Introductory description

Strategic management is concerned with the commitments, processes, decisions, actions, investments, and choices that relate to how organisations define and achieve their central purposes over the long run. It is about how companies determine their vision and mission, how they prioritize between strategic alternatives, and how such choices are implemented. Strategy necessarily crosses units of analysis since it relates to the success of whole companies, as well as that of their constituent business units, functional departments, and their wider networks. Strategy is also integrative in the sense that successful strategy formulation and implementation involves coordination across the numerous functional and cross‐functional domains that comprise most companies. Strategy encompasses numerous themes and elements including strategy process, strategy practice, innovation, leadership, positioning, resourcing and differentiation. Strategy is complex and all-pervasive and it is this complexity that the module is oriented towards.

Module web page

Module aims

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.

1. Introduction to Strategy

A history of the development of the subject

Concepts and key definitions

Viewing strategy as a systemic framework

1. Analysis for Strategic Decision

Industry analysis and competitive strategy

Sources of competitive advantage

1. Strategy Analysis

The market based view

Market segments and strategic groups

Competitive strategy

Strategic capability

Corporate strategy – adding value in multi-business firms

Mergers, acquisitions and alliances

Global strategies and international advantage

The new economy

1. Strategy and Organisation

Process analyses for strategic decision making

Risk uncertainty and strategy

Strategic Change

Organisational learning

Corporate Governance

Measuring and assessing strategic performance

Knowledge, innovation and scenarios.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate a thorough knowledge of mainstream theories, models, and concepts related to Strategy
• Demonstrate critical analytical skills
• Ability to present ideas and support them using empirical and/or theoretical work
• Be able to perform in-depth analysis of case studies and academic literature

Indicative reading list

Grant, R. M. (2012) Contemporary strategy analysis: text and cases. Wiley.

Johnson, G., Whittington R., Scholes K., Angwin D., Regnér P., (2017) Exploring strategy: text & cases. Pearson

Johnson, G., Whittington R., Scholes K., Angwin D., Regnér P., Pyle, S. (2014) Exploring strategy: text & cases. Pearson

Robert Grant, Contemporary Strategy Analysis (9th ed.) (2016). Wiley

Gareth Jones & Charles Hill, Theory of Strategic Management (10th ed.) (2012)

Mc Gee, J. Thomas, H. and Wilson, D. (2005) Strategy Analysis and Practice. Text and Cases. Mc Graw-Hill. London.

Cummings S. and Wilson, D. (2003). Images of Strategy. Blackwell Publishers. Oxford.

De Witt and Meyer (2004) Strategy Synthesis. Thomson Learning. London.

Gerry Johnson, Richard Whittington, & Kevan Scholes, Exploring Corporate Strategy (10th ed.). (2007) Prentice Hall

Subject specific skills

Connect theoretical work with application to business problems and links to corporate performance

Transferable skills

Problem solving skills