Strategic management: Be competitive from Coursera

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Syllabus

The importance of value for competitive strategy

This week you will be introduced to the strategy framework that captures the components of competitive strategy. The components of competitive strategy are: strategy content, internal strategy context, and external strategy context. You will develop an understanding of how those components contribute to value creation and value capture. You will gain understanding of the key characteristics of competitive strategy, starting with two foundational topics: First, we will establish that organisations are all about value creation. You will understand what value means, and also how value creation has become a central topic in organisations. Second, you will learn about what strategy actually is and what the characteristics of competitive strategy are.

Know your Customers and Competitors

This week you will learn to analyse the aspects of the external strategy context directly related to your business: customers and competitors. You will learn how to conduct customer segmentation and targeting, assess the competitive landscape in an industry, and know which factors affect the degree of competition in an industry.

Know your industry

This week you will continue to look at the external strategy context, this time analysing the industry and the broader macro-environment. You will learn how to discover the stakeholders that affect your industry, know which industry forces affect competitive strategies,and identify which macro-environmental factors affect competitive strategies. You will develop understanding of the Porter's 5 Forces framework to analyse the forces in the industry context. You will also learn how to conduct a PESTEL analysis to assess the impact of Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental/physical and Legal (PESTEL) factors on business.

Know your competitive options

This week, you will focus on the competitive strategy content. you will learn about the so-called generic competitive strategies, which are also often called positioning strategies. After conducting customer segmentation, competitor analysis, and a macro-environmental scan, you have to decide which competitive strategy and strategic positioning is most promising in your industry and for the respective segments: differentiating your products based on provided benefits or following a low cost strategy?You will develop skills to help you understand how to position your organisation as a value for money provider by being a cost leader in the market, and how to become a differentiated provider.

Know your organisation

This week, you will learn how to analyse your organisation’s strategic options. You will understand the importance of strategic fit and how to achieve it. You will learn how to assess key capabilities to competitive strategy, and evaluate and choose between strategic options. You will learn about a set of criteria and frameworks, based on the Resource Based View, to evaluate capabilities and strategic options to achieve competitive advantage.

Develop and evaluate your strategic options

This week, you will be introduced to the idea of ambidexterity and the need to set up your strategy to exploit current advantages and opportunities, while simultaneously using your resources & capabilities to form new advantages. This week you will learn how to develop growth strategies for your organisation by thinking about your organisation as a portfolio of businesses. You will learn about analytical frameworks such as the growth share matrix and the Ansoff matrix. You will learn how to come up with new value offerings for your customers by applying blue ocean thinking to create value propositions.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Suitable for managers and executives in charge of developing and implementing business strategies

Develops strategic thinking skills

Taught by an Associate Professor of Strategic Management

Provides frameworks and tools to analyze and assess business environments

Focuses on practical application with case studies and quizzes

Requires prior knowledge of strategic management concepts

Reviews summary

Highly praised strategic management course

Learners say they are highly impressed with this engaging course on strategic management that offers examples and case studies for better understanding. The course is well-received for its practical approach, clear delivery, and informative content that can be applied in real-world business scenarios.

Course content is well-organized with engaging lectures

"The course gave me an insight of strategy management"

"This course covers a lot of concepts and frameworks on a introductory basis, and plenty of examples to give the learner balanced learning perspectives and real world applications"

"Lectures were well organised and easy to understand."

Course offers valuable insights and practical applications for business professionals

"The course was practical and useful. The content is up to date and insightful. Thanks. "

"This course gave me a multi dimensional view on Value chain and value positioning . Various aspects to consider while formulating Business strategy in addition to access the current strength/ opportunities for the existing market."

"I recommend this course for every middle level manager."

Instructor is a world-class professor who provides clear instruction

"VERY INFORMATIVE AND SKILLFUL COURSE. THE INSTRUCTOR IS A WORLD CLASS PROFESSOR IN THE FIELD OF STRATEGY. THANK YOU"

"The overall rating would be 10/10 as the professor provided with clear instruction with rich of resources. "

"The course has really helped me bu giving me ideas in evaluating the condition of the organisation as well as markets"

Some learners found lectures to be boring

"The lecture seemed too boring, students may lose concentration, Learned a lot but some improvement in the lecture section would be more exciting and fun to learn I think."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Strategic management: Be competitive with these activities:

Read Competitive Strategy by Michael Porter

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Provides a comprehensive overview of the key concepts and frameworks in competitive strategy, which will be foundational to the course.

View HBR at 100: The Most Influential and Innovative... on Amazon

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Read the first three chapters to establish a strong foundation in the concepts of value creation and industry analysis.
Summarize and present the key points from Chapters 4-6, focusing on the forces that determine industry competition.

Porter's Five Forces Analysis

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Provides opportunities to apply the Porter's Five Forces framework to analyze industries and evaluate their competitive landscape.

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Identify an industry of interest.
Analyze each of the five forces in the industry using real-world data and examples.

Value Proposition Canvas

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Allows you to apply the concepts of customer segmentation, competitive positioning, and value creation to a real-world business scenario.

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Identify the target customer segments for your chosen industry.
Analyze the value propositions of your competitors.
Develop a value proposition canvas that summarizes your target customers, their needs, and how your offering meets those needs.

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Case Study: Analyzing Netflix's Competitive Strategy

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Provides a practical example of how to analyze the competitive strategy of a real-world company, focusing on industry analysis, value creation, and strategic positioning.

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Read the case study on Netflix.
Identify the target customers, competitors, and industry forces that have shaped Netflix's strategy.
Analyze the value proposition and competitive positioning of Netflix.

Read The Innovator's Dilemma by Clayton Christensen

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Provides insights into the challenges of innovation and how to avoid the 'innovator's dilemma', which is relevant for organizations seeking to maintain their competitive edge.

View The Disruptive Innovation Set (2 Books) on Amazon

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Read the first three chapters to develop an understanding of disruptive innovation and its impact on businesses.
Identify real-world examples of disruptive innovation in different industries.

Workshop: Value Co-Creation and Customer Engagement

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Provides hands-on experience in developing strategies for value co-creation and enhancing customer engagement, which are crucial for competitive success.

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Attend the workshop and actively participate in discussions.
Develop a plan for incorporating value co-creation and customer engagement into your strategic planning.

Contribute to Open Strategy Projects

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Provides exposure to how collaborative open-source communities approach strategic planning and execution, fostering innovation and sharing of best practices.

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Identify open-source initiatives related to strategy, such as the Open Strategy Network.
Review their projects, discussions, and resources.
Contribute your own insights, perspectives, or tools to these projects, collaborating with others.

Mentorship Program: Strategic Planning for Startups

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Provides an opportunity to apply your understanding of strategy by guiding startups in developing their strategic plans, offering valuable insights and support.

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Volunteer as a mentor in a program that connects you with early-stage startups.
Work closely with your assigned startup team, providing guidance and support on their strategic planning process.

Career center

Learners who complete Strategic management: Be competitive will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Analista de negocios

Los Analistas de Negocios trabajan con las partes interesadas para comprender sus necesidades comerciales y traducirlas en requisitos técnicos. Los conocimientos adquiridos en este curso, como el análisis de la industria y el desarrollo de estrategias, pueden ayudar a los Analistas de Negocios a identificar oportunidades, desarrollar soluciones y crear estrategias efectivas para las organizaciones.

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Estratega de Marketing

Los Estrategas de Marketing desarrollan e implementan estrategias de marketing para promover los productos o servicios de una organización. Este curso brinda información valiosa sobre el análisis de clientes y competidores, la comprensión de la industria y el desarrollo de estrategias competitivas, lo que puede ayudar a los Estrategas de Marketing a crear campañas de marketing efectivas y mejorar los resultados comerciales.

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Consultor de gestión

Los Consultores de Gestión asesoran a las organizaciones sobre cómo mejorar sus operaciones y lograr sus objetivos comerciales. Este curso proporciona una base sólida en principios estratégicos, análisis de la industria y desarrollo de estrategias, lo que puede ayudar a los Consultores de Gestión a brindar información valiosa y soluciones prácticas a sus clientes.

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Gerente de Producto

Los Gerentes de Producto son responsables de la estrategia, el desarrollo y el lanzamiento de productos. Este curso ofrece conocimientos sobre análisis de clientes y competidores, desarrollo de estrategias competitivas y evaluación de opciones estratégicas, lo que puede ayudar a los Gerentes de Producto a crear productos exitosos que satisfagan las necesidades del mercado.

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Investigador de mercado

Los Investigadores de Mercado recopilan y analizan datos sobre el mercado para comprender las necesidades y preferencias de los clientes. Este curso brinda información valiosa sobre análisis de clientes, análisis de la industria y evaluación de opciones estratégicas, lo que puede ayudar a los Investigadores de Mercado a realizar investigaciones efectivas y proporcionar información valiosa a las organizaciones.

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Analista Financiero

Los Analistas Financieros evalúan la salud financiera de las empresas y hacen recomendaciones de inversión. Este curso proporciona una base en el análisis de la industria, la evaluación de opciones estratégicas y el desarrollo de estrategias competitivas, lo que puede ayudar a los Analistas Financieros a comprender el desempeño financiero de las empresas y tomar decisiones de inversión informadas.

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Emprendedor

Los Emprendedores inician y dirigen sus propios negocios. Este curso ofrece conocimientos sobre desarrollo de estrategias competitivas, análisis de la industria y evaluación de opciones estratégicas, lo que puede ayudar a los Emprendedores a desarrollar planes de negocios sólidos y tomar decisiones informadas para sus empresas.

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Gerente de Operaciones

Los Gerentes de Operaciones planifican y supervisan las operaciones diarias de una organización. Este curso brinda información valiosa sobre análisis de la industria, desarrollo de estrategias competitivas y evaluación de opciones estratégicas, lo que puede ayudar a los Gerentes de Operaciones a optimizar los procesos, mejorar la eficiencia y lograr los objetivos comerciales.

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Especialista en Desarrollo de Negocios

Los Especialistas en Desarrollo de Negocios identifican y desarrollan nuevas oportunidades comerciales para las organizaciones. Este curso ofrece conocimientos sobre análisis de clientes, análisis de la industria y desarrollo de estrategias competitivas, lo que puede ayudar a los Especialistas en Desarrollo de Negocios a explorar nuevos mercados, establecer relaciones y generar ingresos para sus organizaciones.

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Gerente de Proyecto

Los Gerentes de Proyecto planifican, ejecutan y cierran proyectos para lograr los objetivos comerciales. Este curso proporciona una base en el desarrollo de estrategias, el análisis de la industria y la evaluación de opciones estratégicas, lo que puede ayudar a los Gerentes de Proyecto a gestionar proyectos de manera efectiva, minimizar riesgos y entregar resultados exitosos.

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Investigador de Operaciones

Los Investigadores de Operaciones utilizan técnicas analíticas para mejorar los procesos y la toma de decisiones en las organizaciones. Este curso ofrece conocimientos sobre análisis de la industria, evaluación de opciones estratégicas y desarrollo de estrategias competitivas, lo que puede ayudar a los Investigadores de Operaciones a identificar áreas de mejora, desarrollar soluciones basadas en datos y optimizar el rendimiento.

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Analista de riesgos

Los Analistas de Riesgos evalúan y gestionan los riesgos que enfrentan las organizaciones. Este curso proporciona una base en el análisis de la industria, la evaluación de opciones estratégicas y el desarrollo de estrategias competitivas, lo que puede ayudar a los Analistas de Riesgos a comprender los posibles riesgos, desarrollar estrategias de mitigación y proteger a las organizaciones de las pérdidas.

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Economista

Los Economistas estudian la producción, distribución y consumo de bienes y servicios. Este curso ofrece conocimientos sobre análisis de la industria, desarrollo de estrategias competitivas y evaluación de opciones estratégicas, lo que puede ayudar a los Economistas a comprender las tendencias económicas, predecir el comportamiento del mercado y asesorar a las organizaciones sobre políticas y estrategias económicas.

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Abogado

Los Abogados brindan asesoramiento legal y representación a individuos y organizaciones. Este curso puede ser útil para los Abogados que trabajan en derecho comercial o corporativo, ya que proporciona información valiosa sobre análisis de la industria, desarrollo de estrategias competitivas y evaluación de opciones estratégicas.

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Profesor

Los Profesores enseñan e investigan en instituciones educativas. Este curso puede ser útil para los Profesores que enseñan administración de empresas o estrategia, ya que proporciona material actualizado sobre los últimos principios y prácticas en el campo.

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