Competing with Marketing Channels and Logistics in Africa's Booming Markets: An Investigation of Emerging Supply Chain Management Practices in Ghana

Abstract

Using Ghana as the African context for testing the applicability of supply chain management, this study reveals that firms there place less emphasis on logistics and channels management practices relative to product and pricing marketing mix elements. However, this situation is changing in response to the perceived positive impact of the regulatory and technological environment on market-share competitive performance. Those firms that emphasize integration of both logistics and channels management practices exhibited the strongest competitive market-share and financial performance; firms whose practices placed moderate emphasis on both logistics and channels management integration reported moderate levels of market-share and financial performance. These results suggest that firms in Ghana compete along a continuum of supply chain integration primarily on the basis of the increasingly market-oriented business environment.

Crowd Logistics’ Impact on Environmental Sustainability in a Developing Economy: An Analysis in Ghana

“…In order to achieve this, a travel demand management system needs to be set up in order to contain the potential increasing number of cars (Armah et al, 2010). Firms in African markets are increasingly gaining access to new information technology including the Internet and mobile technology (Dadzie et al, 2015). The practice of the concept of crowd logistics indirectly existed in Ghana as one out of ten of passengers and drivers has willingly delivered goods/parcels to someone at their destination.…”

“…There were no related relevant research papers found after a thorough review of the term "crowd logistics in Ghana". One competitive strategy that holds promise for Africa's emerging markets, but has received relatively no systematic empirical investigation, is integration of the supply chain itself with marketing channels and logistics management practices (Dadzie et al, 2015). Failure to understand logistics as a distinct strategic function within the Ghanaian Freight system is a big challenge to the growth of the system (Ansah et al, 2020).…”

Physical distribution challenges and adaptations: A qualitative study of South Africa-based organisations operating in emerging African markets

“…In the Nigerian market, Shoprite, another South African retailer, has seen significant growth, mainly through substantial investments in infrastructure. Most emerging markets are characterised by weak infrastructure, insufficient custom procedures and the dominance of informal markets (Dadzie, Winston & Hinson 2015;Hirschinger et al 2015;Shacklett 2014). Therefore, success in these emerging markets requires organisations to develop distribution strategies that are compatible with the contextual challenges in these markets (Craighead et al 2017;Dadzie et al 2015;Hirschinger et al 2015).…”

“…Most emerging markets are characterised by weak infrastructure, insufficient custom procedures and the dominance of informal markets (Dadzie, Winston & Hinson 2015;Hirschinger et al 2015;Shacklett 2014). Therefore, success in these emerging markets requires organisations to develop distribution strategies that are compatible with the contextual challenges in these markets (Craighead et al 2017;Dadzie et al 2015;Hirschinger et al 2015). Emerging markets often require organisations to restructure their product and distribution strategies (Fawcett & Waller 2015;Rivera-Santos et al 2015).…”

Perspectives on Macromarketing in the African Context: Introduction to the Special Issue

“…Macromarketing scholars embraced the challenge to improve marketing systems through micro and small enterprises. Research efforts have focused on improving the marketing practices of firms in Africa, in general (Akaah and Dadzie 1996; Kuada 2014), micro-entrepreneurs in Ghana (Dadzie 2015; Blankson et al 2018; Dadzie, Winston and Hinson 2015), the adoption of innovative farm practices in pineapple marketing systems in Benin (Hounhouigan et al 2014) and institutional arrangements for integrating shea nut butter producers in Benin with global market places (Adekambi, Ingenbleek and van Trijip 2018). The third and final perspective of marketing systems in the African context is the subsistence market places dialogue (Chikweche 2015; Davies and Torrents; Viswanathan et al 2012).…”