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Study information

Managing Competitive Strategy

Module titleManaging Competitive Strategy
Module codeBEMM068
Academic year2025/6
Credits15
Module staff

Professor Alex Janes (Convenor)

Duration: Term123
Duration: Weeks

0

11

0

Number students taking module (anticipated)

150

Module description

In this module you will explore strategy and strategic management from a range of different perspectives. In the current business climate there are many significant issues which organisations and their leaders must navigate successfully to survive and prosper. You will have the opportunity to discuss these sources of dynamism and disorder and to think about how strategy has changed over time with many competing theories and schools of practice emerging to provide solutions to the wicked problems facing strategists. If you aspire to a senior management role, to run your own enterprise, or to work in consultancy, this module will help to prepare you to think strategically and to be able to appreciate the long-term view necessary to set the direction for and successfully lead an organisation in the 21st century.

The module focuses on case method for a majority of the time – so you will be working on a variety of case studies applying theory to real world organisations, diagnosing their problems and discussing the actual decisions facing senior managers in those companies as they search for the best solutions. The skills you gain from this are highly valued by employers and provide a good preparation for some styles of interviews and assessment centres used to recruit graduates.

This module is AI integrated, which means there is an expectation that you will use AI during classes and as part of the assessment process

Module aims - intentions of the module

The aims of this module are to

  • Enable you to critically evaluate different approaches to strategy
  • Give you practical experience of working in a team to diagnose strategic problems, generate potential solutions to those problems and decide on a course of action
  • Explore the role of strategy at different organisational levels and in a range of industries/contexts
  • Enable you to discuss the impact of contemporary and future developments on the long-term direction of organisations – such as artificial intelligence (AI), circular economy business models, and global events like the Covid-19 pandemic

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

  • 1. Diagnose an organisation’s situation by critically analysing its external and internal environments, taking into account context in the choice of tools and frameworks used
  • 2. Apply a range of module theories and frameworks for describing and setting an organisation’s direction
  • 3. Evaluate a range of strategic options using objective criteria to support and justify recommended decisions and use these skills in case study discussions and simulations
  • 4. Actively and critically use module concepts to manage the delivery of an organisation’s strategy
  • 5. Explain how dynamism and disorder are changing the field of strategy for managers

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

  • 6. Critically reflect on own knowledge of discipline combining practical and theoretical elements to develop own understanding of the field

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

  • 7. Carry out independent study/research and case study analysis
  • 8. Demonstrate the ability to use different forms of Generative AI and critically reflect on the results produced
  • 9. Work effectively in a group

Syllabus plan

Introduction:

  • What is Strategy and why is it important for Managers?
  • Unifying module framework – the 6Ds of Strategic Management
  • Wicked problems and endless solutions – why strategy requires a different way of thinking.

Diagnosis:

  • Analysing the macro-environment
  • Assessing industries, arenas and competitors
  • Evaluating an organisation’s internal environment
  • Summarising the organisation’s situation – identifying critical issues and assessing their impact.

Direction:

  • Developing the mission, vision, values and strategic objectives for organisations
  • Managing stakeholders

Decisions:

  • Deciding where to compete
  • Deciding how to compete
  • Deciding who to work with
  • Evaluating and choosing between different options
  • Decision making processes – from deliberate to emergent strategy

Delivery:

  • Developing organisational plans to include realistic, measurable targets and key performance indicators
  • Managing change
  • Balancing organisational alignment with the strategy against agility to respond to change
  • Identifying and managing appropriate resources to deliver the plan
  • Accurately monitoring and measuring outcomes and evaluating results

Dynamism and Disorder:

  • The importance of context in strategic management
  • Coping with different levels of volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity
  • The rise of high velocity/hypercompetitive environments

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching ActivitiesGuided independent studyPlacement / study abroad
221280

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

CategoryHours of study timeDescription
Scheduled learning and teaching activities10Lectures
Scheduled learning and teaching activities12Collaborative Workshops
Guided independent study128Reflection, reading and preparation for tutorials, workshops and assessment

Formative assessment

Form of assessmentSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Tutorials and case workshop requiring preparation Notes for workshops 1-1,200 words equivalent per workshop1-5, 6-9Verbal and peer feedback in tutorial/workshop

Summative assessment (% of credit)

CourseworkWritten examsPractical exams
10000

Details of summative assessment

Form of assessment% of creditSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Group report303500 words (per group of 5 students)1- 5, 7-9 Comments on paper and group feedback from module team
Individual paper702,500 words 1-3, 6-8 Written feedback

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Original form of assessmentForm of re-assessmentILOs re-assessedTimescale for re-assessment
Group report Individual paper (1500 words, 30%)1-5, 7-8Referral/deferral period
Individual paperIndividual paper (2,500 words, 70%)1-3, 5-8 Referral/deferral period

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 50%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 50%.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Basic reading:

Core Text for the Module:

  • Thompson, A. Strickland, L., Janes, A., Sutton, C. Gamble, J., and Peteraf, M., (2017) Crafting and Executing Strategy: The quest for Competitive Advantage, 2nd International edition, McGraw-Hill, Maidenhead

Supplementary Reading:

A range of articles from Strategic Management Journal, McKinsey Quarterly, Harvard Business Review, Long Range Planning and other relevant journals will be set as reading to help deepen your knowledge of various topics – links will be posted to ELE to access these via the e-library system.

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

  • ELE

Key words search

Strategy, Strategic Management, Competitive Strategy, Corporate Strategy

Credit value15
Module ECTS

7.5

Module pre-requisites

None

Module co-requisites

None

NQF level (module)

7

Available as distance learning?

No

Origin date

17/07/2014

Last revision date

14/04/2025