Loading...
Examining the impact of resilience strategies in mitigating medicine shortages in the United Kingdom's (UK) pharmaceutical supply chain (PSC)
Yaroson, E.V. Hou, Jiachen Sowter, Julie
Yaroson, E.V.
Hou, Jiachen
Sowter, Julie
Publication Date
2023
End of Embargo
Supervisor
Rights
© 2023 Emerald Publishing. This accepted maunuscript version is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Peer-Reviewed
Yes
Open Access status
openAccess
Accepted for publication
05/02/2023
Institution
Department
Awarded
Embargo end date
Collections
Additional title
Abstract
Purpose
Medicine shortages have a detrimental impact on stakeholders in the pharmaceutical supply chain (PSC). Existing studies suggest that building resilience strategies can mitigate the effects of these shortages. As such, this research aims to examine whether resilience strategies can reduce the impact of medicine shortages in the United Kingdom's (UK) PSC.
Design/methodology/approach
A sequential mixed-methods approach that involved qualitative and quantitative research enquiry was employed in this study. The data were collected using semi-structured interviews with 23 key UK PSC actors at the qualitative stage. During the quantitative phase, 106 respondents completed the survey questionnaires. The data were analysed using partial least square-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM).
Findings
The results revealed that reactive and proactive elements of resilience strategies helped tackle medicine shortages. Reactive strategies increased relational issues such as behavioural uncertainty, whilst proactive strategies mitigated them.
Practical implications
The findings suggest that PSC managers and decision-makers can benefit from adopting structural flexibility and proactive strategies, which are cost-effective measures to tackle medicine shortages. Also engaging in strategic alliances as a proactive strategy mitigates relational issues that may arise in a complex supply chain (SC).
Originality/value
This study is the first to provide empirical evidence of the impact of resilience strategies in mitigating medicine shortages in the UK's PSC.
Version
Accepted manuscript
Citation
Yaroson EV, Breen L, Hou J and Sowter J (2023) Examining the impact of resilience strategies in mitigating medicine shortages in the United Kingdom's (UK) pharmaceutical supply chain (PSC). Benchmarking: An international journal. Accepted for publication.
Link to publisher’s version
Link to published version
Link to Version of Record
Type
Article