IB9BJ-15 Strategic Thinking: Strategic Evaluation and Analysis
Introductory description
This module forms an in-depth study of Strategic Thinking.
Module aims
This module introduces students to foundational concepts of corporate and business strategy. Students also apply their acquired knowledge to a practical case. This will be a group-based experience. Students will be exposed to the theory and practice of business strategy analysis and strategy development. Students come to recognise the direct applicability of what they are learning.
Outline syllabus
This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.
The concept of strategy.
Competitive position: Outside-in strategy.
The Resource-based view: Inside-out strategy.
Business-level strategy.
Corporate-level strategy.
Hypercompetition.
Growth strategy.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
- Diagnose environmental and industrial forces that drive and constrain strategic options for business.
- Understand the key elements of strategic advantage for individual organisations against the demands of their industries.
- Analyse strategic positioning strategies of firms and evaluate them against the necessary competencies and resources of the organisation.
- Demonstrate problem-solving skills.
- Demonstrate crticial thinking and analytical skills.
Indicative reading list
Illustrative bibliography (will vary annually in response to changes in syllabus):
Core texts:
- Grant, R.M. (2016) Contemporary Strategy Analysis (9th edn) Oxford: Wiley.
- Johnson, J., Whittington, R. And Scholes, K. (2010) Exploring Strategy (9th Edition) Financial Times/Prentice Hall.
Sample academic journals: - Collis, D. J. & Rukstad, M. G. (2008) Can you say what your strategy is? Harvard Business Review, 86, 4, pp. 82-90.
- McGahan, A.M. (2004) How Industries Change, Harvard Business Review, 82, 10, pp. 86–94.
- Porter, M.E. (2008) The Five Competitive Forces that Shape Strategy, Harvard Business Review, January, pp. 79–93.
- Fox, C.R., Lovallo, D. and Powell, T.C. (Eds) (2001). Psychological Foundations of Strategic Management. Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 32(13), Special Issue, pp. 1369-1523.
Subject specific skills
Demonstrate strategic thinking which evidences an understanding of an organisation.
Critically evaluate business strategy and translate this into actionable knowledge.
Transferable skills
Develop written and verbal communication and numeracy skills.
Effective group working skills.
Demonstrate effective use of information technology.
Study time
| Type | Required |
|---|---|
| Lectures | 12 sessions of 3 hours (24%) |
| Other activity | 6 hours (4%) |
| Private study | 43 hours (29%) |
| Assessment | 65 hours (43%) |
| Total | 150 hours |
Private study description
Private Study to include preparation for lectures.
Other activity description
6 hours group presentations (indicative dependent on student numbers).
Costs
No further costs have been identified for this module.
You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.
Assessment group A1
| Weighting | Study time | Eligible for self-certification | |
|---|---|---|---|
Assessment component |
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| Individual Assignment | 60% | 39 hours | Yes (extension) |
Reassessment component is the same |
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Assessment component |
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| Group Presentation and Report | 40% | 26 hours | No |
Reassessment component is the same |
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Feedback on assessment
Assessments are graded using standard University Postgraduate Marking Criteria and written feedback is provided. Feedback for individual essays includes comments on a marksheet.
Courses
This module is Core for:
- Year 1 of TIBS-N1P2 Postgraduate Taught Business Administration