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Business Growth Strategy

Michael Lenox and Jared Harris

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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Growth through Entry
Growth through entry--whether by offering new products in existing markets or offering the same products in new markets--doesn't happen in isolation. Multiple firms compete for these markets and so any discussion of growth through entry has to look at the impact of rivalry. In this module, you'll learn how to apply game theory to analyze, assess, and respond to competitors. With the payoff matrices tool, you'll be able to evaluate options and determine an effective position.
Growth through Acquisition
Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are common--but rarely successful--ways firms attempt to grow their business. In this module, we'll show you the pros and cons of M&A, suggest valid alternatives, and outline effective M&A strategies. Using the Acquisitions Analysis tool, you'll be able to assess the impact of a potential M&A and avoid common pitfalls of this type of growth.
Growth through Innovation
Introducing new ideas, processes, and products that disrupt the market is another common growth strategy. In this module, we'll unlock the keys to innovation, from building an innovative capability to appropriating value from innovation to determining an innovation strategy. Using the Real Options Analysis tool, we'll show you how to grow through innovation and good practices for doing so. The Intel Corporate Venturing case provides an opportunity for you to practice this tool and apply course concepts to a real-world scenario.

Good to know

Know what's good
, what to watch for
, 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

Highly-rated business course

Learners say that Business Growth Strategy is a highly rated course. So far, every student who reviewed this course gave it 4 or 5 stars. Students liked that the class was in-depth and engaging. Students also appreciated the helpful and knowledgeable instructor.

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

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.
Provides a comprehensive overview of business growth strategies, covering topics such as market analysis, competitive advantage, and innovation. It valuable resource for students and professionals who want to learn more about how to grow a business.
Provides a framework for understanding competitive advantage. It covers topics such as resource-based view, industry analysis, and competitive positioning.
Provides a framework for evaluating the quality of a business strategy. It helps readers to identify good strategies and avoid bad ones.
Provides a game-theoretic approach to strategy. It offers insights into how to think strategically and make decisions in complex situations.
Explores the challenges that large companies face when trying to innovate. It provides insights into how companies can avoid the innovator's dilemma and stay ahead of the competition.
Provides a framework for developing value propositions that customers want. It offers tools and techniques for understanding customer needs and creating products and services that meet those needs.
Provides insights into the consulting process used by McKinsey & Company. It offers advice on how to solve problems, communicate effectively, and build a successful career.
Provides a practical guide to building a successful startup. It emphasizes the importance of customer feedback and iteration, and it offers tools and techniques for testing and validating new ideas.
Provides a historical overview of strategy. It traces the evolution of strategic thinking from ancient times to the present day.

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