Post on 09-Feb-2016
description
MSc in Clinical Research
January 2011
Module 7:
The Role of the Consultant
Kamal Sehdev
Aims of lecture
To provide an overview of the types of consultancy called upon by the industry
Consultancy
Industrial
Academic
Health Service
Private
Technical
Market
Strategic
Types of Consultancy
Why is Consultancy Required?
Industry is Changing
Cuts in permanent staffOutsourcing more commonSpecialist skillsSpecialist facilitiesSecond opinion
Staffing Cuts
Reduce payrollRetain only essential staffHolidays, sicknessPension contributionsAffects R&D and specialist jobs first
Outsourcing More Common
Virtual WorkforceFlexibleHire as requiredFixed term contractsNo holiday or sickness costsNo employers pension contributions
Specialist Skills
Why employ specialists?Permanent staff flexible and generalHire specialists when required
Examples: Patent lawyers, marketing,technical specialists, managementstrategists
SpecialistFacilities
Laboratories expensive to maintainRequirements changeChange takes timeTime is money!
The benefits of a second opinion
Medicine is constantly evolving. Diagnostic and treatment methods need to be correctly interpreted and applied.
In certain cases mistakes can be rectified or avoided by performing a second diagnosis which will be of benefit to the patient as well as the medic treating them.
Contract Research
Consultant works with industrial partner to provide practical solutions which exploit leading-edge technology
Either runs a complete research project or can assist with one aspect of a project
Not what is usually thought of as consultancy, but a very common approach by industry these days
Today, Companies need assurance that a project is a viable proposition before investing large sums of money in it.
Project feasibility is time consuming and costly for industry. Consultants can provide the confidence that they need before making the important decision on investment.
FeasibilityStudies
Finding reliable and accurate market information is one of the most difficult tasks faced by many companies. Without it, the value of any technology is impossible to judge.
Market research is one of the most frequently requested pieces of consultancy. Importantly, a consultant may be able to offer a unique experience of the technology and marketplace, enabling precise interpretation of the information and allowing sound recommendations to be made.
Market Research
Consultants may have been at the forefront of research and development in an area for many years
This gives them the experience to best advise clients on the optimum approaches in a particular field. A technical consultancy stage saves considerable expense during product development by ensuring that the best avenue is exploited for a particular company's requirements
Technical Consultancy
Intellectual Property (IP)
One of the most common problems encounteredby industrial clients involves IP
Patent consultants are frequently required,particularly during the early stages of starting-up a technology company
This may be when a company is least able toafford a permanent patent expert - a moreversatile employee is more valuable at this stage(and if a scientist - cheaper!)
So, Who’s Doing It?
UniversitiesMedicsSpecialist CompaniesDiagnostics Companies“One man bands”
Often attractive - low overheads
Example - Sagentiahttp://www.sagentia.com
“Headquartered in Cambridge, UK, since 1986, Sagentia, formerly known as Scientific Generics, has always been closely associated with the ‘Cambridge Phenomenon’. We have now grown to become a significant international technology management and product development business.”
“We work in partnership with our clients to identify, develop and deliver, business opportunities, products and services, enabling them to reach their business goals. We take pride in our work, and enjoy the stimulation of sharing our clients’ challenges.
We have a growing list of clients drawn from six global sectors. Over half of our clients are based outside the UK, particularly in the USA and mainland Europe, and this figure will increase in line with our continued international development.”
Sagentia
“We develop new technologies, products and services that change the basis of competition. We take a multi-dimensional approach to opportunity discovery and problem solving, drawing on our combined technical expertise, business acumen and industry experience.”
Sagentia