Research Topic: IMPACTS OF LOGISTICS IN MANUFACTURING COMPANIES IN CAMEROON

Abstract:

This article presents the results of a survey on the state of logistics and its development in manufacturing
companies in Cameroon. Some theoretical and methodological issues of logistics and supply chain management
are clarified with the aim of constructing the survey’s conceptual framework which reflects the contemporary
development of logistics. The framework encompasses the examination of the extent of knowledge and the
awareness of the impact of logistics in Cameroons manufacturing companies as well as the practical application
of logistics methods and management tools within and between companies in the supply chain. The
methodology used basically combines and adjusts the methodologies of previously conducted surveys in
Cameroon in the internal logistics integration and supply chain management. It allows tracing the application of
logistics approaches, methods and tools in company management during the years. The methodology includes
indicators estimated on the basis of the data collected through personal interviews. Logistics in Cameroons
Manufacturing companies for a period of 13 years has been analyzed. The Analysis reveals that the
development of Logistics in Cameroon follows the pattern of its Development worldwide though the
Cameroons companies which are lagging behind because of the challenges concerning knowledge, skills and
own resources. This determines the considerable opportunities and potential for improving logistics in
Cameroons companies.

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 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background Information (Background of the Study)

During the last two decades logistics has strengthened its positions as a field of research and a management
practice. A number of companies not only in the developed countries but also in the emerging countries,
including Africa, have realized the need to integrate the management of various activities contributing to the
flow of products and information from the point of origin through all movement phases to final consumers with
the aim of providing the required customer service at the lowest costs. The application of the logistics concept
in manufacturing companies (Demand Side Logistics) is considered as the most essential sign of the
development of logistics in a country. The other feature of this development is the increased supply of logistics
services (Supply Side Logistics), logistics technologies, software, know-how and educational services)
(Dimitrov, 1999). They show that the application of logistics in the practice of manufacturing have
tremendously increased during the years of intense globalization and world competition. The considerable
interest in logistics is evidenced by the increasing number of logistics departments in organizational structures
and companies’ initiatives to raise the effectiveness and efficiency of logistics activities and to speed up
material and information flows in logistics systems.
Scientific research in the field of logistics in Cameroon has been conducted for more than 20 years and the
leading center in this area is the Department of Business Logistics .The most notable in scale is the survey
which was carried out in 1999-2000. It encompasses the predominantly methods and instruments for internal
company integration of material and information flows (Dimitrov, 2000). This survey was repeated in 2006, the
year when the first survey of supply chain management was carried out (Rakovska, 2007). Another survey
reveals the insufficient application of contemporary management concepts and related information technologies
on the part of Cameroons companies (logistics Cameroon, 2003). A range of problems are revealed in the
supply chains of definite products. These surveys lay the foundation for a systematic and repetitious research on
the state of logistics in Cameroon. However, development shifts in logistic company have not been examined
yet, especially in relation to both internal and external integration. This requires the combination and adjustment
of the methodologies of the previous studies while keeping data Comparability. The aim of this article is to
present the state of logistics and its development in manufacturing companies in Cameroon on the basis of a
survey conducted in 2021. This aim is achieved through clarifying some theoretical and methodological issues

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of logistics and supply chain management, identifying the research methods, and evaluating the state of the
researched companies’ logistics, including comparison with previous periods (2000 and 2006).The following
thesis is adopted for this research: Before the 1950s, logistics was thought of in military terms. It had to do with
procurement, maintenance, and transportation of military facilities, material, and personnel. Although a few
authors before this time began talking about trading one cost for another, such as transportation costs with
inventory costs, and discussed the benefits to the firm of getting the right goods to the right place at the right
time, the organization within the typical firm around the activities currently associated with logistics was
fragmented. This fragmentation led to conflicts among those responsible for logistics activities with the result
that, from the firm’s perspective, costs and customer service were sub-optimized. The reasons for this
fragmentation were said to be. However, there are several lessons to be learned from the past. First, physical
distribution and logistics were envisioned to have broad responsibilities for managing activities associated with
product flow from the points of raw material acquisition to the end consumer. Although the scope of the field
was extensive, actual management practice was generally limited to coordination of activities within the
logistics function or among those activities associated with product flow. Boundary-spanning management was
embraced but little practiced.
Second, the total cost concept served as the basis for managing certain activities collectively. Activities such as
transportation and inventory control were managed together because they were in cost conflict. All those
activities associated with product flow and displaying this cost tradeoff characteristic were considered a part of
the new field of physical distribution or logistics. Third, physical distribution and logistics were embraced by
both marketing and production areas, but they gave little attention to issues of product flow. As a result,
physical distribution and logistics began to develop as an independent function within business. This action was
spurred by the recognition that logistics costs were high and that there was an unrealized opportunity to reduce
them.
Fourth, among the areas of purchasing, production, and physical distribution, there was little coordination, even
though they had a direct effect on product flow management. This coordination was to become a major theme in
later years
The following thesis is adopted for this research:
 The active factors and development shifts in logistics in the world are also valid in Cameroon, i.e. the
development of logistics in Cameroonians enterprises follows the model of its development in the world
despite the existence of some difficulties.
1.2 Problem Statement.
The presented material is related to logistics implemented within global economy, with particular attention
paid to European requirements and conditions. Today, leading economists come to a conclusion that the

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efficiency of an economy and the well-being of the society are first and foremost dependent on the condition of
companies influenced by the service level of processes carried out within international logistics that is closely
linked with global business. To what extent does it reflect the state of manufacturing companies in Cameroon?

1.3 Research Questions

 How does logistics activity influence the development of manufacturing companies in Cameroon?
 To what extent does quality improvement in product manufacturing dependent on the success of
logistics management?
 Can a manufacturing company survive in any way without logistics support systems?
 What impacts has the evolution of logistics created and how does manufacturing companies in
Cameroon adapt to the recent trends of logistics practice?
 Logistics activities are limited only to manufacturing companies. How far is this true?

1.4 Objectives of study

 To determine the impact of logistics in Cameroons manufacturing companies.
 To examine the role of logistics in quality improvement.
 To analyze previously conducted surveys on the impacts of logistics.
 To determine the success of logistics impacts evaluation on manufacturing companies.
 To provide recommendations to manufacturing companies.
1.5 Hypotheses.
 The impacts of logistics in Cameroon are limited to manufacturing companies only.
 Manufacturing companies in Cameroon does not depend on logistics for survival.
 There has been no modification of logistics from its evolution.
1.6 Significance of the study.

 This study is important in the sense that: it serves as a base form to aid related research to be carried out
in the future.
 It helps in blending theory and practical.
 It combines and adjusts previously conducted research, hence providing up to date answers to the
worrying problems of logistics in the business world.
 This study exposes the impacts of logistics in manufacturing companies which consequently illustrates
the nature and basic characteristics of business logistics.

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  This study is also important because it serves as an auxiliary to foster the growth of the logistics
industry.

CHAPTER TWO:
LITREATURE REVIEW
2.1 Conceptual Framework.
As a scientific and research area and a business practice, logistics has gone through significant evolution from
its origin as a concept at the beginning of the 1960s until nowadays. For the purpose of this research we will
focus on the nature and basic characteristics of business logistics basing on some generally accepted and
popular definitions of logistics found in literature. The shortest one which gives notion of the basic managed
object in business logistics is the following: "Management of materials in motion and at rest". (Russell, 2000,
cited in Coyle et al., 2013, p. 36). Another definition of logistics, which reflects the customer point of view, is:
"Getting the right product, to the right customer, in the right quantity, in the right condition, at the right place, at
the right time, and at the right cost (called the "seven Rs of logistics")"(Russell, 2000, cited in Coyle et al.,
2013, p. 36).The most widely accepted is the definition of the Council of Supply Chain Management
Professionals, which has a substantial contribution to the development of logistics as a theory and practice:
"That part of the supply chain process that plans, implements, and controls the efficient, effective flow and
storage of goods, services, and related information from point of origin to point of consumption in order to meet
customer requirements" (Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, 2012). Although this definition
reveals the focus on material flows, it has evolved from an orientation towards the products flow (until 1976 г.)
to the inclusion of the information flow since 1985 and the services flow since 1992 (Dimitrov, 1996, p. 11).
The Cameroon research community has also contributed to the enrichment of the understanding of logistics:
"Business logistics is the fulfillment and integrated management of materials and related flows from point of
origin through all phases and stages of movement with the aim of providing the necessary customer service
levels at lowest costs" (Dimitrov et al., 2010, p.14). The contribution of Dimitrov et al. is expressed in the
emphasis on the present stage in the development of logistics connected with the integration of a company’s
efforts with those of its suppliers, customers and intermediaries for coordinated management of materials and
related flows. As a result of the evolution of logistics the concept of supply chain management comes forward.

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Thus logistics is seen as a wide-ranging and pervading philosophy that can maintain the entire delivery cycle, as
well as support the product throughout its existence, including the time of its usage by the customer (Blanchard,
1992).
The aim of logistics is to provide the required customer service at the lowest total logistics costs. The core
of the logistics customer service is the provision of high time and place product utility. The rapid progress of
contemporary information and communication technologies and systems and the increased management
capabilities of companies have brought to the present logistics development which has started since the
beginning of 2000s.
It is associated with the integration of all supply chain members’ efforts for effective and efficient management
of materials and related flows. Thus the concept of supply chain management emerges, as well as the idea of the
competitiveness of the entire supply chain.
Most of the leading authors in the field are unanimous in their opinion that a supply chain consists of all
organizations involved in the process of providing a product or a service to the end customer - from those that
extract raw materials to the ones engaged in wholesaling and retailing. Some of the definitions broaden the idea
of a supply chain, including its scope companies for transportation, warehousing, information processing,
handling and other intermediaries that facilitate not only the material flow, but also the information, financial
and knowledge flows (Cooper et al., 1997a, p. 68). Other authors consider the supply chain as a sequence of
activities or operations. For example, Beamon and Ware (1998, р. 705) define it as an integrated set of business
functions which encompass all activities from raw materials acquisition to delivery to end user. Schary and
Larsen (2001, р. 23) also describe the supply chain as a linear sequence of operations, organized around the
flow of material to produce and deliver to final customers. A third group of scholars view the supply chain as a
combination of organizations and activities (Handfield and Nichols,2002,р.8.) or as a set of organizations and
processes interrelated in the creation of products and services and their delivery to final customers (Dimitrov et
al., 2010, с. 26). The analysis of the reviewed literature leads to the conclusion that a supply chain consists of
two main components: activities and organizations that perform them. The processes of product manufacturing
and delivery include a set of activities which lead to changes in the material flow. Organizations and their
structural units plan and perform these activities. Literature presents as managed objects of supply chain

2.2 Empirical Review (Current literature review)

As already been pointed out, logistics activity is actually thousands of years’ old, dating back to the earliest
form of organized trade. However, due to many societal and economic developments worldwide, logistics in
companies and economies, is receiving increasing attention.

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A significant impact with respect to the increasing focus on the role of logistics was the contribution which
logistics made to the victory of the Allies in World War II, at which time it began to receive increased
recognition and emphasis. In the 1950s, with the development of the new corporate philosophy of marketing,
logistics came to be associated to an even greater degree with the customer service and cost components of a
company’s marketing efforts. Companies began to emphasize customer satisfaction at a profit with customer
service later becoming the cornerstone of logistics management. Also in the 1950s an important study of the
economics of air freight added a further dimension to the field of logistics.
From the above discussions and outline of the developments leading to the increasing focus by businesses on
the importance of logistics, companies have recognized the impacts of logistics management. Logistics has
today become as a competitive weapon to secure and maintain customer loyalty. Companies now aim to be
increasingly responsive and flexible, committed to their customers, aware of their results, working closely with
their suppliers and providers, embracing technology, and committed to developing and maintaining strategic
direction. Logistics management continues to be a key element of such aims and direction.
According to Davis and Drumm (1999) the first step in achieving significant improvement in both cost and
service is a thorough review of logistics policies, practices and systems, particularly where they result in
unsatisfactory performance levels. This has been the main focus of companies today. Customer service
performance, for example, has been accurately measured and the results compared to what the customer wants
and what world-class competitors are giving. Transportation and warehousing costs and practices has also been
evaluated in terms of their competitiveness and their impact on customer service performance. Furthermore,
inventory management and planning, key elements in controlling costs and meeting service goals, is structured
to assure good service and low cost. All of which encompasses new trends in the current history of logistics
A critical review of logistics policies, practices and systems is therefore an important way to determine what
management needs to do to achieve high customer satisfaction and acceptable cost levels. Excellence in
logistics is an important competitive capability and it is becoming increasingly difficult for companies to catch
up with world-class logistics competitors. Some companies are giving excellent service and are still reducing
the cost of providing it. (Davis & Drumm,1999).
These various trends, developments, and important concepts and strategies, together with reductions in trade
barriers and economic integration are as a result of the changes undergone by logistics from its evolution till
date which now earns it the name Supply Chain Management. This name is taking the logistics area by storm
since so many in various business fields seem to embrace it and see activities of their areas embedded in it. The
origin of the name seems a mystery because SCM, compared with physical Distribution and logistics, is being
debated. Some are saying that it is a fulfillment of the activity integration promise implied in early definitions
while others think it is a new and bold concept. While some people believe that SCM is evolutionary. The claim

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is that SCM is not new and they recognize that the logistics pioneers had many of the ideas promoted by current
supply chain enthusiasts. However, there has been an attempt to distinguish logistics from SCM, declaring
logistics to be a subset of SCM. Recently, the Council of SCM Professionals (CSCMP), which is the premier
organization of supply chain practitioners, researchers, and academics, has defined SCM as; the planning and
management of all activities involved in sourcing and procurement, conversion, and all Logistics Management
activities. Importantly, it also includes coordination and collaboration with channel partners, which can be
suppliers, intermediaries, third-party service providers, and customers. In essence, Supply
Chain Management integrates supply and demand management within and across companies. Whereas, CSCMP
defines logistics to be: Logistics management is that part of SCM that plans, implements, and controls the
efficient forward and reverse flow and storage of goods, services, and related information between the point of
origin and point of consumption in order to meet customer requirements.

2.3 Theoretical Literature

The recognition of the cost and service impact of logistics is an important step for companies. The development
and expansion of global competition and the increasingly international growth of companies, with increasing
foreign sourcing of raw materials, components and labour, further impacts the recognition of the importance of
logistics. Domestic competition and saturated markets in particular have led to the need for companies to
become more competitive and thus effective and efficient in all their operations, with logistics being no
exception. Many discussions on logistics impact refer to the competitive advantage which logistics efficiencies
provide for a company. Companies that successfully implement innovative strategies to better manage their
logistics requirements, for example, are better equipped to increase their competitive advantage and corporate
profitability and to become market leaders. These are better achieved through logistics theories such as:
outsourcing, lean management, total quality management.

LM - Lean Management

This concept is about the elimination of all actions that do not create added value, i.e. such actions, for which
the customer would not pay.

The word lean goes with Lean Management;

Lean Production (Lean Manufacturing). Lean Management is described as the simplification of all
processes (flows), to avoid errors, waste and situations of missed opportunities the concept of enterprise
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management, which involves adaptation to the economic conditions prevailing in the market through
organizational and functional transformation; It is a slow and continuous process of rationalization of the entire
organization and its relationship with the environment by introducing a number of changes in the business,
assets structure and management methods, making the company more slim, more lean.
The general principle of Lean Management is an integrated comprehensive orientation, which extends onto the
entire suuply chain, including external linkages with suppliers and customers in logistic channels.

The basic elements of this concept include Reduction of complexity: this is a simplification of all
processes and flows in order to avoid errors and waste of unused capacity or situation (the result of these
activities is, for example: change of organizations, structures, the way the tasks are carried out);
Communication: Intensive information exchange in all areas within the companies – participants of the
supply chain and between these spheres, taking into account all the supplier - customer relationships
(information exchange takes place with the use of modern information technologies, on the basis of partnership,
trust, sharing the risks and benefits).

TQM – Total Quality Management

The American Society for Quality has defined quality in the form of interdependent dimensions, as the
characteristic features of a product or service that have impact on its ability to satisfy directly expressed or
implicit needs (value approach) product or service free of defects (compatibility approach) Evaluation of actions
occurring within a supply chain in the dimension of value may include:

Compatibility: Whether the product supplied and the after - sales service are compatible with the
specification.
Performance: What are the basic characteristics of the processes taking place between the suppliers and the
customers?
Durability: The effectiveness and timeliness of logistics operations in space and time.
Reliability: Whether the product will be delivered in the designated place, time, quantity and quality to the
specified receiver.

Aesthetics: Whether the delivered product or service impacts positively on the customer. In turn, the
compliance assessment is about evaluation whether the actions and processes taking place within the supply
chain are performed as required.
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Outsourcing

Logistics outsourcing involves a relationship between a company and an LSP (logistic service provider), which,
compared with basic logistics services, has more customized offerings, encompasses a broad number of service
activities, is characterized by a long-term orientation, and thus has a strategic nature. What is Outsourcing?

Outsourcing is using an external supplier for services to a company that cannot provide them for itself, or
cannot provide them in an efficient way.

CHAPTER THREE
METHODS AND PROCEDURES
3.1 Scope and Background of the study
Buea is the head quarter of the south west region of Cameroon. It was created by a presidential degree No
77/203, on the 29 of June 1977. It has a surface area of about 870 sq.km and an approximated number of 67
villages. Buea has a population of about 350.000 inhabitants with an average life expectancy of 50 years. The
main language spoken by the natives is the Bakweri language followed by English language and even pidgin
though French recently has been mostly practice.
The study area (Tole Tea Estate) is situated in Fako Division in the South-west Region. Its geographical
coordinates are 4° 6' 0" North and 9° 13' 0" East. It is situated on an undulating hill on the east facing side at the
foot of mount Cameroon at an elevation of about 2000-2500 meters above sea level. The heavy rainfall in this
area coupled with its high humidity and long dry season help to create a favorable environment for the growth
of tea. The soils are heavily leached due to the heavy torrential rainfall making it poor in lime though rich in
bases making it suitable for the growing of tea on mountain slopes. In 1928, the German planters introduced tea
in Cameroon with an experimental tea farm of about 66 hectares at Tole.The creation of the CDC led to the
handing over of former German plantations to this new corporation. The CDC got involved in tea management
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in 1954 when it took over the tea plantation at Tole. The TTE became known as CTE following its privatization
in2002. The inability of CDC to make profit led to its privatization in 2002 to the Cameroon Tea Estate (CTE).
The CTE is made up of four tea estate; Ndawara, Tole, Ndu and Djuttitsa (Akara, 2006).
The Tole Tea Estate owes its creation to the desires of the colonial master’s ambitions of exploiting the
colonies for their economic interest. The main factors that favored the location of this tea plantation at the foot
of Mount Cameroon were influenced by the availability of land, labour and a favorable climatic condition. Tea
was first experimented at the slopes of Mount Fako in 1928 when a tea nursery was first setup in the Botanic
Garden in Limbe. This experimental farm was later followed by a Twenty-six hectares of light leafed and the
dark-leafed Manipuri tea that were planted in Tole, still for experimental purposes. These tea species were
imported from India by the Germans and proved suitable for cultivation at Tole (Konings, 2003).When colonial
plantations were indigenized in 1947 following the creation of the CDC, the management of Tole tea estate
were handed over to the new corporation. It can therefore be observed from the foregoing that the Tole tea
estate was a structure that was inherited from colonialism. One of the key problems that confronted the colonial
managers of this estate was the inability to secure labour around the plantation location. They had to move far
away into the hinterlands to recruit labour in the grass fields of the West and North West Regions of the
country. All of which were sort of measures implemented to improve quality in production and maintain
customers satisfaction thereby ensuring the company’s objectives are secured.

3.2 Research Design

This research employed a qualitative phenomenological research design with purposeful sampling of
participants. This approach tries to identify how phenomena are perceived by actors in their natural context.
This entails the gathering of in depth information and perceptions through inductive qualitative methods
involving interviews, discussions and participant observation. The collection of data in this study entails
conducting in-depth interviews with 30 participants (male and female) workers drawn from all the sectors in the
Tole Tea Estate. The fieldwork to collect data took place in February-March, 2021 during the first field visit and
later in May - June, 2021 during the second field visit. Although it was highly demanding due to time
constraints, it was the most preferred method due to its flexibility in eliciting detailed information from
respondents in their own words, about their social world. The researcher also made use of secondary material
such as articles, published books, thesis and technical reports. A combination of the above resulted to a
structured research report of five chapters with preliminary pages included
3.3 Study Population

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The study comprise of all the employees in a manufacturing company (Cameroon Tole Tea Estate to be
precise). The target population for this study was 30 Cameroonian based workers in the Tole tea estate in Buea.
The choice of this population was on the ease of accessibility and time constraints.

3.4 Sample and Sampling Techniques

The sample size of this study is made up of employees randomly selected from the Camreroon Tole Tea Estate
in Buea. A Purposive sampling technique was employed to guide in the selection of CTE workers from all the
sectors to be used in the study. The CTE operates on several plantations located in different parts of the South
West, West and North West Regions of the country. The CTE is made up of four tea estates, which include;
Ndawara, Tole, Ndu and Djuttitsa. The Tole Tea Estate was selected because it is the only tea estate in the
South West Region and the most prominent in the sector dating as far back as 1945.

3.5 Research Instruments

The instruments used to carry out this research include: one on one questioning of employees, such
questions include:
 How is tea produced?
 How is the finished product stored, transported and distributed?
 How do the company meet customers requirement?
 What strategy does the company use to keep her customers in tact despite the existence of other tea
estate in Cameroon?
 Does the company make loss? And what are the mitigating measures to this effect?
 What motivate employees to stay in service?
 Do age, gender and educational qualification have impacts on the selection of employees?
 Why are employees living in close proximity to the estate?
 Are there some challenges faced by the company that limit production?
A blank piece of paper, pen and pencil was used in data collection, a stop watch, approximation of
collected data base on logistics trends.

3.6 Validation of Instruments

In order to ensure content validity, the supervisor checked the relevance of the instruments with specific
attention on the variables of the study. This was done in order to be sure the instruments chosen are measuring
what was supposed to be measured. Some this instruments such as questioning however was tested on particular
individuals such as my classmates, lecturers and competent authorities of some manufacturing companies in

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limbe. Their responses coupled with that of the Cameroon Tea Estate workers proved that the instruments were
valid.

3.7 Variables of Data Collection

Working condition of employees

Methods of production, storage and distribution

Evaluation of production activities on employee’s performance

Logistic impacts

3.8 Methods of Data Analysis

The study made use of the explanatory approach to interpret logistics activities and meanings with the desire to
develop a constructive understanding of their operation from a logistical theory of knowledge having in mind
that knowledge is a social and subjective construction. The results of the study were rich accounts of people’s
realities and how they act within them, buttressed by descriptive statistical data analysis. Interpretation involved
the collection of data into conclusions. In addition, the organization of data entails the continuous display and
assembling of data and information that involved the production of descriptive data in the form of tables, and
schematic diagrams. The data and information collected were organized into text. However, theoretical
frameworks on the impacts of logistics were used to guide this research inquiry and also to summarize data and
information during the data analysis and interpretation exercise.

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 CHARPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS

4.1 Data Presentation

To give a better understanding of the above parameters on logistics impacts, the researcher use merely
descriptive statistics to analyze the results. Percentages were used to analyze the results following the various
research questions and objectives. The information obtained was presented with the use of tables as elucidated
below.
4.1.1 Demographic Characteristics of Respondents
This study made use of 30 respondents of both sexes. The study asserts that more than 54% of those
interviewed in the Tole tea estate are women owing to their numerical strength in the company (see Table
4.1).The study further affirms that 75% of the respondents are indigenes from the North West Region, while
19% come from the South West Region and less than 3% from the East and Western Regions respectively.The
main reason for these disproportionate number of workers employed in the CTE owes much to history. The
main argument to support this claim is based on the fact that “Bakwerians “who are indigenes of this area were
never interested in plantation work so were considered by the Germans and later the British as very lazy people.
The North Westerners with very few job opportunities saw establishment of the Tea Plantation as a source of
employment. This therefore acted as a push factor for them to migrate to the coastal areas in search of greener
pastures. More than 90% of the respondents have worked with the CTE for more than 10 years as permanent
workers at the time of the interview with the majority ranging between 20-50 years of age (see Table 4.2 and
4.3).

(Table 4.1) sex and origin of respondents

In addition, more than 56% of the CTE workers are married with children. It should be noted that most of the
workers are youths because of the strenuous nature of the job in the plantation. It was also observed that the
workers of the CTE live at close proximity to the plantations where they work to cut down travelling cost and
time. After the privatization of the TTE, several workers were laid off because they were old and inefficient
making it possible for those who were physically very strong and efficient to be retained. It was a strategy used
by the CTE management to increase productivity and profits. Though, it was against the terms of the

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privatization contract. This therefore accounts for the reason why 80% of the workers fall between the 20-50
years.

(Table 4.2) Age and marital status of respondents

(Table 4.3) length of employment and level of education of respondents

CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY OF MAJOR FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Introduction

This chapter is categorized into three sections. The first section will be summary of findings obtained from field
work as far as the research is concerned. The second section of this chapter will discuss the conclusion and
finally the third section will propose some possible recommendations of the topic for observation.
5.1 Summary of Findings
The main objective of this study was to examine the impact of logistics in manufacturing companies in
Cameroon. The specific objectives of the study are to examine the role of logistics in quality improvement in
Cameroons manufacturing companies; to examine the success of logistics impacts and evaluation in
manufacturing companies and to examine whether employee involvement in Total Quality Management affect
business performance in manufacturing companies in Cameroon.

In addition, a research design was adopted for this study. The targeted population of this research was 30
employees from the Cameroon Tea Estate in Buea and a stratified sampling method was used since all levels of
employees were considered to have equal chance for the study. The study provides adequate data for analyzing
the various sub population to ensure all levels of employees are represented. Quantitative data was coded and
entered into statistical packages for social scientists. Analysis was then base on descriptive statistics.

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In a nutshell, it was found out that most of the questions stipulated through oral interview posit to be true.in
addition, the impacts of logistics through customer focus and employee’s performance has a significant effect
on quality improvement in the Cameroons manufacturing companies as evident with the Cameroons Tea Estate.
5.2 Conclusions
After a careful study and evaluation of the impacts of logistics in manufacturing companies in Cameroon, one
could easily conclude that logistics activities such as: Customer service, Traffic and transportation,
Warehousing and storage, Plant and warehouse site selection, Inventory management, Order processing,
Logistics communications, Procurement, Materials handling, Packaging, Demand forecasting, Parts and service
support, Salvage and scrap disposal, Return goods handling are evident in a company depending on the products
and/or services that it supplies, may consider some, or all, of these logistics activities core to its business, or of a
less strategic nature. Nevertheless all of these activities are important to the manufacturing sector, on which this
thesis focus, is no exception. Therefore, it is clear that companies engage in the production goods or services
cannot survive without logistics support systems. This makes the findings of this work very reliable and useful
for policy formulation in companies.
5.3 Recommendations
Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendations will be helpful to the company as it will
assist in the increase of its employee’s performance and net income.
The company should strive in improve on its information technology as it will result to :
• Accurate and reliable information input for decision-making
• The ability to respond rapidly
• Greater knowledge and therefore understanding of the marketplace
• A means of differentiating the business to reinforce its competitive advantage
It should be noted however that information technology is a means to an end; it is not an end in itself. It
provides a company with the capability to maintain flexibility, responsiveness, customer focus, and continuous
improvement.
Again, customer service performance needs to be accurately measured and the results compared to what the
customer wants and what world-class competitors are giving. Transportation and warehousing costs and
practices should also be evaluated in terms of their competitiveness and their impact on customer service
performance. Furthermore, inventory management and planning, key elements in controlling costs and meeting
service goals, must be structured to assure good service and low cost. Therefore, the company should take into
consideration to outsource its distribution activity or storage to a third party logistic provider. This will reduce
cost and increase profit.

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