Corporate Strategy

Code:

1GE306

Acronym:

ESTE

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Management Studies

Instance: 2021/2022 - 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	191	Bologna Syllabus since 2012	3	-	6	63	162

Teaching language

Portuguese and english

Objectives

This course main aim is to provide students with a consistent perspective of key strategy concepts. Specifically, to provide them with tools to: 1) analyze the external and internal contexts of a focal company or organisation; 2) characterize the nature (content) of the strategies pursued; 3) identify the strategy formation mechanisms in the company and its main counterparts.
Additionally, the course also aims at training students in applying the theoretical tools to characterize the strategies currently underway in companies and organizations and to produce strategic recommendations grounded in sound internal and external analysis. Furtermore, the course also aims at developing capabilities of research, analysis and discussion and communication  that will be useful for them to participate actively in strategy management and implementatio processes and strategy implementation. The present discipline of Business Strategy starts from the classical perspective,because it is more familiar to the stu dents, but presents them with alternative currents of thought about the fundamentals of strategies and about the processes of strategy formation.

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
1.5. Studying strategy
1.6 Evaluating strategies   

2. Macro-environment analysis
2.1. Introduction
2.2 PESTEL analysis
2.3 Forecasting
2.4 Scenarios

3. Industry ans Sector Analysis
3.1 Introduction
3.2.The competitive forces
3.3. Industry types and dynamics
3.4. Competitors and markets
3.5. Opportunities and threats

4. Resources and Capabilities
4.1. Introduction
4.2. Foundation of resources and capabilities
4.3 Distinctive resources and capabilities as a basis of competitive advantage
4.4. Diagnosing resources and capabilities
4.5. Dynamic capabilities
4.6 Strengths and Weaknesses

5. Purpose and Stakeholders
5.1. Introduction
5.2. Mission, Vision and Values
5.3  Stakeholders
5.4. Social responsibility and ethics

6. History and Culture
6.1. Introduction
6.2. Importance of history
6.3. Culture and its importance
6.4. Strategic drift

7. Strategies (at) Business level
7.1. Introduction
7.2. Generic competitive startegies
7.3. Interactive strategies
7.4. Business Model

8. Strategy (at) the corporate level
8.1. Introduction
8.2. Strategic directions
8.3. Diversification drivers
8.4. Diversification and performance
8.5. Vertical integration
8.6. Value creation and the corporate parent
8.7. Portfolio matrices

9. International Strategy
9.1. Introduction
9.2. Inducers of internationalization
9.3. Geographic Sources of Advantage
9.4. international strategies
9.5. Market Selection and entry
9.6 International Portfolio
9.7 Internationalization and Performance 

10. Entrepreneurship and Innovation
10.1. Introductio
10.2 Entrepreneurship
10.3 Innovation dilemmas
10.4. Innovation difusion
10.5. Innovators and followers

11. Mergers, Acquisitions and Alliances
11.1. Introduction
11.2. Organic Development
11.3. Mergers and acquisistions
11.4. Strategic alliances
11.5. Comparing  organic development, mergers and acquisitions, strategic alliances

12. Strategy evaluations

Mandatory literature

Johnson, Gerry; Whittington, Richard; Scholes, Kevan; Angwin, Duncan; Regner, Patrick; Exploring strat, Pearson, 2017

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, eventually short videos. Classes also include the presentations of group assignments. 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

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	3,00
Estudo autónomo	67,00
Frequência das aulas	42,00
Trabalho de campo	50,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

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

Students must participate in the final presentations of the group assignment that constitute a component of evaluation. 

Calculation formula of final grade

The assessment process provides two alternatives:

1 ) Distributed evaluation: it which consists of a group assignment component and 3 tests (20% each), made during the semester.


Approval  in the course requires a minimum of 7/20 points in the theory component (tests) and group work.

2 ) Re-sit exam.

Note: oral tests can be made to confirm the grades of the written tests and exam, if thus considered necessary by the course teaching team.

Classification improvement

Exam only. It substitutes the grade of the distributed evaluation.

Observations