The efficiency of major industrial enterprises in Sichuan province of China: A super slacks-based measure analysis

<p style='text-indent:20px;'>The main objective of this research is to measure the efficiency of 397 major industrial enterprises in Sichuan province of China in 2013.To this end, we employed DEA super slacks-based measure (Super-SBM) model for performance evaluation of 397 major manufacturing firms.The empirical results show that 21 of the 397 enterprises operate efficiently, and the average efficiency score of the analyzed enterprises is only 0.15. The enterprise with the highest efficiency score is 96.15% higher than the average score, which is the benchmark enterprise of operational efficiency. Among the selected sample enterprises, 5.29% of the industrial enterprises are highly efficient in operation. It was also noticed that the average efficiency score of pharmaceutical firms was the highest among all industrial firms with a mean score of 0.75, which is 80% higher than the overall average score of all industries. While the average efficiency of manufacturing of chemical raw materials and chemical products was the lowest with a mean score of 0.39. Results of sensitivity analysis show that profit has a great impact on the efficiency score of special equipment manufacturing firms, but a relatively weak impact on the firms which manufacture computers, communications, and other electronic equipment. The effect of export delivery value on efficiency score is not obvious.</p>

Innovations Through Mergers and Acquisitions in the Pharmaceutical Sector

Pharmaceutical firms have a noteworthy contribution in SDGs (Sustainable development goals). Their unceasing innovation of low-cost medicines and discovery of lifesaving drugs can assist in achieving the SDG 3 (good health and well-being). Having gone through the M&A scenario in the global pharmaceutical industry and the amount disbursed on R&D, the authors tried to find answers to a few important questions to understand whether these activities are in line to achieve global goals i.e. first, does Merger and Acquisition M&A in pharmaceutical sector increase innovations? Second, how can companies fully utilize M&A activities to increase innovation in the pharmaceutical sector? Third, is there any association between R&D expenditures and innovation outcome? We theoretically analyze and consolidate academic research on how M&A activities support innovation in the pharmaceutical industry. The present chapter also tried to unveil the association between R&D expenditures and the firm innovation as measured by the number of patent applications by selected Indian pharmaceutical firms.

Effect of pediatric drugs on solubility of restorative materials used in primary teeth

Background: Pleasant tasting syrups have a long history of use in pediatric practice to aid compliance with medication. Pharmaceutical firms sweeten liquid drug preparations with sucrose to increase the palatability which causes dental caries and erosion in children. In pediatric population, the commonly used esthetic restorative materials are glass ionomers, compomers or composites. Hence solubility of dental restorative materials are of considerable clinical importance and cannot be overlooked. Aims and objectives of current study were to evaluate the effect of commonly used pediatric drugs on the surface solubility of pediatric restorative materials.Methods: The study was conducted on 40 disc shaped specimens of GIC and composite immersed in artificial saliva and pediatric drugs, at 370C for 7 days to determine the solubility in pediatric drug formulations. The solubility of the specimens was calculated by a given formula by comparing the initial and final masses of the specimens.Results: In both GIC and Composite groups higher solubility was seen with paracetamol drug formulations. The mean solubility value of GIC was 0.14±0.02 and that of composite was 0.07±0.035, in paracetamol drug formulations.Conclusions: From the above experimental study it can be concluded that the solubility of restorative materials were comparatively higher in pediatric liquid medications with low pH. Among the drugs paracetamol showed increased erosive effects leading to solubility.

Counterfeiting: Exploring mitigation capabilities and resilience in South African pharmaceutical supply chains

Orientation: Pharmaceutical supply chains (SCs) are experiencing a growing emergence of illicit trade of counterfeited products. This threat is amplified because of global distributed SC networks, increased access to the Internet and challenging economic conditions.Research purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore risk mitigation capabilities and SC resilience (SCRES) to reduce the effects of counterfeiting in the South African pharmaceutical industry.Motivation for the study: Developing countries such as South Africa tend to be more vulnerable to counterfeiting, as these countries do not have established responses that are seen in more developed countries, such as SC regulation, track-and-trace technology and enforcement regimes.Research design, approach and method: This study employed a generic qualitative research design. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from 12 pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributors and retailers in the South African pharmaceutical industry. A thematic analysis approach was followed to analyse the collected data.Main findings: The findings show that the sources of counterfeiting stem from the local and outsourced manufacturing of counterfeited products, presence of unauthorised distributors and importing of counterfeit products. Risk awareness can be enhanced by collaborating with industry members, training members to identify counterfeits and by developing authentication technologies. The industry actively combats counterfeiting by using SCRES enablers including visibility, collaboration, information sharing and by developing an SC risk management culture.Practical/managerial implications: South African pharmaceutical firms have limited resilience. Therefore, managers should develop flexibility, agility, sensing and redundancy as resilience enables firms to combat counterfeiting.Contribution/value-add: This study expands the current literature by identifying the unique sources of counterfeiting and risk mitigation capabilities to combat counterfeiting in pharmaceutical firms in a developing country context.

Will the Volume-Based Procurement Policy Promote Pharmaceutical Firms’ R&D Investment in China? An Event Study Approach

Innovation is the key to the development of the pharmaceutical industry. The pilot program of China’s “4 + 7” volume-based procurement policy (“4 + 7” procurement policy) brings the drug price back to a reasonable level through trading procurement quantities for lower drug prices. The policy manages to reduce the burden of the health care system, improve efficiency, and push the pharmaceutical industry to transform and update from the era of high gross profit of generic drugs to innovative drugs. So far, few studies have investigated the influence of the volume-based procurement policy on the innovation of pharmaceutical firms. By combining the event study and Difference-in-Difference (DiD) methodology, this study finds that the abnormal return (AR) of firms with high R&D intensity is lower than that of firms with low R&D intensity during the event window period. Moreover, further analysis identifies the moderating effect of firm size and firm type. Specifically, the results show that the negative influence of high R&D intensity on abnormal return (AR) during the announcement of the “4 + 7” procurement policy is stronger in large firms and innovative pharmaceutical firms. Finally, we discuss the policy implications of our study.

The Role of Leadership in Improving Efficiency, Effectiveness and Safety Measures of Hospitals, Primary Healthcare Centers, & Pharmaceutical Firms

The aim of the current study is to investigate the impact of leadership of health care organizations on improving the efficiency, effectiveness and safety of their quality system and program. For this purpose data was collected from health care managers, directors of PHCs and hospitals of Saudi Arabia. Total 372 completed questionnaires were received and analyzed in the study. Non probability snow ball technique is used. PLS-SEM is used to analyze the data. Measurement model is developed to check the reliability and validity of the scales. It is found that scales are found reliable and valid after deleting two items from efficiency, two from effectiveness and two from safety. Structural model was run using bootstrapping. It is revealed that all the hypotheses are accepted and leadership of the hospitals and health organization has important role in improving quality of the services provided to hospitals.