Abstract:
ABSTRACT
Over the years, firms in the food processing sector have heavily relied on
internal quality management approaches as a measure of quality performance,
but these approaches were limited to the boundaries of the firms. However,
competition among businesses has incrementally shifted from individual
organisations to entire supply chains. Therefore, the adoption of supply chain
quality management which takes a holistic approach to quality management at
the supply chain level of firms. Dwelling on the resource-based theory extended
resource-based theory, and resource-advantage theory, this study examined the
relationship between supply chain quality management practices and the
competitive advantage of food processing firms in Ghana, and how innovation
influenced the relationship. The study employed the explanatory research
design and the quantitative research approach. The census sampling technique
was used to determine the sample size of 206 food processing firms within the
Accra Metropolis. Self-administered structured questionnaires were used for
data collection and the response rate was 166, constituting 80.5% of the sample
size. The SPSS v26 and SmartPLS 3 software were used for data processing to
generate statistical test results, and the partial least square structural equation
modelling was the data analytical technique employed. Results of the study
indicated that all four practices– customer focus, supplier quality, supplier
selection, and supplier involvement– had a significantly positive impact on
competitive advantage of the food processing firms. However, innovation
signified no effect on the relationship. It is recommended that the scope of future
research will be broadened to gain a deeper understanding of the phenomenon
studied. The firms should also explore avenues for innovation.
