module specification

The module equips aspiring managers with the skills and techniques required to critically analyse contemporary organisations and to develop realistic, creative, and informed proposals for future strategic direction and change implementation.

• To develop knowledge and understanding of a range of practical strategic management tools for analysis, choice making and implementation and how to critically select and apply them in a wide range of contexts
• To enable students to use their analysis of contemporary organisations to develop persuasive, creative, realistic and informed proposals for an organisation’s future strategic direction and goals
• To develop an understanding of different forms of strategising activity, the range of different strategy roles and the skill set required to be an effective  strategy practitioner
• To enhance student employability by developing transferable skills such as researching, analysis, evaluation and decision making, presenting data, persuading and implementing

The module also aims to assist students in the acquisition of the following skills:
1. Academic  reading
2. Researching
3. Analysing data
4. Completing tasks and projects
5. Commercial awareness
6. Application of knowledge and presenting data
7. Career management

• What is strategy? Definition and links with other disciplines
• Strategy analysis: analysing organisational purpose and scope
• Strategy analysis: Analysing the internal and external environment
• Strategy choice: assessing business unit and corporate level strategy options
• Strategy choice: evaluating strategic choices and making strategic decisions
• Strategy impact: persuading and influencing others, strategy buy-in
• Strategy impact: designing and implementing strategic change
• Different schools of strategic thought
• Different processes and practices of strategy making
• Strategic leadership
• So you want to work in a strategy role? Understanding the variety of strategy jobs and the skills required to be an effective strategist

This module will be delivered through weekly workshops which will be enhanced with day long activities twice during the course of the academic year. These day long events will involve participation in competitive  business simulations
A key starting point for the workshops will be an explanation to the students for the choice of this method of delivery and exploration and advice as to how individuals can maximise their own learning. Concepts of action and experiential learning will be revisited and students reminded to focus particularly on the opportunities the classroom sessions provide to engage in, and reflect upon, their aspirations as soon to be graduates.  These weekly workshops will consist of a combination of theoretical input, reports on independent reading, action centred and problem-based tasks, supported by multimedia, including DVDs and student led discussions and peer evaluation of set tasks’ Theoretical input will focus on the explanation of key strategic tools and outlining the stages in the formulation and implementation of strategic decisions. Classroom sessions will be supported with timetabled weekly on line discussions which will be facilitated by tutorial staff and enable students from the different groups to interact.

Weblearn: will be used for the distribution of the Module booklet. It will also be used as an interactive mechanism between students and tutors, for example, to direct students to particular readings or to provide news about the module or the module content. It will also be used for the timely provision of generic feedback following formative assessment.
The portfolios will be stored on an appropriate e platform.

On completing the module students will be able to

1. Analyse an organisation or industry situation using an appropriate range of strategic management frameworks and analytical concepts and techniques.
2. Develop and evaluate a range of strategic options to address strategic issues in a particular organisational situation and present a persuasive case for a particular course of action
3. Identify the main issues confronting an organisation when developing and implementing strategic change and make recommendations for managing and implementing change effectively
4. Demonstrate an understanding of a range of different approaches to the process of strategy development and be able to critically discuss the limitations and relevance of different approaches and  practices for a particular context, such as a very fast-changing  environment
5. Work effectively both in a team and independently on a given business task or project. Be able to reflect on own contribution and provide constructive feedback on the contribution of others.
6. Demonstrate an understanding of the range of different types of strategy roles and the different skills required as a strategy practitioner, for example, for planners, analysts, strategy consultants

Core text book
Johnson G, Whittington R & Scholes K (2011), Exploring Strategy, Ed9, Prentice Hall

Recommended reading
Grant R (2010), Contemporary Strategy Analysis: concepts, techniques, applications Ed 7. Blackwell.
Grant R and Jordan J (2012 forthcoming) Foundations of Strategy, Wiley
Ireland, R., Hoskisson, R, and Hitt, M. (2009) The Management of Strategy: Concepts and Cases, 8th Ed. Cengage Learning
Johnson G, Scholes K and Whittington R (2009), Fundamentals of Strategy, Prentice Hall.
Lynch  R (2008) Strategic Management, 5th Edition, Prentice Hall.
Wickham, P and Wickham. L (2008) Management Consulting: Delivering an Effective Project, Ed 3. Prentice Hall

Academic Journals
Long Range Planning and Harvard Business Review and Strategic Management Journal
are all available via the Library catalogue