Agile and lean supply chain practice and challenge: the case of cadila pharmaceutical Ethiopia (P.L.C) Gelan, Oromia Ethiopia

Abstract

Now days, Supply Chain management practices have become critical for securing competitive advantage. In order to cope up with a continuous changing competitive environment, organizations should have a paradigm shift in their supply chain strategy. This includes implementing lean and agile supply chain system. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the practice and challenge of agile and lean supply chain at Cadila Pharmaceuticals Ethiopia. The objective the study was to assess the practice and challenge of agility and leanness of a pharmaceutical supply chain management system at Cadila Pharmaceuticals Ethiopia, Oromia, Ethiopia. Among different supply Chain practices, the study conducted on strategic supplier partnership, customer relationship, level of information sharing, and from lean practice west elimination and demand management practice and from agility supply chain flexibility, responsiveness and market sensitivity was assessed .The study used a descriptive cross sectional research design by using structured self-administered questionnaire and in-depth interview in order to capture the practice and challenge of agility and leanness and the data was analyzed by using a descriptive analysis using mean and standard deviation and narration .The result indicate that there where male employee dominated and most of them completing bachelor degree, Inclusion of key customers in planning and goal setting activities was agreed by most of the respondents, joint product development with business partner was practiced ,the company frequently determine future customer expectations as part of agility and Sharing proprietary information with trading partners is the least activity by the company. The company has a good start and promising activity in terms of agility and leanness of its supply chain management. Based on the findings the researcher recommends that management of the company has to improve relationship with suppliers’, service delivery by being market sensitive, stock out, supply chain disruption, customer relationship and lean practice of the company.