SAMUEL Kalode Mikel
Department of Marketing, Faculty of Administration and Management
Ignatius Ajuru university of Education Rumuolemeni, Port Harcourt
kalode.samuel@iaue.edu.ng
IKEGWURU Mac-Kingsley
Department of Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Faculty of Administration and Management
Rivers State University Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt
WORDU Benjamin Chinuru
Department of Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Faculty of Administration and Management
Rivers State University Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt
Abstract
This study focused on real time tracking and operational efficiency of bakery firms in Rivers State; specifically, to ascertain the relationship between real time tracking and operational efficiency. A correlational framework research model was formulated to take on board the two (62 hypotheses formulated for the study. The survey research method was adopted for the study on a population comprised of twenty-four (24) bakery firms in Rivers State. General managers, Bakery operations managers and Logistics managers were identified for the study. Subsequently, the simple random sampling technique was adopted to draw each of the identified managers to arrive at three management staff for each company and 96 respondents for the whole sample. A 5-point likert-scale questionnaire was administered to respondents, of which, of the 96 copies of questionnaire distributed to respondents, 69 were returned, resulting in a response rate of 72. However, after data cleaning, 53 returned copies of questionnaire were usable, represent 77% and were used for analysis. The study adopted descriptive statistics and Pearson’s moment correlation analysis to establish that real time tracking was constructive in relating to operational efficiency. The results showed that real time tracking had a very strong, significant and positive relationship with optimal resource utilization and waste minimization. Therefore, the study, concludes that, transportation management systems positively and significantly relate with operational efficiency of bakery firms in Rivers State, and recommends amongst others that, the management of bakery firms should maintain or improve on real time tracking that edifice their business in line with optimal resource utilization and waste minimization as part of strategies for effective operation of their business in the 21st century.
Keywords: real time tracking, operational efficiency.