Mitiku,Shiferaw(PhD)Nitsche,Benjamin(PhD)Tamrie,Manaye2024-07-242024-07-242021https://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/3305Background: Supply chain risk management is the process of identification, assessment, mitigation, and monitoring of risks. Pharmaceutical suppliers and distributors face multiple risks that disrupt the supply of drugs interms of quantity, quality, and delivery at the right place and time to the right customer. Therefore, caution must be taken as health is critical and pharmaceuticals are unique. Objective: To analyze the pharmaceutical supply chain risks and assess the risk management practice of the Ethiopian Pharmaceuticals Supply Agency. Method: An explanatory and descriptive case study design was employed. Totally, 101 samples were involved in the study selected through purposive sampling technique. An interview guide, questionnaires, and risk checklists were used to collect quantitative and qualitative data from respondents. The Excel-derived failure mode and effect analysis template, and SPSS version 23 were used for the data analysis. Thematic analysis of qualitative data was also employed. Result: Eighty nine risks were identified and categorized into six groups. Among these, supply and demand side risks take the priority in affecting the supply chain operation. Inability to meet customer demand, lead time variability, and poor logistics performance of suppliers are under high risk score categories. Most of the respondents, 45 (44.6%), agreed that the risk management practice at Ethiopian pharmaceuticals supply agency is at its infancy. Risk identification methods being used are found to be risk estimation, previous risk assessment, and brainstorming sessions. The most applicable risk management tools are inventory optimization (29.9%), sales (22.4%), and operation planning tool (27.6%). The overall implementation of risk management strategies are below the average. Supply side (β = -2.171, P ˂ 0.020), process (β = -0.979, P ˂ 0.026), and control (β = -1.694, P ˂ 0.004) risks negatively affect the supply chain performance, while risk management practices (β = 6.440, P ˂ 0.002) affect it positively. ii Conclusion: Supply side risks took the primary position during prioritization followed by demand side and operational risks while environmental risks were at the least position. The overall risk management practice of the Ethiopian pharmaceuticals supply agency is weak. The level of implementation of risk management processes are low while the applicability of risk management tools are above the average level in the last 5 years history of the agency. Supply side, process, and control risks affect the supply chain performance negatively. However, supply chain risk management practices have a positive impact on performance. Recommendation: The Ethiopian pharmaceuticals supply agency should establish a separate team that primarily assess, analyze and control supply chain risks at all hubs. The agency should also be engaged in more scientific methods of risk identification methods like surveys, and risk assessment to identify, control, and minimize impacts of risks.en-USRisk ManagementSupply ChainSupply Chain Risk ManagementRisk AnalysisRisk control.Thesis