Developing and Executing Strategies

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Ivey Business School at Western University

BUS 9206:  DEVELOPING AND EXECUTING STRATEGIES

Sections 1 and 2

Module 2

(Note: There are slight differences in the schedules for Sections 1 and 2. Please see the Cases and Assigned Readings Schedule for Section 1 on Pages 12-18 and for Section 2 on Pages 19-25.)

Learning Outcomes

The purpose of the Developing and Executing Strategy (DES) course is to enhance your capacity to “think, act and lead” cross-enterprise in a business unit owned by a corporate parent or in a stand-alone business entity. Having a cross-enterprise perspective means that from wherever you sit in the organization, you have the capacity to understand the business in a holistic way.  The materials encompass a wide range of industries, businesses and issues, and are designed to achieve the following learning outcomes:

1. As a general manager, you will be able to analyze critically a firm’s strategy and its overall competitive position, using the Diamond-E framework.  In addition, you will see how the elements of the Diamond-E framework interconnected?

1. You will develop the ability to assess how a firm should compete in the industry in which it operates. Worded another way, you will be able to answer the question: how should a firm compete within the group of closest competitors with whom it competes?

1. You will have gained the knowledge a general manager needs to assess the current strategy and performance of a business unit, as well as its prospects going forward.

1. You will develop the ability to lead a standalone firm/business unit in identifying important opportunities and challenges in the external business environment (the industry in which your business unit/standalone firm competes) and in designing strategies to deal effectively with them – i.e., that allow the business unit to successfully compete and prosper.

1. You will learn how to lead your firm in identifying and building (or acquiring) the capabilities needed to sustain competitive advantage and drive future growth.

1. You will develop the ability to ensure alignment between your firm’s strategy and its structure, its control system and its reward systems.

1. You will learn to lead your firm during periods of strategic change and how to lead the implementation of strategic change. In particular, you will learn to appreciate the need for personal action in strategic leadership.

1. You will learn, as the general manager, to become comfortable with making decisions under uncertainty and complexity.

Course Description

Developing and Executing Strategy is concerned with achieving superior firm performance and sustaining it over the long run. Strategy at Ivey has a clear, cross-enterprise orientation. The key decision maker is the general manager, the “real world leader”. Combined, the two elements of cross-enterprise and real world leadership set out the scope for strategic analysis and action, i.e., developing and executing strategies. This course provides you with practical strategy content and process material that you will need as a practicing general manager and cross-enterprise leader.