While large and many medium size pharmaceutical corporations go through periods of divesting businesses and acquiring new businesses, they should always try to avoid being dependent on only one or a few products.

All companies (including virtual companies) need both leaders and managers. Each employee or advisor should know their roles, and leaders should not act as managers and vice versa.

International pharmaceutical companies may be managed using a structure/model that varies from a totally centralized one to one that is totally decentralized, where each part (e.g., based on the country, function or other factor) acts independently and seeks to coordinate with others when possible. A dual headquarters model is sometimes used (e.g., Europe and US).