Dawn H. Pearcy, Delvon B. Parker and Larry C. Giunipero
With ever‐increasing competitive pressures, growing numbers of firms use electronic procurement (e‐procurement) in an attempt to reduce costs and increase profitability…
Abstract
With ever‐increasing competitive pressures, growing numbers of firms use electronic procurement (e‐procurement) in an attempt to reduce costs and increase profitability. Academicians and practitioners alike agree that one of the most important benefits of e‐procurement is its ability to facilitate integration within the firm and across the supply chain. However, there is much to be discovered about the prevalence of actual implementation of e‐procurement. The purpose of this study is to empirically examine the extent to which firms operating in diverse industries use nine different e‐procurement tools that differ in their ability to facilitate supply chain integration. The survey data were provided by a sample of 142 members of the Institute for Supply Management (ISM). Factor analysis revealed that the group of nine e‐procurement tools could be categorized into two types: basic, single‐process tools and integrative tools. A t‐test of the mean differences between each type of e‐procurement tool revealed that firms used basic, single‐process tools to a greater extent than they used integrative forms of e‐procurement. To further explore firms’ use of e‐procurement, we attempted to ascertain whether the industry in which a firm operates impacts use. Logistic regression revealed that firm sector has an effect on the use of integrative eprocurement tools, with firms operating in the petroleum and the transportation equipment sectors being less likely to use them than their manufacturing counterparts. These findings are important, as previous research indicates that effective supply chain integration is associated with improvements in production planning, inventory management, distribution, and overall supply chain performance.
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Dawn H. Pearcy and Larry C. Giunipero
The purpose of this research is to empirically investigate the role of firm size in the use of e‐procurement applications that vary in their ability to facilitate supply chain…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this research is to empirically investigate the role of firm size in the use of e‐procurement applications that vary in their ability to facilitate supply chain integration.
Design/methodology/approach
The sample was drawn from members of the Institute for Supply Management (ISM). Purchasing professionals employed in 33 different industries completed a self‐administered questionnaire.
Findings
A total of 128 useable surveys were received. The data revealed a significant relationship between firm size and e‐procurement application. Specifically, larger firms were more likely to use integrative types of e‐procurement.
Research limitations/implications
The study was limited in that it excluded purchasing professionals employed in the service sector. In addition, it only focused on the relationship between a single variable and e‐procurement application.
Practical implications
This research provides support for studies that suggest that firm size is related to IT use. In addition, it tests the framework developed in a previous research study conducted on supply chain IT. Finally, previous research has linked supply chain process integration with operational agility, lower costs, superior product/service design, and enhanced profitability. The findings of this research might prompt decision‐makers to ask themselves if their firms forgo such potential benefits when integrative forms of e‐procurement are not used.
Originality/value
This research contributes to the understanding of an emerging phenomenon by investigating firm size as an explanatory variable in the e‐procurement application decision. In addition, evidence is still lacking with regard to the prevalence of actual implementation of e‐procurement in firms. This study examines actual usage of 13 different e‐procurement applications across various industries. Finally, this research focuses on the use of e‐procurement in achieving integration. This is important to practitioners, as effective supply chain integration has been linked to enhanced business performance.
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Lisa M. Dandeo, Susan S. Fiorito, Larry Giunipero and Dawn H. Pearcy
The purpose of this study was to empirically evaluate a modified version of Sheth's model (1981) of buying behavior, in order to determine retail buyers’ willingness to trade off…
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to empirically evaluate a modified version of Sheth's model (1981) of buying behavior, in order to determine retail buyers’ willingness to trade off on negotiation variables when placing items on automatic replenishment (AR). A total of 103 usable questionnaires were returned from corporate buyers from five major department store chains located throughout the USA, yielding a 41 percent response rate. Multiple regression analysis indicated that the modified portion of Sheth's model used in this study was satisfactory in exploring relationships that exist between buyers and vendors when determining what products can be placed on AR. The model was significant and respectable in explanatory power, and the significant or highly related variables were: merchandise driven mentality; price/value; color; design; and type of merchandise category. These were all significant or highly related to the buyer's willingness to trade off on the negotiation variables (price, packaging, delivery and assortment). Future research is needed to explore the development of a model that explains the process and decision criteria for successful AR programs.
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Richard Ohene Asiedu, Patrick Manu, Abdul-Majeed Mahamadu, Colin Anthony Booth, Paul Olomolaiye, Kofi Agyekum and Mohamed Abadi
Effective procurement of infrastructure is partly dependent on infrastructure procurement personnel having the skills that are important for the discharge of their role…
Abstract
Purpose
Effective procurement of infrastructure is partly dependent on infrastructure procurement personnel having the skills that are important for the discharge of their role. Addressing the infrastructure deficits in developing countries, therefore, calls for an understanding of the skills that are important for the discharge of the roles of public personnel that are involved in infrastructure procurement. This study aims to investigate these skills from the perspective of public infrastructure procurement personnel in the sub-Saharan African region.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire survey of procurement personnel yielded 590 useable responses, which were analysed using t-tests and exploratory factor analysis (EFA).
Findings
EFA established eight key components of important infrastructure procurement skills to include skills related to: project success factors; social and environmental sustainability; marketing and e-procurement; project phase management, the application of procurement laws and procedures; soft skills, ICT and communication; and data analysis and team building.
Originality/value
The findings are crucial in developing infrastructure procurement capacity building programmes that would be appropriate for infrastructure procurement personnel in developing country contexts. Infrastructure procurement personnel ought to engage more in capacity development training that is aligned to enhancing skills within the eight components.
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Dong Mai Tran, Vinh Van Thai, Nguyen Phong Nguyen, Shams Rahman, Lien Thi Ngoc Nguyen, Thao Kim Nguyen and Thanh-Thuy Nguyen
The new era of supply chain management is characterised by key change drivers, e.g. Industry 4.0, and post-COVID-19 VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity…
Abstract
Purpose
The new era of supply chain management is characterised by key change drivers, e.g. Industry 4.0, and post-COVID-19 VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity) business environment, in addition to the rising requirements for sustainability, responsiveness and customer centrism. An important and topical question in this context is what supply chain managerial competence logistics managers need to possess in order to enhance their individual performance in the new era. This question is addressed in this paper, which also explores the nexus of supply chain managerial competence expectation and possession upon which human resource development strategies are proposed accordingly.
Design/methodology/approach
The survey research design is adopted to empirically examine logistics managers’ supply chain managerial competence in the new era, and the forward-backward translation process was strictly followed. Data were collected through a survey conducted with owners or managers of Vietnamese firms whose business is in the logistics and related business areas, and 269 valid responses were used for analysis.
Findings
Results indicated that the proposed profile of four groups (foundation, core, specialist and technology-IT) and 38 competencies are valid and important to the individual performance of logistics managers in the context of Vietnam, which supports the tenet that logistics managers in the new era need to have a well-rounded profile of competencies, including those derived from contemporary change drivers. It was also found that the foundation competency group is perceived as more important than others, which is context specific given the current logistics development in Vietnam. Besides, it was also revealed that respondents in this research currently possess those competencies at a level which is lower than their perceived importance. An Importance-Possession (IPM) Matrix of Competency Development was mapped accordingly.
Research limitations/implications
The generalisation of this study would require further empirical examination from similar studies in other contexts, i.e. in other manufacturing and service sectors as well as in other developing and developed countries where logistics development is at different stages.
Practical implications
This research provides insights into the current competency profile of logistics managers in Vietnam, which can assist senior management with human resources development in their firms. Specifically, it is essential that Vietnamese logistics firms focus on providing education and training opportunities, both internally and externally, to enhance the level of possession of all competencies whose gaps between perceived importance and possession are the largest across the groups, especially those in the Maintaining Sustainably and Growing quadrants of the IPM.
Originality/value
Firstly, this research introduces an improvised framework of logistics managers’ supply chain managerial competence adopting the contingency approach, contributing to expanding the body of knowledge on how the competency profile of logistics managers should be developed. Secondly, the IPM matrix of competencies introduced in this research can be used as both the conceptual and managerial tool to classify and prioritise competencies for various purposes, e.g. education, training and policy implementation based on the nexus of supply chain competence expectation and possession.
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Nadim Akhtar Khan, Humma Ahangar and Garvita Jhamb
The purpose of this study is to analyze research output in the naturopathy field at the global level and to examine the various trends in scientific literature available on…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to analyze research output in the naturopathy field at the global level and to examine the various trends in scientific literature available on naturopathy using bibliometric analysis.
Design/methodology/approach
The data was collected from the SciVerse Scopus database published from 2000 through 2019. The search was conducted using Medical Subject headings entry terms, i.e. “Naturopathy” OR “Naturopathic Medicine” using the “Document” search option. The search results comprised of documents that had these above search terms in their article title, abstract and keywords. The retrieved documents were then analyzed concerning different parameters like the growth of publications, authorship patterns, productive countries and institutions, highly cited papers, top prolific authors, funding agencies and document types.
Findings
The results of this study reveal that a total of 1,099 documents were published during 20-year time span. The most preferred publication type is research articles 683 (62.14%). Germany, USA, Australia, India and Canada were the most productive countries in terms of the number of scientific documents. The findings also show that the most preferred journal in the field of naturopathy is MMW Fortschritte der Medizin, with 115 documents followed by Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine with 58 documents. In contrast, the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine had the highest citations per paper (17.85). For the 20-year study period, the average value for the degree of collaboration was calculated as 0.57, indicating 54% of the total publications in naturopathy were multi-authored. The value of the collaboration coefficient (CC) signifies the levels of multi-authored papers. CC was highest in the year 2019 (0.55) indicating that the publications were contributed in collaboration rather than in isolation and the number of multi-authored/mega-authored papers outnumbered the single authors in the collection of all authors in the year 2019. Bastyr University, USA was the most productive Institution. Journal articles were the most preferred form of publication.
Practical implications
This study traces various trends in the research behavior and preferences of researchers in the field of naturopathy. It thus can be of immense help to identify strong areas in naturopathy research. Further, this study will help the librarians to identify the core/preferred journals in naturopathy.
Originality/value
This paper makes an endeavor to carry an extensive bibliometric study that provides an overview of emerging trends in naturopathy research.