DRE 3004 Strategy I: Foundations of Strategy

DRE 3004 Strategy I: Foundations of Strategy

Course code: 
DRE 3004
Department: 
Strategy and Entrepreneurship
Credits: 
6
Course coordinator: 
Gabriel R. Garcia Benito
Course name in Norwegian: 
Strategy I: Foundations of Strategy
Product category: 
PhD
Portfolio: 
PhD Strategy, Entrepreneurship and Innovation courses
Semester: 
2017 Autumn
Active status: 
Active
Level of study: 
PhD
Teaching language: 
English
Course type: 
One semester
Introduction

Strategic management is a broad field of research with multiple disciplinary foundations, especially economics, organization theory, sociology, business history, and organizational behavior. Advanced students need to know these foundations and their impact on the strategy field as well as more recent developments in the field. This course aims at providing an in-depth understanding of how strategy research has evolved, with an emphasis on the seminal contributions to the field of strategic management.

Learning outcomes - Knowledge
  • In-depth knowledge about the most important theoretical roots of the field of strategic management, broadly defined.
Learning outcomes - Skills

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Learning Outcome - Reflection
  • A thorough understanding of the historical background and evolution of a number of key topics in strategy research.
  • A better understanding of appropriate theoretical roots on which to anchor their own academic research.
Course content

The course covers: 

  • Economic foundations
  • Organizational foundations
  • Sociological foundations
  • Business history foundations
  • Leadership and organizational behavior foundations
Learning process and requirements to students

The course is structured as 10 three-hour sessions, each with one main theme. The course is taught primarily as research seminars where students and faculty interact in a combination of presentations and discussions. The students must have read the assigned readings before each seminar.

Specific individual work tasks (e.g. a presentation of a book or article) will be given to each course participant, and must be completed satisfactorily. In addition, active participation in all scheduled sessions is expected.

 

Software tools
No specified computer-based tools are required.
Additional information

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Qualifications

Enrollment in a PhD Programme is a general requirement for participation in PhD courses at BI Norwegian Business School.
External candidates are kindly asked to attach confirmation of enrollment in a PhD programme when signing up for a course. Other candidates may be allowed to sit in on courses by approval of the courseleader. Sitting in on a course does not permit registration for the course, handing in exams or gaining credits for the course. Course certificates or conformation letters will not be issued for sitting in on courses.

Required prerequisite knowledge

This course is the first in a sequence of three core courses in strategy. The next two courses will: (a) go deeper into the analyses of key issues in strategy, and (b) look into theories and issues on the research frontier in strategy.

This course is not required but strongly recommended for the other two courses. “Foundations of Strategy” is mandatory for PhD students specializing in strategic management at BI Norwegian Business School.
 

Assessments
Assessments
Exam category: 
Submission
Form of assessment: 
Written submission
Weight: 
100
Grouping: 
Individual
Duration: 
1 Semester(s)
Comment: 
Term paper (about 20 pages). The paper should be original work, and be written specifically for this course.
Exam code: 
DRE30043
Grading scale: 
ECTS
Resit: 
Examination when next scheduled course
Exam organisation: 
Ordinary examination
Total weight: 
100
Student workload
ActivityDurationComment
Student's own work with learning resources
180 Hour(s)
Sum workload: 
180

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.