Estudia

1. Session 1: Course presentation 1a. The concept of strategy The role and nature of strategy. A framework for strategy analysis. Strategy making in practice. 1b. Goal, values and Performance. Strategy, profit, and shareholder value. Value drivers and performance targets. Balanced Scorecard. Values and mission.

2. Session 2: Industry Analysis 2a. Fundamental industry analysis How industry structure determines competition, and the level of industry profitability. Porter’s Five Forces of Competition framework. 2b. Further applications in industry analysis Applying the Porter framework to different types of industry. Forecasting industry profitability. Strategies to influence industry structure. Industry analysis in the “New Economy”. Changes in industry structure and their impact on competition and profitability. Analyzing market segments. Key success factors.

3. Session 3: Resources and capabilities 3a. Introduction to resources and capabilities Resource-based strategies. Identifying and appraising resources and capabilities. The determinants of sustainable competitive advantage. 3b. Further applications in resources and capabilities Putting resources and capabilities into work. Developing resources and capabilities. Knowledge management and the knowledge-based view of the firm

4. Session 4: 4a. Further applications in resources and capabilities (continued) Competitive advantage in industry contexts 4b. Nature and sources of competitive advantage Emergence of competitive advantage, sustaining competitive advantage, Porter’s “generic strategies.”

5. Session 5: 5. Cost and differentiation advantage The sources of cost advantage, using the value chain to analyze costs, managing cost cutting. The nature of differentiation, demand and supply side of differentiation. Using the value chain in differentiation analysis.

6. Session 6: Competitive advantage in dynamic and technology based industries The industry life cycle, success factors over the life cycle, organizational adaptation and change. Competitive advantage in technology-intensive industries, strategies to exploit innovation, implementing technology strategies. Course conclusions and review.

• Besanko, David (cop. 2004). Economics of strategy (3rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
• Grant, Robert M., Grant, Robert M.. Contemporary strategy analysis (2005). Cases to accompany contemporary strategy analysis, fifthedition. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.
• Johnson, Gerry, Scholes, Kevan, Whittington, Richard (2005). Exploring corporate strategy : [text and cases] (7th ed.). Harlow [etc.]: Financial Times Prentice Hall.

Activitats d'avaluació:

The final mark will be assigned as follows:
Class participation 20%
Case readings (4 cases) 20%
Paper readings (4 papers) 20%
Case or paper presentation 20% (in groups of 2)
Course review 20% (in groups of 3)

The readings and cases will be provided during the course.
Students will be able to agree with the professor the paper that they are required to present (oral paper presentation).
Students will be required to contribute to the course conclusions and review.