Strategic planning for financial institutions
Mr James Burgess
Distance * Prerequisites: DEM1300 and DEB2401
Objectives On completion of this subject students should be able to understand the dynamic nature of business and the strategic management process employed to gain sustainable competitive advantage; apply and integrate the skills and knowledge acquired in other business subjects to strategic problem solving for financial organisations; communicate concisely and cogently the analysis and recommended solutions to strategic problems; undertake individual and group problem solving and research.
Synopsis Analysis of business environments including markets and critical success factors, opportunities and threats, technologies, economies of scale, marketing, financial, product and other strategies employed to gain a competitive advantage; the nature of strategic management; the analysis and interpretation of business environments including markets, stages of product life cycle, technology, economics, critical success factors, opportunities and threats and change; the nature of competition, relative position of firms, individual strategies and their relationship to critical success factors; strengths and weaknesses related to production, logistics, finance, Rand D, marketing, administration etc; the role of structure, controls, rewards, culture and leadership in implementation.
Assessment Two major assignments (2500 words each): 50% * One major case study or research report (3000 words): 50%
Prescribed texts
Thompson A and Strickland A Strategic management 7th edn, Irwin, 1993