Sustainable Supply Chain Management in the Pharmaceutical Industry of UK
Student’s nameInstitutional Affiliation

Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 4
1.1 Background ............................................................................................................................................. 4
1.2 Problem Statement .................................................................................................................................. 4
1.3 Research Aim and Objectives ................................................................................................................. 5
1.4 Research Questions: ................................................................................................................................ 5
1.5 Significance............................................................................................................................................. 6
1.6 Research Hypothesis ............................................................................................................................... 6
Chapter 2: Literature Review ........................................................................................................................ 7
2.1 Overview ................................................................................................................................................. 7
2.2 Theoretical Foundation ........................................................................................................................... 7
2.2.1 Sustainable Supply Chain Management .......................................................................................... 7
2.2.1.1 Triple Bottom Line (TBL) ........................................................................................................ 8
2.2.1.2 Pharmaceutical Sector and Sustainable Supply Chain .............................................................. 8
2.2.1.3 Environment Management ........................................................................................................ 9
2.2.1.4 Health Safety and Risk Management ........................................................................................ 9
2.2.1.5 Social Responsibilities ............................................................................................................ 10
2.2.2 Hypotheses Development: ............................................................................................................. 10
2.3 Empirical Foundation............................................................................................................................ 11
2.3.1 Dependent Variable ....................................................................................................................... 122.3.1.1 Sustainable supply chain management.................................................................................... 122.3.2 Independent Variable ..................................................................................................................... 122.3.2.1 Environment management ...................................................................................................... 122.3.2.2 Health, safety and risk management ....................................................................................... 122.3.2.3 Social responsibilities ............................................................................................................. 13
Chapter 3: Research Methodology.............................................................................................................. 15
3.1 Overview ............................................................................................................................................... 15
3.2 Research Approach ............................................................................................................................... 15
3.3 Research Philosophy ............................................................................................................................. 16
3.3.1 Positivism....................................................................................................................................... 16
3.3.2 Interpretivism ................................................................................................................................. 16

3.4 Methods for Data Collection ................................................................................................................. 17
3.4.1 Primary data collection .................................................................................................................. 17
3.4.2 Secondary data collection .............................................................................................................. 17
3.4.3 Data collection tool- Survey questionnaire .................................................................................... 17
3.4.4 Sample size .................................................................................................................................... 18
3.5 Method for Data Analysis ..................................................................................................................... 18
3.5.1 Quantitative analysis ...................................................................................................................... 18
Chapter 4: Data Analysis ............................................................................................................................ 19
4.1 Overview ............................................................................................................................................... 19
4.2 Descriptive Frequency Analysis ........................................................................................................... 19
4.3 Inferential Analysis ............................................................................................................................... 32
4.3.1 Linear Regression: ......................................................................................................................... 32
4.3.2 ANOVA: ........................................................................................................................................ 33
4.3.3 Pearson Correlation:....................................................................................................................... 35
Chapter 5: Results and Discussion .............................................................................................................. 38
5.1 Overview ............................................................................................................................................... 38
5.2 Results ................................................................................................................................................... 38
5.3 Discussion ............................................................................................................................................. 39
Chapter 6: Conclusion and Recommendations ........................................................................................... 41
6.1 Overview ............................................................................................................................................... 41
6.2 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................ 41
6.3 Recommendations ................................................................................................................................. 41
References ................................................................................................................................................... 43

Chapter 1: Introduction

1.1 Background
Over the past years, some prominent environmental issues, including global warming, resource
depletion, and toxic gas emissions, have escalated around the world. As a result, environmental
activists, policymakers, and governmental bodies have shifted their focus onto the notion ofsustainability (Xie and Breen, 2012). Lately, the emerging concept of Sustainable Supply Chain
Management (SSCM) has become an important constituent of the supply chain management
literature. Besides the shareholders’ goal to maximize market share, this concept drives supply
chain operations intending to minimize negative impacts on the environment. It has also been
linked with economic and social aspects (Rasool et al., 2016). Sustainable supply chain
management is distinguished from the traditional concept of supply chain. Today, business firms
and corporations operating across various industrial sectors have been adopting sustainable supply
chain process and practises. They are able to witness improved performance and gain competitive
advantage. Other benefits of sustainable supply chain include energy efficiency, appropriate
handling of waste material and conservation of product life cycle.
Similar to other countries, the pharmaceutical industry is one of the organized business sectors in
UK. Currently, a total of 386 companies have been licensed to manufacture and distributepharmaceutical products (Khan and Subzwari, 2009). However, the multinational companies
remain the key industry players and account for 55% business in the country. GlaxoSmithKline
Plc (GSK), one of the largest multinational firms, was set up in 2001 in UK. It is regarded as theleading pharmaceutical firm. The company has been engaged in the manufacture of several
products such as pharmaceuticals, vaccines, consumer healthcare and nutritional products(Rashmi, 2019). In order to align with global practices, GSK recognized the significance ofsustainable supply chain management and has implemented relevant measures.

1.2 Problem Statement
As aforementioned, the concept of sustainable supply chain management has become essential for
supply chain process and strategies. It enables organizations to integrate environmental concernsand sustainability into business operations (Verma and Gangele, 2012). The pharmaceuticalindustry in UK has shown immense growth in the previous years. The level of competition between
the leading pharmaceutical firms can be attributed for this expansion. As highlighted by Hamid
and Ramish (2014), the pharmaceutical sector is needed to undertake efficient supply chain
operations. For this purpose, it would be vital for firms to adopt sustainable supply chain which
will help to boost their efficiency and performance as well as achieve cost savings. Althoughnumerous studies have explored sustainable supply chain management, there is little literary
evidence about how it is practiced at the pharmaceutical industry in UK. Also, there is an apparent
knowledge gap of factors associated with sustainable supply chain.

1.3 Research Aim and Objectives
The primary aim of the research is to determine the implementation of sustainable supply chain
process at GlaxoSmithKline Plc and the overall pharmaceutical industry in UK. Furthermore, thecontribution of three main factors- environment management, health safety and risk management,
and social responsibilities towards sustainable supply chain operations has been evaluated.
Taken into account the research aim, following objectives have been formed:-

To investigate the extent at which sustainable supply chain management is practiced at thecase company and the pharmaceutical industry of UK.

-

To explore the dimensions of environment management, health safety and risk
management, and social responsibilities-

To determine the contribution of these factors towards sustainable supply chain practices.

1.4 Research Questions:
In the course of this study, below research questions have been resolved:
RQ1:
How is sustainable supply chain management being practiced across the pharmaceutical industry?
RQ2:
What are the different dimensions of sustainable supply chain process?

RQ3:
How do these dimensions contribute to sustainable supply chain management?

1.5 SignificanceThis research contributes to industrial practitioners and academics in multiple aspects. Firstly, theundertaken study offers comprehensive understanding of the concerned phenomenon, directed at
the pharmaceutical industry. Second, leadership and management at these firms will gain
knowledge on how to incorporate sustainable supply chain practices and manage them effectively.
Furthermore, this dissertation will provide insights to policy makers and law makers. It can guidethem to formulate strong policies and initiatives in relation to growing environmental concerns.
By addressing the factors of sustainable supply chain, the research will make a significant
contribution to the available literature. Besides fulfilling the gap, it can be a valuable source for
future scholars and will stimulate their interest for further research.

1.6 Research Hypothesis
In line with the subject matter and review of literature, the research has tested the following
hypothesis:
H1- There is a positive correlation between environment management and sustainable supply chain
management in pharmaceutical industry.
H2- There is a positive association between health safety and risk management and sustainablesupply chain management.
H3- There is a positive correlation between social responsibilities and sustainable supply chain
management.

Chapter 2: Literature Review

2.1 Overview
The second chapter will set out the theoretical foundation, empirical foundation and conceptual
framework that govern this dissertation. First, theoretical foundation deals with core theories andconcepts related to the research subject followed by hypotheses development. Second, theempirical foundation will highlight some empirical and statistical findings about dependent andindependent variables involved in the study. Lastly, a conceptual framework will be developed
which illustrates the logical relation between dependent and independent variables.

2.2 Theoretical Foundation
This section is concerned with survey of available literature on the concept of sustainable supply
chain management. It will also provide theoretical background of the primary constructs namely,environment management, health safety and risk management, and social responsibilities. Later,
research hypotheses are developed and explained.
As stated earlier, there are nearly 400 firms operating in the pharmaceutical industry of UK. Outof them, 30 firms are multinational corporations that drive half of the total business. In UK, 80%of the medicines are obtained through local production (Khan and Subzwari, 2009). However, rawmaterials are imported from foreign suppliers. In order to maximize the efficiency andperformance of this industrial sector, it has been emphasized that sustainable supply chain
management is opted.
2.2.1 Sustainable Supply Chain Management
In a research study by Govindan et al. (2014), sustainable supply chain management has been
defined as “The integration of environmental sustainability into supply chain management”. The
concept strives to increase recycling, substitute toxic materials and reduce pollutants. Its study
deals with resource consumption, energy efficiency and environmental influence as part of the
supply chain (Rasool et al., 2016). The aim of sustainable supply chain is to reduce detrimental
impacts of production and manufacturing process on the natural environment. The management
involves people who are associated with the supply chain such as manufacturers, distributors,
suppliers, retailers and consumers. The study by (Muchiri, 2011) posits that the goal of asustainable supply chain is to confine all types of wastes and prevent emission of harmful
substances into the environment along with conservation of energy sources.
Rasool et al. (2016) stated that sustainable supply chain management assists the upstream anddownstream processes within organizations. It has been further elaborated that this practise
improves economic and social performance by optimizing ecological benefits. Sustainable
practices are incorporated within different phases of the supply chain including raw material
extraction and selection, product design, product development and reuse of material (Govindan etal., 2014). Some researchers have attempted to distinguish sustainable supply chain fromtraditional supply chain. It has been revealed that prominent differences between both forms ofsupply chain exist in terms of processes, operations, procedures, tools, motives, goals etc.
2.2.1.1 Triple Bottom Line (TBL)
The idea of sustainability has been originally derived from a theoretical model known as the ‘Triple
Bottom Line’. The model was introduced by Elkington in 1998 (Syed et al., 2019). TBL presents
three distinct aspects or pillars of sustainability- environmental, economic and social. This
theoretical model has served as framework for achieving sustainability in various domains.
Similarly, TBL sets up foundation for sustainable practices associated with supply chain
management. Firstly, the environmental aspect of the model refers to elements of the naturalenvironment which are linked with the supply chain (Rostamzadeh et al., 2018). For instance,
forms of energy for production, landfill deposits etc are considered. With the recent trend ofsustainability, organizations and enterprises have been shifting towards green techniques. The
second aspect is economic where organizational stability is discussed. According to this pillar, afirm will achieve stability when it successfully fulfills social and environmental concerns and alignthem with financial viability (Rostamzadeh et al., 2018). Thirdly, the social aspect of TBL model
pertains to welfare of common people and society at large. It focuses on social issues within an
organization such as business ethics, gender discrimination, fair wages etc.
2.2.1.2 Pharmaceutical Sector and Sustainable Supply Chain
Typically, the pharmaceutical industry is subjected to deal with some prominent concerns such ascost of raw product, low shelf lives of medicines and compromise on the integrity of products.
Moreover, prevalence of counterfeit pharmaceutical products is an alarming issue (Hamid andRamish, 2014). In particular, the pharmaceutical industry in UK is greatly exposed to these risks,especially distribution of counterfeit drugs. However, it has been claimed that counterfeit products
account for only 0.4% of the total medicines manufactured in the country (Khan and Subzwari,2009).
As far as sustainability is concerned, firms operating in the pharmaceutical sector of UK havebegun to show responsibility towards environmental and social concerns. According to Verma andGangele (2012), this paradigm shift is also an outcome of increased pressure from international
regulatory bodies which demand for sustainable products and practices. Under the sustainablesupply chain management, the notion of sustainability is well integrated, ranging from theproduction facility to the selling outlet (Syed et al., 2019). The implementation of sustainablesupply chain strategies has facilitated business firms to stand out among their competitors. Most
importantly, sustainable practices have led to efficient material and energy consumption, waste
management, innovation of eco-friendly products and elimination of environmental risks (Xie andBreen, 2012). On the other hand, sustainable supply chain management is an effective approach todiscover any damage instantly, identify its root causes and rectify it.
2.2.1.3 Environment Management
The term ‘Environment Management’ refers to integration of organizational management andaspects related to sustainability and protection of the environment. A study by Jermsittiparsert etal. (2019) suggested that environment management is a key element in sustainable supply chain
and overall business operations. In general, the most detrimental impacts due to business activities
occur through the supply chain on the environment. In this respect, it is best to monitor the entire
life cycle of product and identify stages where the greatest environmental impact is caused so that
actions are taken accordingly. Adhering with this principle, environment management covers allstages underlying the life cycle of products or services. It helps in the management ofenvironmental impacts resulting from a firm’s supply chain.
2.2.1.4 Health Safety and Risk Management
In generic context, the domain of health and safety is governed by laws, policies, rules andprocedures with an aim for the protection of employees, common public and the environment.
Thus, environmental health and safety is a broad term. In terms of organizational settings, healthand safety refers to procedures and collective efforts to determine dangers and hazards within theworkplace (Reese, 2018). The purpose of these efforts is to reduce exposure to harmful materials

or processes and prevent accidents. Another aspect of health and safety pertains to deliveringawareness and training of emergency response, evacuation and accident prevention to employees(Reese, 2018). It is also stressed that all employees must be educated about protective equipment
and measures. As the name implies, risk management deals with major risks posed to employees
as well as the environment. For health, safety and risk management, there is a combination oftechnical disciplines and program encompassing environmental health and safety along with risk
assessment and risk control (Yarahmadi et al., 2016).
2.2.1.5 Social Responsibilities
As defined by Schinckus et al. (2019), social responsibility is a concept which iterates that firms
should incorporate social concerns within their business activities and operations. In fact,interaction with key stakeholders must also reflect social responsibilities. Another research has
informed that “Social responsibility is an approach through which a corporation achieves a balanceof economic, environmental and social imperatives”. Due to identical motives, the idea of social
responsibility is frequently integrated into the concept of sustainable supply chain management.
Today, supply chain management is liable to cater and deal with social problems and issues. Thus,
it justifies the growing interest in social responsibility by supply chain literature.
2.2.2 Hypotheses Development:
Prior to this section, the main research subject and its three constructs have been reviewed. Thissection involves linking the primary constructs with the subject. Accordingly, research hypotheses
formed in the first chapter are further developed.
Environment management is the first factor associated with sustainable supply chain management.
As informed by the literature, it undertakes an overview of the production life cycle and caters
areas where high pressure is inflicted over the environment due to supply chain process. In thisway, environment management has an apparent link with sustainable supply chain management.
Exploring the nature of this link, it is to note that environment management contributes tosustainability tremendously. The more effective is environment management, the more
improvements in the sustainable supply chain. It points out that environment management has apositive impact on the sustainable supply chain. Thus, the first hypothesis H1 is developed asfollows.

H1: There is a positive correlation between environmental management and sustainable supply
chain management in the pharmaceutical industry.
The next construct refers to the health, safety, and risk management. This factor is a merger ofhealth and safety aspects with risk management. In terms of sustainability, the guidelines
underlying health and safety apply to the environment also. On the other hand, risk management
will be liable to tackle environmental risks occurring throughout the supply chain. Therefore, thisconstruct can be linked to sustainable supply chain management. Furthermore, many studies have
explained the contribution of health and safety to sustainability. In this regard, it has been hinted
that this factor produces a positive effect on sustainable supply chain management. Consequently,
the research hypothesis H2 can be developed.
H2: There is a positive association between health safety and risk management and sustainablesupply chain management.
Social responsibilities portray the last construct and factor associated with sustainable supply chain
management in the pharmaceutical sector. A sense of social responsibility is accomplished whenan organization successfully conducts business activities to resolve social issues. Corporate andsocial responsibility is not restricted to the wellbeing of people; rather it takes into account the
responsibility owed to the environment. Thus, a link with sustainability exists. Due to its
contribution to the sustainability of the environment, the idea of social responsibility has been
included within sustainable supply chain management. As the literature advocates about its notable
contribution, it implies that social responsibilities have a positive impact on a sustainable supply
chain. Therefore, hypothesis H3 is formulated as.
H3: There is a positive correlation between social responsibilities and sustainable supply chain
management.

2.3 Empirical Foundation
Taken into consideration the research hypotheses, it can be observed that the term ‘sustainablesupply chain management’ has appeared in each of them. Thus, it has been designated as thedependent variable of the study whereas the primary constructs have been referred to as theindependent variables. The empirical foundation section will present a detailed account ofempirical and statistical findings of previous studies about the research variables. At foremost, thedependent variable will be analyzed followed by three independent variables.
2.3.1 Dependent Variable
2.3.1.1 Sustainable supply chain management
To date, numerous research attempts centered on sustainable supply chain management have takenplace. In the study by Hsu et al. (2013), key drivers of supply chain management that support
environmental sustainability have been identified. Negi and Anand (2014) have examined theassociation between sustainable supply chain management and organizational performance. As apart of empirical investigations on sustainable supply chain management, the study by Green et al.
(2012) aimed to evaluate the influence of sustainable measures on performance and practice. The
research findings revealed that the application of a sustainable supply chain fosters improved
economic and environmental performance. The study by Menzel et al. (2010) was conducted to
examine the effect of sustainable production on the financial stability of pharmaceutical companies
based in Europe. While no significant link was found between sustainable practices and corporate
performance, a decreasing trend of energy consumption was noted.
2.3.2 Independent Variable
2.3.2.1 Environment management
The empirical research by Handfield et al. (2005) investigated how environmental management is
adopted within supply chain management. It focused on supply chain strategies incorporated byfirms operating in the US, Japan, and the UK. Besides the core subject matter, many studies laid
their focus on different aspects of environmental management such as energy efficiency, water
management, waste management, emission of toxic gases and chemicals, and packaging
techniques. For instance, Muchiri (2011) observed a waste management system in the supply chainof manufacturing industries. The empirical study unfolded that adequate waste management
prevents the formation of wastage during production, thus leading to source reduction.
2.3.2.2 Health, safety and risk management
The contemporary literature reports that there have been consistent efforts to optimize supply
chains by business corporations and enterprises. For this purpose, scholars have strived to integrate
health and safety aspects into sustainable supply chain management. As highlighted by Mani et al.

(2018), some positive effects of employees’ health and safety have been observed over supply
chain management. On the other hand, it has been noted by a few researchers that proper healthand safety arrangements for workers would add to sustainable operations in a firm’s supply chain
management. In terms of risk management, recent trends, for instance, lean practices andoutsourcing, place a significant contribution to the development of a sustainable supply chain.
2.3.2.3 Social responsibilities
The integration of social responsibility into sustainable supply chain management has remained
the focus of many empirical types of research. One such study was conducted by Quatshie et al.
(2016) where the relationship between supply chain management and social responsibilities inbusiness was examined. Furthermore, in the study by Eriksson and Svensson (2015), it was aimed
to find out what elements lead to social responsibility under the paradigm of sustainable supply
chain management. The study by Zorzini et al. (2015) conducted a review of the sourcing of social
responsibility for achieving sustainability in supply chain management. In addition to its findings,
the study suggested further theoretical developments for the phenomenon. Similarly, Feng et al.
(2017) surveyed the supply chain management literature to indicate social responsibility issues
through the method of network analysis.
2.4 Conceptual Framework
So far, detailed accounts of the theoretical foundation and empirical foundation have beendeveloped. Subsequently, the dependent and independent variables involved in this study havebeen identified. It is followed by linking the research subject with each primary construct.
However, there is still a lack of logical association and flow of the research. With sufficientknowledge at hand, it is possible to construct a conceptual framework for the undertaken research.
The conceptual framework will notify the dependent and independent variables. It will
demonstrate their correlation and interdependency with each other. The final conceptual
framework is presented as follows.

Environment
Management

Sustainable Supply
Chain of PharmaceuticalIndustry

Sustainable Supply
Chain Management

Health Safety and Risk
Management

Social Responsibilities

Figure 1: Conceptual FrameworkChapter 3: Research Methodology

3.1 Overview
The third chapter will set out a detailed discussion of the research methodology for the undertaken
dissertation. Typically, the methodology determines a pathway to carry out the entire research. It
guides on how to perform all research processes and activities. Therefore, the formulation ofresearch methodology must align with the objectives and expected outcomes of a study. This
chapter will also outline different aspects of methodology including research approach,philosophy, methods for data collection, and data analysis. Lastly, the ethical considerations of
this research will be described.

3.2 Research Approach
Research approach can be defined as a comprehensive procedure that comprises of steps ranging
from data collection to data evaluation and interpretation (Kumar, 2019). It governs broad
assumptions that are made during the research work. The research approach must address theresearch problem under investigation. Therefore, the choice of an appropriate approach is crucial.
Some of the common research approaches adopted by scholars are: inductive, deductive,
abductive, explanatory, and exploratory. In line with the research questions, the deductive
approach has been employed in this study.
In a deductive approach, the research process usually begins with setting up a theoreticalfoundation. It then proceeds by the formation of hypotheses from theory. Afterward, data is
extracted and analyzed to test the validity of the research hypotheses (Ghauri et al., 2020). The
deductive approach pertains to applying reasoning onto the research problem and reaching a valid
outcome. This approach emphasizes more on forming specific results instead of simple, general
conclusions. Moreover, the deductive approach is constituted of deductive reasoning and deductive
logic (Kumar, 2019). For certain studies, a combination of inductive and deductive approaches is
employed. It helps to gain a better and more detailed understanding of the subject matter.
In the undertaken research, distinct theoretical and empirical foundations have been laid out.
Deductive reasoning has assisted to address the research questions. With the help of deductive

logic, the nature of the correlation between dependent and independent variables has been easily
determined. Thus, the adoption of a deductive research approach is rational.

3.3 Research Philosophy
In general, every research process involves philosophical assumptions. Research philosophy isconcerned with the philosophical underpinnings of the research approach and the overall process(Žukauskas et al., 2018). By definition, research philosophy refers to a belief through which datais collected, analyzed, and interpreted in a way to satisfy the research objectives (Kumar, 2019).
Simply put, it sets a particular direction for the researcher to follow. The four philosophical views
taken in research studies include positivism, interpretivism, pragmatism, and realism. Since thecurrent study deals with qualitative and quantitative design method, the research philosophies of
positivism and interpretivism have been employed.
3.3.1 Positivism
Positivism tends to observe a natural phenomenon with a philosophical approach. It iterates thatnatural processes can be regarded as observable social entities (Žukauskas et al., 2018). Positivism
caters to factual and scientific data that is collected using individual senses or observation. This
research philosophy is concerned with quantifiable observations and respective statistical analysis.
For a study with positivism philosophy, the research approach is based on hypothesis development,
data collection, and hypotheses testing i.e. deductive approach. Moreover, a positivist researcher
complies with a structured methodology so that error-free development and testing of hypothesesis performed (Žukauskas et al., 2018)
3.3.2 Interpretivism
Interpretivism deals with the study of human beings as social actors and the assessment ofsimilarities and differences between them (Žukauskas et al., 2018). In this research philosophy,social roles are interpreted and presented according to respective meanings and origins. Generally,
interpretivism draws on the social world and the lives of social actors living in it. An interpretive
researcher will approach a research phenomenon according to social sciences and may observe
individual actions (Žukauskas et al., 2018). In simple words, interpretivism philosophy is inclined
towards studying and interpreting aspects of human interest.

3.4 Methods for Data Collection
As the name implies, data collection refers to gathering and extracting information, facts, andstatistics from different data sources. The process is used to collect raw as well as manipulated orprocessed data. Ghauri et al. (2020) defined data collection as “The process to gather and measure
information on variables of interest, in an established systematic fashion that enables one to answer
stated research questions, test hypotheses, and evaluate outcomes”. In research studies, there are
two methods used for collecting data namely primary data collection and secondary datacollection. The primary method is used to collect raw or firsthand data whereas the second method
is employed to collect data that has been already been used in previous publications.
In the undertaken research, primary data has been gathered with the tool of a survey questionnaire.
The collected data is quantitative. Besides, former academic journal articles, thesis, and research
papers have been surveyed to collect secondary data that is descriptive. Thus, both primary andsecondary methods for data collection have been utilized.
3.4.1 Primary data collection
The methods for primary data collection are used to gather first hand or raw data. Primary data is
one that has never been used before and no analyses have been performed over it (Ghauri et al.,2020). Moreover, primary data can exist in multiple forms such as numbers, words, expressions,or symbols. In the dissertation, the survey questionnaire has been employed as a tool to collectprimary data.
3.4.2 Secondary data collection
As mentioned above, secondary data collection methods deal with the collection of secondary data.
Any form of data that has been used earlier is referred to as secondary data. Similar to primarydata, secondary data may be numeric or descriptive. In the undertaken study, secondary data has
been extracted from books, journal articles, and research papers that have been published and peerreviewed. Here, the secondary data is largely descriptive i.e. qualitative
3.4.3 Data collection tool- Survey questionnaire
As stated above, the survey questionnaire has been employed to collect primary data. A hard copyof the questionnaire instrument will be distributed among employees and senior management
executives of the case company, GlaxoSmithKline Plc. The questionnaire has been administeredby the researcher himself. In terms of the instrument design, a total of 12 open-ended statements
have been included in the questionnaire. Against these statements, research participants havemarked their grades on a five-point Likert scale. Every respondent has been allotted 20 minutes tocomplete the survey questionnaire.
3.4.4 Sample size
This research draws on a sample size of 30. It means that 30 participants have been made part ofthis study.

3.5 Method for Data Analysis
Data analysis is the process where different numerical, inferential, and statistical operations areapplied to the collected data. The choice of data analysis method depends on the nature of data
(Ghauri et al., 2020). Consequently, quantitative data analyses have been performed in thisresearch as the primary data is quantitative.
3.5.1 Quantitative analysis
This data analysis method applies to numeric data. Quantitative analysis has been carried out withthe help of SPSS, a software package for inferential and statistical analysis. Several mathematicalprocedures have been performed over the quantitative data.

Chapter 4: Data Analysis

4.1 Overview
The chapter will be broadly concerned with the evaluation and analysis of primary data. As
described in the previous chapter, a survey has been carried out to gain insights into sustainablesupply chain operations at the case company. The responses obtained against each statement in thesurvey questionnaire have been simulated through the SPSS tool. This chapter will present both
descriptive and inferential statistical analyses followed by their explanation.

4.2 Descriptive Frequency Analysis
In the current research, descriptive statistics have been applied to the primary quantitative data. In
the descriptive analysis, the responses based on point scale are coded and their corresponding
frequencies are estimated. In this section, the descriptive frequency analysis of responses against
each statement is determined. To get a clear picture, frequencies are demonstrated through the useof bar charts.
The first three statements in the survey questionnaire pertain to the variable ‘Environment
Management’. The first statement inquires about the effectiveness of the management system toidentify environmental risks during production and manufacturing. Out of 140 participants, 98
participants i.e. 70% have shown their agreement with the statement while 20 participants (14.3%)
are found to strongly agree. Here, 12.1% of the participants have indicated a neutral response to
the statement. On the other hand, 2.1% and 1.4% of participants tend to disagree and strongly
disagree, respectively.
EM1

Valid

Strongly
DisagreeDisagree
NeutralAgree
Strongly Agree

Frequency Percent
2
1.4
3
17
98
20

2.1
12.1
70.0
14.3

Valid
Percent
1.4

Cumulative
Percent
1.4

2.1
12.1
70.0
14.3

3.6
15.7
85.7
100.0

Total

140

100.0

100.0

Figure 2: Responses against Statement 1
The second statement examines whether different environmental aspects such as energy
management, water management, etc are being catered by the company. In response to thisstatement, 78 survey-takers (55.7%) tend to agree. However, 35 participants have shown a neutral
response, making up 25% distribution. Out of 140 valid responses, 19 participants i.e. 13.6% haveindicated strong agreement while 7 participants tend to disagree with this statement. Interestingly,
only one respondent (0.7%) opted for strongly disagree.
EM2

Valid

StronglyDisagreeDisagree
NeutralFrequency Percent
1
.7
7
35

5.0
25.0

Valid
Percent.7

Cumulative
Percent
.7

5.0
25.0

5.7
30.7

AgreeStronglyAgree
Total

78
19
140

55.7
13.6
100.0

55.7
13.6
100.0

86.4
100.0

Figure 3: Responses against Statement 2
The third statement is related to reducing, reusing, and recycling of packaging materials at
production facilities of the company. Here, nearly half (50.7%) of the respondents i.e. 71 survey
takers are found to agree while 29 people (20.7%) have marked ‘strongly agree’ against thestatement. Moreover, 22 participants i.e. 15.7% have remained neutral. On the contrary, 11
respondents disagree followed by 7 respondents who strongly disagree.
EM3

Valid

StronglyDisagreeDisagree
NeutralFrequency Percent
7
5.0
11
22

7.9
15.7

Valid
Percent
5.0

Cumulative
Percent
5.0

7.9
15.7

12.9
28.6

AgreeStronglyAgree
Total

71
29
140

50.7
20.7
100.0

50.7
20.7
100.0

79.3
100.0

Figure 4: Responses against Statement 3
In the survey questionnaire, the second section consists of three statements regarding the ‘health,safety, and risk management’ factor. The fourth statement aims to check how the pharmaceuticalcompany adheres to health and safety laws. It has been computed that 81 respondents (57.9%)
agree while 39 respondents (27.9%) strongly agree to health and safety compliance by thecompany. In response to this statement, 14 participants have remained neutral. On the other hand,
4 respondents and 2 respondents tend to disagree and strongly disagree with the company’s
compliance, respectively.
HSRM1FrequencyPercent
Valid StronglyDisagr
2
1.4
ee

Valid
Cumulative
Percent
Percent
1.4
1.4

Disagree
NeutralAgree
StronglyAgree
Total

4
14
81
39
140

2.9
10.0
57.9
27.9
100.0

2.9
10.0
57.9
27.9
100.0

4.3
14.3
72.1
100.0

Figure 5: Responses against Statement 4
The fifth statement inquires whether there are sufficient measures in terms of safe and wellmaintained machinery. Almost half i.e. 71 participants have reflected their agreement, making up
50.7% of the total distribution. It is interesting to note that 36 respondents (25.7%) tend to strongly
agree whereas 27 respondents (19.3%) have remained neutral. This statement has been marked
with disagree and strongly disagree with 3 participants each.
HSRM2FrequencyPercent
Valid StronglyDisagr
3
2.1
ee

Valid
Cumulative
Percent
Percent
2.1
2.1

Disagree
NeutralAgree
StronglyAgree
Total

3
27
71
36
140

2.1
19.3
50.7
25.7
100.0

2.1
19.3
50.7
25.7
100.0

4.3
23.6
74.3
100.0

Figure 6: Responses against Statement 5
The sixth statement has probed into emergency response and evacuation procedures implemented
by the case company. Out of 139 valid responses, more than half of the respondents tend to agree,which makes up a proportion of 61.2%. Furthermore, 24 participants i.e. 17.3% have shown strong
agreement while 23 participants i.e. 16.5% have given neutral responses. 6 participants are foundto disagree with the statement whereas only 1 participant strongly disagrees.

Valid

HSRM3
FrequencyPercent
StronglyDisagr
1
.7
ee

Valid
Percent

Cumulative
Percent.7.7

Disagree
NeutralAgree
StronglyAgree
Total
Missing System
Total

6
23
85
24
139
1
140

4.3
16.4
60.7
17.1
99.3
.7
100.0

4.3
16.5
61.2
17.3
100.0

5.0
21.6
82.7
100.0

Figure 7: Responses against Statement 6
The next three statements are concerned with another independent variable ‘social
responsibilities’. The seventh statement in the survey questionnaire investigates the corporate andsocial responsibility policy. Here, 80 participants i.e. 57.1% have responded with ‘agree’. This
percentage is seconded by 32 participants, making up 22.9%, who tend to strongly agree. On theother hand, the neutral response has been obtained from 21 survey-takers (15.0%). The statement
has obtained 3.6% responses for ‘disagree’ and 1.4% for ‘strongly disagree’.
SR1FrequencyPercent
Valid StronglyDisagr
2
1.4
ee
Disagree5
3.6
Neutral
21
15.0
Agree
80
57.1
StronglyAgree
32
22.9
Total
140
100.0

Valid
Cumulative
Percent
Percent
1.4
1.4
3.6
15.0
57.1
22.9
100.0

5.0
20.0
77.1
100.0

Figure 8: Responses against Statement 7
In the eighth statement, adherence to the performance management system with social regulations
has been investigated. Again, more than half of the participants i.e. 58.6% have agreed with thestatement. This is followed by 25 survey takers who responded with ‘strongly agree’ and 23 survey
takers responding with ‘neutral’. On the contrary, 6.4% of participants disagreed followed by 0.7%
who strongly disagreed.
SR2
FrequencyPercent

Valid
Percent

Cumulative
Percent

Valid StronglyDisagr
eeDisagree
NeutralAgree
StronglyAgree
Total

1

.7

.7

.7

9
23
82
25
140

6.4
16.4
58.6
17.9
100.0

6.4
16.4
58.6
17.9
100.0

7.1
23.6
82.1
100.0

Figure 9: Responses against Statement 8
The ninth statement examines the social policy of the company regarding forced labor, child labor,
and discrimination. The 138 valid responses against this statement form interesting trends. The
frequency estimations reveal that 62 participants (44.9%) tend to agree followed by 40 participants(29.0%) who strongly agreed. This statement obtained 13.8% neutral responses. On the other hand,
11 participants have indicated disagreement while 6 participants are found to strongly disagree.
SR3

FrequencyPercent
Valid
StronglyDisagr
6
4.3
ee
Disagree11
7.9
Neutral
19
13.6
Agree
62
44.3
StronglyAgree
40
28.6
Total
138
98.6
Missing System
2
1.4
Total
140
100.0

Valid
Cumulative
Percent
Percent
4.3
4.3
8.0
13.8
44.9
29.0
100.0

12.3
26.1
71.0
100.0

Figure 10: Responses against Statement 9
In the survey questionnaire, the last three statements pertain to the dependent variable ‘sustainablesupply chain management’. The tenth statement asserts that a sustainable supply chain is
implemented. Out of 140 survey takers, 81 participants i.e. 57.9% indicated that they agree.
However, it must be noted that 20.7% of the participants have given neutral responses against thestatement whereas 17.9% of participants strongly agree. Contradicting with this statement, 4participants are found to disagree and 1 participant is found to strongly disagree.
SCM1
FrequencyPercent
Valid StronglyDisagr
1.7eeDisagree4
2.9
Neutral
29
20.7
Agree
81
57.9
StronglyAgree
25
17.9
Total
140
100.0

Valid
Percent

Cumulative
Percent
.7
.7

2.9
20.7
57.9
17.9
100.0

3.6
24.3
82.1
100.0

Figure 11: Responses against Statement 10
The next statement inquires about the implementation of tools to support sustainable supply chain
management. Here, 138 valid responses have been obtained. This statement has been marked with‘agree’ by 85 participants, constituting 61.6%. However, it has obtained a neutral response from

17.4% of the respondents while 16.7% have strongly agreed. In contrast, 6 participants are foundto disagree.
SCM2
FrequencyPercent
Valid
Disagree6
4.3
Neutral
24
17.1
Agree
85
60.7
StronglyAgr
23
16.4
ee
Total
138
98.6
Missing System
2
1.4
Total
140
100.0

Valid
Cumulative
Percent
Percent
4.3
4.3
17.4
21.7
61.6
83.3
16.7
100.0
100.0

Figure 12: Responses against Statement 11
The twelfth statement affirms that an accurate audit is performed over supply chain practices. Here,
80 survey takers i.e. 57.1% reflected their agreement with the statement. It is followed by 27

participants (19.3%) who strongly agree while 24 participants (17.1%) have remained neutral. On
the contrary, this statement has been marked with ‘disagree’ and ‘strongly disagree’ by 5.0% and1.4% of the participants, respectively.
SCM3
FrequencyPercent
Valid StronglyDisagr
2
1.4
ee
Disagree7
5.0
Neutral
24
17.1
Agree
80
57.1
StronglyAgree
27
19.3
Total
140
100.0

Valid
Cumulative
Percent
Percent
1.4
1.4
5.0
17.1
57.1
19.3
100.0

6.4
23.6
80.7
100.0

Figure 13: Responses against Statement 12

4.3 Inferential Analysis
By principle, inferential statistics is concerned with evaluating data to form conclusions that are
beyond simple interpretation. While descriptive statistics deals with identifying and describing
trends in the data, the inferential statistic is used to draw inferences regarding more generalconditions. To perform inferential analysis, several general statistical procedures and models havebeen applied to the quantitative data.
4.3.1 Linear Regression:
The models for linear regression are used to determine the relationship between two factors orvariables. In general, the factor to be predicted is known as the dependent variable. Linear
regression involves two main measures- R-value and R-squared value. The latter refers to thegoodness-of-fit measure which indicates variance in the dependent variable. Typically, the higher
value of the R-squared measure will present a better fit for the model. Overall, the linear regression
model measures the strength of the relationship between variables based on the R squared value.

The following table summarizes the results of the linear regression calculated for variables
involved in the dissertation.
Model Summary
Std. The error
Adjusted Rof theModel

R

R SquareSquareEstimate

1

.522a

.272

.255

.49574(Constant),

SocialResponsibilities,a.

Predictors:

Environment Management, Health Safety Risk mang
Table 1: Linear Regression model
According to the model summary, R has a value of 0.522, and the value of R squared is 0.272. It
makes up for data fit up to 27.2%. This lower value for R squared hints about the weak relationshipbetween dependent and independent variables. However, the relationship may not be much weak
to be ignored. The linear regression model reveals that there are chances to validate an alternative
relationship.
4.3.2 ANOVA:
The word ANOVA is an acronym for ‘Analysis of variance’. This statistical procedure is used to
calculate the difference between applied statistical models and their associated estimation
procedures across a provided sample. ANOVA aims to predict whether there are any significant
or insignificant differences between one or more independent statistical group. Typically, asummary table of ANOVA sets out five different measurements. However, the ‘Sig’ value isimportant since it identifies the significance and insignificance of independent statisticalprocedures. Moreover, the ‘α’ measure determines whether the alternative hypothesis has been
accepted or rejected. In this regard, if a significant value is less than 0.05, the hypothesis will be
accepted. Otherwise, if a significant value is above 0.05, the hypothesis will be rejected. In theundertaken study, the ANOVA model is demonstrated through two distinct tables.

ANOVASum of1

Model

Squaresdf

Mean Square

F

Sig.

Regression

12.1223

4.041

16.442.000b

Residual

32.440

132

.246

Total

44.562135

a. Dependent Variable: sustainable sp
b. Predictors: (Constant), social responsibilities, Environment Management, Health
Safety risk mang
Table 2: ANOVA model
Taking a look at the above table, the Sig. value is found to be 0.000b. Since this value is less than0.05, it indicates that the alternative hypothesis has been accepted. The table sets forth otherstatistical findings associated with regression and residual analysis. They offer theoreticalconnotations in terms of environmental management, social responsibilities, and health safety andrisk management for a sustainable supply chain at the company.
Coefficients

Model
1

(Constant)
Environment
Management

UnstandardizedStandardized

Coefficients

Coefficients

B

Std. Error

1.677

.348

.210

.085

Beta

.214

t

Sig.

4.818

.000

2.476

.015

Health Safety riskmangSocial responsibilities

.393

.088

.404

4.439

.000

-.041

.072

-.048

-.570

.569

a. Dependent Variable: sustainable sp
Table 3: Table for coefficients
The second table primarily informs about the values of coefficients for dependent and independent
variables. There are two forms of coefficients- standardized and non-standardized. In general,these coefficients are obtained from linear regression analysis as it tends to identify the positive or
negative impact of data. According to the above table, there are two positive values of β whereas
one value is negative. The positive and negative values denote a positive and negative relationshipbetween variables, respectively. It means that there may a negative relationship between social
responsibilities (independent variable) and sustainable supply chain management (dependent
variable). On the other hand, the column highlighting t-values can also be examined. For at-value
greater than standardized coefficients, it indicates that its regression coefficient is higher whichmeans the value can be hypothesized. Based on Sig. value, β value, and t-value, it can be inferredthat alternative hypotheses have been validated.
4.3.3 Pearson Correlation:
Pearson's correlation is another statistical test that measures or predicts a statistical relationship or
association between the dependent variable and independent variables. The Pearson correlation
coefficient is a number that lies between -1 and +1. The value owed by this coefficient denotes theextent to which two variables are linearly related. Typically, Pearson correlation is analyzed basedon R-value and P-value. The results of Pearson’s correlation for dependent and independent
variables involved in this research are exhibited in the table below.
Correlations
Environment Health Safety
Management

risk mang

SocialSustainable

responsibilities

spEnvironment

Pearson Correlation.491**.339**.360**

.000

.000

.000

140

139

138

138

.491**

1.456**.480**

.000

.000

1

Management
Sig. (2-tailed)N
Health Safety risk mang Pearson Correlation
Sig. (2-tailed)

.000

N

139

139

137

138

.339**.456**

1.207*

Sig. (2-tailed)

.000

.000

N

138

137

138

136

Pearson Correlation.360**.480**.207*

1

Sig. (2-tailed)

.000

.000

.015

N

138

138

136

Social responsibilities Pearson Correlation

Sustainable sp

.015

138

**. Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed).
*. Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed).
Table 5: Pearson’s correlation coefficients

Drawing on the above table, an apparent variation between the numerical figures can be seen. The
obtained values belong to a range from 0.207 to 1. It has been known that an R-value closer to 1
denotes a positive and strong association between variables. The two Sig. values of 0.000 and
0.015 also coincide with the ANOVA model. According to the findings, it can be inferred that analternative hypothesis has been selected. Moreover, it is a common estimation that when Pearson’scorrelation coefficient owns a value of 1, it is linear. In contrast, when its value is near zero, therelationship will be non-linear. Referring to the above table, the greater values for Pearson’s
correlation coefficient indicates that each coefficient is positive. In case relationships between
variables are shown graphically, a straight line with an upward slope will be drawn.

Chapter 5: Results and Discussion

5.1 Overview
The fifth chapter will state the research results and findings derived from data analysis andevaluation. In the latter part, a discussion will be set out on how the research findings align orcontradict with secondary research.

5.2 Results
In the previous chapter, statistical data analysis and evaluation has been conducted through which
key research findings have been obtained. Since the dissertation fundamentally revolves aroundthree hypotheses under consideration, the results will be explained accordingly.
The first hypothesis tests a positive correlation between environmental management andsustainable supply chain management. It means that with greater compliance with environment
management aspects, the supply chain process will become sustainable and more efficient. In
response to the three statements underlying the independent variable, a majority of responses fallunder the category of ‘agree’. It can be implied that GlaxoSmithKline fulfills the criteria ofassessing environmental risks, monitoring different environmental aspects, and recycling of plastic
packaging. Thus, in line with data analysis, efficient environment management is achieved.
In the second hypothesis, a positive association between health safety and risk management andsustainable supply chain process is being tested. The three statements related to this independent
variable have obtained prominent ‘agreement’ from employees and management of the company.
Drawing on the data analysis, it can be deduced that health and safety laws are complied with,well-maintained machinery is deployed using safety devices, and an effective emergency response
plan and evacuation procedure is exercised. Therefore, it can be said that the pharmaceuticalcompany fulfills the criteria of health safety and risk management.
The third hypothesis tests a positive association between social responsibilities and sustainablesupply chain management. In response against three statements in the survey questionnaire, it canbe observed that the company’s employees have largely marked ‘agree’ and ‘strongly agree’. From
the data analysis, it can be implied that an effective corporate and social responsibility policy isexercised and the performance management system is in alignment with social laws andregulations. Moreover, it can also be deduced that the company has the policy to act in theprohibition of child labor, forced labor, and discrimination. Therefore, it has been established thatthe case company fulfills social responsibilities.
Following key findings, it has been verified that the case company, GlaxoSmithKline PLC, hasbeen successfully executing sustainable supply chain management. On the other hand, the research
hypotheses have been successfully tested and are found to be valid.

5.3 Discussion
It is imperative to mention that many prior studies have achieved similar research findings as tothe present study. Therefore, the results and findings of the dissertation would align with a greatamount of secondary literature.
According to Shah (2004), as the pharmaceutical industry is progressing globally in terms ofintegration and target markets, the value chains and their interlinked segments are becoming oneof the most pressing issues for pharmaceutical firms. The first independent variable, environment
management, is a key component in a sustainable supply chain and overall business activities. A
study by Sulphey and Safeer (2017) highlighted that this factor takes a review of the manufacturing
cycle and caters production areas where high pressure is delivered onto nature. As a result,environmental management has a prominent connection with sustainable supply chain
management. Several studies who investigated this connection have noted that environment
management adds to sustainability to a greater extent. The more powerful the factor is, the more
upgraded will be the sustainable supply chain.
In this study, the second variable is health, safety, and risk management. As elaborated by Glendon
et al. (2016), this factor is a combination of health and safety viewpoints merged with identification
and assessment of risks. As far as sustainability is regarded, the policies concerned with health andsafety are pertinent to the environment also (Mani et al., 2016). Similarly, risk management will
be obligated to handle natural risks that may occur across the supply chain.
Coinciding with the research findings, a study by Crane et al. (2019) posits that a sense of social
responsibility is cultivated when a firm effectively leads business processes to deal with social

issues. Typically, corporate and social responsibility is not limited to the wellbeing of individuals;
rather it considers the duty owed to the planet. One such investigation was led by Quarshie et al.
(2016) where the connection between sustainable supply chains and social responsibilities inbusiness was analyzed. Moreover, in another study, similar results were generated.

Chapter 6: Conclusion and Recommendations

6.1 Overview
The last chapter will present the conclusion of the overall study and recommendations for future
research.

6.2 Conclusion
The phenomenon of Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM) encompasses the value chain
and logistics process which is executed in a way that they exert minimum negative impact overthe natural environment. Sustainable supply chains pose several economic, social, and ecologicalbenefits apart from increasing market share for shareholders. In the current times, business markets
and industries have been increasingly adopting sustainable practices across their supply chains.
The present research intended to examine the sustainable supply chain processes and operations
executed by GlaxoSmithKline PLC, a leading international pharmaceutical company. Aligningwith the scope of this study, the company’s subsidiary in UK has been focused.
Throughout this dissertation, a survey was taken where employees and management executives of
the company were engaged. Survey questionnaires were administered to seek their opinions andperception about sustainable supply chain management. In light of data analysis, it has been foundthat the company fulfills the main factors namely, environment management, health safety, andrisk management, and social responsibilities. The results obtained through descriptive andinferential analysis indicate that the majority of respondents support the fact that the supply chain
process at the company is sustainable.

6.3 Recommendations
In terms of areas for further academic research, some recommendations have been proposed.
Firstly, it would be recommended for future researchers to approach the undertaken dissertation as
standard and extend its work by employing a larger sample size. In this way, more generalized
conclusions could be reached. Secondly, future students may opt for a survey through theelectronic questionnaire method. Conducting a survey over the internet will require less time, as
well as its cost, would be reduced. Third, it is suggested to scholars employ other methods forextracting primary qualitative and quantitative data in future researches. However, the methods
must be authentic and reliable. Future research attempts on this subject matter can involve
statistical tools other than SPSS. Lastly, it would be interesting to undertake a study thatinvestigates sustainable supply chain management at other pharmaceutical firms. Also, acomparison of sustainable supply chain operations between two companies can be a potential
research idea.

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