Putting A New Strat Man Course Together

Rather than repeat much of the material I used for ASSESSMENT 03, I will build on it in the light of to show how I would change it to reflect what I have learned.

This is a design for a new Strategic Management 1 strategy course for an MBA programme, and would run in the first semester of the second year of a two year part-time Masters Degree in Business Administration (MBA) degree at the University of .

Summary of the course:

The Strategic Management 1 course runs in the second year of the part -time MBA . It looks at strategy as theorised by the key schools of management theory in this area and strategy as it is practised in organizations. This approach unites theory and practice. It links into other social science disciplines taught on the MBA course, such as economics, sociology, psychology and finance reflecting the composite nature of this subject. It will centre round the dominant paradigm in this area, the Resource-Based View of the Firm in detail and consider its strengths and weaknesses as an analytical framework. Finally, it will review newer approaches to strategy including game theory and real options and consider their usefulness as management tools.

Relationship with other courses on the MBA degree course

The MBA has as its objectives:

1. To build individual student competencies to a level where they can operate as effective managers on a global basis ;

2. To offer significant value to employers not only through enhanced individual abilities , but through project and assignment work related to the organization.

3. To equip students with a broad range of decision-making skills and an enhanced ability to cope with external changes emanating from the international business environment.

Students are on campus for up to three days a month, with self study time to be arranged by them with their employer and conducted through learning sets of up to four students. Most students are sponsored, and

The first year of the Master's Degree programme includes Organization Studies, Accounting and Finance 1; International Political Economy 1; Mathematics for Management, Organization Studies 2, Accounting and Finance 2 , International Political Economy 2 , Marketing Management.

The Strategic Management 1 course will link to the First Year courses in the curriculum, including organization theory, economics, finance and marketing and develop ideas introduced there. It is not designed as a standalone course and entry will only be from the previous semesters of the MBA, though in exceptional circumstances, and if permitted by university regulations, direct entry can be made through successful performance in a qualifying exam. This is to provide a common frame of reference for all students, including those who have suspended studies for a year or who have previously failed and are resitting this course. If desired to be run as a standalone executive programme, then several extra sessions would need to be inserted to allow students to move from a common start-point.

Strategic Management 1, in turn, slots into a Second Year programme as follows:

Strategic Management 1, Management information Systems ; Strategic Marketing, Elective Option 1; Strategic Management 2 , Human Resource Management (HRM), Project Management , Elective Option 2.

So it links to Strategic Management 2 , which consists of seminars and a project embedded in the student's own organization. The brief from the staff member teaching Strategic Management 2 was to ensure that students understand the resource-based view and the strengths and weaknesses of common strategic models. It also has resonance with Strategic Marketing, and HRM.

Course Aims and Objectives

Course Aim:

The course aim is to develop the student's skills and understanding of organizational strategy from a theoretical and practical standpoint.

Course Objectives:

* Develop students' abilities to analyse complex information from case studies, and from their own organizations.

* Assist students in completing their understanding of the key theoretical approaches to strategy and the strengths and weaknesses of each approach.

* Enable students to analyse and propose appropriate strategies for the organizations under study.

The Student Population

The student population are:

* Aged over 25;

* University graduates at 2.1 or 1st level (or equivalent);

* Have at least five years of management experience;

* Have successfully completed the first year of the MBA so are already socialised into post-graduate education in a University and the issues about returning to study;

* Already working in self study groups;

* Have three days a month on campus and limited access to library facilities;

* Have demanding jobs and other stakeholder pressures from families, employers, etc;

* Articulate and demanding;

* Highly motivated...the economy is dependent on the relative competitive advantage of the Irish IT industry.

Teaching Methods

The teaching budget allows for 16 hours of face to face teaching allocated as 4 blocks of 4 hours each, with at least an equal amount in terms of self study of course material.

The set book is Grant, Robert M. (2002) Contemporary Strategy Analysis, (4th Edition), Blackwell Books, Oxford. ISBN 0-631-32136-6

Teaching will be through the following methods:

Face to face component :

Lectures including slides made available online;

In-class case study analysis with group presentations;

Video material;

Quizzes;

Office hours during