Learning Outcomes:
After completing this module you will be able to
1. Appreciate the stakeholder perspective of managing an organisation's strategy.
2. Discussing the major concepts underpinning the alignment of projects with business-level strategy and applying these to the business case settings.
3. Applying a series of fundamental business strategy tools (including industry analysis, competitive strategy and resource and capability tools) and techniques to the formulation and analysis of value creation and capture at a strategic level.
4. Outline the major concepts underpinning corporate strategy and applying these to the business case settings of project and programme management.
Indicative Module Content:
1. The External/Internal Environment facing firms. The first three weeks introduces the key concepts and vocabulary associated with the field of strategy and focuses particularly upon the two more established schools of thought in the field – the industrial organisation and resource-based views of firm activity.
2. Business-level Strategy. This module will examine the strategic importance of the various issues facing firms when faced with cost versus differentiation-based strategies and strategic innovation.
3. Industry change. In later weeks, we examine the main drivers of industrial evolution, focusing, inter alia, on the determining role played by technological change. Continuing with the technology theme, we will examine the various issues facing firms in technology-intensive and those active in more mature industry settings.
4. Management of Strategy. The final weeks will focus attention on strategic issues facing management at different levels in the firm. The particular emphasis here is on diversification and integration of the organisation, the internationalisation of firms and associated pressures faced in overseas locations and finally, the evolution of large diversified firms and the challenges associated with the management of multi-business organisations and offer an opportunity to position project management as a key enabling discipline in organisational alignment.