Warehousing management practices and supply chain performance of agricultural firms listed in Nairobi securities exchange in Kenya

Abstract

The main aim of this study was to establish the influence of warehousing management practices on supply chain performance of agricultural firms listed in Nairobi Securities Exchange in Kenya. The study specifically sought to establish the influence of layout optimization practices, inventory control practices, storage management practices material handling practices on supply chain performance of agricultural firms listed in Nairobi Securities Exchange in Kenya. The study was anchored on the following theories: Systems Theory, Economic Order Quantity Theory, Resource-Based View Theory and Lean Management Theory. A descriptive-correlational research design was employed in the study. The target population comprised of 7 NSE listed agricultural firms in Kenya. The units of observation comprised of 112 respondents comprising of warehouse managers, supply chain managers, inventory controllers and operations managers. A census approach was employed to include all the listed agricultural firms while purposive sampling technique was employed in selecting the respondents of the study. Structured questionnaires formed the main data collection tool for the study. The data collected was analyzed through application of both descriptive and inferential statistics. The statistics were generated through Statistical Package for Social Sciences and results outlined in form of tables and figures. The study achieved a response rate of 70.5%. The study established that warehousing management practices positively and significantly correlates with supply chain performance of agricultural firms listed in Nairobi Securities Exchange in Kenya. The regression results established that layout optimization practices, inventory control practices, storage management practices material handling practices positively and significantly influence supply chain performance of agricultural firms. The study concluded that warehouse layout optimization, inventory control, storage management, and material handling practices significantly and positively influence supply chain performance among agricultural firms. The study recommended that agricultural firms strengthen warehouse layouts, adopt advanced inventory systems, enhance storage efficiency, and standardize material handling practices through modern technologies and automation to improve overall supply chain performance.