Case Western Reserve University
The Weatherhead School of Management
A World Inquiry in NEO: Positive Life & Health Initiative
-Concept PaperImportant Inspirations:
"Willing is not enough; we must do." -- Goethe
Case Western Reserve University strives to be the most powerful learning
environment in the world. We constantly challenge ourselves to create a culture of
transformation so engaging that students, faculty, staff, alumni, trustees, and even
visitors to campus become passionate about moving beyond themselves to express
creativity, to pursue innovation and discovery, and to serve humanity.1
The Weatherhead School of Management is among the world's best business
schools, and is a leading catalyst for advancing bold ideas that have a lasting impact on
business and society.2
A World Inquiry in NEO: Positive Life & Health Initiative
Imagine a Positive Life & Health Initiative at Case that represents the highest knowledge
on the planet to educate and design a wholistic life from early childhood development to
successful aging. What is the human legacy to the planet?
A Vision evolving: How it began
The vision, mission and values of the Case-Weatherhead Positive Life & Health
Initiative/Center were formulated following an appreciative inquiry into health during
three years of conversations with students, faculty, staff, and NEO community
members. Now the vision is being uplifted to a world inquiry in order to increase the
potential of positive change.
An Appreciative Inquiry
Discover:
Who else has envisioned such an initiative or center in the world?
What research and curriculum exists today on this topic in the world?
What other initiatives or activities could help inform this concept paper and proposal?
Dream:
What is the best possible outcome that we can envision together for this Positive Life &
Health initiative?
Close your eyes and imagine that it is now the year 2025. How has the world evolved
the idea of the Positive Life & Health Center into a beautiful reality? What does the
initiative look like? How do you interact with it? Who comes there? What are the greatest
benefits of this center to its community and the world? What sparks your imagination?
Design:
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Case Western Reserve University Mission and Values
Weatherhead School of Management Mission
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What educational programs are offered here? What students come here? What
professors and educators come here? What disciplines have been merged together to
make this positive life and health center vibrantly active? How did this center come to
life? Who is instrumental? What organizations have contributed most to its sustained
success? What's next?
Destiny:
What does implementation look like? What are the metrics of success? How has the
mission been served? Has the vision evolved and grown to include new educational
purposes? How many graduates are now practicing the principles taught at the positive
life and health center?
Define:
Where else in the world is this initiative being replicate? Are the centers benchmarking
and connecting with each other? What means of communication and collaboration do
they use? What strategic ideas and knowledge assets emerge from the coordinated
efforts to support the success of a knowledge-driven economy?
Initial Concept:
To envision & engage multiple disciplines and academic departments at Case in the fields
of organizational behavior, health systems management and policy, economics,
entrepreneurship, physics, psychology, sociology, anthropology, and integrative medicine
to collaboratively design new courses at Case. Together with educational partners, the
new classes and experiential learning activities will transform and empower the learner to
become a more effective contributor to a new society in NEO and the world.
Hypothesis:
Human beings are a wholistic integration of the spirit, mind, emotions, and body. Life is
an integration and harmony of these elements working together to create a whole human
life. Human Health is a function of Human Life. To design positive health, we must
design positive life across all important realms.
When we invest and direct our energies with conscious care and attention to design a
life that is perfectly aligned with the greatest harmony of these integrated dimensions,
we help ourselves and educate those around us to design wholistic lives and health.
Thus we contribute to the wellbeing of citizens of wholistic, healthy, and evolved
communities.
Health means balance and harmony and positive energy and an ability to contribute at
higher levels of innovation and benefit to society.
Vision: To unify interdisciplinary research from childhood development, to adolescence,
to adulthood, to gerontological studies to create a positive picture of life and health
across age groups various genders, ethnicities, cultures, professions, and communities
to create a balanced wholistic picture of human health.
Possibility to design educational offerings:
I. Multi-dimensional Research:
Conduct longitudinal studies via BAWB worldwide. Conduct basic and applied
research implementing the AI methodology to individual life and health principles and
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applying EI grounded research and its aspect of incorporating 360-degree feedback
to design and enhance an image of human health. Work can build on the initial
design of the Valeo Initiative looking to identify what brings positive life and health to
a human being.
Build on existing related research conducted historically (Dr. Adler) and nationwide
by faculty members applying positive psychology theory, (Dr. Martin Seligman at the
University of Pennsylvania), universities like Benedictine and Pepperdine and others.
Furthermore an extension and application of AI and EI methodology might be
directed with an inward process to discover what is ethical behavior at its best and
what is integrity at its best by study the highest moments of self-expression and
conduct. This concept proof can lead to new innovative understanding for managers
to apply corporate responsibility principles.
II.
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Educational Programs (classroom and distance learning vehicles)
Case curriculum offered to undergraduates, graduates, staff, alumni, and community
Educational Programs for: Body, Mind, Emotions, and Spirit
Arts: Music, Dance, Theatre, Visual, Culinary, Sculpture & Special Mediums
Life and Career Balance for Men, for Women, for Both
Family, Parenting, and Early Childhood Development to Successful Aging (including
classes in Learning, Beauty, Wisdom, and Wellness, etc.)
Integrating the Cognitive Sciences with the Social Sciences for Career Enhancement
Integrative programs for management and medicine
i.
Teaching and applying AI and EI philosophies to physicians, nurses, and
medical administrators and help them to develop a wholistic view of the
organization to which they belong, the role of the patient and families as
agents of healing (within CASE community and affiliated partners)
ii.
Managing Health By Design Series - teaching managers to apply holistic
thinking to positively affect their lives by learning to manage stress and
contribute creatively to their work environment; outline role of prevention and
maintenance to create a healthy workforce
University & Community health programs
i.
University extended health wellness programs for the community, applying
the AI & AI methodologies to health and wellness, as well as focusing on the
role of integrative medicine.
ii.
Study the role of positive thinking and wellness for prolonging life
Innovative Leadership training for health care executives and physicians of the 21st
century
i.
teaching health care leaders emotional intelligence skills, spiritual intelligence
skills and applying management principles of ethics by directing an inner
approach to the AI methodology
Family Business Health
i.
managing healthy relationships with family members where the next
generation can effectively incorporate their own career choices with their
responsibilities to a family business
ii.
apply management communication and career building skills with health
management skills to create healthy relationships with all members of
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organization (360 degree approach) where personal goals are openly
discussed and shared with organization and implemented with work
Corporate Training Courses on Wellness and Prevention of Human Resource
Executives - through Dively Programs
Corporate Training Courses applying AI to Creativity to spark innovation at
corporations and organizations - through Dively Programs
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II.
Online Positive Life & Health Portal - Virtual Global Community
 Inspired by Appreciative Inquiry Commons3, Positive Learning Network, University
Circle Advanced Technology Commons, Netwellness, REI's wiki4, RealNEO5,
OrgNet's In-Flow6, and other interactive social networking and connectivity tools to
co-design a positive health and life central portal for unifying communications.
(national benchmarks may include WebMD)
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And Taos Institute, The Corporation for Positive Change, Appreciative Inquiry
Partners, Barrett and Associates, The Center for Narrative Studies and
Appreciative Inquiry Consulting, Executive Edge, Imagine Chicago, ND Learning,
and The Positive Change Corps, and others.
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This online portal, designed at CASE, would serve as a central repository as well as
a channel for communication. The Positive Life & Health portal collects together the
best stories about health, wellness, and healing, from all organizations that
participate as members, including universities, health care centers, corporations,
federal, state, and municipal agencies, non-profit organizations, and others both
nationally and globally. Members can contribute content as well as pay for
educational services.
The portal would collect positive stories and breakthroughs, provide diagnostic
resources, and deliver customized health information drawing from a comprehensive
database that is continuously updated and expanded.
The health portal may be an extended application of the Business As An Agent of
World Benefit Initiative to construct an online positive learning network for
corporations to house the best golden innovations in business and apply the concept
to golden innovations in human health.
IV.
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Possibility to create new educational & wellness visitor center by the
Lakefront in Downtown Cleveland
Envisioned possibility to create a new learning and wellness visitor center by the
lakefront, whose design and development would be supported by CASE and
WSOM. This may involve a possible extension of the CASE learning campus to
include a partnership with the city, county, State of Ohio, and others to construct
a new and attractive learning and applied services sustainable facility to attract
visitors from all over the world. The new facilities would help to increase the
AI Commons: http://appreciativeinquiry.cwru.edu
REI Wiki: http://www.smartmeetingdesign.com/rei/
REALNEO http://realneo.contenthosting.org/node
http://www.orgnet.com
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visibility of CASE and enhance its partnership with the City of Cleveland. The
new center might be constructed with the imaginative help of Weatherhead's
innovative home, The Peter B. Lewis Building's designer, Architect Frank Gehry.
The newest and latest technologies can be incorporated into the design and
apply solar power panels to a dome-shaped building that would house multiple
foyers as teaching and clinical areas.
This collaborative university-city learning environment would be enhanced
through the educational contributions of CASE and affiliated partners and special
courses would be offered to corporations, visiting groups, and other
organizations, as well as individuals who wish to sign up for courses.
Here new visiting professors from around the world would have an opportunity to
conduct rotational research programs and teach on what brings life and health.
Actual clinical services for wellness education and therapy may be incorporated
into program offerings.
A wellness center incorporated with the new campus extension may attract
families and children. Furthermore an innovation and creativity center can be
housed at the new facility to support open-source economic development
activities. Additional learning programs can be incorporated for instance courses
on green urbanism, eco-cities, civic leadership and integrate this aspect through
the university sponsorship.
The new facility may house as many as 500 people. Financing models may
include regional collaborative investments and may involve the support of state
agencies, foundations, corporations, and individual donors.
Envisioned Initiative Partners at:
Case Western Reserve University
 Institute for the Study of the University in Society
 One Cleveland
 Cognitive Sciences Center
 School of Medicine
 Francis Payne Bolton School of Nursing
 Center for Science, Health, and Society
 Mandel Center for Non-Profit Organizations
 CASE Center for Collegiate Behavioral Health
 Center for Adolescent Health
 University Center for Innovations in Teaching and Education (UCITE)
 The University Center on Aging and Health
 Schubert Center for Child Development
 Center for Research on Tibet
 John Glenn Biomedical Engineering Consortium
 Childhood Studies
 Women's Studies Center
 The Law-Medicine Center
 Center for Policy Studies
 Office of University Public Affairs
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The Fairhill Center: The Intergenerational School & Integrative Studies
Case-Weatherhead School of Management
 Appreciative Inquiry, Center for BAWB & Positive Learning Network
(And other AI partners: URI, AIC, The Valeo Initiative, HeartMath, Imagine Chicago,
Positive Psychology, Voices of Hope in Media, and others)
 Health Systems Management Center
 The Physician Executive Institute
 Miller Center for Entrepreneurship
 Weatherhead Connection
 Advanced Technology Commons
 Center for Regional Economics Issues
University Circle Incorporated Member Institutions
 Children's Museum of Cleveland
 Cleveland Museum of Natural History
 Cleveland Music School Settlement
 Cleveland Psychoanalytic Society
 Gestalt Institute of Cleveland
 Judson Retirement Community
 Mt. Sinai Health Care Foundation
 University Hospitals of Cleveland
 Dittrick Medical History Center & Museum
 Health Space Cleveland
And others…
Universities Collaborative
TeamNEO
Greater Cleveland Partnership
The Cleveland Clinic
City of Cleveland
Cuyahoga County Commissioners
Cleveland Community Centers
Civic Organizations
Media Channels
Other national partners will be identified at universities and other identified strategic
partner organizations.
Phase I: Initial concept feasibility testing and definition
 Conduct longitudinal studies to determine utility of concept to higher
education in national and global organizations.
 Convene focus groups and discussions with university, health and health
care experts, and civic leaders to discuss and test the concepts and
implications to the process with which they access, utilize, deliver, and apply
health information.
Objectives:
Phase I: Vision and Planning (two-year horizon):
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Develop comprehensive business plan to discuss the interconnectivity of research
initiatives, educational programs, and clinical services and seek and develop
partners and investors in the business, social sciences, medical school and nursing
schools and other partners at CASE and Cleveland communities
Implement inter-disciplinary programs for medical students, practicing physicians and
for managers through joint courses, seminars, and workshops, and keep track of
results and impact through selected effectiveness metrics.
Begin development of technology to support future Positive Life and Health Portal
Phase II: Budget, Costs & Sources of Funding for a Positive Life & Health Center
 Tentative budget for a virtual global community for the Positive Life & Health center
is $500-$750,000.
 Tentative budget for constructing a new facility for the Positive Life & Health Center
is approximately $90 million, including the cost of the building, consulting fees,
supplemental fees, bidding costs, furniture and equipment, and other contingency
costs. A staff would be calculated separately. This building will be designed with a
sustainability perspective and will include new research technology from Case.
 The next steps in the creation of the new center include a feasibility study to refine
the needs of the specific needs of the center with key constituent groups (industry
professionals, administrators, faculty, students, etc.) and refining costs based on that
feedback. Also, specific community aspirations and expectations will be determined
and adhered to for specific features of the proposed new center. The local economic
impact will be projected on the surrounding communities. Benchmarking studies with
other universities and centers with strong similar programs around the nation and the
world will be conducted.
Possible Funding Partners:
Naming rights will be offered as recognition for the co-founding/funding partners
including Case:
 Federal Grants: Departments: Education, NIH, NSF, Commerce
 State of Ohio Grants: ODOD, Ohio Arts Council
 Greater Cleveland Foundations
 Private Sector Donations
 Surrounding Municipalities
Once the results of the initial study are completed a full business plan can be
constructed clearly illustrating the flow of inputs, value-added, and output of the center.
Here there will be a further outline providing the final specifications of the new center,
the budget, the timeline, and a plan for obtaining funding and staffing. The completed
plan will serve as a guide to progress in raising the funds and constructing the new
facility of the Case Positive Life & Health Center.
"Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it." – Goethe
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