Organisational resilience has emerged as a critical area of research following the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly within industries characterised by complex supply chains and dynamic operating environments. Recent studies indicate that resilience is strengthened through proactive management strategies, strategic resource deployment and organisational adaptability (Chatterjee et al., 2023; Hitt et al., 2021; Raj et al., 2022). Within the pharmaceutical industry, these capabilities are particularly important due to regulatory complexity, innovation requirements and dependence on global supply networks. Understanding how organisations strategically utilise internal resources to enhance resilience has therefore become an increasingly important area of scholarly inquiry.

The literature acknowledges that proactive management strategies positively impact employee engagement and competitive advantage (Shah & Soomro, 2021). For example, Shah and Soomro (2021) argue that involving employees in proactive strategies enhances morale and fosters a sense of empowerment. Furthermore, Munawar et al. (2019) highlight that improved decision-making arises from effective data collection and trend analysis, which are fundamental to actionable proactive management (Abormegah & Bahadin Tarik, 2020).

Recent studies indicate that the successful implementation of proactive management strategies depends on an organisation’s ability to develop adaptive capabilities, strengthen internal resource utilisation and enhance strategic flexibility. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, organisations that invested in digital transformation, operational agility and integrated decision-making processes demonstrated greater resilience and responsiveness to disruptions (Chatterjee et al., 2023; Hitt et al., 2021; Raj et al., 2022). These findings suggest that proactive management strategies play a critical role in strengthening organisational preparedness and long-term sustainability.

Despite growing research on organisational resilience and proactive management following the COVID-19 pandemic, limited studies have examined how tangible and intangible resources collectively contribute to resilience within multinational pharmaceutical organisations (Langeloh, 2025). Existing research has largely focused on specific countries, industries or operational functions, providing limited insight into how internal resources can be strategically deployed to support resilience across global pharmaceutical operations. Furthermore, limited empirical research has applied the RBV to examine proactive management strategies within the post-pandemic pharmaceutical context (Ma & Kang, 2025). This study addressed these gaps by investigating how internal resources contributed to resilience and competitive advantage within a global pharmaceutical organisation.

Within the RBV, organisational resources are generally classified as tangible and intangible resources, both of which play complementary roles in achieving sustained competitive advantage and organisational resilience (Galati et al., 2019; Sun et al., 2024). Tangible resources include physical assets such as manufacturing facilities, technological infrastructure, production equipment and financial resources that support operational efficiency (Okobo et al., 2022). In contrast, intangible resources comprise assets such as intellectual property, organisational culture, reputation, employee expertise and innovative capabilities, which are more difficult for competitors to imitate and therefore provide greater opportunities for sustained competitive advantage (Barney, 1991; Chatterjee et al., 2023; Teece, 2014). Understanding how these two categories of resources interact provides the conceptual foundation for examining their role as strategic drivers of resilience and competitiveness within pharmaceutical organisations.

The RBV provides the theoretical foundation for this study. The RBV argues that organisations achieve sustained competitive advantage through the effective utilisation of valuable, rare, inimitable and organised resources (Barney, 1991; Teece, 2014). Within the pharmaceutical industry, both tangible resources, such as manufacturing infrastructure and technological capabilities, and intangible resources, such as intellectual property, organisational culture and reputation, play a critical role in supporting resilience and long-term competitiveness (Chatterjee et al., 2023).

By applying RBV, this study critically examined how pharmaceutical organisations strategically allocate and develop resources to adapt within an increasingly complex global landscape (Chatterjee et al., 2023; Runyan et al., 2007). The theory further highlights the strategic value of distinctive internal capabilities that enhance global operations and readiness for emerging challenges (Kabir et al., 2021).

Figure 1 presents the principal components of the RBV that underpin this study. The framework illustrates how organisational resources and capabilities contribute to sustained competitive advantage through the development and effective utilisation of valuable, rare, inimitable and organised resources. These components provide the theoretical foundation for examining how tangible and intangible resources enhance organisational resilience and competitiveness within the pharmaceutical industry.

Figure 1 illustrates the interrelationship between the principal components of the RBV. According to Barney (1991), organisations derive competitive advantage from the strategic resources they possess and their ability to deploy those resources effectively. Building on this foundation, Kamasak (2017) argues that organisational resources comprise both tangible and intangible assets that, when effectively managed, enhance organisational capabilities and improve firm performance. Similarly, Songa and Monson (2024) emphasise that organisational resources provide the foundation for value creation, while organisational capabilities reflect an organisation’s ability to integrate, coordinate and deploy these resources to achieve strategic objectives. Furthermore, Bergh et al. (2025) contend that organisations possess heterogeneous resource portfolios and capabilities that differ across firms, whereas strategically valuable resources are often immobile and cannot easily be transferred or replicated by competitors. These characteristics explain why organisations vary in their ability to achieve and sustain competitive advantage.

Barney (1991) further argues that organisational resources generate sustained competitive advantage only when they possess the characteristics embodied in the VRIO framework. Valuable resources enable organisations to exploit opportunities and respond effectively to environmental challenges, while rare resources provide uniqueness by being unavailable to competitors. Barney (1991) further explains that inimitable resources are difficult to replicate because they are embedded in organisational knowledge, culture, historical development and accumulated experience. Likewise, organised resources are supported by appropriate organisational structures, management systems and processes that enable organisations to fully exploit the strategic value of their resources. Expanding on Barney’s work, Teece (2014) highlights the importance of organisational capabilities in continuously renewing and reconfiguring strategic resources to remain competitive in dynamic environments. More recently, Malik and Terzidis (2025) and Ode et al. (2026) argue that organisations that effectively align valuable resources with adaptive capabilities are better positioned to strengthen resilience and achieve sustained competitive advantage during periods of uncertainty.

Although the RBV encompasses several interrelated components, this study focused specifically on tangible and intangible resources because they represent the primary organisational resource categories through which resilience and sustained competitive advantage are achieved. Kamasak (2017) maintains that tangible resources, such as physical assets and financial capital, together with intangible resources, including organisational knowledge, human capital, reputation and innovation, constitute the strategic assets through which organisations create superior performance. Similarly, Songa and Monson (2024) argue that these resource dimensions remain central to understanding how organisations create and sustain strategic value, while Malik and Terzidis (2025) demonstrate that the effective mobilisation of tangible and intangible resources enhances organisational adaptability and resilience. Ode et al. (2026) further contend that organisations that strategically leverage internal resources are better equipped to respond to disruptions and maintain long-term competitiveness. Consistent with these perspectives, this study examined how pharmaceutical organisations strategically mobilised tangible and intangible resources to strengthen organisational resilience in the post-COVID-19 environment. The following sections therefore discuss these resource categories in greater detail within the context of the pharmaceutical industry.

Tangible resources include physical assets like land, buildings, machinery, and capital (Chatterjee et al., 2023). Although essential to pharmaceutical operations, these resources are easily acquired and thus offer limited long-term competitive advantage. Their primary importance lies in supporting the strategic utilisation of intangible assets.

Recent studies emphasise that technological infrastructure, automation and digital transformation initiatives have become increasingly important tangible resources in the pharmaceutical industry. These resources improve operational visibility, production efficiency and supply chain resilience, enabling organisations to respond more effectively to disruptions and changing market conditions (Dlamini & Govender, 2024; Hassanin & Hamada, 2022).

Intangible resources consist of non-physical assets such as brand reputation, trademarks, intellectual property and organisational culture (Assensoh-Kodua, 2019). Unlike tangible assets, these resources are difficult to replicate or substitute, making them crucial for sustaining competitive advantage. In pharmaceutical organisations, intangible assets like R&D expertise and proprietary knowledge are key to driving innovation, managing crises and maintaining market leadership.

Contemporary research highlights the growing importance of intangible resources in enhancing organisational resilience. Resources such as intellectual property, organisational culture, reputation and employee capabilities support innovation, knowledge retention and organisational adaptability, thereby contributing to sustained competitiveness in uncertain environments (Chatterjee et al., 2023; Malimba et al., 2024).

The RBV assumes that resources and capabilities are heterogeneous across organisations, meaning no two organisations have identical resources or strategies (Lu et al., 2021). This heterogeneity allows organisations to adopt diverse strategies and gain competitive advantages, defying the perfect competition model where all organisations are equal. The second assumption posits that resources are immobile, especially in the short term, preventing organisations from easily replicating competitors’ advantages (Zaman et al., 2022). Intangible assets such as brand equity, proprietary knowledge and intellectual property exemplify such immobility.

While heterogeneity and immobility are necessary conditions for competitive advantage, they are not sufficient for sustainability. Barney’s VRIN (Valuable, Rare, Inimitable, Non-substitutable) framework, refined as VRIO (Valuable, Rare, Inimitable, Organisation) assesses whether resources are valuable, rare, costly to imitate and organised to capture value, with those meeting all criteria providing sustained competitive advantage (Barney, 1991; Teece, 2014).

The RBV represents a theoretical framework within strategic management that underscores the critical role of resources and capabilities in securing a competitive advantage. In the context of the pharmaceutical sector, the RBV is relevant in various significant aspects, including the management of intellectual property and patents (Chatterjee et al., 2023). Chatterjee et al. (2023) stated that pharmaceutical organisations frequently depend on exclusive drug formulations, and the capacity to safeguard these innovations via patents can provide a substantial competitive advantage. The RBV emphasises that the competitive edge of the pharmaceutical sector is not solely derived from the medications produced but also from the strategic utilisation of diverse, distinctive resources and capabilities (Kabir et al., 2021).

Kabir et al. (2021) assert that organisations that skilfully manage, innovate and leverage their resources are better positioned to sustain their competitive advantages in a dynamic and heavily regulated market environment. Additionally, the study suggests that pharmaceutical organisations can improve their overall performance and adeptly navigate an ever-changing landscape by focusing on their core competencies and aligning their strategic efforts with their available resources. The subsequent section reviews risk management and crisis preparedness in this study.

This study adopted a qualitative methodology situated within an interpretivist paradigm. Alowais et al. (2023) and McDermott et al. (2021) state that interpretivism emphasises the subjective meaning-making processes of individuals, which is particularly relevant for exploring the internal proactive management strategies employed by a global pharmaceutical organisation in the post-COVID-19 context. Allemang et al. (2022) and Leggat et al. (2024) contend that research sought to understand the rationale, motivations and thought processes behind strategic decision-making as perceived by key organisational stakeholders, such as executives, managers and employees. This aligns with the goal of interpretivism, which is to uncover lived experiences and the meanings individuals attach to organisational actions (Polkinghorne & Given, 2021).

To achieve this, the study employed an interpretive descriptive design. This approach is well-suited to exploring ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions within specific practice-based contexts. It provided a flexible yet rigorous framework for analysing complex phenomena such as the resource-based strategic responses to pandemic-era disruptions. Semi-structured interviews were selected as the primary method of data collection, allowing for depth and nuance in participants’ responses.

The measurement instrument was developed in line with the RBV theoretical framework. Questions were structured to explore internal resources and capabilities, and pilot interviews helped refine the guide. Academic peer reviewers with expertise in strategic management and qualitative methods further assessed the interview schedule for face and content validity. In addition to interview data, field notes were collected during the interviews to support contextual interpretation.

Interview data were voice-recorded, transcribed verbatim and anonymised. To ensure validity, two pilot interviews were conducted to test the measurement instrument. Feedback from pilot participants informed final adjustments. A comprehensive audit trail was maintained, and field notes were used as supplementary data sources.

This study examined a multinational pharmaceutical organisation operating in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Malawi, Zambia and India during the 2024–2025 period. The target population consisted of full-time, top-level management responsible for strategic functions such as brand management, marketing, operations, IT, human resources, R&D and supply chain.

The sample included 48 individuals across six international branches, selected through purposive sampling based on the inclusion criteria of managerial role, minimum 3 years’ experience, and active involvement in strategy formulation (see Table 1). The inclusion and exclusion criteria are discussed in the next section.

The purposive sampling frame was constructed to reflect individuals considered subject-matter experts in internal proactive management strategies. Participants were selected from various departments across six countries to capture a wide range of strategic perspectives to address the research problem.

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with all participants, either virtually, telephonically, or in person. An interview schedule based on the RBV framework guided the discussions. Interviews began with biographical questions and moved to open-ended questions covering internal resources and strategy formulation.

Informed consent was obtained before each interview. Interviews continued until data saturation was reached – that is, when no new information emerged (Alam, 2021; Bekele & Ago, 2022; Boddy, 2016; Mwita, 2022). The interviews were transcribed, anonymised using codes (e.g. P1, P2) and stored securely in password-protected digital folders.

Although the target population comprised 48 employees, only eight participants were interviewed because they occupied key strategic positions directly involved in the organisation’s proactive management initiatives. Data collection continued until data saturation was achieved, whereby successive interviews yielded no substantially new themes or insights relevant to the study. The purposive selection of information-rich participants ensured that sufficient depth of understanding was obtained to address the research objectives, making additional interviews unnecessary. As all participants were drawn from a single pharmaceutical organisation across different countries, combining the participant identifier with demographic and occupational characteristics with their direct quotations could increase the risk of identifying individual participants. Therefore, to maintain participant anonymity and uphold the confidentiality commitments of the study, only the P1–P8 identifiers have been retained.

Interview guides were reviewed by academic experts and tested in pilot interviews for content validity. Field notes were also recorded during the interview process to complement and triangulate the data.

Thematic analysis was conducted using ATLAS.ti™ (Lumivero, LLC, Denver, CO, US) a qualitative data analysis software designed to manage large data sets. The analysis followed the five-step process outlined by Blanche et al. (2006):

This study was conducted in accordance with ethical research practices. Ethical clearance to conduct this study was obtained from the North-West University Economic and Management Sciences Research Ethics Committee (EMS-REC) (Ref. No. NWU-01730-24-A4). A formal request was submitted to and approved by the management of the pharmaceutical organisation prior to data collection.

Participants were provided with clear, written information outlining the study’s aims, methods and ethical processes, including confidentiality and voluntary participation. Informed consent was obtained in writing before each interview, and participants were assured they could withdraw at any time without consequence. Interviews were recorded only with participants’ consent, and transcripts were anonymised. Audio recordings were deleted from the recording device post-transcription and stored securely in encrypted formats.

This theme presented the findings related to the study objective of examining how tangible resources contributed to the implementation of proactive management strategies that enhanced organisational resilience and competitiveness within the pharmaceutical organisation.

Table 2 presents the findings related to the theme of tangible resources. The table summarises the categories, codes and representative participant quotations that illustrate how tangible resources contributed to proactive management strategies and organisational resilience within the pharmaceutical organisation.

Figure 2 illustrates the key categories of tangible resources identified from the study findings. The figure shows how IT infrastructure and physical assets, together with their associated elements, contributed to the implementation of proactive management strategies that enhanced organisational resilience and competitiveness within the pharmaceutical organisation.

As illustrated in Table 2 and Figure 2, tangible resources, encompassing both physical and technological assets, form the foundation of operational efficiency. Information technology infrastructure plays a crucial role in this framework, incorporating digital systems, data management and automation to streamline processes and enhance workflow. Similarly, physical assets, particularly in logistics and automation, contribute to the seamless coordination of supply chain operations and the optimisation of production capacity. The strategic integration of these tangible resources not only facilitates digital transformation and automation but also strengthens logistics networks, which are critical for ensuring the stability of pharmaceutical supply chains and supporting R&D activities.

This theme presented the findings related to the study objective of examining how intangible resources contributed to the implementation of proactive management strategies that enhanced organisational resilience and competitiveness within the pharmaceutical organisation. The findings demonstrate that employee well-being, intellectual property, organisational reputation and organisational culture were critical intangible resources that strengthened innovation, adaptability and long-term organisational performance during the post-COVID-19 period.

Table 3 presents the findings related to the theme of intangible resources. The table summarises the categories, codes and representative participant quotations illustrating how intangible resources contributed to organisational resilience, innovation and sustained competitive advantage within the pharmaceutical organisation.

Figure 3 illustrates the key categories of intangible resources identified from the study findings. The figure demonstrates how employee well-being, intellectual property, organisational reputation and organisational culture collectively contribute to the implementation of proactive management strategies that strengthen organisational resilience and competitiveness within the pharmaceutical organisation.

Beyond physical assets, intangible resources, as illustrated in Table 3 and Figure 3, play a crucial role in shaping organisational culture, workforce resilience and innovation. A key component is employee well-being, which includes continuous learning, flexible work arrangements, adaptability, competitive compensation and productivity-enhancing initiatives. These elements contribute to a dynamic and engaged workforce that can navigate disruptions effectively. Another critical intangible resource is intellectual property, which strengthens organisations through the protection of innovations, unique drug solutions and region-specific patents that safeguard competitive advantage. Additionally, reputation management, particularly in terms of supply chain reliability, pandemic response and transparency, creates trust among stakeholders. Meanwhile, organisational culture, characterised by innovation, collaboration, decentralised decision-making and recognition, reinforces adaptability and strategic agility within the pharmaceutical organisation. These intangible resources collectively enhance workforce resilience, innovation capabilities and competitive position in a volatile market.

Based on the findings of this study, pharmaceutical organisations should continue investing in tangible resources, particularly technological infrastructure, automation, advanced manufacturing capabilities and digital transformation initiatives. Strengthening these resources will improve operational efficiency, production flexibility and organisational responsiveness, thereby enhancing resilience during future disruptions.

Pharmaceutical organisations should also prioritise the strategic management of intangible resources, including intellectual property, organisational culture, organisational reputation and employee capabilities. Protecting patents, promoting knowledge sharing, investing in employee development and fostering collaborative organisational cultures will strengthen innovation, support organisational adaptability and sustain long-term competitive advantage.

Management should adopt an integrated resource management approach that aligns tangible and intangible resources with organisational strategy. Rather than managing physical assets and knowledge-based resources independently, organisations should ensure that technological investments are complemented by strong organisational cultures, skilled employees and effective leadership practices. Such alignment will maximise the strategic value of internal resources and improve organisational resilience.

Finally, policymakers and industry stakeholders should continue supporting initiatives that strengthen pharmaceutical innovation, technological advancement and intellectual property protection. Policies that encourage collaboration between pharmaceutical organisations, research institutions and regulatory authorities will further enhance the strategic utilisation of both tangible and intangible resources, contributing to greater resilience and competitiveness across the pharmaceutical industry.