The subject “Strategic Management: Business Policy” is taught in the first semmester. It is the predessor of the subject “Strategic Management: Growth and Development of businesses” -which is taught in the second semmester- and its subsequent development, taught in “Applied Strategic Management” (general management and human resources).



It deals with the management of organizations at the highest managerial level, and for this reason, it is usually the core area of postgraduate courses in management and business administration (professional MBAs).



The ultimate objective of this subject is that the students, after successfully going through it, master the resources/skills/tools needed to design a strategic plan for any company or organization.



Based on the use of different pedagogical tools we will try to promote collaborative work. Both in small groups as well as in plenary sessions, we will promote teamwork that favors the sharing of tasks, critical analysis and learning synergies.

Students should be able (COMPETENCIES -C-) to:



C1 Understand the relevance of strategic management for the long-term profitable survival of a company or organization.



C2 Interpret the logic of the strategic management process in all its phases: Analysis, Diagnosis, Formulation of Objectives and Strategies, Strategic Implementation and Control.



C3 Analyze and interpret the strategic situation of a company based on the proposed models.



C4 Formulate the mission, vision and values that are desirable in an organization.



C5 Formulate general objectives by defining them correctly with their main components based on the diagnosis of a company's situation and the proposed models and taking into account the definition of its mission, vision and values.



C6 Formulate corporate, competitive and functional strategies to achieve business objectives.



C7 Elaborate a complete Strategic Plan for a real organization according to the proposed strategic management model.



C8 Seek and obtain information from the actual organization following a systematic process that includes sources of evidence of direct relationship with the company's managers.



C9 Teamwork with other colleagues following specific rubrics and recommended instruments.



C10 Present and defend in public the strategic plan elaborated as well as other works carried out by the work team.



C11 Show a favorable attitude towards learning about strategic management in a collaborative and critical way.





These competencies will be achieved if the student obtains the following LEARNING OUTCOMES (LO):



LO - A Knowing (cognitive skills: factual and conceptual). KNOWLEDGE and UNDERSTANDING. Identify and distinguish facts, define and explain concepts, and support and interpret theories.



LO - B Know how (procedural skills). ANALYSIS, SYNTHESIS, APPLICATION and EVALUATION. Analysis models, diagnostic analysis models, diagnostic models and decisional models: focus analysis, decompose categories of factors, examine and classify relevant factors, outlining, composing and finalizing the strategic axes (SWOT analysis), designing, formulating and arguing strategies.



LO - C Knowing how to be (attitudinal skills). APPLICATION and EVALUATION. Experiment, encourage and appreciate collaborative work, develop, exercise and demonstrate the ability to communicate orally and in writing, illustrate, criticize (own and others' criticism), be competitive (decide, give up), be innovative (do, change);



LO - C1 Team Work (collaborative work).



LO - C2 Oral and written communication.



LO - C3 Critical, rigorous and reflective participation.



The competences described for this subject are linked to the following competences of the module "Fundamentals of Business" (Fundamentos de la Empresa):



M02CMO1 Ability to apply the acquired knowledge to their work in any field related to business administration and management.



M02CMO2 Develop the learning skills to acquire a high degree of autonomy, both so as to undertake further studies as well as for their own self-training in a field which deals with continuous changes and innovations.



M02CMO3 Lead and manage a company or organization, understanding its competitive and institutional position and identifying its strengths and weaknesses.



M02CMO5 Elaborate, issue and present any report with clarity and coherence on internal aspects and situations of the company and on specific situations of other companies and markets that facilitates the appropriate decision making, both to specialized and non-specialized audiences.



M02CMO6 Ability to communicate fluently in written and oral form.



M02CMO7 Ability to work in a team, with responsibility and respect, initiative and leadership.



M02CMO8 Capacity for analytical thinking and critical reflection.

U 1: CONTEXTUALIZATION OF STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT (SM) AND THE SM PROCESS.



U 2: COMPANY'S MISSION, VISION AND CORE VALUES



U 3: EXTERNAL STRATEGIC ANALYSIS (COMPANY'S ENVIRONMENT)



U 4: COMPANY'S INTERNAL STRATEGIC ANALYSIS



U 5: STRATEGIC DIAGNOSIS OF THE COMPANY'S SITUATION



U 6: FORMULATION OF THE COMPANY'S OBJECTIVES



U 7: FORMULATION OF THE COMPANY'S CORPORATE STRATEGIES



U 8: FORMULATION OF THE COMPANY'S COMPETITIVE STRATEGIES



U 9: FUNCTIONAL STRATEGIES AND THE COMPANY'S MANAGEMENT PLAN



U 10: STRATEGIC IMPLEMENTATION AND CONTROL





U 1: CONTEXTUALIZATION OF STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT (SM) AND THE SM PROCESS.



1. Learning objectives

2. Key words

3. Introduction

4. The importance of the strategic approach today

5. Historical evolution of SM

6. Concept and purpose of the SM

7. Concept of Strategy

8. Strategic levels

9. The SM process and Strategic Plan

10. Bibliography

11. Conclusions and Conceptual Map

12. Activities



U 2: MISSION, VISION AND CORE VALUES OF THE COMPANY



1. Learning objectives

2. Key words

3. Introduction

4. Mission and Vision

5. Values, Principles and Ethics

6. Bibliography

7. Conclusions and Conceptual Map

8. Activities



U 3: EXTERNAL STRATEGIC ANALYSIS (COMPANY'S ENVIRONMENT)



1. Learning objectives

2. Key words

3. Introduction

4. Preliminary concept: Strategic Business Unit (SBU)

5. Analysis of the generic environment: PESTEL model

6. Analysis of the specific environment (sector): Porter model

7. Bibliography

8. Conclusions and Conceptual map

9. Activities



U 4: INTERNAL STRATEGIC ANALYSIS OF THE COMPANY



1. Learning objectives

2. Key words

3. Introduction

4. Internal analysis of the company by functional areas

5. Analysis of the company's resources and capabilities.

6. Tools to help internal analysis: Benchmarking and Value Chain.

7. Bibliography

8. Conclusions and Conceptual map

9. Activities



U 5: STRATEGIC DIAGNOSIS OF THE COMPANY'S SITUATION



1. Learning objectives

2. Key words

3. Introduction

4. SWOT: external opportunities and threats

5. SWOT: internal strengths and weaknesses

6. SWOT: cross-cutting relationships and possible strategic axes

7. Bibliography

8. Conclusions and Conceptual map

9. Activities



U 6: FORMULATION OF COMPANY OBJECTIVES



1. Learning objectives

2. Key words

3. Introduction

4. General and operational objectives

5. Historical review and discussion of theories on the general objectives of the company.

6. Design of the objectives system

7. Usefulness of the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) for monitoring objectives.

8. Bibliography

9. Annex: Social Responsibility (SR)

10. Conclusions and Conceptual map

11. Activities



U 7: FORMULATION OF CORPORATE STRATEGIES OF THE COMPANY



1. Learning objectives

2. Key words

3. Preliminary concepts: UEN, Value Chain and Synergy.

4. Introduction

5. Product Scope: Diversification Strategy

6. Geographic scope: Internationalization Strategy

7. Value Chain Scope: Vertical Integration Strategy

8. Bibliography

9. Real cross-cutting case

10. Conclusions and Conceptual map

11. Activities



U 8: FORMULATION OF THE COMPANY'S COMPETITIVE STRATEGIES



1. Learning objectives

2. Key words

3. Introduction

4. Preliminary Concepts: UEN and Value Chain

5. Sustainable Competitive Advantage

6. Differentiation Strategy

7. Cost Leadership Strategy

8. The company as a unique combination of corporate and competitive strategies.

9. Bibliography

10. Conclusions and Concept map

11. Activities



U 9: FUNCTIONAL STRATEGIES AND COMPANY MANAGEMENT PLAN



1. Learning objectives

2. Key words

3. Introduction

4. Preliminary concepts: Strategic Plan

5. Functional strategies

6. Management Plans

7. Bibliography

8. Conclusions and Conceptual map

9. Activities



UD 10: STRATEGIC IMPLEMENTATION AND CONTROL



1. Learning objectives

2. Key words

3. Introduction

4. Previous Concepts: Balanced Scorecard (BSC)

5. Strategic implementation: organizational issues

6. Strategic Control

7. Balaced Socrecard (BS): a useful tool for strategic implementation and strategic control

8. Bibliography

9. Conclusions and Conceptual map

10. Activities

The subject combines different pedagogical tools, which are integrated in a pedagogical model of competencies:



-Active: The participation and co-responsibility of the students in their learning process will be promoted.



-Collaborative: Teamwork will be regularly used as a source of learning synergies.



-Meaningful: Learning will be based on a solid cognitive foundation that will be developed in areas of practical and professional use.



The main pedagogical tools that will be used throughout the course are:



-Active Master Classes: After a previous work of study and thinking, sessions of participative debate will be proposed, which will allow the consolidation of conceptual knowledge and to evaluate real situations. In some cases, work will be done in simulation situations and taking advantage of the potential of role-playing.



-Teaching Cases: Throughout the course we will work on several teaching cases, created ad-hoc for the learning of competences.



-Project-based learning: Throughout the course the students will work on several projects applied to the different topics covered in the course.



All these pedagogical tools will try to favour collaborative work: In small groups, as well as in plenary sessions, collaborative work will be promoted to foster the sharing of tasks, critical analysis and learning synergies.



TEACHING WILL BE FACE-TO-FACE.

• Continuous Assessment System
• Final Assessment System
• Tools and qualification percentages:
  • Please see the section “ordinary examination” and “extraordinary examination” (%): 100

The pedagogical model of competencies is evaluated through learning outcomes (Knowing, Knowing how to do,

Knowing how to be). In this subject the evaluation model followed is:



1. formative: at the same time as a learning control mechanism.



2. continuous: an evaluation will be carried out according to the learning process that allows for improvement.



3. multi-tool: reports, oral presentations, written level tests and digital portfolios will be used.



4. verifiable: the evaluation will be based on gathering multiple evidences of learning and the use of tools for their evaluation and weighting (rubrics).



5. participatory: Although the final grade depends mainly on the teacher, self-evaluation and co-evaluation tests will be included.



In each didactic unit, evaluable and gradable activities will be proposed whose score will be considered, together with class attendance, as part of the final grade. The maximum grade that can be obtained this way is 6 points.



Additionally, the course as a whole generates an evaluable and gradable activity related to a company's Strategic Plan, which will be considered, together with class attendance, as part of the final grade of the course.

Strategic Plan of a company, which incorporates elements and tools from the different didactic units. The maximum grade that can be obtained this way is 4 points.

Many activities are carried out in teams and, in a very specific way, will incorporate the evaluation of LO - C Knowing how to be (attitudinal skills). In this sense, a corrective factor will be evaluated through a system of self-assessment (teamwork competence).



In this way, the ongoing evaluation would generate a maximum grade of 10 points, which is broken down as follows:



ACTIVITIES BY DIDACTIC UNITS: 6 points.



STRATEGIC PLAN of a company (team work): 4 points.



SELF-CO-EVALUATION: Correction factor (teamwork competence).



Finally, the students, depending on their result (score accumulated during the continuous assessment with the three components described above), will have the possibility of improving their grade. There are two situations (scenarios) in the 1st call:



Scenario 1: If the accumulated score during the continuous evaluation is between 5 and 10 points, this grade becomes the final grade (i.e., without exam). However, students with a grade higher than 8,5 who wish to do so may submit a digital portfolio of their improved activities with an improvement report that clearly specifies which are the improved aspects. This improvement can be done either as a team or alone and must be submitted before the 1st call date.



Scenario 2: If the accumulated score during the continuous evaluation is between 0 and 4,9 points, the student, in order to pass, must choose between one of the following options



a)Submit a digital portfolio of their improved activities with an improvement report that clearly specifies the improved aspects. This improvement can be done either as a team or as an individual and must be delivered before the 1st call date.



b) Take the EXAM with a maximum of 10 points, to which will NOT be added what has been obtained in the continuous evaluation.



The student (or the team if it is a group decision) must communicate the chosen option within the three calendar days following the publication of the continuous evaluation grade. Any grade obtained in continuous evaluation will be transferred to the final grade, unless the student explicitly communicates the option b) Exam, in which case, if he/she does not take the exam, he/she will have the grade of "not-shown".



In the 1st call, the evaluation will be graded by means of continuous evaluation, except for those students who actively waive to it in the proper manner and timely (within the deadlines) set forth in the Regulations governing the evaluation of the students in official undergraduate degrees, that is, before November the 11th. In this case, the student will be graded by means of an EXAM with a maximum of 10 points, which can also be waived by the same means and within the same deadlines.



COPY OF WORK: If it is verified that any of the activities or work handed in has been partially or totally copied, the grade in the subject will be a fail (0) in that call.

In the 2nd call (extraordinary call), students will be graded through an EXAM with a maximum of 10 points, to which it would NOT be added what could have been obtained in the continuous evaluation. It includes, therefore, situations such as students who do not show up during the course, or have voluntarily waived the continuous evaluation, or they show up in the 2nd call after having failed the 1st call.



COPY OF WORK: If it is verified that any of the activities or work handed in has been partially or totally copied, the grade in the subject will be a fail (0) in that call.

In this subject there will be some basic multiformat obligatory references that the students will have to expand with own proposals of formative and significant value (multiformat bibliography expanded by the students).

Basic bibliography

ALBIZU GALLASTEGI, E. y LANDETA RODRÍGUEZ, J. (2011): Dirección estratégica de los Recursos Humanos: Teoría y

Práctica, Pirámide, Madrid.

GRANT, R.M. (2014): Dirección Estratégica Conceptos, Técnicas y Aplicaciones (dúo), Edit. Civitas, 8ª Edición.

In-depth bibliography

BUENO CAMPOS, E. (1996): Dirección Estratégica de la Empresa. Metodología, Técnicas y Casos. Edit. Pirámide,
Madrid.
BUENO, E., MORCILLO, P. y SALMADOR, M. P. (2005): Dirección estratégica. Nuevas perspectivas teóricas, Pirámide,
Madrid.
BUENO, E., MORCILLO, P., SALMADOR, M. P. y MARTÍN J. I. (2006): Dirección estratégica. Desarrollo de la estrategia
y análisis de casos, Pirámide, Madrid.
GUERRAS, L. A. y NAVAS, J.E. (2022): La Dirección Estratégica de la Empresa: Teoría y Aplicaciones. Thomson Reuters- Civitas (6ª edición).
GUERRAS, L. A. y NAVAS, J.E. (2020): Casos de Dirección Estratégica de la Empresa. Thomson Reuters-Civitas, (6ª
edición).
JARILLO, J.C. (1992): Dirección Estratégica. Edit.McGRAW-HIL, Madrid.
JARILLO, J.C. (2002): La lógica estratégica: evite los errores, Ediciones Deusto..
JOHNSON, G., SCHOLES, K. y WHITTINGTON, R. (2006): Dirección Estratégica, 7ª edición, Pearson Educación,
Madrid.
MENGUZZATO, M. y RENAU, J. J.(1991): La Dirección Estratégica de la Empresa: Un enfoque innovador del
Management.. Edit. Ariel Economía, Barcelona..
NAVAS J.E. y GUERRAS, L.A. (2016): Fundamentos de Dirección Estratégica de la Empresa, Thomson Civitas, (2ª
edición).
PORTER, M. (1982): Estrategia Competitiva. Técnicas para el Análisis de los Sectores Industriales y de la Competencia.
Cecsa, México.
PORTER, M. (1987): Ventaja Competitiva. Creación y Sostenimiento de un Desempeño Superior. Cecsa, México.
VENTURA, J. (2008): Análisis estratégico de la empresa. Paraninfo- Cengage Learning, Madrid.

Journals

Alta Dirección https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/revista?codigo=41
Capital Humano
http://revistas.laley.es/content/Revista.aspx?params=H4sIAAAAAAAEAO29B2AcSZYlJi9tynt_SvVK1-B0oQiAYBMk2JBAEOzBiM3mkuwdaUcjKasqgcplVmVdZhZAzO2dvPfee--999577733ujudTif33_8_XGZkAWz2zkrayZ4hgKrIHz9-fB8_IhZZ2-b1ZyfZ6tvrxS-Uv36v_PqzV6c_efb6zfH_AxlQw0QfAAAAWKE
Cuadernos de Gestión: http://www.ehu.es/cuadernosdegestion/revista/
Ekonomiaz: http://www.ogasun.ejgv.euskadi.eus/r51-k86aekon/es/k86aEkonomiazWar/ekonomiaz/inicio?locale=es_ES
Emprendedores: http://www.emprendedores.es/
Harvard Deusto Business Review: https://www.harvard-deusto.com/
Revista Europea de Dirección y Economía de la Empresa https://www.elsevier.es/es-revista-revista-europea-direccion-economia-empresa-346

Web addresses

BANCO MUNDIAL (INDICADORES): http://datos.bancomundial.org/indicador
CAMARAS: http://www.camaras.org
CONFEBASK: http://www.confebask.es/
DBK Estudios sectoriales: http://www.dbk.es
ESADE-Guíame: http://www.esade.edu/guiame/flashes/index.php
EUROSTAT: http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat
EUSTAT: http://www.eustat.es/
GUERRAS Y NAVAS: http://www.guerrasynavas.com/index.htm
ICEX: http://www.icex.es/icex/es/index.html
INNOBASQUE: http://www.innobasque.eus/
INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE ESTADÍSTICA, INE: http://www.ine.es/
Portal de las Administraciones Vascas: http://www.euskadi.eus/inicio/
SPRI: http://www.spri.eus/es/