Problems and Competitive advantages in adapting Supply Chain Management by SMEs in Tanzania

Abstract

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have been contributing much to the economy of the world. Over the years SMEs have been playing an important role in income generation, minimizing centralized economic power, mobilizing idle money and employment opportunities in Tanzania. In order for these SMEs to achieve their objectives, they have been in collaboration with other entities all over the world, The Supply chain, to make goods available to the final consumers. However Supply Chain management in Tanzania for a long time has been managed by individuals with minimum business skills, insufficient initial capital, surrounded by high speed in technological changes and a changing business environment from socialism to free market economy. A particular aim of this paper is to identify supply chain management (SCM) problems and competitive grounds that are available to improve the standard of SCM in Tanzania.

Keywords: Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), supply chain, Supply Chain Management (SCM), competitive advantage.