Advanced Business Strategy from Coursera

What's inside

Syllabus

Dynamic Strategy

Studebaker, Remington, Sears, Kodak. Companies that were leaders in their time but failed to adapt to change. In this module, we'll explore the impact of disruptive innovations and how companies can navigate these changes, evolve over time, and avoid the pitfalls of the competitive life cycle. By the end of this module, you will be able to complete a competitive life cycle analysis. Let's get started.

International Strategy

Welcome! Industry and firm globalization has taken off in the past few decades. Firms can realize great gains by moving into foreign markets, but they only do so if they act strategically. In this module, we'll discuss the rise of globalization and explore two primary strategic questions: Where to compete and how to enter that market. We'll consider the pros and cons of strategic options for entering foreign markets. By the end of this module, you'll be able to complete an internationalization analysis.

Diversification Strategy

Corporate strategy is often a question of diversification. How can firms leverage their current position across markets to build profits? In this module, we'll discuss firm scope and the financial, operational, and strategic reasons to expand and diversify. We'll explore the theory of the firm--or why firms exist and how this relates to their scope. By the end of this module, you'll be able to develop a diversification matrix.

Stakeholder Strategy

How can a firm's values add value to the firm? Stakeholder management is a way of thinking about ethical considerations impacting an organization's strategy. In this module, we'll discuss how effective business strategy considers the impact of a firm's decisions and actions on various stakeholders, both primary and secondary, and uses that knowledge to guide strategic actions. By the end of this module, you'll be able to complete a stakeholder analysis.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Introduces and develops core strategic analysis skills, which are indispensable for successful navigation through changing business environments

Taught by experienced faculty from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia, ensuring the transmission of industry-recognized knowledge

Covers vital concepts such as competitive dynamics, industry analysis, international strategy, diversification strategy, and stakeholder strategy, broadening learners' understanding of business strategy

Provides a framework for understanding how businesses can adapt to disruptive innovations and sustain their competitiveness over time

Explores the intricacies of international expansion and strategic entry into foreign markets, enhancing learners' global mindset

Reviews summary

Well-received business course

Learners say that this advanced business strategy course is largely positive, with many remarks being highly positive. The course is praised for its practical content and engaging assignments, and for being well-paced and well-organized. Many positive highlights are given towards the instructors, who are commended for their detailed explanations, real-world examples, and passion for the subject matter.

In-depth, well-rounded

"This course is enriched with core business strategy concepts, easily understandable lectures and materials."

"Its an excellent course for professionals into Business Development, and Marketing domains. Highly recommended"

"The course is amazing and both professors are really articulate and explain the topic very well making it easy to follow and remember. Thank you so much!!"

Well-organized, coherent

"Advanced Business Strategy is a great continuation for those who already attended the first course of Specialization."

"I appreciate the quality you brought to these courses because it motivates you when you are engaging in something with high standards."

"Top rated course! Very professional and structured excellently. I couldn't even point out anything negative about it."

Detailed, thorough

"I really enjoyed studying this course. I have learnt important skills that will take my business far."

"The lecturers give practical examples to deliver the content. this makes the course easier to understand."

"Advanced Business Strategy help you understand the way we can expand the business within an organization how, really good the explanation of the teachers! "

Real-world examples, applicable skills

"Great course and overall flow. Learnt a lot about business strategy, probably more than ever any book could teach me."

"This course will ensure you to understand business strategy with real examples."

"Thanks to the respected professors, I think this course provides a good perspective on understanding the concepts of founding and developing a competitive business position by introducing various analytics and researches method and tools."

Experienced, engaging

"The instructors have the best strategy to teach concepts and make them easy to understand."

"With this course I actually understood that how I can apply the theoretical part into practical/real-time world."

"Un curso totalmente completo, donde se aprende a analizar los ciclos de vida de las empresas, puedes aprender estrategias que ayudan a llegar a los mercados objetivos."

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 Advanced Business Strategy with these activities:

Watch video tutorials on internationalization strategies

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Provides additional insights and real-world examples to enhance your understanding of internationalization concepts.

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Search for reputable video tutorials on internationalization strategies.
Watch and take notes on the key concepts presented.
Identify examples of companies that have successfully implemented internationalization strategies.

Complete practice questions on stakeholder analysis

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Strengthens your understanding of stakeholder identification, prioritization, and management techniques.

Browse courses on Stakeholder Analysis

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Review the concepts of stakeholder analysis.
Identify stakeholders for a specific business scenario.
Prioritize stakeholders based on their influence and legitimacy.
Develop strategies to manage stakeholder relationships.

Create a presentation on the competitive lifecycle of a company

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Encourages you to synthesize your understanding of how companies evolve and adapt to changing market conditions.

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Identify a company that has experienced significant changes in its competitive environment.
Research the company's history, market dynamics, and key decision points.
Develop a timeline of the company's competitive lifecycle, highlighting major events and challenges.
Analyze the factors that have influenced the company's evolution.
Present your findings in a clear and engaging manner.

Five other activities

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Review the book 'Strategy Traps' by Michael Porter

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Provides a comprehensive overview of the common pitfalls that companies fall into when making strategic decisions.

View HBR's 10 Must Reads on Technology and Strategy... on Amazon

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Read the introduction and chapters 1-3.
Identify the key concepts and frameworks presented in the book.
Summarize the main arguments and supporting evidence.
Discuss the implications of the book's findings for your own business strategy.

Develop a diversification matrix for a hypothetical company

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Provides practical experience in applying diversification concepts to assess a company's potential growth opportunities.

Browse courses on Corporate Strategy

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Identify a hypothetical company and its current business portfolio.
Conduct a market analysis to identify potential new markets and products.
Evaluate each potential diversification option using the diversification matrix.
Recommend a diversification strategy for the company based on your analysis.

Conduct an industry analysis for a company of your choice

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Allows you to apply the concepts learned in the course to a real-world scenario, enhancing your understanding of industry dynamics.

Browse courses on Industry Analysis

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Choose a company and define the industry it operates in.
Gather data on the industry using sources such as industry reports, company filings, and news articles.
Analyze the industry using Porter's Five Forces framework.
Identify potential opportunities and threats for the chosen company.
Develop recommendations for the company's strategy based on your analysis.

Attend a workshop on disruptive innovation

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Offers the opportunity to engage with experts and learn from case studies, fostering a deeper understanding of disruptive innovation.

Browse courses on Disruptive Innovation

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Research and identify relevant workshops on disruptive innovation.
Register for and attend the workshop.
Actively participate in discussions and networking opportunities.
Reflect on the key takeaways and apply them to your own business context.

Mentor a junior student in business strategy

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Reinforces your own knowledge while helping others grasp the core concepts of business strategy.

Browse courses on Business Strategy

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Identify a junior student who is interested in business strategy.
Meet with the student regularly to discuss course material and provide guidance.
Share your experiences and insights to help the student develop their analytical skills.
Provide feedback on the student's assignments and projects.

Career center

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

Corporate Strategy Manager

Corporate strategy managers develop and implement long-term strategies for their companies. They need to have a strong understanding of business strategy and financial analysis. The Advanced Business Strategy course can help corporate strategy managers develop the skills they need to succeed in their careers. The course covers topics such as competitive analysis, industry analysis, and corporate strategy. This knowledge can help corporate strategy managers make sound strategic decisions and help their companies achieve their goals.

See salaries and explore the career path for Corporate Strategy Manager

Product Manager

Product managers develop and manage products for their companies. They need to have a strong understanding of business strategy and marketing. The Advanced Business Strategy course can help product managers develop the skills they need to succeed in their careers. The course covers topics such as competitive analysis, industry analysis, and corporate strategy. This knowledge can help product managers develop products that meet the needs of customers and help their companies achieve their goals.

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Investment Banker

Investment bankers help companies raise capital and advise them on mergers and acquisitions. They need to have a strong understanding of business strategy and financial analysis. The Advanced Business Strategy course can help investment bankers develop the skills they need to succeed in their careers. The course covers topics such as financial statement analysis, valuation, and capital budgeting. This knowledge can help investment bankers make sound investment decisions and provide valuable advice to their clients.

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Marketing Manager

Marketing managers develop and implement marketing campaigns for their companies. They need to have a strong understanding of business strategy and marketing. The Advanced Business Strategy course can help marketing managers develop the skills they need to succeed in their careers. The course covers topics such as competitive analysis, industry analysis, and corporate strategy. This knowledge can help marketing managers develop marketing campaigns that will reach the right customers and help their companies achieve their goals.

See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Manager

Consultant

Consultants advise organizations on how to improve their performance. They may work in a variety of fields, including business strategy, information technology, and human resources. The Advanced Business Strategy course can help consultants develop the skills they need to analyze complex business problems and develop effective solutions. The course covers topics such as competitive analysis, industry analysis, and corporate strategy. This knowledge can help consultants provide valuable insights to their clients and help them make better decisions.

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Business Development Manager

Business development managers identify and develop new business opportunities for their companies. They need to have a strong understanding of business strategy and marketing. The Advanced Business Strategy course can help business development managers develop the skills they need to succeed in their careers. The course covers topics such as competitive analysis, industry analysis, and corporate strategy. This knowledge can help business development managers identify and develop new business opportunities that will help their companies grow.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Development Manager

Private Equity Investor

Private equity investors invest in private companies and help them grow. They need to have a strong understanding of business strategy and financial analysis. The Advanced Business Strategy course can help private equity investors develop the skills they need to succeed in their careers. The course covers topics such as financial statement analysis, valuation, and capital budgeting. This knowledge can help private equity investors make sound investment decisions and help the companies they invest in grow.

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Entrepreneur

Entrepreneurs start and run their own businesses. They need to have a strong understanding of business strategy and a variety of business disciplines. The Advanced Business Strategy course may help entrepreneurs develop the skills they need to succeed in their careers. The course covers topics such as competitive analysis, industry analysis, and corporate strategy. This knowledge can help entrepreneurs develop business strategies that will help their businesses grow.

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Business Consultant

Business consultants provide advice to businesses on how to improve their performance. They need to have a strong understanding of business strategy and a variety of business disciplines. The Advanced Business Strategy course may help business consultants develop the skills they need to succeed in their careers. The course covers topics such as competitive analysis, industry analysis, and corporate strategy. This knowledge can help business consultants provide valuable advice to their clients and help them make better decisions.

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Policy Analyst

Policy analysts develop and evaluate policies for governments and other organizations. They need to have a strong understanding of business strategy and public policy. The Advanced Business Strategy course may help policy analysts develop the skills they need to succeed in their careers. The course covers topics such as competitive analysis, industry analysis, and corporate strategy. This knowledge can help policy analysts develop policies that will achieve their desired outcomes.

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Sales Manager

Sales managers lead and motivate sales teams. They need to have a strong understanding of business strategy and sales management. The Advanced Business Strategy course may help sales managers develop the skills they need to succeed in their careers. The course covers topics such as competitive analysis, industry analysis, and corporate strategy. This knowledge can help sales managers develop sales strategies that will help their teams achieve their goals.

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Financial Analyst

Financial analysts provide financial advice to individuals and businesses. They need to have a strong understanding of business strategy and financial analysis. The Advanced Business Strategy course may help financial analysts develop the skills they need to succeed in their careers. The course covers topics such as competitive analysis, industry analysis, and corporate strategy. This knowledge can help financial analysts provide sound financial advice to their clients.

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Operations Manager

Operations managers oversee the day-to-day operations of their companies. They need to have a strong understanding of business strategy and operations management. The Advanced Business Strategy course may help operations managers develop the skills they need to succeed in their careers. The course covers topics such as competitive analysis, industry analysis, and corporate strategy. This knowledge can help operations managers develop operations strategies that will help their companies achieve their goals.

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Nonprofit Manager

Nonprofit managers lead and manage nonprofit organizations. They need to have a strong understanding of business strategy and nonprofit management. The Advanced Business Strategy course may help nonprofit managers develop the skills they need to succeed in their careers. The course covers topics such as competitive analysis, industry analysis, and corporate strategy. This knowledge can help nonprofit managers develop strategies that will help their organizations achieve their goals.

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Researcher

Researchers conduct research on a variety of topics. They need to have a strong understanding of research methods and business strategy. The Advanced Business Strategy course may help researchers develop the skills they need to succeed in their careers. The course covers topics such as competitive analysis, industry analysis, and corporate strategy. This knowledge can help researchers design and conduct research studies that will produce valuable insights.

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