Unit Description
The unit introduces and outlines the major themes, models, principles and practices of strategic management. It also explores the role of leadership in developing sound and effective organisational strategy. The unit will emphasise the contrast between conventional intended strategy and the new concept of emergent strategy. The unit commences with a review of a strategic management model and the importance of effective leadership in achieving effective strategy.
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this unit a student should be able to:
1. Understand the fundamental concepts underlying the study of organisational strategy and the elements which constitute the strategic management process.
2. Comprehend the role of effective leadership in developing organisational strategies.
3. Understand strategy from the perspective of the resources-based view (RVB).
4. Develop skills in implementing strategy and managing strategic change.
Teaching and Learning Strategies
This unit will be delivered as lectures delivered terrestrially and also on-line, with all the lecture materials being made available as PowerPoint overheads. In support of the learning process, a student learning pack is available in a downloadable form from Learnline. These materials also contain guided readings in the required course text and
academic journal articles. Additional learning will occur through student/tutor interaction utilising the Discussion Board. Assessment will be based upon two assignments, details of which are also specified in the student learning pack.
Participation
Course contact requirements are 3 hours/week over a 12 week period based upon a combination of formal lectures and participation in on-line Learnline discussion board events (for which a broadband connection is required) plus 5 hours/week individual study
over 12 weeks. Students should communicate with the lecturer for any difficulty via the e-mail system. Additional 1-to-1 and/or group-based events utilising the Discussion Board
designed to assist the student, learning process may be scheduled as identified need arises during the unit. Hence students are advised to regularly check the Discussion Board to determine the time and date for any such additional activities.
Specific details of individual class times can be obtained by accessing the class timetable at CDU website.
Required textbook(s)
Hubbard, G., and Beamish., P. 2011, Strategic Management: Thinking, Analysis and Action, 4th edition, Pearson Prentice Hall, Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.
Required textbooks can be ordered from the CDU Bookshop through their website at
Learnline (Online Learning System)
Learnline is Charles Darwin University’s on-line learning system.
In this unit, Learnline will be used to:
• provide important announcements about the unit
• distribute lecture slides, and other study
• complete online assessments
• access feedback from tasks and grades for assessable work
• provide a communication point where you contribute to discussions as part of your assessment, and to interact with other students in the unit
You will need to connect to the Internet to access the Learnline
Access to Learnline may not be available until Day 1 of Semester.
If this is your first time using Learnline, click on ‘Student Learnline Support’ in the left-hand navigation panel BEFORE logging in.
It is recommended that all students have access to regular and reliable broadband access to complete unit requirements.
e-Reserve
e-Reserve allows electronic copies of journal articles, book chapters and lecturer notes that have been recommended by a lecturer as part of their course reading requirements. You can access e-Reserve at http://www.cdu.edu.au/library/ereserve/index.html.
This site is password protected. Your CDU student login will provide you access. You can then search for items by Lecturer, Unit Code, Title, Author, keyword, Year or Date if you have that information.
Additional Resources
Downloadable student learning pack located on Learnline containing detailed coverage of the learning materials, PowerPoint lecture overheads, required readings, additional reference sources, assignment briefings
Assessment Item 1
Description/Focus:
The purpose of this assignment is to provide an opportunity to utilise your skills and knowledge of strategic planning to undertake the tasks associated with the key question of where are we now in relation to the external environment and industry structure currently facing your chosen industry. You will conduct a ‘five forces analyses’ for an industry of your choice. Based on your analysis, you need to indicate how profitable do you think the industry currently is and what are the factors driving that profitability. Also discuss how will these factor change in the future and what will be the effect of these changes on industry profitability.
Task:
Utilise the University library, the Internet and any information made available by the industry (e.g. report, promotional materials, industry trends etc) to provide an analysis of the industry’s current operations.
Assessment criteria:
1. An ability to utilise sources such as the Internet and University library facilities to search, locate and summarise data relevant to the assignment
2. An ability to utilise appropriate academic theories about analysing key variables within the external environment which have a direct impact on the industry and macro-environmental variables that might impact current and future performance
3. An ability to develop a review of the industry forces and industry structure including identification of what key factors are most likely to impact industry profitability
4. An ability to present a well written, well-structured report
5. An ability to critically analyse information, formulate conclusions and exhibit original thought.
Assessment Item 2
Description/Focus: The focus of this assignment is to assess the strategic dimensions of your own organisation or any organisation that you are familiar with.
You are to critically assess and document the following dimensions:
- Generic business strategy
- Organizational culture
- Formal organizational structure
You need to clearly articulate the conclusions that you draw about these dimensions individually. What linkages and consistency can you identify or infer within these dimensions?
Task:
The purpose of this assignment is to provide an opportunity to utilise your knowledge of strategic management to assess three key aspects of the organisation of your choice.
Assessment criteria:
REPORT FORMAT
The main body of the report should be typed one and half space, using Arial point 12 type face. You can also attach appendices to the report to provide coverage of information that, because of the report length constraint, could
not be included in the main report. There is no limitation on the length of the appendices.
1. An ability to utilise sources such as the Internet and University library facilities to search, locate and summarise data relevant to the assignment
2. An ability to assess organisational culture
3. An ability to utilise appropriate theories about business strategy to assess the relevance of the three dimensions for the chosen organisation
4. An ability to assess the formal organizational structure and its impact on communications and decision making
5. An ability to utilise appropriate theories to assess the linkages between specific dimensions of strategy
6. Presentation of an appropriate arguments to justify your conclusion about the consistency and linkages in the chosen organisation
7. An ability to present a well written, well-structured report
