No abstract

This study explores the significance of integration and flexibility as critical determinants of business performance by examining the connection amongst supply chain integration and flexibility on the one hand and business performance on the other. Using mainly a cross-sectional approach, structured questionnaire was used to collect responses from two hundred and fifty-five employees drawn registered companies in the Kumasi Metropolis and analyzed with the help of Pearson"s correlation and structural equation modeling (SEM). Three elements of supply chain integration (company integration with suppliers, cross functional integration within a company and company integration with customers) and three elements of supply chain flexibility (adaptability, alignment and agility) were subjected to analysis. The results indicate that supply chain integration and supply chain flexibility exhibit significant correlation with firm performance. Supply chain integration and supply chain flexibility have high correlation with "financial performance" followed by "logistic performance" and then "operational performance". Also, the results demonstrate that four supply chain integration surrogates; "production data integration", "going after customers for feedback", "periodic connection with customers" and "real time search of inventory" and two supply chain flexibility proxies specifically "technology" and "supply network strategies" are crucial as they exhibit the most noteworthy influence on firm performance. Results of this study offer remarkable demonstrations of the effects of integration and flexibility in enhancing performance of businesses and greater attention must be paid to those proxies of supply chain integration and flexibility that exhibited the most significant impact on firm"s performance.

To date, literature on e-service quality (E-SQ) has mainly been on conceptualisation and measurement issues within the e-retail environments. Empirical research on E-SQ and its consequences in 'pure' service context has not been forthcoming. In expanding knowledge in light of this, this study examined a modified E-SQ scale within a university's e-services setting. In addition, the linkages existing among E-SQ (in this 'pure' service environment) and satisfaction and e-service usage frequency was estimated using SEM in LISREL 8.5 by relying on questionnaire data collected from three hundred and eighteen students of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (Ghana). Results obtained provide support for a modified 7-dimension E-SQ scale employed. Further, the results indicated that E-SQ only has a significant positive indirect effect on usage frequency through satisfaction. The implication of these results is that firms that provide higher quality of e-services are more likely to satisfy their customers, which would in turn influence their commitment to purchase and re-purchase intent. In the case of the current study, the implication is that, universities with quality e-services would have students finding their e-services to be satisfactory and consequently be consistent in the use of e-services to improve learning and administrative communication. E-services quality therefore has both financial implication for universities in terms of cutting administrative costs, and a ripple effect of students' perception of quality on the image and competitiveness of the university.

Purpose Congestion at Ghana’s main seaports is a problem that has received much attention recently. This is as a result of continuous increase in containerized cargo. To increase the capacity of Ghana’ seaport, the Ministry of Transport through the Ghana Shippers Council initiated the Boankra Inland Port Project. The aim of this paper is to assess the feasibility and economic effects of implementing the Boankra Inland Port as a solution to reduce congestion at the main seaports, as well as reduce transportation cost. Design/methodology/approach The location of the inland port was assessed using the gravitational model. Data for the gravitational model are distances from the main seaports in Ghana and Boankra Inland Port to major hinterland destinations and population of the destinations. Also, 210 respondents were selected and interviewed on contribution of the dry port concept to the economy and transportation management in Ghana. Findings The results of the gravitational model support the location of Boankra as an inland port. A further comparison between Tema and Takoradi shows that Tema has a better location as a distribution center than Takoradi. Practical implications Although Tema and Takoradi are the main seaports in Ghana, the implementation of the Boankra inland port will reduce the transportation cost for cargo with hinterland destinations, therefore making it a rational and cost-efficient location for transit transportation. Originality/value This paper is among the first significant attempts to evaluate the suitability of inland port implementation in Ghana.

Purpose Prior research assumes that customer integration enhances customer value. However, the mechanisms and conditions under which customer integration contributes to customer value are less understood. This study aims to draw insight from the resource-based view (RBV) to conceptualize customer integration as an input resource that triggers product and process innovation capabilities to enhance customer value. The study further draws on the contingent RBV to examine supply chain network complexity (SCNC) conditions under which customer integration contributes to customer value through product and process innovation capabilities. Design/methodology/approach This study’s conceptual framework is tested on primary data from 335 firms in Ghana. PROCESS and ordinary least square regression analyses were used to test the study hypotheses. Additional analyses were conducted using structural equation modeling and two-stage least square regression analysis. Findings This study finds that, beyond the significant direct positive association between customer integration and customer value, product and process innovation capabilities mediate the association between customer integration and customer value. Evidence further shows that the indirect associations between customer integration and customer value through product and process innovations are strengthened when SCNC increases. Originality/value This research validates the presumed relationship between customer integration and customer value and provides theoretical arguments and empirical evidence to demonstrate how process and product innovation capabilities uniquely and in interaction with SCNC transform this relationship.