Strategic Planning

Course Description
The major objective of this course is to develop an understanding of strategic management planning process, concepts, research, and theories. Students will learn methods of business environment scanning, strategy formulation, implementation, and control. Integration of international issues throughout provides an essential understanding of global economics and its impact on business activities in a location.This course serves as the capstone of the Business Administration Program. We study how a company effectively builds its strategy and learn through current readings and case studies covering which corporate strategies are the most successful and which are not, and why. Major strategic planning models, the strategy development process, and strategic implementation are examined. The course is grounded in theory, but will incorporate "real-life" examples and applications.
The course is weighted towards current trends and practices in strategic planning management. This course is meant to provide the foundations for the senior thesis (course) MGT435 where students will write their final thesis, present it and defend at State Exams. Writing the thesis involves many of the models, theories and approaches covered in MGT430.

Course Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:
–Comprehend and demonstrate an understanding and comfort level with the strategic planning, management and evaluation processes;
–Understanding the strategic management process, concepts, research and theories;
–Apply methods of business environment scanning, strategy formulation, implementation and control as well as reviewing performance management models and demonstrating an understanding of when, why and how those models are used;
–Utilize the tools and methodologies applied in the real world and demonstrate an understanding of these models;
–Analyze, identify and evaluate opportunities and threats that exist for “real” companies in the business environment and link them to existing strengths and / or weaknesses that exist within the organization and done within the context of the shifting global business environment;
–Demonstrate an ability to place in context current business developments and regional and entity specifics, specifically from a “strategic” point of view;
–Understand and demonstrate in-depth knowledge of formulating and adapting feasible competitive strategy recommendations;
–Choose, evaluate and research an appropriate company for their senior thesis.