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Article
Publication date: 2 November 2021

Firoz Ahmad and Boby John

This study aims to investigate a reliability-level demand-oriented pharmaceutical supply chain design with maximal anticipated demand coverage. Different hospitals with the…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to investigate a reliability-level demand-oriented pharmaceutical supply chain design with maximal anticipated demand coverage. Different hospitals with the particular reliability value associated with the various pharmaceutical items (PIs) are considered. An inter-connected multi-period supply chain comprising manufacturers, distribution centers, hospitals and patients is assumed for the smooth flow of health-care items, enhancing supply chain reliability. A reliability index for PIs is depicted to highlight product preference and facilitate hospitals’ service levels for patients.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed-integer multi-objective programming problem that maximizes maximal demand coverage minimizes the total economic costs and pharmaceutical delivery time is depicted under intuitionistic fuzzy uncertainty. Further, a novel interactive neutrosophic programming approach is developed to solve the proposed pharmaceutical supply chain management (PSCM) model. Each objective’s marginal evaluation is elicited by various sorts of membership functions such as linear, exponential and hyperbolic types of membership functions and depicted the truth, indeterminacy and falsity membership degrees under a neutrosophic environment.

Findings

The proposed PSCM model is implemented on a real case study and solved using an interactive neutrosophic programming approach that reveals the proposed methods’ validity and applicability. An ample opportunity to generate the compromise solution is suggested by tuning various parameters. The outcomes are evaluated with practical managerial implications based on the significant findings. Finally, conclusions and future research scope are addressed based on the proposed work.

Research limitations/implications

The propounded study has some limitations that can be addressed in future research. The discussed PSCM model can be merged with and extended by considering environmental factors such as the health-care waste management system, which is not included in this study. Uncertainty among parameters due to randomness can be incorporated and can be tackled with historical data. Besides, proposed interactive neutrosophic programming approach (INPA), various metaheuristic approaches may be applied to solve the proposed PSCM model as a future research scope.

Practical implications

The strategy advised is to provide an opportunity to create supply chains and manufacturing within India by helping existing manufacturers to expand, identifying new manufacturers, hand-holding and facilitating, teams of officers, engineers and scientists deployed and import only if necessary to meet timelines. Thus, any pharmaceutical company or organization can adopt the production and distribution management initiatives amongst hospitals to strengthen and enable the pharmaceutical company while fighting fatal diseases during emergencies. Finally, managers or policy-makers can take advantage of the current study and extract fruitful pieces of information and knowledge regarding the optimal production and distribution strategies while making decisions.

Originality/value

This research work manifests the demand-oriented extension of the integrated PSCM design with maximum expected coverage, where different hospitals with pre-determined reliability values for various PIs are taken into consideration. The practical managerial implications are explored that immensely support the managers or practitioners to adopt the production and distribution policies for the PIs to ensure the sustainability in supply chain design.

Article
Publication date: 22 December 2022

Fatemeh Fallah, Parham Azimi and Mani Sharifi

The pharmaceutical industry is one of the most essential areas of health in any country. It is defined as a system of processes, operations and organizations involved in…

Abstract

Purpose

The pharmaceutical industry is one of the most essential areas of health in any country. It is defined as a system of processes, operations and organizations involved in discovering, developing and producing drugs. The supply chain in the pharmaceutical field is one of the most important strategic issues in the pharmaceutical and health-care industries. The purpose of this study is to reduce the total cost of the supply chain network and reduce the amount of distribution scheduling.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, the authors designed a drug supply chain network with uncertainty-related corruption. The optimal number and location of potential facilities, the optimal allocation of flow between facilities, the optimal routing of vehicles and the optimal amount of inventory in production and distribution center warehouses were determined to achieve these two objective functions.

Findings

In evaluating the small sample size problem, it was found that the comprehensive benchmarking method was more efficient than the other methods in obtaining the mean index of the first objective function. The utility function method has also proved its efficiency in obtaining the mean of the second objective function indices, the spacing index and the computational time. Because of the inefficiency of GAMS software in resolving size issues, the modified NSGA II and MOPSO algorithms with modified priority-based encryption have been used. First, using the Taguchi method, the initial parameters of the metaheuristic algorithms are adjusted, and then, 15 sample problems are designed in larger sizes. To avoid generating random data, five problems were equally designed, and the averages of objective functions and metrics of met heuristic algorithms (number of efficient solutions, maximum expansion index, spacing index and computational time) were analyzed as the basis of evaluation and comparison. Therefore, using all the indicators and results of the NSGA II algorithm is recommended.

Originality/value

In this research, a biobjective modeling approach is proposed to minimize the total costs of the supply chain network (construction costs, storage costs and product transportation costs between centers) and advertising costs and to minimize distribution and transportation scheduling across each level of the supply chain network.

Details

Journal of Modelling in Management, vol. 18 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-5664

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 July 2023

Saad Zighan, Nidal Yousef Dwaikat, Ziad Alkalha and Moheeb Abualqumboz

This study investigates the role of supply chain knowledge management in enhancing pharmaceutical supply chain resilience.

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Abstract

Purpose

This study investigates the role of supply chain knowledge management in enhancing pharmaceutical supply chain resilience.

Design/methodology/approach

This study focusses on the Middle East region, where semi-structured online interviews were conducted with 38 professionals from the pharmaceutical supply chain to collect empirical data.

Findings

The study reveals that supply chain knowledge management is a crucial value-adding practice that improves pharmaceutical supply chain resilience. Effective supply chain knowledge management enables organisations to develop agility, change, adaptability, problem-solving, response and innovation capabilities that support supply chain resilience. However, challenges related to supply chain management practices, people, processes and technology hinder the effective promotion of supply chain knowledge.

Practical implications

This study reminds managers that knowledge management is critical for building resilience in supply chains.

Social implications

The study highlights the importance of a resilient pharmaceutical supply chain for organisations and society. The study advocates that effective supply chain knowledge management can help ensure a sustained supply of high-quality pharmaceutical products and services during crises.

Originality/value

The study offers novel insights by examining pharmaceutical supply chain resilience from a knowledge management perspective and highlighting the potential of knowledge capabilities to enable supply chains to recover from crises and adapt to the new normal. This study also highlights the key strategic considerations for managing knowledge effectively throughout the supply chain.

Details

The International Journal of Logistics Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0957-4093

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 November 2021

Mohammad Mahdi Ershadi and Mohamad Sajad Ershadi

Appropriate logistic planning for the pharmaceutical supply chain can significantly improve many financial and performance aspects. To this aim, a multi-objective optimization…

Abstract

Purpose

Appropriate logistic planning for the pharmaceutical supply chain can significantly improve many financial and performance aspects. To this aim, a multi-objective optimization model is proposed in this paper that considers different types of pharmaceuticals, different vehicles with determining capacities and multi-period logistic planning. This model can be updated based on new information about resources and newly identified requests.

Design/methodology/approach

The main objective function of the proposed model in this paper is minimizing the unsatisfied prioritized requests for pharmaceuticals in the network. Besides, the total transportation activities of different types of vehicles and related costs are considered as other objectives. Therefore, these objectives are optimized hierarchically in the proposed model using the Lexicographic method. This method finds the best value for the first objective function. Then, it tries to optimize the second objective function while maintaining the optimality of the first objective function. The third objective function is optimized based on the optimality of other objective functions, as well. A non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II-multi-objective particle swarm optimization heuristic method is designed for this aim.

Findings

The performances of the proposed model were analyzed in different cases and its results for different problems were shown within the framework of a case study. Besides, the sensitivity analysis of results shows the logical behavior of the proposed model against various factors.

Practical implications

The proposed methodology can be applied to find the best logistic plan in real situations.

Originality/value

In this paper, the authors have tried to use a multi-objective optimization model to guide and correct the pharmaceutical supply chain to deal with the related requests. This is important because it can help managers to improve their plans.

Details

International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing, vol. 16 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1750-6123

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 April 2021

Uma Maheswari Devi Parmata and Surya Prakash Chetla

The purpose of this paper is to develop a scale for the measurement of service quality at the manufacturer–doctor interface of the pharmaceutical supply chain and to study the…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a scale for the measurement of service quality at the manufacturer–doctor interface of the pharmaceutical supply chain and to study the impact of service quality on doctor’s satisfaction and doctor’s prescribing behavior. Doctors from two major states of South India were selected for the study. A doctor perceived service quality scale with three dimensions having eight items was developed through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in the pharmaceutical context. Structural equation modeling (SEM) technique was used to show the relationship between service quality, satisfaction and prescribing behavior. The critical factors of service quality were identified, and a model was developed showing the relationship between service quality, doctor’s satisfaction and doctor’s prescribing behavior which has not been explored in any research. This model will be helpful in further development of new concepts and for analyzing the reasons for the failure of doctors in providing quality service. 

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 200 doctors from three major cities of South India were selected. A doctor perceived service quality scale with three dimensions having eight items was developed through CFA using Parasuraman Service quality scale (Parasuraman, 1985, 1986, 1988) as the basis in the pharmaceutical context after focus group discussions with company experts, retailers, doctors and academicians. SEM technique was used to examine the impact of service quality on doctor’s satisfaction and prescribing behavior.

Findings

There is no universal set of dimensions and items that determine service quality in manufacturing industries, especially at the manufacturer–doctor interface of the pharmaceutical supply chain though service quality plays a very important role in affecting the performance of manufacturing industries. The critical factors affecting the quality of service for a pharmaceutical company at the manufacturer–doctor interface of the supply chain were identified, and its impact on doctor’s satisfaction and their prescribing behavior were studied.

Research limitations/implications

This research contributes to the development of service quality scale for measuring service quality in pharmaceutical manufacturing company, especially with reference to manufacturer–doctor interface of the supply chain which was not thoroughly explored earlier. A model was developed showing the positive relationship between service quality and doctor’s satisfaction and doctor’s prescribing behavior in pharmaceutical supply chain which is a new concept not proved experimentally.

Practical implications

The study is very useful for the pharmaceutical manufacturing companies to identify the service quality factors affecting doctor’s satisfaction and their prescribing behavior thereby leading to development of new measures for improving the performance of the pharmaceutical supply chain. This study can lead to identification of problems involved in pharmaceutical supply chain and also leads to generation of new ideas and development of new concepts for influencing doctor’s satisfaction and doctor’s prescribing behavior which in turn can help in providing better health.

Social implications

This study actually has a direct impact on the society. If factors affecting doctor’s satisfaction and prescribing behavior are identified automatically, the end consumer, i.e. patient, can be satisfied in a better way, and better medical care can be provided. If doctor’s problems are identified, then better solutions can be provided to patients; this in turn has a lot of positive impact on the pharmaceutical company and society in general.

Originality/value

This research will act as a base for generating ideas relating to how quality service provided by a company will have an impact on doctor’s satisfaction and his prescribing behavior in pharmaceutical supply chain .To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first of its kind of the conceptual aspects of service quality, satisfaction and loyalty explained in terms of pharmaceutical supply chain as service quality, doctor’s satisfaction and doctor’s prescribing behavior and proved experimentally.

Details

International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing, vol. 15 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1750-6123

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 October 2021

Omid Abdolazimi, Mitra Salehi Esfandarani, Maryam Salehi, Davood Shishebori and Majid Shakhsi-Niaei

This study evaluated the influence of the coronavirus pandemic on the healthcare and non-cold pharmaceutical care distribution supply chain.

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Abstract

Purpose

This study evaluated the influence of the coronavirus pandemic on the healthcare and non-cold pharmaceutical care distribution supply chain.

Design/methodology/approach

The model involves four objective functions to minimize the total costs, environmental impacts, lead time and the probability of a healthcare provider being infected by a sick person was developed. An improved version of the augmented e-constraint method was applied to solve the proposed model for a case study of a distribution company to show the effectiveness of the proposed model. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to identify the sensitive parameters. Finally, two robust models were developed to overcome the innate uncertainty of sensitive parameters.

Findings

The result demonstrated a significant reduction in total costs, environmental impacts, lead time and probability of a healthcare worker being infected from a sick person by 40%, 30%, 75% and 54%, respectively, under the coronavirus pandemic compared to the normal condition. It should be noted that decreasing lead time and disease infection rate could reduce mortality and promote the model's effectiveness.

Practical implications

Implementing this model could assist the healthcare and pharmaceutical distributors to make more informed decisions to minimize the cost, lead time, environmental impacts and enhance their supply chain resiliency.

Originality/value

This study introduced an objective function to consider the coronavirus infection rates among the healthcare workers impacted by the pharmaceutical/healthcare products supply chain. This study considered both economic and environmental consequences caused by the coronavirus pandemic condition, which occurred on a significantly larger scale than past pandemic and epidemic crises.

Details

The International Journal of Logistics Management, vol. 34 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0957-4093

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 January 2009

Sameer Kumar, Erin Dieveney and Aaron Dieveney

The aim of this paper is to analyze the pharmaceutical supply chain using the DMAIC process for improvement of the reverse logistics in a recall to avert the possibility of harm…

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Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to analyze the pharmaceutical supply chain using the DMAIC process for improvement of the reverse logistics in a recall to avert the possibility of harm to a consumer.

Design/methodology/approach

A framework is used for guiding one towards the responsibilities of the different organizations concerning reverse logistics. This is further developed into a Cause and Effect analysis, performed on the supply chain and the hypothesized problem areas. Improvement concepts were then considered in the use of RFID, consistent information systems and transportation carriers to streamline the supply chain and reducing the risk of counterfeit drugs entering the forward supply chain. FMEA is used to understand the failure modes and the severity of the respective failures in the reverse logistics supply chain.

Findings

The study yielded interesting and innovative solutions being tested and conceived at the present time, but specific information on the pharmaceutical supply chain was limited. The majority of the reverse logistics for pharmaceuticals is handled through third‐party providers, and therefore this specific knowledge is well guarded, being a core competency.

Practical implications

The improvement concepts were found to have managerial impacts such as improved communication flow, and dedicated group(s) to focus on the reverse logistics to remove miscommunication and perception errors. The ability to make improvements, as well as sustain the improvements, will also require significant and consistent management support.

Originality/value

The study is a first look at the forward and reverse logistics processes for the pharmaceutical industry supply chain and analysis of potential improvements utilizing DMAIC process. It helps in understanding gaps, suggests measures to reduce them and provides direction for improvements related to the quality of service existing between logistics users, logistics service provider, pharmaceutical firm and customers. The methods of analysis used can also be utilized as a diagnostic tool to understand the weaknesses in the existing supply chain and thus help in identifying the key areas for improvements within the organization.

Details

International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, vol. 58 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-0401

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 April 2020

Thanigavelan Jambulingam and Ravi Kathuria

The purpose of this study is to understand the antecedents that influence supply chain coordination in the pharmaceutical supply chain using the transaction cost analysis…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to understand the antecedents that influence supply chain coordination in the pharmaceutical supply chain using the transaction cost analysis framework.

Design/methodology/approach

Data from 156 retail pharmacies on their relationship with the pharmaceutical wholesalers are used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

The findings of this paper show the importance of antecedents that are based on the transactional cost theory, such as asset specificity and environmental uncertainty. These antecedents impact the supply chain process coordination at different levels – transactional, operational and strategic.

Research limitations/implications

Future research may investigate additional antecedents using other theoretical lenses.

Practical implications

Pharmaceutical wholesalers are dependent on pharmaceutical manufacturers for the supply of products and face intense competition that results in lower profit margins. Given that the pharmaceutical industry is strictly regulated, the wholesaler facilitates regulatory compliance of the manufacturers in the distribution process by coordinating with them. But the wholesalers do also face a constant threat from the manufacturers, who could potentially bypass the wholesalers (disintermediation) and go directly to the pharmacies. To counterbalance the dependence, the wholesalers strive to achieve loyalty with the retail pharmacies. Through supply chain coordination, the wholesalers achieve efficiency in procurement for the pharmacies, thus reducing cost and improving their competitive advantage.

Social implications

Supply chain coordination in the pharmaceutical supply chain improves the safety and security of the pharmaceutical distribution system.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the supply chain coordination stream of literature. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to develop the three levels of process coordination in the pharmaceutical supply chain context. This paper shows how process coordination can be achieved between the dyad without vertical integration.

Details

International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing, vol. 14 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1750-6123

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 September 2016

Rajesh Kr. Singh, Ravinder Kumar and Pravin Kumar

In the present context of a health-concious society, management of pharmaceutical supply chains has become more complex because it involves the life-saving interest of human being…

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Abstract

Purpose

In the present context of a health-concious society, management of pharmaceutical supply chains has become more complex because it involves the life-saving interest of human being and requires the participation of different stakeholders such as pharmaceutical manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, customers, information service providers and regulatory agencies. Limited research is available in the area of pharmaceutical supply chains. This paper aims to find the gaps in the literature by reviewing research papers on different strategic issues of supply chain management in the pharmaceutical sector.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 136 research papers, mainly from refereed international journals, were reviewed to identify the issues of supply chain management (SCM) in the pharmaceutical supply chain. On the basis of a review, gaps are identified and research agenda is proposed.

Findings

It is observed from review that the pharmaceutical sector is not widely researched in developing countries because of many complexities in this supply chain. The share of pharmaceutical firms in the global market is also not very significant. Based on an extensive review of pharmaceutical supply chains, research gaps are identified in different areas such as inventory management, new product development, process development, capacity planning, network design, plant design, pipeline and development management, outsourcing logistics activities, reverse logistics, Lean manufacturing, green SCM and implementation of E-business processes and performance management. These strategic issues have been further classified into three broad categories, i.e. resources, processes and performance.

Originality/value

This paper explores major strategic areas of pharmaceutical supply chains for research. Findings of the paper will be highly useful for researchers to decide direction of future research.

Details

International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing, vol. 10 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1750-6123

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 April 2023

Alimohammad Lotfi, Mandana Shakouri, Seyed Reza Abazari, Amir Aghsami and Masoud Rabbani

This paper deals with the combined management and design of a sustainable pharmaceutical supply chain network with considering recycling.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper deals with the combined management and design of a sustainable pharmaceutical supply chain network with considering recycling.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper first utilizes the analytical hierarchy process to select and rank green manufacturers. Second, the authors proposed a multi-objective nonlinear mathematical model to design a sustainable pharmaceutical supply chain network. The proposed model has been linearized and solved using the LP-metric method using GAMS software.

Findings

A real case study has been conducted in Iran. The results show that environmental and social issues can be improved while minimizing total costs.

Originality/value

Given the criticality and importance of drugs in human health and the importance of recycling in today's world, proper management and design of a sustainable drug supply chain are necessary. This study pays special attention to environmental issues by utilizing multi-criteria decision approaches and customer satisfaction.

Details

Journal of Advances in Management Research, vol. 20 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0972-7981

Keywords

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