Strategic Decision-Making

Course Description

A capstone course for MBA students. An in-depth study of general management functions as organizations adapt to the global environment, this course emphasizes environmental characteristics that make strategic management critical to organizational success, including assessment of organizational strengths and weaknesses, identification of opportunities and threats, optimum response to unanticipated events, and strategic analysis in turbulent environments. It also analyzes the socio-cultural, political, economic, ethical, technological, and regulatory environments that have an impact on businesses in multicultural settings. The course places special focus on the impact of NAFTA and GATT upon the strategic management of business enterprises. Explores global business opportunities provided through new technologies for both small firms and large corporations.

Learning Outcomes

• Analyze the strategy of a company, its business position, and how it can gain sustainable competitive advantage.
• Evaluate current business structure, strategy, marketing, financial and operations functions, and related general management functions.
• Conduct a strategic audit in a variety of industries and competitive situations, especially in global business environments.
• Design a business strategy, consider various strategic options, use "what if" analysis to evaluate alternative courses of action, and make/implement strategic decisions.
• Match a company’s functional capabilities to the environmental factors responsible for organizational success.
• Assess the role(s) of general managers and functional managers in formulating strategic decisions and the organizational processes by which strategies are executed.
• Evaluate business risk and develop results-oriented action plans.
• Evaluate ethical principles, personal and company values, and socially responsible management practices.