Future Competencies in The Pharmaceutical Sector - Research of Practitioners’ Opinions
Katarzyna Grzybowska1*and Anna Łupicka2
1Poznan University of Technology, Poland
2Poznan University of Economics and Business, Poland
Submission:June 03, 2019; Published:September 06, 2019
*Corresponding author:Katarzyna Grzybowska, Poznan University of Technology, Strzelecka 11, 60-965 Poznan, Poland
How to cite this article: Katarzyna G, Anna Ł. Future Competencies in The Pharmaceutical Sector - Research of Practitioners’ Opinions Glob J Pharmaceu Sci. 2019; 7(3): 555719. DOI: 10.19080/GJPPS.2019.06.555719.
Keywords
Keywords: Pharmaceutical, Organization, Pharmacy
Short Communication
Knowledge is the most precious asset of modern organizations. It constitutes specific cultural capital which presents much higher value than material goods. Currently, managers’ knowledge is decisive for outstanding (key) competencies of the company. In 2017 a questionnaire survey was conducted amongst selected experts in pharmaceutical sector. These experts are high qualified managers employed in transnational companies. Respondents were asked to indicate of selected competencies. There were 10 experts who filled in questionnaire.
The pharmaceutical sector was selected for the purpose of study. The choice was motivated primarily by the specific characteristics. Pharmaceutical industry is one of the most rapidly growing industrial sectors across the world. It is characterized by a growing degree of automation, robotization and computerization. The growth of the industry is chiefly determined by social and economic factors including ageing of the societies, increasing wealth, good economic climate and, finally, decisions made by officials. The latter factor grows in importance depending on the price of the drug. The pharmaceutical industry ranks among the most stable economic sectors. A growth in society’s wealth is accompanied by an increasing demand for pharmaceutical products. Assessment of technical competencies by respondents-practitioners from the pharmaceutical sector is characterized by similar evaluation of competencies. This is shown by the calculated standard deviation, which allows to identify the variations in the observed results.
Technical competencies
IT knowledge and abilities, Computer programming/coding abilities, Specialized knowledge of manufacturing activities and processes and Interdisciplinary / generic knowledge about technologies were rated by respondents with similar variability. For these competencies, assessment of the respondents is closer to the average. This may be related to a similar level of knowledge and expectations of respondents-practitioners. It is also due to expectations of the future. These competencies are assessed by experts at a very low level. Researchers and pedagogues look at the question of IT competencies in different ways. However, each time they emphasize the necessity of their acquisition or consolidation. But it turns out that in practice, these skills are not the most important. What also surprises are low assessment of competencies connected with Specialized knowledge of manufacturing activities and processes and Interdisciplinary / generic knowledge about technologies. It could seem that the knowledge on processes and technology will contribute to their development and effective management. It turns out that according to practitioners, such knowledge is not so important. In the assessments of respondents, competencies that differ the most in terms of assessments, include: Knowledge Management, Organizational and processual understanding and Statistical knowledge. Here, the dispersion of results around the average is large. Mainly the competence of Statistical knowledge is noteworthy, as it has the highest rate of differentiated assessments. Standard deviation for these competencies is a signal that the results are more “dispersed”, while respondents-practitioners more differentiated, which in this case can translate into different level of knowledge.
Interesting results are shown in (Figure 1). It shows underestimation of technical competencies. Only two from eight competencies are assessed at 4. This group of competencies is also evaluated as the lowest by respondents-practitioners. There is one conclusion. Managing a modern pharmaceutical company requires good and professional managers who do not necessarily have to be familiar with technical knowledge.
Replies submitted by respondents from the pharmaceutical sector are characterized by similar evaluations of selected managerial competencies. This applies to competencies related to Decision making, Conflict solving and Problem solving. The greatest diversity was noted in the assessment of research skills. The finding is likely to be related to the fact that the value of such competencies for managerial staff in the industrial sector is underestimated.
In the group of management competencies, a low level of Research skills is interesting (Figure 2). Research competencies and skills are essential for the effective conduct and understanding of research and ultimately for evidencebased decision-making, whether in business, government or civil society. The result of the standard deviation also indicates that respondents-practitioners have divergent opinions. Equally low level refers to Creativity. This characteristic is also defined as open mind, strategic sense, imagination, readiness to changes or intellectual curiosity. That is why creativity constitutes a competency which promotes progress in each area, promotes subordinates’ development as well as the opportunity to adapt to changeable conditions of working environment (Figure 3).
When it comes to social competencies, the experts were the most unanimous and they express a very decided opinion. This is also the group of the highest assessed competencies. It probably results from the fact that social and interpersonal competencies constitute the skills of achieving social and individual goals, while maintaining good relationships with superiors and subordinates. Communication skills, Ability to work in a team or Accepting change mean that a person who is in possession of such competencies is able to have a desired influence on other people and can build emotional relationships, perceived in the categories of defining relations, creating, developing and maintaining relationships as well as gaining social support [1].
In turn, what is surprising it is low assessment of Intercultural skills, which in fact describe the ability of fast understanding and effective acting in the culture which is different than our own one. They constitute a basis for conscious and efficient functioning abroad. High level of social competencies may be evidence of good adaptation in social interactions. It is also a bargaining chip guarantying professional success. Knowledge to be the most precious asset of modern organizations. This paper was to identify what competencies seem necessary for future managers in
References
- Grzybowska K, Łupicka A, Konecka S (2018) Future competencies in the pharmaceutical sectors – practitioners’ opinions, Innovation Management and Education Excellence Through Vision 2020, 31st International-Business-Information-Management-Association Conference, pp. 3850–3858.