Corporate Strategy

Code:

1GE306

Acronym:

ESTE

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Management Studies

Instance: 2016/2017 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Management
Course/CS Responsible:	Bachelor in Business Administration

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
LGES	180	Bologna Syllabus since 2012	3	-	6	63	162

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

This subject aims to give the students a consistent view of the main concepts of corporate and business strategy and to provide them with conceptual frameworks for: 1) analysing the firms' external and internal environments, 2) characterizingf the nature (content) of the strategies pursued at various hierarchical and relational levels, and 3) identifying the mechanisms for the formation of strategies in firms and their major competitors (and complementors), both statically and dynamically. Actual, real life, mini-cases and a few larger cases are discussedin class in order to train students in characterizing the strategies actuallypursued by companies, in the use of analytical tools and in developing capabilities for research, analysis and discussion / decision that will allow them them to assist in the preparation of business plans and in monitoring the essential components of business management processes and strategies implementation . The alternative views and schools of thought in the Strategy field are referred, from the "classic" design / strategic planning and positioning schools, important as a basis for the early shaping of the strategic thought, with reference to relatively simple environments and structured, to the more recent "Resource Based View", Resource Dependence school, Evolutionist and Dynamic Capabilities / Organizational Learning perspectives, and the Markets as Networks view.

Learning outcomes and competences

Students shoud be able to analise problems and take decisions using the tools discussed in class. Namely, they should be able to distinguish the different strategy levels, to identify and analyse the organizational and external factors that are relevant in each case and to draw adequate strategies. As the strategic analysis, decision-making and implemention are holistic processes, students must be able to consider the requirements and impacts that strategies place upon the organizations.

Students must also develop soft skills as the ability to work in group and to present and discuss their ideas and arguments in a clear and appealing way. This will be mainly achieved throught group assigments and the presentation of the outcomes of those assignments (short cases and group projects) in class.

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

No pre-requisites required

Program

1. Introduction to Strategy

1.1. Introduction

1.2. Concept of strategy

1.3. Exploring Strategy Model

1.4. Working with strategy

 

2. Analysis and characterization of the external environment

2.1. Introduction

2.2. Characterization of the macro-environment

2.3. Characterization of the industry: the Porter's five forces scheme; the dynamics of compettion

2.4. Competitive Analysis: strategic groups, segmentation, identification of target markets, critical success factors

2.5. Analysis of opportunities and threats

3. Analysis of Strategic Capabilities

3.1. Introduction

3.2. The basis of the strategic - resources and skills, unique resources and core competencies

3.3. VRIO Strategic capabilities

3.4. The diagnosis of strategic competences

3.5. The management of strategic competences

4. Strategic Purpose

4.1. Introduction

4.2. Organizational purposes: values, mission, vision and objectives

4.4. Owners and managers

4.5. Social responsibility and ethics

  

5. Culture and Strategy

5.1. Introduction

5.2. Importance of history

5.3. Organizational culture and its importance

5.4. Strategic drift

6. Strategies (at) Business level

6.1. Introduction

6.2. Identification of strategic business units

6.3. Generic competitive startegies

6.4. Interactive strategies

7. Strategy (at) the corporate level

7.1. Introduction

7.2. Strategic directions

7.3. Diversification drivers

7.4. Diversification and performance

7.5. Vertical integration

7.6. Value creation and the corporate parent

7.7. Portfolio matrices

8. International Strategy

8.1. Introduction

8.2. Inducers of internationalization

8.3. Geographic Sources of Advantage

8.4. international strategies

8.5. Market Selection and entry

8.6 Internationalization and Performance 

8.7 International Portfolio

9. Innovation

9.1. Definition

9.2 Innovation dilemmas

9.3. Innovation difusion

9.4. Innovators and followers

 10. Mergers, Acquisitions and Alliances

10.1. Introduction

10.2. Organic Development

10.3. Mergers and acquisistions

10.4. Strategic alliances

10.5. Comparing  organic development, mergers and acquisitions, strategic alliances

11. Evaluating Strategies

11.1. Introduction

11.2. Criteria for Strategies evaluation

Mandatory literature

Johnson, Gerry; Whittington, Richard; Scholes, Kevan; Exploring Strategy: Text and Cases, FT Prentice Hall, 2013. ISBN: ISBN-13: 9781292002545

Complementary Bibliography

António J. Robalo Santos; Gestão Estratégica - Conceitos, modelos e instrumentos, Escolar Editora , 2008. ISBN: 978-972-592-229-3
Rothaermel, Frank; Strategic Management: Concepts and Cases, New York: McGraw Hill
Rumelt, Richard; Good Strategy Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why it Matters, London: Profile Books, 2012

Teaching methods and learning activities

Lectures combine the presentation of theoretical concepts and tools the presentation, analysis and discussion of real-life cases and, evenutally short videos. This methodology, that stimulated debate and the participation of students, aims at helping them understand the teoretical concecpts and tool and their applicability to real-life settings.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Teste	60,00
Trabalho prático ou de projeto	40,00
Total:	100,00

Eligibility for exams

There is no minimum number classes that need to be attended to be approved.

Calculation formula of final grade

The assessment process provides two alternatives: 1 ) Continuous assessment which consists of making two team-works with individual evaluation and a global test. The success in the course involves a minimum of 7 points in each evaluation momentum.

2 ) Final exam.

Observations