BE441-6-FY-SO:
Business Strategy
2019/20
Essex Business School
Southend Campus
Full Year
Undergraduate: Level 6
Current
Thursday 03 October 2019
Friday 26 June 2020
30
02 January 2020
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
BBA N100 Business Administration,
BBA N103 Business Administration (Including Placement Year),
BBA N104 Business Administration (Including Foundation Year),
BBA N104CO Business Administration (Including Foundation Year),
BBA N110 Business Administration (Including Year Abroad),
BSC N120 International Business and Entrepreneurship,
BSC N121 International Business and Entrepreneurship (Including Year Abroad),
BSC N123 International Business and Entrepreneurship (Including Placement Year),
BSC N124 International Business and Entrepreneurship (Including Foundation Year),
BSC N124CO International Business and Entrepreneurship (Including Foundation Year),
BSC N501 Marketing,
BSC N502 Marketing (Including Year Abroad),
BSC N504 Marketing (Including Placement Year),
BSC N505 Marketing (Including Foundation Year),
BSC N505CO Marketing (Including Foundation Year),
BSC N832 Tourism Management,
BSC N834 Tourism Management (Including Placement Year)
This module is designed to introduce students to the concepts and nature of strategy, strategic decisions and strategy development processes in organisations. It applies a range of analytical techniques and frameworks to understanding their values in the creation of organisational knowledge, the development of businesses, strategic choice and decision making.
It outlines the roles of strategic managers and other stakeholders in the governance, management and assessment of performance of their organisations. Building on these fundamental concepts, a good comprehension can be grasped on the interaction between organisations and their environments and on the formulation and implementation of business strategies in order to integrate the strategic management of an organisation with its operational functions.
This module aims to enable students to gain comprehension on the concepts and nature of strategy and its interactions with the macro environment, industries/sectors and business operations. It allows students to develop their skills on analysing opportunities and threats, managing strategic capability and resources; understanding competitive advantage, competition and collaboration, directions and methods of business development, as well as managing strategic change. Different contexts that strategic choices embedded are introduced with the aim of enhancing students’ better understanding of contingent strategies in a broad scope.
This module aims to:
1. enable students to gain comprehension on the concepts and nature of strategy and its interactions with the macro environment, industries/sectors and business operations.
2. to allow students to develop their skills on analysing opportunities and threats, managing strategic capability and resources; understanding competitive advantage, competition and collaboration, directions and methods of business development, as well as managing strategic change.
Different contexts that strategic choices embedded are introduced with the aim of enhancing students’ better understanding of contingent strategies in a broad scope.
On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:
1. Demonstrate an appreciation of areas which are fundamental to the development of successful strategy, understanding of the concepts and various approaches of strategies and their applications in a range of business situations
2. Outline and critique the major perspectives on the conduct of strategy;
3. Explain and use the most common tools of strategic analysis.
4. Demonstrate a good understanding of, and ability to assess the complexities of strategic decision making.
5. Consider and where possible choose appropriate action within certain key strategy focus areas, and enhance effective problem solving skills with particular reference to management and business
6. Appreciate the nuances of the effect of organisational context on strategy development and implementation.
7. Integrate strategic thinking into the holistic management of an organisation and businesses.
8. Obtain a thorough understanding of the implications for managing and developing human resources effectively in different organisational contexts
No additional information available.
Lectures from academic staff
Class exercises
Discussion of case studies and journal articles
Individual work and group work
Sign-posting to additional sources of information required
Lectures will explore key concepts, theories and their application with a range of live examples and cases from business practice. Discussion of case studies will be used to develop critical analytical and problem solving skills.
The lectures will follow a weekly format of 2 hours (including seminar activities such as discussion questions) per week for 10 weeks in two terms.
Seminars will be woven into lectures and aim to apply theories and adopt a practitioner's perspective. The objective is to engage students into a discussion where a critical appreciation of theories will be achieved through real-life examples.
- David, Fred R.; David, Forest R. (2017) Strategic management : concepts and cases : a competitive advantage approach, Boston: Pearson.
- David, Fred R.; David, Forest R. (2019-01-02) Strategic Management: Pearson Education (US).
The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course. The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students. Further reading can be obtained from this module's reading list.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Individual Essay (3000-4000 words) |
|
60% |
| Practical |
Simulation Game (weeks 16 - 24) |
|
40% |
| Exam |
Main exam: 24hr during Summer (Main Period)
|
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Charan Bhattarai, email: crbhat@essex.ac.uk.
Dr Marta Fernandez De Arroyabe Arranz, email: mf17255@essex.ac.uk.
Dr Marta Fernandez De Arroyabe Arranz (AU), Dr Misagh Tasavori (SP)
No
No
No
Dr Omar Al-Tabbaa
University of Kent
Senior Lecturer in Strategy & International Business
Available via Moodle
Of 59 hours, 48 (81.4%) hours available to students:
11 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s).
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