The paper discusses managerial and practical implications of the model.

The Double-Closed-Loop Quality Model of Fast Moving Consumer Goods Supply Chain Based on Quality House

The paper summarizes the characters of fast moving consumer goods supply chain and establishes the double-closed-loop quality model of fast moving consumer goods supply chain which consists of the level of various enterprises and enterprise internal operation. At last, the paper modeling quality house of raw materials procurement, goods production and processing, goods storage and transportation.

Extended system design for RFID enabled supply chains with non-RFID technologies

Currently, the coordination between supply chain participants is normally organised via a scan packing system and communicated through electronic data interchange technology. However, the scan pack process is costly and time consuming. Using the electronic product code technology defined by EPCglobal, two national demonstrator projects have been developed to explore the suitability of RFID to the fast moving consumer goods supply chain. The projects show that two major issues must be addressed for RFID technology to be used effectively in global supply chains. First, small and medium enterprises using different RFID standards are unable to participate. Second, RFID IT infrastructures are rigid and costly. This paper examines the capability of two new mobile technologies in relation to current RFID system designs and experiences in the national projects. An extended RFID system is proposed to enable these non-RFID technologies to be used in conjunction with EPC-based systems so that links to non-RFID sites can be established and the cost of system implementation can be more affordable.

Re-Designing Retail Stores with Mobile and Wireless Technologies

Mobile and wireless (M&W) technologies have great potential to improve process efficiency and effectiveness within retail stores, but their application is still very limited. One of the main reasons explaining this situation is considered to be the lack of confidence in the actual benefits and, therefore, in the return on investment. As a matter of facts, activities in this context are characterised by great variety and non-standardised execution and as such the assessment of the costs and benefits of M&W solutions is more difficult than for the upstream tiers of the fast moving consumer goods supply chain (e.g., distribution centres). This paper attempts to provide a contribution for researchers and practitioners by presenting an analytical model to assess the profitability related to investments in multiple M&W solutions for retail stores, thus supporting the decision-making process.

A quantitative model for the introduction of RFId in the fast moving consumer goods supply chain

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe an analytical model to assess the costs and benefits of radio frequency identification (RFId) applications in the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) supply chain.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on an in‐depth literature review and a classification of the main contributions regarding the assessment of RFId applications. The impact of RFId technology on supply chain processes has been modelled using an activity‐based approach. An extensive, six‐month discussion and refinement process with the logistics and supply chain managers of 30 FMCG companies is conducted to validate the model and to collect the required inputs.FindingsPallet‐ and case‐level taggings have been explored. The former scenario shows limited benefits, whereas the actual potential of RFId becomes clear in the latter. The profitability of these projects is significantly affected by the costs of RFId tags and by the characteristics of the base‐line supply chain in terms of efficiency, quality requirements and, of course, product features. The model provides a clear assessment of how and when a positive return on investment can be achieved, even with today's technology (in terms of costs and performances).Originality/valueThis is one of the first attempts to provide a comprehensive analysis of the costs and benefits of an RFId application, taking into account all the major factors involved. The model can be a valuable support to manufacturers and retailers in evaluating their investments.

Enterprise System Design for RFID Enabled Supply Chains from Experience in Two National Projects

Two national demonstrator projects have been developed using global RFID standards to explore the suitability of this pervasive technology to the fast moving consumer goods supply chain. The projects show that RFID technology is still not reliable enough to produce advantages over traditional tracking technologies. This paper reviews the processes and gaps in these experiences, and assesses future research opportunities in this area. A system modelling approach is used to understand the relationships between different sub-systems in the enterprises of the supply chain and examine the enterprise processes that drive the activities in the national projects. Based on these analyses, an enterprise system model is proposed for designing future development of RFID based supply chains.

Tackling Shrinkage in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods Supply Chain: Developing a Methodology

Shrinkage for retailers and suppliers of Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) continues to be a significant problem, one that seems resilient to ameliorative actions. In an effort to respond to the apparent failure of existing approaches to loss prevention, this chapter introduces a process-orientated approach to tackling shrinkage. The approach consists of a prescriptive series of seven steps that form a stock loss reduction road map, together with associated techniques and tools for undertaking each step.