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Strategic management

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Are you ready to discover how strategic management can help to explain our dynamic world? In this module, you’ll learn how to apply strategic management models and frameworks to real cases — from entrepreneurial companies to large multinationals and see how companies succeed in competition or how corporations expand internationally. You'll become able to make sense of the strategies of the organisations around you and strategic decision-making. This module will also show how you can have an active role in the analysis of strategic contexts and in shaping and implementing strategy.

What you will study

In an ever-changing world, organisations must make strategic choices based on solid analyses and decision-making processes. This module adopts an innovative teaching approach to illustrate how strategic management theories and models can be applied in different contexts and how they inform decision-making. You will develop a skill set founded on strategic management theory that will allow you to become an active actor in the strategy process that organisations deploy to ensure their long-term success.

The module is relevant to anyone interested in understanding how organisations can be managed strategically and sustainably. You will be exposed to the key theoretical frameworks that inform the understanding and practice of strategy, with particular attention paid to competitive and corporate strategy domains. You will apply strategic management models to real cases from different contexts and critically assess their implications for organisations and stakeholders at large.

You'll hear from managers and consultants and learn from their experiences in a wide range of examples and cases from several industries at national and international levels. The selection of cases ranges from traditional production companies to innovative businesses. You will also benefit from the experience of an international module team who has designed the module for practical application and use of strategic models and frameworks. A key feature of your learning will be a collaborative role play activity in the final phase of the module, where you will work as a consultant in a small team with other students to offer advice to a company and prepare a professional presentation.

Block 1
You’ll be introduced to key concepts in strategy and strategic management. There is much debate on what strategy is, and you’ll learn different definitions and develop a clear understanding of what comprises strategic choices for organisations. You’ll also explore the core concepts of vision, mission, values, and goals. As strategic management is strongly connected with performance, you’ll learn how to evaluate a firm’s performance in financial and non-financial terms. There is also a section on corporate social responsibility to enhance your appreciation of performance indicators beyond financial performance. While engaging with these sections, you’ll develop your study and professional skills, starting with a skills audit, and with sessions on professional writing and on how to build an argument.

Block 2
You’ll examine the implications of the external and internal environments for strategy. The external analysis considers how external forces and competition in industry influence organisations and their strategic choices. The internal analysis looks at how resources and capabilities shape the strategies of organisations. The analytical frameworks from this block will be complemented with an in-depth explanation of several core concepts and demonstrations of how you can apply them to real cases. 

Block 3
In this block, attention turns to examining business and competitive strategies and how they influence how organisations conduct their business. Key considerations in the block will be developing your understanding of the types of competitive advantage, focusing on cost leadership and differentiation. Special attention is given to explaining how companies adopt different business models and types, and how they can create value. You’ll be engaged in defining the value proposition of a new business as part of a role play in order to understand how several dimensions are interconnected.

Block 4
You’ll look at strategy at a corporate level and covers where strategic decision-making takes place. Some of the most important considerations here will touch on vertical integration, diversification and internationalisation (drivers, location, speed, and outcomes). You will learn how organisations grow and expand following different strategies such as new greenfield operations, mergers and acquisitions, alliances and joint ventures. You will learn about emerging markets and how multinationals can operate in those increasingly important areas by leveraging their political capabilities.

Block 5
You’ll identify and assess the challenges and barriers in implementing strategies as you learn how to put a strategy into practice by aligning its formulation and implementation. Core elements that influence implementation will be examined, including organisational structure, management systems, organisational culture and people management. In this final part, you’ll join a small group of other learners for a collaborative activity that feeds into your individual reflection for the end-of-module assessment.

Entry requirements

This module makes as few assumptions as possible about what you already know about business or about your experience of formal academic study. However, as this is an OU level 3 module and if you have no previous experience of studying business, it is strongly recommended that you first study An introduction to business and management (B100) and Shaping business opportunities (B207). If you have any doubt about the suitability of the module, please speak to an adviser.

What's included

You’ll have access to a module website, which includes:

  • a week-by-week study planner
  • the module study guide
  • module materials
  • audio and video content
  • assessment guide
  • online tutorials and forums
  • Library resources, including ejournal articles and referencing guides.

Computing requirements

You’ll need broadband internet access and a desktop or laptop computer with an up-to-date version of Windows (10 or 11) or macOS Ventura or higher.

Any additional software will be provided or is generally freely available.

To join in spoken conversations in tutorials, we recommend a wired headset (headphones/earphones with a built-in microphone).

Our module websites comply with web standards, and any modern browser is suitable for most activities.

Our OU Study mobile app will operate on all current, supported versions of Android and iOS. It’s not available on Kindle.

It’s also possible to access some module materials on a mobile phone, tablet device or Chromebook. However, as you may be asked to install additional software or use certain applications, you’ll also require a desktop or laptop, as described above.

Teaching and assessment

Support from your tutor

You'll have a tutor who will help you with the study material and mark and comment on your tutor-marked assignments (TMAs), and whom you can ask for advice and guidance. If you're new to the OU, your tutor can provide additional support with your study skills. To support your study, there will be a series of learning events which you are encouraged to attend. You can attend via online meeting rooms on a platform used to deliver tuition. They provide an opportunity for you to engage with members of the module tutoring team and fellow students on a series of activities that will help you to consolidate your learning and prepare for module assessments. The Collaborative Activity online meetings with your tutor are essential learning opportunities designed to enable you to successfully complete the end-of-module assessment. The cost of these learning events is included in the module fee.

Contact us if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.

Assessment

The assessment details for this module can be found in the facts box.

If you have a disability

The OU strives to make all aspects of study accessible to everyone and this Accessibility Statement outlines what studying B302 involves. You should use this information to inform your study preparations and any discussions with us about how we can meet your needs.

Future availability

Strategic management starts once a year – in October. This page describes the module that will start in October 2024. We expect it to start for the last time in October 2026.

Course work includes:

3 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs)
End-of-module assessment