BARBADOS COMMUNITY COLLEGE
DIVISION OF COMMERCE
COURSE:
STRATEGIC PLANNING
COURSE CODE:
BUST 204
COURSE DURATION:
A minimum of three hours per week (15 Weeks)
CREDITS:
3 Credits
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The dynamics of global economy of the 21st Century demands that strategtic
planning be a requite system-wide activity in the quest for business success in
both commercial and non-commercial organizations. This course examines three
main categories of strategic planning – corporate, competitive, and functional as
well as the different types of strategic tools for analysis. Strong emphasis will
be placed on strategic behaviour rather than just creating strategic plans. A
critical component of this exposure will be the production of a business plan.
METHOD OF INSTRUCTION:




Lecture / discussion
Case analysis
Presentations
Scenario analysis
METHOD OF EVALUATION:


The production of a business plan
Case study project

All course assessment will account for 40% of the final grade and a final
examination, which accounts for 60% of the final grade.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the course students should be able to:
1. Explain the reason why organizations plan;
2. Identify the main component of a strategic plan;
3. Illustrate a variety of strategic tools;
4. Create a business plan for an entrepreneurial venture; and
5. Explain the strategic behaviour of business organizations through research
and case analysis.
UNIT 1:
FUNDAMENTAL OF PLANNING
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By the end of this unit, students should be able to: LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1.
2.
3.
4.
Explain why managers plan
Identify the different types of plans
Distinguish between MBO, strategic planning and strategic management
Evaluate formal and informal planning approaches.
Content:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Define and explain the importance in managing an organization.
Different types of plans
Management by objectives, strategic planning, and strategic management
Planning and informal planning approaches
Format of a business plan
Format of an action plan
UNIT 2:
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT PROCESS
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By the end of this unit students should be able to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Outline the steps in the strategic management process
Distinguish between vision, mission, and goals
Explain the four levels of strategies
Explain why strategic planning has become a primary organizational
activity
Content:





Outline of the strategic management process
Definition of vision, mission, objectives, and strategy
Four levels of strategy
Macro-level factors as major determinants in recognition of strategic
planning as a systematic means of managing organizational environment
Factor influencing strategic formulation
UNIT 3:
STATEGIC MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By the end of this unit, students should be able to:
1. Explain the competitive nature of an industry for a single business using
the five-force model and environmental scanning.
2. Evaluate a company’s strategic position through such technique as SWOT
Analysis, value chain analysis, and strategic cost analysis.
3. Describe portfolio analysis as a method of understanding the strategic
position of a diversified company
4. Describe the use of benchmarking in assessing how well functions and
processes are performed in the value chain
5. Identify the driving forces and key success factors in an industry
Content:




Full discussion on the steps to a strategic plan creation
Tools used in the strategic planning process
Use of benchmarking, core competencies, analyses used in strategic
planning
Knowledge analysis, portfolio analysis, industry analysis, and competitive
analysis
UNIT 4:
STRATEGIC IMPLEMENTATION
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
By the end of unit, students should be able to:
1. Evaluate five generic competitive strategies for achieving competitive
advantages
2. Explain six basic types of offensive strategies
3. Explain how core competencies sustain competitive advantages
4. Explain why structure follow strategy
5. Describe the impact of culture on strategic execution
Content:
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


Growing and sustaining competitive advantage through implementation of
appropriate strategic forms
Three generic strategies
Offensive strategies
The importance of core competencies, structure, re-engineering, and
culture on strategic implementation.
UNIT 5:
STRATEGY AND IMPLEMETATION
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
By the end of this unit students should be able to:
1. Describe the role of entrepreneurship in the economy
2. Identify the process of starting a new business
3. Draft a business plan
4. Discuss how crafting strategy is an exercise in entrepreneurship and
outside-in strategic thinking
Content:

Define entrepreneurship and differentiate between different types of
entrepreneurship with an emphasis on their roles in economic
development


Designing a business plan
Identify business support systems for starting a new business.
TEXTBOOK
To be announced
Lesson Schedule
Semester 2 – Jan / May 2013
BUST 204 – Strategic Planning
Week 1
23-25 Jan
Unit 1
Lesson 1


Introduction – Discussion on course objectives, content, and assessment
aspects of the course.
Sub topics:
o Why managers plan
o Different types of Plans (strategic, operational, tactical, action,
single-use and standing plans)
o Formal and informal planning approaches
Week 2
28 Jan-1 Feb
Lesson 2
Topic: Components of a business plan
Week 3
4-8 Feb
Lesson 3
Unit 2

Subtopics:
o Differences among MBO, strategic planning, and strategic
management
o Basic concepts : strategy, mission, vision, objectives, goals, and
strategic management
o Outline of the strategic management steps
Week 4
11-15 Feb
Lesson 4


Determinant of organizational strategy
o Environmental scanning
o Macro-environmental factors
Assignment – Case Study
Week 5
18-22 Feb
Submission of assignment
Lesson 5
UNIT 3 – Strategic Analysis Techniques

Tools used in strategic planning – benchmarking, core competencies,
knowledge analysis, portfolio analysis
Week 6
25 Feb – 1 Mar
Lesson 6

Industry analysis and competitive analysis
Week 7
4-8 Mar
Lesson 7


Generic Strategies
ASSIGNMENT: Case Analysis
Week 8
11-15 Mar (Mid-term break 14-15 Mar)
Lesson 8


Offensive strategies
The importance of core competencies, structure, re-engineering, and
culture
Week 9
18-22 Mar
UNIT 5 – Strategy and entrepreneurship
Lesson 9


The role of entrepreneurship in the economy
Different types of entrepreneurship
Week 10
25-28 Mar (Easter: 29-1Apr)
Lesson 10

Creating the business Plan
Week 11
1-5 Apr (Easter Monday 1 Apr)
Lesson 11

Creating the business plan (continues)
Week 12
8-12 Apr
Lesson 12

Creating the business plan (continues)
Week 13
15 -19 Apr
Lesson 13

Creating the business Plan (continues)
Week 14
22 – 26 Apr


REVISION (revising critical concepts)
PRESENATION OF BUSINESS PLAN
Week 15
29 Apr-3 May
READING WEEK
6-17 May, 2013 EXAMINATION PERIOD