Overview

The course is aimed at professionals who want to understand what strategy is and the process by which it is defined and implemented.

This course is structured in 6 live online lessons over three weeks (2 lessons of 2 hours per week).

This course equips professionals with the skills to navigate complexity, make informed decisions and adapt to changing environments. By fostering a deep understanding of strategy formulation, the course enables organisations to remain resilient, innovative and competitive. In essence, it is an essential tool for any professional who wants to succeed in today's dynamic and unpredictable business environment.

Course aims

Throughout the course you will:

• Learn what strategy is and the process by which strategy is defined and implemented;
• Aquire the knowledge and frameworks to conduct external and internal analysis before formulating a strategy;
• Recognise why each stage of business growth requires a different strategy;
• Master the basics of strategy implementation and control;
• Explore how the alignment of intangible assets with company strategy can create value and how to implement organisational change;

Who this course is for

The course is aimed at managers, professionals and those involved in formulating the strategy of their business in a phase of change or in the start-up phase.

It is also aimed at all those in the company who contribute to the preparation of the external context analysis, the internal analysis and the drafting of the company's strategic plan.

You should have a basic knowledge of business management.

Course content

The course will be structured as follows:

• Session 1 (3 September): What strategy is and the process by which strategy is defined and implemented
• Session 2 (5 September): Relationship between an organisation's external and internal contexts and their impact on its strategies.
• Session 3 (10 September): A strategy for each stage of business growth
• Session 4 (12 September): Strategy frameworks: such as Business Model Canvas, Porter's Five Forces, Blue Ocean Strategy, GE-McKinsey Matrix, Bowman's Strategy Clock;
• Session 5 (17 September): Strategy implementation and control. Kotter's eight-step change model;
• Session 6 (19 September): Putting It All Together: Q&A

Each session will run from 5-7pm (UK time).

Teaching and structure

The course is structured in 6 live online lessons over three weeks (2 lessons of 2 hours per week) organised as workshops where students can interact with the lecturer based on their experience.

Once enrolled, students will have access to a UCL learning platform where they will find readings before each workshop, videos to watch and Q&As to check their understanding of the argument covered in the workshop.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this course learners will be able to:

• Comprehend what strategy is and the process by which strategy is defined and implemented;
• Compare and contrast the relationship between an organisation's external and internal contexts and their impact on its strategies;
• Apply key strategy frameworks such as: Business Model Canvas, Porter's Five Forces, Blue Ocean Strategy, GE-McKinsey Matrix, Bowman's Strategy Clock;
• Develop recommendations to strengthen the company's strategic position and competitive advantage;
• Critically assess the alignment of intangible assets with business strategy and performance, and make strategic recommendations for organisational change;
• Apply Kotter's eight-step change model;

Certificate

You'll receive a certificate of participation from upon completion of the course.

Cost and concessions

The standard course fee is £1,650.

• There is a 50% discount for UCL staff and students
• There is also 50% early bird discount for learners who sign up by 2 August 2024.

Course team

Maurizio Sammarco

Maurizio is a Lecturer in Management in The Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction at UCL. He has over 30 years’ experience as CEO/MD/General Manager/Project Manager and Lecturer spans several industry including luxury ceramic tiles, construction, machinery industry, IT, telecommunications and energy. Maurizio’s areas of expertise are strategy, change management, leadership and project management. He holds a MSc in Strategic Management, an Executive MBA, a MSc in Electronic Engineering, a PCLT in Higher Education and the Fellowship status at the Higher Education Academy.

Course information last modified: 10 Jun 2024, 13:24