Zambia a mirror of global value chain practices

The Zambian copper
mining sector provides
good ground to compare
how companies based in
different countries approach
their global value chains
(GVCs), according to the 2013
World Investment Report by
the United Nations Conference
on Trade and Development
(Unctad).
It says North American,
European and South African
buyers have aligned their
supply chain practices to global
practices that are increasingly
dominant in the mining sector.
These are characterised by
emphasis on quality, lead
times and trust as key market
requirements, with support
and cooperative practices for
suppliers to improve their
management and technological
competences.
Chinese buyers are
considered result-oriented
buyers, but their supply chain is
governed more at arm’s length.
Indian buyers are more
price-driven, but by adopting
low entry barriers and low
performance requirements,
they ensure high levels of
competition in the supply
chain.