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Theses and dissertations (Management Sciences)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://ir-dev.dut.ac.za/handle/10321/14

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    The effectiveness of the supply chain management system at a selected community education & training college in KwaZulu-Natal
    (2024) Mthethwa, Bhekefini Sibusiso Vincent; Jugmohan, Sean; Shonhiwa, Kudakwashe
    The current Community Education and Training Colleges (CETCs) have evolved from the old Adult Education and Training (AET) system where all supply chain management processes were centralised nationally in Pretoria. The decentralisation of supply chain processes to CETs in 2019 meant that the CETCs were expected to carry out all the supply chain management functions. The devolving of the supply chain management (SCM) function to the CET colleges meant that a selected community education and training college (CETC) has a mandate of servicing all the community learning centres (CLCs) and satellite learning centres (SLCs) falling within their jurisdiction. This study embarked on an exploration of how a selected CETC has responded to the transition of inheriting SCM functions. This was done by: firstly attempting to establish how human and physical resources impact on SCM in a selected CETC; secondly the identification of possible prevalent SCM risks; thirdly identifying performance measures to supply chain practices; and fourthly establishing what supply chain risk mitigation strategies affected SCM practices. Against this backdrop, the study made recommendations on all four objectives in the process, also suggesting the possible risk mitigation that could be applied to the possible challenges that this study endeavoured to unmask or reveal. In order to collect data that would enable the study to draw these findings on the effectiveness of SCM in a selected CETC, a quantitative method was adopted. The study sourced data from a population size of 118 respondents comprising all management officials at the central office of the selected CETC and all CLC managers and satellite supervisors on the PERSAL system of the selected CETC. The study applied the STATA 17 software package to present the statistical data analysis of the data collected. Consequently, graphs and tables were used in the study to interpret data which corroborated the findings of the study on the effectiveness of SCM systems in a selected CETC, espoused in the objectives of the study.
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    An assessment of the impact of supply chain risk management in food-aid distribution in Zimbabwe
    (2020-09) Ngarize, Peter; Ngcamu, Bethuel Sibongiseni
    The present study sought to investigate and interrogate supply chain risks prevalent in the humanitarian sector with reference to food-aid distribution and to also assess the impact of supply chain risk management as a strategy for cost- effective food-aid distribution operations in Zimbabwe. The global increase of disasters and their devastating effects has left communities vulnerable and in need of help from Donors, humanitarian agencies and the host governments. The damage by disasters notably droughts, floods and cyclones have caused various forms of vulnerability on populations living in disaster struck countries, including Zimbabwe. The natural disasters and catastrophes have inadvertently solicited for committed investment by both local and international governments to assist those unfortunate to have been struck by disasters and their impacts. Information on disaster impacts specifically related to food-aid distribution is gathered through an analysis of risks prevalent along the food and humanitarian aid supply chain network. This information will be used by government and various humanitarian stakeholders in the formulation of strategies to mitigate disaster and supply chain risks in humanitarian aid distribution. A mixed-method approach was employed to assess the impact of supply chain risk management in food-aid distribution in Zimbabwe. A sample size of 80 Humanitarian Aid stakeholders from the District Drought Relief Committee completed structured questionnaires. The Cronbach Alpha Test showed high reliability for the scales used in the study. Furthermore, the study used information from key informants, at least fifteen (15) members from the secretariat, namely, the District Administrators, the Social Welfare officers, as well as the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) personnel who were readily available at their stations for one-on-one interviews. Five strategies, that include flexibility, collaborative, prepositioning, hedging, and governance were explored and their impact on distribution of food-aid analysed. Quantitative data was analysed using STATA (version 16). Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression was used to investigate the nature and magnitude of the relationship between food-aid distribution efficiency and supply chain risk factors, while also controlling for the effect of demographic variables and results were compared with those of the Tobit models as a test for robustness of the results. Qualitative data was analysed using thematic analysis derived from observations and interviews and descriptive statistics presented in tables. This study tested the robustness of the five strategies used in food-aid distribution and noted that the most commonly used strategy is insurance, followed by governance, then collaboration, flexibility, prepositioning, and financing. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY It is expected that the study will assist the Government of Zimbabwe, other governments in Southern Africa, and humanitarian aid stakeholders in the formulation of policies for the humanitarian food and non-food-aid distribution. This will lead to improved efficiency in foodaid distribution. Policy recommendations highlight the need for synergistic relationships between WFP, the Meteorological Department, Department of Social Welfare, and the Civil Protection Department. The Government of Zimbabwe should therefore create an enabling environment for stakeholder partnerships in the Humanitarian Food -Aid supply chain that should cascade to the village and community levels. Disaster interventions should not only come from National Central Government but, where necessary and feasible, should be from local community to National, building a bottom up approach in disaster mitigation strategies.
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    The perceived knowledge and attitudes of administrative staff working in supply chain management in a South African Provincial Department of Health
    (2018) Ngobese, Nontobeko Maureen; Skinner, Jane Phyllida; Ngibe, Musawenkosi
    The Provincial Department of Health envisions an optimal status of health for all persons in the Province, and its mission is to develop a sustainable, co-ordinated, integrated and comprehensive health system at all levels, based on a primary health care approach, and operating through the District Health system. However, for the Department to achieve its vision and mission, it requires more than health professional staff. It requires effective and efficient supporting programmes which are non-core services, but crucial to its efficient functioning. The study focused on the Supply Chain Management (SCM) administrative staff and their end-users. The SCM section supports all departmental programmes in terms of facilitating the procurement process of assets, medical equipment and all other goods and services required to provide services to the public. The study only targeted the following SCM sub-sections: Acquisitions and Quotations Management, Demand Management and Contract Management. All end-users in the Department were targeted. The researcher believed that the study was necessary in order to identify critical factors apparently negatively affecting the work of the SCM administrative staff in facilitating the procurement of the goods and services required by the end-users. The purpose of the study was therefore to examine the perceived knowledge and attitudes of administrative staff towards their work within SCM with the aim of contributing to the achievement of the goals for the Department. A lack of knowledge and skills could be responsible for certain negative attitudes encountered or perceived from these administrators. The following problems had been identified: loss and misplacement of procurement documents; a lack of proper accountability; Provincial hospitals not receiving goods timeously due to SCM inefficiencies; staff attitudes to service quality and commitment to stakeholders being experienced as poor; and frequent under-expenditure by various sections often due to SCM staff not implementing and adhering to the correct policies and procedures. However, the problem statement indicated that in the Department of Health, the perceived level of knowledge, skills and attitudes of SCM staff was still unknown in terms of their procurement activities for various programmes and within different sections. The conceptual framework for the study was drawn from du Toit and Vlok’s Supply Chain Management Theoretical Framework (2014:33). A mixed-methods research approach was adopted, which enabled the researcher to collect both qualitative and quantitative data. The researcher designed two sets of questionnaires, one for SCM end-users and one for SCM administrative staff. Both questionnaires had closed- ended, structured questions and one open-ended question. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and content analysis were used for analysing the data. The data revealed a range of factors that affect SCM administrative staff in their work, as well as SCM end-users’ dissatisfaction with the service received from the SCM section. The failure of the Department to obtain a clean audit record for departmental expenditure was also noted. The study therefore concluded that a relationship does exist between staff knowledge and attitudes and their performance in the work place. Recommendations included that training sessions and workshops should be provided by the Department to equip employees with the relevant skills for the SCM to function more effectively, and also that team-building exercises be offered to improve staff attitudes. It was also recommended that an online system such as LOGIS be introduced for the tracing of all SCM functions. The researcher also advised the Department to create a post at Deputy Director level to monitor the SCM section, and, lastly, she suggested that skills audits should be conducted before the approval of internal employee transfers.
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    Recommendations for improvement of supply chain management at Era Beier
    (2005) Moodley, Yegambarum
    The study examines the supply chain management, within the business unit of EraBeier(Pty) Ltd. This business is situated in Pinetown South Africa. The concept of supply chain management is examined in terms of quality of material supplied, supplier evaluation, logistics, inventory and purchasing. These facets identified by the concept of supply chain management are prerequisites to achieving continuous process flow, are deemed crucial for effectiveness.