An Assessment of Supply Chain Flexibility in the Print Industry of Some Selected Printing Presses in Kumasi

Abstract

The capacity to adjust to changes in product mix, production volume, or design and often reaction to environmental uncertainty to meet the demands of the end consumer has been overlooked by many organisations in Ghana. The study sought to empirically; examine supply chain flexibility practices within the print industries in Kumasi, Ghana. Furthermore, it was envisaged that the causes of the industries’ inability to be flexible with supply chain variables were identified and appropriate solutions found to effectively integrate supply chain flexibility. It is hoped that the findings would help the print industries in Kumasi to make informed decisions to improve their businesses and gain competitive advantage. The study employed quantitative approach with multiple cases to examine the supply chain flexibility within the print industries in Kumasi. Primary and secondary data were used for the study. The primary data was sourced through Self-administered questionnaire during the months of May and June, 2013. The questionnaire was sent to sixty (60) small and medium-sized print industries in Kumasi within three clusters in Kumasi. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the quantitative data with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and Microsoft Excel 2007 Software.  The study revealed that the Sourcing and product flexibility were relatively low whilst delivery flexibility was comparatively high. Finally, the management of the print industries, particularly those in Kumasi should give serious attention to supply chain flexibility by putting measures in place to address the problems of low sourcing and product flexibility and also improve the standard of delivery flexibility.

Keywords: Flexibility, Supply Chain Flexibility, Print Industry, Kumasi, Ghana,