Strategy - Classic and Contemporary Views, 15 credits

Main field of study

Course level

Advancement level

Course offered for

• Master's Programme in Business Administration - Strategy and Management in International Organisations

Entry requirements

• Bachelor's degree equivalent to a Swedish Kandidatexamen within Business Administration or Economics
  or
  A bachelor's degree equivalent to a Swedish Kandidatexamen with/and at least 60 ECTS (two semesters of full-time study) of Business Administration-related courses (for example Accounting, Marketing, Organization Theory, Strategy, Finance, HRM)
• English corresponding to the level of English in Swedish upper secondary education (English 6/B)
  (Exemption from Swedish)
  and
• 40 ECTS credits from year 1 in the programme

Intended learning outcomes

The aim of the course is to enhance students' capabilities to act and work in contemporary and future organizations. A course ambition is to educate discerning consumers of strategic thought, i.e. students able to reflect upon fads and fashions and achievements of management research and writings.

After completion of the course the students will be expected to

• reproduce central strategic concepts and ideas as well as the development of the field of strategic management
• illustrate and explain differences and similarities between major ways of strategic thinking
• be able to compare and relate thoughts and elements from different schools of strategic thinking
• make use of models and concepts
• differentiate between and select appropriate theories and models for different situations

In addition to this the students will have gained experience of working in culturally/ethnically/nationally diverse teams.

Course content

The course contains both classic and contemporary thoughts on strategy. The classic views represent the canon of the field of strategy, i.e. models and concepts that students of strategy are expected to know. In the course, this inevitable heritage of theories and models is complemented with more contemporary ideas on strategy which also serve as a vehicle for challenging some of the classic ideas. The course thus deals with aspects of competitive advantage spanning from companies' internal resources, through the marketplace, to the attention of the final consumer an his/her role in the value creating process.

In the course, the following aspects will be dealt with:

• competition and competitive advantage
• industry analysis
• value creation
• innovation
• resource-based strategy analysis
• dynamic capabilities
• sustainability
• aesthetic and symbolic dimensions of strategy

Teaching and working methods

The course consists of a combination of assignments, projects, readings, seminars and lectures. Student activity is a presupposition. Language of instruction: English.

Examination

The course will be examined through a combination of individual and group assignments. Detailed information regarding form and content of the examination is to be found in the course description.

If special circumstances prevail, and if it is possible with consideration of the nature of the compulsory component, the examiner may decide to replace the compulsory component with another equivalent component.

If the LiU coordinator for students with disabilities has granted a student the right to an adapted examination for a written examination in an examination hall, the student has the right to it.

If the coordinator has recommended for the student an adapted examination or alternative form of examination, the examiner may grant this if the examiner assesses that it is possible, based on consideration of the course objectives.

An examiner may also decide that an adapted examination or alternative form of examination if the examiner assessed that special circumstances prevail, and the examiner assesses that it is possible while maintaining the objectives of the course.

Students failing an exam covering either the entire course or part of the course twice are entitled to have a new examiner appointed for the reexamination.

Students who have passed an examination may not retake it in order to improve their grades.

Grades

Other information

Planning and implementation of a course must take its starting point in the wording of the syllabus. The course evaluation included in each course must therefore take up the question how well the course agrees with the syllabus. 

The course is conducted in such a way that there are equal opportunities with regard to sex, transgender identity or expression, ethnicity, religion or other belief, disability, sexual orientation and age.

If special circumstances prevail, the vice-chancellor may in a special decision specify the preconditions for temporary deviations from this course syllabus, and delegate the right to take such decisions.

Department