BUSI4O710: 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 political, economic, sociocultural and technological conditions, industry competition and firm resources.
• To provide an in-depth understanding and critical evaluation of specialist techniques to aid analysis of the competitive and contextual environment.
• To explore contemporary debates in strategic management research.

• Business and corporate strategy formulation and implementation
• The process of developing strategy
• Making strategic choices
• Analysing the competitive and contextual environment
• Contemporary debates in strategic management research

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 and joint-venturing;
• Have an advanced understanding of strategic decision-making within organisations, including the inter-action between corporate/business strategies and the other functions and disciplines within the organisation;
• Have a critical appreciation of the key debates within contemporary research into strategic management.

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 analyse critically the non-market environment of business on firms, such as the strategic constraints and opportunities presented by social, environmental sustainability, 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 business and corporate strategies;
• Be aware of, and familiar with, tools and techniques to analyse the competitive and contextual environment;
• Be able to understand the implications for the strategic purpose and ethical stance of an organisation arising from the influence of different stakeholder groups within the organisation.

Key Skills:

• 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.
• Making effective use of communication and information technology

• Learning outcomes are met through classroom-based workshops, supported by online resources. The workshops consist of a combination of taught input, groupwork, case studies and discussion. Online resources provide preparatory material for the workshops typically consisting of directed reading and video content.
• The formative assessment consists of classroom-based exercises involving individual and group analyses and presentations on specific business situations/problems relevant to the learning outcomes of the module.
• The summative assessment is a written assignment in the form of a case study analysis which is designed to test the acquisition and articulation of knowledge and critical understanding, and skills of application and interpretation within the business context.

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/or individual basis as appropriate.

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