Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to give a clear picture of the evidence for small and medium enterprises of what the key factors are affecting the performance of supply chain members (SCMs) and their impact. Design/methodology/approach – The authors conducted a survey of small and medium automotive enterprises. After a comprehensive search of the literature on effective factors requirements of supply chain actors (supplier, manufacturer, inventory, distribution, and information flow) 23 factors were identified, and collected data were analysed using SPSS software. Findings – The results show that among the 23 factors, the inventory level is the most significant factor for inventory with the highest percentage (91 per cent). This is followed by productivity to fill the order (88 per cent) and lead time of manufacturing (86 per cent) for manufacturer, and transportation flexibility (84 per cent) for distribution section. Research limitations/implications – Study limitation was that only the companies related to automotive sector were selected, and the number of usable questionnaires was fairly small. Practical implications – The results can help further by introducing a much better perception of effective factors that result in optimizing the practices of supply chain management techniques in order to enhance business performance. The findings also help build a new initiative to be performed by top management when attempting to strengthen partnership and integration among members. Originality/value – This research draws from institutional theory to contribute to the growing body of practical field and conceptual literature on supply chain integration and provides knowledge in assisting small- and medium-sized enterprises to clarify factors that affect SCMs in order to enhance and manage their operational processes.

The interests of various economies in improving and expanding the growth of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have thrived for a few years, particularly in the automotive sector. Although there are several supporting programs, SMEs face a large number of issues in their operation and performance. One of the successful techniques towards achieving collaborative relationships and problem solving in SMEs is through supply chain integration. Many enterprises have realized the benefits of integration among supply chain members. Supply chain management has become an effective strategy for boosting competitiveness. However, there are a few reasons that put off automobile SMEs from completely performing supply chain management. This study combines literature and findings of a questionnaire analysis to urge facts and knowledge regarding the importance of supply chain management and challenges of automotive SMEs in enhancing their collaborative relationships and effectiveness through SCM. In addition, this study observed that top management, work culture and attitudes of staffs and technologies being traded are among the significant impediments to well-integrated relationship between SMEs. Finally, the study concludes that SMEs need to fully adopt SCM to meet potential advantages and control their performance.

Knowledge and education are considered the backbone of every society; they are driving power and energy for any country's progress. Although this is a fact, there are indications of a low level of education in most Arab countries, especially those that exposed to political complications. Recently in our regions, the reluctance of faculty members to give has been observed, and the educational outcomes had deteriorated in recent years as compared to prior generations. This is due to ignoring several crucial factors that affect the educational process- the lecturer and the surrounding environment, which are the cornerstones of increasing educational and research outcomes and quality. Therefore, this paper reviews literature relating to education and scientific research quality demonstrated with analyses of specific initiatives to support quality. The ultimate goal of this research is to develop a list of the pertinent factors and components that affect the standard of higher education and scholarly inquiry in Libyan institutions and universities, as well as viable solutions to these problems.