IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/adi/ijbess/v7y2025i3p290-312.html

Assessing the benefits and challenges of inventory management practices and systems in the South African automotive sector

Author

Listed:
  • Donna Tsakani Makhubele

    (Vaal University of Technology)

  • Chengedzai Mafini

    (Vaal University of Technology)

  • Douglas Zvinowanda

    (Vaal University of Technology)

Abstract

The study assesses the benefits and challenges of inventory management practices and systems in the South African automotive industry. The study used a qualitative approach in which focus groups and semi-structured interviews were conducted on 18 supply chain professionals drawn from the automotive sector in four provinces in South Africa. ATLAS.ti software was used to analyse data. The study generated two themes: the benefits and challenges of inventory management practices and systems. This study concludes that inventory management practices play a critical role within companies in the South African automotive sector since managing inventory is an indispensable part of the more extensive supply chain management (SCM) practice. Regarding inventory management challenges, SCM professionals find it difficult to retain the resilience required to adapt and react to any disruptive circumstances due to inadequate support from the South African government. Also, it appeared difficult to deal with this challenge as some companies within the South African automotive sector have limited resources, making it extremely difficult to deal with uncertainties when they arise. Key Words:Benefits, challenges, inventory management practices and systems, South African, automotive sector

Suggested Citation

  • Donna Tsakani Makhubele & Chengedzai Mafini & Douglas Zvinowanda, 2025. "Assessing the benefits and challenges of inventory management practices and systems in the South African automotive sector," International Journal of Business Ecosystem & Strategy (2687-2293), Bussecon International Academy, vol. 7(3), pages 290-312, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:adi:ijbess:v:7:y:2025:i:3:p:290-312
    DOI: 10.36096/ijbes.v7i3.835
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.bussecon.com/ojs/index.php/ijbes/article/view/835/491
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://doi.org/10.36096/ijbes.v7i3.835
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.36096/ijbes.v7i3.835?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bara Kim & Jeongsim Kim & Sungji Lee, 2023. "Joint pricing and inventory control for a production–inventory queueing system," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 331(2), pages 787-805, December.
    2. Jasmina Žic & Samir Žic & Goran Đukić & Svetlana Dabić-Miletić, 2024. "Exploring Green Inventory Management through Periodic Review Inventory Systems—A Comprehensive Literature Review and Directions for Future Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-17, June.
    3. Laura A. Orobia & Joweria Nakibuuka & Juma Bananuka & Richard Akisimire, 2020. "Inventory management, managerial competence and financial performance of small businesses," Journal of Accounting in Emerging Economies, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 10(3), pages 379-398, May.
    4. Padang Wicaksono & Yulial Hikmah & Rayinda Nur Ilmiawani, 2023. "Productivity and Global Value Chains: A Tale from the Indonesian Automobile Sector," Economies, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-12, October.
    5. Aihie Osarenkhoe & Daniella Fjellström & Tove Gioeli & Anna Backer-Meurke, 2024. "Conceptual Framework for Unlocking Customer Satisfaction Drivers in Digital Vendor-Managed Inventory Systems," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-29, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jane Anne B.Gaborno & Jill Grace G.Ernal & Ma. Stephanie Rose L. Gange & Jan Grace P. Mucho & Kissy G. Cariaga & Daisy B. Ibieza & Lovely Joy J. Egael & Ronald G. Gentapanan, 2025. "Micro-Business Owners’ Inventory Management Practices," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 9(9), pages 4550-4559, September.
    2. Daniela Favaretto & Alessandro Marin & Marco Tolotti, 2023. "A theoretical validation of the DDMRP reorder policy," Computational Management Science, Springer, vol. 20(1), pages 1-28, December.
    3. Jean-Marie Mbuya & Natanya Meyer & Vivence Kalitanyi, 2025. "The nexus between small and medium enterprises critical success factors and financial performance: evidence from Southern and Central African countries," Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 14(1), pages 1-21, December.
    4. Yu Zhang & Ruopeng Wang & Jinting Wang & Xiangbin Yan, 2025. "Subsidize or charge? Optimal pricing in a two-stage sales system facing network effects and customer strategic behavior," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 351(3), pages 2059-2093, August.
    5. Elena Mieszajkina, 2021. "The Impact of Managers' Competences upon the Performance of Small Enterprises," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(Special 1), pages 730-740.
    6. Arnita Rishanty & M. Cahyaningtyas & Rudy Marhastari & Rizki Fitrama & Retno Puspita K. Wicaksono & Rivky Rasyid, 2024. "Connecting The Dots: The Source Of Sustainable Economic Growth Through The Integration Of Smes In Industry’S Supply Chain," Working Papers WP/05/2024, Bank Indonesia.
    7. Elbaar, Evi Feronika & Masliani, 2024. "Renewable Energy Intentions in Indonesian Agriproduct Purchasing: Exploring Product Quality, Customer Orientation, Perceived Environmental Knowledge, and Farmers’ Knowledge with a Moderation Effect," AGRIS on-line Papers in Economics and Informatics, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Faculty of Economics and Management, vol. 16(4), December.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:adi:ijbess:v:7:y:2025:i:3:p:290-312. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Umit Hacioglu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/ibihutr.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.