Exploring the wide field of business chemistry
As frequent readers of the Journal of Business Chemistry will have realized, our journal tries to cover all facets of this broad field. In the past four volumes we have presented topics as diverse as intellectual property in the pharmaceutical industry, incentives for employees in the chemical industry, the human side of innovation, futuring in the chemical industry, heterologous proteins for biopharmaceuticals and the use of renewable resources. Before we will relaunch our journal with a whole new layout for our 5th volume we are happy to conclude this year with a wide selection of topics that resembles very well our interdisciplinary field.
The first article “Channel Management in the Chemical Industry – Selecting the Right Option” deals with channel management and the shift in the priorities of chemical companies. What used to be all about producing new materials and being the first mover has (at least in part) made way for a focus on how to give the customer what he wants the most efficient way. The article closes with an overview of the situation of the European chemical distributors.
In “Testing Costs and Testing Capacity According to the REACH Requirements – Results of a Survey of Independent and Corporate GLP Laboratories in the EU and Switzerland” a study is presented that focuses on the prices for laboratory testing services and testing capacity in nine of the major European chemicals producing countries. These testing prices and sometimes even more importantly the capacities might pose a serious problem to those chemical’s producers that will have to deliver test results to the European Union under the new REACH regulation very soon. On the other hand, laboratories being able to conduct the required tests at a competitive pricing should be able to substantially increase their income.
Not formalized methods but the individual level is the main topic of the third article “Enthalpy Change: Firing Enthusiasm for Learning”. It examines how metaphors play a key role in conversation and the author draws an interesting comparison between human conversation and the thermo-chemical concept of enthalpy change. Anyone interested in human interaction and effective learning will get insights into a whole new approach to leading conversations. In the last article “Chemical plant engineering projects – Customers around the world prefer cutting-edge technology “Made in Germany””, an overview of current developments in large industrial plant manufacturing for the chemical industry is given. It concentrates on developments and reasons alike.
We would like to thank all authors and reviewers for their contribution to this selection of interesting themes. Now enjoy reading the third issue of the Journal of Business Chemistry in 2007. If you have any comments or suggestions, please send us an e-mail at contact@businesschemistry.org.