School of Management, Unit Catalogue 2006/07

MN30076 Business strategy

Credits: 6

Level: Honours

Semester: 2

Assessment: EX100

Requisites:

In taking this unit you cannot take MN30048

Aims:
* To provide an appreciation of how organisations develop from their entrepreneurial beginnings through maturity and decline.
* To examine the interrelationship between strategy formulation, strategy implementation and the behavioural aspects of business
* To enable students to explore the theoretical notions behind corporate and business strategy
* Students are expected to develop skills of analysis and the ability to interpret complex business situations.
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this unit, the student should be able to:
* Prepare a strategy plan for an organisation that takes account of the internal and external factors of the business environment
* Analysis the business environment of an organisation and how it impacts strategy formulation
* Use theoretical tools and frameworks to make sense of complex interrelated business data
* Understand what lies behind strategy formulation and begin to think strategically.
Skills:
Intellectual skills
* the ability to think strategically (T/F/A)
* a critical awareness of classic and current issues and frameworks surrounding strategy formulation (T/F/A)
* an understanding of the motivations behind the behaviour of leading companies (T&F)
Professional Practical skills
* operate effectively both independently as well as within teams and assume leadership roles where appropriate F
* be self-directed and able to act autonomously in planning and implementing study and research time F
Transferable/ Key skills
* the ability to acquire and analyse complex data sets, information and situations; to evaluate relevance and validity, and to synthesise it in the context of strategic issues ( T/F& A).
Content:
Business objectives, values and mission; industry and market analysis; competitive strategy and advantage; competing strategic styles and frameworks, technology impact on strategy, business life cycle; organisational structures and controls.

University | Catalogues for 2006/07