Strategic Business Planning

Catalog description

Study of strategic planning and implementation in multi-industry, multi- cultural, and multi-national settings with emphasis on sustaining competitive advantages. BA 422W Strategic Business Planning is the capstone of the series of business administration courses in the BSB degree. These courses collectively develop the the skills and competencies necessary for the business administration student. BA 422W is designed for students to examine the discipline of strategic management and to develop an appreciation of the criticality of strategic management in guiding a business entity through a changing and challenging environment. The course requires students to build upon their knowledge of business structure, internal and external environments, and functional design as each relates to strategy development and implementation. Students explore methods and techniques to identify strategies best suited to accomplish an entity's mission and its business objectives. As a writing intensive (W) course, there is a strong emphasis on development and reinforcement of effective writing skills. Students prepare well reasoned, organized, and constructed bodies of work. Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to: 1. Identify environmental threats and opportunities impacting a firm. 2. Identify strengths, weaknesses and competencies of a firm. 3.Effectively apply critical thinking skills to design strategic alternatives and then the best Alternative. 4. Critique and evaluate strategic actions taken by firms. 5. Explain the profound effects that a strategic move (either at the corporate level or at the business level) can have on the entire organization. 6. Demonstrate exceptional skills in presenting complex business information and issues. 7. Efficiently research a firm or industry using a variety of sources. 8. Demonstrate proficiency in analyzing business cases and formulating well reasoned recommendations when no "right" answer exists. 9. Demonstrate effective leadership skills in a group environment.