| Unit name | Strategic Management |
|---|---|
| Unit code | ECONM2025 |
| Credit points | 15 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Kasia Zdunczyk |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
n/a |
| School/department | School of Management - Business School |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
In this unit we will study the theories and practices of strategic management. We will consider the external environment along the political, economic, social, environmental, and technological dimensions. We will examine the forces that shape strategic action fields and how businesses position themselves to compete in the markets they choose by creating strong value propositions and innovative business models.
We will consider how business strategy relates to organisational values, culture, and structure. We will look at the internal environment to examine how organisational resources, capabilities, and activities deliver competitive advantage. We will explore the critical need for strategic alignment between the business model and the value proposition.
We will put ourselves in the shoes of the strategist and learn how strategies are formed, implemented, and evaluated in the context of organisational structure, culture, relationships, and organising. We will develop the ideational, conceptual, analytical, and practical skills necessary to contribute to the strategic process.
We will study how business organisations develop, innovate and change to differentiate, grow, and succeed against the challenges of relentless competition, shifting customer demand, ever-accelerating technological change, and uncertain economic and political environment.
By the end of the unit you will have achieved the following learning outcomes:
(1) Identify, describe and demonstrate understanding of the principal theories, concepts and techniques of strategy and strategic management;
(2) Critically evaluate theories, concepts and techniques of strategy and strategic management;
(3) Apply theories, concepts and techniques of strategy in practical contexts to identify and appraise strategic issues facing organisations;
(4) Analyse and interpret the application of theories, concepts and techniques to develop and evaluate alternative strategies.
The learning on this unit provides a flipped classroom experience, with students expected to engage with the structured learning tasks outlined for each week ahead of the live session. These include group case study work, set readings, recorded lectures, videos, exercises. In addition, the unit requires independent study, including broader reading and desk research. Live sessions will be dedicated to the application of theory to practice, with ample use made of debate, discussion, and group work.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative)
There are two elements of assessment:
(1) Coursework Assessment: A 3,000-word individual written assignment (80% of overall mark). ILOs 1-4
The individual assignment offers you the opportunity to showcase your learning from the unit by critically engaging with the theory and practice of strategic management. You will be able to build on the foundation developed in the course of the unit and your independent study, including broader reading and desk research, to demonstrate your accomplishment of all the learning outcomes.
(2) Learning diary: ten short diary entries (maximum 200 words each) reflecting on the learning from each of the lectorial sessions and the unit overall (20% of overall mark). ILOs 1-2.
Your assessment task is to capture the learning from each lectorial as well as from the unit overall, which should be demonstrated along the following four dimensions:
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative)
Formative feedback will be provided in each session based on the structured learning set for each unit and in the course of the classroom activities as set out above - ILOs 1-4. This will include aggregate feedback on the weekly learning diary submissions -ILOs 1-2.
The students will also engage in a group project, working together throughout the course, and present their results to receive feedback on a weekly basis as well as delivering a final presentation in the last session of the unit to receive verbal and written feedback. ILOs 1-4.
When assessment does not go to plan
The re-assessment weightings on this unit will not be the same as the original assessment. This means if you do not pass the unit overall, then you will be reassessed with a single piece of assessment weighted at 100%, covering all Learning Outcomes 1-4 for the unit. Your re-assessment for this unit will take the format of a 3,000-word coursework assignment weighted at 100%.
Please note, if you passed some components but did not reach the overall unit pass mark, those passed components will be disregarded and not included in the reassessment mark. Your overall mark in the unit will then be solely based on the reassessment work done in the summer reassessment period.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. ECONM2025).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an
assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
