Vendor Responsiveness Research Articles

Implementation of Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) to select the best vendor for bio-efficacy trials (case study: the xyz agrochemical company)

Purpose: The pesticide industry is highly regulated by various regulations and requirements. Getting a distribution permit for a pesticide depends on the results of bio-efficacy trials carried out by institutions outside the company (vendors). These vendors must be selected from a list that has been made by the Ministry of Agriculture. Choosing a vendor is quite a difficult endeavor because not all vendors have the same competencies. Research Methodology: One method to choose a vendor among several vendors based on various criteria hierarchically that meets the requirements is to use the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method. This thesis presents the results of the trial of the use of the AHP method in the XYZ Agrochemical Company using a qualitative and quantitative approach by collecting primary data through questionnaires and interviews with a team of Research and Development experts from the XYZ Agrochemical Company. Results: The results of the case study at the XYZ Agrochemical Company show the practical application of the AHP model in real-world vendor selection scenarios, providing an overview of the relative significance of each criterion and its impact on the overall decision-making process. Limitations: Secondary data was obtained from government regulations, company reports, and relevant literature to form vendor profiles, organizational capabilities, and pesticide regulations that apply specifically to Indonesia. Contribution: Through the AHP framework, based on the results of the interview, a hierarchical structure of evaluation criteria in selecting vendors was established, including expertise, past performance, laboratory and field facilities, timely delivery, in conducting bio-efficacy trials, and vendor responsiveness in communicating.

Managing Spare Parts Inventory by Incorporating Holding Costs and Storage Constraints

Abstract A key factor for motivating intending buyers of raw materials is vendor responsiveness. Therefore, to meet demand, a pre-approved level of stocks is often maintained. In contrast, the decision to keep an uncontrolled amount of stock could be counter-productive with cost components associated with holding often ignored unintentionally. In this study, the objective is to develop a spare parts inventory model that incorporates ignored holding costs with a storage constraint for a motorcycle assembly plant (MAP). The inventory policy, structure of holding costs, and spare parts sales reports were consulted for relevant data. The spare parts were categorized and selected using ABC analysis. A spare parts inventory model, which considers ignored holding cost, was formulated. The model was executed using Lingo optimisation software release 18.0.56 to determine the pair of the order quantity (Ɋ) and reorder point (Ɍ). 177 spare part items were identified using ABC analysis. The parts categorisation revealed that 21, 31, 125 part items belong to categories A, B, and C with 81, 15 and 4% of annual sales value, respectively. From category A, nine items contributed significantly to overall sales. The demand pattern for these items was probabilistic based on their coefficient of variation. The pair (Ɋ, Ɍ) for items N, Z, AY, K, AM, J, P, AL and AZ are (174,688), (71,147), (78,150), (86,163), (18,15), (88,170), (128,118), (33,43) and (87,152), respectively. These pairs yielded a total inventory cost of ₦2,177,363 when compared to the current total inventory investment of ₦6,800,000 resulting in a 67.9% cost reduction. A model to manage spare parts inventory with relevant holding cost components was developed for MAP to ensure the availability of items, maximize usage of storage space, and minimize total inventory cost.

Food Security in Artisanal Mining Communities: An Exploration of Rural Markets in Northern Guinea.

The number of people engaged in artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) has grown rapidly in the past twenty years, but they continue to be an understudied population experiencing high rates of malnutrition, poverty, and food insecurity. This paper explores how characteristics of markets that serve ASM populations facilitate and pose challenges to acquiring a nutritious and sustainable diet. The study sites included eight markets across four mining districts in the Kankan Region in the Republic of Guinea. Market descriptions to capture the structure of village markets, as well as twenty in-depth structured interviews with food vendors at mining site markets were conducted. We identified three forms of market organization based on location and distance from mining sites. Markets located close to mining sites offered fewer fruit and vegetable options, as well as a higher ratio of prepared food options as compared with markets located close to village centers. Vendors were highly responsive to customer needs. Food accessibility and utilization, rather than availability, are critical for food security in non-agricultural rural areas such as mining sites. Future market-based nutrition interventions need to consider the diverse market settings serving ASM communities and leverage the high vendor responsiveness to customer needs.

ROLE OF VENDOR RESPONSIVENESS ON PROCUREMENT PERFORMANCE AMONG GOVERNMENT MINISTRIES IN KENYA

Purpose: The main objective of the study was to examine the role of vendor responsiveness on procurement performance among government ministries in Kenya.Methodology: Descriptive research design was adopted. The study preferred this method because it allowed an in-depth study of the subject. The study used a sample size of 156 procurement staff. Census will be used in this study. Questionnaires were used to collect data. The questionnaires were tested for validity and reliability using 10% of the total sample respondents. Data was analysed through descriptive statistical methods such as means, standard deviation, frequencies and percentage. Inferential analyses were used in relation to correlation analysis and regression analysis to test the relationship between the four explanatory variables and the explained variable. Multiple regression models were used to show the relationship between the predicted variable and the predictor variables.Results: The findings of the study indicated that delivery time responsiveness, technical requirement responsiveness, financial requirement responsiveness and specifications requirement responsiveness have a positive relationship with procurement performance among government ministries.Conclusion: Based on the study findings, the study concludes that performance of government ministries can be improved by delivery time requirement responsiveness, technical requirement responsiveness, financial requirement responsiveness and specifications requirement responsiveness.Policy recommendation: The study recommended that institutions should embrace vendor responsiveness measures so as to improve procurement performance and further researches should to be carried out in other institutions to find out if the same results can be obtained.

ROLE OF VENDOR RESPONSIVENESS ON PROCUREMENT PERFORMANCE AMONG GOVERNMENT MINISTRIES IN KENYA

Purpose: The main objective of the study was to examine the role of vendor responsiveness on procurement performance among government ministries in Kenya.Methodology: Descriptive research design was adopted. The study preferred this method because it allowed an in-depth study of the subject. The study used a sample size of 156 procurement staff. Census will be used in this study. Questionnaires were used to collect data. The questionnaires were tested for validity and reliability using 10% of the total sample respondents. Data was analysed through descriptive statistical methods such as means, standard deviation, frequencies and percentage. Inferential analyses were used in relation to correlation analysis and regression analysis to test the relationship between the four explanatory variables and the explained variable. Multiple regression models were used to show the relationship between the predicted variable and the predictor variables.Results: The findings of the study indicated that delivery time responsiveness, technical requirement responsiveness, financial requirement responsiveness and specifications requirement responsiveness have a positive relationship with procurement performance among government ministries.Conclusion: Based on the study findings, the study concludes that performance of government ministries can be improved by delivery time requirement responsiveness, technical requirement responsiveness, financial requirement responsiveness and specifications requirement responsiveness.Policy recommendation: The study recommended that institutions should embrace vendor responsiveness measures so as to improve procurement performance and further researches should to be carried out in other institutions to find out if the same results can be obtained.

Online Serials Access X-Game: Surviving a Vendor Change for Online Serials Access and Thriving!

Christine E. Ryan and Rose Nelson presented a detailed account of transfer from one electronic resources and access management service to another from the librarian's and the vendor's points of view. The library's motivation for seeking a vendor change was to save money while retaining essential services. Important features included vendor reliability, responsiveness, and reputation; administrative options and customization; system flexibility and ease of use; and reporting capability. Details of the time line, lists of tasks, and vendor demonstrations were presented, along with suggestions for a successful transfer.

Building Strategic Business Partnerships With Software Vendors: A Best Practice Model For Behavioral Health & Social Service Organizations

Deployment of emerging technology holds great promise to improve the operation of organizations in the behavioral health and social service field. New technology can reduce operating costs, improve service quality, and enable new service offerings, providing strategic advantage in an increasingly competitive market. With increasingly strategic implications of technology in the field, it is important that managers understand the importance of choosing technology vendors that will be not just a supplier, but a strategic business partner. Among the many technology vendors, strategic relationships with software vendors are key. Software selection is an important and often underestimated process that holds the key to developing these strategic business partnerships. In the current market, it is not unusual to find many software vendors offering a wealth of functionality in their applications at a wide range of price points. Traditionally, managers in the field have selected a software vendor with a simplistic value equation of the amount of functionality per dollar spent, with an assumption of fixed useful life of the software product. However, as the health and human service field has become more competitive and more dynamic, the ability to work with the software platform and the software vendor to collaboratively and quickly meet those needs is a key to maintaining strategic advantage. This article outlines a ‘best practice’ in software selection process that builds the framework for creation of such a strategic partnership with a software vendor – a selection process that weighs software functionality and price, but adds the dimension of vendor responsiveness to the equation.

Identification of overseas vendor selection criteria used by Canadian apparel buyers

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to determine the criteria used by members of the textile and apparel chain to select overseas vendors. Of specific interest is the value (if any) of ISO 9000 registration, i.e. whether Canadian apparel buyers are influenced by such registration, and whether there are determinants of how buyers respond to registration when selecting vendors.Design/methodology/approachA list of 16 criteria used by textile and apparel buyers to select overseas vendors was generated based on the literature, in‐depth interviews, and content analysis of a major industry publication. The criteria were tested for importance by use of a survey of representatives of the textile‐apparel supply chain in Canada.FindingsCriteria relating to a vendor's flexibility and responsiveness were most important. Registration to a quality program such as ISO 9000 was not considered important nor did it seem to give an overseas vendor a business advantage over its domestic non‐registered counterpart. Two factors, category of apparel firm and the firm's use of quality programs, were potential determinants of favorable responses to registration.Originality/valueThis study furthers the understanding of importer behavior and overseas vendor selection criteria as well as the importance of ISO 9000 registration to buyers in the soft goods industries.

Collection Development Headaches and Fee-Based Online Resources from Russia

This article, a follow-up to an earlier one, deals with problems involved in choosing among the competing fee-based Russian language full-text services. Each of the products covers the same core set of online news sources, but most also offer additional features or kinds of files. Each also seems intended for a different target audience, a factor that is important to understand. Vendor responsiveness to suggestions varies as well. A final issue to consider is access to the material several decades in the future.

Improving Repetitive Manufacturing Systems: Model and Insights

We consider a manufacturing system that is controlled by a fixed-cycle smoothed production policy. This policy, which is becoming increasingly common in repetitive manufacturing environments, is characterized by a production rate that is updated on a periodic basis. We model the system as a stochastic process that includes parameters for vendor responsiveness, plant responsiveness, randomness in production yield rates, nonstationarity and randomness in market demand, demand forecast error, operating cost rates, and safety stock. Properties of the model expose structural relationships between expected system performance and system parameters.

Information systems vendor support and CQI.

As we providers of health care use information technology more comprehensively in the information-intensive and labor-intensive work of health care, we are finding that the quality of daily, on-the-spot support for use of that technology has become a critical success factor. And, since we use a great range of vendor products, the quality of vendor support is especially critical. This article describes our practical application of CQI indicators of vendor responsiveness and quality, and the vendor responses to this new strategy.

A Comparison of Science Related Document Delivery Services

This paper descibes a pilot project in the Chemistry Library at Washington University in St. Louis using the Chemical Abstracts Document Delivery Service. In addition, results from a comparative analysis of nine commercial document delivery vendors are included. Vendors were compared according to cost, turnaround time, cost efficiency, fill rate, reliability and vendor responsiveness with responiveness with respect to delivery of individual documents. Recommendations are made with respect to vendor appropriateness in five science disciplines; Biology, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Math and Engineering. The overall aim is to assist science librarians, wishing to implement such a service, in selecting document delivery vendors which would best meet their needs.