Article Abstract

	Title:	Business–customer alignment in the Australian pharmaceutical industry
	Author:	John Hamilton
	Address:	James Cook University, Cairns, Qld 4870, Australia
	Journal:	International Journal of Electronic Business 2006 - Vol. 4, No.5  pp. 401 - 420
	Abstract:	Emerging technologies are delivering new pharmacy business models including: web-based operations (like E-Pharmacy); low cost discount models (like Priceline), and diversified chain models (like V-Pharmacy). The regulated Australian industry is experiencing mounting external business pressures from supermarkets, doctors, consumers and politicians. This exploratory research targets the competitive services strategies of the existing pharmacy business models, pharmacy business performance, perceived pharmacy customer value delivered, and the business↔customer alignment mixes. It investigates the option of incorporating a new potentially disruptive solution-set that may enhance the industry's future competitiveness. A service value network (SVN) framework is projected as a likely future competitive scenario.
	Keywords:	e-business models; pharmacy; services strategies; customer targeting; customer alignment; business performance; customer value; architectures; networks; electronic business; Australia; pharmaceutical industry; service value networks; SVN.
	DOI:	10.1504/IJEB.2006.011327
		Purchase this Paper         Comment on the Paper