4.4.1 Attributes to improve responsiveness – customer perceptions
Question 11 of the customer perspective data collection instrument sought to understand drivers for supply chain responsiveness in the view of customer respondents. As perceived by the respondents, the drivers were enablers or drivers for supply chain responsiveness in company GSC and were considered as areas where company GSC needs to focus effort to improve their supply chain responsiveness. Figure 4.8 represents the distribution of the responses.
Figure 4.8 Attributes to improve responsiveness – customer
perspectives
Figure 4.8 indicates that 84.6 percent of customers responding to the survey perceive improvement in production reliability as the biggest enabler of supply chain responsiveness for company GSC (statement 11b). Three-quarters of the respondents (77%) agreed and strongly agreed that improved supply chain processes were an important driver for responsiveness (statement 11d). Improved product quality (statement 11c) was indicated by
57.7 percent of respondents. Half of the respondents (50%) agreed and strongly agreed that technical ability (statement 11a) could improve.
When compared with the results from the employee survey (Figure 4.9 ), it can be seen that employee respondents agree and strongly agree (100%) that improved supply chain processes are an important driver for responsiveness followed by improved production reliability as indicated by 95.8 percent of respondents. These results indicate that there is alignment between what employees and customers perceive to be the attributes that can improve responsiveness for company GSC. Improved product quality (57.7%) and technical ability (50%) scored lower in the customer survey compared to the employee survey (85.5% and 75% respectively). This might be an indication that customers are satisfied with the current quality offering and are confident with the technical ability of company GSC.
4.4.2 Attributes to improve responsiveness – employee perceptions
As part of the response to Research Question 1 the study also sought to understand employee perceptions on the attributes to improve company GSC’s supply chain responsiveness through Question 5 of the internal survey. The attributes are areas where the organisation should focus more effort to enable and improve supply chain responsiveness as described in Section 2.3. The employees’ perceptions are shown in Figure 4.9
Figure 4.9 Attributes to improve supply chain responsiveness in GSC - employee perceptions
There was a 100 percent affirmation that improved supply chain processes were an important attribute for supply chain responsiveness in company GSC. All respondents agreed (50%) and strongly agreed (50%) that improved supply chain processes are an important attribute to enable supply chain responsiveness. A further 70.8 percent of the respondents strongly agreed that improved production reliability (statement 5b) was the most valuable attribute for supply chain responsiveness in company GSC. In total, 95.8 percent of respondents agreed and strongly agreed that improved production reliability (statement 5b) would improve responsiveness in company GSC. This improved production reliability was indicated as the second most leading attribute for supply chain responsiveness in company GSC. In addition, respondents agreed and strongly agreed that improved product quality (85.5%) as well as improved technical ability (75.0%) (statements 5c and 5a respectively) would improve GSC supply chain responsiveness. All the attributes presented scored high, which indicates that all the attributes surveyed were relevant to respondents.
4.4.3 Attributes to enable responsiveness- customer perceptions
In contributing a response to Research Question 1, Question 12 of the customer perspective survey sought to gauge the attributes that were important to the responding customers to ensure that company GSC is responsive. The question explored the volume and mix dimensions of responsiveness. Figure 4.10 illustrates the views of the respondents across all attributes surveyed.
Figure 4.10 illustrates that the majority of customers (96.2%) agreed and strongly agreed that reliability of the timeliness of deliveries (statement 12c) was an important attribute. Both reliability in terms of the accuracy of deliveries (statement 12d) and availability of required product (statement 12e) scored 92.3 percent (agreed and strongly agreed). While the statement (12f) about volume delivered versus what was ordered scored fourth (88.4%). Flexibility (12a) scored 80.8 percent and was placed fifth while ability to switch between orders (12b) scored 53.8 percent and was sixth. The results confirmed the response from the employee survey (Figure 4.11) which indicated that the reliability in terms of timeliness and accuracy of deliveries and availability of required product are important attributes.
4.4.4 Attributes to enable responsiveness – employee perceptions
Through Question 6 of the internal survey data collection instrument, the study also explored what is required to enable supply chain responsiveness in company GSC through a relevant question on the volume and mix dimensions of responsiveness. The distribution of responses is reflected in Figure 4.11.
Figure 4.11 Attributes to enable responsiveness at GSC
Figure 4.11 indicates that the majority of respondents (95.9%) agreed that reliability in terms of timeliness of deliveries (statement 6c), followed by reliability in terms of accuracy of deliveries (91.7%) (statement 6d) would make GSC responsive. Thirdly, the ability to deliver
the required quality and quantity of product as per the order placed (statement 6e) was agreed to by 87.5 percent of the respondents followed by 68.8 percent votes for product mix (statement 6b). Flexibility to change orders (statement 6a) scored lower (58.3%) than the other four attributes, with nearly a third (31.3%) being neutral with regard to this attribute. It can be concluded that reliability is an important attribute for respondents.
4.4.5 Lead time for placing customer orders – internal survey
Another factor to enable supply chain responsiveness is lead time. Lead time has an impact on the timeliness of customer deliveries. It is the time that company GSC has to capture an order, manufacture it and deliver it to the customer. Question 7 of the internal survey gauged the most agreeable lead time for customers to place orders taking into account the needs of the operation and the manufacturing process. The question yielded a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.87. Figure 4.12 illustrates the distribution of responses on customer lead time in the view of employees surveyed.
Figure 4.12 Lead time for orders as preferred by employees
Figure 4.12 indicates that 60.5 percent of respondents agreed that a period of one week was a reasonable and preferred lead time. A period of two weeks scored second with 37.5 percent of respondents that agreed with the suggested time period. A lead time of one month scored third as indicated by 52.1 percent of respondents that disagreed with the time period and can be perceived as being too long. A period of 2 days scored the lowest as
indicated by 60.4 percent of respondents that disagreed with the time frame suggested and can be perceived to be too short.
4.4.6 Current customer orders and deliveries
Question 9 of the internal survey data collection instrument aimed to gain an understanding of the perceptions of employees to current deliveries to customers which, when analysed, also present what attributes company GSC may need to implement to improve supply chain responsiveness. The current perceived performance was compared to the desired attributes as indicated Figure 4.13 illustrates the distribution of responses from the survey.
Figure 4.13 Current GSC customer order deliveries as rated by employees
The results indicate the view of the majority of employees surveyed that company GSC currently offers the quality (81.3%) and quantity (66.7%) required by the customers. Order changes scored third (60.4%) and flexibility scored fourth (58.3%). It can be assumed from the opinion of respondents that company GSC currently performs well in terms of volume and quality required by customers in the view of employees. The question did not explore the different dimensions of quality where correct quality might be perceived as good quality for application and not necessarily the quality as specified by the customer.