Strategic Management
| Module title | Strategic Management |
|---|---|
| Module code | BEM3033 |
| Academic year | 2023/4 |
| Credits | 30 |
| Module staff | Dr Adrian Bailey (Lecturer) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 710 |
|---|
Module description
Summary:
Strategic management has evolved since its first modern iteration in the 1950s. This module looks at how strategy is currently practiced in a wide variety of contexts from commercial and entrepreneurial to social and not-for-profit. The curriculum encourages exploration of and a critical approach to the key concepts that underpin strategic management and the tools managers use to analyse their environment, frame choices and put the resulting strategies into action.
Additional Information:
Internationalisation
You will work with a number of case studies in this module to help you engage with the material and gain an international perspective on strategic management. These include a number of international studies.
Sustainability
The impact of Ethics and CSR on strategy will be an important consideration in all the sessions and will beintegrated into the learning materials and assessments on the module. All of the resources are available through ELE (Exeter Learning Environment).
External Engagement
The team teaching the module have a wealth of experience outside academia – as board directors of companies, members of co-operatives, social enterprise leaders/chairs, consultants and analysts, which they bring to the classes and assignments. The team will invite guest speakers from industry to address the module.
Employability
You will develop a number of transferable skills including problem-solving, numeracy, research, writing reports and designing infographics. You will also have the opportunity to develop practical skills in the workshops which you may find useful for assessment-centre exercises, through activities such as role plays and case study analysis.
Module aims - intentions of the module
The aims of this module are to:
• present the 21st century competitive/business landscape from a strategic management perspective and to assess how global, influences shape it
• develop your ability to analyse strategic issues from a number of broad functional perspectives
• study strategic competitiveness, competitive advantage, strategic intent and strategic mission, and evaluate their contribution to the strategic management process
• formulate strategies, provide implementation plans and evaluate cross-functional decisions that facilitate the achievement of organisational objectives
• develop an understanding of strategic management in different contexts, including commercial, not-for-profit and public sector, entrepreneurial, B2B, B2C and multi-national/global.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. diagnose an organisations situation by critically analysing its external and internal environments;
- 2. apply a range of module theories and frameworks for describing and setting an organisations direction;
- 3. evaluate different strategic options using objective criteria to support and justify recommended decisions and use these skills in case study discussions to research real world organisations;
- 4. discuss how strategy is delivered and the implementation tools and techniques which are used in different contexts.
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. develop strategic analyses based on case material, desk research and research in the marketplace;
- 6. explain the difference between different types of problems and potential solutions.
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 7. demonstrate team working skills;
- 8. manage time efficiently in preparing for learning activities and to work independently within a limited time frame to complete a specified task.
Syllabus plan
The lectures and workshops will cover: the nature, process, content, context and purpose of strategy formulation; a study of the external environment and market based strategies; business, corporate and network level strategies; strategic capability and the resource-based view, organisational factors and competence based strategies; strategic methods including intrapreneurship, alliances, mergers and acquisitions; assessment of existing strategy and future strategic choices; strategic management of technology, new product development and innovation; organisational and international content; schools of strategy formation; putting strategy into action through the systems, structures and culture of the organisation; and a critical analysis of the strategy literature.
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 36 | 264 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching activity | 22 | Whole cohort lectures |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | 14 | Small group workshop sessions |
| Guided Independent Study | 22 | Video content and narrated resources online covering key concepts and details of assessments |
| Guided Independent Study | 122 | Assessment preparation |
| Guided Independent Study | 120 | Pre and post session reading |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group discussions and debates | 20-30 minute in-class case analysis and reflection on assessment preparation | 1-8 | Verbal feedback in workshop |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 85 | 15 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1: Individual Portfolio | 50 | 4,500 words | 1-6, 8 | Written tutor feedback |
| Assessment 2: Individual Case Analysis | 50 | 4,500 words | 1-6, 8 | Written tutor feedback |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1: Individual Portfolio | Individual Portfolio, 4,500 words | 1-6, 8 | Referral/Deferral Period |
| Assessment 2: Individual Case Analysis | Individual Case Analysis 4,500 words | 1-6, 8 | Referral/Deferral period |
Re-assessment notes
Deferral – if you have been deferred for any assessment you will be expected to submit the relevant assessment. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.
Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be expected to submit the relevant assessment. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of referral will be capped at 40%.
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Basic reading:
Core text for the course:
Thompson, J L., Scott, J M., & Martin, F. (2020).Strategic Management: Awareness and Change. Cengage (9th Edition). London: Cengage.
Hill, C., Schilling, M., & Jones, G. (2020). Strategic Management, An Integrated Approach – Theory and Cases. Boston: Cengage.
Supplementary reading:
Mintzberg, H., Ahlstrand, B. and Lampel, J.B. (2008) Strategy Safari. London: Financial Times.
De Wit, B. (2020) Strategy: An International Perspective (7th Edition). Andover: Cengage
Web-based and electronic resources:
- ELE based online pre-recorded lectures, links to internet resources and other resources
Various journal articles – some compulsory, some optional from a variety of relevant publications including Harvard Business Review, Long Range Planning, Strategic Management Journal etc.
Case studies which will require in-depth analysis for workshop activities
| Credit value | 30 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 15 |
| Module pre-requisites | You must have taken (BEM1018 or BEM1019 or BEM1023 or BEM1028)) and (BEM2020 or BEM2007 or BEM2027 or BEA2005 or BEA2019) |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 6 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 01/09/2010 |
| Last revision date | 29/01/2024 |
