Competencies of medical device industry managers in an international context

Purpose The presented article concerns managerial competencies in the medical device industry. The research aimed to identify and assess certain managerial competencies and diagnose the gap between the declared and desired competencies of the interviewed managers. We asked the following question: How does the model competence profile of a manager in the medical device industry look, and is there a gap between the desired and declared competencies of the relevant managers? Design/methodology/approach We conducted the research between 2018 and 2020 using diagnostic and survey methods. The study covered 130 managers representing various companies in the medical device industry. The companies were based in Germany, Great Britain, France and Poland. Findings Research results analysis showed a competency gap in most of the assessed competencies. Moreover, we found statistically significant differences in the self-assessments of managers concerning their nationality. Managers from Poland rated their competencies higher than respondents from other countries. Research limitations/implications The study has several limitations. First, we collected the data between 2018 and 2020, before and during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Second, the research focuses on four selected countries, thereby limiting the findings’ broader applicability. Finally, we used an inherently subjective self-assessment method. This could potentially lead to discrepancies between perceived and actual competency levels. Practical implications The research results could potentially provide practical recommendations for medical device companies to eliminate the competence gap and create effective management development programs. Originality/value This research contributes to our understanding of the desired competence profile of managers working in the medical devices industry and to the diagnosis and assessment of the competency gap, i.e. the difference between the competencies desired for a given position and those that respondents possessed. Furthermore, this research identifies the differences between managers from Poland who represent the medical devices industry and those from other European countries.