Module Directory

This module is designed to encourage students to reflect on a variety of issues relating to business strategy, such as: the nature of business strategy; the approaches to strategy development; the implications of strategic choices; stakeholder interests and the wider context of strategy.

In particular, the module encourages students to evaluate many of the aspects of strategy and strategic thinking that are not usually reflected upon.

The aim of this module is:

• To enable students to have an understanding of the nature of business strategy and to evaluate its meaning and implications in practice.

By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:

1. Develop an understanding of principles, practices and perspectives involved in business strategy making.


2. Demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding in relation to issues underlying mainstream interpretations of strategic processes.


3. Understand the importance of ideological positions and ethical principles in relation to strategic aspirations and to demonstrate an understanding of the complicated governance issues involved in strategic decision making.


4. Critically evaluate the different tools and techniques used in strategy making. 

Skills for Your Professional Life (Transferable Skills) 

By the end of this module, students will be able to gain the following transferable skills:

1. Enhance your business communication skills through report writing. 


2. Improve your oral communication through a formal presentation as part of group work and further informal in-class discussions.


3. Develop your research and critical thinking skills by researching a current business case and applying strategy models to make recommendations to a company. This will also greatly develop your commercial awareness.Enhance your teamwork and collaboration experience through extensive group work.

This module provides students with an insight into the nature of business strategy and its implications, which go beyond what might be expected in the standard textbook. Consequently, the module offers an insight into a range of current business issues, management dilemmas, ethical considerations, and general governance issues relating to the strategic direction of organizations. Overall, the module provides an introduction to strategy and a critical examination of its application in practice.

This module will be delivered via:

• Lectures.
• Seminar-style discussions.
• Discussion of case studies.
• Discussion of journal articles.
• Class exercises.
• Personal Guidance.
• Signposting to other sources of support. 

The lectures will be developed around the key concepts as mentioned in the indicative lecture outline and will use a range of live examples and cases from business practice to demonstrate the application of theoretical concepts. 

The seminar-style discussions will focus extensively on business case studies, current events and newspaper reports and journal articles. Cases will be used to isolate and analyse key strategic concepts and to examine their application in practice. The seminar-style discussions will provide students with the opportunity to examine strategic decision-making of selected examples, and to apply relevant concepts to their own work situations and different cases and contexts. 

Class and online exercises will consist of individual and group work based on self- assessment questions and on group exercises to provide students with the opportunity to develop critical and practical problem-solving skills. 

Personal guidance will be provided to assist students in developing specific knowledge and skills relative to their academic work and to their work experience and organizational needs. The module lecturers offer regular on-line office hours for one-to-one discussions where necessary.