Effects of enterprise resource planning implementation on supply chain performance in manufacturing sector in Kenya: A case of Unilever Limited

ABSTRACT In Kenya, most early adopters of ERP are still in the implementation phases. This study therefore seeks to examine the effects associated to ERP implementation with a focus on the Unilever limited Kenya. The study is guided by four specific objectives namely: To establish the effects of managerial support on supply chain performance in manufacturing sector in Kenya; To evaluate the effects of Information Communication Technology on supply chain performance in manufacturing sector in Kenya; To investigate the effect of organizational structure on supply chain performance in manufacturing sector in Kenya; To examine the effects of funding availability on supply chain performance in manufacturing sector in Kenya. For the purpose of this study, the researcher applied a descriptive research design. The target population studied was 300 respondents, made up of branding, sealing, packaging, transportation and distribution sections in the Supply Chain. Purposive and probabilistic sampling techniques were applied in the sample size selection and a sample of 30% (90) respondents was considered. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Data analysis was done using SPSS Ver.21. The descriptive statistical tools helped the researcher to describe the data and determine the extent to be used. The findings were presented using tables and charts. The researcher broke down the data collected into manageable categories on a variety of levels and then the characteristics of the message was analyzed and interpreted through conceptual analysis. The analyzed data was presented in prose form. The study concludes that the management had been very supportive of ERP Implementation and that that management didn't pay due attention to problems that rose during ERP implementation and that top management didn't prioritize/emphasize ERP implementation. The study recommends that the manufacturing industry should invest in training and development of staff as this will lead to achieving staff productivity which will in turn ensure proper skills needed in the ERP implementation processes and an increased understanding of the skills to be incorporated in the implementation process

Novel laboratory mouse papillomavirus (MusPV) infection.

Most papillomaviruses (PVs) are oncogenic. There are at least 100 different human PVs and 65 nonhuman vertebrate hosts, including wild rodents, which have species-specific PV infections. Florid papillomatosis arose in a colony of NMRI-Foxn1(nu)/Foxn1(nu) (nude) mice at the Advanced Centre for Treatment Research and Education in Cancer in India. Lesions appeared at the mucocutaneous junctions of the nose and mouth. Histologically, lesions were classical papillomas with epidermal hyperplasia on thin fibrovascular stalks in a verrucous pattern. Koilocytotic cells were observed in the stratum granulosum of the papillomatous lesions. Immunohistochemically, these abnormal cells were positive for PV group-specific antigens. With transmission electron microscopy, virus particles were observed in crystalline intranuclear inclusions within keratinocytes. The presence of a mouse PV, designated MusPV, was confirmed by amplification of PV DNA with degenerative primers specific for PVs. This report is the first of a PV and its related disease in laboratory mice