The implementation of an improvement process in the R&D department of a Portuguese Pharmaceutical Company

Abstract

The main objective of this dissertation is to study the benefits resulting from the implementation of an improvement process undertaken by a Portuguese Pharmaceutical Company. It was developed a case study based in Grupo Medinfar, a Portuguese Pharmaceutical Company. This case study describes a problem identified by the company in its Research and Development (R&D) department, which is related to the management process of the materials used in this unit. The case study undertakes a detailed analysis of: i) the management of materials used and activities performed in the R&D unit; ii) the main limitations found in this process; iii) Medinfar’s strategy to overcome the inefficiencies identified in the process; iv) the new management processes implemented by the company; v) and the benefits resulting from the improvement process, such as improved delivery lead times and cost savings that derived mainly from higher negotiation power with suppliers acquired by the company. This dissertation is organized in the following chapters: 1-Introduction, section that presents the dissertation subject, motivations that led to the choice of the research question and methodology used in the dissertation’s writing; 2-Literature Review where it is provided the context of the Worldwide Pharmaceutical Industry landscape with a special focus on the R&D environment in Portugal and globally; 3-Case Study where is analysed the implementation of a process, addressing issues identified in the management chain of the R&D materials and the benefits for Medinfar; 4-Teaching Notes which suggests and describes questions for class discussion, providing support to students and professors; 5-Conclusion, Limitations and Future Research.

Date of Award	28 Apr 2015
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Susana Frazão Ferreira Fernandes Pinheiro (Supervisor)