dc.description.abstract | Sustainability in the supply chain is steadily avowed among high-level executives as a
keynote in delivering value. A sustainable supply chain annexes value invention prospects
and advances substantial competitive plus for early implementors and process trendsetters.
Firms are progressively welcoming onus to exploit sustainability past their fixed operations
and invent pliable and reliable supply chains to be efficacious in a fast-revolutionizing world.
Cement is a key infrastructure industry. Infrastructural milestones are beheld as pillars of
economic and social development of a state, a country or institutions. This study aimed
establishing SSCMP implementation by cement manufacturing firms in Kenya, to reveal
correlation between SSCMP and competitive advantage among the Kenyan cement
manufacturing firms; and to determine confronts faced by the cement manufacturing firms in
Kenya in the execution of sustainable supply chain practices. This study assumed descriptive
research design. The study embraced a complete enumeration where all the firms in the
industry were investigated. Primary data was collected using questionnaires from the head of
SCM, operations, marketing, human resource and finance in each firm. Analysis of data was
achieved by use of descriptive statistics. Correlation between SSCMP and CA was
established using linear regression. It was established that SSCMP have been adopted by the
cement manufacturing firms in Kenya to a great extent. It was established that the firms have
sustainability policy statements, regarded as a key pillar in their strategy, aligning it to their
core business activities and practiced through their value chain. The study determined that
there stands an explicit and substantial correlation linking SSCMP and speed, flexibility and
dependability as competitive tools by the cement manufacturing firms in Kenya. It was
however determined that the firms hardly compete on the basis of cost and quality owing to
the nature of their products. It was further established that implementation of SSCMP by the
firms has confronted drawbacks to a moderate scale, the most common challenge being stiff
competition in the cement industry in Kenya both internally and externally. The study thus
concludes that by incorporating SSCMP in its operations, a firm will be able to rival on the
grounds of dependability, flexibility, and speed. The study recommends that firms should
also consider using green energy as alternative sources. Attaining the required adequate
response rate within the stipulated study period was a challenge to the study. Further studies
can be conducted on SSCMP and competitiveness in other industries. | en_US |