Green management practices and supply chain performance of Pharmaceutical companies in South Sudan, a case of Solo Pharmaceuticals Ltd

Abstract

The study examined the relationship between green management practices and supply chain performance of pharmaceutical companies in South Sudan with Solo Pharmaceutical Ltd as the case study. Objectives of the study were; to examine the relationship between green logistics and supply chain performance in Solo pharmaceutical Ltd, to determine the relationship between eco-design and supply chain performance in Solo pharmaceutical Ltd and to find out the relationship between fleet management and supply chain performance in Solo pharmaceutical Ltd. The study adopted a descriptive and cross-sectional research design, employing both qualitative and quantitative approaches. A target population of 150 employees from various departments was considered, and a sample of 108 respondents was determined using Taro Yamane’s formula. Primary data were collected through structured questionnaires and interviews, while secondary data were obtained from organizational documents and published materials. Data collection followed ethical procedures, ensuring confidentiality and voluntary participation. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS (version 24) to generate descriptive and inferential statistics, while qualitative data were thematically analyzed. The decision rule for hypothesis testing was based on p-values, where a p-value ≤ 0.05 led to rejection of the null hypothesis, indicating a significant relationship between variables. The findings reveal that green logistics has a moderate and statistically significant positive relationship with supply chain performance (r = 0.322, p = 0.001; R² = 0.104), indicating that a one-unit improvement in green logistics increases performance by 0.348 units. Conversely, eco-design shows an extremely weak and non-significant relationship (r = -0.007, p = 0.944; R² = 0.000), suggesting minimal impact on performance. However, fleet management demonstrates a moderate and significant positive relationship (r = 0.456, p = 0.000; R² = 0.208), with a 0.389-unit improvement in supply chain performance for every unit increase in fleet management efficiency. The study concludes that green logistics and fleet management significantly enhance supply chain performance at Solo Pharmaceutical Ltd. Green logistics supports cost reduction and competitiveness through efficient transportation and waste management, whereas effective fleet management via vehicle maintenance, route planning, and driver monitoring boost’s operational reliability and customer satisfaction. The study recommends investing in sustainable transport technologies, waste reduction initiatives, and eco-friendly supplier partnerships; training employees in green logistics and integrating eco-design with production and procurement processes.