This course addresses the formulation, implementation, monitoring and control of business strategies and supporting organizational policies. Students learn to evaluate the comprehensive business enterprise through an integrated view of the various functional disciplines. This course attempts to develop the conceptual and abstract skills required by leaders of businesses in a competitive environment in order to understand business issues and challenges from the perspective of all functional managers. This course is intended as the “Capstone” course for the students’ curriculum where much of what was learned during the students’ program is integrated into an applied context.

The course is divided into two parts. Part One deals with the foundational concepts of leading a business and setting business policy strategically. Part One will cover: (1) the concepts of establishing a business vision from which business plans will align, (2) building a business team to execute business goals, and (3) techniques to monitor business progress in implementing the goals.

Part Two takes the foundational concepts learned in Part One and applies them to case studies of real business situations. There is an important structure to the business applications presented in Part Two. The structure is called frame of reference analysis. The basis of this analysis is that most situations, whether oriented to business or not, consist of multiple disciplines or frames of reference. This analysis calls for studying subjects and situations through the lens or ‘frames’ of certain disciplines. In the course, the frames of references used to view strategic choices are: (1) the structural frame of reference, (2) the economic/business frame, (3) the political/cultural frame, and (4) the human resources frame. Each week, during Part Two, case studies are presented that examine a real business situation through the frame of reference of one of the above viewpoints. The final week of the course will be an integration exercise where the role of leadership is be examined.

Learning Objectives and Outcomes:

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate the ability to interpret budget results.
2. Determine a strategic course of action (strategic choice) after considering key groups and their relationships between each other.
3. Making sound strategic decisions based on business and economic conditions.
4. Demonstrate the ability to identify and discuss alternatives available to a company facing a business environment where there is a scarcity of skilled staff.

Course Schedule and Topics

This course will cover the following topics in eight learning sessions, with one Unit per week. The Final Exam will take place during Week/Unit 9 (UoPeople time).

Week 1: Unit 1 – Formulating Policy and Strategy

Week 2: Unit 2 – Implementing Strategy

Week 3: Unit 3 – Monitoring and Control of Policy or Strategy Execution

Week 4: Unit 4 – Structural Frame of Reference

Week 5: Unit 5 – Economic/Business Frame of Reference

Week 6: Unit 6 -Political/Cultural Frame of Reference

Week 7: Unit 7 -Human Resources Frame of Reference

Week 8: Unit 8 -Policy and Strategy Integration: The Role of Leadership

Week 9: Unit 9 -Course Review and Final Exam

Learning Guide

The following is an outline of how this course will be conducted, with suggested best practices for students.

Unit 1: Formulating Policy and Strategy

• Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
• Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion Forum)
• Complete and submit the Written Assignment
• Make entries to the Learning Journal
• Take the Self-Quiz

Unit 2: Implementing Strategy

• Peer assess Unit 1 Written Assignment
• Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
• Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion Forum)
• Complete and submit the Written Assignment
• Make entries to the Learning Journal
• Take the Self-Quiz

Unit 3: Monitoring and Control of Policy or Strategy Execution

• Peer assess Unit 2 Written Assignment
• Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
• Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion Forum)
• Complete and submit the Written Assignment
• Make entries to the Learning Journal
• Take the Self-Quiz
• Take the Graded Quiz

Unit 4: Structural Frame of Reference

• Peer assess Unit 3 Written Assignment
• Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
• Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion Forum)
• Complete and submit the Written Assignment
• Make entries to the Learning Journal
• Take the Self-Quiz

Unit 5: Economic/Business Frame of Reference

• Peer assess Unit 4 Written Assignment
• Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
• Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion Forum)
• Complete and submit the Written Assignment
• Make entries to the Learning Journal
• Take the Self-Quiz

Unit 6: Political/Cultural Frame of Reference

• Peer assess Unit 5 Written Assignment
• Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
• Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion Forum)
• Complete and submit the Written Assignment
• Make entries to the Learning Journal
• Take the Self-Quiz
• Take the Graded Quiz

Unit 7: Human Resources Frame of Reference

• Peer assess Unit 6 Written Assignment
• Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
• Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion Forum)
• Complete and submit the Written Assignment
• Make entries to the Learning Journal
• Take the Self-Quiz

Unit 8: Policy and Strategy Integration: The Role of Leadership

• Peer assess Unit 7 Written Assignment
• Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
• Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion Forum)
• Complete and submit the Learning Journal
• Take the Self-Quiz
• Read the Unit 9 Learning Guide carefully for instructions on the Final Exam
• Take the Review Quiz
• Complete and submit the anonymous Course Evaluation

Unit 9: Course Review and Final Exam

• Remember, please do not peer assess Unit 8 Written Assignment; it is instructor assessed
• Read the Learning Guide and take the Review Quiz, if you haven’t already done so
• Prepare for, take, and submit the Final Exam
• The Final Exam will take place during the Thursday and Sunday of Week/Unit 9 (UoPeople time); exact dates, times, and other details will be provided accordingly by your instructor