Purchasing community consequences

As a set of minimum standards, ISO 9000 addresses the business community. It was intended for purchasers as a means for them to obtain products and services of consistent quality from their suppliers. In place of purchaser-specified general quality management requirements, ISO 9000 became the common requirement and hence eliminated the need for such requirements. As a consequence, it provides suppliers that meet its requirements with a demonstrable capability that others may not possess and hence such capability becomes a persuasive marketing tool that will increase market share. ISO 9000 was also intended for application to all types of industry and therefore did not contain requirements for any specific industry sector or type of products or services. Partially due to the scope of misinterpretation and the degree to which particular industries have common supplier requirements, certain industry sectors perceived the need for harmonizing such requirements in a form that added to those requirements in ISO 9000. 

Among the many effective mechanisms used by vendors to market their products to pharmacies are salespersons, service representatives, and account representatives. These individuals try diligently to maintain good communications with their clients. Many wholesaler representatives, for example, visit or telephone major purchasers every 2 to 4 weeks. The salesperson or representative serves as an important source of market information consequently, many pharmacy managers make it a practice to talk with salespersons and representatives who call on them. Additionally, talking with the representative keeps them aware of new programs and services offered by the vendor. 

After 1988, many of the countries of Eastern Europe and Eurasia initiated political and economic reforms, which led to the demise of communism and movement toward the establishment of democratic polities and market-based economies. A series of economic reforms were introduced, under which domestic currencies were allowed to float in the open markets. Consequently, the currencies of these countries depreciated rapidly. Such devaluations followed by deregulation and liberalization resulted in rapid increases in the prices of many commodities. Sudden withdrawal of the government from agriculture, industry, and trade also resulted in the disruption of marketing and distribution channels. Hence, fertilizer prices increased, and fertilizers were not available to the farmers on time. Further, farmers were unable to sell their agricultural produce and have adequate financial resources to purchase fertilizers. Inflationary pressures, inadequate credit arrangements, and poor technical support to new private farmers also adversely affected fertilizer use. 

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