OFIN 33A60 - Strategy in Action

The course includes 12 theme-driven classes applying strategic concepts to real life situations. Students are reminded of the most widely-used strategy frameworks (Porter’s 5 forces, BCG Matrix, ROS-RMS, Cost curve, …). and use these frameworks to review and strategically decode the business news flow. Students apply these frameworks to strategic thinking, learning in the process to structure a strategic problem-solving approach. The objectives are to:

• Better master the fundamentals of strategic thinking,
• Decipher strategic intents hidden in the flow of news and information,
• Conduct strategic analysis of corporate public information,
• Deal with quantitative and qualitative data to build a recommendation,
• Present facts & figures in a convincing way,
• Dare to formulate a recommendation on a complex issue.

The objective is to help students to develop their own view on strategy, supported by guest speakers with experience as strategy executives.

Students must have completed the « Introduction to Corporate Strategy » course and the « Financial Tools » courses.

A basic command of financial concepts (NPV, full cost, profit analysis, P&L & Balance Sheet …) and marketing concepts (segmentation, pricing, …) is needed.

• Class typically starts with a review of the week's news in a strategic perspective (class discussion).
• The first 6 classes are dedicated to reminders on the key strategic frameworks with two short application cases of the strategic concept of each session.
• The last 6 classes are dedicated to apply key strategic frameworks to build a strategic plan, based on a real life company facing a strategic challenge, chosen by the students.
• Active participation is expected.

• Individual oral participation in class (1/3 of the grade),
• 3 Individual one-page Word memos on a strategic question (1/3 of the grade),
• 6 team PowerPoint 5 slides presentations, to prepare the final exam in 10 slides chosen from the ones prepared) to present a Strategic Plan for the company chosen (1/3 of the grade).

• 12 classes of 2 hours (24 hours).
• Students should expect significant homework in readings, research and papers.