Unit information: Strategic Management in 2019/20

Unit name	Strategic Management
Unit code	ECONM2025
Credit points	15
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director	Dr. Beckett
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	Management TB1
Co-requisites	None
School/department	School of Management - Business School
Faculty	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

Description including Unit Aims

Strategy is concerned with the overall direction of organisations including multinationals, start-ups, government agencies and not-for-profits. The aims of the unit are to develop students’ knowledge and understanding of the theories, process and practices of strategy and strategic management, and to develop their ability to think and act strategically. Learning is developed through the use of case studies, exercises, readings, discussion and lectures. Students are exposed to different schools of thought on strategic management and are encouraged to examine critically classical and modern approaches to strategy formulation, selection and realisation. Over the course of the unit, students will be encouraged to identify links between the topic and other units being studied concurrently.

Students attending the course and involving themselves in the work will develop their ability to think and act strategically, and be able to apply their thinking at organisational, group and individual levels.

Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of the unit, students should be able to:

1. Identify and describe and demonstrate understanding of the principle theories, concepts and techniques of strategy and strategic management;
2. Critically evaluate theories, concepts and techniques of strategy and strategic management;
3. Apply theories, concepts and techniques of strategy in practical contexts to identify and appraise strategic issues facing organisations;
4. Analyse and interpret the application of theories, concepts and techniques to develop and evaluate alternative strategies;
5. Identify key issues affecting the realisation of intended strategies in practical contexts;
6. Critically evaluate strategic management as a managerial tool.

Teaching Information

Lectures introduce theoretical concepts and ideas that inform the subject. Tutorials include readings, exercises and case studies. Additional reading and the active use of the Blackboard online learning environment is designed to develop a depth of understanding.

Teaching delivery would consist of: 10 hours lectures and 10 hours of tutorials

Assessment Information

1) 3000-word portfolio (80%). Students are required to produce 3, 1000-word reflections and applications of strategy ideas and concepts:

• One of the papers will focus on a discussion and evaluation of a theoretical area; ILOs 1,2
• One will be an application to a case study; ILOs 3,4,5
• One a critical reflection on the usefulness of a theoretical approach in practical contexts; ILOs 1,2,6

2) Multiple-choice test (10%). Students will be required to complete multiple-choice questionnaire after each seminar; ILOs 1, 2

3) Pre-seminar preparation (10%). Students will be required to complete pre-seminar work. ILOs 1,2,3

Reading and References

1. Johnson et al (2017) Exploring Strategy, 11^th ed., Pearson, Harlow.
2. Clegg, S.et al., (2017) Strategy: Theory and Practice, London: Sage Publications
3. Grant, R. (2016), Contemporary Strategic Analysis, 9^th ed., Chichester: John Wiley

Journal Sources:

Strategic Management Journal

Harvard Business Review

Long Range Planning