Overview of Course

Strategic Management is the process through which firms choose and implement their strategies which set the direction for the organization and its employees. Through analyzing firms’ strategic decisions, you will gain an understanding for why some companies achieve long-term competitive advantage and profitability while others do not, and some even fail. This capstone course integrates various business subject areas through a managerial decision-making lens to introduce business strategy concepts such as competitive advantage, competitive analysis, value proposition, product differentiation, strategic positioning, among others and learn the benefits and pitfalls that firms face in markets as they execute strategies globally. This course also considers the industry dynamics that affect how, when, and where firms compete with one another. The overall objective of the course is to provide a broad survey of the strategic frameworks, analytical tools, and decision-making simulations to prepare future managers to identify and execute winning strategies in any industry.
Throughout our voyage, we will have the opportunity to explore both successful and unsuccessful strategic implementations in many industries using case-based learning (e.g., Zara, Amazon, Trader Joe’s) on board complemented with experiential learning opportunities at world-class companies at various host country ports. Through this highly interactive course, we explore and reconcile the tensions that accompany management decisions – choosing what to do and what not to do for the long-term growth of the firm.