OBJECTIVES: The national government is repositioning the Community Pharmacies (CP) in the national health service, through definition of different: mix of services, relation with other healthcare actors, and range of objectives to achieve. Considering the contextual factors, the paper aims at analyzing the managerial implication for CP. For this purpose the CPs' director strategic attitude and the structure of the information system are investigated. METHODS: The paper is based on literature review and on a survey conducted among a national sample of 695 community pharmacies (CP). Data were collected through a questionnaire organized in both open questions and closed questions (Likert scale 1-7). Data were analyzed according to descriptive statistics to support the qualitative study approach. The SPSS program was used. RESULTS: Respondents have limited awareness of the different actions that the national and regional contexts implement regard to the CP. Although, the mix of services provided is heterogeneous and not widely consistent with the aims of the government reform (2009 law decree), there is a positive willingness to extent the professional role. Increasing the mix of services provided is perceived a strategic action (m=5,09), services are delivered even if the contribution to the CP's revenues is very low (m=2,62). The information system allows the monitoring of the overall financial results (m=5,33), while its relevance decreases with regard to the CP's cost structure (m=4,5) and to the specific service/business area's contribution to the general results (m=4,18). CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests that CP's directors haven't developed an effective strategic orientation yet.  The actual information system is not able to support them to manage the changes. As long as CPs' director develop a strategic orientation, they could act as agent of change.