COURSE INFORMATION Course Title: STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT

Code	Course Type	Regular Semester	Theory	Practice	Lab	Credits	ECTS
BUS 426	B	2	3	0	0	3	7.5

Academic staff member responsible for the design of the course syllabus (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature)	Dr. Elda Dollija edollija@epoka.edu.al
Main Course Lecturer (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) and Office Hours:	Dr. Elda Dollija edollija@epoka.edu.al , Office E-203, Mondays, 09:00-12:00
Second Course Lecturer(s) (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) and Office Hours:	NA
Language:	English
Compulsory/Elective:	Compulsory
Study program: (the study for which this course is offered)	Master of Science in Business Administration
Classroom and Meeting Time:	Tuesday, 18:00-20:45
Teaching Assistant(s) and Office Hours:	NA
Code of Ethics:	Code of Ethics of EPOKA University Regulation of EPOKA University "On Student Discipline"
Attendance Requirement:	min 60%
Course Description:	The goal of this course is to inform and familiarize students with what strategic management means to today’s global world. Often people are unaware of how the strategy-making process affects them. We are all used to going to work and going into companies such as restaurants, stores, and banks, and buying the goods and services we need to satisfy our many needs. However, the actual strategic management activities and processes that are required to make these services available to us commonly go unappreciated. Similarly, we might know that companies exist to make a “profit,” but what is profit, how is it created, and what is profit used for? Moreover, what are the actual strategic management activities involved in the creation of service, and why is it that some companies seem to be more effective and more “profitable” than others? Hence, this course has been structured to address these issues. The goal is to explain in a clear, comprehensive, but concise way why strategic management is important to people, the companies they work for, and the society in which they live. Consequently, to provide the overall “big picture” of what strategic management is, what strategic managers do, and how the strategy-making process affects company performance. The course provides a focused, integrated approach that gives students a solid understanding of the nature, functions, and main building blocks of strategic management. Despite of the schematic view of Strategic Management, the course offers also integrated materials from influential scholars such as Peter Drucker and Henry Mintzberg in order to develop a critical thinking approach on students.
Course Objectives:	To introduce students to the basic knowledge of the process of strategic management and the role and functions of a manager in business organizations. To analyze in detail the external and internal environment in which organizations operate to decide their strategies to perform well. To guide the requests to rationally use the right strategy to compete in the markets. To enable them to think creatively and strategically so that they can use the knowledge gained during the course in function of their training and successfully orientate themselves in business practices.

BASIC CONCEPTS OF THE COURSE

1	Strategic Management
2	Mission
3	Vision
4	Objectives
5	Competitive Advantage
6	PESTEL
7	SWOT analyses
8	Value Chain
9	Innovation
10	Diversification

COURSE OUTLINE

Week	Topics
1	Course Introduction. Strategic management is the art and science of formulating, implementing, and evaluating cross-functional decisions that enable an organization to achieve its objectives. Syllabus Review. Details about the course content and evaluation.
2	Chapter 1: Mastering Strategy: Art and Science In this chapter, students will be introduced to the following topics: What is Strategic Management? Intended, Emergent, and Realized Strategies; The History of Strategic Management; Contemporary Critique of Strategic Management; Understanding the Strategic Management Process (Kennedy et al pp. 7-32)
3	Chapter 2: Assessing Organizational Performance In this chapter, students will be introduced to the following topics: Vision, Mission, and Goals; Assessing Organizational Performance; Competitive Advantage (Kennedy et al pp. 32-52)
4	Chapter 3: Evaluating the External Environment In this chapter, students will be introduced to the following topics: The Relationship Between an Organization and its Environment; Evaluating the General Environment; Evaluating the Industry; Mapping Strategic Groups (Kennedy et al pp. 53-69)
5	Chapter 4: Evaluating the Internal Environment In this chapter, students will be introduced to the following topics: Managing Firm Resources; Resource-Based View, Value Chain (Kennedy et al pp. 88-114)
6	Chapter 5: Synthesis of Strategic Issues and Analysis In this chapter, students will be introduced to the following topics: How is the SWOT framework developed and used for determining strategic issues and strategies? What is a strategic issue and how is it identified and expressed? (Kennedy et al pp. 116-123)
7	Discussing Case studies and exercises
8	Mid-term
9	Chapter 6: Selecting Business-Level Strategies In this chapter, students will be introduced to the following topics: Why is an examination of generic strategies valuable? What are the four main generic strategies? What is a best-cost strategy? What does it mean to be “stuck in the middle”? (Kennedy et al pp. 124-162)
10	Chapter 7: Innovation Strategies In this chapter, students will be introduced to the following topics: What is Entrepreneurial Orientation? Why should companies innovate? What are the four types of innovation? What are the four stages of the product life cycle and crossing the chasm? What are the ways firms might cooperate with their competitors? (Kennedy et al pp. 163-194)
11	Chapter 8: Selecting Corporate-Level Strategies In this chapter, students will be introduced to the following topics: Definition of Corporate-Level Strategy; Diversification; Implementing Corporate Strategy; Strategies for Getting Smaller; Portfolio Planning and Corporate-Level Strategy (Kennedy et al pp. 195-220)
12	Chapter 10: Executing Strategy through Organizational Design In this chapter, students will be introduced to the following topics: Why Organizational Design? The Basic Building Blocks of Organizational Structure; Creating an Organizational Structure; Creating Organizational Control Systems; Legal Forms of Business (Kennedy et al pp. 259-295)
13	Chapter 11: Leading an Ethical Organization: Corporate Governance, Corporate Ethics, and Social Responsibility In this chapter, students will be introduced to the following topics: Doing Well by Doing Good; Corporate Governance; Corporate Ethics and Social Responsibility; Contemporary Questions of Corporate Ethics (Kennedy et al pp. 297-324)
14	Final Project Presentation

Prerequisite(s):	NA
Textbook(s):	• “Strategic Management” (2020) adapted by Reed Kennedy, with Eli Jamison, Joe Simpson, Pankaj Kumar, Ayenda Kemp, Kiran Awate, and Kathleen Manning Published by Pamplin College of Business in association with Virgina Tech Publishing, 2020
Additional Literature:	Strategic Management: Concepts and Cases: Competitiveness and Globalization, (2024) 14th Edition, Michael A. Hitt; R. Duane Ireland; Robert E. Hoskisson; Jeffrey S. Harrison ISBN-13: 978-0-357-71676-2
Laboratory Work:	NA
Computer Usage:	yes
Others:	No

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES

1	Actively think about and engage in strategic management issues and decision making
2	Understanding the relation between mission, strategy, structure, and performance
3	Apply strategic analysis skills to identify key stakeholders, potential risks, and innovative solutions to address complex challenges.
4	Learn to navigate on change and complexity while building resources, capabilities, and competencies
5	Develop conceptual skills to see the organization as a whole
6	Improve study skills through analysis of the organization's internal and external environment
7	Better understand the environment in which business organizations operate
8	Identify the most important problems of the organization and suggest alternatives for solving them

COURSE CONTRIBUTION TO... PROGRAM COMPETENCIES (Blank : no contribution, 1: least contribution ... 5: highest contribution)

No	Program Competencies	Cont.
Master of Science in Business Administration Program
1	Integrate theories from business and economics to tackle business problem	5
2	Inspire an open minded-attitude through continuous learning and team-work.	5
3	Demonstrate ethical, social, and legal responsibilities in organizations	5
4	Organize and pursue scientific research projects	5
5	Enhance persuasive communication and presentation capabilities.	4
6	Critically evaluate contemporary research in specific business areas.	5

COURSE EVALUATION METHOD

Method	Quantity	Percentage
Midterm Exam(s)	1	30
Project	1	30
Final Exam	1	30
Attendance		10
Other	0
	Total Percent:	100%

ECTS (ALLOCATED BASED ON STUDENT WORKLOAD)

Activities	Quantity	Duration(Hours)	Total Workload(Hours)
Course Duration (Including the exam week: 16x Total course hours)	16	3	48
Hours for off-the-classroom study (Pre-study, practice)	16	5	80
Mid-terms			0
Assignments	3	5	15
Final examination	1	20	20
Other	1	24.5	24.5
Total Work Load:			187.5
Total Work Load/25(h):			7.5
ECTS Credit of the Course:			7.5

CONCLUDING REMARKS BY THE COURSE LECTURER

At the end of this course the students will be able to develop conceptual skills to see the organization as a whole.