DESIGNING AN INNOVATIVE AND IMPACTFUL EXECUTIVE EDUCATION PROGRAMME THROUGH CREATIVE ALLIANCES: A CASE STUDY IN THE ENGLISH NHS

Abstract

Business schools are often criticised for failing to provide industry and public services with the skills and talents they need. This paper presents a leadership development case study and tells the story of how Alliance Manchester Business School, with the University of Birmingham as part of a KPMG-led creative alliance, worked with the English NHS to create a leadership development programme, aimed at changing the culture of the NHS. In the wake of a major inquiry into leadership failures the challenge to change the culture of NHS management and leadership was profound. A call was issued for providers to work in partnership with the NHS Leadership Academy to design and deliver a suite of leadership development programmes. This case study focuses on one of these programmes, the MSc Healthcare Leadership, also known as the Anderson programme. The pedagogical approach of the programme is blended learning, emphasising multi- disciplinary and integrated content, experiential learning and a regard to both content and process. Key design features and challenges are explored in relation to how we achieve participant-centred learning, how we achieve impact beyond the individual and how we combine a leadership development programme with an academic programme. The programme is having the greatest impact at individual and team levels and on career progression and promotion. There is some evidence of organisational impact but this is inhibited by the lack of engagement and organisational support from sponsors. The case study offers an example of how business schools, working as part of a creative alliance, can offer innovation in the design and delivery of leadership development programmes and respond to increasing demands for customisation, evidence of impact and blended interventions.