Business Administration C5 
The Strategy Process, 5 credits

Syllabus, course C5 Business Administration, 5 credits (Advanced level)
Course code: FEKC95
Responisble Department: The Dept of Business Administration
Subject: Business Administration
Level: C
Field of education: Social Science

This course is at advanced level in a Bsc- or a Msc-degree at the 
University of Umeå. The course is intended for exchange students within 
particular exchange programmes.

This course is a part of the course Marketing: Business Policy and
Strategy C10/D10, 10 credits  http://www.fek.umu.se/svl/lwc09.txt


1	Resolution to arrange the course
 
The course is established by the Faculty of Social Science at Umeå 
University and the syllabus is confirmed by the Board of Business 
Administration October 9, 2001.

2	Objective and contents

The purpose of the course is to enhance the students' knowledge and
understanding of the role that business policy and strategy plays in
different contexts. In the first module on the strategy process, the
aim is to discuss the nature of strategy and strategic decisions, and
create knowledge of different theories and methods concerning strategy
formulation, analysis and implementation. Strategy can be seen as the
matching of the activities to the environment in which it operates.
This matching process is dealt with from two perspectives - one
focusing on the content of strategies and one focusing on the emerging
aspects of strategies in different environments. The content perspective
will cover in-depth analysis of industries and competitors, the
prediction of competitor behaviour, and techniques for analysing how
firms can develop and sustain advantages over time. Particular attention
is paid to topics of competitive positioning, the analysis of added value,
and the development and leveraging of organisational resources and
capabilities. The emerging perspective will cover descriptions of
gradually evolving patterns of action merging into successful strategic
approaches. These socially constructed patterns emerge in different
contexts depending on configurations of industry transition, structure
and culture. The course ends by comparing the different perspectives,
emphasising the responsibility of the students to become reflexive
individuals capable of critically examining divergent views.


3.              Prerequisites

Students require a minimum of 30 credits from the A- and B-level
courses in Business Administration for entry into the course. Exchange
students require a minimum of 40 credits from the A- and B-level courses
in Business Administration for entry into the course. It corresponds to
60 ECTS-credits in basic courses in Business Administration (Management,
Accounting, Financial Investments, Cost Accounting and Marketing).


4.              Teaching methods

The core topics of the course will be covered by lectures, seminars
and case studies. The students will also meet guest lecturers during
the course. On several occasions, students will be asked to make oral
and written presentations of assignments, case studies and term papers.
They will be expected to take an active part in the classroom discussions,
seminars and case studies. Guest lectures might be used in examination.


5.              Examination/Grading criteria

Attendance and participation at lectures, seminars and case
presentations are expected. Also, students have to obtain a ”Pass” in
the individual segments of the course (assignments, case studies, term
paper, and comprehensive final examination) to pass the entire course.

The following grading system will be used: Pass with distinction (Väl 
godkänd, VG), Pass (Godkänd, G) and Fail (Underkänd, U). For exchange 
students the ECTS grading scale will be used upon request.

When a student has failed an examination on two occations, he or she has
a right to have another grading teacher. A written request should be
handed to the director of studies no later than two weeks before the next
examination opportunity.

6	Utilization et cetera

Autumn semester
The Strategy Process, (November - December)
New Perspectives on Strategy, (December - January)

Timetable and other courses, see http://www.fek.umu.se/svl/lwcourse.html



7	Readings and other material, Business Administration C5, 
                                     The Strategy Process, 5 credits.


Mintzberg, H., Quinn, J.M. & Ghosal, S., 
The Strategy Process. 
Prentice-Hall. Revised European edition1998.
ISBN 0-13-675984-X

Department of Business Administration 
Articles. 
Studentexpeditionen.



UMEÅ UNIVERSITY
Faculty of Social Sciences
Department of Business Administration
S-901 87  Umeå, Sweden     
www.fek.umu.se