Dr Blessing Takawira

Overview

Dr Blessing Takawira is an accomplished researcher, academic, and supply chain management specialist with over a decade of expertise in logistics, transport economics, and pharmaceutical supply chains. Previously, Dr Takawira served as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Johannesburg (2023–2025). During this period, he advanced scholarship on pharmaceutical supply chain disruptions and resilience, secured external funding, mentored postgraduate students, and produced policy-relevant publications that informed both academia and industry. In addition to his research and teaching, Dr Takawira has built a strong reputation in academic quality assurance. He serves as an External Examiner for postgraduate programs and as an Academic Moderator for assessments across multiple South African higher education institutions. In these roles, he ensures alignment with accreditation standards, verifies the fairness and reliability of assessments, and provides constructive feedback to strengthen academic programmes. His academic journey includes a PhD in Business Management (Supply Chain Management) from the University of Johannesburg, where his doctoral research examined strategic responses of pharmaceutical supply chains to COVID-19 disruptions. He also holds an MCom in Leadership Studies from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, a BCom Honours in Business Management, and a BCom in Marketing Management from UNISA. His professional development includes training in leadership, entrepreneurship, and pharmaceutical practice. Dr Takawira’s research focuses on pharmaceutical supply chain resilience, strategic leadership in emerging markets, Industry 4.0 to 5.0 transitions, sustainable logistics, and the integration of AI and blockchain in supply chain management. He has authored and co-authored numerous journal articles, book chapters, and conference papers, advancing knowledge in sustainable supply chains, industry innovation, and disruption management. In addition to his academic career, he has extensive industry experience, having served as a Senior Business Supply Chain Management Specialist at Pace International Trading in the mining sector, as well as an Ethical Retail Pharmacy Buyer and Pharmacist Technician. In these roles, he successfully reduced procurement costs, optimised inventory systems, and enforced ethical sourcing standards. He also serves on the Editorial Advisory Board of the International Journal of Lean Six Sigma (IJLSS), contributes as a module writer, external moderator, and consultant across higher education institutions, and is an active member of Project Management South Africa (PMSA) and SAPICS.