Component Of Supply Chain Management Research Articles

Executives' perceptions of the steel industry's materials management system effectiveness

Materials management is a key component of supply chain management in public sector enterprises, especially in the steel industry. It entails managing the flow of materials while concurrently evaluating factors including demand, price, availability, quality, and delivery dates. This focuses on the necessity of thorough planning for effective material management and control. Small material input cost reductions can lower manufacturing costs and increase profits. The study aims to analyse the executives' perception towards the dimensions of materials management efficacy and also examines respondents’ demographic status. The results reveal that there is a significant association between demographic variables designation, education and experience with the dimensions quality, convenience, and cost while there does not exist a significant association with the dimensions time, quantity and human resource. The study develops a better understanding of the factors determining the efficacy of materials management systems in steel sector enterprises.

Environmental education using SARITHA-Apps to enhance environmentally friendly supply chain efficiency and foster environmental knowledge towards sustainability

This study aimed to investigate the impact of Environmental Education on sustainability and the mediating role of Environmentally Friendly Supply Chain Efficiency (EFSC) and Fostered Environmental Knowledge (FENK). Employing a quantitative approach, data were collected from supply chain professionals who participated in Environmental Education programs. The research findings indicate a positive relationship between Environmental Education and supply chain sustainability. The study revealed that Environmental Education significantly enhances EFSC and FENK and positively influences sustainability practices within supply chains. The implications of this research are twofold. Firstly, it underscores the importance of incorporating Environmental Education as a fundamental component of supply chain management, contributing to more environmentally responsible practices. Secondly, the study highlights the mediating role of EFSC and FENK, indicating that not only does Environmental Education directly impact sustainability but also through the enhancement of these mediating factors. This research offers a novel perspective by establishing the link between Environmental Education, EFSC, FENK, and supply chain sustainability. However, certain limitations should be acknowledged, such as the potential for response bias and the need for further research to explore other potential mediators. Nevertheless, this study provides valuable insights for practitioners and policymakers seeking to promote sustainability in supply chains by emphasizing the role of Environmental Education and its interconnectedness with EFSC and FENK.

Gamified approach towards optimizing supplier selection through Pythagorean Fuzzy soft-max aggregation operators for healthcare applications

<abstract><p>The soft-max function, a well-known extension of the logistic function, has been extensively utilized in numerous stochastic classification methodologies, such as linear differential analysis, soft-max extrapolation, naive Bayes detectors, and neural networks. The focus of this study is the development of soft-max based fuzzy aggregation operators (AOs) for Pythagorean fuzzy sets (PyFS), capitalizing on the benefits provided by the soft-max function. In addition to introducing these novel AOs, we also present a comprehensive approach to multi-attribute decision-making (MADM) that employs the proposed operators. To demonstrate the efficacy and applicability of our MADM method, we applied it to a real-world problem involving Pythagorean fuzzy data. The analysis of supplier selection has been extensively examined in many academic works as a crucial component of supply chain management (SCM), recognised as a significant MADM challenge. The process of choosing healthcare suppliers is a pivotal element that has the potential to greatly influence the efficacy and calibre of healthcare provisions. In addition, we given a numerical example to rigorously evaluate the accuracy and dependability of the proposed procedures. This examination demonstrates the effectiveness and potential of our proposed soft-max based AOs and their applicability in Pythagorean fuzzy environments.</p></abstract>

Enhanced Artificial Bee Colony with Savings Algorithm for Inventory Routing Problem

Inventory Routing Problem is a critical component of Supply Chain Management, where it is a coordination of inventory management and transportation. It aims to balance the trade-off between transportation costs for delivering products and holding costs for maintaining inventory. Several real-world problems faced nowadays require effective optimization and logistical solutions, where this problem arises in various industries and has become increasingly complex. The problem addressed in this study is based on an automotive parts supply chain that consists of a depot, an assembly plant, a set of homogeneous capacitated vehicles, and multi-suppliers on a finite horizon with multi-periods. Artificial Bee Colony is a swarm intelligence algorithm that is based on the behaviour of bees in a colony, where information is shared through waggle dance. ABC consists of three phases, which are employed bee phase, onlooker bee phase, and scout bee phase. This study proposed an enhancement in the initialization phase and in onlooker bee phase of the ABC algorithm. Clarke Wright savings algorithm was implemented in the initialization phase to determine the best feasible delivery routes while minimizing the total transportation cost. 2-opt and 2-opt(asterisk) were used to improve the routes in the onlooker bee phase. Results showed that 7 better total cost were found out of 14 benchmark datasets when compared to the previous literature. The enhanced ABC algorithm obtained better results with 5.59 percent at most, which demonstrated the effectiveness of the algorithm.

Awareness about Horticultural Supply Chain Management among Farmers of Lucknow and Kanpur Region of Uttar Pradesh

In our country, a lot of changes have been occurred in the way of Agribusiness operation especially in horticultural. Besides the price of the product the numbers of factors are taken into consideration during deciding on a purchase of these commodities such as appearance, convenience and also perceived quality. It is critically important that understanding of supply chain management at primary level to maintain quality of horticultural commodities, which contribute in production, packing, storage, transport, distribution up to end users. Those who understand how the supply chain can be optimised, they can improve logistic processes to get enhanced customer satisfaction, loyalty, lower costs and also maximum share in end uses’ price. In order of these aspects, this study was conducted in two districts of Uttar Pradesh, to know the farmers’ awareness about horticultural supply chain management. Using data from a questionnaire survey conducted among 120 respondents, the study assesses the level of awareness about five aspects of horticultural supply chain management. The study indicates that maximum farmers (32.5 per cent) in Uttar Pradesh aware that packaging and transportation are main components of supply chain management in horticultural. Therefore, from the practical standpoint of view, it is need to increase awareness among farmers of Lucknow and Kanpur region, Uttar Pradesh about importance and holistic approach in horticultural supply chain management.

Information Management Capacity and Supply Chain Performance: Mediating Effects of Supply Chain Practices, Competencies and Concerns

The present study aims to identify the impact of the information management capacity (IMC) of an organization on its supply chain performance (SCP). Also, this study attempts to understand the mediating role of the various components of supply chain management, namely, practices, competencies and concerns. A survey instrument was used to collect primary data from 250 SMEs which were selected randomly. Structural equation modeling (SEM) technique is used to test the hypotheses using SmartPLS. The final model indicated that information management capacity significantly influences the supply chain performance and supply chain management components, namely supply chain competence, practices and concerns mediate the relationship between information management capacity and supply chain performance. The results of this study provide a significant contribution to the theory of resource-based view. The number of managerial perspectives for improving operational capabilities was explained in this study.

Avocado fruit supply chain management in West Java

Avocado is one of the leading fruit commodities with high competitiveness and a source of growth for farmers’ welfare in rural areas in Indonesia. This paper aims to analyze the performance of avocado supply chain management in the Garut and Bandung Districts. The analysis focused on five components of supply chain management: planning source of avocado, procurement, processing, distribution, and receiving of products. Data collection is conducted through survey methods and focus group discussion (FGD) with actors on each supply chain node according to purpose and market segment. The results showed that the lack of variety, quantity, and continuity of supply is consistent with the dynamic of market demand and domestic and global consumer preferences. The performance of supply chain implementation for avocado at the planning level was at 45%–90%, product distribution performance was at a moderate level at 25%–80%, delivery of goods was at a good level at 70%–83%, and receiving product performance was at 0%–100%. Strategies to restrain the entry of imported fruit and penetrate the avocado fruit export market are required to improve product competitiveness, quality management, and integrated product chain management.

Assessment of Factors Contributing to Medicine Expiry in Rwanda: Case of the Medical Procurement and Production Division

BackgroundRegardless of the significant efforts used and put in place to enhance supply chain performance in Rwanda, there is still poor inventory management and big loss due to expiry of medicines at Medical Procurement and Production Division (MPPD).ObjectiveTo assess the factors that contributes to expiry of medicines at MPPD and formulate recommendations for the improvement of the current situation.MethodsThis is a descriptive cross-sectional study used for 25 respondents. A questionnaire containing closed-ended questions was used focusing on factors contributing to expiries of medicines for each product category managed by MPPD from 2014-2018. Additionally, the researcher reviewed all inventory reports, including expiries for the same period under study. The study focused on targeting respondents working at MPPD as pharmacists both technical and administrative, also other non-pharmacist working in the warehouse were considered as respondents. The hard copy of questionnaire was handed over to 26 respondents and requested to provide filled questionnaire within seven days. Twenty-five respondents were able to return the filled questionnaire on time, giving 96% response rate.ResultsThe study found that in MPPD, medicines are still expiring. During five years (from 2014 up to 2018) the total expired products were valued at RWF 6,046,778,655 for all program categories: HIV commodities had the largest share 53.3%, Essential Medicines 22.5%, Malaria 13%, Maternal Child Health commodities 5.7%, Products used for Community health workers 4.5%, TB products 1% and 0.1% for Family Planning products. The study found that major contributing factors for expiry of health commodities at MPPD, are ranked as follows: Supply chain management 90%, other factors 73%, Poor storage management 68% and Excessive drug supply 67%.
 ConclusionConsidering the study results, it looks like no significant effect of excessive drug supply and inventory management on the expiration of medicines at MPPD. However, the Supply Chain Management components are the most vulnerable to contribute to the expiration of medicines at MPPD. There are many changes to be done inside the institution to remedy the issue of expiration like working according to the standard operating procedures, improving the Skills of personnel in supply chain management, empowering the procurement unit with skilled personnel and improving the communication with stakeholders to facilitate the smooth and quick replenishment and distribution of the stock.
 Rwanda J Med Health Sci 2021;4(2): 281-291

A comprehensive mobile application tool for disease surveillance, workforce management and supply chain management for Malaria Elimination Demonstration Project

BackgroundHealth care technologies are now offering accountability, quality, robustness, and accuracy in disease surveillance and health care delivery programmes. With the advent of mobile hand-held devices, these technologies have become more accessible and adaptable for use by field staff working in remote areas. The Malaria Elimination Demonstration Project started collection of data and conduct of routine operations using paper-based reporting systems. Observing the need for a robust and quality digital mobile application, a comprehensive mobile application tool was developed that allowed the project to conduct disease surveillance, workforce management and supply chain management.MethodsIn June 2017, the project conceptualized a comprehensive mobile application tool in the local language (Hindi) for disease surveillance, human resources management, and supply chain management. The tool is also available in English. Solution for Community Health-workers (SOCH) mobile app is an android native application developed using android SDK and web-based tool using MVC.net framework. Construction of the application started in November 2017 and rolled out its pilot in April 2018, followed by pan-district roll out in July 2018. The application uses self-validation tools to ensure high level of data quality and integrity.ResultsThe software is available in android based hand-held devices and web-screens with built-in data analytical capabilities. Using SOCH, the project has now successfully digitized its routine surveillance, attendance, tour plans, supply chain management components. The project has documented a reduction in 91% indigenous cases in the district, 60% improvement in stock accountability, and 99.6% accuracy in data collected through the mobile application.ConclusionSOCH is an excellent and user-friendly tool, which can be customized for any public health management programme. The system ensures accountability and data robustness, which is needed for malaria elimination efforts throughout the country. The mobile application can be adapted for English or any other Indian or international language for use for malaria or any other disease surveillance and control programme. Another expansion feature of this mobile application is incorporation of indicators for Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS), Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs), and minor engineering by the residents of community under surveillance. The authors believe that it would be highly desirable and appropriate for an international organization, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), to conduct an independent comparison of all available mobile e-surveillance tools, so that a high-performing and globally suitable system can be selected for use in malaria elimination programmes. The Foundation of Disease Elimination and Controlof India has decided to make the SOCH mobile application available to anyone who would like to use it for disease surveillance and health care programmes.

Transit Potential of the Republic of Belarus: Challenges, Development Prospects and Opportunities for Cooperation

In the second decade of the twenty-first century, globalization is responsible for the economic situation in the world. There is a certain trend away from competition between individual transport companies and towards competing supplies and cooperation between companies in order to obtain competitive advantages. Trade cooperation between Belarus and Germany has recently developed quite actively. Bilateral trade is characterized by large volumes of investment imports from Germany, based on the supply of machines, equipment and vehicles. The development of the logistics sector in Belarus has lagged somewhat behind schedule, taking into account modern trends in neighboring countries. The Republic of Belarus and Germany are at very different levels in the logistics sector and have problems of varying degrees. However, there is one important factor that connects the two countries in achieving their goals - professional and human resources, as each component of supply chain management involves people, in one way or another.

Model Supply Chain Management pada Produk Industri Agraris dan Turunan

Implementation of Supply Chain Management is needed to meet consumer demand for agricultural products both for raw materials, as well as fresh and halal products for direct consumption so that they can benefit both farmers and consumers. The purpose of this study was to determine the supply chain mechanism and supply chain flow patterns of agroindustry products and analyze the effect of supply chain management components on improving agro-industry performance. The method attached to the source of the journal relating to the method to be used. The source deals with a deeper review of the FIFO (First In First Out) method in implementing SCM (Supply Chain Management) in agriculture. With this method work will be quickly completed, run effectively, generate profits with high profits. Supply chain is defined as a sequence of decision making processes regarding raw materials, information, and capital undertaken by a company to meet consumer demand. Supply Chain Management activities are implemented starting from the planning of raw materials and then proceed to the production process that is handled by the agrarian industry then the products are stored in warehouses using the FIFO (First In First Out) method then distributed to retailers to be marketed to consumers.Keywords: supply chain management, agro-industry, fifo

Digital supply chain model in Industry 4.0

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present a conceptual model that defines the essential components shaping the new Digital Supply Chains (DSCs) through the implementation and acceleration of Industry 4.0.Design/methodology/approachThe scope of the present work exposes a conceptual approach and review of the key literature from 1989 to 2019, concerning the evolution and transformation of the actors and constructs in logistics and Supply Chain Management (SCM) by means of examining different conceptual models and a state-of-the-art review of Industry 4.0’s concepts and elements, with a focus on digitization in supply chain (SC) processes. A detailed study of the constructs and components of SCM, as defined by their authors, resulted in the development of a referential and systematic model that fuses the inherent concepts and roles of SCM, with the new technological trends directed toward digitization, automation, and the increasing use of information and communication technologies across logistics global value chains.FindingsHaving achieved an exploration of the different conceptual frameworks, there is no compelling evidence of the existence of a conceptual SCM that incorporates the basic theoretical constructs and the new roles and elements of Industry 4.0. Therefore, the main components of Industry 4.0 and their impact on DSC Management are described, driving the proposal for a new conceptual model which addresses and accelerates a vision of the future of the interconnectivity between different DSCs, grouped in clusters in order to add value, through new forms of cooperation and digital integration.Originality/valueThis research explores the gap in the current SCM models leading into Industry 4.0. The proposed model provides a novel and comprehensive overview of the new concepts and components driving the nascent and current DSCs. This conceptual framework will further aid researchers in the exploration of knowledge regarding the variables and components presented, as well as the verification of the newly revealed roles and constructs to understand the new forms of cooperation and implementation of Industry 4.0 in digitalized SCs.

Demand planning as a tamer and trigger of operational risk disruptions: evidence from the European supply chains

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the effects of demand planning practices on the disruptions induced by operational risk. The study reveals whether the negative consequences of operational risk factors (covering demand, supply, control and process risks) can be absorbed or amplified through the application of specific demand planning practices in supply chains. Design/methodology/approach The study involves the partial least squares path model procedure. Likewise, the items of the constructs in the outer model were subjected to a purification process by principal component analysis with the orthogonal (varimax) and oblique (Promax) methods of rotation. Findings The findings suggest that although one may not observe uniformity and standardization in the role of demand planning in alleviating the negative effects of operational risks, still some regularities can be obtained. Having said that some demand planning practices tend to mitigate or reinforce disruptions driven by operational risk, whereas the other practices simultaneously absorb and amplify disruptions driven by operational risk. Practical implications The study shows that different managerial instruments, which are not inherently dedicated to risk management, when appropriately applied, may have an indirect impact on the mitigation of supply chain risk. In particular, the concept of demand planning might be very helpful for managers when dealing with demand and control risks. Originality/value The study simultaneously examines a more detailed bundle of practices forming the demand planning process. The research attempts to investigate the link between the demand planning process and operational risk consequences, derived from all sources (supply, demand, process and control). The paper shows that risk management is not a sole tool to mitigate disruptions. Among the concepts, which contribute to decrease risks is the demand planning process. The study demonstrates that the demand planning process when applied as a component of supply chain management, may contribute to mitigate certain operational risks.

Retail supply chain management: a review of theories and practices

Retail business has been rapidly evolving in the past decades with the boom of internet, mobile technologies and most importantly e-commerce. Supply chain management, as a core part of retail business, has also gone through significant changes with new business scenarios and more advanced technologies in both algorithm design and computation power. In this review, we focus on several core components of supply chain management, i.e. vendor management, demand forecasting, inventory management and order fulfillment. We will discuss the key innovations from both academia and industry and highlight the current trend and future challenges.

A New DEA Model for Evaluation of Supply Chains: A Case of Selection and Evaluation of Environmental Efficiency of Suppliers

Supply Chain Management (SCM) represents an example of a complex multi-stage system. The SCM involves and connects different activities, from customer’s orders to received services, all with the aim of satisfying customers. The evaluation of a particular SCM is a complex problem because of the internally linked hierarchical activities and multiple entities. In this paper, the introduction of a non-radial DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis) model for the evaluation of different components of SCM, primarily in terms of sustainability, is the main contribution. However, in order to confirm the novelty and benefits of this new model in the field of SCM, a literature review of past applications of DEA-based models and methods are also presented. The non-radial DEA model was applied for the selection and evaluation of the environmental efficiency of suppliers considering undesirable inputs and outputs resulting in a better ranking of suppliers. Via perturbation of the data used, behavior, as well as the benefits and weaknesses of the introduced model are presented through sensitivity analysis.

Mpact of Supply Chain Performance Measurement: A Survey Result of Influence of Performance Measurement With Reference to Department Stores

The rapid transformation of retail sector as an organized business segment shows the importance of supply Chain Management. In this context the progress in developing trust with the customer plays a vital role. In recent years, competency level of retail sectors is influenced by the Supply Chain Design and its performance. With this context, measuring the performance of Supply Chain will impact to yield customer satisfaction with sustainable benefits. This paper presents the result about the survey done with the department stores about its impact on Supply Chain Performance Measurement and its influence on the below key component of Supply Chain Management; 1. Identification of Bottle Neck 2. Bullwhip Effect.

International mineral trade on the background of due diligence regulation: A case study of tantalum and tin supply chains from East and Central Africa

Over the past eight years, due diligence has become an increasingly important component of supply chain management for “conflict minerals” such as tantalum and tin. The due diligence concept has been incorporated into regulatory requirements and industry standards as far as mineral sourcing from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the wider East-Central African Great Lakes region is concerned. The present study investigates how this development is reflected in the trade data of tantalum and tin ore concentrates sourced from the region. The analysis is based on international import data reported by smelter countries covering the 2006–2017 period and calibrated against a supply chain framework of regionally aggregated tantalum and tin producer and transit countries. International imports of tantalum and tin ore concentrates from the Great Lakes region show correlated trends for both commodities comprising a pre-regulatory period from 2006 to 2009, a transitional period of initial due diligence implementation from 2010 to 2012, and an on-going period of streamlined due diligence implementation starting in 2013. Tantalum and tin import reductions in 2010–2011 correlate in time with publication of the conflict mineral section of the Dodd-Frank act in the United States, a temporary ban of artisanal and small-scale mining in the DRC and a de facto embargo established by a number of international mineral buyers. Following a two-year transitional period, international tantalum and tin ore concentrate imports from the region progressively recover towards and beyond pre-Dodd-Frank act levels. The market structure of smelter countries sourcing tantalum from the region changes from a China-dominated monopsonistic situation prevailing from 2006 to 2012 towards a less concentrated international market in 2013–2017. This development correlates with the region's increasing world market share in tantalum mine production. In contrast, tin supply chains reflect an oligopsonistic market that does not change systematically through time. While aggregated international import and regional export data for tantalum and tin ore concentrates used to show strong discrepancies in the past, these data are in good agreement from 2013 onward. Mineral origin declarations show progressively increasing geological and logistical plausibility likely reflecting a reduction of intra-regional smuggling and more accurate chain of custody documentation. As such, international mineral trade data become more consistent with on-going implementation of due diligence.

Effects of Supply Chain Practice, Competence and Concern on Supply Chain Performance: A study of Small and Medium Enterprises in India

Supply chain management (SCM) practices have become a key determinant of competitive advantage of business enterprises. Effectively carried out supply chain management prac-tices provide a strategic improvement to supply chain performance and thereby increases the performance of companies. The present study examines the dimensions of supply chain management components (practices, competences, and concerns) and their relationship to supply chain performance. Data was collected from 250 medium and small enterprises of Madurai District in Tamil Nadu, between December 2016 and July 2017. The enterprises were selected using simple random sampling. The relationship between supply chain management components and supply chain performance was investigated using structural equation mod-eling. The resulting model indicated that supply chain management practices, competence, and concerns have a direct, positive impact on supply chain performance. Recommendations for improving operational capability are provided accordingly.

A STUDY OF MULTI CRITERIA DECISION MAKING FOR SELECTING SUPPLIERS OF LINEAR MOTION GUIDE

Supplier evaluation and selection is becoming more and more important for companies in today’s logistics and supply chain management. Decision making in supplier selection domain, as an essential component of supply chain management, is a complex process due to the fact that a wide range of diverse criteria, stakeholders and possible solutions are embedded into this process. This paper focuses on the application of some single and hybrid multi criteria decision making approaches for the selection of suppliers of transportation and logistics equipment. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP), stepwise weight assessment ratio analysis (SWARA) and technique for the order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) have been implemented in the "Lagerton" company in Serbia for evaluation and selection of the supplier in the case of procurement of THK Linear motion guide components. The best ranked supplier has been suggested to the company and the sensitivity analysis of ranking orders according to the criteria weights variations has been done.

Information Sharing and Strategic Supplier Partnership in Supply Chain Management: A Study on Pharmaceutical Companies of Pakistan

The aim of this paper is to distinguish the relationship between different components of supply chain management (SCM) and its impact on the performance of pharmaceutical manufacturing firms in Pakistan. Data has been gathered from 35 pharmaceutical companies located in the big cities of Pakistan. Self-reported questionnaires were used to collect data from the managerial level people working in different pharmaceutical companies of Pakistan. The result indicates that strategic supplier partnership, level of information sharing and quality of information sharing significantly correlates with the performance of manufacturing pharmaceutical firms. The current study will prove fruitful for the organization in improving their performance by implementing concepts of SCM within their companies. The study explored that all independent variables significantly predicted the performance of the firm. Strategic supplier partnerships, quality of information sharing have a positive effect on the performance of pharmaceutical companies whereas the level of information sharing has a negative impact on performance. The findings provide the evidence for previous literature. Results are helpful to policy makers and management to integrate the concepts within the organization to increase the performance of the firm and to win competitive advantage.