Abstract:

The study examined how multinational companies, operating in developing countries, can leverage on supply chain and supplier development to improve upon their business performance as well as gain competitive advantage at the global market place. The search light was on the operations of Fan milk Ghana, a subsidiary of Swiss delicacy multinational company, operating in the African sub-region. Among the specific objectives of the study, are to examine the factors that enhance supply chain and supply development management in addition to identify strategies for enhancing performance and gaining competitive advantage in the global business place. In conducting the study purposive sampling technique was employed in selecting key officials of the marketing, procurement, stores as well as finance and quality control of Fan milk Ghana, for their views on the study. The questionnaire technique afforded the respondents the requisite flexibility for using their leisure time in co-operating with the study. Findings of the study indicated that strategies such as integration of ICT, frequent review of operational equipment, and factory lay-out, enhancing shipping mechanisms as well as sustaining effort at building a capacity of human resource, all work together towards enhancing the supply chain function of an organization leading to improvement in business performance and gaining competitive advantage to withstand industry competition.

Keywords: Supply chain, Supplier development, competitive advantage, business performance and Value chain.

References:

[1].   Aboulnasr, K., O. Narasimhan, E. Blair and R. Chandy (2008). ‘‘Competitive Response to Radical Product Introductions,’’ Journal of Marketing, (72), July, pp. 94-110.

[2].   Billington, C. (2010) ‘‘Cycles are Cycles,’’ Journal of Supply Chain Management, (46:1), January, pp. 5-6.

[3].   Bustinza, O.F., L.M. Molina and L.J. Gutierrez-Gutierrez (2010) ‘‘Outsourcing as Seen from the Perspective of Knowledge Management,’’ Journal of Supply Chain Management, (46:3) pp. 23-39.

[4].   Craighead, C.W. and J. Meredith (2008). ‘‘Operations Management Research: Evolution and Alternative Future Paths,’’ International Journal of Operations and Production Management, (28:8), pp. 710-726.

[5].   Dong, Y., C.R. Carter and M.E. Dresner (2001). ‘‘JIT Purchasing and Performance: An Exploratory Analysis of Buyer and Supplier Perspectives,’’ Journal of Operations Management, (19:4), pp. 471-483.

[6].   Dooley, K.J., T. Yan, S. Mohan and M. Gopalakrishnan (2010). ‘‘Inventory Management and the Bullwhip Effect During the 2007–2009 Recession: Evidence form the Manufacturing Sector,’’ Journal of Supply Chain Management, (46:1), January, pp. 12-18.

[7].   Fawcett, Stanley E. and Gregory M. Magnan (2002), "The rhetoric and reality of supply chain integration," International Journal of Physical Distribution & logistics Management, 32 (5), 339-61.

[8].   Fisher, M.L (2007). ‘‘Strengthening the Empirical Base of Operations Management,’’ Manufacturing and Service Operations Management, (9:4), pp. 368-382.

[9].   Frohlich, M. T. and R. Westbrook (2001). ‘‘Arcs of Integration: An International Study of Supply Chain Strategies,’’ Journal of Operations Management, (19:2), February, pp. 185-200.

[10].  Germain, R., C. Claycomb and C. Dro¨ge (2008). ‘‘Supply Chain Variability, Organizational Structure and Performance: The Moderating Effect of Demand Unpredictability,’’ Journal of Operations Management, (26:5), September 2008, pp. 557-570.

[11].  Håkansson, Håkan and Göran Persson (2004), "Supply chain management: The logic of Supply Chains and networks," The International Journal of Logistics Management, 15 (1), 11- 26.

[12].  Hendricks, K.B., V.R. Singhal and R. Zang (2009). ‘‘The Effect of Operational Slack, Diversification and Vertical Relatedness on Stock Market’s Reaction to Supply Chain Disruptions,’’ Journal of Operations Management, (27:2), pp. 233-246.

[13].  Hollensen, Svend (2010) Marketing Management: A Relationship Approach 2^nd ed. Prentice Hall Financial Times.

[14].  Kotler P., Keller K. (2007) Contemporary Marketing 12e, Pearson Prentice Hall, Publishers

[15].  Krause, D.R. and T.V. Scannell (2002). ‘‘Supplier Development Practices: Product and Service Based Industry Comparisons,’’ Journal of Supply Chain Management, (38:2), March pp. 13-21.

[16].  Lao, Y., P. Hong and S.S. Rao (2010). ‘‘Supply Management, Supply Flexibility and Performance Outcomes: An Empirical Investigation of Manufacturing Firms,’’ Journal of Supply Chain Management, (46:3), 2010, pp. 6-22.

[17].  Madura, J. (2008), International corporate finances 9^th ed, Thompson international publishers.

[18].  McKone-Sweet, K. and Lee Y. (2009). ‘‘Development and Analysis of a Supply Chain Strategy Taxonomy,’’ Journal of Supply Chain Management, (45:3), July 2009, pp. 3-24.

[19].  Saravanan R, Rao KSP (2006) An Analysis Of Total Quality Service Dimensions In Service Sector-A Case Study. International Journal of Management and Systems 22: 261-267.

[20].  Selvaraj M (2009). TQM in Indian Commercial Banks: A Comparative Study. Journal of Marketing and Communication 4: 59-70.

[21].  Sprague, L.G. and T.E. Callarman (2010). ‘‘Supply Management is Not the Beer Game,’’ Journal of Supply Chain Management, (46:1), January, pp. 9-11.

[22].  Talib F, Rahman Z (2010). Studying the Impact of Total Quality Management In Service Industries. International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management 6: 249-268.

[23].  Terpend, R., B.B. Tyler, D.R. Krause and R.B. Handfield (2008). ‘‘Buyer–Supplier Relationships: Derived Value Over Two Decades,’’ Journal of Supply Chain Management, (44:2), January, pp. 8-25.

[24].  Thompson A. and Strickland A. J. (2007): Strategic Management; Concept and Cases.9th Edition. McGraw-Hill Inc.

[25].  Thun, J. (2010) ‘‘Angles of Integration: An Empirical Analysis of the Alignment of Internet-Based Information Technology and Global Supply Chain Integration,’’ Journal of Supply Chain Management, (46:2), pp. 30-44.

[26].  Vickery, S.K., J. Jayaram, C. Droge and R. Calantone (2003). ‘‘The Effects of an Integrative Supply Chain Strategy on Customer Service and Financial Performance: An Analysis of Direct Versus Indirect Relationships,’’ Journal of Operations Management, (21:5), December, pp. 523-539.