IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/rbs/ijbrss/v12y2023i8p12-23.html

Covid-19 and the South African pharmaceutical supply chain: drivers, strategies, and recommendations

Author

Listed:
  • Blessing Takawira

    (University of Johannesburg)

  • David Pooe

    (University of Johannesburg)

Abstract

This research aimed to identify the key drivers of the pharmaceutical supply chain during the COVID-19 pandemic disruption, focusing on the South African pharmaceutical industry. The study aimed to unveil the dynamic strategies and challenges experienced during the pandemic and suggest recommendations for resilient supply chain operations. The study drew on established supply chain management theories and integrated them with the unique and novel circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. It mainly referred to theories regarding pricing, strategic sourcing, ICT usage, product availability, and logistics management contextualised within the pharmaceutical industry. An exploratory research approach was adopted to uncover the five overarching themes that function as pharmaceutical supply chain drivers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Semi-structured interviews were used to acquire the primary data with industry supply chain professionals, supplemented with secondary data from industry reports and relevant literature. The findings revealed that the pricing of medications, strategic sourcing decisions, information and communication technology, the availability of pharmaceutical products, and logistics management played critical roles in the pharmaceutical industry's supply chain during the COVID-19 pandemic. Disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic led to challenges such as price hikes, supply shortages, and logistical complications. The study provides crucial insights into managing supply chain disruptions amid a global health crisis. Implementing dynamic pricing mechanisms, developing resilient sourcing strategies, using ICT effectively, improving inventory management, and enhancing logistics management are recommended for robust supply chain operations. The findings contribute to academia by enriching the existing body of knowledge and offering practical solutions for industry supply chain professionals. The research is original and timely, offering a unique perspective on the South African pharmaceutical industry's supply chain during an unprecedented global health crisis. The results are valuable for academia and industry, shedding light on the adaptive strategies, challenges encountered, and lessons learned from navigating the pharmaceutical supply chain during the COVID-19 pandemic Key Words:Supply chain drivers, pharmaceutical industry, COVID-19 pandemic, Supply Chain Risk Management, Pricing, Sourcing, Strategies

Suggested Citation

  • Blessing Takawira & David Pooe, 2023. "Covid-19 and the South African pharmaceutical supply chain: drivers, strategies, and recommendations," International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478), Center for the Strategic Studies in Business and Finance, vol. 12(8), pages 12-23, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:rbs:ijbrss:v:12:y:2023:i:8:p:12-23
    DOI: 10.20525/ijrbs.v12i8.2973
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://ssbfnet.com/ojs/index.php/ijrbs/article/view/2973/2044
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://doi.org/10.20525/ijrbs.v12i8.2973
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.20525/ijrbs.v12i8.2973?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Angie Nguyen & Samir Lamouri & Robert Pellerin & Simon Tamayo & Béranger Lekens, 2022. "Data analytics in pharmaceutical supply chains: state of the art, opportunities, and challenges," International Journal of Production Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 60(22), pages 6888-6907, November.
    2. Nikolopoulos, Konstantinos & Punia, Sushil & Schäfers, Andreas & Tsinopoulos, Christos & Vasilakis, Chrysovalantis, 2021. "Forecasting and planning during a pandemic: COVID-19 growth rates, supply chain disruptions, and governmental decisions," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 290(1), pages 99-115.
    3. El Baz, Jamal & Ruel, Salomée, 2021. "Can supply chain risk management practices mitigate the disruption impacts on supply chains’ resilience and robustness? Evidence from an empirical survey in a COVID-19 outbreak era," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 233(C).
    4. Ahi, Alan A. & Sinkovics, Noemi & Shildibekov, Yelnur & Sinkovics, Rudolf R. & Mehandjiev, Nikolay, 2022. "Advanced technologies and international business: A multidisciplinary analysis of the literature," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(4).
    5. Sanjoy Kumar Paul & Priyabrata Chowdhury, 2020. "Strategies for Managing the Impacts of Disruptions During COVID-19: an Example of Toilet Paper," Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management, Springer;Global Institute of Flexible Systems Management, vol. 21(3), pages 283-293, September.
    6. Alok Raj & Abheek Anjan Mukherjee & Ana Beatriz Lopes de Sousa Jabbour & Samir K. Srivastava, 2022. "Supply chain management during and post-COVID-19 pandemic: Mitigation strategies and practical lessons learned," Post-Print hal-04275089, HAL.
    7. Raj, Alok & Mukherjee, Abheek Anjan & de Sousa Jabbour, Ana Beatriz Lopes & Srivastava, Samir K., 2022. "Supply chain management during and post-COVID-19 pandemic: Mitigation strategies and practical lessons learned," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 1125-1139.
    8. Zhao, Nanyang & Hong, Jiangtao & Lau, Kwok Hung, 2023. "Impact of supply chain digitalization on supply chain resilience and performance: A multi-mediation model," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 259(C).
    9. Progress Hove-Sibanda & Marumo Motshidisi & Paul Agu Igwe, 2021. "Supply chain risks, technological and digital challenges facing grocery retailers in South Africa," Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 15(2), pages 228-245, March.
    10. Ivanov, Dmitry & Dolgui, Alexandre, 2021. "OR-methods for coping with the ripple effect in supply chains during COVID-19 pandemic: Managerial insights and research implications," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 232(C).
    11. Yu, Min & Cruz, Jose M. & Li, Dong & Masoumi, Amir H., 2022. "A multiperiod competitive supply chain framework with environmental policies and investments in sustainable operations," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 300(1), pages 112-123.
    12. Sharmine Akther Liza & Naimur Rahman Chowdhury & Sanjoy Kumar Paul & Mohammad Morshed & Shah Murtoza Morshed & M.A. Tanvir Bhuiyan & Md. Abdur Rahim, 2022. "Barriers to achieving sustainability in pharmaceutical supply chains in the post-COVID-19 era," International Journal of Emerging Markets, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 18(12), pages 6037-6060, May.
    13. Dmitry Ivanov, 2018. "Structural Dynamics and Resilience in Supply Chain Risk Management," International Series in Operations Research and Management Science, Springer, number 978-3-319-69305-7, March.
    14. Rameshwar Dubey & Angappa Gunasekaran & Stephen J. Childe & Samuel Fosso Wamba & David Roubaud & Cyril Foropon, 2021. "Empirical investigation of data analytics capability and organizational flexibility as complements to supply chain resilience," International Journal of Production Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 59(1), pages 110-128, January.
    15. Dmitry Ivanov & Alexandre Dolgui, 2020. "Viability of intertwined supply networks: extending the supply chain resilience angles towards survivability. A position paper motivated by COVID-19 outbreak," International Journal of Production Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 58(10), pages 2904-2915, May.
    16. Dmitry Ivanov & Ajay Das, 2020. "Coronavirus (COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2) and supply chain resilience: a research note," International Journal of Integrated Supply Management, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 13(1), pages 90-102.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Burgos, Diana & Ivanov, Dmitry, 2021. "Food retail supply chain resilience and the COVID-19 pandemic: A digital twin-based impact analysis and improvement directions," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    2. Ramani, Vinay & Ghosh, Debabrata & Sodhi, ManMohan S., 2022. "Understanding systemic disruption from the Covid-19-induced semiconductor shortage for the auto industry," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    3. Kedwadee Sombultawee & Pattama Lenuwat & Natdanai Aleenajitpong & Sakun Boon-itt, 2022. "COVID-19 and Supply Chain Management: A Review with Bibliometric," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-21, March.
    4. Rozhkov, Maxim & Ivanov, Dmitry & Blackhurst, Jennifer & Nair, Anand, 2022. "Adapting supply chain operations in anticipation of and during the COVID-19 pandemic," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    5. Salomée Ruel & Jamal El Baz & Dmitry Ivanov & Ajay Das, 2024. "Supply chain viability: conceptualization, measurement, and nomological validation," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 335(3), pages 1107-1136, April.
    6. Balezentis, Tomas & Zickiene, Agne & Volkov, Artiom & Streimikiene, Dalia & Morkunas, Mangirdas & Dabkiene, Vida & Ribasauskiene, Erika, 2023. "Measures for the viable agri-food supply chains: A multi-criteria approach," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 155(PA).
    7. Rinaldi, Marta & Bottani, Eleonora, 2023. "How did COVID-19 affect logistics and supply chain processes? Immediate, short and medium-term evidence from some industrial fields of Italy," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 262(C).
    8. Hamed Jahani & Richa Jain & Dmitry Ivanov, 2026. "Data science and big data analytics: a systematic review of methodologies used in the supply chain and logistics research," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 359(2), pages 1297-1354, April.
    9. Md Maruf Hossan Chowdhury & Priyabrata Chowdhury & Mohammed Quaddus & Kazi Waziur Rahman & Sakib Shahriar, 2024. "Flexibility in Enhancing Supply Chain Resilience: Developing a Resilience Capability Portfolio in the Event of Severe Disruption," Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management, Springer;Global Institute of Flexible Systems Management, vol. 25(2), pages 395-417, June.
    10. Zhao, Nanyang & Hong, Jiangtao & Lau, Kwok Hung, 2023. "Impact of supply chain digitalization on supply chain resilience and performance: A multi-mediation model," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 259(C).
    11. Ardekani, Zahra Fozouni & Sobhani, Seyed Mohammad Javad & Barbosa, Marcelo Werneck & de Sousa, Paulo Renato, 2023. "Transition to a sustainable food supply chain during disruptions: A study on the Brazilian food companies in the Covid-19 era," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 257(C).
    12. Queiroz, Maciel M. & Fosso Wamba, Samuel & Chiappetta Jabbour, Charbel Jose & Machado, Marcio C., 2022. "Supply chain resilience in the UK during the coronavirus pandemic: A resource orchestration perspective," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 245(C).
    13. Dmitry Ivanov, 2024. "Exiting the COVID-19 pandemic: after-shock risks and avoidance of disruption tails in supply chains," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 335(3), pages 1627-1644, April.
    14. Roberta Pellegrino & Barbara Gaudenzi, 2026. "Supply chain resilience as a viable way to cope with disruptions: an empirical analysis of Italian firms," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 20(5), pages 1459-1489, May.
    15. Brusset, Xavier & Ivanov, Dmitry & Jebali, Aida & La Torre, Davide & Repetto, Marco, 2023. "A dynamic approach to supply chain reconfiguration and ripple effect analysis in an epidemic," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 263(C).
    16. Seyed Ashkan Hosseini Shekarabi & Reza Kiani Mavi & Flavio Romero Macau, 2025. "Supply Chain Resilience: A Critical Review of Risk Mitigation, Robust Optimisation, and Technological Solutions and Future Research Directions," Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management, Springer;Global Institute of Flexible Systems Management, vol. 26(3), pages 681-735, September.
    17. Ivanov, Dmitry, 2023. "Intelligent digital twin (iDT) for supply chain stress-testing, resilience, and viability," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 263(C).
    18. Emilia Vann Yaroson & Soumyadeb Chowdhury & Sachin Kumar Mangla & Prasanta Kumar Dey, 2024. "Unearthing the interplay between organisational resources, knowledge and industry 4.0 analytical decision support tools to achieve sustainability and supply chain wellbeing," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 342(2), pages 1321-1368, November.
    19. Paul, Ananna & Shukla, Nagesh & Trianni, Andrea, 2023. "Modelling supply chain sustainability challenges in the food processing sector amid the COVID-19 outbreak," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 87(PA).
    20. Naimoli, Antonio, 2022. "Modelling the persistence of Covid-19 positivity rate in Italy," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 82(PA).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:rbs:ijbrss:v:12:y:2023:i:8:p:12-23. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Umit Hacioglu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/ssbffea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.