Advice You - Business

Managing productivity, profits and people is not always easy. While successful corporations adopt a whole range of strategies to become successful, almost all of them focus on their employees. Managers attempt to build practical skills covering a

According to USFDA, a combination product is one composed of any combination of a drug and device; biological product and device; drug and biological product

ll areas of operation. What employees basically need is a core skill that will enable them to manage and succeed in the very diverse work situations and challenges of the 21st century workplace. They need to learn to THINK. The smart and creative

; or drug, device, and biological product and fixed dose combination would include two or more combinations of drug.

Examples of combination products may in

thinking is critical to bring out new and innovative products and services. Managers should 'Make Room for New Ideas'. Managers need to create the right work environment to 'Make Room for New Ideas'. Why is it some employees are able to come up

lude drug-coated devices, drugs packaged with delivery devices in medical kits, and drugs and devices packaged separately but intended to be used together.

with new and innovative ideas, while majority is unable to think even one idea to improve the work practices. The problem does not lie only with employees alone. Their colleagues and their supervisors have significant effect on the creative and i

here is enormous increase in the number of combination products entering the market in the recent years. Combination products have proven advantages but fixe

nnovative behaviors of the employees.

It is true to say that individual personality and attitude play a dominant role in creating innovative ideas. That is not the only component in the creativity and innovation process at work. The colleagues (

d dose combinations are still in the process of convincing regulatory authority on their advantages over the single ingredient formulations.

Combination pro

peer) and the supervisor with their own personality and attitude has the potential to influence the final outcome. In other words an individual who is talented with the gift of creative personality and attitude eventually may not contribute any n

ucts have become life saving products for the pharmaceutical companies who doesn’t have many innovative molecules in their product pipeline and have been inc

ew ideas, simply because of the absence of favorable work environment.

As managers you need to make a concerted effort to reach out to all employees at all levels in the organization. All activities and training programs should attempt to create

easingly used in the product life cycle management. Even the companies having product patents are trying to extend their product life cycle through the combi

the right environment that will encourages creativity. You may adopt the following measures to make way for new ideas:

Encourage employees to keep an open mind: this is the first step if you want to make way fo

nation products and maximize the revenues. But the companies involved in this practice are overlooking that they are burdening the patients both economically

r new ideas. The individual employee, the colleagues and the supervisor collectively should be encouraged to adopt this mindset. When they show signs of rigidity in their attitude, encourage them to ask: What else ....

Do no

and physically. They need to rightly judge the benefits of the combination products and they have to even look at the risks involved when combining the produ

t micro-manage: Any attempt to keep track of everything in the workplace. Provide greater autonomy to the employees, so that they are free to think out of the box.

Keep your S.O.P. Short and sweet

ts. Some of the combination products were well accepted by physicians while others suffered. Companies involved in development of combination products are fi

The presence of large, comprehensive Standard Operating procedures (S.O.P.) is the surest way to kill any and every new ideas.

Encourage them to ask “What if....” When the team members are seeking creative sol

ding difficulty in defining their combination products and facing various challenges from selecting a combination to marketing it.

Following aspects would a

utions to a problem, encourage them to ask: “What if .....?”. This is the best way to challenge the age old assumption, the greatest barrier towards innovation.

Insist on more than one solution: Letting employe

dd to the challenges in developing combination products:

Which markets to tap where the combination products can do fairly well?
Which combination prod

es know that it is in the interest of the group and the business organization to seek more than one solution to a problem. You may start with three minimum solution and gradually increase it to 4, 5,6 and eventually 7. The moment they start askin

cts are meaningful and rational?
Which therapeutic categories to select?
Which Combinations can address unmet needs of the patients?
Do combin

g “What if'..., generating more than 3 solutions shall bot be a problem.

Make the group diverse: Ensure team members are from diverse background in terms of age, gender, experience, culture, race and area of sp

tions increase the patient compliance?
What would be the developing cost?
How to tackle the risks encountered during combination product developmen

ecialization. Involving people from other units, departments is one of the best way to seek new and innovative ideas.

Make the Idea Generating sessions FUN: start the session with some unexpected activities- di

t?

As combination products don't fit into the traditional categories of drugs, medical devices, or biological products, the USFDA is in the process of devel

stribute fruits, candies or chocolates. A pleasant positive emotional experience will bring out new ideas.

Conduct regular Brainstorming sessions: Make sure the facilitator is well trained in the art of conduct

ping new procedures for reviewing their safety, efficacy and quality.

Professional from academic institutions, pharmaceutical industries, health care indust

ing an effective brainstorming session.

Ask employees children for new ideas: What better way than tap on the great potential of your employees children.

Provide creativity training
y and representatives from various regulatory agencies are working out to design the regulatory requirements for manufacture and sale of combination products
strong>: High performance in any areas depends on employees' Abilities, Skills and Knowledge. Getting their foundation right on these three areas is the best way to get started when trying to make way for new ideas.

'Make room for

.

As there is an increasing trend of the combination products companies manufacturing such products should be able to tackle the problems involved in the de

new Ideas' also require the managers to eliminate the old and useless practices and ideas that occupy the room. Review your current policies and practices and be prepared to get rid of them. Until you create adequate space, you will not be a

elopment. They need to be wiser in analyzing the market trends and the regulatory requirements.

Companies that provide selfless information through particip

ble to bring in new ideas. Get ready to 'Make Room for New Ideas. Master some basic techniques that will place you in a better position to get started. Visit lifeskills4success

tion in industry events and feedback to regulatory authorities would be able to face the challenges and will be successful in developing combination products

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Advice You - Make Room for New Ideas - Encouraging Creativity in the Workplace

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