DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

AND ACCOUNTING
COLLEGE OF FINANCE, MANAGEMENT AND
DEVELOPMENT

DIDACTIC DESIGN
BUSINESS POLICY AND STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
MSC IN ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE
2018

Module Number MPMM– 6132

Contact Name CH. Venkata Krishna Reddy (PhD)

Position Assit. Professor in the COLLEGE OF FINANCE, MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT,

ECSU.

Email venkatakrishna.ecsu@gamil.com

Telephone +251 983350802

Date March 2018

1.1 MODULE13: Business policy and strategy management

This module gives an overview of all essential aspects of business policy and strategic
management. This course concentrates on strategy and policy formulation and implementation at
the top management level where major decisions are made. Advanced problems in
determination, execution, and control of the strategic management process in light of complex
environmental change will be focused on in this course. The intention is to provide students with
strategy insights; reflect on strategic dilemmas; and practice strategy tools to enable students to
become strategic thinkers. The course will cover strategy analysis, formulation of strategies at
different levels of the organization, and strategy implementation. We will also reflect on the
purpose of organizations, their governance, and their role towards shareholders, stakeholders and
society in general.

1.1.1 GENERAL DATA

Module Number MPMM-6132
Module Title Business Policy and Strategy Management
Module Level Masters
Abbreviation BPSM
Subtitle Not Applicable
Duration in One Semester
Semesters
Frequency Every Third Semester
Language English
ECTS 5

1.1.2 WORKLOAD
Contact Hours 50
Self-Study Hours 100
Total Hours 150

1.1.3 ASSESSMENT
Description As part of assessment on the course students will submit article

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 review report (20%), a group project work (20%), test (20%) and
write a final examination (40%).
Examination Types Tests and Final Examination
Examination 180 Minutes
Duration
Assignments Group and Individual Assignments
Repetition Students may be required to rework on assessments in case of
failure to score the minimum grade as per the legislation of the
university.

1.1.4 DESCRIPTION
Learning Outcomes At the end of this module students will be able to :
 To develop skills in determining companywide strategy.
 To develop an awareness of the impact that external
environmental factors have on business strategy.
 To develop the ability to discern between the causes and the
symptoms of business problems.
 To develop skills in using strategic assessment tools to
identify companywide problems.
 To understand the problems associated with long-term
strategy formulation and implementation.
 To create solutions to problems associated with business-
related problems.
 To think through the strategic implications associated with
solutions to business-related problems.
 To understand the difficulties encountered by people
working in organizations and groups.
 To communicate ideas and principles coherently to a
business-related audience through both oral and written
mediums.
Prerequisites

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Content The module covers the following topics:
i. Introduction to Strategic Management and Business Policy
ii. Basic Concepts of Strategic Management
iii. Corporate Governance
iv. Social Responsibility and Ethics in Strategic Management
v. Environmental Scanning and Industry Analysis
vi. Internal Scanning: Organizational Analysis
vii. Strategy Implementation and Control
viii. Strategy Implementation: Staffing and Directing
ix. Evaluation and Control
Learning &  Lecture Presentations
Teaching Methods  Discussion/Seminar/Presentation
 Co-operative Work Groups
 Individual/Group Assignments Presentation
Media Module, Lecture notes, synopsis, Handouts, and reference books.
Literature Major references:
Strategic Management and Business Policy: Toward Global
Sustainability, Thomas L. Wheelen, J. David Hunger,Pearson
Prentice Hall, 2012
Supportive references:
Strategic Management- Creating Competitive Advantages: by
Dess, Lumpkin, Eisner & McNamara. 6th edition
(2009).,McGraw-Hill/Irwin,
De Wit, Bob, and Ron Meyer (2010), Strategy - Process, Content,
Context: An International Perspective, fourth edition, London:
Thomson Learning.
Bartlett, C., Ghoshal, S. and Beamish, P. (2008). Transnational
Management, McGraw Hill, 5e.
Barney, J.B. and Hesterly, W.S. (2010) Strategic Management
and Competitive Advantage, third edition. Prentice Hall.
Marcus, A.A. (2011). Management Strategy, McGraw Hill, second

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 edition.

1.1.5 ORGANISATIONAL DATA

Responsible CH. VENKATA KRISHNA REDDY (Ph.D)
Persons venkatakrishna.ecsu@gmail.com
+251983350802
Teaching Week

Sessions
Sessions Part/ Topics
Chapter
Introduction to the course and the Syllabus 1
1. Introduction to Strategic Management and Business 2-4
Policy
1.1 Basic Concepts of Strategic Management
1.2 Corporate Governance
Chap.1

1.3 Social Responsibility and Ethics in Strategic

Management
1.3.1 Social Responsibilities of Strategic
Decision Makers
1.3.2 Ethical Decision Making
2. Scanning the Environment 5-8
2.1 Environmental Scanning and Industry Analysis
2.2 Internal Scanning: Organizational Analysis
2.2.1 A Resource-Based Approach to
Organizational Analysis
Chap.2

2.2.2 Business Models

2.2.3 Value-Chain Analysis
2.2.4 Scanning Functional Resources and
Capabilities
2.2.5 The Strategic Audit: A Checklist for
Organizational Analysis

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 3. Strategy Formulation 9-11
3.1 Strategy Formulation: Situation Analysis and
Business Strategy
3.1.1 Situation Analysis: SWOT Analysis
Chap.3 3.1.2 Review of Mission and Objectives
3.1.3 Generating Alternative Strategies by
Using a TOWS Matrix
3.1.4 Porter’s Competitive Strategies
3.2 Strategy Formulation: Corporate Strategy
3.3 Strategy Formulation: Functional Strategy and
Strategic Choice
4. Strategy Formulation: Functional Strategy and 12-15
Strategic Choice
4.1 Functional Strategy, Marketing Strategy,
Financial Strategy ,Research and
Development (R&D) Strategy, Operations
Chap.4

Strategy, Purchasing Strategy, Human

Resource Management (HRM) Strategy
4.2 The Sourcing Decision: Location of Functions
4.3 Strategies to Avoid
4.4 Strategic Choice: Selecting the Best Strategy

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 5. Strategy Implementation: Organizing for
Action 16-19
5.1 How Is Strategy to Be Implemented?
Organizing for Action
Chap. 5 5.2 Stages of Corporate Development
5.3 Organizational Life Cycle
5.4 Advanced Types of Organizational Structures
5.5 Reengineering and Strategy Implementation
5.6 Six Sigma
5.7 Designing Jobs to Implement Strategy
5.8 International Issues in Strategy Implementation

6. Strategy Implementation: Staffing and Directing 20-23

6.1 Staffing
6.1.1 Staffing Follows Strategy
6.1.2 Selection and Management
Development
Chap 6

6.2 Problems in Retrenchment

6.3 Leading
6.3.1 Management by Objectives
6.3.2 Total Quality Management
6.3.3 International Considerations in Leading

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 7. Evaluation and Control 24-27
7.1 Evaluation and Control in Strategic
Management

Chap. 7
7.2 Measuring Performance
7.3 Strategic Information Systems
7.4 Problems in Measuring Performance
7.5 Guidelines for Proper Control

Programmes Masters in Accounting and Finance

Interconnect
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