Strategy and Decision Making

Module overview

The module aims to provide an overview of the relevant theories, tools and techniques in corporate, competitive and international business strategy focusing on strategic analyses, strategy formulation, strategic decision-making and choices and strategy implementation. You will be encouraged to analyse and think critically as well as apply some of the introduced concepts and tools.

Aims and Objectives

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

The important concepts and techniques of strategic analyses, strategic decision-making and strategic choices in corporate and international business;
What strategy actually is;
The relevant strategy concepts in theory and practice;
Decision-making and key approaches to formulating and appraising critical decisions in relation to business management contexts.

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

Analyse strategic options and undertake effective decision-making in organisations;
Analyse critically different strategic concepts and tools on company specific issues;
Define and critically appraise decisions in relation to business management contexts.
Deploy appropriate tools and techniques to analyse and understand the strategic position of the organisation;

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

Think critically and argue effectively (based on evidence);
Manage individual tasks, personal resources and time effectively;
Write effectively for business purposes;
Work effectively as part of a task-orientated and diverse group;

Learning and Teaching

Teaching and learning methods

Teaching methods include - Lectures - Class discussions - Guided background reading - Group work followed by group presentations and discussions - Exploration of case studies, papers, newspaper articles and videos. Learning activities include - Group interactions - Discussion of case studies - Independent reading from a recommended bibliography - Private study and library based research

Study time
Type	Hours
Independent Study	70
Teaching	30
Total study time	100

Resources & Reading list

General Resources

Good strategy, bad strategy: The difference and why it matters..

What I didn't learn in business school: How strategy works in the real world.

Textbooks

Whittington, R, Andwin, D, Regner, P, Johnson, G, Scholes, K (2023). Exploring strategy.

Thompson, A, Peteraf, M, Gamble, J and Strickland A.J (2022). Crafting and executing strategy: The quest for competitive advantage. New York.

Assessment

Formative

This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.

In-class formative opportunities

Assessment Type: Formative
Feedback: Formative feedback is provided as part of the discussions in class and for practice presentations for the group assignment.
Final Assessment: No
Group Work: No

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Group report and presentation	30%
Report	70%

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Report	100%

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Report	100%

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External