Main topics of study:

Nature of Strategic Management:

• Definitions
• Stages of Strategic Management
• Key Terms in Strategic Management
• Strategic Management Model
• Benefits of Strategic Management
• Business Ethics & Strategic Management
• Business & Military Strategy

Strategies in Action:

• Types of Strategies
• Integration Strategies
• Intensive Strategies
• Diversification Strategies
• Defensive Strategies
• Guidelines for Pursuing Strategies
• Mergers & Leveraged Buyouts
• Generic Strategies
• Strategic Management in Governmental Organisations
• Strategic Management in Small Firms

Business Mission:

• Importance of a Clear Mission
• Nature of a Business Mission
• Components of a Mission Statement
• Writing & Evaluating Mission Statements

External Assessment:

• Nature of an External Audit
• Economic Forces
• Social, Cultural, Demographic & Environmental Forces
• Political, Governmental & Legal Forces
• Technological Forces
• Competitive Forces
• Sources of External Information
• Forecasting Tools & Techniques
• Competitive Analysis
• Industry Analysis

Internal Assessment:

• Nature of an Internal Audit
• Relationships Among Functional Areas
• Management
• Marketing
• Finance
• Productions/Operations
• R&D
• Computer Information Systems
• Internal Audit Checks
• Internal Factor Evaluation Matrix

Strategy Analysis & Choice:

• Nature of Strategy Analysis & Choice
• Long Term Objectives
• Comprehensive Strategy Formulation Framework
• Input Stage
• Matching Stage
• Decision Stage
• Cultural Aspects of Strategy Choice
• Politics of Strategy Choice
• Role of Board of Directors

Strategy Implementation, Management Issues:

• Nature of Strategy Implementation
• Annual Objectives
• Policies
• Resource Allocation
• Managing Conflict
• Matching Structure with Strategy
• Restructuring & Reengineering
• Linking Performance & Pay to Strategies
• Managing Resistance to Change
• Managing the Natural Environment
• Creating a Strategy-Supportive Culture
• Production/Operations Concerns when Implementing Strategies
• Human Resource Concerns when Implementing Strategies

Implementing Strategies, Other Issues:

• Nature of Strategy Implementation
• Marketing Issues
• Finance Issues
• R&D Issues
• Computing Information Systems Issues

Strategy Review, Evaluation & Control:

• Nature of Strategy Evaluation
• Strategy-Evaluation Framework
• Published Sources of Strategy-Evaluation Information
• Characteristics of an Effective Evaluation System
• Contingency Planning
• Auditing
• Using Computers to Evaluate Strategies
• Guidelines for Effective Strategic Management

Reading List

Main Text:

Strategic Management - Fred R David (Prentice Hall)

Alternative Texts and Further Reading:

Exploring Corporate Strategy – Gerry Johnson & Kevan Scholes (Prentice Hall)
Marketing Plans: How to Prepare Them, How to Use Them - McDonald MHB (Butterworth/Heinemann)