ABSTRACT
Existing literature on optimizing inventory levels in pharmaceutical supply chains has focused on a limited set of drivers. However, the global supply chain disruptions produced by the Covid-19 pandemic demonstrated the need for a more nuanced picture of the inventory management drivers in this sector to identify profitable inventory configurations while fulfilling demands and safety margins. To address this gap in the literature, this paper identifies key drivers impacting inventory levels and develops a framework for assessing inventory configurations in pharmaceutical supply chains. The framework is tested using a single case study approach. The case study showed that while external and downstream supply chain factors were recognized as being critical to pursuing inventory reduction initiatives, internal factors prevailed when making inventory management decisions. The framework developed in this paper may assist practitioners in identifying the most important factors impacting inventory levels within a specific pharmaceutical supply chain configuration and is in use in the industry today. © 2023, The Author(s) under exclusive licence to German Academic Society for Production Engineering (WGP).