Clinicians increasingly need a firm grasp of the fundamental principles of business management, finance and related subjects. Even so, business disciplines are still rarely taught during medical training, while busy practices and complicated accounting tasks mean that gaining business acumen ''on the job'' is impractical for many. As a result, increasing numbers of clinicians learn the skills they need by taking an MBA (Masters in Business Administration). While an MBA may be the answer for some, the formidable costs and time commitment it demands leave many busy practitioners seeking more accessible options. This book provides a readable, tightly organised alternative - a primer on MBA principles and their practical application. Twelve compact, carefully structured modules cover the entire gamut of a business education, from basic finance and accounting principles, to strategic management methods and leadership theories. Unlike some similar texts, this book is designed to be light in tone, easy to read and digest, and thoroughly practical. Busy clinicians, academic surgeons, administrative physicians and other healthcare professionals will find this an invaluable resource in understanding the core principles of business management. Allied medical professionals, and nurses will also find it useful, as will interview candidates who increasingly face management questions as part of selection processes. ''An invaluable resource in understanding the core principles of business management, and in learning how to apply them. For busy clinicians, the value proposition is enormous in terms of the knowledge gained, versus the amount of reading required to capture what the authors have so capably managed to distill between the covers. The authors have done a remarkable task in capturing the latest concepts and thinking in the business management arena [and] the essence of an entire MBA education, and customise it for healthcare professionals. A delight.'' From the Foreword by B Sonny Bal