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ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE

The role of semantic technologies in addressing systems and data challenges in pharmaceutical supply chains

Anwar Alsamani1* ,  Arnold Beckmann1
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1 Department of Computer Science, Swansea University, Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom
SCMR, 026110005 https://doi.org/10.36922/SCMR026110005
Received: 12 March 2026 | Revised: 30 June 2026 | Accepted: 1 July 2026 | Published online: 17 July 2026
© 2026 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution -Noncommercial 4.0 International License (CC-by the license) ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ )
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Abstract

As one of the world’s most complex and critical networks, the pharmaceutical supply chain (PSC) relies heavily on effective data integration and interoperability. Seamless data exchange is essential to support product availability, ensure end-to-end traceability, and facilitate informed decision-making. This study identifies data and systems challenges within the Saudi Arabia PSC and examines how semantic technologies (ST) can assist in addressing them. A qualitative study was conducted using purposive sampling and snowball techniques with semi-structured interviews, followed by thematic content analysis to identify PSC data and systems challenges. The identified challenges were analyzed from the perspective of whether they could be addressed using ST, based on insights from the existing literature. The present study identified seven key challenges in the PSC, emphasizing data integration, standardization, quality, analysis, and clarity, and areas where ST may provide full or partial support. This study provides original insights by identifying key themes and sub-themes through qualitative analysis, highlighting the complexities affecting data and systems integration within the Saudi PSC. Additionally, it provides a literature-informed mapping of ST capabilities to the identified challenges, identifying areas that may be fully, partially addressed, or remain beyond the scope of ST. The findings are further interpreted through the lens of institutional theory to explain how governance structures, organizational practices, and stakeholder coordination influence interoperability and data integration within the Saudi PSC.

Keywords
Pharmaceutical supply chain
Data integration
Semantic technologies
Saudi Arabia
System integration
Funding
None.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare they have no competing interests.
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