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The main purpose of conducting this study was to investigate the understanding,
practical implementation of SCM practices towards organizational performance in
food processing firms located at Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Six key dimensions of
SCM practices (strategic supplier partnership, customer relationship, quality and
level of information sharing, outsourcing and lean practices) were used as
independent variables accompanied by different measurement instruments under
each variable, while market and operational/financial performance variables were
used to measure the organizational performance.
Data were obtained via questionnaires from a sample of 53 food processing firms.
The survey sample frame was based on three sources; Tanzania Federation Drug
Authority (TFDA), Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) and ministry of industry
and trade. Quantitative methods were applied to analyse data. Chi-square test was
used to assess the understanding and practical implementation of SCM practices in
Tanzanian food processing firms, while Spearman’s correlation and Kruskal Wallis
test were used to examine the relationship between supply chain management
practices and organizational performance.
From the study findings, it showed majority of Tanzanian food processing firms
understood the concept of implementing SCM practices. The level of practical
implementation was uneven practiced that is only strategic supplier partnership,
customer relationship, quality of information sharing and lean practices were
practiced at great extent. Practices such level of information sharing and outsourcing
were lowly practiced. In addition to organisational performance, the result showed
that SCM practices of strategic supplier partnership, customer relationship, level and
quality of information sharing and lean practices were positively related to
organizational performance, except outsourcing. Finally the researcher made some
recommendations for further studies in the field of supply chain management
practices implementation. |
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