Objectives and competences
The objective of the course is that students will be able to analyze and explain competitive business performance - explain various areas of study of the company as a whole and its connections with the environment, and explain how to achieve greater business performance.
Content (Syllabus outline)
• External and internal analysis of a company for defining competitive advantage.
• Building competitive advantage through business-level strategy.
• Competitive strategies in fragmented, embryonic, growth, mature and declining industries.
• Strategies for enhancing profitability with the global expansion.
• Horizontal and vertical integration and the alternatives.
• Diversification, acquisitions, and internal new ventures.
• Corporate performance, governance mechanisms and business ethics: the causes of poor performance, improving performance and stakeholders.
• Digital economy ecosystem, network effects, multi-sided platforms, digital markets, long tail, mergers and acquisitions.
Learning and teaching methods
• lectures,
• tutorial,
• seminar work,
• independent work
Intended learning outcomes - knowledge and understanding
On completion of this course the student will be able to
• develop an understanding of concepts of competitiveness and successful business,
• develop conceptual skills to identify central issues and problems in complex cases,
• develop an understanding of the global economy and its current and potential impact on business activities in any location,
• bridge the gap between theory and practice by developing an understanding of when and how to apply concepts and techniques learned in the course,
• improve research capabilities necessary to gather and interpret key environmental data,
• develop a better understanding of the present and future environments in which corporations must function.
Intended learning outcomes - transferable/key skills and other attributes
• Communication skills: manner of expression at written exam, oral expression at public defence of the project as well as in active cooperation in solving different problems at tutorials, writing the seminar work.
• Public appearance: presentation of the answers to the posed problems at tutorials, presentation of the seminar work to other students.
• Use of information technology: searching of information and data on the Web and in other media, using of specific software tools.
• Problem solving: solving different problems of competitiveness and business of real firms that are studied as case studies at tutorials.
Readings
• D. Močnik: Strateški management, Univerza v Mariboru, Fakulteta za elektrotehniko, računalništvo in informatiko, Maribor, 2005.
• D. Močnik: Uvod v digitalno ekonomijo, Univerza v Mariboru, Fakulteta za elektrotehniko, računalništvo in informatiko, Maribor, 2023 (še v procesu objave)(določena izbrana poglavja).
• G. R. Jones, C. W. L. Hill, G. R. Jones: Strategic Management An Integrated Approach Theory of strategic management with cases, Tenth international eEdition, Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, South-Western, Cengage Learning, 2013.
Additional information on implementation and assessment The written exam may be replaced by continuous knowledge testing and assessment.
