Background: The supply chain risk management (SCRM) process is aimed at the implementation of strategies that assist in managing both daily and exceptional risks facing the supply chain through continuous risk assessment to reduce vulnerability and ensure continuity.Purpose: The purpose of the study was to determine whether the SCRM process enables supply chain resilience among grocery manufacturers in South Africa. The fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG)-manufacturing industry faces increased risk because of the nature of their products being perishable with a limited shelf life.Method: This study was conducted using a descriptive qualitative research design. Data were collected by means of 12 semi-structured interviews with senior supply chain practitioners within the South African grocery manufacturing industry.Findings: The study found that most firms informally implement SCRM processes of risk identification, assessment, mitigation and monitoring to mitigate disruptions. Furthermore, the findings indicate that the SCRM processes facilitate resilience among grocery manufacturers in South Africa.Conclusion: The managerial implications show that supply chain managers of grocery manufacturers should formalise the SCRM process and develop risk assessment scales to better prioritise risks in order to run a resilient supply chain. The research contributes to the supply chain management field by adding to the scarce literature relating to SCRM as an enabler of supply chain resilience in a South African context.

Orientation: In today’s globalised and complex business environment, firms are ever more vulnerable to supply chain disruptions, originating both internally and externally from the supply chain. Supply chain resilience minimises the impact of a disruption through design approaches, which allows the supply chain to respond appropriately to disruptive events.Research purpose: This article investigated the supply chain risks faced by grocery manufacturers in the South African fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry and explored supply chain design approaches that enable supply chain resilience.Motivation for the study: South African grocery manufacturers are faced with distinct risks. Whilst supply chain risk management studies have provided firms with certain guidelines to mitigate risk, supply chains are still vulnerable to unanticipated risks. Literature on supply chain resilience in the South African context is scant. The concept of supply chain resilience provides firms with strategies that are built into the supply chain that allow firms to react and recover swiftly from disruptions. Furthermore, supply chain resilience strategies assist firms in becoming less vulnerable to possible disruptions.Research design approach and method: This study was conducted by using a descriptive qualitative research design. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with senior supply chain practitioners specifically within the South African FMCG grocery manufacturing industry.Main findings: The study found that labour unrest is the most common risk faced by the industry. Furthermore, strategic stock and supply chain mapping are of the most useful design approaches to enhance supply chain resilience.Practical/managerial implications: The study provides managers with new insights in guiding supply chain design decisions for resilient supply chains. Through the identification of risks and appropriate solutions linked to the various risks, the study allows managers an array of options to choose from when enforcing a resilient supply chain.Contribution/ value-add: The study contributes to the body of knowledge by being one of the first empirical studies conducted on supply chain design approaches for supply chain resilience in the South African context. The study also adds to the scarce literature on supply chain resilience in the FMCG industry, both globally and in a South African context.

Environmental, social and economic concerns experienced over the past few decades have raised the need to address sustainability in supply chains, hence the concept of sustainable supply chain management (SSCM). Supply chains play a crucial role in contributing to sustainability. Focal firms face mounting pressures to ensure that their supply chains are managed for sustainability. The need to manage buyer-supplier relationships with the goal of transforming the supply chain to a more sustainable one is ever more evident. Grounded in social capital theory, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the role of buyer-supplier relationships in navigating a sustainable supply chain. Fourteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with buyers and suppliers of logistics services in the Gauteng province, operating throughout South Africa. The interviews took place in Gauteng but covered the nationwide operations of the firms. Data was analysed using a thematic analysis revealing prominent themes and sub-themes. The main findings indicate that aligning sustainability goals and values should occur prior to or very early on in a relationship. Structural capital in the form of interactions, information sharing and supplier evaluations regarding SSCM were found to be lacking in participant firms. Theoretically, this study extends the application of social capital theory to SSCM. For managers, insights are provided into how goals and objectives regarding sustainability should be aligned with supply chain partners, methods of communication regarding SSCM are explored and potential direction is given on how supply chain relationships can be geared towards SSCM. I CARRIM A AGIGI W NIEMANN K MOCKEThe role of buyer-supplier relationships in enhancing sustainable supply chain management in a logistics services context

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This study aims to provide insights into the prevalent physical distribution challenges that organisations face in emerging markets in Africa. Emphasis is placed on the adaptations organisations make to overcome these challenges. The study focused on multinational organisations operating in the fast-moving consumer goods, third-party logistics and retail industry, mostly from the perspective of the South African division. Method:A generic qualitative research design was employed. Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with middle to senior managers who have knowledge of their organisation's distribution operations in African markets. Results:The findings highlight the existence of prevalent challenges identified in the literature, namely, border congestion, informal markets and weak infrastructure, while providing insight into the sources of these challenges. Furthermore, other challenges, such as warehouse system misalignment, order processing times and variable border legislation are highlighted. Adaptations to these areas are discussed. Conclusion:The study provides further academic understanding of the challenges multinationals are facing and adaptations they are implementing when trading in emerging African markets. Theoretically, the body of knowledge of physical distribution is enhanced by addressing distribution challenges in the African context. Additionally, the study assists organisations to understand how they can possibly adapt their physical distribution operations.