OBJECTIVES:

This unit focuses upon the leadership principles required to lead an organisation and its stakeholders through strategic change. It explores key leadership models and methodologies and how these can be applied by leaders within organisations. Understanding how these principles support an organisation’s current vision, values and strategic direction is an important aspect covered by this unit. The unit then considers strategic organisational change, firstly by examining an organisation’s current position in its market and environment, and then by considering drivers for organisational change and the impact of these changes. Strategic change may be a result of an organisation’s decisions around its strategic direction; it might decide to focus on growth and expansion, for example. Strategic change may also be a result of changes in its business environment, for example opportunities to utilise the use of technology so that it can take advantage of innovations in that area. Strategic change can be a vehicle by which an organisation gains advantage over its competitors, through its products or services. It may use strategic change to exploit an opportunity or ‘gap’ in the market. Strategic change can also be driven by internal business drivers, for example the need to improve profitability. All strategic change needs to be planned, managed, and in particular led, so this unit also explores the value of leading and influencing people through an effective change process. Strategic change impacts on stakeholders, so this unit helps you identify and analyse organisational stakeholders and evaluates models and methodologies for engaging and collaborating with these stakeholders about the strategic change. Finally, the unit considers the leadership skills required for leading strategic change, with a focus on the ‘softer’, interpersonal skills which can be particularly valuable in this process. It also explores opportunities for developing these skills and concludes by asking you to explore your own current skills in this area and to prepare and present a personal leadership development plan.

Strategy has sometimes been considered as the overall ‘direction and scope’ an organisation takes in pursuit of its goal to achieve competitive advantage. The complex and ambiguous nature of strategic development in most organisations determines a process of analysis of environmental, market predictions and organisational capability, leading to strategic option evaluation. The predicted outcomes of these will form the basis for strategic decisionmaking, impacting the future of the whole organisation. Anticipated results, presented with the best possible likelihood of achievement, must be justified as beneficial to the business in terms of its overall sustainability. Decision-making for strategy selection will be determined as much by the nature, leadership and culture of the organisation as well as the markets in which it operates. This unit focuses upon the structure, process and scope of developing and evaluating appropriate business strategies in varied market and organisational contexts. The unit recognises the challenges to strategy and decision makers in the current business environments, taking into account the dynamic and contemporary issues driving strategic thinking in many organisations in pursuit of competitive advantage. The overarching nature of strategy and decision-making in business organisations inevitably means that there are some areas of commonality between this unit and those in the rest of the programme. For example, there is a close link with Leading Strategic Change. Whilst this is beneficial as it gives a holistic view of strategic development, you should take care to note that the focus for each unit differs – thus, although you are expected to understand the principles of effecting business strategy and impact on the organisation, this unit Business Strategy and Decisionmaking concentrates on the process and selection of the strategy rather than its execution. Critical thinking and analysis will be central to this unit and you will apply tools and techniques (some of which will be familiar and prerequisites in other modules), to build a range of options for both market and organisational development. Modelling and scenario building skills will be developed to support strategic decision-making, laying the foundations for strategic implementation.

The focus of this unit is on international market development and is designed to help you understand marketing practice from a global perspective. The unit will consider and assess a range of different market entry models and tactics and consider the implications of increasing globalisation. You will consider the nature of globalisation and will develop a greater understanding of the globalisation process, including its benefits but also the associated risks. You will develop the ability to analyse and evaluate the strategic responses of international businesses to changes in their global environment. This unit will develop an understanding of global marketing environments and the challenges and opportunities presented to business. The unit will focus on an evaluation of the practical application of global marketing theories, giving you an opportunity to review multinational companies’ strategies and tactics in the context of a global marketplace using practical real life examples. This unit will evaluate the marketing challenges faced by companies attempting to develop and grow in international markets and appraise the strategies organisations adopt to deliver success in the global marketplace. The unit will also examine the means by which corporate marketing strategies can be deployed in the search for sustainable competitive advantage.

This unit will develop your understanding of managerial and organisational principles through considering the role of ethics in business operations, including corporate social responsibility, sustainability and responsible management. You will examine the origins, theory and practice of these closely interconnected issues. Business ethics are now fundamental to all aspects of business, from finance to marketing, and can demonstrate accountability to the people and environments impacted by an organisation’s actions. No business is immune, and it is important that organisations are aware of the ethical issues surrounding business decisions and that employees at all levels of the organisation are familiar with the principles of ethical decision-making. Throughout the three elements that make up this unit, you will consider the complexities facing international management when engaging with stakeholders from diverse cultural and ethical backgrounds, who differ in business or ethical norms. You will study ethics through the lens of a global business ethical agenda alongside local cultural insight. By the end of the unit you will be confident to discuss both practical theoretical issues relating to ethics and the relationship between business and society in an international context.

In today’s increasingly dynamic and complex global environment, strategic marketing is an essential management and leadership competence to guide senior management in making business decisions. This unit will illustrate the scope of marketing strategy and how it fits in with the wider corporate and business strategy of an organisation, including building sustainable competitive advantage and long-term shareholder value. The purpose of this unit is to evaluate the role of strategic marketing as a function of an organisation, and how it interrelates with other functions, and to determine its impact in terms of how a marketing philosophy can inform corporate strategy. The unit will also focus on how marketing performs an operational role in achieving corporate objectives. The unit will give you a strategic perspective of marketing management with respect to the analysis, planning, implementation and control of marketing activities, including the use of metrics to measure, monitor and improve performance in addition to their role within strategic decision-making. Given the global nature of business, this unit will also promote a critical understanding of the marketing challenges faced by firms attempting to develop and grow in international markets and the means by which corporate marketing strategies can be deployed in the search for sustainable competitive advantage.

The overall aim of this unit is to encourage you to think about the relationships that companies have with their customers over a period of time, rather than view each customer purchase as an individual ‘transaction’. Building long term, sustainable relationships with customers is key to organisational success and, given the increasing use of online business models and consumer savviness of how to move between suppliers, the importance of managing the customer experience has never been higher. Given the strategic importance of such customer relationships, in this module you will develop knowledge and skills in areas such as customer engagement, communication, relationship marketing acquisition, retention and distribution, how customers buy and how to develop an effective customer relationship marketing system. As such, this module will help you develop as a knowledgeable and effective strategic marketer or business professional.

The marketing environment continues to develop at a meteoric pace, largely driven by customers who demand always-on, superfast, intuitive, and more exciting brand experiences. Market disruption is becoming the new normal, with the likes of M-Pesa, 4Afrika and The Nomanini enterprise platform changing the shape of many markets to make customers’ lives simpler, easier and cheaper. New mobile app technologies are enabling customers to experience reality without leaving their screens. Pokémon Go, Google Cardboard and Samsung Gear have brought new and exciting capabilities in virtual reality. The ‘internet of things’ is fast becoming the mainstream method of managing the home, with smart technology built-in so that people no longer need to worry about stocking the fridge with their favourite products or finding the remote TV control to programme Netflix. The implication of this technology sea change for brands is that they now need to accelerate digital innovation and seek dramatically new marketing strategies capable of keeping pace with the competition, whilst creating authentic customer value. They must understand the new digital media landscape and how audiences like to consume content so that they can harness the power of new channels, platforms and technologies. In this unit, you will explore the principles of strategic digital marketing set in the context of the changing behaviours of the contemporary customer. By the end of the module you will be able to critically evaluate digital marketing strategies and understand how they can be created to drive innovation and ensure the business survives and thrives in a digital world. You will additionally assess how organisations of all types and in all markets, need to adopt an entrepreneurial mindset and understand the imperative of digital transformation, and how organisations need to become digital by default.