Supply Chain Management (SCM) is the process of coordinating and controlling the flow of goods or services from production to consumer delivery. Particularly in pharmaceutical companies, supply chain management requires strict compliance with regulations to ensure product quality.
Let's explore the benefits, challenges, and three key criteria for optimizing supply chain management in the pharmaceutical industry, to ensure high-quality products reach customers.
Benefits and Challenges of Supply Chain Management in Pharmaceutical Companies
In the pharmaceutical industry, SCM is crucial as it directly impacts the quality and efficiency of production. Therefore, companies need to understand the key benefits and challenges of supply chain management in the pharmaceutical sector.
Benefits
Challenges
Top 3 Factors in Supply Chain Management Training for the Pharmaceutical Industry
To maximize benefits and address challenges, pharmaceutical companies need to create training programs that ensure employees acquire the necessary knowledge and skills.
Workforce Training
This is the most crucial criterion in managing the pharmaceutical supply chain. A systematic plan for the knowledge and skills required by the team must be methodically developed. This includes updates on trends and new technologies, teamwork skills, communication, conflict management, and incorporating case studies and group activities into the training to improve collaboration.
To assess the workforce, businesses should consider training management systems or evaluation and feedback tools to track and ensure long-term effectiveness. Particularly, businesses can train employees to self-evaluate and respond to feedback, contributing to continuous improvement and enhancing training quality.
Supplier Management
Pharmaceutical companies need to establish criteria for selecting suitable suppliers, such as meeting quality standards, delivering products on time, favorable contract terms, reputation, and cost optimization. Therefore, employees should be trained on selection criteria and evaluation methods based on product quality, credibility, or cost to make appropriate decisions.
Training in negotiation skills, contract management, and handling arising issues is also critical in maintaining supplier partnerships. Courses should include lessons on negotiation techniques, drafting favorable contract terms, conflict resolution, and ensuring they grasp the know-how to build and sustain long-term relationships.
Leveraging Information Technology
The final criterion in managing the pharmaceutical supply chain is technology. The workforce needs training on using supply chain management software to familiarize themselves with the features and data. Technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) should be included in training programs to help monitor, analyze, and digitize the entire process from production to distribution, optimizing operations and reducing risks.
Additionally, integrating online training software is encouraged, allowing pharmaceutical companies to flexibly and effectively provide employees with the necessary knowledge and skills. These platforms offer a variety of remote courses, enabling employees to update their knowledge anytime, anywhere, without affecting their work. Many systems also allow businesses to track employee learning progress to develop suitable training programs.
CLS – Supporting SCM Training for Pharmaceutical Enterprises
To assist pharmaceutical companies in applying pharmaceutical supply chain management standards in training, Huong Viet Group provides a training software called CLS (Cloud Learning System). This system helps companies deliver knowledge and skills to employees and monitor their learning progress to fine-tune the training program to their learning and development needs.
Providing diverse content across various browsers, devices, and 24/7 support, CLS is ideal for technical issues such as managing, storing, and distributing courses to individuals. Not only does it help businesses track learning progress and test results to improve internal quality through detailed reports, but it also offers cost and time benefits, promoting efficiency in the training and production processes of pharmaceutical companies.
Conclusion
Managing the pharmaceutical supply chain can be a major challenge for pharmaceutical companies. However, a team that understands and operates SCM well will help businesses easily overcome any challenge. Let CLS advise your company in managing the training of that team.
