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Strategic Business Proposal

Module description

The strategic business proposal module is designed to enable you as an SL apprentice to develop a strategic piece of work that can deliver organisational change at a strategic level. The strategic business proposal is relevant to your role within the organisation. The eventual proposal is developed in conjunction with the module team and you will seek organisational and EPAO approval. As the module is designed to enable you to develop a proposal no requirement to deliver in the workplace is needed.

Module aims - intentions of the module

Senior leaders are responsible for developing and implementing major organisational and strategic change projects that ultimately enable organisations to achieve their strategic objectives. The strategic business proposal involves the apprentice completing a relevant and defined piece of work that has a real business benefit. This module is scheduled towards the end of the apprenticeship programme and allow the apprentices the benefit of utilising the knowledge they have established during the first three modules. The module will be delivered through a three days of masterclasses followed by support from a dedicated team of project supervisors. During the masterclasses the apprentices will engage with a range of project skills and subject areas importantly but not limited to strategic and evaluative frameworks and in-depth research methods and design topics. The masterclasses will be delivered through focused workshops, group and individual sessions orientated towards supporting the students in completing their assignments. As stated, the masterclasses will be followed by support from a dedicated project supervisor, although this process will be managed and driven by the apprentices.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

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

• 1. Discuss new market strategies, changing customer demands and trend analysis. K3.
• 2. Define and demonstrate research methodologies and programme management. K5:

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

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

• 3. Discuss systems thinking, knowledge/data management. K5:
• 4. Discuss financial strategies, for example scenarios, modelling and identifying trends, application of economic theory to decision-making, and how to evaluate financial and non- financial information. K8:
• 5. Discuss financial governance and legal requirements, and procurement strategies. K9:
• 6. Discuss influencing and negotiating strategies both upwards and outwards. K12:
• 7. Discuss working with board and other company leadership structures. K14:
• 8. Discuss and evaluate brand and reputation management K15:
• 9. Discuss working with corporate leadership structures, for example, the markets it operates in, roles and responsibilities, who its stakeholders are and what they require from the organisation and the sustainability agenda K16:

ILO: Personal and key skills

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

• 10. Demonstrate the ability to set strategic direction and gain support for it from key stakeholders. S2:
• 11. Demonstrate the ability to undertake research, and critically analyse and integrate complex information. S3:
• 12. Demonstrate the skill to Use financial data to allocate resources. S11:
• 13. Explore and demonstrate the use personal presence and "storytelling" to articulate and translate vision into operational strategies, demonstrating clarity in thinking. S13:
• 14. Demonstrate the ability to manage relationships across multiple and diverse stakeholders. S19:
• 15. Demonstrate the ability to lead within their area of control/authority, influencing both upwards and outwards, negotiating and using advocacy skills to build reputation and effective collaboration. S20:

Syllabus plan

• Refresher on previous taught content
  • strategy refresher (internal & external analysis, systems thinking, VRIO, SAFe, etc)
  • finance refresher (financial and non-financial data analysis, KPI’s, Balance Scorecard, etc)
• Project ideation
• Project lifecycle and programme management
• Introduction project management tools (stakeholders management, mind mapping, Fishbone, Gantt charts, risk mitigation, RACI, etc.)
• Research Methods and Methodology
  • introduction to qualitative data
  • introduction descriptive quantitative data
  • research methods
  • research methodology
• Data collection & Analysis
• Project evaluation and GAP analysis techniques

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

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

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

Re-assessment notes

All passed components of the module will be rolled forward and will not be reassessed in the event of module failure.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Suggested reading:

• Maylor H., (2010). Project Management (4th Ed). Pearson Education Limited
• Arthur A., Thompson, A., Strickland, A. J., & Janes, A. (2017). Crafting and Executing Strategy: the quest for competitive advantage: concepts and cases. McGraw-Hill Education

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

Additional suggested reading:

• Costley, C., Elliott, G. C., & Gibbs, P. (2010). Doing work-based research: Approaches to enquiry for insider researchers. Sage.
• Easterby-Smith, M., Thorpe, R., & Jackson, P. R. (2012). Management research. Sage
• Gill, J., & Johnson, P. (2010). Research methods for managers. Sage.
• Saunders, M., Lewis, P. & Thornhill, A. (2009). Doing Research in Business & Management: An Essential Guide to Planning Your Project.
• Thomas, G. (2009). How to do your research project: A guide for students. Sage.
• Whitehead, J., & McNiff, J. (2006). Action research: Living theory. Sage.

Key words search

Strategic Business Proposal, Research, Methodologies, Analysis, Communication, Brand and Reputation, Storytelling, Influencing