Management Challenge Tackles the Global Life Science Skills Deficit

To address the global need for greater management skills and business acumen in the life sciences, Pharmahorizons Inc. today announced the Management Case Study Challenge. The competition offers a web-based professional development opportunity for managers in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device sectors. The training can be accessed from work or at home and requires a maximum 6-8 hour training commitment that can be easily accomodated by most individuals.

May 16, 2002, Montreal, Quebec...In the global knowledge-based economy, there is an increasing demand for more highly skilled managers in the life sciences. More highly trained managers mean greater productivity, innovation, leadership and team performance. To help address this need to build management skills and test business acumen, Pharmahorizons Inc. today announced a unique Management Case Study Challenge. The competition offers an exciting professional development opportunity for life science managers in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device sectors.

In the Challenge, managers compete by analyzing real-life business cases and solving difficult management situations. Cases cover issues in key areas such as sales, marketing, regulatory affairs, business development, and human resources," said Daniel Livernoche, national sales director, primary care division, Aventis Pharma Inc. The competition, which is convenient and easily accessible on the Internet, is a spirited and competitive occasion to build skills, teamwork and leadership."

Todays successful companies must have talented managers. Increasingly however, managers in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and healthcare fields the world-over, find it hard to find time away from work to study management issues and strategies. Heavy workloads, training and travel costs, time away from the office and a lack of relevant coursework are just a few of the barriers to their continuing education," said Dave Adamson, vice president, strategy and operations for Bristol-Myers Squibb and a member of the Management Challenge Steering Committee. The Pharmahorizons Management Case Study Challenge offers a chance for managers to discuss and develop effective management and leadership skills to grow their company and the industry".

The Pharmahorizons Management Case Study Challenge takes place during a 16 week period from June to October, 2002. During this period, eight cases are published. Every two weeks, participants are e-mailed one case which is only available for selection within this period. Competing individuals and teams must complete and submit any three cases of the overall eight cases to a judging panel of industry leaders. Answers for each of the cases submitted are reviewed and scored by judges who will post an optimal answer on the Pharmahorizons site at the close of each case. Scores for each of the submissions are posted on Pharmahorizons.com. Individuals and teams with the highest scores win Challenge trophies, industry recognition and prizes.

From May through July 2002, industry managers and executives are invited to submit potential Pharmahorizons Management Case Study Challenge cases to the Pharmahorizons.com web-site. The judging panel will review these cases and may select some for the Challenge. The competition gets underway June 17, 2002 with the publication of the first case. Competitors will be accepted until September 9, 2002. The Challenge concludes October 21, 2002, two weeks following the display of the last case. The winner of the Management Challenge will be announced on October 28, 2002. Managers in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device and diagnostic companies as well as public sector life science managers may take part in the Challenge as individual participants or in teams of four. Details of the competition and registration forms are available at www.pharmahorizons.com The Management Challenge entry cost per individual is $200. (CdnD) The team entry fee is $500. (CdnD)

Pharmahorizons.com is a major life science site. It focuses on career advancement and workforce development in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and healthcare sectors. Pharmahorizons features jobs, training, and recruitment services and e-learning technology.
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For more information on the Management Case Study Challenge, please contact:
Mark Gregory
Vice President, Pharmahorizons.com
1-866-472-4948 (in Canada)    
(905) 844-4948 (outside Canada)
E-mail: mark@isaix.com