We may earn an affiliate commission when you visit our partners.

Strategic Planning and Execution

Michael Lenox, Jared Harris, and Scott Snell

Avoid the pitfalls of strategy planning and execution with the tools and skills from this course. In this course, developed at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia and taught by top-ranked faculty, you'll learn the pillars of strategy execution--analysis, formulation, and implementation--and how to use the 4A model to effectively approach strategy execution. Finally, a panel of leaders from entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and industry, share their expertise gleaned from years of successful strategy planning and execution.

Enroll now

Or subscribe to Coursera Plus

And get unlimited access to Coursera

What's inside

Syllabus

Strategy Analysis

This week, you'll connect strategic analysis to strategy execution. You'll walk through a series of questions to frame your analysis and ground your approach using the strategist's toolkit--and you'll learn a new tool, Hypothesis Testing, to unearth key assumptions related to choosing a strategy and assessing the validity of those assumptions. You'll also review data sources and how to "make the data speak" to guide your strategy decisions.

Strategy Formulation

This week you'll learn about how strategy gets set and implemented in organizations. You'll discuss factors key to effective strategy formulation--and common challenges and pitfalls of strategy execution. You'll explore four different approaches to strategy formulation and how governance ties into effective strategy formulation.

Strategy Implementation

We welcome Professor Scott Snell to the course this week! He's a global specialist in strategy execution, and he shares his 4A Model for effective strategy execution: alignment, ability, agility, and architecture. This framework will help you ensure the human and organizational resources are in place to effectively execute your strategy.

Practical Perspectives

This week we welcome guest speakers from a range of industries, from startups to nonprofits, to share their expertise from years of successful strategy development and execution. They'll communicate their best tips to help you develop your strategist's toolkit. We're also fortunate to be joined by Darden's Dean Scott Beardsley, whose 26 years with McKinsey informs the concrete tips he shares to improve strategy development and execution.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Taught by Michael Lenox, Jared Harris, and Scott Snell, who are highly regarded for their expertise in management and strategy

Teaches the pillars of effective strategy execution, a fundamental concept in management practice

Utilizes the 4A Model for effective strategy execution, which provides a robust framework for learners to implement strategies

Suitable for professionals seeking to enhance their strategic planning and execution skills

Emphasizes the importance of data-driven decision-making in strategy analysis

Provides practical perspectives from industry experts, offering valuable insights into real-world strategy development and execution

Save this course

Save Strategic Planning and Execution to your list so you can find it easily later:

Save

Reviews summary

Strategic planning and execution: widely praised course

Learners say that Strategic Planning and Execution is an engaging course that provides a comprehensive overview of strategic planning and execution. The course is well-structured and the professors are knowledgeable and experienced. Learners particularly appreciate the guest speakers who share their real-world experiences. The course materials are well-organized and the assignments are helpful in reinforcing the concepts learned. Overall, learners highly recommend this course for anyone who wants to learn more about strategic planning and execution.

Learners find the assignments to be helpful in reinforcing the concepts learned.

"The way the professors / speakers narrated and explained each of the subjects is really very good and easy to learn / understand."

"This course helped me to learn strategic analysis and thinking of new business opportunities, market values, different approaches to succeed in the business."

"Good class. Practical teaching about planning and execution is near impossible, and the professors do a good job of getting close to the line and teaching useful frameworks for understanding how to create conditions to improve the probability of successful execution."

"The skills have learned in this course is to become a strategic decision maker."

Learners highly value the guest speakers who share their real-world experiences.

"Excellent explanation provided, lot of examples, learned about various company professionals ideas and their strategy how they are executed in their fields. "

"Amazing to see all the sharings from different successful people starting from all those CEOs, chairman, CFO, dean. All great to listen and understand more of real life experiences"

"The Week 4 module with industry stalwarts speaking on Strategy implementation , was very interesting ."

"it is a well structured and conducted course. it has the logical connections with the sections studied previously. The last part of the course where the guest speakers were invited to share their real experiences adds a good benefit to the course in general."

There are 103 5-star reviews, indicating that most learners found the course to be excellent.

"Excellent course. Absolutely loved the practical applications of this"

"One of the most practical courses I have attended , It is explained in a very clear way with very interesting examples."

"I have gained so much knowledge and the course has made me look forward to my next course on Coursera."

"This course was excellent. It is a great course for individuals desirpous to learn strategy analysis, strategy formulation and strategy implementation."

Some learners found the final project to be too vague and lacking in guidance.

"This was an excellent course from a content standpoint. I loved the lectures and hearing from all of the different experts in the field. It really has helped me to think more strategically. The one drawback to the class was the final project. There was very little guidance as to the scope of what we should do. Some students did 3 pages. Some did 25 pages. I would have liked to see an example assignment of what is expected. "

"The one drawback to the class was the final project. There was very little guidance as to the scope of what we should do."

Some learners found the pace of the course to be too fast.

"Its a really good course. A few of the lecturers where a tad bit fast though but overall, i'd say its good."

"Hi. I enjoyed the course. It helps having 3 professors teaching the course. Also, I liked the questions that popped in the videos. The information included about the course mentioned 3 to 5 hours weekly. It takes more time."

Career center

Learners who complete Strategic Planning and Execution will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Strategy Consultant

Strategy Consultants analyze business models, devise strategies, and help organizations improve their performance. The Strategic Planning and Execution course provides a strong foundation for this role by teaching you the pillars of strategy execution, including analysis, formulation, and implementation. The 4A model introduced in the course can help you effectively approach strategy execution, ensuring that the human and organizational resources are in place to execute your strategy successfully.

See salaries and explore the career path for Strategy Consultant

Business Analyst

Business Analysts work with stakeholders to understand their business needs and develop solutions to improve processes and systems. The Strategic Planning and Execution course can help you succeed in this role by providing you with the skills to analyze business data, identify opportunities for improvement, and develop and implement effective strategies.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Product Manager

Product Managers are responsible for the development and execution of product strategies. The Strategic Planning and Execution course provides valuable insights into the process of strategy formulation and implementation, which can help you succeed in this role. You will learn how to analyze market data, identify customer needs, and develop and execute product strategies that align with the overall business goals.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Manager

Marketing Manager

Marketing Managers develop and execute marketing strategies to promote products and services. The Strategic Planning and Execution course can help you succeed in this role by providing you with the skills to analyze market data, identify target audiences, and develop and implement effective marketing campaigns.

See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Manager

Operations Manager

Operations Managers are responsible for the planning, coordination, and execution of operational activities. The Strategic Planning and Execution course can help you succeed in this role by providing you with the skills to analyze business processes, identify areas for improvement, and develop and implement effective operational strategies.

See salaries and explore the career path for Operations Manager

Financial Analyst

Financial Analysts analyze financial data to make recommendations on investments and financial decisions. The Strategic Planning and Execution course can help you succeed in this role by providing you with the skills to analyze financial data, identify trends, and develop and implement financial strategies.

See salaries and explore the career path for Financial Analyst

Management Consultant

Management Consultants help organizations improve their performance by providing advice on strategy, operations, and technology. The Strategic Planning and Execution course can help you succeed in this role by providing you with the skills to analyze business data, identify opportunities for improvement, and develop and implement effective strategies.

See salaries and explore the career path for Management Consultant

Entrepreneur

Entrepreneurs start and operate their own businesses. The Strategic Planning and Execution course can help you succeed in this role by providing you with the skills to develop and execute business plans, attract investors, and manage your business effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Entrepreneur

Nonprofit Manager

Nonprofit Managers plan and execute the programs and services of nonprofit organizations. The Strategic Planning and Execution course can help you succeed in this role by providing you with the skills to develop and execute strategic plans, manage budgets, and build relationships with donors and other stakeholders.

See salaries and explore the career path for Nonprofit Manager

Program Manager

Program Managers plan and execute programs and projects within organizations. The Strategic Planning and Execution course can help you succeed in this role by providing you with the skills to develop and execute program plans, manage budgets, and track progress.

See salaries and explore the career path for Program Manager

Project Manager

Project Managers plan and execute projects within organizations. The Strategic Planning and Execution course can help you succeed in this role by providing you with the skills to develop and execute project plans, manage budgets, and track progress.

See salaries and explore the career path for Project Manager

Data Analyst

Data Analysts collect, analyze, and interpret data to help organizations make informed decisions. The Strategic Planning and Execution course may be useful for this role by providing you with the skills to analyze data and identify trends.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Analyst

Market Researcher

Market Researchers collect and analyze data about markets and customers to help organizations make informed decisions. The Strategic Planning and Execution course may be useful for this role by providing you with the skills to analyze data and identify trends.

See salaries and explore the career path for Market Researcher

Sales Manager

Sales Managers plan and execute sales strategies to achieve sales goals. The Strategic Planning and Execution course may be useful for this role by providing you with the skills to analyze market data, identify target audiences, and develop and implement effective sales strategies.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sales Manager

Account Manager

Account Managers manage relationships with clients to ensure their satisfaction and retention. The Strategic Planning and Execution course may be useful for this role by providing you with the skills to analyze client needs, develop and implement account plans, and manage client relationships.

See salaries and explore the career path for Account Manager

Reading list

We've selected 23 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 Strategic Planning and Execution.

The Disruptive Innovation Set (2 Books)