Factors Affecting Supply Chain Collaboration in Government Ministries in Kenya

Abstract

This study sought to establish the factors affecting supply chain collaborations in the public sector in Kenya and how the government and its citizen stands to gain if the said factors were dealt with. The objectives of the study were to determine the level of supply chain collaboration in the government ministries in Kenya and to establish the factors affecting supply chain collaborations in the government ministries in Kenya. The research problem was studied through the use of a descriptive research design. Target population in this study was all the eighteen (18) government Ministries in Kenya. Since the population is relatively small, the researcher used census in all the ministries. The personnel involved in supply chain management in those institutions, finance managers and the administrators who plays a key role in policy making and resource allocation and utilization. The study utilized questionnaires administered by drop and pick later method. Data collected was purely quantitative and it was analyzed by descriptive analysis. Descriptive statistical tools such as Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and MS Excel helped the researcher to describe the data and determine the extent used. This included frequency distributions, tables, figures, percentages, means and standard deviations. Further data coded was extracted using factor analysis method. The study found that there is collaboration between the Ministries and with various stakeholders in the supply chain. The study concludes that supply chain collaboration enhances supply chain management in the government ministries hence creating a competitive advantage through sharing information, making joint decision, inter-organizational relationship. The factors affecting supply chain collaboration in the Kenya Government Ministries include legal framework, quality of personnel, compliance with SCM Policies, information technology and stakeholders involvement. The study recommends that supply chain collaborative efforts should reach across the entire supply chain to help streamline essential processes such as product development and pricing, as well as reduce costs and improve responsiveness to customer demand. There is need for the supply chain actors to collaborate especially in the provision of transport and distribution. The study recommends that there is need for adoption of improved technology so as to ensure efficiency in information flow. The study recommends further research to address the how issue of supply chain collaborations in Kenya. The understanding of supply chain collaborations and supply chain performance in the government ministries can be extended to other public corporations in Kenya and the world to add value to the literature.