Governance structures, ethical behaviour and supply chain performance of essential medicines in Eastern Uganda

Abstract

The performance of the supply chain of essential medicines has raised a lot of public concern which prompted the study to examine the relationship between governance structures, transaction costs, ethical behaviour and supply chain performance of essential medicines in Eastern Uganda. A sample size of 310 respondents was selected using stratified random sampling for the Health centre/hospital officials and purposive sampling for the patients and National Medical store/manufacturers officers. Primary data was collected from 228 respondents through a quantitative cross- sectional survey using a correlation approach by use of research administered questionnaires and subjected to rigorous data processing and analysis using SPSS V16.

The findings showed that governance structures, ethical behaviour and transaction costs predicted up to 29.2% of the variance in supply chain performance. According to the study, all the study variables were significant predictors of supply chain performance of essential medicines. Governance structures were better predictors of supply chain performance of essential medicines compared to ethical behaviour and transaction costs. The study recommends that a research be carried out comprising other factors which were not part of the model but could predict supply chain performance of essential medicines. The study further recommended that the key players in the supply chain of essential medicines should ensure adherence to set policies, improve work ethics and endeavour to reduce on transaction costs.