“What business strategy is all about is, in a word, competitive advantage. The sole purpose of strategic planning is to enable a company to gain, as efficiently as possible, a sustainable edge over its competitors. Corporate strategy thus implies an attempt to alter a company’s strength relative to that of its competitors in the most […]
Logistics: an opportunity for competitive advantage Read More »
Today companies face increasing levels of competitive pressure and challenges to maintain and improve profitability. There is also increasing pressure from customers and shareholders, necessitating that managers seek ways of reducing costs, while at the same time improving performance. In a series of SmartProcurement articles, Tafara Svosve (Msc Supply Chain Management; CMILT) will focus on
Importance of logistics in supply chains: a micro perspective Read More »
A drone service delivering blood for transfusions has been launched in Rwanda. The drones are expected to make between 50 and 150 life-saving deliveries each day to far-flung and inaccessible clinics across the western half of the country. Excessive blood loss during childbirth is the leading cause of death in pregnant women in Rwanda. Zipline,
Drones delivering blood for transfusions: Supply Chain Innovation Read More »
Food safety is a priority throughout the whole supply chain. From manufacturer, its suppliers and logistics service providers, to a retailer and ultimately the end-user, critical care needs to be applied to ensure that food safety and hygiene are not compromised. But, how best to manage food safety across the global supply chain while
Food safety reliant on efficient and transparent supply chain systems Read More »
Escalating road tariffs, increasing driver fees, rising maintenance costs and erratic fuel prices, along with the amount of long distance freight compared with Europe, are set to cause problems for South Africa’s logistics sector, according to Stellenbosch University’s Logistics Barometer. The current 781-million tons of freight moved is likely to triple over the next
SA freight set to triple by 2030 due to costs of other modes Read More »
The CSIR’s 10th Annual State of Logistics Survey for South Africa¹, released in May 2014, highlights progress made and areas for improvement in South African logistics. The survey’s results mirror Tech-Pro’s experiences in this increasingly specialised area of supply chain management, Tech-Pro tells SmartProcurement. Subtitled ‘Bold Steps Forward’, the survey emphasises the growing importance
2014 Trends in South African logistics Read More »
Increased fuel price still biggest cost driver Rising costs and the global economic situation spell out increased competition and tighter margins in the logistics industry. Driving down the cost of logistics and making South Africa more competitive will require no less than bold steps forward, finds the 10th State of Logistics Survey. Published by the
SA Logistics must make bold steps to drive costs down Read More »
Research in the Courier and Express Parcel (CEP) industry shows that brands choosing a delivery partner consider reliability, efficiency and accuracy of data before cost. “You get what you pay for.” South African businesses seeking CEP partners are familiar with this maxim, according to a benchmark research report prepared by independent research specialists TerraNova.
Value for Money trumps low cost when assessing logistics partners Read More »
The vulnerability of South Africa’s transport costs to a volatile cost driver – the price of crude oil – and South Africa’s entrenched dependence on road transport does not bode well for the economy, according to the 9th State of Logistics survey for South Africa 2012. The contribution of transport costs to overall logistics costs
Transport’s contribution to logistics costs reaches 9-year high Read More »
