M.Com. (Business Management) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate how well the computer hardware/software industry was meeting the needs of the retail pharmacist. The needs were determined by a survey of 1000 Indiana pharmacists. A reply rate of 22% revealed that the most important problems pharmacists were facing with their computer systems were slow access of the data, the length of backup time, no drug interaction check, and no multitasking. Hardware and software means of meeting these problems were studied. Also the currently available systems were evaluated in terms of these problems. It was found that while most systems were adequately meeting some of these problems no system was addressing all of them. Some of the systems were multitasking but were much too expensive for the small pharmacy. A system can be designed that meets all of these needs without neglecting the basic needs of pharmacists and at a very reasonable cost.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1974. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 233-237).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1983. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 70-72).

Effective leadership is one of the most important factors that influence the performance of an organisation. Effective leadership together with supervision are similar in terms of their influence of others towards achieving the goals of the organisation. Therefore, effective leadership and supervision are principal activities through which organisational goals and objectives are achieved. The main objectives of this study are firstly to evaluate the leadership effectiveness of production supervisors at Lennon and Intramed. Secondly, to suggest recommendations to management to improve or eliminate shortcomings in the leadership effectiveness of the production supervisors at Lennon and Intramed. In this way, a contribution to the overall leadership effectiveness of the production supervisors at Lennon and Intramed is achieved. In order to achieve the said objectives, the following methodology was employed: Firstly, guidelines for effective leadership were identified by means of evaluating existing literature and theory. This was achieved by critically examining existing leadership theories and models. The major contributions, disadvantages, and advantages of each of these theories and models were evaluated which resulted in the list of guidelines for effective leadership. Secondly, the pharmaceutical industry and the theory surrounding supervision were critically examined and discussed. Attention was given to the pharmaceutical industry in South Africa, with special reference to Lennon and Intramed. The theory of supervision was examined with special focus on the skills, functions, power, and responsibilities of the supervisor. Thirdly, a postal questionnaire was used to gather the required empirical information. The response obtained from the questionnaire was critically evaluated against the guidelines for effective leadership and effective supervision, and the results were graphically represented in a company leadership profile. Lennon and Intramed were evaluated separately, and the major differences and similarities between the two organisations were critically evaluated. Lastly, the main findings and recommendations were formulated in order to remedy the shortcomings that were identified. The following recommendations may lead to more effective leadership among production supervisors at Lennon and Intramed: It is necessary that this study be made available to the supervisors at Lennon and Intramed, as it will give them insight into the theory of leadership and what effective leadership is about. It will furthermore give the supervisors an insight into the way that their subordinates view their leadership behaviour and effectiveness. It is further recommended that the information from this study be made available through sensitisation sessions where the necessary information is presented to a group or individual supervisors. Leadership training and development is required as it can make a meaningful contribution to equip supervisors with the necessary leadership skills to practise effective leadership. This leadership training and development can be done by means of short courses presented by a formal training institution, or by a suitably qualified in-house presenter. The last recommendation to leadership effectiveness involves the implementation of a performance management system and incentive scheme to further motivate and drive the supervisor’s leadership behaviour towards effective leadership.

Hovedoppgave i statsvitenskap Universitetet i Oslo Institutt for statsvitenskap.

Introduction Community pharmacy in Saudi Arabia faces many challenges. There is a lack of empirical research about medication safety in community pharmacy from the perspective of different stakeholders. A holistic approach is needed to identify medication safety problems. Aim To explore factors associated with medication safety in this setting. Methods Three empirical studies were undertaken. Focus groups explored medication safety problems using the Human Factors Framework and a Delphi exercise prioritised these problems. Interviews were conducted with pharmacy users to explore their willingness to share information with pharmacists during consultations using the Self-Regulatory Model. Results Four focus groups and four interviews (n=35 participants) identified seven main themes: commercialism; illegal supply of medication; lack of enforcement of regulations; the healthcare system; self-medication; trust in pharmacists; and communication and information exchange. Consensus was achieved with 28/84 items identified during the Delphi study. The top five priorities were: lack of pharmacy facilities; pharmacists' communication between pharmacists and physicians; patient databases; post-registration education; and pharmacists' long working hours. The interview study (n=21) identified that trust in pharmacists was the main enabler in sharing information. Barriers were pharmacists' perceived attitudes towards counselling, workload, lack of motivation, patient proxies, type of questions asked, gender and lack of privacy. Both the focus group study and the interview study highlighted pharmacy users' consumerist behaviour. Conclusion This research has shown that community pharmacy is a complex system involving many interacting factors. Multifactorial interventions are needed at individual (patient, pharmacist), pharmacy and organisational level. The effect of consumerist behaviour that pharmacy users exercise in purchasing medication without utilising the pharmacist's expertise and not engaging in dialogue on patient safety should be studied. Further research is needed to analyse pharmacy users' interactions with pharmacists to identify the factors that encourage communication and sharing of all relevant information with pharmacists.

Thesis (M.S.)--Auburn University, 2008. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 50-53).

No description available.

The extent and quality of strategic planning by institutional pharmacy directors was assessed. Also examined was how the extent and quality of strategic planning, institutional characteristics, pharmacy characteristics, and pharmacy director characteristics might be associated with the pharmacy's overall level of performance in selected areas. The majority of institutional pharmacy directors reported utilizing strategic planning for their departments. The global quality of strategic planning reported by pharmacy directors was average. However, directors conducting strategic planning reported a high level of strategic planning. The directors' rated time available, knowledge, and importance of strategic planning were found to be significantly associated with pharmacy directors' rated quality of strategic planning. Additionally, pharmacy directors' rated quality of strategic planning was found to be significantly associated with pharmacy performance for clinical, distributive, and administrative services.