Syllabus Information

5.1. Methodological overview

The course consists on twelve five-hour sessions. During the lectures, the professor will explain the main concepts and theories and the students will present a summary of different papers. So, there will be a theoretical and a practical part. During the theory sessions, the teacher will offer a panoramic view of a topic from an academic point of view. The practice sessions will complement the theory ones with the analysis and discussion of theoretical and empirical work published in leading strategy journals.

Given the advanced level of the content and the objectives set, it seems reasonable to use teaching methods that emphasize the active role of the student in the teaching-learning process. In this sense, the lectures will adopt a seminar approach.

At the beginning of the course the papers to discuss will be assigned in order the students to prepare them before the session; moreover, students should submit a summary of the papers according to the following requirements.

• Identification of the article (or articles): the title and author (or authors) and the journal or book where it was published.
• Objectives and motivation of the paper, with particular emphasis on the mainstream within the article and the contribution to the existing literature.
• Theoretical approach: The main theories and the hypotheses should be outlined.
• Methodology: research techniques used in the paper, adequacy of their use, data sources (in empirical papers) or other alternatives.
• Results and conclusions. You have to present briefly the most relevant aspects arising in the paper.
• Personal assessment and critical evaluation of the paper. You have to indicate limitations of the research, implications and future research lines. It should also be noted the degree of achievement of the objectives initially proposed (this section is particularly important, so it should receive priority attention).

5.2. Learning tasks

The course includes the following learning tasks:

• Theoretical lesson presented by the professor (first part of each session).

• Presentation and discussion of recommended readings (second part of the session) by students.

• Final project proposal, which will be defended at the end of the course.

• Reading of others materials and preparation of summaries of papers.

• Use of office hours to clarify any doubts that may arise during the development of the course.

5.3. Syllabus

The course will address the following topics:

1. Methodological issues in Strategic Management

2. What is Strategy and Strategic Management

3. Analysis of the Environment

4. Internal Analysis

5. Competitive dynamics

6. Competitive and Corporative Strategies.

7. Product Diversification.

8. International Diversification

9. Other Alternatives to implement Growth Strategies

10. Cooperative Agreements: Mergers and acquisitions.

5.4. Course planning and calendar

This course has assigned 6 ECTS, that is to say 150 hours of work for the student. 60 hours are class activities, the rest hours (90) correspond to autonomous work. The distribution is similar to:

• 12 theory sessions ……………………...............……   30 hours

• 12 practice sessions ……………………..……...........   30 hours

• Reading of papers and materials ……….............  40 hours

• Presentations and Final Project Proposal ..……..  40 hours

• Study and Examination …………………………………..  10 hours