Facing cultural barriers head-on is key to making governance work in the life sciences. Below is a table outlining common challenges, strategies for handling them, along with the benefits, backed up with real-world examples:
Case Study: Overcoming Resistance to Change1
A biotech company realized that inconsistent data management was holding them back. To address this, leadership launched a data governance program that brought together stakeholders across the organization to create a unified strategy. This team-oriented approach led to standardized data practices that improved data integrity and productivity. With the support of leadership and a team-based approach, life science organizations can break through these barriers to strengthen governance and improve performance.
Continuous Improvement2
Implementing governance in the face of complex regulations and data management challenges isn’t easy. That’s why continuous improvement needs to be a core business process. Governance isn’t “set it and forget it”—it requires constant adjustments to stay relevant and practical. Regularly updating policies, processes, and training to meet the demands/needs of the business (including employee feedback) and to address increasingly complex regulatory requirements. Challenges can be addressed head-on by treating governance as an evolving framework with a flexible approach (and not a rigid and unmoving rulebook). By treating challenges as opportunities, teams can stay compliant and build a foundation for innovation, improvement, and long-term success.
Sources
1Pharmaceutical Executive. (n.d.). Data governance: Biotech company goes from disorder to alignment on a common framework. Retrieved from https://www.pharmexec.com/view/data-governance-biotech-company-goes-from-disorder-to-alignment-on-a-common-framework
2PharmAllies. (n.d.). Building a culture of continuous improvement in life sciences. Retrieved from https://pharmallies.com/building-a-culture-of-continuous-improvement-in-life-sciences/
