Todays healthcare environments are characterized by a variety of products, services, and associated data and information that are transferred across many healthcare sector participants. Pharmaceutical supply chains in particular are one example of fragmented information flows among supply chain participants. Pharmaceutical supply chain processes have a crucial influence on medication quality and ultimate patient outcomes. When manufacturing problems arise, temperature control cannot be maintained throughout the supply chain, counterfeit medications enter the supply chain, containers are damaged or sensitive medication is improperly transported and stored, the drugs effectiveness can be affected and this can result in serious consequences, including patient sickens or even death. In this paper, we analyze Radio Frequency Identification Technology (RFID), a technology that can improve communication of data and information, reduce counterfeiting, and enable monitoring of drug quality in pharmaceutical supply chains. The study is conducted in the context of an RFID platform implemented in Germany. The paper extends and complements previous studies by analyzing the RFID implementation and business value in an end-to-end supply chain process across multiple stakeholders in the pharmaceutical supply chain, from the manufacturer via the wholesaler to pharmacies and hospitals. The results confirm that RFID benefits are realized when supply chain processes are changed with the help of technology, but that different supply chain participants have different benefit realization perceptions. The analysis further reveals specific types of process changes for each supply chain participant and their corresponding benefits.

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Recent financial scandals at large multinational corporations such as Enron and WorldCom have brought into focus the need for “ethical” management in multinational corporations. For a deeper understanding of the issues, the spiritual foundation of ethics also need to be included in the academic dialogue and professional practice. In the Western countries, the discussion of spirituality in management is often limited to the Judeo-Christian tradition. With India and China becoming important players in the global economy, their spiritual traditions need to be included in the discourse to make it more comprehensive and relevant. This paper identifies fourteen principles of ethics from the Bhagavad-Gita and argues that it can be assimilated in the management practices of global corporations from a non-sectarian perspective. It identifies the sources of Hindu spirituality relevant to global business management, adumbrates the architecture of spirituality for business ethics, and provides an intellectual justification for a discussion of Hindu spirituality in relation to management.

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