Core Course: Strategic Management

December 2008 - March 2009

Objective

·    To acquire familiarity with the principal concepts, frameworks, techniques of strategic management, and integrate the knowledge gained in previous and parallel courses, viz., the foundation and functional courses in management.  

·         To gain expertise in applying these concepts, frameworks, and techniques in order to:

o   Understand the reasons for good or bad performance by an enterprise.

o   Generate strategy options for an enterprise.

o   Assess available options under conditions of imperfect knowledge.

o   Select the most appropriate strategy.

o   Recommend the best means of implementing the chosen strategy.

·         To develop your general management capacity in terms of:

o   An appreciation of the work of the general manager.

o   The ability to view business problems from a general management perspective.

o   The ability to develop original and innovatory approaches to strategic problems.

o   Developing business judgment.

Detailed Curriculum

Module – 1: The strategy concept; strategic direction – vision, mission, goals and objectives.

Module – 2, Analysis & Diagnosis: External analysis – STEP analysis; industry analysis; analysis of complements; scenario building; key success factors; internal analysis - resources and capabilities; competitor analysis; competitive advantage of nations.

Module – 3, Competitive advantage: Nature and sources of competitive advantage; functional strategies – the roots of competitive advantage; cost leadership; differentiation; best cost provider strategies; industry segmentation and focused strategies; The Delta Model – best product, customer solutions, system lock-in; Blue Ocean Strategy -

Module – 4, Business strategies in different industry contexts: Industry evolution, technology and competitive advantage; competitive strategies in emerging, fragmented, matured and decline industries.

Module – 5, Corporate strategy: The horizontal boundaries of the firm – economies of scale and scope; the vertical boundaries of the firm; organizing vertical boundaries – vertical integration and it’s alternatives; globalization and trans-national strategies; rivalry and multipoint competition; parenting advantage; managing multi-business corporation.

Module – 6: Strategy evaluation, implementation and control.