Abstract:
The main objective of this study was to examine the effect of transport management onthe
responsiveness of pharmaceuticals supply chain of EPSA, South western cluster. The study
mainly was focused on examining the effect of transport management particularly on vehicles
scheduling, route planning, vehicles maintenance, and vehicles tracking on the responsiveness of
pharmaceuticals supply chain in the case of Ethiopian Pharmaceuticals supply agency of south
western cluster (Jimma, Nekemte and Gambella branches).The design of the study was
explanatory research methods.The target population from EPSA south western cluster includes
three branches namely; Jimma hub with 64 staff’s, Nekemte hub with 57 staff’s, and Gambela
hub with 34 staff’s as. These 3 hubs total staff’s i.e. 155 were used as the target population of
thisstudy.Therefore112 respondents the sample size was fixed according to theYemane formula.
In order to increase the response rate, the researcher had increased the sample size to 123(by
adding ten percent of the sample size) persons. Out of the indicated number of respondents
113(91.9%) of them were provide response for this study. Both primary and secondary data
collection approaches was used to conduct this study. Inferential statistics techniques,
specifically correlation and multiple regression analyses was applied to tests whether the
combined effect, of all the variables in the model, is different from zero. This study was also
identified fleet and distribution management expertise of the agency significantly and positively
interacts with transportation management of the agency in order to improve the responsiveness
of pharmaceuticals supply chain EPSA South western cluster. However, the agency vehicle
repair and maintenance should have to get a concern to be improved for sake of the significance.
From the study it could be concluded that the EPSA South western cluster strive to enhance their
responsiveness pharmaceuticals supply chain by ensuring maintaining/reduced the lead time,
volume of product shipped for delivery, product mix, and order fulfillment. In order to reduce
vehicle break down/idle time EPSA should have to establish repair and maintenance center at
the cluster level. Currently all branches sent the vehicles for repair and maintenance/servicing at
the center level. Thus, if the servicing sector found at the cluster level the vehicles had been a
chance of to be repaired and maintained in a short time.
