Business Strategy

Teaching Hours and Credit Allocation:	24 hours, 6 credits
Course Assessment:	Coursework + Exam

Aims

This course aims to provide an understanding of the basic principles and practice of strategic management, both external to the organisation, and internal within the organisation. It is concerned with strategic decision-making in implementing strategy to secure the long term success of the organisation. It takes the perspective of the manager who is responsible for a whole unit. That may be the Chief Executive of a company, or the General Manager of a business unit.

Learning Outcomes

Understanding the role of single business strategy for an organisation and the basic tools of the strategist
Developing an understanding for the principles and challenges of strategic analysis and strategy formulation
Understand the content of strategy theories including the importance of industry context, the positioning and resource-based views of the firm, and the theory of competitive advantage
Understand how to analyse data about a company and how to build a strategic argument
Understand the concepts of strategy processes including the way in which strategy is formulated
Understand the content of strategy theories including the importance of synergy, the capability-based views of the firm, and the theory of strategic change
Identify, diagnose and analyse opportunities and strategies for diversified companies facing competitive challenges in multiple dynamic industries
Understand strategy processes including the way in which strategy is formulated, and the processes of managing strategic change to implement strategy

Content

Establishing Direction: Strategic Vision and Objectives
External Analysis: Industry Environment and Competitive Forces
Internal Analysis: Company Resources and Capabilities
Single-Business Strategy
Multibusiness Strategy: Diversification
Multibusiness Strategy: International Strategy
Strategy Implementation: General Framework
Strategy Implementation: Systems, Leadership and Culture