BUSI41L15: STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT (EBS)

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• To examine how companies attempt different business and corporate strategies to achieve or maintain a competitive advantage.
• To give students an in-depth understanding at an advanced level of strategy formulation and implementation under conditions of changing industry competition, firm resources, and technology.
• To provide an in-depth understanding and critical evaluation of specialist techniques to aid analysis of the competitive and contextual environment.

• Business and corporate strategy formulation and implementation: the process of developing strategy; making strategic choices; analysing the competitive and contextual environment; implementing strategy.

Subject-specific Knowledge:

• By the end of this module, students should:
• Have a critical appreciation of the main strengths and weaknesses of various strategic actions such as diversification, internationalization, technological first-mover, and joint-venturing;
• Have an advanced understanding of many of the routinely-encountered difficulties in strategy implementation and have methods at hand to address those difficulties;

Subject-specific Skills:

• By the end of this module, students should:
• Be able to think strategically and critically about a firm, as well as functionally;
• Be able to define a firm's main capabilities, competencies and competitive advantages;
• Be able to critically analyse the non-market environment of business on firms, such as the strategic constraints and opportunities presented by social and political developments.
• Be able to conduct an in-depth industry analysis and gain advanced understanding of its strengths and limitations;
• Be able to develop and defend a cohesive organizational strategy;
• Be able to undertake critical appraisal of relevant strategic management literature and tools, and apply critical judgement and discrimination;
• Be aware of, and familiar with, methods employed in formulating and implementing corporate strategies;
• Be aware of, and familiar with, tools and techniques to analyse the competitive and contextual environment.

Key Skills:

• Building and developing teams.
• Negotiating and persuading.
• Sourcing appropriate data and evaluating evidence.
• Interpreting and using numerical and financial information.
• Reflecting and synthesising from experience.
• Developing critical thinking.
• Synthesising diverse perspectives.
• Developing coherent and persuasive arguments.
• Selecting appropriate modes of communication.
• Presenting effectively using oral, written and technological media.

• Learning outcomes will be met through a combination of lectures, groupwork, case studies and discussion, supported by guided reading. The summative written assignment will test students understanding of, and ability to apply, relevant strategy concepts and strategic planning frameworks, together with their acquisition and articulation of knowledge.

Classroom-based exercises involving individual and group analyses and presentations on specific business situations/problems relevant to the learning outcomes of the module. Oral and written feedback will be given on a group and individual basis as appropriate.

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