CORPORATE STRATEGY

The course aims at providing the students with a wide knowledge of corporate strategy, addressing all the relevant issues concerning the competitive choice at business level and the construction and implementation of an effective corporate strategy. Students, teachers and several guest speakers from the business community will discuss the key steps in analyzing the external environment and the strategic business units of the corporate portfolio. Special attention will be devoted to case studies and business simulation so that participating students will have the opportunity to develop actual operating skills.

Knowledge of basic accounting and management concepts is strongly recommended in order to fully benefit from the classes and to engage in effective case discussions

Completing the course students should be able to: • Understand the key concepts of conceiving and implement a strategy within a business environment • Analyze the external business environment in which strategies are formed and implemented • Identify the internal resources and capabilities that organisations rely on to develop competitive advantages in relation to the external business environment • Evaluate an organisation’s strategy from different perspectives • Formulate and implement organizational strategies taking into account the competitive and contextual environment. • Select and use relevant strategic management literature and frameworks • Formulate business, corporate and network level strategic analysis and understand the tools and methods used • Achieve complex reasoning and problem solving skills

The course addresses the topic of strategy at the corporate level, although the introduction includes a review of competitive strategy foundations. Through business cases and class discussions, the course will deal with the main issues involved in corporate strategy, including how to determine: a) in what businesses should the corporation invest; b) for each business, how much of the value chain should the company participate in; c) how should the company add/drop businesses through partnerships/acquisitions/internal development. To provide answers to these questions, the course will cover the following topics: Business Strategy; Economics of Strategy; Organizational Issues; Corporate Strategy; Vertical Integration; Diversification; Global Strategy; Multibusiness Firm Management; Current trend in Strategic Management

Robert M. Grant. Contemporary Strategy Analysis: Text and Cases Edition, 10th Edition, 2019. Wiley Additional readings and teaching notes will be provided by the teachers through the Learn Platform of Luiss University

The course will include theoretical lessons, class discussions, guest speakers and exercises based on case studies ans business simulations

Written test (multiple choice) and brief essays 55% Project work 35% Class participation 10%

Master thesis will be assigned considering the final grade, the class participation and the proposal of an interesting research project