The purpose of this course is to present, analyze and discuss the different facets of business strategy formulation. Emphasizing that strategy can be seen as a unified theme that provides coherence and direction to the actions and decisions of a firm, we will cover a variety of business strategy topics concerned with firm positioning in the context of different markets, industries and locations.
This course is part of the Strategic Management and Innovation Specialization
Offered By
Strategic Management and Innovation SpecializationCopenhagen Business SchoolAbout this Course
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Learner Career Outcomes
42%
started a new career after completing these courses
35%
got a tangible career benefit from this course
15%
got a pay increase or promotion
Shareable Certificate
Earn a Certificate upon completion
100% online
Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.
Course 2 of 4 in the
Flexible deadlines
Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.
Approx. 16 hours to complete
English
Subtitles: English, Romanian
Skills you will gain
Strategic ManagementDecision-MakingStrategic ThinkingBusiness Strategy
Learner Career Outcomes
42%
started a new career after completing these courses
35%
got a tangible career benefit from this course
15%
got a pay increase or promotion
Shareable Certificate
Earn a Certificate upon completion
100% online
Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.
Course 2 of 4 in the
Flexible deadlines
Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.
Approx. 16 hours to complete
English
Subtitles: English, Romanian
Offered by
Copenhagen Business School
Centrally located in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, Copenhagen Business School (CBS) is one of the largest business schools in Europe with close to 23,000 students. CBS offers world-class research-based degree programs at undergraduate, graduate, and PhD levels as well as executive and other post experience programs.
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
1 hour to complete
Introducing strategy formulation
In the first module of this course, we will examine and discuss the foundations of strategy formulation, emphasizing key concepts such as competitive advantage, value creation, planned vs emerging strategy, and strategic fit.
1 hour to complete
3 videos (Total 14 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz
2 readings
Discussion forum10m
Strategy plans10m
1 practice exercise
Strategy formulation30m
4 hours to complete
Industry analysis
Building on the insights generated in the first session, in the second module we explore different industrial organization frameworks and discuss the importance of industry effects on firm performance. Keywords of this module include competition, industry attractiveness, and the ‘Five forces’-framework.
4 hours to complete
7 videos (Total 25 min), 7 readings, 4 quizzes
7 videos
Business environment4m
Competition from substitutes3m
Threat of entry3m
Rivalry between established competitors2m
Bargaining power of buyers3m
Bargaining power of suppliers2m
7 readings
Vestas Wind Turbines10m
Aviation trends10m
The cost of energy10m
The case of Suzlon10m
The threat from China?10m
The vulnerability of the wind turbine industry10m
The supplier's fault?10m
4 practice exercises
Attractiveness of the industry30m
Aviation trends30m
Industry attractiveness30m
Industry analysis30m
4 hours to complete
Resources and capabilities
The purpose of this session is to understand the role of firm resources and capabilities in building and formulating a strong strategy. In particular, we will discuss concepts such as the value chain, core capabilities, heterogeneous resources, and the VRIO framework.
4 hours to complete
5 videos (Total 22 min), 6 readings, 5 quizzes
5 videos
The relationship between resources and competitive advantage4m
Firm resources5m
Organizational capabilities3m
Sustaining competitive advantage through resources and capabilities3m
6 readings
ECCO's leather tanneries10m
The resource based view10m
Microsoft buying skype10m
What would FC Barcelona be without Messi?10m
How firms view organizational capabilities?10m
VRIO framework10m
5 practice exercises
ECCO's leather production30m
Microsoft and Skype30m
Lionel Messi30m
Time for reflection30m
Resources and capabilities30m
3 hours to complete
Global strategies and the multinational corporation
The opportunities and challenges of operating internationally are substantially different to the domestic context. Thus, to understand strategy in a global context, we focus on the multinational corporation and discuss strategic terms like foreign entry mode, location strategies, global integration/local adaptation, and distance.
3 hours to complete
4 videos (Total 14 min), 4 readings, 4 quizzes
4 videos
Defining the multinational enterprise4m
Motives for internationalization3m
Integration-responsiveness approach to global strategies3m
4 readings
Reflections of a CEO10m
Definitional problems?10m
East India Company and Google10m
The balance act between local and global forces10m
4 practice exercises
Doing business in China30m
East India Company and Google30m
The case of the global beer industry30m
Global strategies and the multinational corporation30m
Reviews
TOP REVIEWS FROM STRATEGY FORMULATION
by DIAug 2, 2020
A great experience of learning about business strategy..many concepts refreshed that I studied during my MBA. A great teaching approach by the faculty; a blend of readings, videos, and quizzes!!
by IWJan 14, 2019
Very interesting, varied lectures with relevant presentations of Danish companies in all sorts of situations. The assignment was fun to do, but the grading process could be a bit smoother.
by SRFeb 24, 2016
This was a tough one. Thank you for adopting case studies like Vestas and Carlsberg to help us understand various aspects of formulation. More importantly, pitfalls to be avoided.
by MSJan 27, 2019
Need to have more framework for strategic monitoring . I prefer to re-write strategic decision and demonstrate any tool or framework which can be used to make a strategic decision
About the Strategic Management and Innovation Specialization
This Specialization explores the evolving world of business strategy, focusing on the increasingly important roles of design, user experience, and innovation in shaping competitive advantage. You’ll learn about concepts such as goal setting, value creation, global integration, and diversification, and you’ll critique classic theories and frameworks in the context of new business realities. In the final Capstone Project, you’ll create and defend a holistic business strategy in response to a realistic case study prompt.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
- The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
- The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes, Coursera provides financial aid to learners who cannot afford the fee. Apply for it by clicking on the Financial Aid link beneath the "Enroll" button on the left. You'll be prompted to complete an application and will be notified if you are approved. You'll need to complete this step for each course in the Specialization, including the Capstone Project. Learn more.
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