Why are some firms more successful than others, and what, if anything, does strategy have to do with it? Because superior performance accrues to firms with a competitive advantage, this course examines how firms develop and maintain competitive advantage. Strategy is the field of management that has been developed to help general managers (as opposed to functional managers whose responsibilities focus on one particular function such as finance, production, marketing, human resources, IT etc.), make better decisions that will improve the competitive position of the organization in the long run and create value for its key stakeholders. The field of strategy is made up of all theories, concepts, methods and tools that top managers can use to ensure the profitable and long-term growth of their organizations. It divides into works on content of strategy - what activities and sectors the organization will compete in and how it will compete in those -, and process of strategy - the mechanisms by which organizations choose to compete in certain ways, activities and sectors and how they implement these choices. Both process and content approaches address issues of business and corporate-level strategy.

Course Content:

• Nature and context of strategic management
• Theories, concepts and models of strategic analysis
• Applications to strategic management practice

The fundamental focus of the strategy core course is on helping participants develop skills that will allow them to make robust strategic decisions in the face of uncertainty and complexity. By the end of the module participants will be able to synthesize the set of concepts and frameworks you have gained to address challenging strategic management problems. In particular, you will be able to:

• Analyze industry structure and environmental trends to assess industry potential
• Evaluate firms’ competitive positioning and assess firm-level resources and capabilities
• Formulate business-unit and corporate strategies to achieve competitive advantage
• Evaluate and manage complex ethical and social issues facing firms in implementing strategy and organizing the firm for strategic success.

Method of Instruction:

The course will be taught through a mixture of case discussions and lectures.  Each session of the course will focus on a specific subset of corporate strategic decisions. The class will mix theoretical content (with a particular focus on mastering the tools to present, frame and analyse a corporate strategy) and practical cases. Students will be invited to participate and share their thoughts on theoretical and practical considerations in relation with the content of the course. They should feel free to ask questions and discuss, especially if they want to clarify or challenge the content covered in the course. 

Regarding the form of individual assessment, it will be 100% coursework (essay of 2,500 words): 

You will prepare and write up a complete strategic analysis of the current and prospects for a company of your choice. The paper should contain a comprehensive industry and market analysis, including a detailed analysis of relevant competitors, and conclude with strategic recommendations (including corporate and business strategies) for top management. The selection of companies for strategic analysis is entirely up to each student; however, firms in industries that are in transition or firms that are undergoing major strategic changes are potentially more interesting.  You should conclude your essay with a brief description of if/how you used LLM tools in the preparation of your analysis.

Book

Contemporary Strategy Analysis, 12th Edition

Robert M. Grant

ISBN: 978-1394251599 December 2024 512 Pages