APOM-project: managing change to the customer in community pharmacy practice

In 1994, a Ph.D.-study started regarding pharmacy, organization and managem ent (APOM) in the Netherlands. This article describes the final phase of th e study in community pharmacy practice: managerial problems in change to th e customer and the difference between supported pharmacy managers and indep endent ones. It appeared that pharmacy managers experienced problems with t he formulation and use of aims, norms, and measurements. Although many orga nizations operating in the pharmaceutical sector are a good source for new ideas, they lack to have the proper support for these problems. The differe nce between supported and independent pharmacy managers was minimal in the change to the customer. Pharmacy managers are in need of micro-instrumental ization: aims, norms, and monitor instruments for customer activities appli cable at their own pharmacy. Moreover, pharmacy managers will have to learn how to deal with the tension between money and care in order to improve th e 'grip' on their organization.