eISSN: 3023-3267 editor@aimjournals.com
All Journals
Submit your article

Critique Open Research & Review

Open Access Peer Review International
Open Access

A Critical Evaluation of Supply Chain and Procurement Skills Required in the Auto-Parts Industry of Pakistan for the Next Decade

DOI https://doi.org/10.55640/corr-v04i04-06
PDF
Muhammad Awais Liaqat 1 ,
4 South Wales Business School, University of South Wales, UK

Abstract

The automotive parts manufacturing sector constitutes a cornerstone of Pakistan's industrial economy, contributing approximately 3% to the national GDP and supporting over 2.5 million employment opportunities across the country. As global supply chains undergo rapid digital transformation, the sustainability and competitiveness of Pakistan's auto-parts industry increasingly depend upon the strategic development of supply chain management (SCM) and procurement competencies. This qualitative study critically evaluates the evolution, current state, and future requirements of SCM skills within Pakistan's auto-parts sector. Through semi-structured interviews with eight SCM professionals representing diverse functional specializations—including procurement, logistics, operations, and sustainability—the research identifies significant skill gaps in technological proficiency, digital literacy, and sustainability competencies. The findings reveal that while foundational SCM skills such as negotiation, relationship management, and risk mitigation remain relevant, the industry faces a critical shortage of expertise in artificial intelligence, data analytics, automation, and Internet of Things (IoT) applications. The study further identifies that sustainability competencies and global supply chain knowledge are emerging as non-negotiable requirements for future competitiveness. Based on these findings, the research proposes a comprehensive framework for skill development encompassing continuous professional development, industry-academia collaboration, and strategic investment in digital infrastructure. The study concludes that Pakistan's auto-parts industry stands at a pivotal juncture where strategic investment in SCM skill development will determine its capacity to compete in increasingly sophisticated global markets over the next decade.

Keywords

Supply Chain Management, Procurement Skills, Auto-Parts Industry, Digital Transformation

References

Abbasi, M.N. and Afzal, M. (2011) 'Impact of E-Source Application on Key Business Strategies — Evidences from Automotive Industry of Pakistan', Journal of Quality and Technology Management, VII(11), pp. 37-62.
Abualigah, L. et al. (2023) 'Revolutionizing sustainable supply chain management: A review of metaheuristics', Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence, 126, p. 106839.
Agarwal, A., Poudyal, C.S. and Acharya, S. (2023) 'Strategic ways to incorporate sustainability as a working culture in tertiary education', International Journal of Higher Education and Sustainability, 4(3-4), pp. 177-194.
Ahmed, W. and Omer, M. (2019) 'Drivers of Supply Chain Transparency and its effects on Performance Measures in the Automotive Industry: Case of a Developing Country'.
Ali, S.B. (2022) 'Industrial Revolution 4.0 and Supply Chain Digitization: Future of Supply Chain Management', South Asian Journal of Social Review, 1(1), pp. 21-41.
Amin, S., Mahasan, S.S. and Khan, F.N. (2014) 'Impact of collaborative practices on operational performance of firm: Case study of automotive industry of Pakistan', Middle - East Journal of Scientific Research, 19, pp. 661-668.
Andalib, D., Soltanmohammadi, A. and Seuring, S. (2022) 'The impact of customer and supplier collaboration on green supply chain performance', Benchmarking: An International Journal, 30.
Aslam, M. (2023) 'Bridging the Future: Automation and Bots in Enterprise Resource Planning for Streamlined Operations', Social Sciences Spectrum, 2(1), pp. 120-129.
Ayoub, S. et al. (2020) 'Emerging Technology and Future of Supply Chain (Procurement and Logistics Management) in Pakistan'.
Azungah, T. and Kasmad, R. (2020) 'Qualitative Research Journal Article information: For Authors Qualitative research: deductive and inductive approaches to data analysis'.
Bag, S. et al. (2019) 'Procurement 4.0 and its implications on business process performance in a circular economy', Resources Conservation and Recycling, 152, p. 104502.
Baryannis, G. et al. (2018) 'Supply Chain Risk Management and Artificial Intelligence: State of the Art and Future Research Directions', International Journal of Production Research.
Bashar, M., Islam, K. and Ahmed, H. (2024) 'THE IMPACT OF ADVANCED ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION ON SUPPLY CHAIN EFFICIENCY IN INDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURING: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS BETWEEN THE US AND BANGLADESH'.
Batista, L. et al. (2023) 'Theorising circular economy and sustainable operations and supply chain management: a sustainability-dominant logic', International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 43.
Benfratello, L. and Iqbal, S. (2018) 'POLITECNICO DI TORINO'.
Bhuiyan, J., Asma, B. and Bhowmik, S. (2024) 'Digital procurement practices in SMES: comparative cases of advanced and emerging economies', International Journal of Science and Technology Research Archive, 6, pp. 45-058.
Birkel, H. and Hartmann, E. (2020) 'Internet of Things -- the future of managing supply chain risks', Supply Chain Management: An International Journal.
Browning, T.R. et al. (2023) 'From Supply Chain Risk to Systemwide Disruptions: Research Opportunities in Forecasting, Risk Management, and Product Design'. Rochester, NY.
Changalima, I. and Mdee, A. (2022) 'Procurement skills and procurement performance in public organizations: The mediating role of procurement planning', Cogent Business & Management, 10.
Chukwurah, E.G. (2024) 'Leading SAAS innovation within us regulatory boundaries: the role of tpms in navigating compliance', Engineering Science & Technology Journal, 5(4), pp. 1372-1385.
creswell, john w (2009) 'Research Design Third Edition', sage, p. 270.
Donyavi, S. et al. (2024) 'Understanding the complexity of materials procurement in construction projects to build a conceptual framework influencing supply chain management of MSMEs', International Journal of Construction Management, 24(2), pp. 177-186.
Gafner, J. (2017) 'What Is Research Methodology? (Why It's Important and Types)', Indeed Career Guide.
Golafshani, N. (2015) 'Understanding Reliability and Validity in Qualitative Research', The Qualitative Report.
GĂłrski, J. (2023) 'Digital Transformation of Public Procurement: WTO's Historical and Ongoing Role'. Rochester, NY.
Habib, Md.M., Maryam, H. and Pathik, B. (2014) Research Methodology Contemporary Practices: Guidelines for Academic Researchers.
hafner, carol (2012) 'IS4800 Course Syllabus'.
Hallikas, J., Immonen, M. and Brax, S. (2021) 'Digitalizing procurement: the impact of data analytics on supply chain performance', Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, 26(5), pp. 629-646.
Hennink, M. and Kaiser, B.N. (2022) 'Sample sizes for saturation in qualitative research: A systematic review of empirical tests', Social Science & Medicine, 292, p. 114523.
hennessy, james (2023) 'The Past & Future of the Supply Chain | Contrary'.
Hess, paul (2014) '4/29 - A NEW MODEL OF THE FIRM: Sustainable Business as Transformation of Management, Organization, Economics, Science, and Morality - Integral Leadership Review'.
Holmström, J. et al. (2019) 'The digitalization of operations and supply chain management: Theoretical and methodological implications', Journal of Operations Management, 65, pp. 728-734.
Huq, F., Pawar, K. and Subramanian, N. (2020) 'Disturbances to the Supply Chains of High-Value Manufacturing Firms: Comparison of the Perceptions of Product Managers and Supply Chain Managers', International Journal of Production Research, 59.
Iqbal, F. (2024) 'Role of logistics innovation capabilities in supply chains operations at manufacturing firms', South Asian Journal of Operations and Logistics, 3(2), pp. 295-309.
Islam, M. and Aldaihani, F. (2022) 'Justification for Adopting Qualitative Research Method, Research Approaches, Sampling Strategy, Sample Size, Interview Method, Saturation, and Data Analysis', Journal of International Business and Management, 5, pp. 1-11.
Jabeen, M. and Ishaq, K. (2023) 'Internet of Things in Telecommunications: A Technological Perspective', Journal of Information Technology Teaching Cases, 13, pp. 39-49.
Jaboob, A.S. et al. (2024) 'Introduction to Operation and Supply Chain Management for Entrepreneurship', in Applying Business Intelligence and Innovation to Entrepreneurship. IGI Global, pp. 52-80.
Jahani, N. et al. (2021) 'Application of Industry 4.0 in the Procurement Processes of Supply Chains: A Systematic Literature Review', Sustainability, 13(14), p. 7520.
Javid, S. (2024) 'THE AUTOMOTIVE SECTOR IN PAKISTAN', BIPP, p. 121.
Khan, S. and Qianli, D. (2017) 'Impact of green supply chain management practices on firms' performance: an empirical study from the perspective of Pakistan', Environmental science and pollution research international, 24.
Koumpan, E. and W.Topol, A. (2023) Procurement of the Future: Investing Today in the Technologies of Tomorrow.
Li, J. (2024) 'The Past, Present and Future of Enterprise Resource Planning'.
Love, P.E.D. et al. (2021) 'A procurement policy-making pathway to future-proof large-scale transport infrastructure assets', Research in Transportation Economics, 90, p. 101069.
Lysons, K. and Farrington, B. (2020) Procurement and Supply Chain Management. Pearson Education.
Mapanga, A. (2024) 'Rethinking competency requirements in South African supply chain management', Journal of Transport and Supply Chain Management, 18.
Modgil, S., Singh, R. and Hannibal, C. (2021) 'Artificial intelligence for supply chain resilience: learning from Covid-19', The International Journal of Logistics Management.
Muthuswamy, M. and Ali, A.M. (2023) 'Sustainable Supply Chain Management in the Age of Machine Intelligence: Addressing Challenges, Capitalizing on Opportunities, and Shaping the Future Landscape', Sustainable Machine Intelligence Journal, 3, p. (3):1-14.
Mwagike, L.R. (2022) 'Procurement professionals' perceptions of skills and attributes of procurement negotiators: a cross-sectional survey in Tanzania'.
Nasereddin, A. (2024) 'A comprehensive survey of contemporary supply chain management practices in charting the digital age revolution', Uncertain Supply Chain Management, 12, pp. 1331-1352.
Nozari, H., Szmelter-Jarosz, A. and Ghahremani-Nahr, J. (2022) 'Analysis of the Challenges of Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) for the Smart Supply Chain (Case Study: FMCG Industries)', Sensors, 22, p. 2931.
Oluwafunmilayo Esan, Funmilayo Aribidesi Ajayi, and Olufunke Olawale (2024) 'Supply chain integrating sustainability and ethics: Strategies for modern supply chain management', World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 22(1), pp. 1930-1953.
Qadir, U. (2016) 'Pakistan's Automotive Industry: A Case of Stalled Development', PIDE.
Raja, M.W. et al. (2024) 'EXAMINING THE IMPACT OF SUPPLIER SELECTION ON PROCUREMENT PERFORMANCE OF PHARMACEUTICAL FIRMS IN PAKISTAN', Remittances Review, 9(1).
Rejeb, A. et al. (2024) 'Uncovering the Green Procurement Knowledge Structure: a Systematic Citation Network Analysis', Circular Economy and Sustainability, 4(1), pp. 287-316.
Sallam, K., Mohamed, M. and Wagdy, A. (2023) 'Internet of Things (IoT) in Supply Chain Management: Challenges, Opportunities, and Best Practices', Sustainable Machine Intelligence Journal, 2.
Schniederjans, D.G., Curado, C. and Khalajhedayati, M. (2020) 'Supply chain digitisation trends: An integration of knowledge management', International Journal of Production Economics, 220, p. 107439.
Seyedghorban, Z. et al. (2020) 'Supply chain digitalization: past, present and future', Production Planning & Control, 31(2-3), pp. 96-114.
Shah, H. et al. (2021) 'The contemporary state of big data analytics and artificial intelligence towards intelligent supply chain risk management: a comprehensive review', Kybernetes.
Sodiya, E.O. et al. (2024) 'Reviewing the role of AI and machine learning in supply chain analytics', GSC Advanced Research and Reviews, 18(2), pp. 312-320.
Soleimani, S. (2018) 'A Perfect Triangle with: Artificial Intelligence, Supply Chain Management, and Financial Technology', Archives of Business Research, 6.
Spreitzenbarth, J.M., Bode, C. and Stuckenschmidt, H. (2024) 'Artificial intelligence and machine learning in purchasing and supply management: A mixed-methods review of the state-of-the-art in literature and practice', Journal of Purchasing and Supply Management, 30(1), p. 100896.
tauseef, saniya (2022) 'Automotive Parts', PACRA, p. 24.
Tipu, S. and Fantazy, K. (2014) 'Supply chain strategy, flexibility, and performance: A comparative study of SMEs in Pakistan and Canada', The International Journal of Logistics Management, 25.
Tongco, M. (2006) 'Purposive Sampling as a Tool for Informant Selection', Ethnobotany Res Appl, 5.
Vaka, D.K. (2024) 'Procurement 4.0: Leveraging Technology for Transformative Processes', The Journal of Scientific and Engineering Research, 11, pp. 278-282.
Verma, A., Tripathy, S. and Singhal, D. (2023) 'The significance of warehouse management in supply chain: An ISM approach', Decision Making: Applications in Management and Engineering, 6, pp. 92-110.
Wang, X. et al. (2022) 'Impact of Digital Technology on Supply Chain Efficiency in Manufacturing Industry', Lecture Notes in Information Systems and Organization, pp. 347-371.
Xu, X. et al. (2023) 'Reforming global supply chain management under pandemics: The GREAT-3Rs framework', Production and Operations Management, 32(2), pp. 524-546.
Yevu, S., Yu, A. and Darko, A. (2021) 'Digitalization of construction supply chain and procurement in the built environment: Emerging technologies and opportunities for sustainable processes', Journal of Cleaner Production, 322.

Most read articles by the same author(s)

<< < 1 2 3 > >> 

Similar Articles

1-10 of 16

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.