Strategic Direction, Planning and Management: An Introduction

You can start studying this course at any time of the year as soon as you have completed your registration, you can get started. There are no specific registration dates!

This course contains a CourseBookTM, which is an innovative fusion of the traditional textbook and online course, combining quality educational content with an interactive, social learning experience to promote success. The course has been broken into three Study Phases:

1. Study Phase 1 Quiz:
   • Introduction to strategic management
   • Formulating a strategic direction
2. Study Phase 2 Quiz:
   • The context of strategic selection
   • The managerial process of strategy development
3. Study Phase 3 Quiz:
   • An introduction to generic and grand strategies
   • Linking strategy, ethics, and social responsibility

Work through the workbook. At the end of each Study Phase, there is a quiz to complete. You need to complete and pass each of the quizzes with a minimum of 70% to get a certificate. No restrictions on your attempts.

After completing this course, you should be able to:

• Apply corporate strategy principles, integrating strategic, ethical, and social responsibility considerations to navigate complex business environments successfully.
• Distinguish between strategy, management, and strategic management, highlighting their roles in organizational success and the formulation of competitive advantages.
• Formulate strategic visions and missions, setting SMART goals and objectives to guide organizational direction and ensure alignment with corporate values.
• Conduct comprehensive external and internal analyses, using SWOT, PESTLE, and competitor analyses to inform strategic decisions and align with corporate objectives.
• Evaluate competitive forces and strategic positioning, utilizing models like Porter’s Five Forces to develop strategies for sustainable competitive advantage.
• Link strategic goals to operational tactics, visualizing and measuring objectives to ensure alignment across organizational functions and strategic initiatives.
• Understand and apply generic and grand strategies, to inform competitive positioning and organizational growth within diverse market contexts.
• Analyse the role of ethics and corporate governance in strategic management, employing frameworks like the King Report to guide ethical decision-making.
• Recommend strategic management processes, incorporating stakeholder theories and corporate social responsibility to support organizational objectives and societal contributions.
• Design adaptable strategic plans, integrating analysis, formulation, and implementation tactics, focusing on theoretical underpinnings and practical applications for dynamic business landscapes.