Key Suppliers Research Articles

Do Supply Chain Capabilities have an Impact on Firm Performance? A Case of the Manufacturing Sector in Gauteng Province

Rapid technological growth, consumer fulfillment, shorter product life cycles, and more penetrating international competition define the business environment nowadays. The new competitive environment has required companies to acquire new ways of effectively pursuing a competitive advantage, since the competitive advantage of a firm now depends on operational efficiency and productivity across its functional areas. The main purpose of this research was to study the relation amongst supply chain capabilities (supply chain network design, supply chain information capabilities, and supply chain integration) and supply chain agility on firm performance in the Gauteng province’s manufacturing sector in South Africa. Structured questionnaires were circulated to different manufacturing firms in the Gauteng province. Data was analysed using SPSS and AMOS 26.0 software. Results showed that the level of firm performance in the manufacturing sector is dependent upon the effectiveness of supply chain capabilities and the existence of a sound long-term relationship between partners in the supply chain. Manufacturing managers and proprietors may be able to enhance the levels of firm performance by making improvements to supply chain technologies and improving supply chain agility by cultivating long-lasting sound relationships with key suppliers and customers.

Auditors maximising their utility: Economic analysis of the supreme audit institution

Despite several studies on the supreme audit institutions (SAIs), the research question of what maximises SAI auditors' utility remains unanswered. Since SAIs are key public suppliers of audit services, it is essential to determine how they perform their duties and obligations to the stakeholders. This paper follows the grounded theory paradigm using qualitative and quantitative methods. This study is pioneering in many ways because the motivation of SAI's auditors is rarely the subject of research. We formulate the model of SAI's utility and determine the SAI auditor's motivators. The study results prove that SAIs seek to impose their system of preferences through audits and derive usefulness from this. From a long-term perspective, this may lead to a negative autonomy of SAI. Additionally, the study reveals that auditors strive to maximise monetary income and perceive employment stability as a motivational factor. However, job stability could lead to lower auditors' engagement during the audits. The study proposes a pay-for-performance system, which does not reduce the auditor's motivation linked with job stability and simultaneously encourages auditors to achieve better job results. This study contributes to a better understanding of the problems associated with interactions of public officials inside the state.

ОСОБЛИВОСТІ ЗОВНІШНЬОТОРГОВЕЛЬНОЇ ДІЯЛЬНОСТІ ВІТЧИЗНЯНИХ ПІДПРИЄМСТВ В УМОВАХ ВОЄННОГО СТАНУ

The article is devoted to the study of foreign trade activities of domestic enterprises under martial law. The development of foreign trade activity in Ukraine for 2007-2021 was also analyzed. It was determined that on average Ukraine had a negative trade balance, which was accompanied by exchange rate fluctuations and a low level of GDP. It has been proven that one of the promising areas of foreign trade is Ukraine's cooperation with the EU, which accounts for 40% of exports. The role and place of Ukraine in the world agricultural market has been studied. Ukraine ranks fifth in the world in wheat exports with a share of 10% and first in sunflower exports, second in barley exports and third in corn exports. It was found that Ukraine is one of the key suppliers of agricultural products, which is determined by the industry specification of our country. Today, the countries of the world must jointly prevent a food crisis that may arise in the near future, and make every effort to end the war in Ukraine and restore peace. The prospects for the development of Ukrainian exports in wartime conditions are analyzed. It was determined that the entire world community, with joint efforts, helps Ukrainian companies to carry out foreign economic activities and provides its support through concrete actions. It has been proven that it is precisely through the stimulation of foreign trade that the Ukrainian economy can be quickly restored, because international business stimulates the influx of international investments and innovations that will help the Ukrainian government to raise the economy.

A Study on Hospital Supply Chain Management

The concept of Supply Chain Management which is traditionally applicable to manufacturing industry can also improve the overall operations of service industry, especially the healthcare industry. In order to get a more comprehensive understanding of hospital supply chain management and to identify the major players and their roles, this study looks into the supply chain process and the major players of the hospital supply chain in private hospitals in Bangladesh. The study initially focuses on exploring the existing literature on hospital supply chain management and subsequently, analyzes the effectiveness of the hospital supply chain process focusing on the key suppliers of the hospital industry. This research is a descriptive study, based on primary and secondary data. Primary data was collected through semi-structured questionnaire and in-depth interviews from respondents from several private hospitals in Bangladesh. The researchers have proposed a conceptual framework depicting a holistic view of Hospital Supply Chain Management and then an Integrated Private Hospital Supply Chain Management (IPHSCM) model was developed. The result of the study illustrates the efficiency of this chain is quite satisfactory. The study thus provides a comprehensive idea about the current supply chain process of private hospitals in Bangladesh. In addition, the study helps to identify the sectors where the concepts of supply chain can be applied in order to improve their operational excellence. This study has also created scopes of further studies on service supply chain management, more specifically hospital supply chain management. However, this study was limited to only private hospitals in Bangladesh. Further research can be done in this sector using the IPHSCM model developed by the researchers.

The role of supplier satisfaction survey in building partnerships

Purpose: The main goal of this paper’s research was to determine the role and justification of surveying supplier satisfaction in building partnerships. Methodology: To collect primary data, qualitative research was used, which was conducted in several phases. The study tested nine key criteria modelled on the work of Vos et al. (2016). The sample of key suppliers was determined from a non-probability sample of experts from eight strategic suppliers who agreed to participate in the research. A qualitative approach was used due to the small sample and the desire to apply a different approach since the authors used a quantitative approach in most of the analysed papers. Results: Research has shown that the key criteria for supplier satisfaction are reliability, communication, and operative excellence of the customer they work with. Conclusion: Any long-term and successful business relationship implies the satisfaction of all parties in the relationship. The concept of supplier satisfaction research is a business practice of a modest number of companies. Despite this, the research participants confirmed that there are solid arguments and interest in introducing this type of research and its continuous implementation. The recommendation is the systematic introduction of supplier relationship management and, as part of that, the introduction of the practice of conducting supplier satisfaction surveys.

Global Value Chains of COVID-19 Materials: A Weighted Directed Network Analysis

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a boom in demand for personal protective equipment, or so-called “COVID-19 goods”, around the world. We investigate three key sectoral global value chain networks, namely, “chemicals”, “rubber and plastics”, and “textiles”, involved in the production of these goods. First, we identify the countries that export a higher value added share than import, resulting in a “value added surplus”. Then, we assess their value added flow diversification using entropy. Finally, we analyze their egonets in order to identify their key affiliates. The relevant networks were constructed from the World Input-Output Database. The empirical results reveal that the USA had the highest surplus in “chemicals”, Japan in “rubber and plastics”, and China in “textiles”. Concerning value added flows, the USA was highly diversified in “chemicals”, Germany in “rubber and plastics”, and Italy in “textiles”. From the analysis of egonets, we found that the USA was the key supplier in all sectoral networks under consideration. Our work provides meaningful conclusions about trade outperformance due to the fact of surplus, trade flow robustness due to the fact of diversification, and trade partnerships due to the egonets analysis.

Greenland and the geopolitics of critical minerals

Greenland and the geopolitics of critical minerals

Keeping key suppliers alive during the COVID-19 pandemic: artificial supply chain resilience and supplier crisis response strategies

PurposeThe study investigates supply chain leaders’ initiatives to support their partners in the early stages of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, identifying measures taken to increase supply chain resilience and their impact on the quality of supply chain relationships.Design/methodology/approachTwo complementary phases are employed. First, an exploratory approach is adopted, with the method of discourse analysis being employed in the identification of the supplier crisis response strategies by S&P500’s top 30 firms. Second, two scenario-based experiments with 983 participants evaluated the impact of such strategies in two dimensions of supply chain relationships’ quality (supplier satisfaction and supplier commitment).FindingsPhase one revealed five initiatives’ groups adopted: safety measures, innovative tools, information and knowledge sharing, supply chain finance and supply chain continuity. Phase two results indicate that supplier crisis response strategies have positive effects on both supplier satisfaction and commitment. Data also suggest that safety measures, innovative tools, and information and knowledge sharing strategies negatively impacted supplier satisfaction and commitment, when compared with strategies adopted by other buying firms competing for the same supplier. Supply chain continuity was negatively associated with both dimensions when other buying firms implemented innovative tools and information and knowledge sharing strategies with their suppliers, while supply chain finance yielded in no differences in comparison to strategies adopted by competing buying firms.Originality/valueThe authors offer a theoretical typology for supply chain resilience (i.e. natural and artificial), providing support for buying firms’ decisions regarding supplier crisis response strategies through the strengthening of artificial supply chain resilience to increase the likelihood of vulnerable key suppliers’ survival.

Arms intervention: Weimar Germany, post-imperial influence and weapons trafficking in warlord China

The Treaty of Versailles aimed to strip Germany of both its colonial empire and the global reach of its arms industry. Yet the conflicts in warlord-era China led to the reestablishment of German influence on the other side of the world via the arms trade. Weimar Germany had declared a policy of neutrality and refused to take sides in the Chinese civil war in an effort to demonstrate that as a post-colonial power, it could now act as an honest broker. From below, however, traffickers based in Germany and German merchants in China worked to evade Versailles restrictions and an international arms embargo to supply warlords with weapons of war. Although the German state officially aimed to remain neutral, criminal elements, rogue diplomats, black marketeers and eventually military adventurers re-established German influence in the region by becoming key advisors and suppliers to the victorious Guomindang. Illicit actors in Germany and China proved to be crucial in linking the two countries and in eventually overturning the arms control regimes that were imposed in the wake of World War I.

Changes in the Strategies and Structures of Subsidiaries of Multinational Corporations during the Covid 19 Pandemic

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present and evaluate the changes that have occurred in the structures and strategies of subsidiaries of multinational corporations in 2020 - 2021 during the Covid 19 pandemic. The goal was implemented through an analysis of the literature on the subject and empirical research in subsidiaries of international corporations located in Poland. Design/Methodology/Approach: The study presents the following research problem: What changes took place in the structures and strategies of subsidiaries of multinational corporations in 2020-2021 during the Covid 19 pandemic? Solving the research problem boiled down to carrying out the research process. For this purpose, the method of analysis of management literature was used and telephone interviews were carried out in subsidiaries of international corporations in the automotive industry. The research was conducted among key suppliers of components for car production in Poland. Findings: The conducted research shows that the changes in the structures of subsidiaries concerned mainly the production area. However, in the case of the strategy, they concerned maintaining the planned sales volume and taking a number of actions to adapt to the new situation. Practical Implications: The results presented in the article can be used by other multi-stakeholder organizations to redesign organizational structures and design more flexible strategies. The results of the research showed changes that were implemented by subsidiaries in order to survive on the market. Originality/ Value: Research has shown that the subsidiaries, by implementing specific changes during COVID 19, could continue to function and achieve the goals included in the corporate strategy. Even though they had to make changes in their organizational structures and strategies.

P004 Non-Invasive Ventilation - Partnering with Paediatric NDIS participants and their families

Abstract To discuss a new funding pathway for Non-Invasive ventilation (NIV) in Paediatrics. Since October 2019, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) introduced funding for NDIS participants in the category ‘Disability-related Health Supports - Respiratory Support’. From August 2020, a nursing project was funded by the Hospital Executive to facilitate the transfer of NIV consumable costs to the NDIS. A retrospective review of 256 NIV patients (Bi-Level Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP) and Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)) and the patients NDIS eligibility status. 110 patients were identified as potential NDIS eligible patients by Primary diagnosis and their families contacted and supported to access NDIS funding for NIV device and consumables. By May 2021, 163 patients were NDIS participants on NIV therapy. Formal Assistive Technology (Respiratory ventilation) requests were developed with Key stakeholder input and supplier quotes obtained for machines and consumables. Nursing support, whilst labour intensive has shown to benefit Paediatric patients and their families accessing NDIS funding for NIV therapy in the future. Furthermore, the purchasing of disability-related health supports through NDIS funding is an alternative funding model for NIV in Paediatrics.

Examining associations among provider-family relationships, provider coping strategies, and family child care providers’ relationships with children

ABSTRACT Family child care (FCC) providers are key suppliers of care and education to young children, yet they often experience stressors that can influence their ability to provide developmentally appropriate care. This research sought to understand the direct and indirect associations among FCC providers’ relationships with families they serve, relationships with children in care (measured via closeness and conflict), and individual well-being (measured via coping skills). In this study, 888 FCC providers completed questionnaires. After controlling for demographic, job-related, and personal factors, path analysis revealed FCC providers reported higher closeness and lower conflict with the children in their care when they perceived more positive relationships with children’s families. In addition, more positive relationships with children’s families were associated with stronger FCC provider coping skills, which in turn, were associated with lower conflict and higher closeness within provider-child relationships. Suggestions are offered for future research and support of the well-being of FCC providers.

Towards a Self-Service Approach in the Printing Industry. An Investigation of State of the Art Technologies Along with Industry 4.0 Changes

Abstract It is commonly believed that the current economic state of many countries is at the stage of the fourth industrial revolution. The changes resulting from this revolution are affecting all sectors of the economy, including the printing sector. The aim of this article is to analyse the state of the art technology in sheetfed printing and then to identify the challenges for further changes in the technology of this type of printing as well as technological and organisational changes in the processes of preparation and realisation of printing products. The article uses case studies of selected technologies offered by key technology suppliers in this area and case studies of selected business entities – manufacturers of printing products. The research approach adopted in this article also takes conceptual work into account. It was found that the observed changes in the printing industry are consistent with the assumptions of the Industry 4.0 concept in the aspect of the digitisation and mass personalisation of products, which leads to the thesis that in the future personalised digital printing ordered through self-service will play a dominant role.

CEO’s Industry Experience and Firm Performance: The Effects of Corruption and Political Uncertainty

We examine how CEO’s industry-specific experience influences firm performance in emerging markets. Drawing from upper echelons theory and a learning perspective, we argue that as CEOs accumulate industry-specific experience, they increase their understanding of the environmental dynamics within emerging markets, strengthen intra-industry connections to key suppliers, creditors, regulators, and influential resource networks that helps firms acquire and maintain access to critical resources. As such, firm performance should increase as its CEO gains industry knowledge. However, we also argue that as CEOs acquire industry-specific experience, they develop commitment to industry practices and the value of older knowledge gained from their early years in the industry decreases, hurting firm performance. Therefore, we posit that an inverted U-shaped relationship exists between CEOs’ industry-specific experience and firm performance. We also examine the effect of two important moderators in the context of emerging markets: corruption and political instability. We argue that the increased environmental uncertainty and complexity caused by corruption or political instability accelerate CEO learning effects making for greater performance gains and steeper performance declines with increasing CEO industry experience. We test our hypotheses using data from the World Bank’s Enterprise Survey of firms in emerging economies from 2006 to 2019 covering 143 countries. The results largely support our hypotheses. We conclude by discussing the implications of this research for CEO learning, CEO experience, and firms in lesser-developed institutional environments.

Human Mitochondrial RNA Processing and Modifications: Overview

Mitochondria, often referred to as the powerhouses of cells, are vital organelles that are present in almost all eukaryotic organisms, including humans. They are the key energy suppliers as the site of adenosine triphosphate production, and are involved in apoptosis, calcium homeostasis, and regulation of the innate immune response. Abnormalities occurring in mitochondria, such as mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations and disturbances at any stage of mitochondrial RNA (mtRNA) processing and translation, usually lead to severe mitochondrial diseases. A fundamental line of investigation is to understand the processes that occur in these organelles and their physiological consequences. Despite substantial progress that has been made in the field of mtRNA processing and its regulation, many unknowns and controversies remain. The present review discusses the current state of knowledge of RNA processing in human mitochondria and sheds some light on the unresolved issues.

Investigation on the Combined Effect of Information Exchange and Supply Chain Integration (SCI) on Supply Chain Performance

In recent years due to advancement in Science and Technology, Information systems have acquired an inevitable place in the overall operational management. Successful Supply chain management also includes the activity of maintaining the supplier buyer relationship. In the competitive global arena, Supply chain management becomes an USP for the companies in achieving a differential edge over competitors. To survive in today’s tough core competition, supply chain partners need to improve their competitive advantages by information exchange. From the previous studies, it is proved that information exchange for process integration between key suppliers and buyers in the chain can reduce operational cost and enhance the value addition process. It is thereby creating a differential advantage for the producer and increases the end value obtained by the customer. This paper attempts to explore the level of combined effect on the supply chain performance. The final results indicate that Information exchange is positively related to supply chain integration and it is a vital factor to improvise the supplier buyer relationship. Likewise, the findings on Supply chain integration show that SCI is positively related to the Supply chain performance and escalates the level of the firm to a different level.

A framework to identify marginal electricity production technologies for consequential life cycle assessment: A case study of the electricity sector

Policy decisions to accelerate the transition towards low-carbon and renewable electricity have long-term environmental consequences resulting from marginal energy technologies that change the generation mix. The identification of these technologies requires a robust analysis from multiple perspectives. This research develops a novel framework that integrates market penetration modelling, long-term bottom-up energy system modeling, and life cycle assessment to identify marginal suppliers as a consequence of policy decisions in energy systems. The framework was applied as a case study to the fossil-fuel- based electricity generation sector for the province of Alberta, Canada. Nine technology-focused scenarios (both renewable and non-renewable) were developed to investigate the effects of renewable energy penetration under various technology and policy alternatives. Wind energy generation shows significant penetration in all scenarios; the highest is 55.2% in 2050. The penetration of renewable energy could lower the greenhouse gas emissions of the mix up by to 74.6 kg CO2 eq/MWh in renewable energy scenarios. With the marginal cost range of 38.6–54.4 $/MWh, wind power generation appears to be the most competitive technology in all scenarios. It was determined that combined cycle and wind energy are the key marginal electricity suppliers in Alberta’s transition to a cleaner grid.

The Investment Network, Sectoral Comovement, and the Changing U.S. Business Cycle

Abstract We argue that the network of investment production and purchases across sectors is an important propagation mechanism for understanding business cycles. Empirically, we show that the majority of investment goods are produced by a few “investment hubs,” which are more cyclical than other sectors. We embed this investment network into a multisector business cycle model and show that sector-specific shocks to the investment hubs and their key suppliers have large effects on aggregate employment and drive down labor productivity. Quantitatively, we find that sector-specific shocks to hubs and their suppliers account for an increasing share of aggregate fluctuations over time, generating the declining cyclicality of labor productivity and other changes in business cycle patterns since the 1980s.

Turkmenistan’s Gas Sector Development Scenarios Based on Econometric and SWOT Analysis

Turkmenistan is currently one of the key suppliers in the global natural gas market, and it is important to examine its competitive position in the world. The aim of this article is to forecast the development strategy of its gas sector. To achieve this aim, the authors first examined: (1) Turkmenistan’s position in the global gas market and the structure of its oil and gas sector; (2) the share of gas in Turkmenistan’s exports. They then conducted an analysis of the causal relationship between FDI and GDP. The above research made it possible to conduct a comprehensive SWOT analysis. Based on the SWOT analysis, three sector development scenarios were developed: pessimistic, realistic, and optimistic. On their basis, the gas sector in Turkmenistan can build strategies for its development, considering the impact of market and non-market factors.

Audit Office Labor Market Proximity and Audit Quality

ABSTRACT This study examines whether the audit quality of Big 4 audit firms is affected by an audit office's proximity to more target universities for appointing staff auditors. We identify these target universities using a recruitment map of a Big 4 audit firm and unique office-level hiring data hand-collected from LinkedIn. Our findings suggest that audit offices closer to more of their key feeder schools and universities with accredited business schools are associated with higher audit quality, as observed by a lower likelihood of financial accounting misstatements. Our results are robust across alternative measures of labor market proximity and audit quality, and to a battery of sensitivity tests, including controlling for client firms' proximity to universities. Overall, our results suggest that audit offices benefit from being proximate to more key suppliers of staff auditors. JEL Classifications: M42; J21.