Harold Kerzner, Ph.D.
Dr. Harold D. Kerzner, Ph.D., is Senior Executive Director at the International Institute for Learning, Inc., a global learning solutions company that conducts training for leading corporations throughout the world.
He is a globally recognized expert on project, program, and portfolio management, total quality management, and strategic planning. Dr. Kerzner is the author of bestselling books and texts, including the acclaimed Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling, Thirteenth Edition. His latest book, Project Management Next Generation: The Pillars for Organizational Excellence, co-authored with Dr. Al Zeitoun and Dr. Ricardo Viana Vargas, delivers an expert discussion on project management implementation of all kinds.
Dr. Harold Kerzner is a globally recognized expert in project, program, and portfolio management, innovation, and strategic planning, and Senior Executive Director at International Institute for Learning (IIL). For 50 years, Dr. Kerzner has shared vital guidance for making project management a strategic tool for competitive advantage and helping companies around the world build a powerful foundation for company improvement and excellence.
Dr. Kerzner has published or presented engineering and business papers and has published more than 60 college textbooks/workbooks on project management, including later editions. His books include Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling and Controlling; Project Management Metrics, KPIs and Dashboards; Project Management Case Studies; Project Management Best Practices: Achieving Global Excellence; PM 2.0: The Future of Project Management; Using the Project Management Maturity Model; and Innovation Project Management.
He is a charter member of the Northeast Ohio PMI Chapter.
He traveled around the world conducting project management lectures for PMI Chapters and companies in Japan, China, Russia, Brazil, Singapore, India, Korea, South Africa, Canada, Ireland, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Poland, Croatia, Mexico, Trinidad, Barbados, The Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Venezuela, Columbia, United Arab Emirates, France, Italy, England, and Switzerland. He delivered a keynote speech at a PMI Global Congress on the future of project management.
Dr. Kerzner’s recognitions include the following:
- As a Mission Partner of the Project Management Institute Educational Foundation (PMIEF), IIL is proud to create endowed scholarships in the name of Dr. Harold Kerzner to support project management education and excellence, in partnership with Project Management Institute Educational Foundation (PMIEF). The Dr. Harold Kerzner Scholarships are four academic scholarships awarded to undergraduates and graduates for studies in project management.
- The prestigious Kerzner International Project Manager of the Year Award, presented to one project manager yearly anywhere in the world who has demonstrated excellence in project management, by Project Management Institute (National Organization) in partnership with IIL.
- Distinguished Recent Alumni Award in 1981 for his contributions to the field of project management, granted by The University of Illinois.
- 1998 Distinguished Service Award for his contributions to the field of project management, presented by Utah State University
- The Northeast Ohio Chapter of the Project Management Institute gives out the Kerzner Award once a year to one project manager in Northeast Ohio that has demonstrated excellence in project management. They also give out a second Kerzner Award for Project of the Year in Northeast Ohio.
- Baldwin-Wallace University has instituted the Kerzner Distinguished Lecturer Series in project management.
- The Italian Institute of Project Management presented Dr. Kerzner with the 2019 International ISIPM Award for his contributions to the field of project management.
Dr. Kerzner has an MS and Ph.D. in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from the University of Illinois and an MBA from Utah State University. He taught engineering at the University of Illinois and business administration at Utah State University, and for 38 years taught project management at Baldwin-Wallace University.
Authored Articles
10 Emerging Project Management Trends In 2024
By Elissa Farrow, Ph.D. and Harold Kerzner, Ph.D.
Stepping into 2024, we believe that the project management trends will reflect a notable shift from traditional methodologies towards more dynamic, business-focused, and people-centric approaches.
Project Health Checks
By Harold Kerzner, Ph.D.
Projects seem to progress quickly until they are about 60-70% complete. Then, perhaps without any warning, the truth comes out and we discover that the project is in trouble. Rather than relying on metrics alone, the simplest solution might be to perform periodic health checks on the project.
The Growth in Importance of Project Value
By Harold Kerzner, Ph.D.
The term “project value” has had multiple interpretations based upon the type of project, when in the project life cycle the term is used, and who is using the term.
Understanding Project Management Complexity
By Dr. Harold Kerzner
Organizational projects are by nature far-reaching and complex. Understanding how corporate projects start and take shape, and recognizing different types of complexity can help you determine the appropriate methodology for the project.
The Growth of Assistant Project Managers
By Harold Kerzner, Ph.D.
In the early years of project management, it became apparent that some projects required a management team to be successful.
The Impact That Artificial Intelligence Might Have on Project Management Practices
By Harold Kerzner, Ph.D. and Elissa Farrow, Ph.D.
Today, with the growth in artificial intelligence (AI), the position of the Project Officer for legal may return but may be called the Project Officer for Ethical AI.
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