A Contract Management Practices Framework for Managing Supplier Complaints in Food Retail Manufacturing Organizations in Zimbabwe

Abstract

This study investigates how contract management practices encompassing payment compliance, contract compliance, change-order management, and contract administration relate to supplier complaints in two Zimbabwean food retail manufacturing organizations, Baker's Inn and Lobels Pvt Ltd, using a pragmatist mixed-methods design with parallel triangulation utilizing one hundred and eighty-seven questionnaires and twelve interviews. The study addresses an under-researched African context and draws on internal complaint registers containing two hundred and ninety-six records spanning from 2022 to 2025 alongside primary survey and interview data. The findings indicate that while organizations perform relatively well in establishing formal payment periods, internal approval controls, and contractual procedures, significant weaknesses persist in compliance monitoring, payment exception resolution, supplier consultation during contract variations, and the accessibility of centralized contract records, all of which contribute significantly to supplier complaint recurrence and prolonged resolution times. The research provides practical implications for improving supply chain governance and proposes an integrated contract management framework tailored for food retail manufacturing organizations.