Inhibitors and enablers of supply chain management: a study of implementation

Supply chain management was investigated using three objectives: identifying how the management of the supply chain had changed, how new ideas had been implemented and primarily the identification of the inhibitors and enablers of supply chain management. In the 1990s and 2000s research had focused on concepts and approaches. When considering supply chain management it cuts across the whole system including: suppliers, internal company functions, managers, employees, customers information and material flow and services. A large proportion of publications were on materials, matrices, techniques and cost benefits. The literature had little written about management support and employee involvement to engage buy in for supply chain management implementation. There was an overall lack of detail into what actually happened during implementation in the supply chain. Very little was published on the inhibitors of supply chain management

COMPUTER-AIDED MATERIAL DEMAND PLANNING USING ERP SYSTEMS AND BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE TECHNOLOGY

Effective decision-making in industry conditions requires access and proper presentation of manufacturing data on the realised manufacturing process. Although the frequently applied ERP systems allow for recording economic events, their potential for decision support is limited. The article presents an original system for reporting manufacturing data based on Business Intelligence technology as a support for junior and middle management. As an example a possibility of utilising data from ERP systems to support decision-making in the field of purchases and logistics in  small and medium enterprises

Local Government Growing Regional Australia

This report identifies the factors contributing to building strong sustainable regional capitals and regions and local government's role in regional development

A Systematic Review of Digital Transformation Literature (2013 – 2021) and the development of an overarching a-priori model to guide future research

In recent times, organizations purport to undergo unprecedented transformations owing to the adoption of digital technologies. Consequently, there has been a substantial effort in academia attempting to better understand the phenomenon of digital transformation in business organizations. However, a cumulative tradition of research on digital transformation, underpinned by a consolidated theoretical positioning, is compromised by the loosely defined constructs, confusion in terminology and lack of an overarching framework of its nomological net. This paper, therefore, features a systematic review of the assorted and fragmented literature on this notion of Digital Transformation by critically analysing 174 peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2013 and 2021, in over thirty leading academic outlets. The authors provide a consolidated nomological net of digital transformation by synthesizing themes and dominant theories apparent in existing digital transformation literature, which will be useful for future academic studies

Managing suppy chain risk through collaboration

In an increasingly uncertain, complex, and global supply chain environment, supply chains face a greater multitude of risks. Information sharing and collaboration between supply chain players can reduce risk within the supply chain. This project discusses emerging supply chain risk management (SCRM) strategies pertaining to the distribution of products and how purchasing and logistics departments can work to build a resilient and agile supply chain

Strength properties of rice husk ash concrete under sodium sulphate attack

The use of pozzolanic materials in concrete provides several advantages, such as improved strength and durability. This study investigated the strength properties of rice husk ash (RHA) concrete under severe durability (sodium sulphate attack). Four RHA replacement levels were considered in the study: 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40% by weight of cement. The durability performance of the RHA blended cement exposed to sodium sulphate solution was evaluated through compressive strength, reduction in strength, and weight loss. Test results showed that RHA can be satisfactorily used as a cement replacement material in order to increase the durability of concrete. Concrete containing 10% and 20% of RHA replacements showed excellent durability to sulphate attack. The results also indicate that the amount of Ca(OH)2 in the RHA blended cement concrete was lower than that of Portland cement due to the pozzolanic reaction of RH

Teachers’ ICT Adoption in South African Rural Schools: A Study of Technology Readiness and Implications for the South Africa Connect Broadband Policy

The South Africa Connect national broadband policy of 2013 aims to ensure that the country achieves universal internet access by 2030, thereby fostering digital skills development. This study investigates one dimension of the South Africa Connect policy objectives, by considering rural teachers’ adoption of information and communication technologies (ICTs) for teaching and learning at 24 schools. This research used baseline data from the Information and Communication Technology for Education (ICT4E) project undertaken in rural schools in seven South African provinces. The technology readiness index (TRI) was used as the theoretical lens. We found that the vast majority of the teachers surveyed were optimistic about the use of ICTs for teaching and learning, which suggests teachers’ readiness to use ICTs despite the existing financial, technical and digital skills challenges at their schools. We also found that the majority of the schools had policies prohibiting student use of personal digital devices, apart from calculators, on school premises. In our analysis, these policies potentially conflict with the objectives of South Africa Connect. This study contributes to theory and practice by offering empirical evidence of the usefulness of the TRI for presenting teachers’ readiness to adopt ICTs in situations of conflicting forces. The study also has the potential to contribute to policy deliberations by highlighting the possible disconnect between the schools’ bans on student personal digital devices and the objectives and targets set by the South Africa Connect policy.School of Computin

Information and digital technologies of Industry 4.0 and Lean supply chain management: a systematic literature review

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the current state of research and the key aspects and implications of the relationships between Information and Digital Technologies (IDT) of Industry 4.0 and Lean Supply Chain Management (LSCM), with the identification of the lines of research developed and an analysis of the main findings. A Systematic Literature Review methodology has been used for the identification, selection, and evaluation of the published research. A set of 78 papers deduced from the most relevant scientific databases, including Web of Science, Scopus, and ABI/Inform, from 1996 to December 2019, has been analyzed and synthesized. The analysis and evaluation of these papers has enabled a new classification of the literature to be offered that identifies four lines of research based on the Life Cycle of Technology: obsolete IDT in LSCM; mature IDT in LSCM; emerging IDT in LSCM; and an Information Systems and IDT general approach in LSCM. The paper goes on to discuss the gaps found in the literature and proposes new opportunities and challenges for future research. A series of implications are presented intended to be useful from not only an academic point-of-view but also from a management focus, including recommendations for industrial managers and policymakers

European supply chain study

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, System Design and Management Program, 2009.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (p. 71-77).Introduction: Supply chain management has been defined as, "..a set of approaches utilized to efficiently integrate suppliers, manufacturers, warehouses and stores, so that merchandise is produced and distributed at the right quantities, to the right locations and at the right time, in order to minimize system-wide costs.... satisfying service level requirements.. " -- ".. integration of activities ..through improved supply chain relationships to achieve sustainable competitive advantage.. " -- "..coordination and collaboration with channel partners.. coordination of process and activities.. " [53] "..from the ore mine to the trash can... the production and distribution network that encompasses the sourcing, manufacturing, transportation, commercialization, distribution, consumption, and disposal of goods.. " -- "...flow of requirement information from buyer to seller which triggers all later activities, the movement of goods from sellers to buyers, transfer of ownership rights from seller to buyer and payment from buyer to seller. " The above definitions offer a broad spectrum of supply chain orientation and management choices available to companies. They could vary from a transactional orientation that is focused on low cost acquisition; to one where stronger relationships are established with key suppliers and customers in an effort to optimize and capture synergies; onward to a partnership orientation that is focused on supporting mutual goals for a sustainable competitive advantage. Making the right choice is essential. It can have a significant impact on a company's balance sheet and income statement. GSCF and SCOR are two popular process frameworks in supply chain management [36]. Corporate strategy is the starting point of the GSCF framework, with the operational aspects of customer relationship management and supplier relationship management linked to the strategy. Its process metrics are related to EVA. On the other hand, the SCOR framework focuses on transactional efficiency by integrating operational activities such as purchasing, operations, and logistics. It benchmarks process metrics to improve operational efficiency.by Mohitkumar Puri.S.M