5.2 Study findings and recommendations
5.2.3 Theme 3: The significance of organizing, staffing, and directing
The third theme identified from the empirical data was the participant’s perspectives regarding the significance of organizing, staffing, and directing in improving performance of SCM in the DPW-PMB. Under this theme, the following sub-themes were identified:
5.2.3.1 The significance of directing in attaining goals of SCM Role of directing
The study revealed that senior staff participants were most advantageous regarding their understanding of the role of directing in attaining goals of SCM. Directing entailed ensuring continuous SCM decisions making expressed as general orders. The senior staff displayed thorough knowledge of how SCM direction is achieve in the DPW-PMB precisely because directing is their main function and responsibility.
Directing in SCM
The study revealed that problems related to efficient implementation of SCM are also associated with the lack of understanding of the significance of directing in attaining goals of SCM. There were challenges from junior staff regarding how directing in SCM was achieved in the DPW- PMB since most of them are not in a management position. There is constant poor policy
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implementation and operational flaws in institutional SCM oversight. SCM system is characterized by continuous low level of compliance with the SCM legal framework by accounting officers and authorities in the DPW.
There is contrast and difference in findings and reviewed literature citing that much attention should be placed to efficiency regarding the use of public funds. There is a great need for the development and implementation of practices and mechanisms for ensuring proficient implementation of SCM. The SCM framework suggests numerous possible components that must receive managerial attention when managing supply chain relationships.
5.2.3.2 The benefits of organising in enhancing effectiveness of SCM
The study revealed that organising, as one of the principles of organisational theory was well understood by participants. Planning and organising are two sides of the same coin, thus management must ensure the creation and development of proper plans and processes to enable achievement of desired goals of the DPW. The problems related to poor implementation of SCM in DPW were as the result of poor administration of the government supply chain that increases numerous research questions that mandate solutions.
The findings in this study sub-theme were to a certain extent contrasting with reviewed literature for a reason that numerous government bodies are quiet facing challenges regarding improper preparation and connecting petition to the budget. The participants had more understanding of the term organising since participants mentioned that organising ensured order in terms of streamlines the procurement processes of the DPW. There is a general lack of organising regarding creation and development of proper organogram that outlines the manner in which certain tasks are organized including segregation of duties.
5.2.3.3 Initiatives in place for increasing the level of understanding of SCM by staff Some participants to the study did not view quarterly SCM forums as one of the initiatives for capacitating their understanding for SCM. The findings showed that SCM forums are just a tick in the box for managers to time constrains. The SCM forums did not benefit them for the fact only assistant directors, deputy directors and directors are invited to attend. SCM forums were viewed as a waste of time since most of the resolutions arrived at in such forums were not implemented.
The exclusion of junior staff members from such SCM forums creates a communication gap between management and their sub-ordinates since they feel that decisions taken from SCM
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forums do not affect them because they are not part of the forum, which might constitute a weakness in SCM of the DPW-PMB. The training sessions and mentorship programs were utilized as a tool for enhancing skills of SCM officials. However, the study showed that perceptions of officials regarding training were to some extent distinction since participant pointed out that SCM training sessions are irrelevant and fail to address real issues regarding existing SCM challenges in the DPW-PMB.
There is also the lack of capacity and knowledge to handle procurement processes that contributes to bad governance. SCM policy workshops were seen as means for capacitating policy gaps and addressing SCM policy challenges to all officials within the SCM unit in the DPW in order to enhance good governance. The deficiencies regarding proper execution of SCM continue to be a challenge even though numerous public sector SCM role-players
‘trained’ and ‘work-shopped’ regarding efficient application of rules and procedure to achieve proper SCM system. The research findings thus tend to agree with literature citing that there are weaknesses in SCM.
5.2.3.4 Factors impeding efficient execution of SCM
The fieldwork data contradicts with literature which cited that non-compliance to SCM policy was due to lack of skills, capacity and knowledge of the workforce to be able to fully implement SCM across various spheres of government. The qualitative data is to some degree comparable to reviewed literature since it cited lack of SCM performance management compromises risk identification and management of SCM challenges such as ‘fraud and corruption’, efficient execution of SCM is also hampered by management mal-practices within public institutions.
The problems in the likes of skills shortage emanates from the lack of capability to making training and work shopping to be consider vibrant for fruitful application of SCM. There is a similarity and consistency in findings, for relevant literature shows that ‘political governance’
and ‘public administration’ continue to create problems regarding proper execution of public sector SCM by adding intricacy to current complications for co-ordinating and networking between private sector and the public sector.
There is an abuse of the SCM process since officials are constantly not adhering to the code of conduct for SCM and standard operating procedures by not utilising a competitive process of bidding, obtaining quotations and inappropriate application of the preference point system. The
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challenges related ‘ethics and conflict of interest’ had negative effects on execution of SCM and failure by officials to apply the principles of organisational theory.
The lack of expertise by bid committee members. It also showed the lack of planning and coordination by various components. Another challenge that impede efficient execution of SCM was the delays in the finalisation of the IPIP’s by client departments negates planning and co-ordination. The formation of the KZN tribunal to hear appeals encourages tenderers to lodge frivolous appeals and then withdraw same causing insurmountable delays as a great challenge.
The similarity and consistency in findings and relevant literature citing that ‘political governance’ and ‘public administration’ continue to create problems regarding proper execution of public sector SCM. Factors impeding efficient execution of SCM in the DPW- PMB are common challenges for other public sector institutions in South Africa.