INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT SCIENCES │ PESHAWAR

Course Syllabus

Course Code & Title: Advanced Strategic Management & Globalization (MBA 720)

Program(s) & Group(s): MBA 1.5

Academic Calendar Spring 2019

Semester:

Lecture Timing: 08:30 – 10:00

Prerequisites and/or No pre-requisites

Expectations:

Instructor: Dr. Muhammad Atiq

Website (if any):

Email: Muhammad.atiq@imsciences.edu.pk

Office Location: FR-210, 2nd Floor opposite R&DDoffice

Office Contact Hours: Wednesday – Friday 11:00 – 1:00 pm

Course Description & This course is to provide students with an understanding of how managers make
Objectives: decision and how strategy evolves in different types of companies and contexts as
for instance in organizations located in a dynamic and complex environment facing
genuine uncertainty. A further idea is to make the students aware of not only the
economic but also the political, social, and psychological aspect of managing an
organization and how these aspects affect the development of strategies in
organizations. This course also concerns with the number of forces which
determine and influence the development of strategies in organizations. Here we
look at how companies can handle the uncertainty associated with the development
of new technologies, the emergence of new values / norms and globalization and
the management of strategic alliances, etc. In addition, we also look at how
intended and emergent strategies develop over time and how managers can
organize and manage strategic change processes.
The role of organizational politics, organizational culture, power plays, and the
practicalities of strategy making in influencing the strategizing process will be the
main themes of this course.

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 INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT SCIENCES │ PESHAWAR
Course Syllabus

The following are the objectives of this course:

1. To develop the ability to identify strategic issues and design appropriate
courses of action.
2. To impart theoretical and practical knowledge of different directions and
methods of business strategy
3. To deliver knowledge regarding the practicalities of the strategizing
process
4. To educate students regarding the importance of organizational capabilities
in gaining sustainable competitive advantage
5. To emphasize the importance of organizational culture as an unintended
driver of strategizing process

Course Resources: Text Book: Johnson, G., Scholes, K., and Whittington, R. (2008). Exploring
Corporate Strategy, 8th edition. Prentice Hall.
Further Readings
Case studies, news articles and research papers related to the course contents will
be given to students from time to time. Lecture slides will also be shared with the
students.
Course Assessment(s): Marks Distribution:

 Mid Term 30 Marks

1. Paper based exam containing conceptual questions
(short and essay type questions)
 Assignment 20 Marks
Students are required to attend all classes on scheduled time.
Groups, comprising of 5 individuals, will be made and they
will present their views in class regarding the assigned
research papers and case studies. As such, class participation
in the form of questions and answers, presentations and case
study analysis is mandatory for all students and not just the
group leader.
 Final Exam 50 Marks
1. Paper based exam containing conceptual questions
(Short and Essay type questions)

Course Methodology: Formal lectures, case studies, news articles, discussion sessions and research
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 INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT SCIENCES │ PESHAWAR
Course Syllabus

papers will be utilised to impart knowledge regarding the strategizing process. I

believe in two-way communications, continuous learning and implementation of
lesson learnt. Therefore, I put strong emphasis on practical examples and also
expect students to discuss and debate about different firms and their strategies.
Student Learning By the end of the course, the students are expected to have:
Outcomes:
1. An understanding of the practicalities of the strategizing process and the
different terminologies used in the process

2. Recognition of the importance of organizational culture in directing the

development of strategy

3. Analytical skills in strategy analysis

4. An understanding of the external environment and its impact on the

strategy development process within the firm

5. The knowledge of different forms of organizational capabilities required to

survive and prosper in the market

6. An understanding of the different forms of strategy directions

7. The knowledge of different methods for pursuing strategy implementation

and evaluation

8. The knowledge of competitive situation and global business environment

in terms of rapidly changing market trends and technological advancement

Behavioral Expectations/ Students are expected to be on time for the class as per schedule. All the students
Class Policies (if any): are expected and encouraged to take part in class participation. Students who
remain absent in class activities such as case studies and presentations, will loose
their marks.

Course Schedule

Week/ Topic Description Reading/Remarks

Lecture No.
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 INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT SCIENCES │ PESHAWAR
Course Syllabus

 The Nature of Strategy Lecture slides and class discussion

1  What is strategy and strategic management
 What is the difference between corporate,
business and functional strategies?
 The Nature of Strategy -do-
 What is the difference between deliberate
and emergent strategies?
2  External Environment and Strategy
Development
 Influence of external environment on the
firm
 The Macro, Meso and Micro Environments
 External Environment and Strategy -do-
Development
 PESTEL Analysis
3  Key Drivers for Change
 Building Scenarios
 Industry Analysis
 Five Forces Framework and its implications
 External Environment and Strategy -do-
Development
 Industry Life Cycle
4  Competitors and markets
 Strategic groups
 Market segments
 Identifying the strategic customer
 Critical success factors
 Identifying opportunities and threats
5  Class assignment and presentation on -do-
‘PESTEL and Industry Analysis’
 Strategic Capability Analysis -do-
 Strategic capability defined
6  The resource based view of organizations
 Elements of strategic capability
 Threshold capabilities
 Unique resources and core competencies
7  Strategic Capability Analysis Case study given by the instructor and
class discussion
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Course Syllabus

 Cost efficiency and the learning curve

 Pricing as a strategic capability
 Capabilities for achieving and sustaining
competitive advantage
 Diagnosing strategic capability through
value chain network
 Identifying corporate strengths and
weaknesses
8  Culture and Strategy Lecture slides and class discussion
 Defining the organizational culture
 Organizational culture in four layers
 Organizational culture’s influence on strategy
Mid-Term Exam
 Culture and Strategy Lecture slides and class discussion
9  The Phenomenon of strategic drift
 The four phases of strategic drift
 The cultural web and its elements
 Class assignment and presentation on -do-
10 ‘strategic capability of assigned
organizations’
 Business Level Strategy and Bases of -do-
Competitive Advantage
 Bases of competitive advantage: the
‘strategy clock’
11  Price based strategies (routes 1 and 2)
 Differentiation strategy (route 4)
 Hybrid strategy (route 3)
 Focused differentiation (route 5)
 Strategies bound to fail (routes 6,7 and 8)
 Sustaining competitive advantage
 Competition and collaboration
 Business Level Strategy and Bases of -do-
Competitive Advantage

12  Hybrid strategy (route 3)

 Focused differentiation (route 5)
 Strategies bound to fail (routes 6,7 and 8)
 Sustaining competitive advantage
 Competition and collaboration
13  Strategic Directions and Corporate Level -do-
Strategy
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Course Syllabus

 Strategic directions: The Ansoff’s Matrix

 Market penetration
 Consolidation
 Product development
 Market development
 Diversification
 Reasons for diversification
 Related vs. unrelated diversification
 Strategic Directions and Corporate Level -do-
Strategy
 Value creation and the corporate parent
 Value-adding and value-destroying activities
of corporate parents
14  The portfolio manager
 The synergy manager
 The parental developer
 Portfolio matrices
 The BCG (or growth/share) matrix
 The directional policy (GE–McKinsey)
matrix
 Strategy Methods and Evaluation -do-
 Methods of pursuing strategies
 Organic development
 Mergers & acquisitions
15  Strategic alliances
 Strategy evaluation
 Suitability
 Acceptability
 Feasibility
 Class assignment and presentation on the -do-
16 ‘Actual vs. Proposed strategies’ for the
assigned organisations
Final Exam

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