Client Challenge
A global pharmaceutical company was preparing to launch an innovative cardiovascular therapy in multiple Asia-Pacific markets. While the clinical efficacy was proven, the company faced a complex challenge: understanding the intricate web of stakeholders who influence drug approval, reimbursement, and clinical adoption across diverse healthcare systems.
The client needed to answer critical strategic questions:
- Who are the key decision-makers beyond traditional medical societies?
- Which stakeholders have the most influence on policy-making and budget allocation?
- How do these stakeholders interact within each country’s healthcare ecosystem?
- Where are the biggest gaps between current treatment protocols and international best practices?
- What are the most effective pathways to drive policy change and clinical adoption?
Traditional market research had provided surface-level insights, but the client lacked the deep understanding of stakeholder relationships and influence dynamics needed to develop an effective market entry strategy.
Our Approach
We designed a comprehensive three-phase stakeholder mapping engagement that went far beyond identifying organizations to understand the human networks, influence patterns, and policy leverage points that actually drive healthcare decisions.
Phase 1: Policy Landscape Analysis
We conducted an in-depth analysis of each market’s healthcare system, identifying:
- Current cardiovascular disease policies and funding mechanisms
- Clinical guidelines and standards of care
- Reimbursement structures and decision-making processes
- Educational campaigns and public health initiatives
- Regulatory pathways and approval requirements
This foundation work revealed significant variations in how different countries approach cardiovascular care, from one country’s nationally coordinated strategy to more decentralized models in other markets.
Phase 2: Stakeholder Network Mapping
Rather than simply listing organizations, we mapped the actual relationships and influence flows between stakeholders. This included:
- Government agencies and regulatory bodies
- Clinical and professional societies
- Patient advocacy organizations
- Academic and research institutions
- Multi-stakeholder alliances
Our analysis revealed that true influence often resided with individuals who bridged multiple organizations or held informal advisory roles that weren’t apparent from organizational charts.
Phase 3: Gap Analysis and Opportunity Assessment
Through targeted interviews with key stakeholders, we identified:
- Specific barriers to optimal cholesterol management
- Deviations from international best practices
- Unmet needs in current treatment protocols
- Openness to innovation and industry collaboration
- Concrete opportunities for policy influence
Key Insights Delivered
Our analysis revealed several critical insights that fundamentally shifted the client’s market approach:
Hidden Influence Networks: The most influential stakeholders weren’t always the most obvious ones. We identified key individuals who served on multiple advisory committees, bridged government-clinical society relationships, or had informal influence that far exceeded their formal titles.
Policy Reform Windows: We pinpointed specific policy initiatives and national health strategies that created near-term opportunities for the client to position their therapy as part of broader healthcare improvement efforts.
Collaboration Readiness: Contrary to assumptions about regulatory caution, we found high levels of openness to industry collaboration when partnerships were framed around patient outcomes and scientific evidence.
Implementation Gaps: While clinical guidelines were generally aligned with international best practices, significant gaps existed in real-world implementation, particularly in primary care settings and rural areas.
Market-Specific Strategies: Each market required different approaches – from evidence-based policy advocacy to other markets’ focus on capacity building and access equity.
Strategic Outcomes
Armed with these insights, the client is able to design more effective strategies:
Prioritize High-Impact Partnerships: Instead of broad stakeholder outreach, they can focus resources on specific individuals and organizations with the greatest influence on their therapy area.
Align with Policy Priorities: Position their market entry to support existing national health initiatives rather than competing for attention with separate advocacy efforts.
Develop Market-Specific Value Propositions: Tailor approaches to each market that resonate with local healthcare priorities and decision-making processes.
Accelerate Market Access: Understanding informal relationships and influence patterns, they will be able to navigate regulatory and reimbursement processes more effectively.
Build Sustainable Advocacy Networks: Establish relationships with stakeholders who could provide ongoing market intelligence and policy support beyond the initial launch period.
Measurable Impact
This type of stakeholder mapping engagement delivers concrete business value that can be measured by:
- Reduce time-to-market through more efficient regulatory and reimbursement strategies
- Increase stakeholder engagement success rate with targeted, relationship-based outreach
- Enhance policy influence in key markets by knowing the best policy avenues for incorporating your solution into national treatment guidelines
- Stronger competitive positioning through early relationships with key opinion leaders and policy influencers
The Strategic Advantage
This engagement demonstrates how deep stakeholder intelligence can transform market entry from a standardized approach to a precision strategy. By understanding not just who makes decisions, but how those decisions actually get made through relationships, informal influence, and policy windows, healthcare companies can achieve far more effective and efficient market penetration.
The investment in comprehensive stakeholder mapping delivered returns that compound over time, as the relationships and insights gained during market entry continued to provide competitive advantages throughout the product lifecycle.
Interested in a stakeholder mapping or other consulting services engagement for your company? Request a consultation with FrontierView’s Head of Consulting, Jordana Wagner.
