East Midlands food & drink sector strategy

The food & drink sector is one of four priority sectors identified in the regional economic strategy, A Flourishing Region. This document sets out a strategy for maximising the contribution of the food & drink sector to the economic development of the East Midlands

Exploring supply chain sustainability risk in the UK fashion industry : a multiple case-study

Much has been written about fashion supply chains in recent years pertaining to the offshoring of production and sourcing by the companies in the UK fashion industry to other countries including inter alia Asia, as well as the attendant risks to such activities. Evidence suggests that businesses can experience disruptions from sustainability issues in their supply chains. In addition, there is an increasing focus on sustainability issues in global businesses and the UK fashion industry is not immune to these issues. Nevertheless, consideration of sustainability and its impact on risk pertaining to the supply chains in the UK fashion industry has not been actively pursued. Moreover, little is known about how sustainability issues manifest themselves as risks. Finally, the lack of a sustainability risk conceptualisation hinders the development of a sustainability risk management framework, which is critical to enable global fashion supply chains to survive and compete in a volatile and demand-driven sector. Therefore, the aim of this thesis is to explore the phenomenon of sustainability risk and supply chain sustainability risk management processes within the context of the UK fashion industry.For the purpose of exploration, an inductive qualitative research approach and a multiple case study research method were adopted. The UK fashion industry has exhibited interesting dynamics in the last few decades. For example, UK textile and garment manufacturing has massively declined in size, yet the UK fashion industry demonstrates fierce competition and retailer concentration. Therefore, five fashion companies were theoretically sampled from the UK fashion industry. The selected companies were a good mix of small and medium size. All carried out their major operations such as sourcing, manufacturing, distribution, warehousing and customer service in the UK. This enabled the researcher to deeply explore and gain insights into the phenomenon of sustainability risk and supply chain sustainability risk management processes in the contemporary context of the UK fashion industry. Data was collected by semi-structured interviews, supported by observations and secondary sources. Interview transcripts were subject to narrative analysis based upon a social constructionist approach.This research identified seven major factors as barriers and drivers for supply chain sustainability risk management: organisational culture, growth of fast fashion, organisational resources, management structure, safeguarding brand reputation, stimulator of innovation and co-opetition. These findings were further grouped into a supply chain sustainability risk management typology. The typology implies that the case companies need to understand and should have knowledge about their current and potential future key sustainability risk and then need to have a certain organisational design and innovative management processes to manage their supply chain sustainability risk

E-grocery challenges and remedies: Global market leaders perspective

The purpose of the study is to identify logistic elements germane to e-grocery businesses, and to reveal the challenges collateral with each logistic element. Further, it strives to create a better understanding of specific remedies that have been employed by top e-grocery retailers to overcome existing challenges while aligning identified challenges with Turban’s framework. Extensive semi-structured interviews were conducted with management staff in three of the top ten global online grocery retailers and another that was a market leader in a European country. The qualitative data collected was transcribed and coded using a non-hierarchical axial coding to identify emerging themes in content analysis. The results expose a range of challenges that could be compartmentalised into three broad categories, in harmony with the different stages of the order fulfilment process. Interestingly, the study found that most challenges were operational rather than tactical or strategic in nature. While the study expands existing knowledge, its revelation that most challenges lie in the management of roles and responsibilities domain is instructive. This makes it imperative for practitioners to focus on this specific area if meaningful improvement in e-grocery retailing performance is to be realised. This research offers a systematic understanding of supply and distribution challenges, including remedies utilised to ameliorate the effect of the challenges from the perspectives of the top companies in the industry. These remedies can be invaluable for existing and emerging e-grocers

An exploration of solutions for improving access to affordable fresh food with disadvantaged Welsh communities

Our research is rooted in community operational research (community OR) and adopts a qualitative problem structuring approach to exploring potential solutions for addressing inequality in access to affordable healthy food in disadvantaged communities in Wales, UK. Existing food provisions are synthesised and barriers to their effectiveness are identified. A portfolio of actions and commitment packages is co-developed with multiple stakeholders in order to bring about desired changes. Although these solutions address concerns specific to local Welsh communities, they can be generalised and applied in similar settings where food desert problems prevail. We draw upon insights from the literature on inequality, food deserts, and social capital to conceptualise the solutions around both material (providing and accessing) and social (reconnecting and strengthening) aspects. By addressing both material and social aspects simultaneously, we show how community-driven intervention can contribute to reducing inequality in disadvantaged communities. Our research experience reveals that COR is particularly effective in tackling a ‘wicked’ problem such as food deserts, and allows researchers to engage with communities, gain an understanding about the problematic situation and guide intervention efforts in a sustainable and systemic manner. A number of methodological reflections are offered as a way to contribute to the development of the field as a whole

Extending corporate social responsibility programmes in the food retail industry to social grant recipients.

Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.The study proposes a corporate social responsibility (CSR) model for willing, major local food retailers, in an attempt to supplement existing poverty alleviation initiatives in South Africa. The study is motivated by the fact that nearly a third of the population receives state social grants and that these grants are used to support family members in the context of multiple socio-economic challenges. The study focuses on a particular crisis — the lack of access to basic food commodities. A lack of food has far reaching consequences as it impacts overall health, psycho-social wellbeing, productivity levels and most of all, a person’s sense of dignity. The proposed CSR model serves to produce consumer pricing for some basic food commodities, set far below the national average for inflation, exclusively for social grant recipients. Reduced consumer pricing is envisaged through a subsidisation scheme that involves a partnership between participating retail chains and their customers. The CSR model also requires collaborations between participating retailers, their supporting industries, the State and well-established NGOs with an intimate knowledge of the needs of poor communities. The proposed CSR model is a culmination of research into four areas. Firstly, the study delineates the extent to which social grants address poverty and socio-economic inequality in South Africa. Secondly, to explore the relationship between poverty and the access to affordable basic foods, the study examines India’s Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) — a nationwide basic food distribution programme designed to respond mass poverty. Thirdly, the study attempts to determine the potential of CSR programmes in attenuating poverty levels. Finally, the study evaluates two specific CSR programmes, KFC’s Add Hope and the Woolworths Group’s MySchoolMyVillageMyPlanet, in order to establish the possibility of adapting aspects of these CSR programmes to suggest a new CSR model for major, local food retail chains. The study employs John Rawls’ theory of distributive justice which explores the idea of justice as fairness (Rawls, 1999). The theoretical choice is apt because Rawls uses basic theoretical elements to suggest that a just society can permit social and economic inequalities amongst primary social goods — such as wealth and income — provided that such inequalities produce maximum expected social benefits for the least advantaged. Upon researching the four areas of interest, the study finds firstly, that despite the efficacy of social grants in preventing people from falling into destitution, grant amounts alone are insufficient in producing the desired redistributive effects. Secondly, through the exploration of the TPDS, the study finds a positive correlation between access to subsidised basic foods and poverty reduction. However, the study also establishes that a system such as the TPDS cannot be transplanted in South Africa because of the severe constraints on the South African economy. Thirdly, the study finds theoretical evidence that supports the efficacy of strategic CSR in producing ‘shared value’/mutual benefit for corporates and society. Finally, evaluations of the Add Hope and the MySchoolMyVillageMyPlanet campaigns, highlight the possibility of adapting aspects of these programmes in order to suggest the study’s proposed CSR model which is aimed at creating ‘shared value’ for greater redistributive effects

Examining a client network development framework for a logistics service provider: a longitudinal case study

Buyer-seller relationships represent a core theme in industrial marketing management. From the supplier’s perspective, extant marketing literature, however, focuses on client retention in preference to client recruitment. Within the context of logistics outsourcing, although numerous studies have taken the buyer’s perspective and shown how manufacturers/retailers select logistics service providers (LSPs), there is a shortage of studies and a lack of theoretical understanding from the supplier’s perspective on how LSPs recruit clients. This study contributes to rectifying this through a longitudinal case study conducted on a fourth-party logistics service provider appraising its recruitment of clients. A mid-range client recruitment framework is developed, built abductively on the case and through the theory of mediating firms value creation. Theoretically, the framework refines notions of the mediating firm theory. Managerially, this client recruitment framework is proposed as a guide to aid LSP managers in their organic growth strategies through client network development

Securing the Future of Complementary Medicines Manufacturing in Australia: A Strategic Business Case

The $6 billion per annum complementary medicines manufacturing industry stands at a crucial crossroads: maintain the status quo or invest in catalysing industry growth by capturing greater market share of the rapidly expanding global market. Through extensive research, analysis and consultation this report identifies various opportunities and challenges facing the industry and provides an evidence-based set of recommendations and associated business case. This report presents recommendations to government, proposing a co-investment model that has the potential to support Australian manufacturers to triple industry revenues by 2032. The aim will be achieved through capturing a greater proportion of the global complementary medicine market, fostering a skilled manufacturing workforce, protecting sovereignty of supply and manufacture, and fuelling job growth across Australia

THE IDENTIFICATION FACTORS THAT IMPACT CONSUMER'S DECISION BEHAVIOUR ON ONLINE SHOPPING MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF FLOW EXPERIENCE IN CHINA

Abstract Background: Online shopping management strategies is rapidly increasing since retailing is as of now not far-reaching the nation over, with extensive retail interfaces representing under 10% of market exchange, online business or internet shopping is detonating, permitting buyers in even the littlest urban areas in China to get to excellent items and administrations. People in big cities, for instance. This means that by the end of the year, the internet client base of the region's eight major sectors will have expanded by nearly 60%. The Web Portal's Expansion The number of potential customers has grown. In comparison to 81 percent in the US and 36 percent in China, the website has around 10% of the market (or approximately 121 million customers). Purpose: The motivation behind this study The Identification Factors That impact Consumer’s Decision Behaviour on Online Shopping management strategies under the Influence of flow experience in China. The goal of the study was to determine how much Chinese customers trust internet shopping, as well as their behaviour, attitudes, and decisions. Methodology: As a quantitative research instrument, a survey of online purchasing consumers in China will be used. The SPSS measurable programming is likewise utilized for starter investigation, for example, deciding predictability, unwavering quality, and legitimacy. Moreover, SmartPLS programming is utilized to lead fractional least-square underlying condition displaying (PLS-SEM) examination (otherwise called PLS way demonstrating) to approve the proposed research structure and make inferences about the review's theories. Conclusion: This study elaborate the identification aspects that influence consumers' decision-making behaviour when it comes to online purchasing in China, as well as recommendations. Recommendation: Further study should be made with regards to a more extensive investigation of vendors' perspectives on electronic buying to foster a system for deciding internet-based clients' leads in China. With developing client administrations to assemble a positive picture and obtain their trust, as well as new clients' trust

Knowledge identification in medium sized enterprises under the context of quality improvement: An exploration in manufacturing companies in China

As a fundamental element of knowledge management (KM), knowledge identification is a crucial issue in contemporary business organisations. As evidenced by research, medium sized enterprises (MEs) contribute constructively and significantly to economic development, society stabilisation and employment increase. Their healthy survival and growth are of critical importance to a nation. Among the approaches ensuring the successful development of MEs, quality improvement (QI) is a crucial one. However, what is and how to identify the knowledge most relevant to the MEs’ QI, the drives and sources for identifying the QI knowledge (QIK) as well as the underpinning rationales, are currently lacking of sufficient exploration. A research focusing on these issues has been strongly emphasised by literature and attested by this research itself of its meaningfulness. Through analysing empirical data collected and attested by a combination of firstly semi-structured interview, focus group following a case study strategy and then a structured interview, this exploratory research has obtained and prioritised the up-to-date answers to these questions, leading to the enrichment of the theoretical understanding of KM approaches in operations with a consideration of quality management. Real world MEs can rely on these findings as a guidance to obtain, select and apply appropriate QIK for their operations performance improvement. The findings can also be referential for knowledge identification and application in view of QI in other type business organisations.