Purpose

Time after time, managers and other stakeholders of nonprofit organizations find themselves pushed to think and behave in a more businesslike, entrepreneurial way. Similarly, in many resource-poor settings, public sector officials have been encouraged to adopt a business mind-set to overcome budgetary problems. This is not an easy challenge; these governmental and non-governmental (nonprofit) managers face the dual challenge of achieving both positive financial bottom lines and achieving social objectives. As such, they require tools from finance, organizational strategy and marketing, all of which are essential in the new, more entrepreneurial environment. Business planning is of particular value - it is a traditional and very relevant strategic process in which enterprises and projects are planned and evaluated before investment decisions are executed. A good business plan identifies goals, strategies, and objectives, projected revenues and expenses as well as marketing challenges and plans.

Specifically, participants attending this course will learn:

• About international health sector reform experience;
• About the pros and cons of different types of organizations in the health sector, from governmental to non-profit to for-profit;
• About entrepreneurial management in the health sector;
• How to strengthen a business concept and structure it into a business plan;
• How to identify and resolve ethical conflicts related to the conflicts of business principles and health issues; and
• How to construct, package, present as well as evaluate a business plan.

Participants will be learning from experience gained in the United States, as well as many other countries of the world.

Course Topics

The curriculum of the course includes:

International Health Reform
• Entrepreneurial Management
• Structuring a Business Plan
• Organizational Strategy
• Marketing and Financial Planning
• Presentation Skills

Who Should Attend

This course is designed for experienced, senior managers and policy-makers in developing and transitional economies. Officials who are concerned about implementing greater managerial autonomy in previously rigid government bureaucracies will find the experience very useful. Policy makers and managers will be expected from both government and non-government organizations.

Educational Approach

This course offers a blend of theory and practice, geared to an audience that is focused upon implementation rather than research. Included throughout the course are lectures, discussion groups, several case studies, problem sets and preparation of group and individual case presentations. Classroom points will most often be made through active learning methods, rather than through lectures. Lively discussion among experienced participants is expected throughout. Participants are expected to arrive at the course with a specific concept or proposal to be developed into a full business plan to be presented and evaluated by the end of the course.

About the Course Directors

Paul Campbell serves as Course Director. He is a member of the International Health Systems Program in the Department of Population and International Health at the Harvard School of Public Health as well as a Lecturer on Management in the Department of Health Policy and Management. He is also the President of the Maine Center for Public Health. He has recently managed multi-year projects on health sector reform in Poland and managed care in Zimbabwe. Dr. Campbell has extensive experience designing and leading workshops on various health management topics. Past sponsors for his workshops include a number of agencies in the U.S. government, the Ford Foundation, the World Bank and the Hinduja Foundation. Dr. Campbell earned his Doctor of Science degree in health policy and management at Harvard.

Seedang Simonin serves as the Course Co-Director. She is a Deputy Director at the International Health Systems Program at the Harvard School of Public Health. Prior to joining Harvard, Ms. Simonin spent 5 years as a Director of a social loan fund for health projects in developing countries at the Program for Appropriate Health Technology (PATH). She has extensive experience in developing, executing and monitoring small- to medium-sized private sector health financing projects. Prior to building her career in the not-for-profit sector, Ms. Simonin was an investment analyst for Barclays Group, and a credit officer for Bank of America. She holds an Accounting Degree from Chulalongkorn University in Thailand and an MBA in Finance from Kent State University in Ohio.

"I approached the programme with high expectation, probably based on the perspective of Harvard being a Centre of Excellence in international training, education and academic achievement. I was not disappointed. The course content was both challenging and demanding. Many of my assumptions regarding the organization and delivery of health and care services were questioned and tested. This I found very creative and constructive. I have returned to my post encouraged and revitalized with ambitions to introduce a number of changes to the organization in which I am employed. The esprit de corps which was created by faculty staff including the Harvard administrative staff with course participants was a unique and not easily forgotten learning opportunity and experience."
Jim McCall, Chief Executive Ulster Community & Hospitals Trust - Northern Ireland (Class of 2003)

" My time at Harvard was very profitable. The course material and cases were well chosen, and excellently presented so that they were readily understood and relevant. Meeting with a mix of seasoned health professionals from different parts of the world made for another benefit to this course of learning from fellow participants and making friends. Lastly becoming an Alumnu of Harvard has its long-term benefits. I would definitely recommend this course to any healthcare manager faced with the challenges of reaching difficult goals, and managing change!"
Kwasi Kwarko, Jr., Medical Director and Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynecology - Ghana (Class of 2003)

"This course is designed to very rapidly impart a level of knowledge normally gained only after years of entrepreneurial experience. The course materials are so interesting and useful that I decided to translate them in Georgian and share them with my colleagues. Hopefully, it will help to improve our existing business plan that is essential for our newly reconstructed National Medical Center. The best thing about the training educational experience is the interaction between the faculty, staff and students, friendly and at the same time highly creative atmosphere that was established." Olgha S. Asatiani, Head of Information Management and Continuous Education Department, Acad. O. Gudushauri National Medical Centre - Georgia (Class of 2003)"
Sibongile Zungu, Chief Director: Institutional Support Services, KwaZuluNatal Department of Health - South Africa (Quality class of 2002, Entrepreneurial Management Class of 2003)

Other Scheduled Lecturers

Peter Berman, Ph.D.
Professor, International Health Economics International Health Systems Program
Harvard School of Public Health

Joel Lamstein, S.M.
President, John Snow, Inc.
Visiting Lecturer on Population and International Health
Harvard School of Public Health

Bernard Simonin, Ph.D
Associate Professor
Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy
Tufts University