Effect of service quality on doctor’s satisfaction and prescribing behavior in pharmaceutical supply chain – a study with reference to a major Indian pharmaceutical company

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Uma Maheswari Devi Parmata ◽  
Surya Prakash Chetla
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Service Quality ◽  
Pharmaceutical Company ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Pharmaceutical Supply Chain ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Prescribing Behavior ◽  
Quality Scale ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop a scale for the measurement of service quality at the manufacturer–doctor interface of the pharmaceutical supply chain and to study the impact of service quality on doctor’s satisfaction and doctor’s prescribing behavior. Doctors from two major states of South India were selected for the study. A doctor perceived service quality scale with three dimensions having eight items was developed through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in the pharmaceutical context. Structural equation modeling (SEM) technique was used to show the relationship between service quality, satisfaction and prescribing behavior. The critical factors of service quality were identified, and a model was developed showing the relationship between service quality, doctor’s satisfaction and doctor’s prescribing behavior which has not been explored in any research. This model will be helpful in further development of new concepts and for analyzing the reasons for the failure of doctors in providing quality service.  Design/methodology/approach A total of 200 doctors from three major cities of South India were selected. A doctor perceived service quality scale with three dimensions having eight items was developed through CFA using Parasuraman Service quality scale (Parasuraman, 1985, 1986, 1988) as the basis in the pharmaceutical context after focus group discussions with company experts, retailers, doctors and academicians. SEM technique was used to examine the impact of service quality on doctor’s satisfaction and prescribing behavior. Findings There is no universal set of dimensions and items that determine service quality in manufacturing industries, especially at the manufacturer–doctor interface of the pharmaceutical supply chain though service quality plays a very important role in affecting the performance of manufacturing industries. The critical factors affecting the quality of service for a pharmaceutical company at the manufacturer–doctor interface of the supply chain were identified, and its impact on doctor’s satisfaction and their prescribing behavior were studied. Research limitations/implications This research contributes to the development of service quality scale for measuring service quality in pharmaceutical manufacturing company, especially with reference to manufacturer–doctor interface of the supply chain which was not thoroughly explored earlier. A model was developed showing the positive relationship between service quality and doctor’s satisfaction and doctor’s prescribing behavior in pharmaceutical supply chain which is a new concept not proved experimentally. Practical implications The study is very useful for the pharmaceutical manufacturing companies to identify the service quality factors affecting doctor’s satisfaction and their prescribing behavior thereby leading to development of new measures for improving the performance of the pharmaceutical supply chain. This study can lead to identification of problems involved in pharmaceutical supply chain and also leads to generation of new ideas and development of new concepts for influencing doctor’s satisfaction and doctor’s prescribing behavior which in turn can help in providing better health. Social implications This study actually has a direct impact on the society. If factors affecting doctor’s satisfaction and prescribing behavior are identified automatically, the end consumer, i.e. patient, can be satisfied in a better way, and better medical care can be provided. If doctor’s problems are identified, then better solutions can be provided to patients; this in turn has a lot of positive impact on the pharmaceutical company and society in general. Originality/value This research will act as a base for generating ideas relating to how quality service provided by a company will have an impact on doctor’s satisfaction and his prescribing behavior in pharmaceutical supply chain .To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first of its kind of the conceptual aspects of service quality, satisfaction and loyalty explained in terms of pharmaceutical supply chain as service quality, doctor’s satisfaction and doctor’s prescribing behavior and proved experimentally.

An empirical examination of firm financial performance along dimensions of supply chain resilience

2017 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 254-269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xun Li ◽  
Qun Wu ◽  
Clyde W. Holsapple ◽  
Thomas Goldsby
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Financial Performance ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Empirical Examination ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Supply Chain Resilience ◽  
Critical Dimensions ◽  
Firm Financial Performance ◽  
Supply Chain Agility ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the impact of three critical dimensions of supply chain resilience, supply chain preparedness, supply chain alertness and supply chain agility, all aimed at increasing a firm’s financial outcomes. In a turbulent environment, firms require resilience in their supply chains to prepare for potential changes, detect changes and respond to actual changes, thus providing superior value. Design/methodology/approach Using survey data from 77 firms, this study develops scales for preparedness, alertness and agility. It then tests their hypothesized relationships with a firm’s financial performance. Findings The results reveal that the three dimensions of supply chain resilience (i.e. preparedness, alertness and agility) significantly impact a firm’s financial performance. It is also found that supply chain preparedness, as a proactive resilience capability, has a greater influence on a firm’s financial performance than the reactive capabilities including alertness and agility, suggesting that firms should pay more attention to proactive approaches for building supply chain resilience. Originality/value First, this study develops a comparatively comprehensive definition for supply chain resilience and explores its dimensionality. Second, this study provides empirically validated instruments for the dimensions of supply chain resilience. Third, this study is one of the first to provide empirical evidence for direct impact of supply chain resilience dimensions on a firm’s financial performance.

The impact of organizational culture on supply chain integration: a contingency and configuration approach

2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhi Cao ◽  
Baofeng Huo ◽  
Yuan Li ◽  
Xiande Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Culture ◽  
Supply Chain ◽  
Synergistic Effects ◽  
Supply Chain Integration ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Theoretical Terms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Supplier Integration ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose – This study aims to bridge the gap in understanding the effects of organizational culture on supply chain integration (SCI) by examining the relationships between organizational cultures and SCI. The extant studies investigating the antecedents of SCI focus mainly on environments, interfirm relationships and other firm-level factors. These studies generally overlook the role of organizational culture. The few studies that do examine the effects of organizational culture on SCI show inconsistent findings. Design/methodology/approach – By placing organizational culture within the competing value framework (CVF), this study establishes a conceptual model for the relationships between organizational culture and SCI. The study uses both a contingency approach and a configuration approach to examine these proposed relationships using data collected from 317 manufacturers across ten countries. Findings – The contingency results indicate that both development and group culture are positively related to all three dimensions of SCI. However, rational culture is positively related only to internal integration, and hierarchical culture is negatively related to both internal and customer integration. The configuration approach identifies four profiles of organizational culture: the Hierarchical, Flexible, Flatness and Across-the-Board profiles. The Flatness profile shows the highest levels of development, group and rational cultures and the lowest level of hierarchical culture. The Flatness profile also achieves the highest levels of internal, customer and supplier integration. Research limitations/implications – This study is subject to several limitations. In theoretical terms, this study does not resolve all of the inconsistencies in the relationship between organizational culture and SCI. In terms of methodology, this study uses cross-sectional data from high-performance manufacturers. Such data cannot provide strong causal explanations, but only broad and general findings. Practical implications – This study reminds managers to consider organizational culture when they implement SCI. The study also provides clues to help managers in assessing and adjusting organizational culture as necessary for SCI. Originality/value – This study makes two theoretical contributions. First, by examining the relationships between organizational culture and SCI in a new context, the findings of the study provide additional evidence to reconcile the previously inconsistent findings on this subject. Second, by departing from the previous practice of investigating only particular dimensions of organizational culture, this study adopts a combined contingency and configuration approach to address both the individual and synergistic effects of all dimensions of organizational culture. This more comprehensive approach deepens our understanding of the relationship between organizational culture and SCI.

Impact of novel information technology on IT alignment and sustainable supply chain performance: evidence from Chinese manufacturing industry

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shushan Zhang ◽  
Lei Sun ◽  
Qi Sun ◽  
Haiying Dong
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Supply Chain ◽  
Manufacturing Industry ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Supply Chain Performance ◽  
Sustainable Supply Chain ◽  
Content Type ◽  
It Alignment ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to explore how the novel information technology (NIT) [1] affects three dimensions of sustainable supply chain performance (economic performance, environmental performance and social performance) and how two dimensions of IT alignment (IT infrastructure alignment and IT human resources alignment) mediate the relationship between them. Design/methodology/approach NIT is defined, the dimension of IT alignment is expanded, the theoretical hypotheses are proposed and are tested using survey data from 394 manufacturing enterprises using NIT in China. Findings The results indicate that NIT plays a positive role in improving sustainable supply chain performance, and IT alignment mediates the impact of NIT on sustainable supply chain performance. Originality/value This study highlights the impact of NIT on sustainable supply chain performance and demonstrates IT alignment as a mediator between them, it also provides a deeper understanding of how different dimensions of IT alignment affect sustainable supply chain performance

Measuring hospital process service quality: emerging technologies’ challenge

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 319-336
Author(s):  
Min Zhang ◽  
Lu Wang ◽  
Ran Wang ◽  
Jingjing Xiong
Keyword(s):  
Service Quality ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Quality Measurement ◽  
Mobile Internet ◽  
Human Interaction ◽  
Internet Technology ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Measurement Scale ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Quality Scale

Purpose In the mobile internet era, the path and mechanism of hospital patient-perceived quality have been changed radically. The purpose of this study is to develop a scale that adequately captures the characteristics of hospital service quality from the patient’s perspective under the background of the mobile internet. Design/methodology/approach Based on previous related research and interviews with focus groups, this paper conceptualized, constructed, refined and tested a multiple-item scale that examined key dimensions of hospital process service quality in the mobile context. To validate this scale, data were collected through two formal surveys in Chinese hospitals and were used to test the reliability and validity of the instrument. Findings The final measurement scale contains three dimensions, that is, environment conditions, attitude and behavior and technical convenience. With the help of this quality scale, hospital managers could have a better understanding of patients’ expectations under the new condition and pinpoint appropriate initiatives to fill the service gap. Originality/value This study focuses on service quality measurement issues related to the application of mobile internet technology in traditional clinical settings, such as hospitals. This paper develops an original and specific service quality scale that catches the online and offline characteristics of the hospital process in the mobile setting and considers both human-technology interaction and human-human interaction.

Advancing the understanding of pharmaceutical supply chain resilience using complex adaptive system (CAS) theory

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emilia Vann Yaroson ◽  
Liz Breen ◽  
Jiachen Hou ◽  
Julie Sowter
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Adaptive System ◽  
Complex Adaptive System ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Pharmaceutical Supply Chain ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Complex Adaptive ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this study was to advance the knowledge of pharmaceutical supply chain (PSC) resilience using complex adaptive system theory (CAS). Design/methodology/approach An exploratory research design, which adopted a qualitative approach was used to achieve the study’s research objective. Qualitative data were gathered through 23 semi-structured interviews with key supply chain actors across the PSC in the UK. Findings The findings demonstrate that CAS, as a theory, provides a systemic approach to understanding PSC resilience by taking into consideration the various elements (environment, PSC characteristics, vulnerabilities and resilience strategies) that make up the entire system. It also provides explanations for key findings, such as the impact of power, conflict and complexity in the PSC, which are influenced by the interactions between supply chain actors and as such increase its susceptibility to the negative impact of disruption. Furthermore, the antecedents for building resilience strategies were the outcome of the decision-making process referred to as co-evolution from a CAS perspective. Originality/value Based on the data collected, the study was able to reflect on the relationships, interactions and interfaces between actors in the PSC using the CAS theory, which supports the proposition that resilience strategies can be adopted by supply chain actors to enhance this service supply chain. This is a novel empirical study of resilience across multiple levels of the PSC and as such adds valuable new knowledge about the phenomenon and the use of CAS theory as a vehicle for exploration and knowledge construction in other supply chains.

The impact of perceived online service quality on swift guanxi

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 432-455 ◽  
Author(s):  
Si Shi ◽  
Ren Mu ◽  
Lin Lin ◽  
Yang Chen ◽  
Gang Kou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Service Quality ◽  
Customer Service ◽  
Perceived Control ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Repurchase Intention ◽  
Online Service ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of online service quality on swift guanxi that influences customer repurchase intention and the moderating role of gender in the relationship between online service quality and swift guanxi. Design/methodology/approach Based on survey data obtained from 274 college students, structural equation modeling was used to test the research hypotheses. Findings The results show that the dimensions of online service quality (i.e. perceived control, convenience and customer service) are positively related to buyer-seller swift guanxi, which influences repurchase intention. Additionally, men are driven mainly by perceived control and service convenience when establishing swift guanxi, whereas women care more about customer service. Originality/value Online service quality is the key factor underlying customer repurchase intention. In addition, gender differences exist in many aspects of online shopping including information processing, perceived service, and perceived risk. This is one of the first empirical studies that empirically examine the effects of three dimensions of online service quality on swift guanxi and take gender differences into consideration. Based on the conceptual and empirical evidence, this study provides the practical and theoretical implications of these findings.

The effect of CRM implementation on pharmaceutical industry’s profitability

2016 ◽  
Vol 39 (8) ◽  
pp. 854-878 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nedra Bahri-Ammari ◽  
Khalid S. Soliman
Keyword(s):  
Customer Satisfaction ◽  
Service Quality ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Customer Relationship ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Quality Perception ◽  
Significant Relationships ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The aim of this study is examine customer relationship management (CRM) effect on enhancing customer satisfaction and on improving customer retention. In this study, the impact of CRM on loyalty in the pharmaceutical sector in Tunisia is studied. Service quality perception, customer satisfaction, loyalty, retention and firm profitability have been tested as independent variables. This study highlights the importance of CRM and service quality perception in maintaining a sustainable and profitable relationship with customers. Design/methodology/approach A survey research design was used to collect data. In total, 221 respondents from 5 pharmaceutical companies in Tunisia were involved in the study. Exploratory and confirmatory analyses were adopted to examine the effect of CRM technology on profitability. Structural equation modeling was used to validate results. Findings The results show that there are significant relationships between CRM and quality perception, satisfaction and loyalty. However, there are no significant relationships either between CRM and retention or between CRM and profitability. Research limitations/implications Fitting CRM scale with the context of the study and the number of the survey companies was the limitation of this research. Practical implications This study provides significant results to practitioners to understand the role of establishing a CRM strategy and to understand the selected factors affecting customer satisfaction and retention as well. Originality/value This study was conducted in Tunisia to contribute to enrich literature in the implementation of information technology and customer satisfaction.

The impact of IT application on supply chain learning and service performance

2019 ◽  
Vol 120 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Baofeng Huo ◽  
Muhammad Zia Ul Haq ◽  
Minhao Gu
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Service Performance ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Operational Application ◽  
Customer Learning ◽  
It Application ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Despite the recognition that supply chain (SC) learning is important for competitive advantage, little is known how to enable such learning. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of information technology (IT) application on different types of SC learning (i.e. internal, customer and supplier learning) and service performance. Design/methodology/approach This study applies structural equation modeling to test the conceptual model based on data collected from 213 manufacturing firms in China. Findings Although strategic application has a direct and negative relationship with all three dimensions of SC learning, it indirectly and positively improves SC learning through tactical and operational application. The authors observe that tactical application is positively related to all three dimensions of SC learning, while operational application improves internal and customer learning only. The authors also notice that internal and customer learning are positively related to service performance. Research limitations/implications This study classifies IT application into strategic, tactical and operational dimensions, which may not adequately cover the entire set of IT application portfolio. Practical implications The findings suggest managers to use corresponding IT application to improve SC learning and service performance. Originality/value This study provides a new framework to understand the relationships between IT application, SC learning and service performance.

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