Agrell, Per JoakimStevens, LaureLaureStevens2025-05-142025-05-142025-05-142021https://hdl.handle.net/2078.2/24968Developing a successful strategy to launch new products to market is recognized as involving crucial strategic decisions, at the risk of losing significant sales. However, implementing an adequate strategy remains complex, especially looking at the various current and future challenges surrounding the supply chain of new product introductions. The objective of the thesis is, therefore, to tackle this problematic through a case study, and to provide significant recommendations to managers. This thesis will focus on the pharmaceutical industry and its complex environment, with the Belgian company UCB Pharma. This thesis is organized into three main parts. First, a literature review is consciously compiled to determine the stages of the launch process, the challenges of the environment, the supply chain agility needs, the pharmaceutical sector, and the solutions provided by the literature for a successful launch strategy. Secondly, a new product introduction, Bimekizumab, at UCB Pharma, is analyzed and, compared to another case study, Godiva, a company evolving in the creation of premium chocolate, to allow a cross-sectoral comparison. Based on the assessment and the comparison, a set of conclusions is highlighted. Thirdly, a comparison between the literature and the case study conclusions is performed. The objective is to evaluate the extent to which theory meets or differs from practice and what additional solutions the theory could bring to UCB Pharma. At the end of this work, conclusions and recommendations are elaborated, explaining how to cope and anticipate the various challenges that can be encountered when introducing a new product to the market, such as accurate time-to-market, evolution of technologies, and changes in consumer preferences. However, it is important to keep in mind that these results are based on UCB Pharma, a company that operates in the pharmaceutical sector. Therefore, not all results may be applicable to other companies and markets.supply chainproduct launchpharmaceuticalsupply chain agilitysupply chain 4.0text::thesis::master thesisthesis:31153