Analyzing Business Model, Narrative and Numbers of GSK (Glaxosmithkline)

Global pharmaceutical companies face several challenges, most notably generic competition, patent expiration, regulatory issues and pressure from patients for delivering added value. This paper shall study the case of one of the leading global pharmaceutical companies, GSK (GlaxoSmithKline). New strategic priorities, including research and development (R&D) strategy set by the company shall be analyzed. The main research methodology used in the paper is quantitative. Research was conducted through content and case analysis, procedure created from materials collected via secondary research sources. The aim of the paper is to identify the key stakeholders in the pharmaceutical industry and to what extent their actions affect the firms’ sustainable financial performance, correspondingly, to explore the new strategic priorities of GSK. The paper shall start with the review of pharmaceutical business, followed by the brief information about GSK. The business model and R&D activities shall be scrutinized. Policy implications and conclusions shall be provided. As the analysis reveal, in an ambiguous business environment, simplifying business model and diversifying activities empowers employees and facilitates decision-making process. For a global actor, it is essential to have a diversified range of portfolio and to evade reliance on a sole blockbuster. Remarkably, for the purpose of long-term sustainability and revenue generation, investing more in R&D is pivotal. In addition, focusing on specific scientific areas could be advantageous. Moreover, profound partnership with scientific institutions, business partners and academia could be beneficial for pharmaceutical companies.