Articles & Whitepapers

By the time pricing negotiations begin, much of what determines their outcome has already been decided — in trial design, manufacturing choices, and commercial assumptions made months or years earlier. This article argues that market access is not a late-stage function but a property of development decisions, and that the leverage to shape outcomes lies upstream, while optionality still exists and value can still be built rather than defended.

Negotiation is ancient, but the effort to understand and teach it systematically is surprisingly recent. This article traces how the field evolved — from diplomatic craft and labor relations to game theory, behavioral science, and organizational capability — mapping the paradigm shifts that gradually turned personal skill into professional discipline.

The AI investment wave is not one bubble but three — and each will deflate on its own timeline. This article examines what lies beneath the hype for the electronics industry, tracing the concrete consequences for semiconductor, PCB, and CCL manufacturers — and arguing that the question is not whether the boom ends, but whether companies use it to build the right capabilities. (Published in German)

Should pharma build its own AI or buy it from external providers? This article moves past the binary to examine the real tradeoffs — control, speed, talent, IP, and compliance — and argues that a hybrid model is emerging as the pragmatic answer: build internally where proprietary data creates a competitive edge, buy externally where domain-specific platforms already deliver speed and depth.

Europe’s automotive industry built its identity on engineering excellence — but that identity is now under pressure from every direction. This article maps the forces reshaping the sector — production shifts to Asia, electrification, software-defined vehicles, and ESG demands — and argues that how companies negotiate with workforces, governments, and international partners will determine who emerges stronger from the transition. (Published in German)

Pharmaceutical R&D has never been better funded — yet returns are declining, timelines are lengthening, and too many promising therapies never reach patients. This article diagnoses the structural causes of that paradox — from regulatory frameworks that lag behind science to siloed organizations and pricing uncertainty — and outlines four strategic levers for leaders who want to shift from reactive pipeline management to orchestrated, system-wide innovation.