Background and Rationale

This course encourages students to go beyond the study of theory and become active participants in the debate that is at the leading edge of managerial and leadership thinking and practice. The practice perspective in strategic management is drawn from a critique of the traditional rational economic approach to the subject and incorporates behavioral and sociological aspects of organizational decision-making. This course is a critical review of practices involved in the formulation and implementation of strategy within which leadership is a key element. This course, however, takes the discussion of strategy formulation and implementation beyond a simplistic appreciation of leadership's input into the process but looks at all the key players in strategy and its practices. The course draws on partly on sociological theory to critically explore the contribution of actors throughout the organization to the practice of strategy. Students who complete this course are expected to be able to take action to strategically lead and develop the organizations in which they are, or intend to be, senior managers. Consequently, this course aims to develop and enhance the skills and knowledge explored to enable participants to actively consider how they may personally make a difference in different strategic contexts which may confront them. In particular, students will focus on innovative practices and an inclusive social approach to business and organisational development. In this sense the course also draws on developments in the field of social innovation, but from the perspective of the organization and the agents who operate with it.

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course students will be expected to:

1) Critically evaluate strategic theory within their organizational context or the context of an organization with which they are familiar.

2) Examine how aspects of knowledge and systems thinking impact on strategic management.

3) Provide essential aspects of leadership and explore important frameworks used in strategic Leadership.

4) Identify the different leadership styles and implement a strategic leadership posture in a particular situation internally and externally.