Explaining and analyzing the supply chain risks of Iran's pharmaceutical industry using the combined approach of meta-synthesis and thematic analysis.
Pages 1-29
Seyed Rahim Safavi Mirmahalleh; Mohammad Rahim Ramazanian; Mahmoud Moradi; Mostafa Ebrahimpour
Abstract Introduction: The goal of this paper to explain and analyze the supply chain risks of Iran's pharmaceutical industry. In this research, the combined approach of meta-synthesis and thematic analysis has been used.
Methodology: The approach of this research is qualitative. In the first stage, with a systematic review of related studies in the last 23 years with a meta- synthesis approach, supply chain risks in the pharmaceutical industry were identified. For this purpose, first 100 articles were selected and after several stages of filtering, 26 final articles remained and became the basis of the research. In the next step, the supply chain risks of Iran's pharmaceutical industry were obtained by thematic analysis method. For this purpose, a semi-structured interview of Iranian pharmaceutical industry informants was conducted using the method of purposeful sampling and theoretical analysis, with thematic analysis approach. In the last stage, by combining the results of meta-synthesis and thematic analysis, its validity analysis with the method of Content validity ratio, ten risks were obtained as the final risks of Iran's pharmaceutical industry.
Results and Discussion: Based on the results, the supply chain risks of Iran's pharmaceutical industry in order of priority are: environmental risks; problems of foreign currency supply and financial payments; lack of timely supply of raw materials; the complexity and incompatibility of information systems; low quality of raw materials and products; unavailability of medicine and its timely delivery; transportation and insurances; distribution sector technologies; Fluctuations in demand; Increase in the price of raw materials and medicine.
Conclusion: Out of the ten risks obtained, environmental risks, problems of foreign exchange and financial payments, increase in the price of raw materials and medicine, and transportation and insurance, (due to having the highest frequency in both methods of meta-synthesis and thematic analysis) have a greater impact on the supply chain. Therefore, the stakeholders of Iran's pharmaceutical supply chain should focus on these risk factors and plan for their management in order to improve the performance of the supply chain.