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2011/2 Provisional Module Catalogue - UNDER CONSTRUCTION & SUBJECT TO CHANGE
 Module Code: MAN3079 Module Title: BUSINESS STRATEGY
Module Provider: School of Management Short Name: MAN3079
Level: HE3 Module Co-ordinator: ADCROFT AP Dr (SoM)
Number of credits: 15 Number of ECTS credits: 7.5
 
Module Availability
Semester 1
Assessment Pattern

There are two elements to assessment in this module, an assignment and an end of module exam

 

 

Units of Assessment

 

 
Weighting Towards Module Mark (%)

 

Individual Assignment (1,000 words)

 

 

50

 

 

Exam (2 hours)

 

 

50

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alternative Assessment

 

 

N/A

 

 

Qualifying Condition(s) 

 

 

A weighted aggregated mark of 40% is required to pass the module.

 

 
Module Overview

The module provides students with a theoretical and practical understanding of how business strategy can be formulated in the light of environmental and internal conditions. The module equips students with a framework for understanding business strategy as an interdisciplinary activity within the context of competitive markets, leading to corporate decision-making.

 

 
Prerequisites/Co-requisites
Completion of Level 2 modules
Module Aims

 The aims of the module are:

 1.         To enable students to understand theoretical approaches to the formulation, selection, implementation, and control of a business strategy;

 2.         To enable students to develop understanding of how to apply theoretical concepts of business strategy to real business contexts;

 3.         To enable students to critically understand the methods, difficulties and limitations of formulating, implementing and controlling a business strategy;

 

 

4.         To enable students to appreciate the importance and contribution of business strategy to organisational success.

 

 
Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module the students will be able to:

 •          To identify and classify different business practices of strategy formulation, implementation and control into relevant theoretical frameworks;

 •          Apply the relevant theoretical frameworks of strategy formulation, implementation and control in real business contexts;

 •          Analyse the strategy of any given corporation drawing on sources of publicly available information;

 •          Develop an understanding of a range of business problems that a corporation in any given industry may face;

 •          Exercise judgement over a range of strategic solutions available in order to overcome such problems.

 
Module Content

Concepts of Strategy

 Processes of Strategy

 Strategy and the External Environment

 Organisational Perspective on Strategy

 The Resource Based View of Strategy

 Strategic Decision Making and Strategic Choice

 Strategy and Leadership

 

 
Methods of Teaching/Learning

The teaching and learning strategy is designed to give students the opportunity to gain knowledge and understanding of the relevant theory and business practices and problems which are pertinent to the topics of strategy formulation, implementation and control.

 The teaching and learning methods are based around the delivery of lectures and seminars. Whilst the lectures are mainly designed to illustrate and explain theoretical concepts and models of business strategy, the seminars illuminate the theoretical concepts and models by reference to and explanation of a range of specific case studies. Seminars are, therefore, designed to develop a practical view of business strategy. The lecture precedes the seminar. Prior to attending the seminar, students are required to undertake the essential reading of the theory and relevant case study assigned in the relevant lecture which precedes the seminar.

 Assessment Strategy: The assessment strategy is aimed at giving the students the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of both the theory of strategy and its application. Thus, the assignment is built around students undertaking a critical review of a seminal work in the literature on strategy in which they will be expected to place the work into the wider field of strategy through consideration of which debates in strategy it contributes to and to identify the key assumptions and theoretical foundations on which the article is built. The exam examines both theoretical and practical understanding of strategy by requiring students to answer one question based on theory and one question on the application of theory to a case study distributed in advance.
Selected Texts/Journals

Essential Reading

  Johnson, G., Scholes, K., and Whittington, R., (2008).  Exploring Corporate Strategy. (Text Only).  (8th Edition). Prentice Hall.

 

 

 

 

Recommended Reading

 

 

 

 

Whittington, R., (2001).  What is Strategy (and does it matter)?. Thomson.

 

 

Mintzberg, H., Lampel, J., Quinn, J.B., and Ghoshal, S., (2003). The Strategy Process: concepts, contexts, cases.  (4th edition).  Pearson Education.

 

 

De Wit, B., and Meyer, and R., (2004). Strategy. Process, Content, Context. Thomson Learning.

 

 

 Mintzberg, H., Ahlstrand, B., and Lampel, J., (1998). Strategy Safari. The complete guide through the wilds of strategic management.  FT Prentice Hall.

 

 

Prahalad, C. H., and Hamel, G., (1994). Competing for the Future. Harvard Business Review Press.

 

 

 

 

 

Background Reading

 

 

 

 

Hill, C. W. L., and Jones, G.R., (2001).  Strategic Management Theory. (5th edition). Houghten-Mifflin.

 

 

Ackermann, F., and Eden C.,(1998). Making Strategy: The Journey of Strategic Management. (1st edition).  Sage Publications Ltd.

 

 

Hitt, M. A., , R. D., and Hoskisson, R. E., (2001).  Strategic Management: Competitiveness and Globalization.  (4th edition).  South-Western College Publishing.

 

 

Lynch, R., (2000). Corporate Strategy.  (2nd edition).  Prentice Hall.

 

 

Vernon-Wortzel, H., and Wortzel, L. H., (1997).  Strategic Management in a Global Economy. John Wiley & Sons Inc.

 

 

 Wheelan, T. J., and Hunger, J. D,. (2002).  Strategic Management and Business Policy. (8th edition).  Prentice Hall.

 

 

 

 

Journals

 

 

 

 

Academy of Management Executive

 

 

Academy of Management Journal

 

 

British Journal of Management

 

 

California Management Review

 

 

European Journal of Management

 

 

Harvard Business Review

 

 

Journal of Management Studies

 

 

Long Range Planning

 

 

Management Decision

 

 

Sloan Management Review

 

 

Strategic Management Journal

 

 

Business Week

 

 
Last Updated
15/02/2011