Developing integrated framework to measure performance of green supply chain management

Procurement process risk and performance: empirical evidence from manufacturing firms

Purpose

This paper employs the positivism paradigm, quantitative approach and explanatory research design. It analyses primary data obtained from manufacturing firms via structured questionnaires and uses the partial least square-structural equation modelling technique to establish the effect of individual procurement process risk on procurement performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Procurement risks are inevitable in manufacturing procurement process; a situation that could undermine the performance of manufacturing firms if not properly managed. Yet, with procurement accounting of about 14–19% of developing countries gross domestic product, the effects of procurement process risk on performance remain scarce in manufacturing firms in developing countries. Therefore, the paper aims to investigate the effect of procurement process risk on procurement performance of manufacturing firms.

Findings

In this paper, five out of the six procurement process risks studied were found to be undermining procurement performance of manufacturing firms significantly. However, the risk threshold effect on the performance differs.

Research limitations/implications

Although this research is geographically/sector bias, several insightful managerial implications can be drawn to manage procurement process risk in manufacturing settings irrespective of the area of operation. The results of this research imply that manufacturing firms' procurement process is risk prone and the effect of risk surrounding each procurement process on procurement performance differs. Hence, the need to identify and analyse the risks surrounding each procurement process before making managerial decision to spend firms limited resources in response to the individual risk to improve procurement performance in the manufacturing sector.

Originality/value

This paper is the first to provide existing and future procuring practitioners/firms with in-depth empirical evidence of the effect of the procurement process risks on procurement performance in manufacturing firms operating in developing economies.

Analyzing barriers and strategies for implementing Lean Six Sigma in the context of Indian SMEs

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the barriers for implementing Lean Six Sigma (LSS) in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and present a framework that provides prioritized strategies to overcome the barriers.

Design/methodology/approach

The barriers and strategies are identified via a comprehensive literature review and validated by industry experts. The study uses the fuzzy Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (fuzzy TOPSIS) to analyze the barriers and strategies for determining the prioritized list of strategies.

Findings

The findings reveal that there are sixteen barriers to LSS implementation in Indian SMEs. To overcome these barriers, this study reveals twelve strategies. The analysis shows that “effective management” is the most crucial strategy to overcome the barriers for implementing LSS in Indian SMEs.

Research limitations/implications

This research guides SMEs practitioners to efficiently and effectively implement LSS, which, in turn, can enhance the performance of SMEs.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature by integrating the strategies with the barriers for implementing LSS in Indian SMEs. Besides, this study provides the prioritized list of strategies to overcome the barriers for implementing LSS in Indian SMEs.