BENNETT UNIVERSITY, GREATER NOIDA

Programme : BBA Subject : ORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGY

Syllabus /Course Outline

1. Unit 1: Understanding Organizational Strategy
 Introduction
 Concept of strategy
 Organizational strategy : Definition and meaning
 What is strategy and its features?
 Why business strategy or strategic management?
 Levels of strategic planning
 Characteristics of Corporate, Business and Functional strategy
 Components of a strategy
 Importance of strategy in organizations
 Reasons a strategy can fail
 Ways to encourage success of organizational strategy

2. Unit 2 : Introduction to Strategic Management

 Concept of strategic management
 Strategic management: Definition
 What is strategic management about?
 Evolution of strategic management
 Critical tasks involved in Strategic management
 Characteristics of strategic decisions
 Strategic management versus operational management
 Nature and functions at different management levels
 Strategic planning : Features and importance
 Differences between strategic planning and long range planning
 Elements of strategic or corporate plan

3. Unit 3 : Process and Pattern of Strategic Development

 Four phases of strategic management process
 Elements in strategic management process
  Comprehensive model of strategic management process
 Benefits of strategic management
 Limitations of strategic management
 Stake holders in business
 Roles of stake holders in strategic management
 External stakeholders concern
 Business and the community

4. Unit 4 : Strategic Intent

 Introduction
 Strategic intent: Meaning and understanding
 Hierarchy of strategic intent
 Attributes of strategic intent
 Vision; benefits of having a vision and process of envisioning
 Meaning of mission; components and characteristics of mission statement
 Difference between vision and mission
 Business definition and levels of business
 Objectives and goals : roles, functions, characteristics and their differences
 Linking objectives to mission and vision
 Critical success factors
 Key performance indicators
 Key result areas

5. Unit 5 : Environmental Appraisal

 Introduction
 Concept of objectives and characteristics of environmental appraisal
 Components of environment
 PESTEL analysis
 Environmental scanning techniques : ETOP, QUEST and SWOT analysis
 Corporate level strategies
 Business level strategies
 Industry analysis using Porter’s Five Forces Model / Framework
 Entry barriers
 Exit barriers
 Product life cycle
6. Unit 6 : Analysing Company’s Internal Environment
 Introduction
 Dynamics of internal environment
 Internal environment : Resource based view of a firm
 Analysing company resources and competitive position
 Competitive parity and competitive disadvantages
 VRIO framework and analysis
 Core competencies
 Distinctive competitiveness
 Bench marking as a method of competitive analysis
 Value chain analysis

7. Unit 7 : Portfolio Analysis

 What is portfolio analysis
 BCG matrix
 Advantages and limitations of using BCG matrix
 GE nine cell matrix
 Advantages and drawbacks of GE nine cell matrix
 Advantages of portfolio analysis
 Drawbacks of portfolio analysis

8. Unit 8 : Business Level Strategies

 Introduction
 The nature and role of business level strategies / generic strategies
 The overall cost leadership strategy
 Differentiation strategy
 Focus strategy
 Location and timing tactics
 Competitive tactics
 Concept, importance, building and use of core competence

9. Unit 9 : Corporate Level Strategies

 Concept of corporate-level strategies / grand strategies
 Family Tree of Grand Strategic Alternatives
 Stability strategy
 Growth / Expansion strategy
 Retrenchment strategy
  Combination strategy
 Guidelines for effective corporate-level strategies
 Internationalization Strategies

10. Unit 10 : Strategy Implementation

 Components of a strategic plan
 Barriers to implementation of strategy
 Mintzberg’s 5 P’s approach to strategy
 McKinsey’s 7 S framework
 Resource allocation
 Functional implementation
 Behavioural implementation

11. Unit 11 : Organizational Structure for Strategy Implementation

 Introduction
 Structural mechanism for implementation of strategy
 Structure follows strategy
 Why is organizational structure implementation needed?
 Various types of organizational structures with their advantages and disadvantages
 Cellular / Modular /Virtual organizations
 Matching structures to strategy
 Organizational design for stable Vs. turbulent environment

12. Unit 12 : Evaluation and Control

 Concept of evaluation and control
 Five steps model of evaluation and control
 Difficulties in evaluation and control
 Benefits of evaluation and control
 Effective management of performance
 Strategic controls and operational controls
 Symptoms of malfunctioning of strategy
 Balance scorecard for strategy evaluation
 Organizational systems and techniques of strategy evaluation:
 Information system
 Control system
 Appraisal system
 Motivation system
  Development system
 Planning system
 Techniques of strategy evaluation

13. Unit 13 : Future Thinking in Strategic Management

 Introduction
 Collaboration and competitive behavior
 Virtual organizations
 Organization learning and knowledge management
 Effective knowledge management
 E-business strategy formulation
 Key success factors in E-business

RECOMMENDED BOOKS & STUDY MATERIAL

Text Books

1. Business Policy & Strategic Management (Text & Cases) by P. Subba Rao ; Himalaya
Publishing House.
2. Strategic Management by L.M. Prasad; 7th Edition; Sultan Chand & Sons;
3. Strategic Management by John A. Pearce II, Richard B. Robinson,Jr. & Amita Mital; Tata
McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Limited.
4. Strategic Management & Business Policy by Azhar Kazmi; Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing
Company Limited.

Reference Books

1. Crafting and Executing Strategy – The Quest for Competitive Advantage by Thompson,
Strickland, Gamble & Jain ; Tata McGraw-Hill.
2. Concepts in Strategic Management & Business Policy by Thomas L., Wheelen
& J. David Hunger; Pearson.
3. Strategic Management and Competitive Advantage by Barney and Hesterly.
4. Introduction to Business Strategy, published by ICFAI Centre for Management Research
Hyderabad
5. Strategic Management Competitiveness & Globalization by Michael A. Hitt, R Duane
Ireland & Robert E. Hoskisson; 7th Edition, published by Thomson South Western .
(its soft copy will be provided by the Faculty Prof. (Brig.) Ramesh Chandra).
6. Competitive Strategy : Techniques for Analysing Industries and Competitors by Michael
E. Porter, First Free Press Edition,1980.
7. Strategic Management, The Indian Context by Srinivasan R.; PHI Learning Private
Limited

EVALUATION SYSTEM
Mid term examination (1 hour) 25 marks

End term examination (2 hours) 50 marks

Internal Evaluation : 25 marks

Assignments - 10 marks

Presentation - 5 marks

Class participation and attendance - 10 marks

Total 100 marks