The Pharma 'Mini-MBA' On-line Learning Programme

The question facing most of Pharma executives today is whether, the skill set that is needed exists within the organisation to drive the business forward in this tough environment.

In order to succeed it is vital that as an individual working within the pharma sector you develop, not only the expert technical skills required, but also the key business and management skills needed to ensure that you can take a dynamic approach to overcoming each challenge.

The MBA syllabus, theory, practice and techniques applied exclusively to the needs of high-performing managers in the pharmaceutical industry with this 14 module, on-line and easy-to-use training course.

NB: Hard copy versions are available, professionally printed and bound. To find out more call customer services on +44 (0)20 7729 6677.

How does this on-line programme work and what do you get?

• Course access from anywhere through your own personal login and administration suite
• Keep track of your progress as you go
• Easy to use note taking and bookmarking facility to return to areas of interest and re-study
• Individual modules or the full course can be downloaded as PDF files to print or file as you decided
• At your convenience: at your desk, from your tablet or from your home computer
• An optional on-line multiple choice assessment at the end of the course for you to ensure you are satisfied with the completion of your training
• Certificate of completion awarded for your training records

Course benefits

This course benefits include:

• THE ESSENTIAL theory, practice and techniques of an MBA applied to your industry
• MEASURABLE results with your enhanced knowledge of pharma marketing strategies, tactics and promotional activities
• IMPROVEMENT on the bottom line with your increased understanding of finance and how it flows through a Pharma organisation
• BENCHMARKS for your leadership approach against current best practice and leading thinking in the area to maximise your effectiveness
• ENHANCED negotiation techniques and skills to increase your success in commercial agreements

Who should enroll on this programme?

Designed specifically for:

• Senior and middle managers in the pharma and biotech sector
• Experienced managers making a career change into the industry
• Scientific and technical executives making the move into management
• Those who have been in the industry for years but with no formal development training

MODULE 1 – INTRODUCTION TO PHARMA

• Why a Pharma ‘Mini-MBA’?
• Application of standard management techniques
• What is distinctive about the pharmaceutical industry?
• Original brands and generics
• The international dimension in pharmaceuticals
• US v Europe
• Emerging markets
• The need for specific techniques for pharmaceuticals

MODULE 2 – STRATEGY IS THE KEY

• The value of generic strategic techniques
• Selected generic techniques and their usefulness to pharma:
  • SWOT
  • The product-life cycle concept
  • The Boston Matrix
  • PEST

MODULE 3 – STRATEGY IN PRACTICE IN THE PHARMACEUTICAL SECTOR

• The target product profile
• Key milestones in development process
• R & D portfolio strategy and management
• Mission statements and therapeutic goals
• Strategy for new markets

MODULE 4 – STRATEGY FOR DEALS

• Strategic alliances
• The range of alliance types
  • Guidelines for successful pharmaceutical alliances
  • Practical points in partnering
• Joint ventures
• Strategic alliances versus alternatives
• Mergers and acquisitions

MODULE 5 – MANAGING YOURSELF AND OTHERS

• First learn to master yourself
• Performance management
• Communicate and motivate
• Effective coaching
• Tackling poor performers
• Managing your team and also your time
• Ensure that all meetings are positive
• How to be assertive, not aggressive

MODULE 6 – LEARN TO BE A LEADER

• What do we mean by management?
• A survey of leadership styles?
• The leader as mentor
• Decision-making in leadership
• Management and leadership, essentially a team effort

MODULE 7 – LEADERSHIP AND CHANGE IN THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY

• Acquiring, managing and retaining talent in a competitive world
• Employee engagement
• Leading through uncertainty
• The importance of corporate culture
• Managing cultural change and transition
• Developing leadership at every level
• Learning and leadership: self-awareness and self-development

MODULE 8 – MASTERING PHARMA MARKETING: INTRODUCTION

• How marketing works
• Pharmaceutical market research
  • Data sources
  • Competitor analysis
  • Market mapping

MODULE 9 – MASTERING PHARMA MARKETING: MARKETING STRATEGIES

• Life cycle management
• The importance of range extensions
• Pricing
• Global pricing issues
• Pricing mechanisms and reimbursement

MODULE 10 – MASTERING PHARMA MARKETING: DISTRIBUTION, PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES AND CODES OF PRACTICE

• Distribution – recent trends and margins
• The role of promotion
• Other media
• Duration of promotion
• Codes of practice

MODULE 11 – DEMYSTIFYING FINANCE: ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE

• Understand basic accounts
  • Profit and loss
  • Balance sheet
  • Assets and liabilities

• How to analyse performance
  • Balance sheet measures
  • Finance ratios

• Working capital management
• Detailed case study
• Accounting principles
  • Fixed assets and depreciation
  • Long term liabilities
  • Owner’s equity
  • Notes to the accounts

MODULE 12 – DEMYSTIFYING FINANCE: BUDGETING AND DECISION-MAKING

• The budget
• Setting a budget
• Reviewing a budget
• Management accounting
• External analysis: the press
• Analysing costs
• Making sense of the future

MODULE 13 – DEMYSTIFYING FINANCE: FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT IN THE PHARMA INDUSTRY

• What drives business – is pharma just a money making machine – or isn’t it?
• What is a P&L account or an income statement?
• What is a balance sheet?
• The importance of cash flow
• Accruals, depreciation, deferred income and stock valuation explained
• What does the future hold? – the importance of budgeting
• Financial strategy
• Understanding finance is vital

MODULE 14 – SUCCESSFUL NEGOTIATION TECHNIQUES AND TACTICS

• Legal foundation for negotiation
• Freedom to negotiate
• Agreements of the parties
• Duty to disclose information
• Representations, promises and puffery
• Duress and undue influence
• Best practice negotiation rules and principles
• Managing the relationship
• Effective expectation engineering
• Supporting documents and evidence
• Identifying time bombs

JOHN ANSELL is a biochemistry graduate with a Masters degree in Business Studies. John began his 20-year career in international marketing and business development in Holland with Organon, worked for Schering AG and Fisons in the UK, and again in Holland, with Solvay. Finally, from 1985 to 1989 he worked at Glaxo Holdings, on Zantac. Subsequently, as an independent industry consultant, John has worked for over 100 clients on commercial strategic projects. He is a frequent speaker, and has also acted as chairman of over 30 industry conferences. John is the author of more than 40 articles and reports on strategic industry issues.

DR HELENA BOSCHI has spent the last 17 years working with closely with businesses in the pharmaceutical sector to define and design new strategic initiatives, particularly in the areas of leadership development, learning and organisational change. Until very recently she worked at Shire Pharmaceuticals as Vice President, Talent Management and prior to this Corporate Director, Head of Global Organisation Development for Serono International SA in Geneva. Her recent achievements include leading a global team to design and communicate a company-wide leadership development framework, advancing the talent acquisition function for the hiring of a new sales force for a product launch, delivering and co-ordinating tailored development in different countries in line with the requisite capabilities and business requirements and creating a process for building a talent pipeline.
She has also been involved in setting up new employee assimilation and integration, culture transition and other major change initiatives. Helena continues to research the talent management arena for best practices and new approaches across organizations worldwide.

IAN RUSKIN-BROWN has been the owner/entrepreneur of several service businesses, a course director at the Chartered Institute of Marketing for courses on marketing in the service sector and has designed, written and piloted in-company training courses on marketing and selling consultancy services for a number of blue chip companies. He currently runs the Marketing Your Services course for Management Center Europe and client specific courses in the USA and South East Asia.

STEPHEN BROOKSON is an independent consultant, and specialises in the provision of practical business development consultancy and training programmes. He qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1980 and his experience includes working with Ernst & Young as a consultant.

PAUL ELKIN provides consultancy services with a particular focus on business strategic development, performance management and corporate image. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants. After many years in a range of senior management roles in both public and private sector industry with UK and US businesses plus time with Price Waterhouse, he formed the TMMi group at the end of 1989.

MARK A THOMAS is an international business consultant, author and speaker specialising in business planning, managing change, human resource management and executive development. Based in London, Mark works across the globe – he has worked in over 40 different countries and is a frequent conference and seminar speaker on business, organisation and human resource issues.

RALPH TIFFIN is a chartered accountant and registered auditor – principal of McLachlan+Tiffin. The firm has a wide range of clients and supports clients with audit and advisory work in areas such as introduction of IFRS, ethics and fraud prevention. As consultant he acts for many companies in the UK and overseas on subjects ranging from understanding accounting for pharmaceutical companies, project appraisal, budgetary control systems through to fraud prevention. Ralph lectures and consults widely on accounting topics particularly on understanding what financial reports mean and how proper accounting practice can help business.

MICHAEL WILLIAMS is an international management consultant. His main clients include leading business schools as well as several universities and a wide range of companies throughout Europe and North America. He is the author, or co-author, of many books in the fields of leadership, management practice and organisational psychology.

Falconbury’s distance learning programmes have been certified by the Academy of Distance Learning (ADLiB). ADLiB supplies an unbiased authentication of, and quality assurance for, distance learning programme providers.

Upon course completion, distance learning participants are invited to undertake a final external assessment in the form of an online multiple-choice paper.

Participants are required to achieve a pass rate of 80% and above to ensure that a high level of competence has been achieved within the subject area and to receive the advanced ‘Certificate of Excellence’. The final external assessment can be taken up to three times, thereafter the ‘General Certificate of Course Completion’ will be issued.

NB: The final external assessment is an optional appraisal and those participants not wishing to undertake it will automatically receive the ‘General Certificate of Completion’ for their personal development/training profile.

Find out more about ADLIB here.

The International Association for Distance Learning (IADL) promotes excellence in open, distance, and online learning worldwide, and provides a benchmark through which global consumers can gauge the quality of courses offered by their members.

The IADL is an independent, non-profit organisation with its principal administrative offices in London in the United Kingdom. Find out more.

Falconbury are an Approved Member of the International Association for Distance Learning.

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