Title: Service supply chain coordination factors: the case of Saudi Arabian hospitals

Authors: Mario Alfredo Ferrer Vasquez; Anita Medhekar

Addresses: Alfaisal University, Al Maather District, Takhasusi Road, P.O. Box 50927, Riyadh 11533, Saudi Arabia ' CQU, Building 19/3.26, Off Bruce Highway, 4702, Rockhampton, Australia

Abstract: Service supply chain combines the management of information, processes, capacity, service performance and funds from the earliest supplier to the ultimate customer. This study explores the need for supply chain coordination required to deliver services for healthcare industry. Building on prior research, this study looks quantitatively at the interplay of service supply chain coordination factors (i.e., accessibility, affordability and awareness) and their influence on hospital performance. Hence, empirical research in an emerging economy such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was selected to test the predictive relationship between service supply chain coordination factors and performance. The findings from this study show that from the three predictive relationships tested, performance of hospitals was challenged by the increasing lack of service awareness built in the industry.

Keywords: supply chain coordination; service supply chains; supply chain management; SCM; Saudi Arabia; healthcare services; hospital supply chains; service accessibility; service affordability; service awareness; hospital performance.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLSM.2016.074712

International Journal of Logistics Systems and Management, 2016 Vol.23 No.3, pp.281 - 298

Received: 06 Sep 2014
Accepted: 19 Oct 2014

Published online: 16 Feb 2016 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article