Supply Chain Food Quality in the Australian Beef Processing Industry - Article Example

Critical Analysis Professor (Tutor) The Name of the School (University) The City and State Date Critical Analysis Today’s supply chain management practices require increased collaboration and relationship with partners to ensure success and positive working relations (Mena, Humphiries & Wilding 2009, p. 762). Numerous factors must be considered in terms of ensuring successful supply chains where partners can benefit effectively including the consumers. The following paper aims at analyzing Ming Juan Ding, Ferry Jie, Kevin A Parton, and Margaret Matanda’s article titled ‘Relationships between quality of information sharing and supply chain food quality in the Australian beef processing industry’. The article by Ding, et al. (2014, p. 85) offers a significant implication for supply chains management specifically in the food industry. Ding, et al., (2014, p. 85) seek to evaluate supply chain practices, and the supply food chain quality performance illustrations in the Australian beef processing trade. It focuses on investigating the importance of different supply chain practices affect the food quality in the food chain system. These supply chain practices include information sharing, strategic alliance, customer focus, information quality, trust and commitment, and cooperative behavior. By investigating these practices, the article can significantly contribute to the current knowledge and professional practices in the food supply chain. Nonetheless, a critical review of the article in terms of its methods, findings, discussions, and conclusions as arguments can offer increased understanding on the different supply chain practices in supply chain. Ding, et al., (2014, p. 85) begin the article by briefly introducing the Australian meat processing industry through a quick literature review of the main facts. The Australian beef industry is explored in terms of production averages, number of employees working in the industry. The authors focus on the determinants of the industry production levels such as climate factors and the demand for meat as well as supply in livestock. These are important aspects of the industry that help illustrate the different relationships in the industry in terms of supply chains. One of the main points illustrated in the introduction covers the vertical integration of the Australian beef supply chain with processors and producers dealing in feedlot, farming, processing, retailing, and wholesaling of beef meat. There is a strong relationship that identifies about five beef producers who account for 45% of the meat produced in Australia. Again, Ding, et al., (2014, p. 87) offer a well-illustrated overview of the Australian meat supply chain from the farm to the customer. Through this introduction, the authors focus on developing a hypothesis that is created from literature review. The literature review offers increased insights into the topic under discussion. As identified, some of the article used offers significant arguments while other seem to offer little significance to the topic under discussion. Based on the idea of a food chain and measuring the effects of supply chain practices on food quality or performance tends to conflict with literature not derived from the food supply chains. Nonetheless, the literature enables the authors to develop a hypothesis. A major weakness of the literature review covers the use of what can be termed as outdated or old article or evidence. This is specifically in explaining lean systems that are mostly focused on manufacturing systems. The author cites Burgess, (1998, p. 66) and Handfield and Nichols, (1999, p. 122) in indicating that leanness systems involve driving out unwanted costs and wastes in the supply chain. This does not offer a conclusive or compelling understanding of the lean system that has evolved over the past few decades to include issues such as sustainability (Rong, Akkerman & Grunow 2011, p. 446). The lack of focus on such issues in the today’ supply chain represents a significant weakness in this article. Another major weakness is the lack of identifying sharing of resources in strategic alliances (Prajogo & Olhager 2012, p. 546). Current supply chain systems even in the food industry are focusing on strategic alliances that involve sharing resources that are not limited to knowledge and information, but also incentives and recognition (Rong, Akkerman & Grunow 2011, p. 449). Performance evaluations are also a key concept in the current supply chain. Organizations are offering benchmarks to their suppliers in a bid to enhance their compliance with required industry regulations especially on sustainability. Even in the food industry, an organization such as Woolworths South Africa provides performance evaluation tools that suppliers can use to measure their improvement or areas of concern. These are some of the upcoming supply chain practices that have increasingly enabled business develop effective supply chains. Moving on, the article develops a hypothesis that seeks to investigate whether a causal relationship exists between supply chain practices and food quality. The methodology applied involves a conceptual or theoretical approach that considers three elements as the main causal practices including information quality and sharing, customer focus, strategic alliance, and lean system (Ding, et al. 2014, p. 95). Using a survey, the study collected data that was used in the research and analysis. One of the weaknesses of the survey used was the presence of only close-ended questions that only allowed the participants to respond to a specific extent such as strongly agree, agree, or disagree. Moreover, then response rate of the mailed questionnaires was poor. Out of 600 questionnaires only 162 were returned out of which 22 were unusable (Ding, et al. 2014, p. 96). This illustrates a low response rate of about 23%, which may not be that weak, but still does not offer a strong sample for analysis. However, the authors were able to apply strong statistical analysis methods and tests. Each variable in the study was subjected to numerous measures and analyses to arrive to the appropriate results. This allows increased development of reliable and valid results. Ding, et al., (2014) research concludes that three independent variables of supply chain practices have relevant effects on food quality. These supply chain practices include information quality, strategic alliance, as well as trust and commitment. This does not deviate of offer increased significance based on what previous research has offered. Strategic alliance offers increased positive effects in the supply chain across all industries. This includes in terms of sharing resources, communication, and developing strategic relationships through leadership. Nonetheless, the article fails to consider the drivers of strategic alliances such as leadership that forms the core of such partnerships (Min & Mentzer 2004, p. 72). Moreover, information sharing and quality are also key determinants of effective supply chain systems. It is also clear that information quality and sharing id determined by how well partners in the supply chain develop strategic alliances. Questioning or investigating such issues is more likely to offer fresh and significant insights into how supply chain practices affect its performance. When it comes to commitment and trust, this area is understudied based on the lack of explanation as to how managers are able to recognize commitment and trust in the supply chain. Ding, et al., (2014) indication that strategic alliances have driven increased competitive advantages in the Australian meat industry. This is supported by the vertical integration of supply chains that allows larger player to regulate their suppliers in terms of food quality. Furthermore, the article also supports the use of information quality to impact food quality through the use of information infrastructure and innovative technologies. Such technologies include and infrastructure includes the Video Image Analysis Scan and the AUS-MEAT information System. The implications of the research point to helping Australian meat processors compete more effectively in the international market. Ding, et al., (2014) indicate that Australian meat processors face increased competitive disadvantages in the international market based on reduced application of appropriate supply chain practices. The research conclusion in terms of strategic alliances, information quality, and trust as well as commitment can effectively increase the meat supply chain economies of scale. Based on these implications, the article offers increased insight for the Australian mean processing industry. Nonetheless, the implications are limited to the food industry as the findings are derived from the food industry. Nonetheless, the article may be used to support similar practices in supply chain management in diverse industries other than the food industry. In conclusion, the article is well structured with clear and concise explanations on each section. It begins with a significant introduction that identifies the aim of the article, its methods, analysis, findings, and implication in practice. This offers the reader a clear flow of the article. Moreover, sections are well developed with clear topics and explanations. The authors even take the step of summarizing key evidence on supply chain practices from literature is easily understandable tables. The article also uses formal and non-verbose language that is easily readable to a diverse group of readers. With the focus on the Australian meat industry, the article is both thought provoking and instructive. Businesses in the food industry can draw increased solutions and practices in managing their supply chains. Nonetheless, a wider view of the drivers behind supply chain practices would help businesses acquire practical implications in supply chain management and performance. Overall, the article is well developed, but fails to offer a significant finding to what has already been research in the area of supply chain practices. References Burgess, R 1998, “Avoiding supply chain management failure: lessons from business process re-engineering”, International Journal of Logistics Management, vol. 9 No. 1, pp. 15-23. Ding, M J, Jie, F, Parton, KA & Matanda, M J 2014, Relationships between quality of information sharing and supply chain food quality in the Australian beef processing industry. The International Journal of Logistics Management, vol. 25 no.1, pp. 85-108. Handfield, R.B. & Nichols, E.L. Jr 1999, Introduction to Supply Chain Management, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River. Holmberg, S 2000, “A systems perspective on supply chain measurements”, International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management, vol. 30 No. 10, pp. 847-868. Mena, C, Humphiries, A & Wilding, R 2009, “A comparison of inter- and intra-organizational relationships: two case studies from UK food and drink industry”, International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, vol. 39 No. 9, pp. 762-784. Min, S & Mentzer, J T 2004, “Developing and measuring supply chain concepts”, Journal of Business Logistics, vol. 25 No. 1, pp. 63-99. Prajogo, D & Olhager, J 2012, “Supply chain integration and performance: the effects of long-term relationships, information technology and sharing, and logistics integration”, International Journal of Production Economics, vol. 135 No. 1, pp. 514-522. Rong, A, Akkerman, R & Grunow, M 2011, “An optimization approach for managing fresh food quality throughout the supply chain”, International Journal of Production Economics, vol. 131 No. 1, pp. 421-429. Read More