Unisa online - SBL scoops eight awards at conference

Back, from left: Ms C Peterson (SBL Deputy-Director: Marketing and Communication), Mr T Ramasike, Deputy Chairperson of the SBL Board, Norma T. G Sali (MBL graduate, DTI), Sibongile P Ngidi (MBL graduate, Eskom), Nokwazi Kunene (current MBL3 student researching in supply chain management, Transnet Ports Authority), O Ncube (SBL, Supply Chain Management Senior Lecturer), Daisy D Chipiro (MBL graduate, Commercial Bank of Zimbabwe), Mr Z Kone (SBL, Internationalisation Manager), Prof VA Clapper (SBL Executive Director & CEO). Front, from left: Happson Tshuma (MBL graduate, 2011, Cummins Emission Solutions), Tinyiko Maswanganyi (current MBL3 student researching in supply chain management, Kombani Consulting), Collin Moopanar (MBL graduate, Transnet). Missing from picture: Shakira Gandhi (MBL graduate, Mondi Group - was in the UK on business during the conference, award received by a member of the Mondi Group)

The Unisa Graduate School of Business Leadership (SBL) and the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Southern Africa (CIPS SA) have established a strategic partnership to further develop academic career paths with tertiary level qualifications for CIPS SA members. The academic business partnership operates such that CIPS SA members will directly benefit from Unisa SBL’s internationally recognised master’s programmes. The SBL’s flagship, the Master of Business Leadership (MBL) and the Master of Business Administration (MBA) programmes will extend their research subjects to include Procurement and Supply Management.

As a valued stakeholder of CIPS, the SBL is invited to their annual Pan-African Conference and this year was no different. The conference was attended by academics and SBL sponsored two MBL III students, specialising in Supply Chain Management (SCM) to attend the conference entitled “Risky Business. How integrated supply chains embrace change and diagnose risk”. During the conference local and international speakers addressed the issues facing modern supply chains and how to strategise around these issues.

At the Annual Procurement Awards Dinner, outstanding projects, people and overall excellence in the profession were celebrated. This year, a new addition to the award categories, namely the recognition of top students in SCM-related studies was introduced. Eight of the eleven students who received awards in this category, were SBL students.  For the SBL, this is a reiteration of the aim of the partnership with CIPS to offer an SCM programme that is aligned with the South- and Southern African private and public sector SCM and to adhere to international standards and best practices. 

The following SBL students were recognised for their research:

• Efaishe Nghiidipaa:  Professionalising Procurement: the case study of Namibia
• Happson Tshuma: Strategies for green procurement: An analysis of risks and opportunities for South Africa firms
• Collin Moopanar: Developing a human capital scorecard for lean implementation within an engineering environment: the case of Transnet Coach Business Unit
• Shakira Gandhi: A comparative study of the effective use of ERP’s and e-procurement across the procure to pay cycle within selected divisional units of a listed international manufacturing organisation
• Dereje Asfaw Woldemichael: The impact of supply chain management practices on the organisational performance of basic metal and engineering industries in Ethiopia
• Jacek Tomasz Tomkow: Alignment of Operations and Supply Chain Design with Corporate Strategy
• Pretty Sibongile Ngidi: Service Delivery in Low-Cost Housing in South Africa’s Gauteng Province: A Supply Chain Management Perspective
• Norma Talitha Gerlie Sali: The Impact of Supply Chain Management on Service Delivery at a State Organisation

The outstanding achievement of the students has proven that the SBL is committed to fulfil the mission of CIPS to promote, represent and explain the business discipline and good practice of purchasing and supply management as well as assist all organisations in developing their capability in purchasing and supply management with the right strategies, processes, people and leadership.