January 23, 2003 | Read Time: 1 minute
Developing Successful Global Health Alliances describes key questions that organizations should examine when considering whether to form or participate in such a partnership. The report was produced by McKinsey & Company at the request of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, creator of the Vaccine Fund, which has worked with the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization to immunize children in 60 developing countries since 1999. The report recommends that, before establishing a partnership, groups develop a “clear and compelling overall goal” and assess the value of the gains to be achieved from an alliance. Such benefits might include: avoiding duplication of investments and activities; achieving economies of scale; sharing knowledge and resources, as well as risks; and increasing the ability to attract financial support. The report also discusses issues that typically arise in collaborations, such as choosing staff members and determining who will make key decisions. It concludes with several tables and charts designed to help alliances choose structural and financing approaches appropriate for their projects, and methods to assess their performance.
Publisher: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, P.O. Box 23350, Seattle, Wash. 98102; (206) 709-3140; http://www.gatesfoundation.org; 12 pages; free; available in PDF format on the foundation’s Web page.
