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Business Growth Strategy

Get the tools you need to analyze, evaluate and recommend specific actions organizations can take to grow their value and avoid common growth pitfalls. In this course, developed at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia and taught by top-ranked faculty, you will learn to determine how best to build value, whether by scaling existing markets, entering established markets or creating new markets through innovation and acquisitions.

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What's inside

Syllabus

Growth through Scaling

Strategic growth is intentional, proactive, and consistent with a company's purpose. Taking advantage of economies of scale--growing a business by doing more of what it's already doing--is a conceptually easy but operationally complex approach to business growth. In this module, you will learn the Scenario Planning tool to identify and evaluate opportunities to scale an organization. With this tool, you'll have an effective means to understand when and where to grow and how to get there.

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Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Examines strategic, intentional, consistent growth with a company's purpose and how it can be achieved with economies of scale

Teaches learners how to conduct game theory analysis to assess and respond to competitors

Explores pros and cons of mergers and acquisitions and how to avoid common pitfalls

Provides a tool to evaluate options and determine effective positioning when competing with other firms

Emphasises the importance of building an innovative capability and appropriating value from innovation

Develops skills in real options analysis to make better innovation decisions

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Reviews summary

Practical business growth strategy tools

According to learners, this course provides a solid foundation and practical frameworks for analyzing business growth opportunities. Students found the tools and concepts highly applicable to real-world scenarios. Key growth strategies including scaling, market entry, M&A, and innovation are covered effectively, often supported by useful case studies like the Intel example. While some reviewers noted the course has a strong theoretical basis, most appreciated the structured approach and the clarity of the lectures delivered by the highly knowledgeable instructors.

Delivered by expert faculty.

"The instructor is clearly an expert and delivered the content very effectively."

"Great insights from top-ranked faculty throughout the lectures."

"The quality of teaching was excellent, making complex topics understandable."

Real-world examples enhance learning.

"The Intel Corporate Venturing case was a great opportunity to practice the tool and apply course concepts."

"Working through the case studies really helped solidify my understanding of the concepts."

"The real-world examples made the theoretical aspects much clearer."

Covers multiple growth avenues.

"The course gave me a solid overview of scaling, market entry, M&A, and innovation as growth strategies."

"Good structure covering the main pathways for business growth with distinct tools for each."

"I appreciate the breadth of topics covered regarding business expansion."

Concepts are applicable to real work.

"The concepts and tools presented were directly applicable to my job and helped me think about growth differently."

"I could immediately apply the learned strategies to assess opportunities within my company."

"Helped me think about growth strategies in a structured, practical way."

Provides practical tools for analysis.

"I found the strategic frameworks like Scenario Planning and Real Options invaluable for analyzing growth..."

"The tools provided, such as the Acquisition Analysis tool, are directly applicable..."

"Using the payoff matrices tool helped me understand how to evaluate competitive options."

"Learned useful frameworks and tools to analyze different growth strategies."

Can be very academic at times.

"While valuable, the course felt quite theoretical at times and could benefit from more tactical 'how-to' guidance."

"Strong focus on frameworks and concepts, maybe less on operational challenges of growth."

"It's quite academic, which is good for understanding the 'why', but sometimes less on the 'how'."

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 Business Growth Strategy with these activities:

Review Economic Principles

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Ensure a strong foundation in economic principles to better understand market dynamics and growth opportunities.

Browse courses on Economics

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Review key economic concepts
Analyze real-world economic events

Practice Market Research Techniques

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Sharpen your market research skills to identify potential growth opportunities for your business.

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Conduct a market survey
Analyze customer data

Read 'The Innovator's Dilemma' by Clayton Christensen

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Gain insights into how established companies can successfully navigate disruptive innovations to drive growth.

View The Innovator's Dilemma, with a New Foreword on Amazon

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Read and summarize key chapters
Identify examples from the tech industry
Analyze the implications for your industry

Seven other activities

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Solve case studies to analyze growth opportunities

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Reinforce your understanding of growth strategies by applying them to real-world scenarios.

Browse courses on Scenario Planning

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Choose a case study that aligns with a growth concept you're interested in.
Analyze the case study to identify growth opportunities and challenges.
Develop recommendations for how the company can capitalize on these opportunities or address challenges.
Present your findings and recommendations to the class or a study group.

Scenario Planning Exercise

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Sharpen your scenario planning skills to predict and prepare for future market conditions.

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Identify potential growth scenarios for your business
Develop actionable plans for each scenario
Discuss and refine your plans with stakeholders

Using Game Theory to Analyze Competition

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Develop a deeper understanding of game theory and its application in analyzing competitive market dynamics.

Browse courses on Game Theory

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Learn the basics of game theory
Apply game theory concepts to analyze business scenarios

Develop a mock business plan for a new market

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Gain practical experience in developing a growth strategy for entering a new market.

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Research a target market and identify a potential opportunity.
Develop a market entry strategy, including pricing, distribution, and marketing.
Create financial projections and analyze the potential return on investment.
Write a comprehensive business plan outlining your strategy and implementation.

Industry Analysis Working Group

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Collaborate with peers to conduct in-depth industry analyses and develop entry strategies.

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Research and present industry trends
Identify potential market opportunities
Develop competitive positioning strategies

Develop a Growth Roadmap for a Chosen Industry

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Apply your knowledge to create a comprehensive growth roadmap for a specific industry.

Browse courses on Growth Strategies

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Research industry trends and market opportunities
Analyze potential growth strategies
Present your findings in a written report or presentation

Contribute to a Business Case Study Repository

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Enhance your understanding of real-world growth strategies by analyzing and contributing to business case studies.

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Identify a business case study
Analyze the growth strategies employed
Create a presentation or write a report on your findings

Career center

Learners who complete Business Growth Strategy will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Business Development Manager

The Business Development Manager is responsible for developing strategies to increase business revenue and profitability. This course provides you with the tools to analyze, evaluate, and recommend specific actions organizations can take to grow their value and avoid common growth pitfalls. By completing this course, you will be able to determine how best to build value, whether by scaling existing markets, entering established markets, or creating new markets through innovation and acquisitions. This will help you be more successful in your role as a Business Development Manager.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Development Manager

Strategy Consultant

Strategy Consultants help organizations develop and implement strategies to achieve their business goals. They analyze an organization's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and make recommendations on how to improve its performance. This course will help you develop the skills you need to be successful as a Strategy Consultant. You will learn how to analyze and evaluate growth opportunities, and how to recommend specific actions organizations can take to grow their value.

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Investment Banker

An Investment Banker provides financial advice to companies and governments. They help companies raise capital, and they help governments manage their debt. This course will help you understand the process of business growth, and it will give you the tools and techniques you need to help your clients achieve their financial goals. You will learn how to analyze and evaluate growth opportunities, and how to recommend specific actions organizations can take to grow their value.

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Corporate Development Manager

A Corporate Development Manager is responsible for developing and executing strategies to improve the performance of an organization. They work with the CEO and senior management to identify growth opportunities, and they develop and implement plans to achieve those opportunities. This course will help you develop the skills you need to be successful as a Corporate Development Manager. You will learn how to analyze and evaluate growth opportunities, and how to recommend specific actions organizations can take to grow their value.

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Management Consultant

Management Consultants help organizations improve their performance. They work with clients to identify problems, develop solutions, and implement those solutions. This course will help you develop the skills you need to be successful as a Management Consultant. You will learn how to analyze and evaluate growth opportunities, and how to recommend specific actions organizations can take to grow their value.

See salaries and explore the career path for Management Consultant

Marketing Manager

A Marketing Manager is responsible for developing and executing marketing strategies to promote an organization's products or services. They work with other departments to develop and implement marketing campaigns, and they track the results of those campaigns. This course will help you develop the skills you need to be successful as a Marketing Manager. You will learn how to analyze and evaluate growth opportunities, and how to recommend specific actions organizations can take to grow their value. You will also learn about the different marketing channels and how to use them to reach your target audience.

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Product Manager

A Product Manager is responsible for developing and managing a product. They work with engineers, designers, and marketers to bring a product to market, and they track the performance of that product. This course will help you develop the skills you need to be successful as a Product Manager. You will learn how to analyze and evaluate growth opportunities, and how to recommend specific actions organizations can take to grow their value. You will also learn about the different stages of the product development process.

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Sales Manager

A Sales Manager is responsible for leading and motivating a sales team. They work with their team to develop and execute sales strategies, and they track the performance of their team. This course will help you develop the skills you need to be successful as a Sales Manager. You will learn how to analyze and evaluate growth opportunities, and how to recommend specific actions organizations can take to grow their value. You will also learn about the different sales techniques and how to use them to close deals.

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Operations Manager

An Operations Manager is responsible for the day-to-day operations of a business. They work with other departments to ensure that the business is running smoothly and efficiently. This course will help you develop the skills you need to be successful as an Operations Manager. You will learn how to analyze and evaluate growth opportunities, and how to recommend specific actions organizations can take to grow their value. You will also learn about the different aspects of operations management, such as inventory management, production planning, and quality control.

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Account Manager

An Account Manager is responsible for managing relationships with customers. They work with customers to identify their needs and develop solutions to meet those needs. This course will help you develop the skills you need to be successful as an Account Manager. You will learn how to analyze and evaluate growth opportunities, and how to recommend specific actions organizations can take to grow their value. You will also learn about the different account management techniques and how to use them to build and maintain relationships with customers.

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Financial Analyst

Financial Analysts provide advice to investors about the potential risks and returns of different investments. They analyze financial data and make recommendations about which investments to buy or sell. This course will help you develop the skills you need to be successful as a Financial Analyst. You will learn how to analyze and evaluate growth opportunities, and how to recommend specific actions organizations can take to grow their value. You will also learn about the different types of investments and how to evaluate their risk and return.

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Business Analyst

Business Analysts help organizations improve their performance by identifying and solving problems. They work with stakeholders to gather requirements, analyze data, and develop solutions. This course will help you develop the skills you need to be successful as a Business Analyst. You will learn how to analyze and evaluate growth opportunities, and how to recommend specific actions organizations can take to grow their value.

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Project Manager

Project Managers lead and manage projects from start to finish. They work with stakeholders to define the scope of a project, develop a project plan, and execute the plan. This course will help you develop the skills you need to be successful as a Project Manager. You will learn how to analyze and evaluate growth opportunities, and how to recommend specific actions organizations can take to grow their value.

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Data Analyst

Data Analysts collect, analyze, and interpret data to help organizations make better decisions. They use statistical techniques to identify trends and patterns in data, and they communicate their findings to stakeholders. This course will help you develop the skills you need to be successful as a Data Analyst. You will learn how to analyze and evaluate growth opportunities, and how to recommend specific actions organizations can take to grow their value.

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Software Engineer

Software Engineers design, develop, and maintain software systems. They work with stakeholders to gather requirements, design software solutions, and implement those solutions. This course may be helpful if you are interested in a career as a Software Engineer. You will learn how to analyze and evaluate growth opportunities, and how to recommend specific actions organizations can take to grow their value.

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Reading list

We've selected 14 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Business Growth Strategy.

Managing Hospitality Organizations

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Provides a comprehensive overview of corporate strategy. It covers topics such as industry analysis, competitive advantage, and global strategy.

Business Growth Strategy

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What's inside

Syllabus

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Reviews summary

Practical business growth strategy tools

Activities

Career center

Reading list

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