ABSTRACT
Purpose - The recent pandemic caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has significantly impacted the operational performances of pharmaceutical supply chains (SCs), especially in emerging economies that are critically vulnerable due to their inadequate resources. Finding the possible barriers that continue to impede the sustainable performance of SCs in the post-COVID-19 era has become essential. This study aims to investigate and analyze the barriers to achieving sustainability in the pharmaceutical SC of an emerging economy in a bid to help decision-makers recognize the most influential barriers. Design/methodology/approach - To achieve the goals, two decision-making tools are integrated to analyze the most critical barriers: interpretive structural modeling (ISM) and the matrix of cross-impact multiplications applied to classification (MICMAC). In contrast to other multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approaches, ISM develops a hierarchical decision tool for decision-makers and cluster analysis of the barriers using the MICMAC method based on their driving and dependency powers. Findings - The findings reveal that the major barriers are in a four-level hierarchical relationship where "Insufficient SC strategic plans to ensure agility during crisis" acts as the most critical barrier, followed by "Poor information structure among SC contributors," and "Inadequate risk management policy under pandemic." Finally, the MICMAC analysis validates the findings from the ISM approach. Originality/value - This study provides meaningful insights into barriers to achieving sustainability in pharmaceutical SCs in the post-COVID-19 era. The study can help pharmaceutical SC practitioners to better understand what can go wrong in post-COVID-19, and develop actionable strategies to ensure sustainability and resilience in practitioners' SCs.
ABSTRACT
The pandemic, COVID 19, has affected global economy severely which caused an outbreak of crisis in all sectors of business. Firms are struggling to keep up with the normal functions in different stages of supply chain which brought sustainability under a big risk. Concerned by the COVID-19 outbreak, the main aim of this paper is to determine the threatening barriers to supply chain sustainability in the pharmaceutical industry of the South Asian region. This industry is one of the most pivotal and developing sectors in the south Asian region with respect to other industries in this region. Although economic growth is noticeable in this sector, many questions are arising about its sustainability and resilience in a true sense amidst the global pandemic. To establish the sustainability of this sector under a pandemic scenario, the major barriers in terms of social, economic, and environmental perspectives have been identified and analysed in this research. Twenty crucial constraints have been identified and classified in five categories through an extensive study of literature and opinion of industry expert. This paper uses, Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM) approach to develop the hierarchical structure and connection between these obstacles. ISM presents the interdependency of the driving and driven power of these barriers. Another modernistic approach, Matrix of Cross-Impact Multiplications Applied to Classification (MICMAC), has been used to recognize the barriers as driving factors, dependent variables, and link variables using. The modelling of this study provides companies insight into obstacles and the efficient and effective management of their resources while making their supply chains sustainable. The study closes by discussing findings and future area of the research. © IEOM Society International.