MNP3703 Assignment 1
(COMPLETE ANSWERS)
Semester 2 2025 - DUE 11
September 2025
NO PLAGIARISM
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MNP3703 Assignment 1 (COMPLETE
ANSWERS) Semester 2 2025 - DUE 11
September 2025
Course
Supplier Relationship Management (MNP3703)
Institution
University Of South Africa (Unisa)
Book
Supplier Relationship Management
MNP3703 Assignment 1 (COMPLETE ANSWERS) Semester 2 2025 - DUE 11
September 2025; 100% TRUSTED Complete, trusted solutions and
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Strategic Sustainability and Localisation: Unilever’s Supply Chain
Transformation in Africa Introduction Unilever is a multinational consumer
goods organisation with a long history of global expansion and adaptation.
The organisation was formed in 1929 through the merger of the Netherlands-
based Margarine Unie and the United Kingdom-based Lever Brothers. Over
the decades, Unilever has expanded its product offerings across food,
personal care and household products, becoming one of the world’s largest
manufacturers in the consumer goods sector. Unilever’s entry into the
African market Unilever has a strong presence in Africa, operating in 41
countries and serving approximately 600 million consumers. Unilever first
entered South Africa through the importation of its products in the early
1900s, specifically starting with Sunlight soap, which quickly gained
popularity due to its cleaning efficiency and affordability. Consider Unilever's
relationship with Psaltry International in Nigeria in terms of whether it is
transactional, collaborative, or strategic, and discuss how Unilever develops
or supports Psaltry. Comment on how the nature of this supplier relationship
reflects Unilever’s overall supplier relationship strategy in Africa. This initial
success marked the beginning of Unilever's presence in the region and
paved the way for the expansion of its product range and brand portfolio
throughout South Africa and the broader African market. Unilever has shifted
its sourcing strategy to increase reliance on African suppliers to manage risk.
Identify two sourcing risks Unilever aimed to reduce and explain how the
sourcing strategy addressed each risk using examples from the case study.
The organisation employs over 40,000 people across the continent, with a
significant footprint in South Africa, where it employs more than 3,500
individuals. Unilever entered Africa through acquisitions and local
partnerships, leveraging its global expertise to adapt products to the unique
needs of African consumers. Today, Unilever’s African market is vital for its
, global strategy. Unilever’s supplier network in Africa Unilever purchases a
wide range of raw materials from Africa, including agricultural products,
packaging materials and essential oils. These suppliers span multiple African
countries, contributing to Unilever’s supply chain resilience and economic
development within the region. Below are key suppliers and the countries
they operate in: Nigeria Psaltry International supplies sorbitol and cassava
starch used in food and personal care manufacturing. Unilever’s shift to local
sourcing required change management in its supply network. Identify one
major change implemented by Unilever in Africa and explain how this change
was managed to ensure supplier compliance or development. Support your
answer with an example from the case study. Unilever shifted to purchasing
sorbitol locally to reduce reliance on Asian imports, supporting over 10,000
smallholder cassava farmers. Through its Shakti programme, Unilever
Nigeria also promotes rural inclusivity by incorporating more than 13,000
women and 170 persons with disabilities into its distribution network. The
programme also empowers participants through business training and
access to micro-finance, supporting entrepreneurship in underserved
communities. The organisation has partnered with Wecyclers to collect over
13,000 tonnes of plastic waste since 2014, contributing to circular supply
chains via community buy-back centres, incentivised waste collection, and
consumer education campaigns. Unilever’s shift to local sourcing required
change management in its supply network. Identify one major change
implemented by Unilever in Africa and explain how this change was
managed to ensure supplier compliance or development. Support your
answer with an example from the case study. In terms of operational
efficiency, Unilever Nigeria implements Systems, Applications, and Products
in Data Processing (SAP) Economic Order Quantity (EOQ), and Just-in-Time
(JIT) models to manage inventory, reduce costs, and enhance supplier
responsiveness. Consider Unilever's relationship with Psaltry International in
Nigeria in terms of whether it is transactional, collaborative, or strategic, and
discuss how Unilever develops or supports Psaltry. Comment on how the
nature of this supplier relationship reflects Unilever’s overall supplier
relationship strategy in Africa. Classify Mpact, Unilever’s South African
packaging supplier, into one of the quadrants of the Supplier Preferencing
Model. Justify your answer using evidence from the case study These
systems are supported by predictive analytics and demand forecasting tools
that improve purchasing planning and production scheduling. Supplier
relationships are further strengthened through strategic outsourcing, cross-
functional coordination, and capacity-building, with an emphasis on supplier
diversity by onboarding micro and small enterprises and helping them meet
Unilever’s sustainability standards. Additionally, Unilever Nigeria participates
in the development of agro-processing hubs to strengthen backward
integration and local sourcing. Unilever’s shift to local sourcing required
change management in its supply network. Identify one major change
implemented by Unilever in Africa and explain how this change was
managed to ensure supplier compliance or development. Support your