WEJINYA Stella Wada
Department of Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Faculty of Administration and Management, Rivers State University Nkpolu0Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt
HARRY Amieibi-ibama Harcourt
Department of Marketing, Faculty of Administration and Management,
Rivers State University Nkpolu0Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt
Abstract
This study investigated the impact of supplier optimization on competitiveness of downstream oil and gas companies in Nigeria. Anchored on resource dependence theory, the study examined key outcomes of organizational competitiveness – cost savings, organizational responsiveness, and procurement cycle time. This study adopted causal research design with a cross-sectional approach. The population of the study comprised 20 major downstream oil and gas companies operating in Nigeria. All the companies were studied. However, the study is at organizational level therefore, 86 respondents from the 20 companies provided data through a semi-structured questionnaire designed in Likert 5–point scale. Three hypotheses were tested and the results revealed that supplier optimization has positive and significant impact on cost savings, organizational responsiveness, and procurement cycle time. Based on these findings, this study concluded that supplier optimization is a key determinant of competitiveness of downstream oil and gas companies in Nigeria. Therefore, the study recommends that downstream oil and gas companies in Nigeria that seek improved competitiveness should implement supplier optimization practices, including effective supplier selection, performance monitoring, long-term partnerships, and technology integration to enhance cost savings, organizational responsiveness, and procurement efficiency.
Keywords: supplier optimization, organizational competitiveness, cost savings, organizational responsiveness, procurement cycle time.