Course 2007-2008 a.y.

Course Objectives

Strategic decisions are related to the external and internal business conditions: many variables are behind those decisions, all of them part of a complex and dynamic system of relationships. Using a flexible approach to structure strategic decisions, the course aims to improve strategic thinking and to increase strategic analysis and formulation skills, both from a competitive and a firm point of view. The managerial ability to reduce the amount of uncertainty of strategic decisions is related to their skills in developing and using tools and models, which are able to encompass the essential aspects of those systems and to provide useful knowledge needed to make such decisions.
During the course examples, business cases and testimonials are shown and some group work is also realized. This allows students to directly focus on the course topics. The course uses interactive methods, aimed to transmit professional skills, abilities and attitudes which are useful in increasing the effectiveness of the learning process, team working, conflict-reducing abilities and leadership.

Course Content Summary

• The role of models in strategy formulation processes
  Strategy formulation is related to environmental complexity, both internal and external. This complexity influences the decision making process, not only in finding acceptable strategic alternatives, but also in defining problems. 
• The model identification phase
  The model identification phase involves: starting from the problem structuring phase to developing a model. 
• Modelling strategic business decisions The goal of this step of the course is to provide participants with the fundamental competencies to apply quantitative tools to strategic decisions and fully understand the use of model sensitivity tools in business model optimization. 
• Business processes modelling
  Many successful strategies are crafted instead of being planned. People with adaptive abilities can easily learn from experience. Strategy formulation is a concrete activity and it does not depend on specific business moments. On the contrary, it is an activity which is strongly rooted in the normal day-by-day business processes. 
• Simulation models
  The fifth step of the course focuses on developing simulation models and on their specific relationships with the strategy formulation process. Some characteristics of strategic decisions are shown in further detail through the use of business cases.

Detailed Description of Assessment Methods

Attending students
Student evaluation consists of: 

• Final written exam: 60%.
• Class participation: 20%
• Group work: 20%  

Non-attending students
Final written exam.

Textbooks

• Course package given by the instructor