entative. Service quality referred to services such as literature service, educational events, and company image. The service performance was related to the personality of the representative and their ability to convey information effectively. The personality and ability of the pharmaceutical sales representative was now being studied.
New pressures on the pharmaceutical market and effects of drug advertising demand an increased understanding of the relationship between physicians and pharmaceutical sales representatives. Martin (2004) reported that the global pharmaceutical market is putting pressure on prices and patent expirations. North America is the primary driver of this growth but Canada is outpacing the United States. The slowdown in the U.S. market is expected since patent expirations of major drugs such as omcprazolc and fluoxetine reduced the value of sales. Findlay (2002) pointed out that mass media drug advertising is a factor in increased spending on prescription drugs in the U.S. Consumers are aware of this advertising and they have a significant influence on consumer behavior. A 1999 survey by the Federal Drug Administration demonstrated that out of 1,081 consumers, three fourths remembered seeing a prescription drug ad and 25% asked a doctor about the illness related to the ad. Of this group 13% asked a doctor for the drug in the ad and half received it. It was concluded that advertising is an important factor related to pharmaceutical sales.
Wright and Lundstrom (2004) reported on the development of a theoretical model to more adequately study physicians' perceptions of pharmaceutical sales representatives. Wright and Lundstrom pointed out that this model must include three areas that are of interest: the physicians' perception of the corporation in whic
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