The Strategy track
Which markets should we enter? How can we differentiate our firm from competitors? How should we design organisational structures in order to be successful? Unravel the theoretic origins of strategic corporate decisions and learn to find the right strategy for internationally operating organisations.
In the Strategy track, you will cover organisation design issues at different levels of analysis. Issues that you will explore range from motivating people to organising complex, multi-business corporations. You will reflect on relevant theories and apply them to challenging business cases.
With this track, you will acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to tackle strategic challenges in business management.
Courses in the Strategy track
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Theories of Strategy
Why do some firms outperform others? Learn to understand strategic management and the economic foundations of strategy theories. During the course, we will discuss various theories.
At the end of this course, you will be able to:
- understand the theories of competitive strategy that are central to the current debates in the strategic management field;
- critically assess these theories;
- use these theories to analyse business problems.
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The Adaptive Organisation
Develop an in-depth understanding of how organisations can maintain their connection with the environment, thus ensuring their long-term survival and sustainable competitive advantage.
At the end of this course, you will be able to:
- recognise internal and external barriers for organisational adaptation;
- understand the different approaches and solutions to facilitate organisational adaptation, including theories of organisational learning and corporate entrepreneurship.
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Strategy and Organisation Design
Explore strategic organisational issues at different levels, from cooperative behaviours of individual human actors to inter-firm relationships. What choices can firms make in strategies and organisational design, while at the same time encouraging coordination and cooperation among individuals and sub-units?
At the end of this course, you will be able to:
- understand the main theories related to strategy and organisational design;
- apply them to strategic issues that firms face. How do we structure activities? How do we compensate employees and managers? Do we outsource, yes or no?
Business case example: easyGroup and the cinema market
EasyGroup, easyJet’s parent company, has to decide whether to enter the cinema market or not. What would you advise them?
Does it make sense for easyGroup to start running a cinema? Do easyGroup’s resources add value to the cinema market? This example is the type of real-world strategic decisions with which managers struggle.
Contemporary issues
During lectures, you will discuss current newspaper headlines and relevant issues. Examples of topical issues are:
- Johnson & Johnson purchases a surgical robotics unit. Will this diversification into medical equipment be successful, given that diversification often fails? Will Johnson & Johnson be more innovative as a result of this purchase?
- Brexit – what effect does uncertainty in the business environment have on strategy? What choices do firms have in dealing with uncertainty? How can they best navigate this type of change?
Strategy and 2 other tracks
Strategy is one of three tracks in our part-time Executive Programme in Management Studies. If you are more interested in the management area of Digital Business or Leadership & Management, read all information on these two tracks.