Universitat Internacional de Catalunya - Barcelona

Strategic Management

• code 10297
• course 4
• term Semester 1 Semester 2
• type OB
• credits 6

Main language of instruction: Catalan

Other languages of instruction: English, Spanish

If the student is enrolled for the English track then classes for that subject will be taught in the same language and also in Spanish.

Head instructor

Dr. Carlos REY - carlosrey@uic.es
Dra. Marta MAS - mmas@uic.es
MsU Ali SAMEI - asamei@uic.es

Office hours

Monday & Friday from After class and by appointment sending an e.mail to carlosrey@uic.es / nvila@uic.es 

In this module we present the main paradigms of strategic management and give students the theoretical and practical knowledge to use different tools for strategic analysis and implementation.

Knowledge of basic strategic management concepts: competitive advantage and market forces

• • Acquire a general understanding of the concept of strategy, its main theories and trends.
  • Be able to use the main techniques in the discipline of strategic management.
  • Be able to discuss strategic matters with robustness and convincing arguments.

• 13 - To be familiar with and understand the terms and processes of company management.
• 36 - To interpret quantitative and qualitative data and apply mathematical and statistical tools to business processes.
• 37 - To be able to apply managerial methods, tools and techniques.
• 38 - To be able to connect the main variables (both formal and informal) which influence human behaviour in an organisation.
• 39 - To acquire the ability to solve problems and make decisions based on relevant information, applying the appropriate methods and situating the problem within the organisation as a whole.
• 50 - To acquire the ability to relate concepts, analyse and synthesise.
• 54 - To be able to express one’s ideas and formulate arguments in a logical and coherent way, both verbally and in writing.
• 59 - To skilfully use software and ICTs.
• 63 - To be able to analyse business related behaviour and decisions and evaluate them from an economic, social and ethical point of view.
• 67 - To be able to express oneself in other languages.
• 56 - To be able to create arguments which are conducive to critical and self-critical thinking.

• What strategy is
• Types of strategy: design, cognitive and institutional
• Main tools for strategic analysis
• Competitive advantage
• Strategy execution

1. What is strategy?
1. Business perspectives: mechanical, organic and anthropological
2. Ends and means: key elements of a successful strategy
3. Strategic logics: analytical, institutional and systemic.
4. Towards a definition of strategy
5. Competitive advantage: cost and differentiation
6. Deliberate and emergent strategies

1. Analytical strategy
1. Characteristics of analytical strategy
2. Contextual analysis: PEST
3. Porter’s five forces analysis
4. Segmentation analysis
5. Resources, capabilities and value chain

3. Institutional strategy
1. Characteristics of institutional strategy
2. Business principles of high performing companies
3. Corporate culture: concepts and theories
4. Analysis of corporate culture: artefacts, values and beliefs
5. Change management

4. Systemic strategy
1. Characteristics of systemic strategy
2. System thinking, systems dynamics
3. Knowing your business and your competition (dynamic competitiveness)
4. Organisational learning and knowledge transfer
5. Business models: creation, mapping and innovation

5. Getting things done
1. Decision Making: blinders, red flags and decision traps
2. Management by missions
3. Leadership

Lectures / short case studies / exercises

-Case studies

-Presentations by ‘practitioners’ (CEOs / entrepreneurs)

-Articles and their discussion

-Research project, presentation and discussion

Final Grade:

• 50% Exams (mid-term & final)
• 30% Articles & Case studies
• 20% Business Challenge

-          Grant, R. (2013). Contemporary Strategy Analysis: Concepts, Tec… 8th ed. Wiley.

Additional readings

-          Reeves, M, Haanaes, K, Sinha J., (2015) Your strategy needs a strategy. HBR Press.

-          Lafley, Martin (2013) Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works. Harvard Business review press.

-          Gunther McGrath, R. (2013) The End of Competitive Advantage: How to Keep Your Strategy Moving as Fast as Your Business Harvard Business review press.

-          Ricart, J.E., Llopis, J. y Pastoriza, E. (2012) Qué hacen los buenos directivos. Deusto, Barcelona.

-          Rumelt, R. (2011) Good Strategy Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters. Crown Business.

-          Hitt, M.A., Ireland, R.D., Hoskisson, R.E. (2010). Strategic Management: Concepts: Competitiveness and Globalization. South-Western College Pub, 9th ed.

-          Osterwalder, A. (2010) Business Model Generation: A Handbook for Visionaries, Game Changers, and Challengers. Wiley.

-          Moss Kanter, R. (2009). SuperCorp: How Vanguard Companies Create Innovation, Profits, Growth, and Social Good. Crown Business.

-          Teece, D. J. (2009) Dynamic Capabilities and Strategic Management: Organizing for Innovation and Growth. Oxford University Press, USA.

-          Johnson, G., Langley, A., Melin, L., Whittington R. (2007). Strategy as Practice: Research Directions and Resources. Cambridge University Press.

-          Bruch, H., Ghoshal. S.(2004) A bias for action. Harvard Business School Press.

E: exam date | R: revision date | 1: first session | 2: second session:

• E2 19/06/2019 10:00h b501