Measuring and Evaluating Performance in Integrated Supply Chain Management

A Project Report Submitted to the School of Business in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Master of Business AdministrationThe purpose of this study is to examine performance measurement and evaluation in supply chain management in the healthcare industry considering a case of a pharmaceutical company and its supply chain partners in the donor sector. The specific objectives of the study were to explore integration of supply chain management in healthcare, to investigate supply chain evaluation approaches and explore the key performance indicators for the health care supply chain programs. The study employed a qualitative research approach. This was because the study aimed at obtaining specific information concerning measuring and evaluating performance in the donor funded supply chains administered by Phillips Healthcare Services Limited. The population of the study consisted of donor funded program implementing agencies, project managers and outsourced supply chain partners for the various supply chains considered. The data was collected through questionnaires. The questionnaires consisted of closed and open end questions and were administered to the respondents through interviews. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze the data using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and the information was presented in the form of percentages and frequency distribution tables. The findings of the study showed that the various supply chain programs run had an integrated approach in managing their activities. However, most respondents disclosed that no specific supply chain performance measurement and evaluation approach had been specifically being used though most exhibited elements of the performance prism approach to measuring and evaluating their supply chains through stakeholder engagements. Key performance indices were also identified and most related to customer satisfaction. The major finding of the study conducted was that there was a consensus that measuring and evaluating performance was important in managing the supply chains. The study confirmed that with the various stakeholders involved, it was important that their activities be integrated so that they are aligned and able to develop approaches to achieving excellence in the performance of their supply chain programs. The major conclusion was that more needs to be carried out for the supply chains to develop key performance indices that would guide their activities towards achieving their objectives set out in their business strategy. This can be achieved through adoption of performance evaluation approaches that would help them work towards a balanced approach to managing various business activities relating to customers, internal business, finances and learning needs of the businesses. From the above conclusions, the study recommended that more collaborative efforts should be done and lead by senior leadership of the various organisations. In addition, approaches and tools to achieve balance across all business units involved in the supply chain should be used to guide performance and evaluation of the supply chains. For the various healthcare programs, industry players need to come up, jointly, with performance indicators that can be used to guide their work activities and benchmark their performance against set or desirable outcomes for the health concerns. Further research should be undertaken to investigate the sustainability of partnerships between donor agencies and the private sector in healthcare supply chains. The coordinated roles of governments and the private sector should also be considered to address concerns for the particular sectors in providing efficiency and excellence in delivery of the intended healthcare outcomes