Jovan Filipovic

Knowledge Based Economy: The Role of Expert Diaspora

Diasporas stand out as an economic or cultural avant-garde of transformation. This is especially true for academic and other intellectual Diaspora communities, because science and knowledge creation are global enterprises. Proclivity of knowledge workers to move in order to improve and absorb transnational knowledge through Diaspora networks might be an essential quality of an emerging national economy of a developing country. The article treats the role of expert Diaspora in knowledge based economy, innovation and talent management. Besides presenting the essentials of knowledge based economy and innovation, it discusses the role of expert Diaspora in science, technology and innovation (STI) capacity building. Also, the article emphasizes the importance of leadership for talent and its implications for Diaspora. Using WEF statistics, it illustrates negative consequences of the sad policy of “Chaseaway the brightest and the best” for innovative capacity, competitiveness, and prosperity of nations.

Methodology for quality management of projects in manufacturing industries

The objective of this paper was to present the research results related to modelling a methodology for the quality management of projects in manufacturing industries in the Republic of Serbia. The model was harmonised, according to its basic function and primary structure, with the requirements of the ISO 9001:2000 series of standards and is mostly based on the Project Management Institutes Project Management Body of Knowledge. It was also harmonised with the conditions in which Serbian industrial companies operate and was created to facilitate management of these processes with the aim of achieving business excellence. A survey of the companies and experts was carried out by e-mail. A methodologically adjusted questionnaire was compiled. The communicative principle was: one questionnaire – one company/expert. A total of 500 micro-, small-, medium-sized and large organisations, including those that are ISO certified and uncertified, was included in the survey. In total, 168 companies participated (33.6% responded; which was, at that time, about 10% of all certified companies in the Republic of Serbia). The research was conducted in the first half of 2011.

Quality costs in practice and an analysis of the factors affecting quality cost management

The objective of this paper is to expand the level of knowledge about quality costing in current practice. The paper presents a study that was conducted on 186 companies, including both manufacturing and service-based companies. Only companies that are familiar with quality costs (cost of quality, CoQ) were selected for the research. The database of companies for the research was formed using three indicators of the companies’ familiarity with CoQ terminology. A Chi-Square Contingency table was employed in this study, in order to determine whether there was a significant difference between the variables. The results show that there is a high level of awareness that CoQ is relevant, and that there is an increase in the number of companies managing these costs. Variables that affect the method of CoQ management as well as the level of recognition of certain CoQ categories were pointed out. The respondents’ attitude towards the importance of fulfilling individual requirements of ISO 9001:2015 for the adequacy of CoQ management was analysed. In addition, the requirements of this standard which significantly affected the variables defining CoQ management were selected according to the companies’ standpoint towards the importance of their fulfilment for the adequacy of CoQ management.

Service quality and maturity of health care organizations through the lens of Complexity Leadership Theory

RATIONALE, AIMS AND OBJECTIVES This research focuses on Complexity Leadership Theory and the relationship between leadership-examined through the lens of Complexity Leadership Theory-and organizational maturity as an indicator of the performance of health organizations. METHODS The research adopts a perspective that conceptualizes organizations as complex adaptive systems and draws upon a survey of opinion of 189 managers working in Serbian health organizations. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS As the results indicate a dependency between functions of leadership and levels of the maturity of health organizations, we propose a model that connects the two. The study broadens our understanding of the implications of complexity thinking and its reflection on leadership functions and overall organizational performance. The correlations between leadership functions and maturity could have practical applications in policy processing, thus improving the quality of outcomes and the overall level of service quality.

Towards medicines regulatory authorities' quality performance improvement: value for public health

The purpose of this article is to explore the possibility of implementing total quality management (TQM) principles in national medicines regulatory authorities in Europe to achieve all public health objectives. Bearing in mind that medicines regulation is a governmental function that serves societal objectives to protect and promote public health, measuring the effective achievement of quality objectives related to public health is of utmost importance. A generic TQM model for meeting public health objectives was developed and was tested on 10 European national medicines regulatory authorities with different regulatory performances. Participating national medicines regulatory authorities recognised all TQM factors of the proposed model in implemented systems with different degrees of understanding. An analysis of responses was performed within the framework of two established criteria-the regulatory authoritys category and size. The value of the paper is twofold. First, the new generic TQM model proposes to integrate four public health objectives with six TQM factors. Second, national medicines regulatory authorities were analysed as public organisations and health authorities to develop a proper tool for assessing their regulatory performance. The paper emphasises the importance of designing an adequate approach to performance measurement of quality management systems in medicines regulatory authorities that will support their public service missions.

Healthcare system quality indicators: the complexity perspective

Organisations face significant challenges in terms of recognising a concept of complexity in their business and work strategies. This paper investigated the Complexity Leadership Theory (CLT) in relation to the effectiveness of healthcare services. For this purpose, we performed a survey on leadership, as an important quality dimension, and we examined the differences in effectiveness of healthcare services based on different levels of leadership functions. The organisational performance was measured using health care quality indicators. The purpose of the paper was to explore whether effectiveness is shaped by complexity thinking. It has been found that there are differences in several quality indicators regarding different levels of leadership functions. The obtained results may help healthcare leaders and decision makers to cope with challenges in their work and improve effectiveness of healthcare services.

Application of Traditional and Fuzzy Quality Function Deployment in the Product Development Process

Abstract It is the nature of problems in quality management to contain elements of uncertainty. The uncertainty of input data is the result of a subjective approach to the interpretation of imprecise information. The aim of this article is to present the application of an effective fuzzification instrument in dealing with different kinds of uncertainty and also the application of natural language to model decision making in quality management. The article shows how the integration of fuzzy logic can assist with the planning of a particular product. First, the traditional Quality Function Deployment (QFD) method was used for the purpose of achieving quality improvement in a boiler (house electric water heater). Second, the QFD method combined with fuzzy logic was used for the same purpose. The preferred quality characteristics were defined using both traditional and fuzzy QFD methods, and results obtained were compared and discussed. The implications of the research for practice and future research are outlined.

Current regulatory and market environment for biosimilars in Serbia

Abstract Background: Biosimilars are currently a reality of the pharmaceutical market in the European Union. This paper describes the current regulatory policy for approving biosimilars both in the European Union and in Serbia, which is not a Member State. Also, a comprehensive analysis on biosimilars consumption data on the Serbian market has been performed. Methods: The European Medicines Agency has established a series of biosimilar scientific guidelines that comprises a regulatory policy for biosimilars in the European Union. This has enabled different biosimilar products to be marketed, making the European Union biosimilar market the most developed one globally. In the paper, this regulatory environment has been analysed, emphasising all relevant biosimilar guidelines as well as marketed biosimilar medicines. Also, an analysis is performed on Serbian regulatory requirements for approving and marketing biosimilars, analysing the Serbian regulatory authority’s consumption data as well as data available from the National Health Insurance Institution. Results: In the paper, the comprehensive analysis of the current European Union as well as Serbian regulatory environment has been presented, with a special emphasis on the Serbian market potential for biosimilar medicines. Detailed consumption data has been analysed for the period 2007-2011. Conclusion: Serbia has good potential for biosimilar products, which is supported by national health insurance policy and the general trend of cutting the reimbursement costs for prescription medicines. Five year consumption data for biosimilars in Serbia shows that the Serbian biosimilars market is very small in terms of market share values, especially comparing to other large European biosimilar markets. Izvleček Uvod: Podobna biološka zdravila so trenutno realnost farmacevtskega trga v Evropski uniji. Članek opisuje trenutno zakonodajno politiko pridobitve registracij podobnih bioloških zdravil v državah Evropske unije in v Srbiji, ki ni članica EU. Izvedena je bila tudi podrobna analiza porabe podobnih bioloških zdravil na srbskem trgu. Metode: Evropska agencija za zdravila je uvedla vrsto znanstvenih smernic za registracijo bioloških zdravil, ki veljajo za zakonodajo na tem področju v Evropski uniji. To je omogočilo registracijo številnih podobnih bioloških zdravil in farmacevtski trg v državah Evropske unije velja za enega izmed najrazvitejših na svetovni ravni. V članku je opisano zakonodajno okolje s poudarkom na vseh pomembnih regulatornih smernicah in tudi analiza registriranih podobnih bioloških zdravil. Prav tako je narejena analiza predpisanih regulatornih zahtev za pridobitev registracij in trženje podobnih bioloških zdravil v Srbiji; izvedena je bila tudi analiza porabe registriranih zdravil v Srbiji prek podatkov srbske agencije za zdravila in zavoda za zdravstveno zavarovanje. Rezultati: V članku je predstavljena celovita analiza trenutnega zakonodajnega okolja v državah Evropske unije in v Srbiji s poudarkom na tržnem potencialu podobnih bioloških zdravil v Srbiji. Prav tako je podana podrobna analiza porabe bioloških zdravil za obdobje 2007-2011. Zaključek: Srbija ima dober potencial za podobna biološka zdravila, ki so podprta z nacionalno zdravstveno politiko zavarovanja in s splošnim trendom zmanjševanja povračil stroškov za zdravila na recept. Petletni podatki o porabi podobnih bioloških zdravil v Srbiji kažejo, da je srbski trg zelo majhen v njihovi porabi, še posebej v primerjavi z drugimi večjimi evropskimi trgih podobnih bioloških zdravil.