Skip to main content Skip to navigation

Module Catalogue

IB3D8-15 Corporate Strategy

Department
Warwick Business School
Level
Undergraduate Level 3
Module leader
Juha Uotila
Credit value
15
Module duration
10 weeks
Assessment
Multiple
Study location
University of Warwick main campus, Coventry

Download as PDF

Introductory description

This is an elective module available for WBS and non-WBS students.

The module provides students with a sound basis for understanding corporate strategy. The managerial perspective may be of use for students intending to work in the corporate world, and provides frameworks for business analysis and strategy. The module also provides multiple perspectives upon corporate strategy which broadens perceptions of the scope of the academic subject.

Module web page

Module aims

The module aims to:
Develop an understanding of the nature of the changing business environment.
Build awareness of strategy choices within various business situations.
Establish the foundations for strategic decisions based upon the concept of strategic advantage.
Develop skills in structuring and analysing strategic management situations.

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.

What is Strategy
Analysing the External Environment
Analysing the Internal Environment
Creating a Competitive Strategy
Formulating a Corporate Strategy
Executing a Corporate Strategy: Game Theory and Alliances
Executing a Corporate Strategy: Mergers and Acquisitions
Corporate Strategy and Organization Design
Corporate Strategy and (Sustainable) Innovation

Learning outcomes

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

  • Critically analyse a company's strategic situation.
  • Demonstrate a critical understanding of the nature of the changing business environment and carry out comparative analysis of strategy choices within various business situations.
  • Think strategically i.e. not be limited to functional myopia but be capable of perceiving a wider and picture and begin to tackle functional and intra-organisational tensions.

Indicative reading list

Grant, R. 2018. Contemporary Strategy Analysis (10th edition). John Wiley & Sons.
Whittington, R., Regner, P., Angwin, D., Johnson, G., Scholes, K. 2019. Exploring Strategy (12th edition). Pearson Education Ltd.
Additional Reading
Stout, L. A. (2012). The problem of corporate purpose. Issues in Governance Studies.
Porter, M. E. (2008). The Five Competitive Forces That Shape Strategy. Harvard Business Review.
Articles
Bower, J. L., & Paine, L. S. (2017). The Error at the Heart of Corporate Leadership. Harvard Business Review, 95(3): 50-60.
Durand, R., Grant, R. M., & Madsen, T. L. (2017). The expanding domain of strategic management research and the quest for integration. Strategic Management Journal, 38(1): 4-16.
Furrer, O., Thomas, H., & Goussevskaia, A. (2008). The structure and evolution of the strategic management field: A content analysis of 26 years of strategic management research. International Journal of Management Reviews, 10(1): 1-23.
Jensen, M. C. (2001). Value maximisation, stakeholder theory, and the corporate objective function. European Financial Management, 7(3), 297-317.
Kaplan, R. S. and Norton, D. P. (1996). Using the Balanced Scorecard as a Strategic Management System. Harvard Business Review, 74(1), 75-85.
Mintzberg, H. & Lampel, J. (1999). Reflecting on the strategy process. MIT Sloan Management Review, 40(3), 21-30.
Nag, R., Hambrick, D. C., and Chen, M. J. (2007). What is strategic management, really? Inductive derivation of a consensus definition of the field. Strategic Management Journal, 28, 935-955

Subject specific skills

Demonstrate skills in structuring and analysing strategic management situations.
Link multiple levels of analysis.
Recognise process effects.

Transferable skills

Analyse and evaluate strategic situations.
Present in writing the results of strategic analysis.

Study time

Type Required
Lectures 10 sessions of 2 hours (13%)
Seminars 9 sessions of 1 hour (6%)
Private study 48 hours (32%)
Assessment 73 hours (49%)
Total 150 hours

Private study description

Private Study.

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 A2
Weighting Study time Eligible for self-certification
Individual Assignment (15 CATS) 90% 65 hours Yes (extension)
Participation (15 CATS) 10% 8 hours No
Assessment group R
Weighting Study time Eligible for self-certification
Individual Assignment 100% Yes (extension)
Feedback on assessment

A percentage mark (using the UG 20 point scale) plus individual feedback and developmental comments on assignment coversheet.

Courses

This module is Optional for:

  • UIBA-N20B BSc in Management
    • Year 3 of N20B Management
    • Year 3 of N20B Management
    • Year 3 of N23K Management with Accounting
    • Year 3 of N234 Management with Digital Business
    • Year 3 of N235 Management with Entrepreneurship
    • Year 3 of N232 Management with Finance
    • Year 3 of N252 Management with Marketing
    • Year 3 of N23L Management with Strategy and Organisation
  • UIBA-MN3C Law and Business Four Year (Qualifying Degree)
    • Year 3 of MN3C Law and Business Four Year (Qualifying Degree)
    • Year 4 of MN3C Law and Business Four Year (Qualifying Degree)
  • Year 3 of UIBA-N400 Undergraduate Accounting and Finance
  • UIBA-N404 Undergraduate Accounting and Finance (with Foundation Year and Placement/Undergraduate Partnership Programme)
    • Year 5 of N4N7 Accounting and Finance (Foundation Year and Intercalated)
    • Year 5 of N404 Accounting and Finance (Foundation Year and Placement)
    • Year 5 of N405 Accounting and Finance (Foundation Year and UPP)
    • Year 5 of N403 Accounting and Finance (with Foundation Year)
  • Year 4 of UIBA-N403 Undergraduate Accounting and Finance (with Foundation Year)
  • UIBA-N401 Undergraduate Accounting and Finance (with Placement Year/Undergraduate Partnership Programme)
    • Year 4 of N401 Accounting and Finance (Placement)
    • Year 4 of N402 Accounting and Finance (Undergraduate Partnership Programme)
  • Year 3 of UCSA-I1N1 Undergraduate Computer Science with Business Studies
  • Year 4 of UCSA-I1NA Undergraduate Computer Science with Business Studies (with Intercalated Year)
  • Year 1 of UIOA-EEU Undergraduate EU Exchange
  • Year 4 of UGEA-RN21 Undergraduate German and Business Studies
  • Year 3 of UIPA-L8N1 Undergraduate Global Sustainable Development and Business
  • Year 4 of UIBA-N1RA Undergraduate International Business with French
  • Year 4 of UIBA-N1RB Undergraduate International Business with German
  • Year 4 of UIBA-N1RC Undergraduate International Business with Italian
  • Year 4 of UIBA-N1RD Undergraduate International Business with Spanish
  • UIBA-N20F Undergraduate International Management
    • Year 4 of N20F International Management
    • Year 4 of N20F International Management
    • Year 4 of N20S International Management (with Accounting)
    • Year 4 of N20T International Management (with Chinese)
    • Year 4 of N20P International Management (with Entrepreneurship)
    • Year 4 of N20M International Management (with Finance)
    • Year 4 of N20U International Management (with French)
    • Year 4 of N20L International Management (with Marketing)
    • Year 4 of N20V International Management (with Spanish)
    • Year 4 of N20W International Management (with Strategy and Organisation)
    • Year 4 of N20N International Management with Digital Business
    • Year 4 of N20E Management (with Foundation Year)
    • Year 4 of N234 Management with Digital Business
  • Year 3 of UIBA-MN3A Undergraduate Law and Business Studies
  • UIBA-N20G Undergraduate Management (with Foundation Year and Intercalated Year/Undergraduate Partnership Programme)
    • Year 5 of N20G Management (Foundation Year and Intercalated)
    • Year 5 of N20H Management (Foundation Year and UPP)
    • Year 5 of N23B Management with Finance (with Foundation Year and Intercalated Year)
    • Year 5 of N23C Management with Finance (with Foundation Year and Undergraduate Partnership Programme)
    • Year 5 of N25B Management with Marketing (with Foundation Year and Intercalated Year)
    • Year 5 of N25C Management with Marketing (with Foundation Year and Undergraduate Partnership Programme)
  • UIBA-N20E Undergraduate Management (with Foundation Year)
    • Year 4 of N20E Management (with Foundation Year)
    • Year 4 of N23N Management with Accounting (with Foundation Year and Placement Year)
    • Year 4 of N23M Management with Accounting (with Foundation Year)
    • Year 4 of N23E Management with Digital Business (with Foundation Year)
    • Year 4 of N23F Management with Entrepreneurship (with Foundation Year)
    • Year 4 of N23D Management with Finance (with Foundation Year)
    • Year 4 of N252 Management with Marketing
    • Year 4 of N254 Management with Marketing (with Foundation Year)
    • Year 4 of N23P Management with Strategy and Organisation (with Foundation Year)
  • UIBA-N20C Undergraduate Management (with Placement Year/Undergraduate Partnership Programme)
    • Year 4 of N20M International Management (with Finance)
    • Year 4 of N20B Management
    • Year 4 of N20D Management (Undergraduate Partnership Programme)
    • Year 4 of N20C Management (with Placement Year)
    • Year 4 of N20Q Management with Accounting (with Placement Year)
    • Year 4 of N236 Management with Digital Business (with Placement Year)
    • Year 4 of N237 Management with Entrepreneurship (with Placement Year)
    • Year 4 of N232 Management with Finance
    • Year 4 of N233 Management with Finance (with Placement Year)
    • Year 4 of N253 Management with Marketing (with Placement Year)
    • Year 4 of N23L Management with Strategy and Organisation
    • Year 4 of N20R Management with Strategy and Organisation (with Placement Year)
  • Year 3 of UMAA-G1N4 Undergraduate Mathematics with Business Studies
  • Year 4 of UMAA-G1N5 Undergraduate Mathematics with Business Studies (with Intercalated Year)
  • UIOA-EOS Undergraduate Overseas Exchange
    • Year 1 of UEOS Undergraduate Overseas Exchange
    • Year 1 of UEOS Undergraduate Overseas Exchange
  • Year 3 of UPXA-F3N1 Undergraduate Physics and Business Studies
  • Year 4 of UPXA-F3ND Undergraduate Physics and Business Studies (with Intercalated Year)
  • Year 1 of UIOA-EUS Undergraduate USA Exchange

This module is Core option list A for:

  • Year 4 of UIPA-L8N2 Undergraduate Global Sustainable Development and Business Studies (with Intercalated Year)