Organizations change for a range of reasons: to close performance gaps, seize new opportunities, to accommodate for a new merger or perhaps abandon certain projects in favor of more successful ones.
Pharma is one of the most conservative industries –namely due to the fact that its products are high risk – very influential to the health, well-being and in some cases the survival of their consumers. Regulations must be met to ensure that medicine quality and patient safety is protected. Therefore any changes, be it to product or process, need to be controlled to ensure that these vital elements are not in anyway jeopardized.
This being said, many areas in pharmaceutical supply chains could be greatly enhanced by change to save time, money and resources.
Real time monitoring and machine learning technologies in supply chains could enhance agility to prevent losses in the field due to temperature excursions. Standardized metrics would be revolutionary when comparing and verifying shipping containers. Blockchain integrated as an additional security layer into supply chains would allow stakeholders to manage the chain of custody via one source of truth.
Therefore, it can be worthwhile to endure the hurdles required to invoke change in pharma. Also, with more stress being placed on the bottom line and executives scanning for areas that will scoop up savings, pharma firms may not be able to afford the luxury of shirking the laboriousness of change.
Collaboration
However, organizational change almost always requires the input and coordination of multiple parties. Overcoming resistance is one of the biggest challenges to tackle on the road to change, especially with large scale transformation. Effected parties need to be unified with a common vision that is rationalized by the change’s benefits. Here, communication and collaboration is vital.
Download this eBook for insight on how some in the industry are unlocking the value of change and supply chain collaboration.