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Challenges in the Era of Globalization - iaabd

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<strong>Challenges</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Era</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Globalization</strong><br />

Edited by Emmanuel Obuah<br />

viewed as <strong>the</strong> lynchp<strong>in</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>ward-look<strong>in</strong>g economic growth strategy, employment, and <strong>in</strong>ternational trade<br />

competitiveness. Although <strong>the</strong> manufactur<strong>in</strong>g sector can be <strong>the</strong> eng<strong>in</strong>e <strong>of</strong> economic development, it has<br />

not received <strong>the</strong> deserv<strong>in</strong>g attention from supportive government policies.<br />

To compete <strong>in</strong> today’s global marketplace, manufacturers must address alphabet soup <strong>of</strong> supply cha<strong>in</strong><br />

disruption risks affect<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>ir manufactur<strong>in</strong>g operations. The supply cha<strong>in</strong> disruption risks and<br />

vulnerabilities fac<strong>in</strong>g manufacturers <strong>of</strong> all sizes stem from weak <strong>in</strong>frastructure services (e.g., electric<br />

power), lack <strong>of</strong> access to credit, demand uncerta<strong>in</strong>ty, price and exchange rate volatility, lack <strong>of</strong> supply<br />

cha<strong>in</strong> talent, high port charges, difficulties <strong>in</strong> enforc<strong>in</strong>g contractual obligations, costly imported raw<br />

materials, <strong>in</strong>coherent <strong>in</strong>stitutional policies, regulations, high taxes, corruption, among o<strong>the</strong>rs. The electric<br />

power is particularly an important production <strong>in</strong>puts for manufactur<strong>in</strong>g operations. High energy costs<br />

impact every aspect <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> supply cha<strong>in</strong> operations, from source <strong>of</strong> raw material acquisition, through<br />

manufactur<strong>in</strong>g, to f<strong>in</strong>al distribution. The poor energy supply can erode pr<strong>of</strong>its, <strong>in</strong>crease production cost,<br />

dwarf <strong>in</strong>vestment and employment for citizens (http://www.manufactur<strong>in</strong>g.gov/report/identify<strong>in</strong>g.pdf).<br />

Saksson (2009) po<strong>in</strong>ts out that <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustrialized countries are wealthy while <strong>the</strong> develop<strong>in</strong>g countries are<br />

not because <strong>the</strong> former have managed to ensure secure and stable access to energy by build<strong>in</strong>g<br />

<strong>in</strong>frastructure.<br />

Global supply cha<strong>in</strong> disruption is a global issue that keeps C-level executives up at night. Accord<strong>in</strong>g to<br />

Eny<strong>in</strong>da et al (2008), “more than ever global supply cha<strong>in</strong>s are exposed to risks such as regulatory<br />

compliance, exchange rate fluctuation, <strong>in</strong>terest rate, <strong>in</strong>flation rate, tariff or duty rates, price <strong>of</strong> commodity,<br />

availability <strong>of</strong> quality labor, labor union strike, political conditions, terrorism, natural disasters, and<br />

supply cha<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>frastructure.” Supply cha<strong>in</strong>s are exposed to <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g disruption risks because <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

global, complex, and convoluted nature. Disruption entails any unplanned delay or stoppage <strong>of</strong> raw<br />

materials and physical product, <strong>in</strong>formation, and f<strong>in</strong>ancial flows with<strong>in</strong> and across <strong>the</strong> supply cha<strong>in</strong>.<br />

Gallagher (n. d) def<strong>in</strong>es supply cha<strong>in</strong> risk as a complex equation <strong>of</strong> risks that a manufactur<strong>in</strong>g firm faces<br />

between raw material extraction and f<strong>in</strong>al product delivery. Indeed, today’s global manufactur<strong>in</strong>g supply<br />

cha<strong>in</strong>s are <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g encounter<strong>in</strong>g disruption risks. The Nigerian manufactur<strong>in</strong>g firms as members <strong>of</strong> that<br />

global supply cha<strong>in</strong>s are not immune from disruption risks. Because <strong>the</strong> Nigerian manufactur<strong>in</strong>g firms are<br />

not immune from today’s global supply disruption risks many <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m have collapsed, while o<strong>the</strong>rs have<br />

or are plann<strong>in</strong>g to Ghana. The recent tw<strong>in</strong> disasters (earthquake cum tsunamis) <strong>in</strong> Japan produced huge<br />

supply cha<strong>in</strong> disruptions that impacted <strong>the</strong> electronic and automobiles manufacturers around <strong>the</strong> world.<br />

The disasters disrupted power supply, production facilities, and transportation networks imperative for<br />

global manufactur<strong>in</strong>g supply cha<strong>in</strong> operations.<br />

The objectives <strong>of</strong> this paper are as follows. Section 2 provides a background on Nigerian manufactur<strong>in</strong>g<br />

sector. Section 3 presents <strong>the</strong> research motivation. Section 4 exam<strong>in</strong>es and identifies <strong>the</strong> sources <strong>of</strong> supply<br />

cha<strong>in</strong> disruptions <strong>in</strong> manufactur<strong>in</strong>g operations. Section 5 presents <strong>the</strong> consequences <strong>of</strong> supply cha<strong>in</strong><br />

disruption risks. Section 6 discusses <strong>the</strong> strategies to mitigate and supply cha<strong>in</strong> disruption risks. F<strong>in</strong>ally,<br />

section 7 provides <strong>the</strong> conclusion, managerial and policy implications.<br />

Background on Nigerian manufactur<strong>in</strong>g sector<br />

The Manufacturers Association <strong>of</strong> Nigeria (MAN) estimated that 10% <strong>of</strong> all manufactur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>dustries are<br />

operat<strong>in</strong>g at a susta<strong>in</strong>able level, 60% are ail<strong>in</strong>g and 30% have simply closed down <strong>the</strong>ir operations.<br />

MAN’s survey <strong>of</strong> 300 manufacturers <strong>in</strong>dicated that 2.7 million people <strong>in</strong> 2001 and 2.84 million people <strong>in</strong><br />

2002 were employed by <strong>the</strong> manufactur<strong>in</strong>g sector. However, <strong>in</strong> 2008, employment decl<strong>in</strong>e to 1.03 million<br />

people due to grow<strong>in</strong>g challenges fac<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Nigerian manufactur<strong>in</strong>g sector<br />

(http://allafrica.com/stories/201102170658.html). Estimate has it that about 820 manufactur<strong>in</strong>g firms shut<br />

565

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