THE ROLE OF DIGITAL INNOVATION IN TRANSFORMING PHARMA TO THE NEXT NORMAL DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Abstract

Digital innovation is the process of developing products or services, as well as improving and creating new business models using innovative digital technologies. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the pharmaceutical industry developed digital innovations along the value chain to continue contributing to producing products and services for society. This systematic review primarily aims to discover, evaluate, and synthesize research on digital innovations transforming the pharmaceutical value chain. The electronic database was used to search for digital pharma technology, innovation, and marketing articles, which were analyzed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). The findings showed that the 24 research evaluated comprise three digital innovations in the pharmaceutical value chain, and each component meets the following criteria (1) digital product innovation in the R&D field, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, (2) digital process innovation in manufacturing and distribution such as the internet of things, digital twins, robotics, blockchain, and big data, and (3) digital business model innovation in the commercial sector including pharmaceutical omnichannel and digital marketing. It is expected that the practical implications of this research can serve as a guideline on the factors that influence digital pharma innovation in the future and their impact on achieving organizational performance, specifically in the next normal era.