Advanced Strategic Management
A.Y. 2021/2022
Learning objectives
Strategic management is central to the operation of a variety of businesses in different sectors and environments. The creation of a strategy and the management of its implementation are important in developing businesses that can create and sustain a competitive advantage. In a competitive global environment, understanding strategic principles, tools for analysis and techniques for implementation are of great importance to managers, to assist them in enhancing firm performance. This module will provide students with an overview of issues relevant to corporate and business strategy. It aims to introduce and evaluate major concepts and techniques of strategic analysis, strategy formulation, strategic actions/choices and strategy implementation. Also, the module helps students to identify and analyze "real-world" businesses. Students will learn how to identify relevant information from publicly available data, how to assess the relationships among key variables highlighted by management theory, and how to interpret the findings to formulate a firm's strategy in a specific context.
Expected learning outcomes
Having successfully completed this course, students will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the key and advanced dimensions of strategic management - Analysis, Evaluation, Choice & Implementation; diagnostic, practical and creative skills to analyse and evaluate a range of business solutions in differing business contexts; organisations' ability to implement chosen strategies and identify the areas requiring change. Moreover, students will develop skills in generating alternative solutions to complex problem areas, underpinning each with a supportive and well researched rationale in order to achieve critical success; evaluate these solutions, analysing the impact of potential outcomes on the various stakeholder groups; analyse alternative strategies for business development in differing operating contexts; assess the importance of structure, design, culture and working environment to effective strategic management; assess the contribution of strategic leadership to managing the process of strategic change.
To be able to understand and apply strategic management knowledge and tools, students will learn how to obtain, analyse and apply information from a variety of sources in the public domain; embrace new ideas and awareness of alternatives which should be evaluated; work collectively as an effective and efficient group member, including, where appropriate, organising, guiding and motivating others; plan and enact the successful completion of a personal workload; communicate both orally and in written form, using and justifying arguments within reports, presentations and debates.
To be able to understand and apply strategic management knowledge and tools, students will learn how to obtain, analyse and apply information from a variety of sources in the public domain; embrace new ideas and awareness of alternatives which should be evaluated; work collectively as an effective and efficient group member, including, where appropriate, organising, guiding and motivating others; plan and enact the successful completion of a personal workload; communicate both orally and in written form, using and justifying arguments within reports, presentations and debates.
Lesson period: Second trimester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second trimester
Lectures and examinations will be given according to the guidelines in force at the time. It is advisable to always follow what is communicated on the pages of the University dedicated to teaching in pandemic
Course syllabus
1) the concept of strategy and its success (or necessity)
2) markets, industries, and ecosystems
3) resources, capabilities, value, and competitive advantage
4) business strategy and corporate strategy
5) Internationalization and innovation processes.
6) valuation, mergers, and acquisitions
7) strategy development: emergent or planned
8) Structures and systems to support the strategy
9) Leadership and strategic change
10) the reality of the strategy
2) markets, industries, and ecosystems
3) resources, capabilities, value, and competitive advantage
4) business strategy and corporate strategy
5) Internationalization and innovation processes.
6) valuation, mergers, and acquisitions
7) strategy development: emergent or planned
8) Structures and systems to support the strategy
9) Leadership and strategic change
10) the reality of the strategy
Prerequisites for admission
Prerequisites refer to core topics in the following areas: Industrial Organisation, Economics and Management of Innovation and Quantitative Methods
Teaching methods
A number of teaching methods will be used in lectures in order to cater to a variety of learning styles and address the learning needs of the diverse student population. Please find a non-exhaustive list of the teaching/learning methods that might be employed during classes:
Face-to-face lectures
Case studies
Individual assignments
Group assignments
Interactive class activities (role-playing, business game, simulation, online forum, instant polls)
Class sessions will be interactive. A number of the classes will be devoted to case discussions where the task of analyzing the issues in the case will be undertaken by the class as a whole or in small groups. In other classes, students are expected to contribute their ideas on the issues being discussed and examples drawn from their personal experiences and from reading the business/academic press. These classes will involve a discussion of academic articles or other in-class activities.
Face-to-face lectures
Case studies
Individual assignments
Group assignments
Interactive class activities (role-playing, business game, simulation, online forum, instant polls)
Class sessions will be interactive. A number of the classes will be devoted to case discussions where the task of analyzing the issues in the case will be undertaken by the class as a whole or in small groups. In other classes, students are expected to contribute their ideas on the issues being discussed and examples drawn from their personal experiences and from reading the business/academic press. These classes will involve a discussion of academic articles or other in-class activities.
Teaching Resources
1) the concept of strategy and its success (or necessity)
2) markets, industries and ecosystems
3) resources, capabilities, value and competitive advantage
4) business strategy and corporate strategy
5) Internationalization and innovation processes.
6) valuation, mergers and acquisitions
7) strategy development: emergent or planned
8) Structures and systems to support the strategy
9) Leadership and strategic change
10) the reality of the strategy
2) markets, industries and ecosystems
3) resources, capabilities, value and competitive advantage
4) business strategy and corporate strategy
5) Internationalization and innovation processes.
6) valuation, mergers and acquisitions
7) strategy development: emergent or planned
8) Structures and systems to support the strategy
9) Leadership and strategic change
10) the reality of the strategy
Assessment methods and Criteria
Written exam (2hrs, 10 questions)
Assessment Details [DSE STUDENTS ONLY]
Students from the MSc programme in Data Science and Economics are expected to earn 6 ECTS credits instead of 9. Information about the assessment for attending and non-attending students is provided below:
Assessment methods - DSE attending students
DSE attending students should attend classes for a total of 40 contact hours. They are free to pick the hours they prefer but their attendance will be checked through appropriate means. Provisions for attendance are similar to the ones for non-DSE attending students. Assessment will be similar to the one for non-DSE students (please refer to section above) as per the following:
20% - Their mark on class participation will be referred to the reduced number of total contact hours (40 contact hours).
40% - They are expected to prepare and deliver fewer paper presentations (the exact number will depend on overall number of attending students)
40% - They will conduct the group work together with the students from the assigned group and participate to mentoring sessions
Assessment methods - DSE non-attending students
DSE non-attending students will be evaluated through a nal exam that covers all the material discussed in class (e.g., cases, readings, relevant theoretical framework, exercises, hand-on tutorials, etc.) expect for the material for weeks 5, 6 and 9 (see programme below). All the material (including slides for each class) can be found on Ariel. The final exam will consist of a combination of multiple choice and short questions and will be up to 2 hours long.
Assessment Details [DSE STUDENTS ONLY]
Students from the MSc programme in Data Science and Economics are expected to earn 6 ECTS credits instead of 9. Information about the assessment for attending and non-attending students is provided below:
Assessment methods - DSE attending students
DSE attending students should attend classes for a total of 40 contact hours. They are free to pick the hours they prefer but their attendance will be checked through appropriate means. Provisions for attendance are similar to the ones for non-DSE attending students. Assessment will be similar to the one for non-DSE students (please refer to section above) as per the following:
20% - Their mark on class participation will be referred to the reduced number of total contact hours (40 contact hours).
40% - They are expected to prepare and deliver fewer paper presentations (the exact number will depend on overall number of attending students)
40% - They will conduct the group work together with the students from the assigned group and participate to mentoring sessions
Assessment methods - DSE non-attending students
DSE non-attending students will be evaluated through a nal exam that covers all the material discussed in class (e.g., cases, readings, relevant theoretical framework, exercises, hand-on tutorials, etc.) expect for the material for weeks 5, 6 and 9 (see programme below). All the material (including slides for each class) can be found on Ariel. The final exam will consist of a combination of multiple choice and short questions and will be up to 2 hours long.
SECS-P/07 - BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AND ACCOUNTING STUDIES
SECS-P/08 - MANAGEMENT
SECS-P/08 - MANAGEMENT
Lessons: 60 hours
Professor:
Genta Davide
Professor(s)