Sustainability and performance of the South African mining industry in supply chain management post Covid-19

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted global supply chains, disrupted operations, and caused delays across various industries. The mining industry in South Africa was not immune to some of these problems. Gradually, restrictions eased, businesses reopened, and supply chain performance slowly improved. However, the pandemic has highlighted the importance of building resilience in supply chains to prepare for future disruptions. Mining firms in South Africa should re-evaluate their supply chain strategies, looking to diversify suppliers, shorten lead times, and increase transparency to mitigate risks. Moreover, adopting advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, Blockchain, and the Internet of Things should assist firms in managing their supply chains better, improving visibility, and enhancing overall performance. This study examined the post-COVID-19 supply chain management performance in the mining industry. This was quantitative research, and the population of the study was 319 and 175 respondents across five mining companies in South Africa. The study developed and empirically tested hypotheses to determine the influence of supply chain network design, information systems, organizational structure, and supply chain strategy on supply chain finance and performance. The research suggests that mining firms in South Africa must radically improve their supply chain design, organization structure, and strategy and deploy information systems such as blockchain, machine learning, AI, and ERP to enhance industry performance. The current supply chain challenges in the industry require building capabilities and sharing resources among firms to alleviate the cost and other problems in logistics. The study contributes to the body of knowledge in supply chain management and offers a proposition to management on how to resolve the bottleneck in industry support to improve industry performance