THE IMPACT OF SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT PRACTICE ON COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE AND ORGANIZATIONAL
PERFORMANCE (CASE STUDY OF GUINNESS NIGERIA PLC)
TABLE OF CONTENT
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1    Background of the study………………………………………………………………..
1.2    Statement of the problem………………………………………………………………..
1.3    Research Questions………………………………………………………………………
1.4    Objectives of the Study………………………………………………………………….
1.5    Research hypotheses………………………………………………………………………
1.6    Scope of the study…………………………………………………………………………
1.7    Limitation of the study…………………………………………………………………….
CHAPTER TWO: Literature Review
2.0 Introduction………………………………………………………………………
2.1OrganizationalPerformance……………………………………………………….
2.2CompetitiveAdvantage…………………………………………………………
2.2.2 Importance of competitive advantage……………………………………………
2.3Concepts of Supply Chain Management…………………………………………………
2.4 Supply Chain Management Practices………………………………………
2.4.1 Strategic Suppliers Partnership…………………………………………
2.4.1.1 Importance of Strategic Supplier Partnership…………………………………………
2.4.2 Customer Relationship………………………………………………………..
2.4.2.1 Importance of Customer Relationship…………………………………………
2.4.2.2 Customer Relationship and Supply Chain Management …………………
2.4.3 Level of Information Sharing…………………………………………………………
2.4.3.1 Importance of Information Sharing…………………………………………
2.4.3.2 Inter Organizational Information System………………………………………
2.4.3.3 Information Sharing and Supply chain Management……………………………….  
2.4.4 Quality of Information Shared……………………………………………………………
2.4.4.2 Importance of     Quality of Information Shared…………………………………………
2.4.5 Internal Lean Practices…………………………………………………………………….
2.4.6 Postponement……………………………………………………………………………….
2.5 Empirical Review of Studies……………………………………………………………..
2.6 Conceptual Framework………………………………………………………………….
2.7 Theories of Supply Chain Management……………………………………………..
2.7.1 Theoretical Framework…………………………………………………………………
2.8 Relationship of Supply Chain Management Practices, Competitive Advantage and Organizational Performance………………………………………………………………….
2.9 Summary of the Literature Review…………………………………………………………….
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.0 Introduction……………………………………………………………………
3.1 Research Design……………………………………………………………….
3.2 Study Population…………………………………………………………………..
3.3 Sample Size…………………………………………………………………….
3.4 Sampling Technique……………………………………………………….
3.5 Method of Data Collection………………………………………………………
3.6 Model Specification……………………………………………………………..
3.7 Instrumentation- Validity and Reliability…………………………………………
3.8 Data Analysis Method…………………………………………………………..
3.9 Operationalization of Variables……………………………………………………
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.0 Background of the Study
In today’s highly unsteady and competitive markets, rivalry among companies is transformed from competing on the basis of own capabilities to competing with the whole supply chain (Ketchen & Hult, 2007). Relating with this intensified competition organizations began to realize that it is not enough to improve efficiencies within an organization, but their whole supply chain has to be made competitive (Childhouse & Towill, 2008). These were seen in the last few years and the focus has shifted from the factory level management of supply chains to enterprise level management of supply chain (Gunasekaran, Williams & McGranghey, 2005).  To make the supply chain competitive and enhance their performance, coordination of supply chain has become strategically important (Phigjaner & Lanez, 2008). Moslem, Elham, Mohammad and Shirqz, (2003) also stated that understanding and implementation of Supply Chain Management (SCM) is a necessary condition to remain competitive in the global competition and improving profitability.
Supply Chain consists of the whole activities associated with products and services movement from raw material stage to final products which are consumable by customers. This movement includes financial and information flow as well as material flow. In other words, supply chain is a network consisting of downstream and upstream organizations which are involved in different processes and activities that creates value for end customers in the form of products of services (Christopher, 1998).
The performance of the supply chain is affected by different factors. One of the most important factors influencing the performance of supply chain is strategic supplier alliances (Narasimhan & Jayaram, 1998). Effective partnership with suppliers can be a critical factor to guide supply chain management (Li & Ragu, 2006). The other factor is having good relationships with customers, which any needed for successful implementation of SCM programs. Close customer relationship allows organization to differentiate its product form competitors, sustain customer loyalty, and dramatically extend the value it provides to its customers (Magratta 1998).
Furthermore, Wang (2008) stated that integration and coordination across supply chain can be well provided through information sharing. Supply chain partners that exchange information regularly are able to work together as a single key. They are better able to understand the needs of the final consumer and hence are able to respond quickly to changing market (Li & Ragu 2006). Power (2005) also state that the failures can occur in case of delays, shortage or distortion across the supply chain. Additionally, while information sharing is important, the significance of its impact of SCM depends on the extent of quality of information shared, when and how it is shared, and with when (Holmberg, 2000 & Chizzo, 1998). According to Moslem, Elham and Mohammad (2013) internal lean practice is the other factor that affects supply chain performance. Lean production is a production system that aims to optimize production process by reducing waste and other inefficient factors.
Operational performance is a source of competitive advantage for the enterprise to differentiate itself in the eyes of the customers from its competitors by operating at a lower cost and hence at a greater profit (Christopher, 1992). Competitive priorities are conceptualized to measure operational performance by using price/cost, quality of delivery, flexibility and time to market. Whereas organizational performance refers to how well an organization achieves its market oriented goals as well as financial goals.
Effective supply chain management practices are important to build and sustain competition in products and services in an organization. Gunasekan and Ngul (2004) stated that the performance of supply chain is influenced by managing and integrating key element of the information into their supply chain. To achieve effective supply chain and integration the firm needs to implement information technology which will see them gain competitive advantages through numerous supply chain dimensions such as quality, cost, flexibility, delivery and profits.
The philosophy of Supply Chain Management (SCM) is one that is related to the past two decades. Conditions that led to definition of design of such outlook has day by day increased competitiveness and endeavor for sustain ability of the organization which is a product of communication and progress in information technology. Organizations consider the secret of survival of provision of the consumers can includes decreased prices, timely transportation and appropriate qualities etc. SCM is an outlook base upon which these needs are provided not only by the fast entity connected to the customer (whose outlook is the final product) but also by other higher up producers. In other words, not just one producer by a number of them is induced.

1.2 Statement of the Research problem
According to Tan & Handfield (1998), nowadays the concept of SCM has received increasing attention from parts of people like academicians, managers, consultants and business owners. Many organizations have begun to recognize that SCM is the key to building sustain able competitive edge for their products and/or services an increasingly crowded marketplace and enhancing organizational and overall supply chain performance (Li & Ragu., 2006).
Despite the increased attention paid to SCM, much of the current theoretical/empirical research in SCM focuses only on the upstream or downstream side of the supply chain, or certain aspect/perspectives on SCM (Li & Ragu, 2006). Topics such as the role of relationship with suppliers in improving supplier responsiveness (Handfield& Betchel, 2002), and the antecedence and consequences of buyer-supplier relationship (Chen & Pauraj, 2004) have been research on the supplier side.
Studies such as those by Clark and Lee (2000), and Alvarado and Kotzab (2001), focus on the downstream Linkage between manufacturers and retailers. A few recent studies have considered both the upstream and downstream sides of the supply chain simultaneously. Tan (2004) carried out a study that explored the relationship between supplier management practices, customer relationship practices and organizational performance among many others. These studies are representatives of efforts to address the diverse but interesting aspects of SCM practices. However, the lack of integrated framework incorporating all the activities of both the upstream and downstream side of the supply chain and linking such activates to both competitive advantage and organization performance does not help much in coming up with a framework of implementing previous result on SCM. This study aims at coming up with a tested framework identifying the relationship among SCM practices, competitive advantage and organizational performance.
Consequently, most studies on Supply Chain Management practices, organizational competitive advantages and performance were conducted by developed countries of the world, while few of these studies were carried out in developing countries like Nigerian (Adebayo, 2012; Amue & Ozuru, 2014). However, to the best of our knowledge, these studies from Nigeria look at Supply Chain Management in different perspective without recognizing important variable like customer relationship, quality information sharing and internal practices in relating to organizational competitive advantage and performance. Hence, this study tends to fill the gap in knowledge.
1.3 Research Questions
1.    What is the level of involvement in SCM practices?
2.    What is the relationship between SCM practices and competitive advantages?
3.    What is the relationship between SCM practice and organizational performance?
4.     Is the relationship between SCM practices and organizational performance mediated by competitive advantages?
Objectives of the Study
1.    To determine the extent to which Strategic Supply Partnership influences competitive Advantage
2.    To determine the extent to which Customer Relationship influences competitive Advantage
3.    To ascertain the extent to which Levels of Information sharing influences competitive Advantage
4.    To determine the extent to which Quality of Information shared influences competitive Advantage
5.    To ascertain the extent to which Internal Lean Practices influences competitive Advantage
1.5 Research Hypotheses
The hypothesis of the study is guided by:
1.    H1: There is no significant relationship between Strategic Supplier Partnership and competitive advantage in Guinness Nig Plc
2.    H2: There is no significant relationship between Customer Relationship and competitive advantage in Guinness Nig Plc
3.    H3:There is no significant relationship between Level of Information sharing and competitive advantage in Guinness Nig Plc
4.    H4:There is no significant relationship between Quality of Information Shared and competitive advantage in Guinness Nig Plc
5.    H5:There is no significant relationship between Internal Lean Practices and competitive advantage in Guinness Nig Plc
1.6 Scope of the Study
The scope of the study is restricted to supply chain management practices on organizational competitive advantage and performance in manufacturing firms quoted on the floor of Nigeria stock exchange. As a result of the wide spread of manufacturing firms in Nigeria, our emphasis is centered on quoted manufacturing firms like Brewery, Bottling and Agricultural industry in Edo State. It is a field survey and cross sectional time study for the year 2016.
This study specially accesses strategic supplier partnership, customer relationship, level of information sharing, internal lean practices in relation to organizational competitive advantage and performance.
1.7 Significance of the Study
Investigating the practices of supply chain management which have relationship with competitive advantage and organizational performance on these complex and dynamic business world is believed to have the following important to the academicians, researchers, corporate managers, policy makers, and generally for business practitioners, specifically, this study has the following significances:
1.    It helps to better understand the process of SCM practices related with the organization.
2.    Helps to identify bottlenecks, waste problems and improvement opportunities in the supply chain of the organization
3.    Helps to identify which SCM practices is more contributing for success of competitive advantage and organizational performance
4.    To use as a guidance to facilitate a more open and transparent communication and cooperation among supply chain partners of the organization
5.    Contribute to narrow the gap in the literature on generation of the causal relation between SCM practices and organizational performance.
6.    Help future researchers who are willing to conduct study of the topic.
1.8 Limitation of the Study
It is difficult to cover the entire domain of supply chain just in one study. The research simply does not incorporate all the supply chain namely; the suppliers and customers due to time constrain so that it could not be generalized /applied to the complexion of organization. On the other hand construct of SCM are not limited to SCM practices related in these areas. Therefore, it is not representing all constructs that could complain all SCM practices