Analysis of the causes of delay in collaborative decision-making under uncertainty in pharmaceutical R and D projects

Abstract

Collaborative decisions may be deferred when faced with a high degree of uncertainty, especially when public health and high investments are at stake and in situations that seem non-urgent, as is the case in pharmaceutical R and D projects. This thesis investigates the causes of recurrent delay in collaborative decision-making under uncertainty, and the efficient practices to reduce this delay. To better understand the problem of delay in decision-making under uncertainty, we first review the notion of uncertainty and propose a definition of uncertainty adapted to project management. Then, the decision-making process in drug development projects is modeled, highlighting the information life cycle from its generation to its consumption i.e. the decision itself. It includes individual reflection and group interaction, clarifying how information is processed differently by decision-makers. To analyze past conflicts and anticipate future ones, based on this model, an index is defined that measures the risk of invalidating a decision a posteriori. Finally, through an in-depth interview-based approach, 252 key factors that affect decision-making are pointed out. The three most-mentioned causes of delay are: fear of uncertainty, fear of hierarchy, and difficulty of No Go decisions. Based on the identified factors, a compendium of practices is constructed for the actors of the decision-making process that help collaborative decisions to be formed, matured, digested, respected, and finally executed.