Strategy and Development in Pharmacy Holding Companies: Enhancing Sustainable Lifestyle and Unlocking New Business Opportunities

Abstract

The creation of pharmacy holding companies today is not merely a strategic choice but increasingly a necessity, driven by evolving market dynamics, regulatory changes, and the growing complexity of management. This paper explores how these companies can play a transformative role by enhancing sustainable lifestyles and unlocking new business opportunities, which are both central to their development strategy. To address this, a multi-criteria decision analysis is proposed, combining the compensatory methods AHP and TOPSIS, based on insights from four categories of experts. The results show a notable correlation between the AHP and TOPSIS values, although the rankings diverge. TOPSIS identifies business opportunities as the main driver behind a pharmacy owner's decision to join a holding, whereas AHP highlights the importance of lifestyle improvements and better working conditions. Expert perspectives also vary: managers and academics emphasize lifestyle factors, consultants focus on market potential, and pharmacists prioritize acquisition costs. Pharmacy holding companies, by evolving from shareholder-driven to stakeholder-oriented models, are positioned to place the customer at the center, expanding services and redistributing benefits generated by the new structure. A business strategy aligned with this model can contribute meaningfully to the achievement of SDGs 3 and 8.