Strategic Management

Abstract

This courses conveys concepts and methods in strategic management, with a focus on competitive strategy. Competitive strategy aims at improving and establishing position of firms within an industry.

Objective

The lecture "strategic management" is designed to teach relevant competences in strategic planning and -implementation, for both professional work-life and further scientific development. The course provides an overview of the basics of “strategy” and the most prevalent concepts and methods in strategic management. The course is given as a combination of lectures about concepts/methods, and case studies where the students asked to solve strategic issues of the case companies. In two sessions, the students will also be addressing real-time strategic issues of firms that are represented by executives.

Content

Contents: a. Strategy concepts b. Industry dynamics I: Industry analysis c. Industry dynamics II: Analysis of technology and innovation d. The resource-based theory of the firm e. The knowledge-based theory of the firm Strategic Management offers a combination of lectures about concepts/methods, and case studies where the students solve strategic issues of the involved companies. This aims at offering students a profound theoretical understanding of important and current topics and also offer an opportunity to present these concepts in front of an audience. This course conveys concepts and methods in strategic management, with a focus on competitive strategy. Competitive strategy aims at analyzing and establishing position of firms within an industry, securing firm performance. Thus, the course focuses on a number of important topics, such as the evolution of industry, industry structure, the analysis of a firm's resources- and knowledge, and innovation. In addition, student groups will hold presentations on the four main topics of this class, to further develop concepts and enhance understanding. The presentations will cover Industry Dynamics I, Industry Dynamics II, Resource Based View of the Firm, Knowledge Based View of the Firm. For all presentations, selected Harvard Business Cases will be used as a common ground for students to start from. Students are also expected to read and understand the required readings (approx. 15 items) that cover the most important papers and articles from the past 30 years in management and strategy research. To underline the relevance of Strategic Management in firms, decision makers from companies in Switzerland will be holding guest lectures and give their take on strategy in practice and give insight on current topics in the field.

Resources