66796 - Competition and Competitive Strategies Analysis

Learning outcomes

The course discusses strategic management by focusing on the problems posed by different competitive contexts, and on the questions involved in planning the width and scope of the activities of a business firm. At the end of the course students are able to:

• understand the features and the typical issues of different types of competitive context
• know the typical management tools suited to deal with specific types of competitive context
• assess the options of expanding/reducing the scope of firms activities

Course contents

External and internal factors of profitability: Porter's 5 forces and Resource Based View.
The five generic competitive strategies.
Value Innovation.
Strategies for competing in international markets.
Strategy of diversification.
Management of innovation: sources of innovation, patterns of innovation, standard, collaborative strategies

Readings/Bibliography

Main reference text is:

Thompson A.A., Peteraf, M.A., Gamble J.E. and Strickland A.J., "Crafting & Executing Strategy: The Quest for Competitive Advantage: Concepts and Cases – Global Edition”, 18°/e, 2012, ISBN: 978-0-07-131700-9,McGraw-Hill

Students non attending lectures have to study for the examination entirely on this text and on the additional lectures distributed during the class and available on my website after the class.

Students attending lectures have to prepare only a list of the book's chapters and the materials distributed in class

Teaching methods

Standard lectures and discussion of business cases.

Assessment methods

The examination will be in English.

For attendin students:

• teamwork on a case study (0-15 points)
• written examination on the selected book's chapters and the additional materials distributed during the class (0-15 points)
• participation during the cases' discussion (0-3 points)

For NON attending students: written examination on ALL the book's chapters and the additional materials distributed during the class (0-30 points)

Office hours

See the website of Laura Toschi