Strategic Management

Convenor: Dr Anna Dempster
Assessment: The deadline for coursework is 9th April 2012 (Absolute Cut-Off deadline – 30th April 2012)

Aims

• To investigate the contribution of strategy and the role of strategic management in organisations.
• To provide students with an advanced understanding of common strategic models and frameworks and an understanding of their benefits as well as limitations.
• To introduce important theoretical concepts and an appreciation of seminal writers and relevant academic literatures.
• To provide experience of strategic analysis and formulation both as individuals and within teams and develop the ability to analyse specific case studies as well as generic solutions.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• demonstrate a sound grasp of classical tools used in strategic analysis and to capably apply them to different cases and contexts
• outline the underlying theories on which these tools are based and the academic research from which they have been developed
• think deeply and rigorously and address the fundamental ideas in strategy research and challenges in strategic management

Content

This module explores the rich field of strategic management and how strategic analysis and strategy formulation contribute to firm performance. The module will provide practically relevant ideas and frameworks that facilitate strategy design and implementation – and help you appreciate and assess the work of a ‘strategists’. You will be expected to develop a sound grasp of classical tools used in strategic analysis and to capably apply them to different contexts and cases. You will also be expected to acquire an appreciation of the underlying theories on which these tools are based and the academic research from which they have been developed. This assumes that you are willing to think deeply and rigorously and to address the fundamental ideas in strategy research and the challenges in strategic management.  We begin by considering the question ‘what is strategy?’, which will be re-evaluated as we proceed. Subjects covered in the syllabus will include aspects of both strategy process and content, as well as its evolution and design. We will consider methods for firm-based internal analysis of resources and competencies as well as external analysis of industry and the competitive environment.  We will consider strategy at different levels of analysis including functional, business and corporate. Strategies for a variety of contexts will be assessed, with special consideration given to high-tech-environments and international settings. Over the course of these sessions a range of relevant academic theories will be covered and discussed.

Background reading

You will be informed in the first lecture which specific books are recommended for purchase. The main sources of journal articles will be Strategic Management Journal, Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Review and Harvard Business Review. Supplementary and key reading material will be advised throughout the duration of the module.