Business Strategy

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2014:

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

Businesses operate in a competitive environment. Although some business may not have competitors when they are first established, if they are successful competitors will come. Hence, it is necessary for a business to understand how it can achieve success and sustain that success in the competitive arena. This course is designed to provide the tools, concepts, and frameworks to both formulate and to execute a sustainable competitive advantage. The focus is not how to be better than your competitors but rather how to be unique or different than your competitors. This perspective allows for multiple “winners” in an industry each targeting a different set of customers as opposed to direct, head-to-head competition that is usually destructive to both competitors.

On completion of this subject, students should be able to:

• Identify the opportunities for a business to achieve competitive advantage
• Use tools and concepts to formulate sustainable strategy
• Clearly identify and execute the steps required to launch and sustain a strategy
• Analyse a business strategy and determine why it is successful or unsuccessful

• Class participation and discussion (15%)
  • Throughout subject
• Quiz (15%)
  • 1 hour
  • Midway through the subject
• Syndicate Project (30%)
  • Report (equivalent of 750 word assessment)
  • Presentation (equivalent of 750 word assessment)
  • Midway through the subject
• Final Exam (40%)
  • Hurdle requirement
  • 90 minutes
  • End of subject

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.