Corporate Strategy

Code

BUSI4437

School

Business

Level

4

Credits

10

Semesters

Spring UK

Summary

Strategic analysis; industry analysis; positioning; creating and sustaining competitive advantage; diversification; strategic decision making; strategy practice and implementation; strategy and organisation; strategic leadership.

Target Students

Available for MSc Business & Management students OR MSc International Tourism Management and Marketing OR MSc Civil Engineering and Management students OR MSc Exchange students.

Classes

• One 2-hour lecture each week for 11 weeks

Lectures (22 hours) Independent study (background reading 40 hours, case preparation 10 hours, revision 28 hours)

Assessment

• 100% Exam (2-hour): Online exam (Answer 3 questions out of a possible 6)

Assessed by end of spring semester

Educational Aims

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and understanding: 
This module develops a knowledge and understanding of:
•    Markets - the development and operation of markets for resources, goods and services
•    Customers and stakeholders - customer expectations, service and orientation
•    People – strategic  and operational HRM, meeting future organisational requirements, people development, HR systems
•    The management of resources
•    The importance of sustainability issues, including an understanding of the challenges and opportunities arising from the activities of people and organisations on the economic, social and environmental conditions of the future.
•    Leadership and management of people within organisations – leadership, organisational behaviour and motivation
•    Strategic management - the development and implementation of appropriate strategies within a changing environment

Intellectual Skills: 
This module develops:
•    Being able to think critically and be creative: manage the creative processes in self and others; organise thoughts, analyse, synthesise and critically appraise. This includes the capability to identify assumptions, evaluate statements in terms of evidence, detect false logic or reasoning, identify implicit values, define terms adequately and generalise appropriately
•    Being able to solve complex problems and make decisions: establish criteria, using appropriate decision-making techniques including identifying, formulating and solving business problems; and the ability to create, identify and evaluate options; the ability to implement and review decisions
•    Using information and knowledge effectively in order to abstract meaning from information and to share knowledge, including the use of quantitative skills

Professional Practical Skills: 
This module develops:
•    The ability to conduct research and enquiry into business and management issues either individually or as part of a team through research design, the collection and analysis of qualitative data, synthesis and reporting
•    Leadership and performance management: selecting appropriate leadership style for different situations; setting objectives, motivating, monitoring performance, coaching and mentoring
•    The ability to recognise the need for and initiate change and to be able to manage change
•    The ability to recognise and address ethical dilemmas, corporate social responsibility and sustainability issues, applying ethical and organisational values to situations and choices
 

Transferable (key) Skills: 
This module develops:
•    Listening, oral and written communication of complex ideas and arguments 
•    High personal effectiveness: critical self-awareness, self-reflection and self-management; time management; displaying commercial acumen, the ability to continue to learn through reflection on practice and experience
 

Conveners

• Dr Ziyi Wei