EVALUATING THE SUPPLY CHAIN OF GHANA COCOA FROM A COMPANY POINT OF VIEW (MANAGEMENT PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS)
ABSTRACT
Ghana is recognised globally for its cocoa cultivation and export worldwide. Cocoa is an essential contributor to Ghana’s economy and as a nation at large. To regulate and oversee the trade of its cocoa business and all other things pertaining to cocoa as a commodity, the Government of Ghana established Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD).
This paper aims to examine the supply chain activities of COCOBOD with a special interest on cocoa as a commodity for cross-border trading.
This research is done applying the qualitative method of doing research and is based on collected interview data from a selected sample working with the company in questions and supplemented with observational notes collected during an internship with the same company.
Some of the theoretical themes covered in this paper include the concept of business, supply chain management theory and looking into details the role of transportation and factors affecting transportation.
The findings of this research point to the all important role of the COCOBOD as a company in Ghana; but most importantly is their shipping activities and how any changes in these activities being it positive or negative has a direct effect on the affairs of the company and consequently for Ghana.
Keywords:Â Cocoa, supply chain management, transportation
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The term or concept Business is a broad topic that denotes economic activity which deals with the production and distribution of goods and services with a goal of ultimately satisfying human wants. Business can mean a simple thing as exchange of hand between two people to trade between two separate nations. It affects every aspects of the human society and it is business that makes things happen all over the world.
Business has always existed alongside human from the beginning where it was just the exchange of food or household items between friends and family, which is the batter trade. But like the human race, business has also evolved to now include financial interests to individuals, companies, and governments. This means as long as we human beings exist, business will continue to exist as a means of regulating economic interests around the world and also means that business is an activity done both locally and globally.
Finally business studies involve the study of different topics in different fields such as marketing, accounting, business finance and supply chain theory to mention a few. It is the latter concept, supply chain theory that is going to be treated more closely in this research paper. (Means 2001, 3-5)
