Strategic Management I
Code: 102363 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2501572 Business Administration and Management | OB | 3 | 1 |
| 2501573 Economics | OT | 3 | 2 |
| 2501573 Economics | OT | 4 | 0 |
Contact
- Name:
- Carlos Guallarte Nuez
- Email:
- Carlos.Guallarte@uab.cat
Use of Languages
- Principal working language:
- catalan (cat)
- Some groups entirely in English:
- Yes
- Some groups entirely in Catalan:
- Yes
- Some groups entirely in Spanish:
- Yes
Prerequisites
In order to be able to successfully follow and complete the course it is recommended that a student has passed the following subjects: Business Economics I and Introduction to Accounting.
Objectives and Contextualisation
The objective of this course is to teach and practice the skills and techniques used in the strategic management of organizations in order to enable a student to productively participate in the process of business strategy formulation
Competences
- Business Administration and Management
- Capacity for adapting to changing environments.
- Capacity for oral and written communication in Catalan, Spanish and English, which enables synthesis and oral and written presentation of the work carried out.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the processes for the implementation of company strategies.
- Identify company competition, how they interact among themselves and the optimum strategies that can be drawn up in each case to stimulate competitivity.
- Lead multidisciplinary and multicultural teams, implementing new projects and coordinating, negotiating and managing conflicts.
- Organise the work in terms of good time management, organisation and planning.
- Select and generate the information necessary for each problem, analyse it and take decisions based on that information.
- Take decisions in situations of uncertainty, demonstrating an entrepreneurial and innovative attitude.
- Value ethical commitment in professional practice.
Learning Outcomes
- A capacity of oral and written communication in Catalan, Spanish and English, which allows them to summarise and present the work conducted both orally and in writing.
- Apply the processes of formulating strategies to specific cases.
- Assess ethical commitment in professional activity.
- Assess the effect of different strategies on the competitiveness of a company.
- Capacity to adapt to changing environments.
- Classify the different ways in which a company can compete.
- Lead multidisciplinary and multicultural teams, implement new projects, coordinate, negotiate and manage conflicts.
- List the basic stages and processes in the formulation and implementation of a business strategy.
- List the main competitors of a company.
- Make decisions in situations of uncertainty and show an enterprising and innovative spirit.
- Organise work, in terms of good time management and organisation and planning.
- Select and generate the information needed for each problem, analyse it and make decisions based on this information.
Content
Topic 1: Introduction to functions of management
Management tasks. – Management functions: competitiveness, efficiency and management skills. – Ethics and social responsibility in business management. - Empirical research on the functions of management.
Topic 2: Organizational Strategy
The concept of strategic management. - Business strategy content. – Strategy objectives and levels. - Business units. - The strategic process. - Strategic thinking.
Topic 3: Strategic Diagnostics (I) - External analysis
External environment concept and its levels. - Analysis of the environment. - Analysis of the industry and the competition. - Strategic groups. - Segmentation of demand.
Topic 4: Strategic Diagnostics (II) - Internal analysis
Functional analysis and strategic profile. - Value chain. – Experience curve. – Analysis of resources and capabilities. - Benchmarking.
Topic 5: Business Strategy (I)
The nature and sources of competitive advantage. - Analysis of cost and differentiation competitive advantage. – The strategic clock.
Topic 6: Business Strategy (II) in different industries
Life cycle. - Strategies for emerging, mature, and declining industries. - Innovation strategy.
Topic 7: Corporate strategy
Directions of strategic development. - Corporate strategies of diversification, vertical integration, internationalization, and cooperation. - Management and management techniques of diversified businesses.
Topic 8: Formulating business strategy in practice
Strategy evaluation criteria and selection techniques. - Strategic planning.
Methodology
To achieve the objectives of this course the following teaching methods will be used:
1. Lectures with the use of ICT: In these sessions the professor will develop the main fundamental ideas and concepts of the topic and provide illustrative examples from the business world, where applicable.
2. Workshops focusing on exercises and case studies to better understand various theoretical concepts studied in the lectures.
3. Various support activities to familiarize students with the real-life business world - during the course students will perform research and read newspaper and journal articles related to the topics covered in the course.
4. Completion, delivery, and presentation of activities and / or practical projects developed by students working in groups.
5. Tutorial attendance: Professors will have scheduled office hours during which students may obtain help in resolving questions they encounter during the study of class material
Teaching will be offered on campus or in an on-campus and remote hybrid format depending on the number of students per group and the size of the rooms at 50% capacity.
Activities
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Practice classes | 13 | 0.52 | 2, 4, 5, 1, 6, 9, 8, 7, 11, 10, 12, 3 |
| Theory classes | 33 | 1.32 | 2, 4, 6, 9, 8 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Tutorials and monitoring | 10.5 | 0.42 | 2, 4, 6, 9, 8 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Studying of the class material and preparation | 90 | 3.6 | 2, 4, 5, 1, 6, 9, 8, 7, 11, 10, 12, 3 |
Assessment
The final course grade will consist of the weighted average of three grades – participation, mid-term exam, and final exam. Each of the three evaluation elements will be graded on the scale from 0 to 10, 10 being the highest grade. The final grade will be calculated using the following formula:
FINAL GRADE = 30% (midterm exam) + 20% (participation) + 50% (final exam)
1. Participation. Students are required to be present during the classes and to complete all individual and group assignments during the semester. Participation mark represents 20% of the final course grade.
2. Mid-term exam. The mid-term exam will cover the class material covered up to that point and will be offered only once. As there is no minimum grade requirement for the mid-term exam, a student can miss the mid-term exam and still “pass” the course. However, when a student misses the mid-term exam the mid-term exam grade will be zero and no compensation work will be assigned, even if the student had a valid reason for missing the exam. The grade of the mid-term exam represents 30% of the final grade.
In order to be allowed to take the final exam, the student must obtain a continuous evaluation grade (average of the mid-term exam grade and the participation grade) that is equal to or greater than 3.5. If the continuous evaluation grade is less than 3.5, the continuous evaluation grade becomes the final course grade and the student will not be allowed to take the final exam. The student will have to repeat the course.
3. Final exam. Final exam evaluates students based on the total material covered in the class. The grade of the final exam represents 50% of the final course grade. To pass the course, it is necessary to obtain final exam grade greater or equal to 3.5. The final exam will be offered only once and no compensation work will be assigned.
In case the final exam grade is lower than 3.5 and the final grade of the course will be equal toor greater than 3.5 and lower than 5, it may be submitted to the recovery test.
All students are required to perform the evaluation activities. If the student's grade is 5 or higher, the student passes the course and it cannot be subject to further evaluation. If the student grade is less than 3.5, the student will have to repeat the course the following year. Students who have obtained a grade that is equal to or greater than 3.5 and less than 5 can take a second chance exam. The lecturers will decide the type of the second chance exam. When the second exam grade is greater than 5, the final grade will be a PASS with a maximum numerical grade of 5. When the second exam grade is less than 5, the final grade will be a FAIL with a numerical grade equal to the grade achieved in the course grade (not the second chance exam grade).
A student who does not perform any evaluative task is considered “not evaluable”, therefore, a student who performs a continuous assessment component can no longer be qualified with a "not evaluable"
Calendar of evaluation activities
The dates of the evaluation activities (midterm exams, exercises in the classroom, assignments, ...) will be announced well in advance during the semester.
The date of the final exam is scheduled in the assessment calendar of the Faculty.
"The dates of evaluation activities cannot be modified, unless there is an exceptional and duly justified reason why an evaluation activity cannot be carried out. In this case, the degree coordinator will contact both the teaching staff and the affected student, and a new date will be scheduled within the same academic period to make up for the missed evaluation activity." Section 1 of Article 115. Calendar of evaluation activities (Academic Regulations UAB). Students of the Faculty of Economics and Business, who in accordance with the previous paragraph need to change anevaluation activity date must process the request by filling out an Application for exams' reschedule https://eformularis.uab.cat/group/deganat_feie/application-for-exams-reschedule
Grade revision process
After all grading activities have ended, students will be informed of the date and way in which the course grades will be published. Students will be also be informed of the procedure, place, date and time of grade revision following University regulations.
Retake Process
"To be eligible to participate in the retake process, it is required for students to have been previously been evaluated for at least two thirds of the total evaluation activities of the subject." Section 3 of Article 112 ter. The recovery (UAB Academic Regulations). Additionally, it is required that the student to have achieved an average grade of the subject between 3.5 and 4.9.
The date of the retake exam will be posted in the calendar of evaluation activities of the Faculty. Students who take this exam and pass, will get a grade of 5 for the subject. If the student does not pass the retake, the grade will remain unchanged, and hence, student will fail the course.
Irregularities in evaluation activities
In spite of other disciplinary measures deemed appropriate, and in accordance with current academic regulations, "in the case that the student makes any irregularity that could lead to a significant variation in the grade of an evaluation activity, it will be graded with a 0, regardless of the disciplinary process that can be instructed. In case of various irregularities occur in the evaluation of the same subject, the final grade of this subject will be 0". Section 10 of Article 116. Results of the evaluation. (UAB Academic Regulations).
The proposed evaluation activities may undergo some changes according to the restrictions imposed by the health authorities on on-campus courses.
Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final exam | 50% | 2 | 0.08 | 2, 4, 1, 6, 9, 8 |
| Mid-term exam | 30% | 1.5 | 0.06 | 2, 4, 1, 6, 9, 8 |
| Participation | 20% | 0 | 0 | 2, 4, 5, 1, 6, 9, 8, 7, 11, 10, 12, 3 |
Bibliography
GRANT, R. M. (2013): Cotemporary Strategy Analysis (8th ed.). Chichester, UK: John Wiley & Sons.
JOHNSON, G., SCHOLES, K. y WHITTINGTON, R. (2008): Exploring Corporate Strategy (8th ed.). Harlow, UK: Pearson Education Ltd.
GUERRAS, L. A.; NAVAS, J. E. (2013): Fundamentals of Strategic Management. Thomson Reuters Civitas, Madrid 2013