Sustaining supply chain management in New Zealand

This paper reports on an exploratory study of supply chain management practices in New Zealand. The results from our survey of New Zealand manufacturers indicate that there has been a significant increase in the general awareness of lean manufacturing, supplier integration and quality improvement strategies. However, practice is still lagging behind. We present these results and discuss challenges that are currently being faced by New Zealand organisations seeking to sustain and improve their supply chain management processes. Certain facets of supply chain management that require special emphasis in the New Zealand scene are discussed and some examples of companies overcoming their supply chain management challenges are presented. Finally, we summarise our conclusions and indicate directions for further research.