Corporate Strategy (2225.YR.003386.1)

General information

Type:	OBL	Curs:	3	Period:	S semester
ECTS Credits:	4 ECTS

Teaching Staff:

Group	Teacher	Department	Language
Year 3	Alfred Vernis Domènech	Dirección General y Estrategia	CAT, ESP

Strategy I

This course consists of 13 sessions lasting 3 hours each. Each week we will examine a different topic through a combination of interactive lectures, talks with visiting executives and case study discussions. Students will also prepare a final project for the class.

The course focuses mainly on the topics related to growth in the corporate strategy area. It expands and deepens students' knowledge of growth options such as international expansion, business diversification (horizontal or vertical) and different growth strategies, comparing M&As, strategic alliances and organic growth. Students in this class will further examine different strategizing contexts, including listed firms, family-owned businesses and not-for-profits. The course also provides a more in-depth examination of governance, exploring international differences, how new technologies affect strategic management and the challenges associated to strategy execution.

The course has been designed to help students achieve the following objectives:

- Develop a holistic view of strategic management
- Gain a better understanding of the implications of choosing and implementing different growth strategies
- Better understand how to identify, analyze and manage key stakeholders in organizations
- Understand the main issues behind strategy implementation and execution

2. Application of knowledge to achieve results

1. Knowledge acquisition, comprehension and structuring

13. Adaptability, flexibility

6. Strategic thought, systematic thought

1. Strategic management framework focused on corporate strategy We will introduce a general framework that will help students organize all the tools and concepts studied in this and previous classes. The model should serve as a solid reference for strategic thinking in their future careers, independently of the type of organization.

2. International expansion and global management We will examine the main decisions and challenges that executives and their teams face when expanding internationally. We will then look at the organizational and managerial issues that international firms have to face such as their configuration and coordination or centralization and decentralization.

3. Diversification, acquisitions and alliances We will look at the growth options that require firms and managers to move beyond their comfort zones, including horizontal and vertical diversification. We will also examine the issues and managerial challenges associated to the key types of growth strategies: acquisitions, alliances and intrapreneurial initiatives.

4. Stakeholder expectations in different contexts We will look at the tools and frameworks that help us identify, analyze and manage key stakeholders in organizations. We will also examine the fundamental elements of governance and its link to strategic management.

5. Strategy implementation Technology and execution: We will examine different strategy implementation and execution enablers, the first one being techonolgy and the second one, change leadership.

From a methodological point of view, this course aims to foster individual learning and group work, as well as enable students to effectively integrate the knowledge they have acquired in policy and strategy courses related to a range of functional areas. This subject thus appies the following pedagogical methods:

- Interactive discussions
- Group preparation and discussion of case studies
- Presentations of readings
- Student debates
- Forums with participation from visiting executives
- Group summaries of classes
- Case study competitions

ASSESSMENT BREAKDOWN

Short bibliography:
The basic reading list for the subject will be available electronically (via Moodle).

The following are recommended (not mandatory) basic texts for this subject:
- Johnson, G.; Scholes, R.; Whittington, R: Exploring Strategy.
- Czinkota M.; Ronkainen I. et al. International Business.
- Collis, D.; Montgomery, C. Corporate Strategy

Group	Teacher	Department
Year 3	Alfred Vernis Domènech	Dirección General y Estrategia