Drivers of relationship quality and business performance: evidence from a developing country

Many studies on supply chain collaboration (SCC) have wholly focused attention on developed countries and rarely considered the significance in 3 rd world nations. Although SCC has been well researched, this research attempts to shift the attention to Nigeria, a developing nation with the largest economy in Africa. This paper examines the significance of supply chain collaborative activities and relationship quality in Nigerian beverage manufacturing industry, particularly for superior business performance. Results were collected from a total of 269 wholesalers of the largest beverage manufacturing firms in Nigeria. We examined the effects of collaborative activities and relationship quality between wholesalers and manufactures on the wholesalers' business performance. Specific collaborative activities and relationship quality measures that impact wholesalers' performance were revealed through regression analyses. Manufacturers and service providers in Nigeria continually seek knowledge on gaining competitive advantage and improving their organizational performance due to the highly unpredictable business environment that they operate in. Our study offers insights for practitioners both in Africa and the global environment regarding the value of collaborative activities and relationship quality between supply chain members as mechanisms for achieving outstanding business performanc

The contribution of human resource development managers to organisational branding in the hotel industry in India and South East Asia (ISEA): a dynamic capabilities perspective

This research explores the significant contribution of human resource development (HRD) managers in building organisational brands in the hotel industry through the lenses of dynamic capabilities for sustaining competitiveness.Using a qualitative case study design, this study deployed a semi-structured interview research method. It used a purposive sample of twenty HRD managers across twenty different hotels in India and South East Asia (ISEA) to explore their contribution to organisational brands. The data was analysed using thematic analysis.The findings show the significance of HRD in building organisational brands. From a dynamic capabilities perspective, it was found that; HRD has an impact on fostering brand awareness culture; HRD functional branding enhances the creation and sustaining of quality service culture; functional branding of HRD helps differentiate the brand and quality service, for product development and innovation by linking talent development and growth of key competencies and capabilities; brand training and behavioural training directly influence the right behaviour knowledge and effective communication that is translated into the enhancement of guest experience; and finally, organisational branding through branding culture and employer branding creates organisational wealth.We propose a new conceptual framework for the branding of the Heroes to reclaim the HRD’s splendour in the realm of other functions in the hotel industry in ISEA contexts. While we do not claim an external generalisability, we believe that an analytical application of this framework could be relevant in similar environments. The study also claims that HRD practitioners could use parallel literature repertoires from brand management discourse to value their strategic contributions in building and maintaining their reputational position at the board level. Practical implications and further research are discussed

Drivers of relationship quality and business performance: evidence from a developing country

Many studies on supply chain collaboration (SCC) have wholly focused attention on developed countries and rarely considered the significance in 3 rd world nations. Although SCC has been well researched, this research attempts to shift the attention to Nigeria, a developing nation with the largest economy in Africa. This paper examines the significance of supply chain collaborative activities and relationship quality in Nigerian beverage manufacturing industry, particularly for superior business performance. Results were collected from a total of 269 wholesalers of the largest beverage manufacturing firms in Nigeria. We examined the effects of collaborative activities and relationship quality between wholesalers and manufactures on the wholesalers' business performance. Specific collaborative activities and relationship quality measures that impact wholesalers' performance were revealed through regression analyses. Manufacturers and service providers in Nigeria continually seek knowledge on gaining competitive advantage and improving their organizational performance due to the highly unpredictable business environment that they operate in. Our study offers insights for practitioners both in Africa and the global environment regarding the value of collaborative activities and relationship quality between supply chain members as mechanisms for achieving outstanding business performanc

Fairness In Supply Chain Relationships The Value And Consequence For Reputation And Sustainability

The purpose of this research is to examine a notion, which is commonly perceived as subjective and endogenous known as fairness (also referred to as justice or impartiality) in the supply chain context. The principal aim of supply chain relationships is to create an avenue where competitive advantage can be achieved both as individual firms and as a chain through working collaboratively on supply chain operations and tasks. By collaborating with autonomous firms, concerns arise about whether the benefits, rewards and risks of relationships are apportioned in a fair (just) and satisfactory manner. This is evident in today’s supply chains where chain partners portray opportunistic and unethical behaviours using their bargaining power negatively and betraying partner’s trust. A number of studies have reported the significance of fairness in supply chain relationships, particularly promoting collaboration and improving relationship performance. Nonetheless, the significance of fairness in supply chain relationships has been a rather neglected area in the supply chain literature. Therefore, this study aims to fill some of the gaps that are present in the literature. Through a socio-economic lens, this study will probe the issue of fairness in supply chain relationships using the social exchange and equity theories as the analytical lens. Conceptualizing fairness into three main types (distributive, procedural and interactional), this study aims to understand the concept in the business to business relationship setting. A particular focus steers towards how perceiving fairness affects the development of relationships between buyers and suppliers in the supply chain. This aspect is of significant value because a good relationship between supply chain partners is a crucial antecedent for any stable exchange relationship. To fully understand the worth of fairness in this context, there is a need to consider the consequence for long-lasting relationships. As a result, this research considers two critical factors that have been neglected in the pertinent supply chain fairness literature such as firm reputation and relationship sustainability. Through in-depth executive interviews, interesting findings were revealed concerning the role that fairness perception plays in moulding a sustainable relationship between businesses and creating a positive firm image. The results of the authors’ exploratory work are presented as quotations to provide the body of the relevant subject. Findings show that the notion of fairness in the inter-organizational relationship context is a double-edged sword with prospective positive and negative effects on relationship development process between supply chain partners. Fairness is also a very ‘sensitive’ subject that many firms elude from, but largely impacts on an organization’s behaviour towards its partners. It is critical that when managing relationships with other firms in a supply chain, fairness should be at the forefront of the relationship banner by managers

Restraining forces and drivers of supply chain collaboration: evidence from an emerging market

Purpose - This paper aims to investigate how restraining forces and driving forces impact supply chain collaboration in the context of Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach - A qualitative approach was adopted. Using semi-structured interviews, data was obtained from manufacturers and third-party logistics providers in Nigeria's food and beverage sector. The data was analysed using the thematic analysis method. Findings - Interesting findings were revealed regarding how some underlying forces impact supply chain collaboration. These findings were categorised into internal, supply chain, and external environment level factors. However, certain forces were also identified at these distinct levels which can sustain the collaboration between supply chain partners in emerging markets like Nigeria. Originality/value - Many studies on SCM have wholly focused their attention on developed countries, often neglecting emerging markets like Nigeria in the discourse. Although supply chain collaboration has been well researched, our study attempts to shift the attention to the most populous country in Africa. With the help of the force field theory, this research reveals new insights on the restraining forces and drivers of supply chain collaboration, offering the foundation for a new line of research on this subject in emerging markets. Practical implications - This research aids managerial understanding of the restraining forces and drivers of supply chain collaboration in an emerging market. Our research also provides new insights on how to manage supply chain collaboration in emerging markets. Research limitations/implications - The issues highlighted in this paper create opportunities for future studies to dig deeper into the concept of supply chain collaboration in emerging markets. Future studies may find other unique contextual factors which may influence supply chain collaboration asides those identified in this paper

Fairness In Supply Chain Relationships The Value And Consequence For Reputation And Sustainability

The purpose of this research is to examine a notion, which is commonly perceived as subjective and endogenous known as fairness (also referred to as justice or impartiality) in the supply chain context. The principal aim of supply chain relationships is to create an avenue where competitive advantage can be achieved both as individual firms and as a chain through working collaboratively on supply chain operations and tasks. By collaborating with autonomous firms, concerns arise about whether the benefits, rewards and risks of relationships are apportioned in a fair (just) and satisfactory manner. This is evident in today’s supply chains where chain partners portray opportunistic and unethical behaviours using their bargaining power negatively and betraying partner’s trust. A number of studies have reported the significance of fairness in supply chain relationships, particularly promoting collaboration and improving relationship performance. Nonetheless, the significance of fairness in supply chain relationships has been a rather neglected area in the supply chain literature. Therefore, this study aims to fill some of the gaps that are present in the literature. Through a socio-economic lens, this study will probe the issue of fairness in supply chain relationships using the social exchange and equity theories as the analytical lens. Conceptualizing fairness into three main types (distributive, procedural and interactional), this study aims to understand the concept in the business to business relationship setting. A particular focus steers towards how perceiving fairness affects the development of relationships between buyers and suppliers in the supply chain. This aspect is of significant value because a good relationship between supply chain partners is a crucial antecedent for any stable exchange relationship. To fully understand the worth of fairness in this context, there is a need to consider the consequence for long-lasting relationships. As a result, this research considers two critical factors that have been neglected in the pertinent supply chain fairness literature such as firm reputation and relationship sustainability. Through in-depth executive interviews, interesting findings were revealed concerning the role that fairness perception plays in moulding a sustainable relationship between businesses and creating a positive firm image. The results of the authors’ exploratory work are presented as quotations to provide the body of the relevant subject. Findings show that the notion of fairness in the inter-organizational relationship context is a double-edged sword with prospective positive and negative effects on relationship development process between supply chain partners. Fairness is also a very ‘sensitive’ subject that many firms elude from, but largely impacts on an organization’s behaviour towards its partners. It is critical that when managing relationships with other firms in a supply chain, fairness should be at the forefront of the relationship banner by managers

Supply chain mapping: a proposed construct

During COVID-19, supply chain (SC) mapping has appeared as one of the critical supply chain capabilities that could make a striking difference in organisations’ supply chain performance. Despite its crucial role in responding to SC disruptions, there is a void in the literature on this topic. In this context, the prime objective of the current study is to introduce a comprehensive measure of SC mapping accounting for its various dimensions. A review of the literature is conducted to identify the relevant dimensions and sub-dimensions of SC mapping. Next, two rounds of focused group discussions are conducted in order to refine the identified dimensions and to add any relevant dimensions of SC mapping. Third, we employ exploratory factor analysis to develop the construct of SC mapping. The findings reveal that SC mapping has three major dimensions, namely upstream mapping, downstream mapping, and midstream mapping, with a total 25 items. The developed construct can be used to operationalise the SC mapping and to examine its antecedents and precedents

Multi-tier sustainable supply chain management: a case study of a global food retailer

Purpose Implementing sustainable practices in multi-tier supply chains (MTSCs) is a difficult task. This study aims to investigate why such endeavours fail and how MTSC partners can address them. Design/methodology/approach A single-case study of a global food retail company was used in this study. Semi-structured interviews with the case firm and its first- and second-tier suppliers were used to collect data, which were then qualitatively analysed using thematic analysis. Findings Major barriers impeding the implementation of sustainability in multi-tier food supply chains were revealed such as the cost of sustainability, knowledge gap, lack of infrastructure and supply chain complexity. Furthermore, the findings reveal five possible solutions such as multi-tier collaboration and partnership, diffusion of innovation along the chain, supply chain mapping, sustainability performance measurement and capacity building, all of which can aid in the improvement of sustainability practices. Research limitations/implications Future research should investigate how specific barriers and drivers affect specific aspects of sustainability, pointing practitioners to specific links between the variables that can aid in tailoring sustainability oriented investment. Practical implications This research supports managerial comprehension of MTSC sustainability, pointing out ways to improve sustainability performance despite the complex multi-tier system of food supply chains. Originality/value The research on MTSC sustainability is still growing, and this research contributes to the debate about how MTSCs can become more sustainable from the perspective of the triple bottom line, particularly food supply chains which face significant sustainability challenges

A best-worst-method-based performance evaluation framework for manufacturing industry

Purpose: The purpose of paper is to develop a performance evaluation framework for manufacturing industry to evaluate overall manufacturing performance. Design/methodology/approach: The Best Worst Method (BWM) is used to aid in developing a performance evaluation framework for manufacturing industry to evaluate their overall performance. Findings: The proposed BWM-based manufacturing performance evaluation framework is implemented in an Indian steel manufacturing company to evaluate their overall manufacturing performance. Operational performance of the organization is very consistent and range between 60% to 70% throughout the year. Management performance can be seen high in percentage in the first two quarter of the financial year ranging from 70% to 80% whereas a slight decrease in the management performance is observed in the 3rd and 4th quarter ranging from 60% to 70%. The social stakeholder performance has a peak in first quarter ranging from 80% to 100% as at start of financial year. Originality/value: This paper utilized BWM, a MCDM method in developing a performance evaluation index that integrates several categories of manufacturing and evaluates overall manufacturing performance. This is a novel contribution to BWM decision-making application.Output Status: Forthcoming/Available Onlin

Fairness in supply chain relationships

The rise in the exhibition of unethical behaviour and unsustainable trading practices in today’s supply chains is concerning. Although some big brands claim to be doing more to tackle unsustainable practices in their supply chains, many of them have come under high scrutiny in recent years for violating the values of sustainability. The exhibition of fair behaviour can also have an impact on a supply chain relationship’s long-term trajectory, leading to sustainable orientation and development between partners and an overall potential for success.Online: https://library.myebook.com/CILT/focus-november-2021/3697