MBA7061 Strategy
Prof Richard Nyuur
Professor of Strategy
Introduction – Prof Richard Nyuur
Richard Nyuur, is Head of International Business,
Marketing and Strategy Department and Professor of
International Business at the University of Bradford
School of Management. His research broadly engages
with international business and strategy focusing
specifically on foreign direct investment (FDI); SME
internationalization, international innovation and
strategic adaptiveness; international human resource
management, and corporate social responsibility. His
publications have appeared in top-tier journals
Overview
This introductory session covers:
• Introduction of module and the module aims
• Module materials incl. textbook
• Module structure and schedule
• Module topics
• AFI framework
• Learning goal and approach
• Assignment Requirements and grading
Module Description and Aims
This module evaluates the concepts, theories and frameworks of strategy and
Strategic Management to encourage you to:
• Understand why some firms succeed while others fail, and to think on a strategic
level about how organisations and businesses can grow and compete.
• Be able to examine a company and evaluate its long-term prospects for success
by an analysis of its strategy in relation to the environment in which it operates.
• Develop an awareness of how the external environment influences strategic
choice and an organisation’s ability to achieve competitive advantage on an
international scale.
Learning Outcomes
Learning Outcomes
Assessment
LO1: Demonstrate a systematic and critical understanding of traditional
and contemporary approaches to strategy, strategic planning, and
implementation, the importance of competitive advantage, and the
strategic role of disruptive innovation.
LO2: Critically examine the complex challenges faced in the development,
implementation and evaluation of strategic choices.
Viva Voce
Portfolio
LO3: Critically evaluate and synthesise information and data from
Portfolio
appropriate sources and use these to make informed judgments in relation
to strategic options within contemporary global commercial and noncommercial contexts.
LO4: Formulate and justify innovative, evidenced-based strategic proposals Portfolio
and solutions.
Module Materials
Textbook
• Rothaermel, F. T. 2024. Strategic management (6th ed.). New York,
NY: McGraw-Hill. [R]
Other Learning Resources
Supplementary textbooks
• Lynch, R. (2021) Strategic Management. 9th ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Prentice
Hall.
• Whittington, R., Johnson, G., Regner P., Angwin, D. and Scholes, K. (2020) Exploring Strategy
Text and Cases. 12 ed. Harlow: Pearson.
• David, F.R. and David F.R. (2017) Strategic Management, A Competitive Advantage Approach,
Concepts and Cases. 16th Ed. Harlow: Pearson Higher Education
• E-books, University of Bolton
Key Journal Articles
• Barney, J. B. 1991. Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of
Management, 17: 99–120.
• Porter, M. E. 2008. The five competitive forces that shape strategy. Harvard Business Review,
86(1): 78–93.
• Porter, M. E. 1996. What is strategy? Harvard Business Review, 74(6): 61–78.
Business & Management Journals
Top scholarly academic journals
in management
• Administrative Science Quarterly
• Academy of Management Journal
• Academy of Management Review
• Strategic Management Journal
• Journal of Management
• Journal of Management Studies
• Organization Science
• Organization Studies
• Harvard Business Review
Other resources:
• Business sections of
financial and broadsheet
newspapers e.g.
• Financial Times
• Talis Aspire Reading lists
Journals In Strategic Management
•Top journals in the field of strategic management
Strategic Management Journal
•Strategic Management Journal
https://www.strategicmanagement.net/smj/overview/overview
Indicative Content
• Introduction to the Module
• What is strategy and Strategic Management?
• The External Analysis and Internal Analysis
• Strategic capability; and Strategic choices
• Levels of strategy: corporate, business and operational
• Strategy Formulation, Implementation and Evaluation
• Course Review & Assessment Guidance
Assessment and Grading
Module assessment
❖Formative Assessment Strategy:- Seminar/tutorial activities; theory/practice
related discussions, tutorial feedback on assessment drafts.
❖ Summative Assessment:Description
Portfolio – Course work
Viva Voce – Oral assessment –
Practical (20 minutes group
presentation on strategic analysis
of a disruptive innovation)
Length
Weighting
Date
3,000 words
70%
22nd Dec 2024 @
5pm
Four questions
30%
5th Jan 2025
ASSIGNMENT TASKS (3000 words).
• The assignment for this module is a portfolio comprising groups of four and individual elements.
• You are required to select an organisation that you are working for in Vietnam, or, a Vietnamese based
company that you have worked for in the past, or a Vietnamese based organisation that you have a good
knowledge of and conduct a strategic analysis and make justified, evidenced-based strategic
recommendations.
Element 1:- Executive Summary (300 words, groups of four) – 10 marks
This element should include;
1. Brief company profile and competitive position,
2. Nature of the problem under investigation,
3. Portfolio management and methodology,
4. Key findings
ASSIGNMENT TASKS (3000 words).
Element 2:- Supporting Annexes (individual report 4x375 words) - 40 marks
This element include;
Each member of the group is required to provide a critical review of one of the following areas using
appropriate tools and techniques;
1. Internal and external analysis including competitive analysis– Recommended tools include IFE, EFE. And
CPM,
2. Strategic choice – Critically review the strategic options/choices available for your organization.
Recommend analytical tools are Porter's Generic Strategies and the Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix,
3. Strategy development, implementation, and evaluation- Using tools and techniques of strategic
management in supporting your response,
4. Analysis of potential strategic challenges faced by the selected organisation including how you have arrived
at these challenges
Element 3:- Letter of recommendation (group work 1200 words) - 40 marks
• The letter of recommendation should include the recommended business strategy and supported by a clear
statement of strategy together with an implementation plan for the proposed strategy.
• Writing in a grammatically correct style and provide in text referencing throughout, including quotes,
referenced according to the Harvard Referencing System, together with appropriate use of English and report's
structure - (10 marks)
Teaching & learning approach
Learning approach
❖Active learning - Learning where the learner is not reliant on the input from
a teacher but is active to engage with learning at his/her own will and pace.
❖This module will
• Supply learning materials and methodologies
• Spend sufficient time to discuss topics
• Support learners accomplish their coursework
• Facilitate directed activities, group work, case studies, and discussion.
❖YOU are expected to:
• Attend classes, participate in all class activities, ask question/s
• Undertake background reading, prepare for directed sessions.
• Learning directed towards the outcomes
Learning Goal and Approach
Coursework
Bloom’s
Taxonomy
Reading
Session Learning Outcome
❖ Understanding strategy and strategic management
❖Recognize the importance of Strategic Management
❖Distinguish between strategies
❖Understand Organisation and its environment,
❖Explore Strategic Management Model
❖Identify key issues for an organisation’s strategy
❖Summarise the strategy of an organisation in a Strategy statement
Why Study Strategic Management
• Development, success, and failure of businesses
• Desire for right decision, but lack of know how
• Critical to the development and expansion of organizations
• Aligning the mission and vision with operations
• Performance, growth, and innovation
• Shaping, developing, implementing and communicating the strategies
Strategy & Strategic Planning
• Strategy:
• is the direction and scope of an organisation over the long term, which achieves
advantage in a changing environment through its configuration of resources and
competences with the aim of fulfilling stakeholder expectations. (Johnson &
Scholes, 2012).
• is the act of making an integrated set of choices/decisions, which positions the
organization to win.
• Strategic planning:-
• is the act of initiating projects, with timelines, milestones, budgets, targets, and
responsibilities.
Strategy defined by other authors
➢“the determination of the long-run goals and objectives of an enterprise and the adoption
of course of action and allocation of resources Necessary for carrying out these goals”
(Chandler 1963).
➢“competitive strategy is about being different. It means deliberately choosing a different
set of activities to deliver a unique mix of value” (Porter 1996).
➢“a pattern in a stream of decisions” (Mintzberg 2007).
➢The art and science of formulating, implementing, and evaluating, cross-functional
decisions that enable an organisation to achieve its objectives” (Johnson et al, 2012).
Strategy Statement
All CEOs, managers and entrepreneurs should be able to summarise their
organisation’s strategy with a “strategy statement” (Collis & Rukstad, 2008).
• The fundamental goals:- Mission, Vision, or Objectives
• The Scope or domain:- The organisation’s activities
• The Particular Advantage:- For delivering
The strategy statement covering goals, scope and objectives should not be more
than 35 words, focusing on essentials and people can remember (Collis &
Rukstad, 2008).
Mission
• Relates to goals
• Purpose of the organisation
• What business are we in?
• Focus on what is central to their strategy
• Defines company business
• Product, Market, Territory
• Apple - To bring the best personal computing products and support to students,
educators, designers, scientists, engineers, businesspersons and consumers in over
140 countries around the world.
• Agribank - To promote the efficiency and effectiveness of rural finance and improve
access to financial services through a network of knowledge sharing and learning,
capacity-building, research and exchange of expertise.
Vision
• Relates to goals
• Desired future state of the organisation
• Mobilising the energy and passion of organisational
• Members
• What do we want to achieve?
Select several articles about these, ask managers to study them and then develop their own,
merge al these into one document and distribute to managers, and selected one.
• Levi Strauss & Company - We will clothe the world by marketing the most
appealing and widely worn casual clothing in the world.
• General Electric - We will become number one or number two in every market we
serve and revolutionize this company to have the speed and agility of a small
enterprise.
Objectives
• More precise and ideally quantifiable statement of an organisation’s goals
over a time period.
• Converts vision and mission into specific performance Targets
• Creates a yardstick to monitor performance
• Financial, Strategic
• Management By Objectives (MBO), (MBR)
• Management by objectives (MBO), also known as management by results
(MBR), is a process of defining objectives within an organization so that
management and employees agree to the objectives and understand what
they need to do in the organization in order to achieve them.
Scope
• Three dimensions
• Customers or clients
• Geographical location
• Extent of internal activities (vertical integration).
Advantage
• This is part of strategy statement that
describes;
• How the company will achieve its objectives
• Competitive advantage.
• Product/service
• Cost
• Scope
• Geographical location.
• Extent of internal activities (vertical integration)
• First mover
• Management and organisation
Strategy Statement examples
• Amazon:- Amazon's main strategy is to differentiate itself by developing
products and services that meet the needs of its customer segments.
• HSBC:- We're bringing together the people, ideas and capital that nurture
progress and growth, helping to create a better world – for our customers, our
people, our investors, our communities and the planet we all share.
• IKEA: - At IKEA our vision is to create a better everyday life for the many
people (15-Words Strategy Statement).
• This vision goes beyond home furnishing. We want to have a positive impact on the
world – from the communities where we source our raw materials to the way our
products help our customers live a more sustainable life at home.
Strategy Statement
All CEOs, managers and entrepreneurs should be able to summarise their organisation’s
strategy with a “strategy statement (Collis & Rukstad, 2008).
• Small entrepreneurial Start – Persuading investors and lender of
its viability.
• Charity organisation – Inspire volunteers and donors.
• Public sector organisations - Reassure themselves, clients,
funders, and regulators that their priorities are the right ones.
Strategic Management Process - AFI Framework
❖Effectively managing the strategy process is the result of:
• Analysis (A).
• Formulation (F).
• Implementation (I).
❖This framework:
• Explains and predicts differences in firm performance.
• Helps leaders formulate and implement a strategy that can result in superior
performance.
AFI Framework
Exhibit 1.4
Summary
• Understanding strategy and strategic management
• Recognize the importance of Strategic Management distinguish between
strategies
• Understand Organisation and its environment,
• Explore Strategic Management Model
• Identify key issues for an organisation’s strategy
• Summarise the strategy of an organisation in a
• Strategy statement
Q&As