Deterrents to knowledge-sharing in the pharmaceutical industry: a case study

2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 296-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Athar Mahmood Ahmed Qureshi ◽  
Nina Evans
Keyword(s):  
Pharmaceutical Industry ◽  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Pharmaceutical Company ◽  
Manufacturing Industry ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Pharmaceutical Manufacturing ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type

Purpose – This study aims to explore deterrents to knowledge-sharing in pharmaceutical manufacturing. Effective knowledge-sharing is fundamental to stimulation of the process of knowledge absorption. The limited proximal communication between the employees in the pharmaceutical industry stifles their knowledge-sharing behaviour significantly. Design/methodology/approach – A cross-sectional case study, consisting of semi-structured interviews with managers and scientists, was conducted in a multinational pharmaceutical company in Australia. Respondents were asked to answer questions regarding their current knowledge-sharing practices and to identify organisational deterrents to knowledge-sharing. The data were condensed into themes according to the thematic analysis method. Findings – The pharmaceutical industry is extensively regulated and its excessive competitiveness is cultivating organisational reticence towards the development of a knowledge-sharing culture. Nine categories of deterrents to intra- (within) and inter-organisational (between organisations) knowledge-sharing have been identified. These categories include high cost of sharing knowledge, information technology limitations, knowledge-hiding, lack of socialisation, lack of trust culture, non-educational mindset, organisational politics, poor leadership and time pressure. Research limitations/implications – The population of this study consists of managers and practitioners working for a pharmaceutical company. Hence, the generalisability of the findings to other health-care settings is unknown. Practical implications – The findings have implications for leaders and managers who should be aware of these professional diversities, instigators as well as the ripple effects of limited knowledge-sharing to guide the organisation towards developing an optimal knowledge-sharing culture. Originality/value – A focussed investigation of knowledge-sharing behaviour within the pharmaceutical industry in Australia, considering the pressure applied to this industry over the past decade. This case study specifically focusses on the diversity of deterrents to knowledge-sharing in the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry.

Mitigating the effects of COVID-19: an exploratory case study of the countermeasures taken by the manufacturing industry

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Atif Saleem Butt
Keyword(s):  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Manufacturing Industry ◽  
Manufacturing Firms ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Process Manufacturing ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this study is to understand how manufacturers (both discrete and process) are managing disruptions amid the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, using UAE as an empirical context. Design/methodology/approach This research uses a multiple case study approach and undertakes 36 semi-structured interviews with senior management of four discrete and four process manufacturing firms that outsource products/components from overseas and domestic suppliers. Findings Results reveal that manufacturing firms are using six distinct actions to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. For instance, they are relying on the automation process, transferring new and updated knowledge to the current and new suppliers, managing workforce diversity, understanding the impact of demand’s disruption, managing the ecosystem and finally using digital technologies to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Research limitations/implications This study has some limitations. Firstly, the results of this study cannot be generalized to a broader population as it attempts to build an initial theory in manufacturing supply chains within the context of a pandemic outbreak. Second, the study uses a cross-sectional approach to explore the actions used by manufacturing firms to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Practical implications Manufacturing firms can replicate the actions proposed in this study to lessen the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and emerge stronger in the post-COVID-era. Originality/value This study contributes to the manufacturing supply chain literature within the context of pandemic outbreaks by exploring the steps taken by manufacturing firms to minimize the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Particularly, it explores such steps by considering both the discrete and process manufacturing industries within the United Arab Emirates.

Industry-university interaction strategies of large Brazilian pharmaceutical companies

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 494-509
Author(s):  
Julia Paranhos ◽  
Fernanda Steiner Perin ◽  
Eduardo Mercadante ◽  
Caroline Soares
Keyword(s):  
Pharmaceutical Industry ◽  
Manufacturing Industry ◽  
Field Research ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Pharmaceutical Companies ◽  
Case Study Method ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the strategies and organizational forms used by large Brazilian pharmaceutical companies (LBPCs) in interaction with universities for the development of innovation. Design/methodology/approach In the pharmaceutical industry, a science-based sector, the source of new knowledge is often outside the company environment. Thus, the search for innovation depends on the company’s strategic decisions of cooperation. This research uses the case study method, with secondary data from the 2008, 2011 and 2014 Innovation Survey (Pintec) about the innovative efforts of LBPCs, as well as primary data from semi-structured interviews with six of them. Findings The most recent data on innovation in Brazil show changes in the innovative efforts of LBPCs, involving the raise in the interaction with universities. The results of the field research also show that the LBPCs have differentiated innovative structures and are effectively using strategies for partnerships with universities, through the creation of radical innovation departments, the establishment of internal scientific committees and the internationalization of research and development. Originality/value These findings contribute to the literature on the industry-university interactions in Brazil and in developing countries. However, this analysis cannot be generalized for the Brazilian pharmaceutical industry as it uses the case study method. Moreover, it is too early to determine if the identified strategies were successful. Nonetheless, it is worth mentioning that the strategies of the six interviewed companies differ greatly from the patterns of the Brazilian pharmaceutical industry and the manufacturing industry.

scholarly journals Knowledge sharing: insights from Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) Festival volunteers

2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 279-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gillian Ragsdell ◽  
Allan Jepson
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Event Management ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Original Contribution ◽  
Technological Barriers ◽  
Funded Project ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report the findings of a British Academy funded project that investigated the knowledge sharing activities of volunteers within three Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) festivals. Design/methodology/approach – Three case study festivals were selected based on factors such as longevity and size. Rich qualitative data were collected using semi-structured interviews with volunteers in key festival roles and focus groups with a range of other volunteers. Findings – A range of inhibitors and enablers to sharing festival knowledge were identified, some of which have not yet featured in the knowledge management (KM) literature. Riege's categorisation of individual, organisational and technological barriers to knowledge sharing was used to frame discussion of the findings. Research limitations/implications – Volunteer-led festivals are a novel context for knowledge sharing research yet the principles of volunteer working and the project-based approach to most festivals means they are a fertile arena for lessons in KM. Practical implications – Insights into knowledge sharing activities were generated from this study which could improve KM practices in festivals. They included the use of the master-apprentice model, raising the value of post-project reviews and designing festival layout with knowledge sharing in mind. Originality/value – The study of knowledge sharing is an original contribution to the field of event management.

Lean Six Sigma effect on Jordanian pharmaceutical industry’s performance

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Hanna Alkunsol ◽  
Abdel-Aziz Ahmad Sharabati ◽  
Nidal Amin AlSalhi ◽  
Hamza Sultan El-Tamimi
Keyword(s):  
Pharmaceutical Industry ◽  
Six Sigma ◽  
Business Performance ◽  
Manufacturing Industry ◽  
Lean Six Sigma ◽  
Pharmaceutical Manufacturing ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Manufacturing Organizations ◽  
Strong Relationships

Purpose This study aims to investigate the effect of Lean Six Sigma elements on the Jordanian Pharmaceutical Manufacturing organizations’ business performance. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 120 managers out of about 300 managers by means of questionnaire. After confirming normality, validity and reliability of the study tool, correlation analysis was carried out, and then multiple regressions were used to test the hypotheses. Findings The results show that there is an agreement on high implementation of Lean Six Sigma variables among Jordanian Pharmaceutical Manufacturing organizations; there are strong relationships among Lean Six Sigma variables, except between non-utilized talent and transportation; there are strong relationships between Lean Six Sigma variables and business performance. All Lean Six Sigma variables have effect on business performance, except extra processing and waiting time. Research limitations/implications This study was carried out on the pharmaceutical industry in Jordan, generalizing results of one industry and/or one country to other industries and/or countries may be questionable. Extending the analyses to other industries and countries represents future research opportunities. Practical implications Implementing Lean Six Sigma variables in all Jordanian Pharmaceutical Manufacturing organizations can improve their business performance; also, it can be applied to other manufacturing industry. Social implications The aim of all organizations is to reduce waste, which leads to reserve the natural resources, which is considered as a corporate social responsibility. Originality/value Only few studies related to Lean or Six Sigma have been carried out in pharmaceutical industry in Jordan. Therefore, this study might be considered as an initiative study, which studies the effect of both Lean and Six Sigma on pharmaceutical industry in Jordan.

The effects of goodwill and competence trust on strategic information sharing in buyer–supplier relationships

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 389-400 ◽  
Author(s):  
William James Newell ◽  
Chris Ellegaard ◽  
Lars Esbjerg
Keyword(s):  
Information Sharing ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Strategic Information ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Supplier Relationships ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Types Of Information ◽  
Positive Effect

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore how the choice of buying managers to share or limit the sharing of strategic information with their suppliers relates to the presence or absence of goodwill and competence trust in the buyer–supplier relationship.Design/methodology/approachAn interpretive single case study of a mid-sized retailer was used. In total, 17 semi-structured interviews examining information sharing events were conducted with buying managers, along with the analysis of company documents.FindingsGoodwill and competence trust have a positive effect on strategic information sharing, yet this study reveals several tactics used by buying managers in the presence of competence trust only. With a lack of established trust, or earlier trust breaches, little to no information sharing occurs.Research limitations/implicationsThis study featured cross-sectional data of a single case from the buyer’s perspective. This limits its generalizability, yet provides opportunities to test the findings through longitudinal studies, potentially gathering data from both buyers and suppliers.Practical implicationsRelating which types of information being shared for different forms of trust guides managers’ expectations on which type of trust they wish to build for each of their buyer–supplier relationships.Originality/valueThis study examines the trust and information sharing relationship in more detail, linking different types of trust to categories of strategic information. It also distinguishes between the different concepts of encouraging information sharing and deliberately limiting strategic information sharing.

scholarly journals Barriers to knowledge sharing in third sector social care: a case study

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 125-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lyndsay Bloice ◽  
Simon Burnett
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Social Service ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Third Sector ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
For Profit ◽  
Not For Profit

Purpose – This paper aims to build on existing theory of knowledge sharing barriers (KSBs) by exploring the concept in the relatively under-researched context of social service not-for-profit organisations. Design/methodology/approach – In this study, case study methodology was used. Practitioner staff members took part in online questionnaires, followed by semi-structured interviews with line management and middle management staff. Secondary sources from the case study organisation were also used in the analysis. The analysis of questionnaire responses alongside responses from semi-structured interviews is compared with extant research into KSBs. Findings – The findings of this study highlight the need to re-examine the KSBs identified in the literature to reflect contexts beyond the private sector. Common barriers were identified, but some found in the case study organisation did not neatly fit into the existing definitions of KSBs. An updated list of KSBs to reflect this social service not-for-profit context is presented. Research limitations/implications – Case studies are often not generalisable; however, the KSB list developed here could be further explored and tested in other third sector organisations. Practical implications – The research raises the question of applicability of current knowledge management (KM) theory and lexicon in the third sector and social care environment. Originality/value – This study provides an insight into KM applicability in a third sector context, which is a relatively under-developed research area.

scholarly journals Female expatriates’ motivations and challenges: the case of oil and gas

2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Shortland
Keyword(s):  
Research Design ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Gender Diversity ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Oil And Gas Exploration ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Oil And Gas Firms

Purpose This case study is designed as a teaching exercise and this paper aims to highlight the key issues for organisations’ expatriating women within masculine industry sectors and/or into challenging international environments. Design/methodology/approach This case study draws together key published findings relating to women’s expatriation in the oil and gas exploration and production sector. It demonstrates a triangulated research design, drawing upon organisational policy from two oil and gas firms, semi-structured interviews with 14 human resource professionals and 26 female expatriates, as well as from 71 female assignees’ questionnaire responses. Findings Career and financial drivers underpin women’s motivations for accepting organisationally assigned expatriation. Women expatriates engage in satisficing and career compromise. The main challenges women face in masculine industries include access to expatriate roles because of limited female networks, family concerns, managing working time and work-life balance and coping with loneliness. Research limitations/implications The oil and gas case findings are based on a cross-sectional research design. The majority of female expatriates undertook long-term assignments; limited numbers engaged in flexpatriation. Practical implications While organisational policy supporting expatriation does not usually address gendered expatriate concerns specifically, inclusion of interventions that are identified by women as helpful to their expatriate participation can assist in increasing expatriate gender diversity. Originality/value This oil and gas research case brings together and presents a summary of the motivations, problems and challenges faced by women in male-dominated expatriate environments, together with relevant theoretical approaches and organisational interventions to help us understand and increase expatriate gender diversity.

scholarly journals Hindrance stressors, ego depletion and knowledge sharing

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fei Kang ◽  
Ying Zhang ◽  
Han Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Sharing ◽  
Manufacturing Industry ◽  
Ego Depletion ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Great Awareness ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Humor Style ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This study aims to use the ego depletion theory to examine the impact of hindrance stressors on knowledge sharing behaviors by investigating the mediating role of ego depletion and the moderating role of self-enhancing humor. Design/methodology/approach Data were obtained from a two-wave sample of 226 dyads, including employees in the manufacturing industry and their direct supervisors. The hypotheses were tested by hierarchical regression analyzes and Hayes’ PROCESS macro. Findings The results demonstrated that employees’ self-enhancing humor style could alleviate the impact of hindrance stressors on employees’ ego depletion state and buffer the negative indirect effect of hindrance stressors on employees’ knowledge-sharing behaviors. Research limitations/implications Although the authors collected mediator and dependent variables from different sources, this study used a cross-sectional research design, making it difficult to draw causal conclusions. Besides, hindrance stressors, ego depletion and self-enhancing humor style were all reported by employees. Originality/value Through the study, the authors highlight the important role of the self-control view in explaining proactive behavior in the workplace and a great awareness of the unforeseeable consequences of ego depletion for employees.

scholarly journals The beauty of constructive culture: planting the seeds for widespread performance information use among councilors

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomi Rajala ◽  
Lotta-Maria Sinervo
Keyword(s):  
Financial Management ◽  
Information Use ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Performance Information ◽  
Political Climate ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Accessible Information

PurposeAlthough politicians' use of performance information affects political decisions and, through them, the well-being of society, there is a lack of studies exploring what contextual factors are associated with annual active performance information use among politicians. Furthermore, past studies on this subject have been cross-sectional rather than longitudinal.Design/methodology/approachIn this qualitative case study, triangulation of observations and 10 semi-structured interviews were used to ensure the robustness of findings. The study was conducted in a Finnish municipality known as Kangasala.FindingsA dialogue culture, constructive political climate, trusted information sources and high-quality information attained via accessible information channels explained the high information use in primarily unfavorable conditions to such use. The authors’ findings contradict many prior interview and survey studies that did not recognize the simultaneous contributions of the information provider, channel and quality, along with organizational and environmental factors to high performance information use. The results contradict to some extent the findings from other countries as these studies have explained high levels of use with unique combinations of drivers, whereas we identify common attributes of these combinations and talk about their meaning in the success of Kangasala's public financial management. However, the findings of this case study cannot be generalized.Originality/valueThis study describes a case organization that created a supportive environment for politicians' frequent performance information use that contributed to improvements. Past studies provide little knowledge about establishing sustained high levels of information use among politicians, so the case offers ideas and inspiration for improving this use.

scholarly journals Exploring producers' motivations and challenges within a farmers' market

2020 ◽  
Vol 122 (7) ◽  
pp. 2089-2103
Author(s):  
Rosario Michel-Villarreal ◽  
Eliseo Luis Vilalta-Perdomo ◽  
Martin Hingley
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Farmers Markets ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Farmers Market ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Food Supply Chains ◽  
Part Time ◽  
Short Food Supply Chains

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore food producers' motivations and challenges whilst participating in short food supply chains (SFSCs). This paper compares findings with previous literature and investigates the topic in the context of producers' motivations.Design/methodology/approachThe paper includes a literature review concerning producers' motivations to engage in SFSCs. A case study was designed to investigate motivations underlying producers' engagement in SFSCs, as well as the challenges that they face. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in a farmers' market located in Mexico. Thematic analysis is used to identify the principal issues for producers'. Propositions based on findings are presented.FindingsFindings suggest that small, large, part-time and full-time producers are willing to engage with farmers' markets for diverse primary economic and non-economic motivations. Individual and collective challenges were also identified.Originality/valueThis research helps to explain producers' motivations and challenges within SFSCs in an under-researched context, namely a focus on producers' and in the Global South.

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