Functional Strategy and Strategic Advantage of Pharmaceutical Distribution Companies in South-South Region of Nigeria

The research aimed at analysing how functional strategies affect the competitive advantage of the pharmaceutical distribution companies in the south-south region of Nigeria. The purpose was to investigate how the marketing function and the human resource function affect profitability and customer satisfaction of pharmaceutical distribution companies in the south-south region of Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey design was used adopted in the study. There were 90 participants in the poll. Questionnaire was used to collect data which resulted in 85 completed and returned copies of the questionnaire. Simple linear regression was applied analyse the data. Based on the results, marketing and human resource functions have significant impacts on the profitability and customer satisfaction of pharmaceutical distribution companies in the south-south region of Nigeria. The study concluded that functional strategies significantly affect the strategic advantage of pharmaceutical distribution companies in the south-south region of Nigeria with reference to Uyo in Akwa Ibom State and Port Harcourt in Rivers State. It was recommended that managements of pharmaceutical distribution in these states should be meticulous in implementing their functional strategies with focus on marketing and human resource functions to enhance their chances of attaining strategic advantage in their choice industry.