IMPROVING THE COMPETENCIES OF MANAGERS IN THE MEDICAL DEVICES INDUSTRY FROM AN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE.

Purpose: The subject of the presented study concerns the improvement of the competencies of managers in the medical devices industry. The presented research aimed to identify and evaluate the improvement process and forms of improvement used in the analyzed enterprises. Design/methodology/approach: Empirical research was conducted using the diagnostic survey method and survey technique in 2018-2020. The research covered 130 managers representing various medical device industry companies from four selected European countries, i.e., Germany, Great Britain, France, and Poland. Findings: The analysis of the research results showed that 71% of organizations care about improving the competencies of their management staff. The most popular forms of manager development were learning by practice, short training, and mentoring. Most of the surveyed managers felt the need for development. Research limitations/implications: The research was limited to four selected European countries, which does not allow the generalization of the results to the entire population. In the future, more in-depth and extensive research on competency development among managers in the innovative medical device industry will be worthwhile. Practical implications: The analysis of the results of the conducted research makes it possible to develop recommendations for the management and owners of enterprises in the medical device industry regarding the pragmatics of improving managerial competencies. Originality/value: The research findings provide insights into specific trends related to improving the competencies of managers in the medical device industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]