Supply chain management of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Africa: a bibliometric analysis

Abstract

This study examines the supply chain management of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Africa, aiming to demonstrate the patterns of publication in this field. An extensive examination of bibliometric analysis has been conducted using 338 published works obtained from the Dimensions database over the last 20 years. The study was conducted based on publications, sources, authors, and institutions as the primary units of analysis. The study determined the leading journals, prolific authors, partnering countries, and organizations involved in research on supply chain management specifically focused on micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Africa. Furthermore, it has been uncovered that the investigation of supply chain management in MSMEs in Africa needs to be revised in comparison to that of larger organizations. Moreover, publications in the field are not only insufficiently accessible, but also authored by scholars who are not of African descent. Given the crucial role of MSMEs in the African economy, scholars in this field are encouraged to prioritize research on the supply chain management of MSMEs as a critical issue for the twenty-first century. Furthermore, researchers are recommended to do additional analyses utilizing alternative databases such as Web of Sciences and Scopus.

Introduction

Numerous academics draw attention to the lack of consensus about the definition and defining traits of MSMEs. The phrase lacks a universally accepted definition (Costa Melo et al., 2023). The absence of a commonly accepted definition for MSMEs arises from the disparate standards utilized to define them, which vary within nations and are impacted by variances in industrial, social, cultural, and economic environments (Kassa, 2021; Shibru, 2017; Ullah, 2019). Many nations define MSMEs according to standard parameters, including capital size, yearly sales, total assets, and number of workers (Ascarya & Rahmawati, 2018; Das, 2017; Oecd, 2004; Saini, 2014).

Small businesses are generally classified as having fewer than 10 or 50 employees, according to the International Labour Organization (2017). In contrast, medium-sized enterprises have fewer than 100 or 250 people, as stated in White (2018). MSMEs were classified by international organizations like the World Bank, United Nations (UN), and International Monetary Fund (IMF) according to specific criteria, including employee count, total assets, and annual sales. Variations in market structure, production structure, market power, policy, and legal framework across different countries may also have an impact on the classification of MSMEs (Ascarya & Rahmawati, 2018). A company that employs fewer than 250 people and has an annual sales of no more than 50 million euros or an annual balance sheet total of no more than 43 million euros is classified as a micro, small, and medium-sized enterprise (SMEs) by the European Commission (Meramveliotakis & Manioudis, 2021).

MSMEs are crucial contributors to the economies of all nations worldwide. They form the foundation for the growth of domestic and international economies. The current global economy is characterized by intense competition in the business sector, focusing on maximizing profits and minimizing production expenses (Wube & Atwal, 2023a). Additionally, businesses are expected to operate with efficiency and adaptability. Furthermore, the swift progressions in information technology and the internet and the eradication of trade barriers among nations have resulted in a globally integrated society (Rejeb et al., 2020; Shukla et al., 2011).

Consequently, organizations and their international clients can surpass cultural and language barriers and engage in immediate communication (Wube & Atwal, 2023b). Companies from any jurisdiction can now engage in global sales, allowing clients worldwide to access and purchase their products or services (Chandran & Gupta, 2003; Kot, 2018; Okon, 2018a). Nevertheless, the majority of African MSMEs face significant barriers to accessing these opportunities due to several factors, such as geopolitical circumstances, economic progress, and overall difficulties in the supply chain (Karmaker et al., 2023; Oyedijo et al., 2021).

The significant role played by MSMEs in terms of job creation, income generation, reducing imports, and overall national development makes it a highly relevant and pressing matter in the present period (Ullah, 2019; UNDP, 2015). Empirical evidence demonstrates that MSMEs have a substantial impact on both industrialized and developing nations. (Chane & Atwal, 2023) Projections indicate that by 2030, MSMEs are anticipated to generate economic prospects valued at 12 trillion USD and generate 380 million employment opportunities. Developing countries are estimated to host over 50 percent of these opportunities (UNDESA, 2019). Moreover, their contribution to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is also noteworthy (Vandenberg, 2009). MSMEs are essential to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) because they help end world poverty by reducing hunger, improving nutrition and food security, and advancing sustainable agriculture (Chane & Atwal, 2023). The aim is to ensure equitable and all-encompassing access to high-quality education, while concurrently cultivating opportunities for lifelong learning for every person. In addition, the goal is to guarantee the best possible health and to encourage general well-being in all age groups. It is predicted that by encouraging MSMEs, these objectives will be met. This will bolster the implementation mechanisms and rekindle international collaboration for sustainable development (DESA, 2019).

MSMEs are gaining significance as crucial contributors to productive employment, particularly in low-income nations, owing to their labor-intensive characteristics and reduced reliance on technical expertise compared to larger industries (Ullah, 2019; Vandenberg, 2009). However, to derive advantages from MSMEs, the overall supply chain management (SCM) should be conducive to them (Wube & Atwal, 2022). But an advantageous supply chain management that is well-suited for the prosperity of MSMEs should exist.

The field of Supply Chain and Supply Chain Management has had a substantial impact on the effectiveness of businesses, including MSMEs. It has garnered the interest of many scholars in recent years. The academic literature study reveals a significant increase in research on the practical and theoretical aspects of Supply Chain and Supply Chain Management. However, there are also shreds of evidence that the theories regarding supply chain management need to be more established (Carter et al., 2010). Given the frequent fluctuations, it is necessary to employ adaptable solutions that can best suit the MSMEs (APICS Supply Chain Council, 2016).

After several decades of increasing global economic integration, the world is facing the risk of policy-driven geoeconomic fragmentation (GEF) (Aiyar et al., 2023). This highly hindered the performance of MSMEs attributed to their disadvantages of size and overall economies of scale mainly reflected not only in the imbalance between demand and supply, but also in other infrastructural matters of SCM (Endris & Kassegn, 2022). The problem is severe in Africa where the economic and political landscape is not encouraging (Loury-Okoumba & Mafini, 2021).

White pointed out that numerous emerging nations have challenges due to overcrowded microenterprise sectors and a limited presence of dominant, typically multinational corporations that influence global import and export markets (White, 2018). While large firms have acknowledged the advantages of supply chain management, MSMEs have been slower to grasp how an integrated supply chain may bring about significant improvements in business processes, resulting in better quality services, cost savings, and increased efficiency (Chin et al., 2012). To be more precise, this research is based on previous scholarly works and employs bibliometric analysis to address the following research inquiries:

• 1. How has the literature on SCM of MSMEs in Africa grown in the past two decades?

• 2. Which nations are the primary contributors to the SCM of MSMEs in Africa?

• 3. Which scholars and papers have the most significant impact in the field of SCM of MSMEs in Africa?

The study is structured as follows: Sect. "Introduction" is the introductory part, and Sect. "Review of related literature" provides a comprehensive assessment of the existing literature on the supply chain management of MSMEs. This is followed by the study methodology, which is discussed in Sect. "Methods". The results of the analysis are presented in Sect. "Findings". Section 5 presents the study's findings, explores the research implications, and concludes the paper by summarizing the study’s contributions and limitations.

Review of related literature

Micro, small, and medium enterprises are crucial catalysts for economic growth in nearly all global countries (Wube & Atwal, 2023a). However, these enterprises often face financial constraints that prevent them from overcoming delays in the delivery of raw materials caused by disrupted or broken supply chains (Wube & Atwal, 2023b). A primary challenge faced by these organizations is retaining their highly skilled workforce (UNDESA, 2019). Another issue arises from the need to provide compensation for payment defaults resulting from delays and to meet long-term supply agreements in the event of non-delivery of raw materials (Chane & Atwal, 2023). These challenges are directly or indirectly connected to supply chain management issues of MSMEs. Research indicates that the failure rate of micro and small enterprises (MSEs) in Africa is substantial, with South Africa experiencing a failure rate of 70% and even higher rates in other countries (Epoh & Mafini, 2018). Other reasons include insufficient capital, intense competition across multiple industries, corruption, reliance on outdated management practices, and adverse economic conditions (Loury-Okoumba & Mafini, 2021).

The current business landscape for MSMEs, as well as major multinational companies, is characterized by increased fluidity and complexity (Loury-Okoumba & Mafini, 2021). Companies are modifying their supply chains to address the growing competition in the market and to generate more money and value for their shareholders and customers (Okon, 2018b).

While supply chain is subject to varying definitions across literature, the majority of these definitions pertain to large-scale enterprises and are based on a shared concept. Defining the supply chain in MSMEs can be challenging due to the prevalent lack of organizational structure and the predominant owner-managed nature of these enterprises (Giménez et al., 2004). Nevertheless, a substantial amount of literature has been produced regarding the supply chain of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The majority of research has acknowledged that the supply chain of MSMEs is predominantly governed and influenced by their larger customers rather than by the MSMEs themselves (Okon, 2018b).

Supply chain management has played a role in the integration of the supply chain by facilitating connection and information sharing (Khairi, 2017). The integration has led to the development of an extended corporate strategy, where the supply chain now operates as a cooperative network beyond corporate boundaries to enhance the overall value of the entire supply chain (Janvier-James, 2011).

Generally, there needs to be more comprehensive data on MSMEs in Africa (Wube & Atwal, 2022). Nevertheless, it is evident that while the proportion of items being manufactured and sold by big corporations and contemporary retailers is growing, MSMEs continue to have a significant impact across the African value chain, encompassing production, processing, and retail, especially for individuals with low incomes. Hence, it is imperative to incorporate MSMEs in all endeavors undertaken by the public or private sectors to enhance the availability, accessibility, and affordability of goods and services (Demmler, 2020).

Different international organizations are making efforts to improve the supply chain of MSMEs. Allocating funds to small and MSMEs can significantly contribute to achieving 60% of the targets set in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (UNDESA, 2019). Furthermore, an additional investment of approximately $1 trillion in SMEs can aid developing nations in attaining the SDGs. According to the International Trade Centre (ITC) (2023), small and medium enterprises make up 83% of the targets for SDG 8, which aims to promote sustainable economic growth, employment, and decent work for all (ITC, 2023). Additionally, they contribute to 88% of the targets for SDG 9, which focuses on building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and fostering innovation(UNDESA, 2019). Therefore, the presence of financial stability in sub-Saharan Africa fosters the advancement of entrepreneurial activities, leading to enhanced economic growth and expediting the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Sub-Saharan Africa has a significant number of businesses, with 44 million micro, small, and medium companies (MSMEs). Among them, 97% are micro-enterprises. Nigeria has the highest number of MSMEs, with 37 million businesses (Endris & Kassegn, 2022).

Methods

To assess the existing knowledge structure of the supply chain management of MSMEs in Africa, the researcher utilized a bibliometric analysis as the primary tool of this study. This form of study is an analytical methodology used to identify the most significant scholars, their affiliations, the keywords they select, and the interconnections between academic publications (Grant, 2015). The bibliometric technique is suitable for assessing the present state of a specific field by considering several variables such as influential publications, researchers, journals, academic institutions, and countries (Donthu et al., 2021). Bibliometrics enables academics to evaluate research collaboration across scholars, organizations, and countries. Bibliometric analysis is a recognized approach to meta-analytical study that employs statistical techniques to identify both qualitative and quantitative changes in a particular research subject (Singleton, 2010). It has been extensively employed in previous scholarly works to examine substantial quantities of publications across several disciplines. Thus, this study utilizes bibliometric analysis as the optimal approach to investigate the existing knowledge base that underlies the supply chain of MSMEs in Africa in the past two decades. The year-wise distribution of research works in the areas of supply chain management of MSMEs is depicted in Fig. 1 below.

Fig. 1

Year-wise distribution of SCM of MSMEs research from 2002 to 2023

Data collection

Despite being a relatively recent development, the utilization of bibliometric analysis in business research is increasingly popular. This can be ascribed to the emergence of various software tools like VOS Viewer and databases such as Dimensions, Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed (Donthu et al., 2021). Dimensions are gaining popularity as a database that is capturing the interest of many scholars, with over 1.8 billion citations recorded (www.dimensions.ai). Dimension is a renowned scientific database that is well regarded for its comprehensive and trustworthy information, as well as its vast collection of publications, including journals from esteemed international publishers such as Elsevier, Springer, Taylor & Francis, and Emerald Insight. The search query employed was as follows: ("Supply Chain management" AND Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises" AND "Africa". The search was conducted using the complete dataset. Only English-language peer-reviewed Articles, book chapters, proceedings, and monographs were included to guarantee the literature's academic rigor and superior quality. A total of 338 documents were extracted in CSV format for the final analysis using the bibliometric application VOS viewer. VOS viewer is a computer program that was created as open-source software. Its purpose is to generate, visualize, and analyze term maps, as well as generate a network that shows the co-occurrence of keywords.

Findings

The analysis conducted using the VOS Viewer software and Excel applications yielded the following findings regarding various documents and citations, collaboration between countries and organizations, and the structure of intellectual knowledge in specific domains.

Number of documents and citations

In bibliometric analysis, one of the issues that can be addressed is the number of documents and citations in the areas under study. From the search results, it was possible to find the following number of publications and citations in the last two decades in the areas of supply chain management of MSMESs. Table 1 below summarizes the number of publications and citations. The table clearly shows that 2023, 2022, and 2021 are the years in which the most significant number of publications have been recorded. Regarding citations, 2015, 2009, 2008, 2007, and 2002 are the years in which the maximum number of citations have been cited. Table 1 and Fig. 2 below clearly show the trends in several publications and citations.

Table 1 Number of publications and citations

Fig. 2

Number of publications and citations

Countries that contributed to the documents

The United Kingdom, China, and the United States are the primary contributors of papers in the considered fields in terms of international collaboration. The United Kingdom, China, and Finland recorded the highest citations. The fact is demonstrated by Table 2 and Fig. 3 below. It is also clear that Ghana and South Africa are the only African countries found on the list that have contributed to producing documents in the area of supply chain management of MSMEs.

Table 2 Countries that contributed to documents

Fig. 3

Countries that contributed to documents

Most cited journals and articles in the area

The three most frequently referenced journals in the field are the Journal of Business Venturing, Entrepreneurship Theory and Practices, and the Journal of Sustainability. Table 3 and Fig. 4 below display the top ten journals that have been cited the most in the field of the supply chain management of MSMEs.

Table 3 Most cited journals and articles in the area

Fig. 4

Most cited journals and articles in the area

Authors in the area of supply chain management of MSMEs in Africa

The most productive authors in the area of supply chain management of MSMEs in Africa are depicted in Table 4 and Fig. 5 below.

Table 4 Top 10 most-cited authors in the area

Fig. 5

Most cited authors in the area of SCM of MSMEs

Collaborating organizations

It is only four universities have engaged in their scholarly works on supply chain management of MSMEs in Africa, namely Universidade Desau Paulo (Brazil), University of Cape Coast (Ghana), University of Oulu (Finland), and University of Dodama (Tanzania). Table 5 and Fig. 6 depict the collaborating organizations of MSMEs in the area of supply chain management.

Table 5 Collaborating organizations

Fig. 6

Collaborating organizations

Summary, conclusion, contribution, and limitations

Summary of findings

The study's primary aim was to offer a comprehensive overview of studies on the supply chain management of MSMEs in Africa over the last 20 years. To achieve the desired objective of the study, bibliometric analysis was conducted using data obtained from the Dimensions database. A total of 338 papers, including articles, book chapters, conference proceedings, and monographs, were chosen for the ultimate evaluation. The findings of the analysis can provide valuable insights to scholars regarding the research practices and trends of SCM in MSMEs of Africa.

This investigation yields several significant revelations. The assertion that supply chain management in Africa is mainly associated with larger organizations and that MSMEs are excluded from the game is confirmed. The number of publications about the SCM of MSMEs exhibits a rise from the initial decade to the subsequent one, but more is needed. During the initial decade, there needed to be more publications in the field. While the number of articles increased, there was a reduction in the number of citations throughout the second decade. Non-Africans are the primary contributors to publications in SCM of MSMEs in Africa. The literature on the supply chain of MSMEs primarily appears in entrepreneurship and management journals rather than in supply chain and logistics journals. There is a lack of easily accessible supply chain and logistic management journals in Africa that specifically focus on addressing the issues of MSMEs. Studies conducted before in the areas of MSMEs neither addressed supply chain management issues nor the African context in detail. They mainly rely on non-African MSMEs and rarely address their supply chain. Universities are the primary collaborative organizations in Africa for SCM of MSMEs, surpassing other institutions in prominence. Nevertheless, the involvement of African Universities is also limited. Overall, the field of supply chain management in MSMEs in Africa is less advanced than in larger organizations.

Conclusions

It has been shown that, as compared to larger organizations, the research on supply chain management in MSMEs in Africa needs to be changed. The century's research agenda does not include SCM for MSMEs. Research focuses solely on huge businesses. In addition, scholarly works within the discipline are not only poorly readable, but also written by non-African writers.

Contributions of the study

Despite the prevalence of MSMEs in Africa, academics in the field of supply chain management mainly concentrate on the supply chains of larger firms, neglecting the supply chain management challenges faced by MSMEs in Africa. Therefore, this work is essential in emphasizing the field so that future scholars can thoroughly examine the matter. Studies on the supply chain of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Africa are not only sufficiently accessible, but also undertaken by non-African researchers. Therefore, this study will assist African scholars in finding solutions to their problems instead of relying on developed continents. The study unveiled the prevailing patterns in research concerning the supply chain management of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Africa, a mostly unexplored area. Therefore, it is of utmost importance for African scholars to be well aware and attentive to this field. Given the significant number of MSMEs, authors specializing in the supply chain management of MSMEs, particularly in the African context, should consider publications in this field. Finally, this study is advantageous for investigating the field, enabling the establishment of supply chain management for micro and small enterprises (MSEs) in Africa as a research priority for the twenty-first century.

Limitations

There are limitations to the study. Initially, the study was exclusively conducted using the Dimensions database due to the unavailability of other datasets such as Scopus and Web of Sciences. Consequently, other researchers can do a comparable analysis using alternative established databases. Furthermore, the analysis exclusively relied on peer-reviewed materials written in the English language. Other scholars in the field are encouraged to include publications written in languages other than English, particularly the commonly spoken languages on the continent. Finally, this study specifically focuses on addressing the supply chain management concerns of MSMEs in Africa. Hence, it is advisable to establish comparisons between supply chain management in large firms and those in other continents beyond Africa.