Study Background
The overall objective of the proposed study is to explore the challenges SMEs face concerning supply chains and other aspects related to the UAE’s sustainable development plan. Due to the government’s long-term vision, UAE legislation has been changed; the new regulations will affect various businesses. The study aims to learn more and evaluate how the UAE is implementing its 2021 sustainable development strategy and what plans exist to achieve the UN 2030 goals. The study will be illustrated by the example of an office furniture company operating in the UAE market for quite some time.
The study focuses on the concrete company to illustrate the challenges and opportunities. Bene GMBH was chosen as an example, the organization has been operating in the UAE market for more than twenty years, and is actively evaluating the necessary upgrades, taking into account new sustainability criteria. The business model of the Bene GMBH organization can be considered successful and typical for small and medium-sized businesses involved in the production of office furniture. The study concerns the new UAE sustainability legislation and analyzes the supply chain challenges faced by SMEs in the office furniture sector in order to meet the UAE sustainability criteria.
The Aim of the Study
The study aims to investigate the impact of the UAE’s sustainable development program on the functioning of a furniture company and the difficulties and restrictions that the furniture business faces under the new conditions. The theoretical study should result in a sustainable development model for the furniture sector based on an efficient supply chain. The proposed study makes a significant contribution to understanding the difficulties of small and medium-sized businesses in the UAE and can offer practical development solutions.
The Research Objectives’
- Exploring strategies for SMEs to overcome their challenges in complying with the new UAE sustainable development rules set out in the 2021-2022 Agenda.
- Detailing the challenges a furniture manufacturing organization faces in terms of meeting the sustainability and purchasing requirements of the UAE.
- Studying the difficulties and limitations small and medium-sized businesses face when working in a new environment.
- Investigating the features and difficulties in supply chains, the effective operation of which directly affects the organization’s activities.
- Developing a sustainable model for small and medium-sized enterprises in the office furniture industry, focusing on their activities and practices of a closed supply chain, using the example of Bene GMBH.
Research Question: What challenges do the office furniture SMEs face under the UAE Government’s commitment to sustainable development?
Literature Review
Studies regarding the difficulties of SMEs in the UAE exist; however, they are not numerous. The dissertation Evaluating Sustainable Supply Chain Practices is used to study sustainability on the example of companies producing office furniture (Massoud, 2018). The article examines the impact of the initiative of the UAE government on sustainable development. The study An Integrated Framework for the Assessment of Environmental Sustainability in Wood Supply Chains is used to understand supply chains in the furniture industry (Dalalah et al., 2022). The study Digitization in Wood Supply is also used in this paper to understand supply chain management issues in the wood industry (Muller, Jaeger, and Hanewinkel, 2019). At the moment, there are significant barriers affecting small and medium-sized businesses in the field of sustainable wood supply.
It is necessary to refer to the methods developed for the collection and analysis of statistical data. Research Methods for Business Students and Management and Business Research are used to organize competent work (Lewis, Saunders, and Thornhill, 2019; Thorpe et al., 2021). Bene’s official website introduces the company’s history, mission, and goals (Bene, 2022). The article Digital Media Impact on SMEs Performance in the UAE helps analyze the features of modern business in the UAE (Nuseir, 2018). The Sustainable Development and Social Responsibility report is used to understand the strategies used in the past to achieve sustainable development (Al-Masri and Yousef, 2020). The official website of the UAE Ministry of Economy contributes to understanding the proposed sustainability initiatives (Ministry of Economy UAE, 2020). The book Global Logistics and Supply Chain Management helps identify the challenges that small and medium businesses can face in organizing supply chains (Lalwani et al., 2020). These sources significantly contribute to the topic, but this study intends to expand and deepen previous research.
Methodology
The primary method that the research will rely on to understand opinions about the complexities of small and medium-sized businesses is quantitative. The survey will be used as the primary form of quantitative research. The survey will systematically collect information from respondents for the further analysis. The study will consist of several stages: sampling, development of questions, a compilation of a questionnaire, contacting respondents, data collection, and analysis.
Based on a well-designed sample, the survey method turns out to be very economical and fast. Conducting a survey involving sufficient qualified questionnaires and interviewers allows the researcher to interview large populations of people in the shortest possible time. Modern possibilities of standardization of questions of the questionnaire allow receiving the unified description of the set of individual statements of people, allowing to use the computer, equipment, and methods of the mathematical analysis.
For an accurate analysis, it is necessary to interview representatives and employees of Bene in the UAE. The research needs to reach out to at least 50 people to understand the big picture, as well as to calculate the percentage easily. Confidence in the participation of these people in the research is necessary to convince the respondents that the study is for the benefit of small and medium-sized businesses in the UAE.
To organize a survey, it is required to ensure the anonymity and confidentiality of personal data. Respondents will be asked to sign an informed consent stating that the data obtained will be used anonymously and solely for scientific purposes. Informed consent assumes that the potential respondent will be aware of the subject of the survey and the purpose of the survey. This is necessary so that, when answering the question, the respondent can assess the possible unpleasant consequences. It is assumed that if people are asked to say something about themselves, they are able to adequately respond only when they realize what this can lead to. The criteria by which obtaining informed consent are assessed are based on an analysis of the risk of harm to the respondent if they provide the required information or participate in the study. The concept of risk becomes crucial when discussing procedures to establish informed consent.
Sampling Method
The sampling method for the purposes of this research would be based on the probability technique. Namely, target sampling would be used to select the population based on the purposes of the research and qualifications in the form of experience working in the supply chain. This way, it is possible to ensure that the data collected would be randomized and pertain to the target group of people with experience in the supply chain. Moreover, the participants would be selected from management and procurement fields to diversify the sample.
It was decided that the questionnaire method to obtain representative opinions would be the most suitable for the research. The cost of conducting a questionnaire, the flexibility of time, and data accuracy suggest that the research would incorporate the most valuable data via questionnaire. This data collection method allows quick access to necessary data, and the anonymity behind it is suitable for insurance of data accuracy. Since the participants would be selected from various branches of the supply chain, it is possible to collect valuable and diverse opinions on the research questions. Although the research is limited to quantitative studies, the questions would be close-ended in characteristics. This methodology allows for data collection in the shortest time and easy analysis of the responses via statistical distribution of the results.
To gather representative opinions, 50 questionnaires are to be distributed to interview employees of the organization and obtain challenges that they encounter on a daily basis. It is supposed to survey both ordinary employees and top management, mainly involved in the supply chain policy. The chosen method suggests anonymity; it seems more appropriate for expressing opinions. It is expected that such a quantitative method will give a clearer result, since employees will be more honest. To obtain permission to conduct a study, it is proposed to inform the management of the organization about the present purpose of the study. Helping to overcome difficulties is the main advantage from which the organization will gain a competitive advantage. When publishing the research, it is suggested not to advertise the organization’s name to ensure complete anonymity. Nevertheless, an acknowledgement of such sampling size limitations should be made since the participants would be selected from a single organization. The findings may not be applicable for generalizations with regards to other corporations due to the difference in corporate policies and organizational management.
The provision of anonymity and the proposed benefit to the organization is expected to persuade top management to participate in the study. The company is having difficulty under the new lawing policies and should not refuse help. In addition, participation in a reasonably large study should benefit the company’s reputation. For complete security, a quantitative research method is suitable since the respondents will feel more comfortable than during a face-to-face dialogue. According to Central Limit Theorem, 30 participants is the minimum limit for the sample size to be appropriate since regardless of population distribution sample means approaches a normal distribution as the sample size increases. Therefore, a survey of 50 employees is optimal both for obtaining a representative opinion and organizing time and resources. A more extensive study could be complex for the company, and a smaller sample would not provide the necessary views.
The Subject Areas
One of the main areas that the study will cover is the ecological state. To organize workplaces, employers must ensure the environmental condition of office space. Indoor air is polluted by building and insulation materials. Asbestos and formaldehyde are the main toxic compounds that negatively affect the condition of people in such environment. The need to comply with environmental regulations has led to the development of standards and certification schemes. Painting, flooring and carpeting, materials from which furniture is made fall under the requirements for environmental friendliness. Office furniture companies have met these environmental requirements by developing and selling fewer harmful products. In addition to traditional compliance with environmental regulations, office furniture manufacturers use the environmental performance of products as a competitive advantage. As a result, today’s environmental performance refers to the entire value chain in which a product is created, manufactured, transported, used, and disposed of, not just the finished product. Taking into account environmental features in the furniture industry is one of the leading studied indicators.
Management and leadership are other areas to which the research relates. Supply chain management is essential to understanding the challenges businesses face in the UAE. Leadership is considered in relation to business strategies in order to analyze how new regulatory strategies affect business. The development of further solutions to resolve the difficulties indicated by the research is also the subject of management, which the study addresses.
Foreseen Limitations
The study’s limitations are related to the theoretical and practical parts of the work. Theoretical studies do not provide a complete picture of the situation of small and medium-sized businesses in the UAE. Information about the Bene company was also not the subject of a detailed study, and in the course of the work, one will have to rely only on official information and the opinion of the respondents representing the company.
The limitations in the practical part are related to the chosen method of questioning as the main one for obtaining opinions. The use of questionnaires does not allow obtaining in-depth information about the opinions, motives, and values of the respondents, which generally reduces the reliability and quality of the information received. When questioning, the quality of the information received can be significantly affected by the respondent’s disinterest in the questionnaire. Sometimes, there is no direct incentive to answer the questionnaire in the form of a material reward. When questioning, there is no possibility of observing the reactions of respondents during the survey, which does not allow to influence them in a certain way and does not ensure the complete completion of the entire questionnaire. In addition, respondents may opt out of the survey for reasons of non-disclosure of company practices.
Research Timeline
An extensive survey requires a significant amount of time. In general, it is planned to spend no more than a month on the study. First, developing questions and finding respondents who agree to the survey is a time-consuming task. The most time-consuming part of the study is the search for contacts of respondents and compliance with the formal side, such as obtaining informed consent. The development of questionnaire questions is also a part that requires detailed study and, accordingly, time. It is necessary to think over clear language that meets the interests of the study. Waiting for respondents’ answers should not take much time since the questionnaire is planned not to be too extensive and with clearly defined questions so as not to take up the respondents’ time. Analysis of the results is also time-consuming; however, it is planned to spend no more than a week on this stage of the study.
Reference List
Al-Masri, A.N. and Yousef, A.A. (eds.) (2020) Sustainable development and social responsibility—Volume 2: Proceedings of the 2nd American University in the Emirates International Research Conference. Berlin: Springer International Publishing.
Bene (2022) About Bene. Web.
Dalalah, D. et al. (2022) ‘An integrated framework for the assessment of environmental sustainability in wood supply chains’, Environmental Technology & Innovation, 27(1), pp.1-9. Web.
Lalwani, C., Calatayud, A., and Mangan, J. (2020) Global logistics and supply chain management. London: Wiley.
Lewis, P., Saunders, M., and Thornhill, A. (2019) Research methods for business students. New York: Pearson.
Massoud, N.M.S.M. (2018) Evaluating Sustainable Supply Chain Practices in Office Furniture SMEs and Assessing Strategies to Develop Sustainable Operations in Line with UAE Regulations (Doctoral dissertation, Cardiff Metropolitan University).
Ministry of Economy UAE. (2020) Sustainable Development Goals. Web.
Muller, F., Jaeger, D. and Hanewinkel, M. (2019) ‘Digitization in wood supply–A review on how Industry 4.0 will change the forest value chain’, Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 162(1), pp.206-218. Web.
Nuseir, M.T. (2018) ‘Digital media impact on SMEs performance in the UAE’, Academy of Entrepreneurship Journal, 24(2), pp.1-13. Web.
Thorpe, R., Valizade, D., Jaspersen, L. J., Easterby-Smith, M. (2021) Management and business research. London: SAGE Publications.