Evista Eli Lilly

Case Questions for Eli Lilly: The Evista Project

For this case, write your report in a memo format addressing the following issues: Analyze Eli Lilly’s use of cross-functional (Heavyweight) teams in the context of the pharmaceutical industry and their own corporate structure. How should Eli Lilly move forward with respect to team structures – should they expand the use of cross-functional teams? If so, then how far up and down the process of discovering, developing and commercializing a product? Specifically for Evista, should they use a cross-functional (heavyweight) team for the commercialization phasequei?

Please limit your report to 5 pages – 1.5 line spacing, times new roman 12 pt font, 1” margins all around.

Analysis:

The heavyweight crossfunctional teams of Zyprexa and Evista were successful due to the following factors:

• Leadership

o lead by “heavyweight” project manager who is a senior manager with expertise, experience, and organizational clout

o due to the heavy matrix structure, the project managers have more power than the functional managers

• Superordinate Goals (Goal Congruity)-

o given a clear charter to focus on development of a single compound

o to establish a system solution for customer needs- win approval from the FDA & address needs of physicians, insurance, and patients

• Team Rules and Procedures

• Physical Proximity

o teams relocated (although relocation delayed for Zyprexa)

• Empowerment

o responsibility for the work quality, how it was accomplished, and end result

• Early Involvement

o Buy-in & support from upper management came early in the project

• Collaborative conflict management

o executive sponsors to resolve conflicts between tean and the rest of Lilly

• Communication and Information

o After co-localization of team Zyprexa, the systems analysts and statisticians were finally able to communicate different job function needs and resolve their issues. “I finally understand what the statisticians do”...