Public Administration

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Demand planning’s, procurement processes and the performance in the agency of the Department Of Transport.
(2018) Seerane, Charles Butana.; Chikandiwa, Christopher.
Abstract The study focused on demand planning, procurement processes and the performance in the agency of the Department of Transport in Gauteng province, South Africa. Demand planning is the first most important step in business planning. The census approach method was used, whereby all staff members at various levels and experiences within the agency had an opportunity to participate in this study. Data was collected using a questionnaire developed specifically for this study by the researcher. Ninety-two percent of staff members were kind to spend fifteen minutes of their time and responded to the questionnaire. The results of the study using quantitative and qualitative analysis methods revealed that demand planning has a significant impact on procurement processes and performance. The impact is positive if the demand planning is conducted properly, it improves procurement processes, transparency within procurement, cost effective and reduces lead time. The study further revealed that procurement plan is a critical function within the procurement process as it guides the motion of the entire acquisition process, this finding corroborated with literature. The study recommended that procurement and supply chain management policy makers introduce demand planning within their institutions, which must be conducted on a yearly basis. The demand planning must be informed by the strategic objectives of the organisation. The study further recommended that demand planning must involve all business units within the organisation. People must participate in order to have effective demand planning, therefore, the involvement of top management in the demand planning and procurement is significant in ensuring adherence and commitment to the plan.
The effect of Chinese rubber imports on the South African rubber manufacturing industry.
(2016) Ryan, Donal.; Chikandiwa, Christopher.
ABSTRACT In recent years, the South African rubber industry has experienced a decline in output value and has faced increased pressure from imported rubber products. Chinese imports are frequently blamed as being the primary source of such imports but there have been limited academic studies which have shown that this is indeed the case. Furthermore, previous studies have not attempted to separate the industry into its two sectors – non-tyre and tyre. The present study addressed this gap and carried out a detailed and focussed analysis of the effects of importing of rubber products on each sector of the South African rubber industry between 1999 and 2014, with a particular focus on imports originating from China. The effect of imports on employment in the rubber industry was also examined. The study involved collection of secondary data from various sources such as Statistics South Africa, the South African Revenue Service and the Department of Trade and Industry and several rubber industry sources. These data were analysed using the well-documented Chenery modelling approach and the output the non-tyre and tyre sectors of the industry was decomposed to determine the sources of the changes in domestic output in each sector. A survey of the rubber manufacturing industry was also carried out using a questionnaire in order to ascertain the effect of imports, and the current economic climate, on rubber companies in South Africa. It was found that Chinese imports have had a significant and negative effect on domestic production in the rubber industry between 1999 and 2014 – especially in the non-tyre sector. The output of the tyre sector has also been negatively affected – but not to the same extent. Chinese imports of rubber products were also shown to have had a direct and negative effect on employment in the rubber industry. The questionnaire results showed that there was an overall perception within rubber manufacturing companies that the rubber industry was in decline and that imports – mostly from China and India – were the primary cause for this decline. There was a strong sentiment amongst companies that the government should be doing more to protect the industry in terms of tariffs, tax incentives and training support. Suggestions were put forward by the researcher on how the industry can take action to initiate a recovery. These included addressing the shortcomings with the tariff system, strategic collaboration between companies and a focussing on training, research and development.
An investigation into road freight challenges faced by transport companies in South Africa.
(2018) Khuzwayo, Dennis.; Chikandiwa, Christopher.
Abstract. The South African economy slipped into recession during the second quarter of 2018. The current economic conditions in the country are characterized by slow economic growth coupled by high unemployment rate. The Reserve Bank has raised interest rates by twenty-five basis points in November 2018, amid inflation concerns. The country’s economy is currently under-performing and sluggish. The government has intervened by appointing a team of five special envoys as well as one economic advisor to the president. The role of the economic advisory team is to sell South Africa to the foreign investors. Logistics remains a catalyst for the country’s economic development. Facilitating trade and transportation are at the core of galvanizing economic development. Efficient logistics services contribute towards a country’s international competitiveness. However, logistics and road freight transport industry in South Africa is marred by several challenges, like port delays, on the road constraints, lack of skills, poor infrastructure, rising costs and other issues. These challenges are hindering freight transportation to deliver on its prime mandate, which is to provide place and time utility for cargo. This research study aimed to understand the various road freight challenges faced by the transport companies in South Africa. The qualitative research methodology was used to conduct the study from road freight transport companies, located in the major cities of Durban, Port Elizabeth, Cape Town and Johannesburg. The research respondents were comprised of General Managers as well as Operations Clerks who are employed by the road freight transport companies. The data was collected through face-to-face interviews with Durban-based respondents, while telephonic interviews were conducted with respondents from other provinces. The collected data was manually analysed by the researcher by identifying themes and grouping findings into clusters. The visual presentation of data was achieved by using Microsoft SmartArt programme. The study highlighted various challenges that confront road freight transport companies. The main challenges were port congestion, poor road conditions, rising costs of doing business, theft and truck hijackings, poor road infrastructure, non-compliant trucks on the South African roads, delays at the border posts, bribery and corruption and lack of skills labour. Due to these challenges, the transport companies have suffered and continue to suffer financial losses. The transport companies are finding it difficult to meet client’s requirements, due to these challenges. Despite these challenges, there is an vii opportunity for the private-public sector partnership to address the road freight challenges. The Department of Transport should engage with all relevant departments to address road freight challenges. Transnet should implement performance-based incentives to improve productivity. The Department of Energy should review diesel prices by considering a reduction on the fuel levy to reduce escalating diesel costs. The law-enforcement agencies should improve policing on the road to protect trucks against criminal elements. In addition, non-compliant trucks should be suspended on the road to improve road safety. On-the-job skills development programs should be developed by the Department of Transport in conjunction with the Department of Labour to ensure that the country’s road freight industry has access to sufficiently skilled labour.
Motivation and its impact on the performance of the supply chain department at Scott Bader.
(2018) Govender, Anbanathan.; Chikandiwa, Christopher.
ABSTRACT This study was conducted in an organisation within the chemical composite industry of South Africa. The nature of business, demands leaders to ensure their value chain is highly efficient and competitive. Core to the value chain is an organisation’s supply chain. Agility in supply chains has a direct influence on organisations competitive advantage position in the industry they operate in. Superior human capital that are motivated and high performers are required to execute company’s supply chain strategies flawlessly, as these companies operate in a global village surrounded by scarcity of raw material, increasing global competition and costs, while concurrently satisfying customers and stakeholders ever changing demands. The objective of the study was to identify factors of motivation and performance, and correlate their impacts between them within the supply chain department at Scott Bader. This was supported by the notion that the current supply chain strategies did not incorporate the employee motivational element into them. A qualitative research approach and purposive sampling was employed, which included respondents from the Supply Chain department of the company under study. Data was collected through eleven semi- structured interviews and thematic analysis was used for analysing the data. Key findings of the study identified factors of motivation and performance. The finding was able to significantly correlate motivation and its impact on performance. The findings also revealed that respondents were motivated and that certain factors of motivation identified lead to low motivation levels and hence affecting performance levels. Recommendations proposed were from gaps identified between research findings and empirical evidence as well as comments from respondents. Scott Bader’s leaders are more insightful on the phenomenon of motivation and performance. Leadership are now in a credent position to incorporate the proposed recommendations into all future supply chain’s strategies at Scott Bader.

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