About this Module

1. About the Module

In this module there will be a review of the analysis and existing tools within the discipline of Strategic Management. 

Special emphasis will be placed on how to carry out the strategic diagnosis of an organization and its summarized presentation in the SWOT matrix. Likewise, strategies will be suggested to be able to correct weaknesses, face threats, maintain strengths and exploit opportunities (CAME Matrix). 

Additionally, a review of the CANVAS model and the bases for generating new business has been incorporated. Likewise, material has been included about a very important area such as Corporate Social Responsibility and two articles are included that are references related to Blue Ocean Strategies and What is Strategy? 

1.1. Introduction

Due to the changes experienced in recent years, in which the pace of technological innovation and globalisation has accelerated, companies are facing an increasing degree of uncertainty and the working environment for managers has been transformed into a changing one.

In this changing context, business leaders must make decisions flexibly and with ease, relying on the elements at their disposal that will be the key to their success and that of the organisation:

• An exhaustive analysis of the organisation's general and specific environment.
• The internal analysis of the organisation, its resources and capabilities and the generation of value.
• Strategy models and the conditions for their acceptance.
• The design and development of the organisation, which enables the achievement of the strategic objectives.
• Corporate culture and corporate values.
• Analysis and decision-making processes.
• Change management and innovation, among others.

This module offers students a theoretical study of company strategy. The programme incorporates the keys that the student, as a future participant in the management and organisation of a company, must know in order to help his/her organisation to implement strategies aimed at achieving a competitive advantage in the market.

Business & Strategy will analyse the creation of "competitive advantage" and "value" within the organisation for all stakeholders (shareholders, employees, suppliers, customers, public sector, society in which the organisation operates, among others). In this way, B&S contributes to the professional success of students within the organisation.

This Module allows the integration of knowledge acquired in other disciplines of a more operational nature and introduces students to decision-making at a general company level. In this sense, it aims to show the different elements that support strategy, outlining the most relevant aspects of its implementation, execution and control.

In addition, the topics covered allow students to experience and improve their communication, negotiation and leadership skills, as well as problem solving (organisation and work planning) and decision making.

1.2. Module Topics

Main Content of B&S Module is related to:

• Business Strategy and Strategic Management.
• Analysis of the Business Environment: characteristics that make up the types of environment. Analysis of the general environment (PESTEL, scenarios and creativity techniques) and specific environment (Porter's 5 competitive forces, product life cycle, value network). Techniques for defining the evolution of the environment and its specific analysis (segmentation, critical success factors, competitor analysis, "blue oceans", among others).
• Internal analysis of the company. Internal analysis models: analysis of resources and capabilities, functional analysis/strategic profile, value chain, VRIO/VRIN analysis and Grant's matrix.
• Summary of the strategic diagnosis: SWOT analysis / CAME Matrix.
• Business strategies: understanding the different types of business strategy (generic competitive strategies, strategies according to sectors and real growth strategies).
• CANVAS: to learn about the CANVAS canvas for the generation of new business models.

2. Module Aims

Using this module as a base, students will apply different business tools to learn more about  the countries where the company tries to sell to. They will also use busniess tools to learn more about the specific industry where the company operates, as well as its present and potential customers. Furthermore, students must delve into the company, their products, their culture, their production process, their customers, their workforce, their vision, their mission, their strengths, their weaknesses, opportunities, threats,… 

• Students will first analyze the macro and micro business environment for the company, using the different business tools they learned in college.  
• They will apply SWOT to delve into the companies resources and possibilities.  
• They will study the company's current and potential customers
• They will search for their target segments of the markets for the new products.  
• They will pinpoint the company’s competitive advantage.  
• They will build a business strategy 
• They may build a marketing plan 
• They may build a business plan 
• They will recommend a plan of action. 
• They will work within the company’s culture and mission. 
• And within the framework of the company’s social responsibility 
• That is, benefiting all the stakeholders, not only the shareholders and investors.