Supply chain risks in a bulk import supply chain of commodity chemicals

Abstract

In modern day supply chains, it has become important for all role players to not only be aware of the risks associated with import supply chains in general, but more also specifically in the commodity trade. Due to the nature and small margins in the commodity trade industry it is crucial for the relevant role players to not only take note of these risks, but to also develop strategies and techniques to mitigate and /or reduce these risks when possible. In the ever-changing world where demand fluctuates, and the only constant is change, it requires a supply chain that can adapt to external forces with techniques and strategies that are suitable at that time. In order to understand risks and how to manage them better, this dissertation will focus on the key risks involved in the bulk import supply chain of soda ash, which is used in the manufacturing of many products, including wellknown consumer products. The study investigated various risks, supply chain risk management, and strategies to manage these risks in a proactive and reactive way through collaboration, agility, robustness, stability and flexibility. This study also tries to indicate the role and importance of collaboration, integration and supply chain resilience. A quantitative research design was used to gather the data, which included a questionnaire with close-ended questions with scales from which respondents had to select the options with which they mostly agreed. The major risks identified in the study are pandemics (COVID-19), port delays, logistics outsourcing, labour strikes and infrastructure deterioration. The top five risk mitigation strategies employed are flexible transport, collaboration with suppliers/customers, resilient supply chain, works toward integration with suppliers/customers and robust supply chain.

In hedendaagse voorsieningskettings het dit belangrik geword vir alle rolspelers om nie net bewus te wees van die risiko’s wat oor die algemeen met invoervoorsieningskettings gepaardgaan nie, maar ook spesifiek in die kommoditeitshandel. Vanweë die aard van dié bedryf en die klein marges in kommoditeitshandel, is dit noodsaaklik dat die relevante rolspelers van hierdie risiko’s moet kennis dra, en strategieë en tegnieke moet ontwikkel om die risiko’s te temper en/of te verminder waar moontlik. In die voortdurend veranderende wêreld waar aanvraag wissel en waar verandering die enigste konstante is, moet ’n voorsieningsketting in staat wees om by eksterne kragte te kan aanpas – met tegnieke en strategieë wat op daardie tydstip geskik is. Om risiko’s te verstaan en beter te kan bestuur, sal hierdie verhandeling fokus op die sleutelrisiko’s wat ter sake is in die grootmaat-invoervoorsieningsketting van soda-as, wat gebruik word in die vervaardiging van vele produkte, waaronder bekende verbruikersprodukte. Die studie het ondersoek ingestel na verskillende risiko’s, voorsieningskettingrisikobestuur, en strategieë om hierdie risiko’s proaktief en reaktief te bestuur, deur samewerking, lenigheid, robuustheid, stabiliteit en soepelheid. Daar is ook gepoog om die rol en belangrikheid van samewerking, integrering en voorsieningskettingveerkrag aan te dui. ’n Kwantitatiewe navorsingsontwerp is gebruik om die data in te samel, insluitende ’n vraelys met geslote vrae en skale waar respondente dié opsies moes kies waarmee hulle die meeste saamstem. Die vernaamste risiko’s wat in hierdie studie geïdentifiseer is, is pandemies (soos COVID-19), oponthoude by hawens, logistieke uitkontraktering, werkstakings, en vervalle infrastruktuur. Die topvyfrisikotemperingstrategieë wat ingespan word is buigsaamheid ten opsigte van vervoer, samewerking met verskaffers en/of klante, veerkragtige voorsieningsketting, gerigtheid op integrering met verskaffers en/of klante, en ’n kragtige voorsieningsketting.

Uchungechunge lokuhlinzeka ezinsuku zanamuhla, sekubalulekile kubo bonke ababambiqhaza ukuthi bangagcini nje ngokuqaphela ubungozi obuhambisana okulethwa kochungechunge lokuhlinzeka kwempahla kwamanye amazwe ngokujwayelekile, kodwa futhi, ikakhulukazi, ekuhwebeni kwempahla. Ngenxa yesimo kanye nemikhawulo emincane embonini yohwebo lwempahla, kubalulekile ukuthi ababambiqhaza abathintekayo bangagcini nje ngokuqaphela lezi zingozi, kodwa futhi bakhe amasu nezindlela zokunciphisa kanye/noma zokwehlisa lezi zingozi uma kungenzeka. Emhlabeni oguquguqukayo lapho isidingo sishintshashintsha, futhi okuwukuphela kwenguquko engaguquki, kudinga uchungechunge lokuhlinzeka olungakwazi ukuzivumelanisa namandla angaphandle ngamasu nezindlela ezifanele ngaleso sikhathi. Ukuze kuqondwe ubungozi kanye nendlela yokuphatha kangcono, le ncwadi izogxila ezingozini ezibalulekile ezikhona ochungechungeni lokuhlinzekwa kwenqwaba yesoda kwamanye amazwe, olusetshenziswa ekukhiqizeni imikhiqizo eminingi, kuhlanganisa nemikhiqizo yabathengi eyaziwayo. Ucwaningo luphenye ubungozi obuhlukahlukene, ukuphathwa kwengcuphe yochungechunge lokuhlinzeka, kanye namasu okulawula lobu bungozi ngendlela esheshayo nesebenzayo ngokusebenzisana, ukushesha, ukuqina, ukuzinza nokuvumelana nezimo. Lolu cwaningo luphinde luzame ukukhombisa indima kanye nokubaluleka kokubambisana, ukuhlanganiswa kanye nokuqina kochungechunge lokuhlinzeka. Kusetshenziswe idizayini yocwaningo lokulinganisa ukuze kuqoqwe idatha, ehlanganisa nohlu lwemibuzo olunemibuzo evalekile enezilinganiso lapho abaphendulayo bekufanele bakhethe khona abavumelana ngazo kakhulu. Izingozi ezinkulu eziphawulwe ocwaningweni yizifo eziyiphandemikhi (ezifana ne-COVID-19), ukubambezeleka kwechweba, ukukhishwa kwemisebenzi yezokuthutha, iziteleka zabasebenzi kanye nokuwohloka kwengqalasizinda. Amasu amahlanu aphezulu okunciphisa ubungozi asetshenziswayo kwezokuthutha ezivumelana nezimo, ukusebenzisana nabahlinzeki kanye/noma amakhasimende, uchungechunge lokuhlinzeka kwempahla eqinile, lusebenzela ukuhlanganiswa nabahlinzeki kanye/noma amakhasimende, kanye nochungechunge oluqinile lokuhlinzeka ngezinto.