GRA 6831 Managing Strategy Processes
GRA 6831 Managing Strategy Processes
In this early part of the 21st century, organisations have to cope with mega trends, multiple sustainability goals at both the local and global level, and the impact of AI. All of these issues have implications for managing strategy processes.
This course develops and challenges a student's theoretical understanding of the dynamics of strategy processes from initial framing of strategic challenges, decision making, strategizing practices and implementation. The course also has a skills component in which students will gain insights into how to manage strategy processes within organisations.
Key themes include strategic framing and cognition, strategic decision making, strategy development processes, strategic leadership, and strategic implementation.
The course blends theory and skill development when covering the key themes. Students are given a set of readings for each week, and are expected to come to class prepared. We do not teach the readings, we start from these and build our discussion accordingly. The course requires active participation from all students. We use a range of examples and cases to enhance understandings about relevant concepts, frameworks and models. We will also have skills-based sessions that are taught in a variety of ways, such as workshops and simulations.
- To gain a critical understanding of the key theories underpinning the course
- To be able to apply theory to examples and cases in relating the theoretical state-of-the-art to current societal challenges
- To understand different strategic contexts which may impact how the strategy process is organised, espeically in light of the necessity to organise business activities that are in keeping with planetary boundaries
- To gain a basic skill in framing strategic problems
- To gain a general ability to design a strategy development process
- To improve existing skills in team work, case analysis and performing presentations in English, and be receptive to feedback on these
- Appreciate how processes of strategic decision making are influenced by political, societal and economic factors
- Gain insight into how managing strategy processes is a core activity for organisations in coping with grand challenges and sustainability goals
- To appreciate how framing 'lock ins' can trap even very successful organisations
The topics to be covered will include many of, but are not limited to, the following:
- Strategic thinking and sense making
- Strategic decision making
- Strategy development processes
- Strategy as practice
- Strategy implementation
- Strategic change
- The strategy-organisation link
Students are expected to participate actively and to be well prepared before attending class.
This course has a mandatory work requirement of 75% class attendance. The work requirement must be approved to be able to sit the exams.
This mandatory work requirement is in addition to 2 forms of assessment for the course.
It is the student’s own responsibility to obtain any information provided in class.
All courses in the Masters programme will assume that students have fulfilled the admission requirements for the programme. In addition, courses in second, third and/or fourth semester can have specific prerequisites and will assume that students have followed normal study progression. For double degree and exchange students, please note that equivalent courses are accepted.
Disclaimer
Deviations in teaching and exams may occur if external conditions or unforeseen events call for this.
All courses in the Masters programme will assume that students have fulfilled the admission requirements for the programme. In addition, courses in second, third and/or fourth semester can have specific prerequisites and will assume that students have followed normal study progression. For double degree and exchange students, please note that equivalent courses are accepted.
| Mandatory coursework | Courseworks given | Courseworks required | Comment coursework |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mandatory | 1 | 1 | 75% attendance is required. Students are expected not only to be present in the classroom, but also be prepared to participate in group exercises and discuss the theory, methods and cases specified for the lecture. |
| Assessments |
|---|
Exam category: School Exam Form of assessment: Written School Exam - digital Exam/hand-in semester: First Semester Weight: 70 Grouping: Individual Support materials:
Duration: 3 Hour(s) Exam code: GRA 68312 Grading scale: ECTS Resit: Examination when next scheduled course |
Exam category: Submission Form of assessment: Submission PDF Exam/hand-in semester: First Semester Weight: 30 Grouping: Group (2 - 4) Duration: 1 Semester(s) Exam code: GRA 68313 Grading scale: ECTS Resit: Examination when next scheduled course |
All exams must be passed to get a grade in this course.
A course of 1 ECTS credit corresponds to a workload of 26-30 hours. Therefore a course of 6 ECTS credits corresponds to a workload of at least 160 hours.
The exact requirements will be specified in the course outline in spring 2025, and explained in class in session 1