260700 Strategy and Negotiation
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Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Subject level:
Postgraduate
Result type: Grade and marksRequisite(s): 48 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C04444 Master of Business Administration
Description
Tomorrow's leaders are required to be skilled in navigating through competing demands from stakeholders and able to make sense of the fast-moving changes in their environment. In order to deliver sustainable performance they also need to understand and exploit their organisation's capabilities (including core competencies and culture) to lead and develop strategy and implement strategic plans.
This is a capstone subject in which students must take an executive management perspective drawing on relevant technical and functional knowledge already gained (e.g. accounting, financial, marketing) to develop logical, implementable strategies and plans. Doing this subject not only equips students with critical strategic thinking skills but also gives them valuable experience (required of future executives) in considering the consequences of their decisions, including implementation challenges, and how to align key stakeholders.
This subject is designed to move beyond basic strategy concepts and processes and to give students a direct experience in understanding some of the challenges of strategy development.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| 1. | Evaluate an organisation’s core competencies and strategic challenges |
|---|---|
| 2. | Develop logical, consistent plans to solve a research-in-action problem |
| 3. | Evaluate the consequences of the solution and articulate reasons for choosing the solution in an interdisciplinary context |
| 4. | Develop a viable strategy to sustain competitive advantage, assessing the use of alliances and partnering to develop competitive advantage |
| 5. | Critically reflect on the impact of strategic leadership, power dynamics and implementation practices upon organisational change processes |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject also contributes specifically to the following program learning objectives:
- Apply critical thinking and advanced analytical skills to develop innovative solutions that address strategic business issues in complex contexts (1.1)
- Communicate ideas, decisions and strategies clearly and apply interpersonal skills that are sensitive to diverse peoples, cultures and contexts (2.1)
- Evaluate and apply principles of ethics, sustainability and social responsibility to decision-making in business (3.1)
- Integrate advanced skills and knowledge in professional business practice by researching and analysing complex information and concepts to support business decisions in local and international contexts (4.1)
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
This subject contributes to the development of the following graduate attribute(s):
- Intellectual rigour and innovative problem solving
- Communication and collaboration
- Social responsibility and cultural awareness
- Professional and technical competence
Teaching and learning strategies
The course is designed specifically for online delivery. This means that students will have to engage with theoretical material (including key papers, book extracts, videos, etc.) in addition to the Canvas materials.
Four weekly informal check-ins (via video-link) will include guided critical discussion of this material, followed by teamwork on concrete cases of organisational strategy presented by students (drawing from their own professional experience).
Students will be guided in diagnosing the situation, devising strategies aimed at managing the change process towards desired outcomes, and reflecting on the possible unintended or unforeseen consequences of such strategies.
Students will be paired up with buddies to co-mentor each other as they develop their hypotheses, analyses and implementation plans; so they will also be able to seek advice from their peers over the six weeks of the subject.
Content (topics)
- Strategy and strategic challenges
- Organisational capabilities and core competencies
- Framing and researching a focus problem
- Options assessment and solution development
- Successful implementation of strategy
- Engaging stakeholders and leading implementation
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Preliminary organisational analysis (Individual)
| Objective(s): | This addresses subject learning objective(s): 1 and 2 |
|---|---|
| Weight: | 30% |
| Length: | 1000 words |
| Criteria: |
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Assessment task 2: Strategy formulation (Individual)
| Objective(s): | This addresses subject learning objective(s): 2, 3 and 4 This addresses program learning objectives(s): 1.1 and 4.1 |
|---|---|
| Weight: | 30% |
| Length: | 1000 words |
| Criteria: |
|
Assessment task 3: Strategy implementation and reflection (Individual)
| Objective(s): | This addresses subject learning objective(s): 3, 4 and 5 This addresses program learning objectives(s): 2.1 and 3.1 |
|---|---|
| Weight: | 40% |
| Length: | 1500 words |
| Criteria: |
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Minimum requirements
Students must achieve at least 50% of the subject’s total marks.
Required texts
See canvas for readings and other resources