Global Journal of Medical Research, E: Gynecology and Obstetrics, Volume 23 Issue 3

Digital Supply Chain Management: A Study on Bangladeshi Fashion and Accessories Industry’s E-retailers Redwan Ahmed α , Najmus Sakib σ & Nabila Jesmine ρ Abstract- This study aims to examine the challenges faced by e-retailers in the Bangladeshi fashion and accessories industry's supply chain and explore the potential benefits of integrating digital supply chain management systems. The study addresses the gap in understanding the obstacles hindering the growth of e-commerce within the fashion and accessories sector in Bangladesh and the potential solutions to improve supply chain efficiency. Qualitative research methods were employed, involving interviews with 55 e-retailers and thematic analysis to assess the data. The research reveals sourcing challenges and lengthy lead times as significant barriers in the industry. It also highlights the positive impact of digital supply chain systems on delivery efficiency, with a low adoption rate among e- retailers. The findings suggest that by implementing integrated information-sharing systems within the supply chain could revolutionize the e-commerce fashion and accessories industry in Bangladesh, improving responsiveness and reducing lead times. However, overcoming e-retailers' reluctance to adopt these systems remains a challenge. The study acknowledges that developing and implementing such systems may require a longer timeframe and educational efforts are needed to bridge the knowledge gap hindering adoption. Keywords: digital supply chain management, bangladesh e-commerce growth, supply chain efficiency, information sharing system, fashion and accessories sourcing. I. I ntroduction he business environment is changing due to the fourth industrial revolution. Business industries are acclimating the digital technologies to design their supply chain. A digital supply chain (DSC) electronically delivers products from origin to destination (Islam, 2015). The system increases responsiveness and agility. DSC facilitates cost-effective services and value added operations. In this digital era of business activities, it’s an emergency need to have a flexible supply chain management system. DSC provides a robust and potential operating process, reduction of cost and time, transparency, flexibility, and visibility (Tavana & Shaabani, 2022). Among the emerging industries of Bangladesh, the fashion and accessories industry is very dynamic by its nature. While this sector in Bangladesh holds immense potential, it is uniquely challenging (Tavana & Shaabani, 2022). The industry's inherent dynamism, driven by swiftly changing consumer preferences, poses an ongoing challenge for retailers and manufacturers. In this context, the growth of e-commerce is of particular significance. Customer preferences and tastes are changed immediately. Online customers are the most compulsive buyers in this industry (Islam, 2015). Traditional order processing of the system and delivery process is not enough to maintain the pace of the agile industry. In this sector, the main challenge is to accelerate the sourcing and availability of products on time (Mahadi Hasan Miraz, 2016). Online consumers, often characterized as compulsive buyers, demand quick and convenient access to a wide range of fashion products (Jones, 2018). Accordingly, the purpose of this research is to investigate the challenges faced by e- retailers in the supply chain management in the fashion industry. The research questions are: 1. What kinds of difficulties are faced by e-retailers in the sourcing issues in the fashion industry? 2. How the implementation of digital supply chain management can be beneficial to them? To clarify these issues, it's important to have an understanding of the Bangladeshi fashion industry’s supply chain management and the significant issues faced by e-retailers in this sector. The motivation for undertaking this study is that very little research has been undertaken on digital supply chain management by e-retailers in the fashion industry. In the 21 st century, every problem is solved by using technology. So, the difficulties faced by e-retailers can be addressed by digital solutions. However, traditional supply chain processes and delivery methods have struggled to keep pace with the industry's rapid digitalization (Sameh, 2021). This problem is exacerbated by the absence of real-time information sharing between wholesalers and e-retailers. As a result, e commerce businesses face significant hurdles in obtaining real-time updates on product availability, order status, and delivery timelines, which hinder their ability to meet the evolving demands of the digital era (Kumar et al., 2017). T Global Journal of Management and Business Research ( E ) XXIII Issue III Version I Year 2023 23 © 2023 Global Journals Author ρ : e-mail: nabilajesmine@gmail.com