The Anti-Counterfeiting and Product Protection Program (A-CAPPP) within the School of Criminal Justice at Michigan State University will offer an Executive Education seminar in anti-counterfeiting based on the graduate course 'Anti-Counterfeit Strategy and Product Protection.' The seminar examines the overall strategy based on the opportunity (crime), looking closer at categorizing the actions (types of counterfeiting, types of counterfeiters, etc.), and the victim (consumers and retailers), including consumer roles in authentication.

Risk assessment will build on a vulnerability assessment of products, then go on how to present data to analysis to Chief Financial Officers (CFO) to show that this is a real problem. When agreement within a brand holding organization is obtained on scope, scale, and threat, it becomes possible to move on to a logical and transparent discussion about types of countermeasures, what they will do, what level of success is possible, and how to measure success. The key to measuring success is agreeing upon expectations of those involved in the process. This assessment and analysis focuses on vulnerability reduction, not on a ROI type exercise in order to avoid miss-framing the objectives of product security programs. Often miss-framing of product security objectives has been the downfall of projects, managers, and even entire brand protection groups.

The title is Anti-Counterfeit Strategy but will also cover: diversion/gray market, cargo theft, shoplifting/return fraud, broader consumer product fraud, ISO standards on counterfeiting, tamper resistance, legislation, and Federal Register/laws & regulation updates.

Previously this course has been offered on an invitation-only basis to brand owners. The course will have clear applications that have been utilized by leaders, in food, healthcare/ pharmaceutical, consumer products, consumer electronics, apparel, retail, distribution, and others. Although the course is now being offered to others besides brand owners who want to participate in it, it should not be viewed as a basic course. It is an advanced course for professionals who can periodically use the course to update their analytical and strategic approach to these problems. 'The overall program focuses on the underlying drivers of the fraud opportunity, and we take a holistic all encompassing perspective, we can understand why the bad guys act the way they do. When we understand the nature of the fraud and the nature of the fraudsters, then we can more efficiently select countermeasures,' said Dr. John Spink, the course professor.

Spink will lead the course with three guest lecturers giving short presentations relevant to course material. These guest lecturers include: David Howard, Global Director, Brand Protection, Johnson & Johnson, Sarah Price, US Customs and Border Protection, and Randall Burgess from Authentication News® and Pharma Anti-Counterfeiting News.

The course runs from 8am to 5pm on both Wednesday, October 19 and Thursday, October 20, 2011, in East Lansing, Michigan (Lansing airport or 80 miles to Detroit). The tuition is $1950 and includes breakfast and lunch. More details are in the link to the flier. The course will be limited to 50 participants.

Course Link: http://www.a-cappp.msu.edu/files/ACAPPPEXED.pdf

Registration Link: https://noncredit.msu.edu/listSections.action?offeringid=606