STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT AND BUSINESS PLANNING
- Overview
- Assessment methods
- Learning objectives
- Contents
- Full programme
- Delivery method
- Teaching methods
No specific scientific knowledge required.
The examination consists of an end-of-course written test, as indicated in the examination calendar. The test, lasting 1 hour and 15 minutes, comprises:
- 2 exercises (15 marks);
- 2 open questions (16 marks). The exercises are intended to test the acquired ability to analyse and process data referring to concrete business situations, while the questions are intended to test the understanding of concepts and definitions of theory. In summary, it is intended to test students' ability to approach problems of business health assessment by correctly applying models, algorithms and protocols of economic analysis.
Students will also be asked to do group work, which will be assessed. The evaluation of the group work will account for 30% of the final exam grade. The remaining 70% will correspond to the grade obtained in the written examination.
Each working group must prepare a business plan (group work is compulsory for all course participants) agreed with the teacher and must submit a written report. They have to prepare an executive summary.
Each team should prepare a 15 minute power point presentation (PPT) final presentation that will be followed by a 5 minute discussion.
30% of the final grade is based on the business plans prepared during the course lectures, on the executive summary, on the PPT presentation and on the discussion.
The assessment is based on the completeness of the analysis carried out, on the use of the tools acquired during the course, on the critical ability to connect and elaborate the knowledge acquired.
All the members of the group have the same evaluation.
The deadline for submitting BP, executive summary and PPT presentation (3 different files) to the lecturers is by the last lecture of the course.
No partial tests are provided.
The aim of the course is to provide students with specialized knowledge to create the business plan (BP), starting with the analysis of the economic-strategic viability of the project and then verifying its feasibility. At the end of the course, students will be able to understand the strategic aspects of the business plan and examine all stages of business plan preparation. They will also be able to directly experience the ability to construct and evaluate a business plan by analyzing the financial sustainability, both of existing and start-up companies. Students will be able to create team working and to work in team.
The course provides students both theoretical knowledge and managerial tools to enhance student’s practical skills in analyzing and evaluating both the company’s strategy and the financial performance. The course is conceived as a balanced mix of theory and practice. Specifically, the first part of the course focuses on company preliminary analysis (company's financial statement, considering asset, economic and monetary components). These elements will serve as a basis for the second part of the course, i.e. strategic planning (strategy formulation/implementation and evaluation) and business plan formulation and validation.
Detailed program:
- Financial accounting (preparatory to the financial part of the business plan):
1. Introduction to accounting
2. Measuring and reporting financial position (the statement of financial position)
3. Measuring and reporting financial performance (the income statement)
4. Measuring and reporting cash flows (the statement of cash flows)
5. Analyzing and interpreting financial statements (the main ratios)
- Strategic management and entrepreneurship
- Business plan, business planning
- Market analysis and marketing planning
- Market forecast
- Competitive analysis
- Product system design and competitive advantage creation and defense
- Firm structure design
- Organization design
- Make, Buy and connect decisions
- Competitive - advantage based alliances
- How to evaluate the business plan
- Lessons in classroom;
- Working groups;
- Power point presentations;
- Seminars;
This course is based on a learning by doing approach.
Time pressure is part of the teaching approach, as well as the ability of organizing group activities. Tutorial classes will help groups to focus their efforts and in to deal with methodological issues.