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2014/2015  KAN-CMIBO1038U  Strategy and Market Development

English Title
Strategy and Market Development

Course information

Language English
Course ECTS 10 ECTS
Type Mandatory
Level Full Degree Master
Duration One Semester
Course period Spring
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Study board
Study Board for MSc in Economics and Business Administration
Course coordinator
  • Jens Frøslev Christensen - Department of Innovation and Organizational Economics (INO)
Main academic disciplines
  • Globalization, International Business, markets and studies
  • Corporate and Business Strategy
Last updated on 04-07-2014
Learning objectives
At the end of the course the student should be able to:
  • An understanding of and familiarity with theories, concepts and cases covered by curriculum.
  • An ability to apply the theories and concepts in strategic analysis of concrete company cases.
  • An understanding of the central issues covered in the course on business/corporate strategy and innovation strategy and how they relate to market development.
  • An ability to critically assess the scope, limits and complementaries of applying the different theories and concepts to the strategic issues covered in the course.
Examination
Strategy and Market Development:
Exam ECTS 10
Examination form Written sit-in exam
Individual or group exam Individual
Assignment type Written assignment
Duration 4 hours
Grading scale 7-step scale
Examiner(s) One internal examiner
Exam period May/June
Aids allowed to bring to the exam Limited aids, see the list below and the exam plan/guidelines for further information:
  • Additional allowed aids
  • Books and compendia brought by the examinee
  • Notes brought by the examinee
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
If the number of registered candidates for the make-up examination/re-take examination warrants that it may most appropriately be held as an oral examination, the programme office will inform the students that the make-up examination/re-take examination will be held as an oral examination instead.
Course content and structure

Important overall objectives of this course are to align the theory and practice of strategy, on the one hand, and more specifically to align core themes in innovation strategy with strategies for business and market development, on the other. The course aims to provide students with systematic analytical and practice-oriented insights into firm strategy with special emphasis on issues related to innovation strategy, business dynamics and market development. This objective is achieved through three approaches: first, introducing complementary theories and tools relating strategy to innovation in knowledge-intensive firms and industries; second, investigating in depth key topics within the scope of the course; and third, analysing business practice through case studies, exercises, simulations and presentations by and discussions with business practitioners.

Topics include core issues in business and corporate strategy (e.g. strategic positioning, building strategic competencies and strategic alliance, make-buy decisions, the dynamics of corporate strategy and structure) and more specific questions relating to innovation, business and industry dynamics and market development (see below). These topics are analysed by applying several theoretical approaches, including an industrial organization perspective, a resource- or competence-based perspective and a transaction cost perspective. These theories are considered complementary rather than mutually exclusive ways of approaching the strategic issues raised. The focus is primarily on innovative and knowledge-intensive firmsin high-tech manufacturing industries (e.g. electronics, precision instruments, pharmaceuticals) as well as in the new services sectors (e.g. software development and Internet services).

Among the main issues raised in the course are the following:

  • What are the advantages and disadvantages of being first on the market? What determines who “wins” and who “loses” from investments in innovation?
  • What is the role of core capabilities in product and innovation strategies? How do these strategies relate to market development and the underlying market research?
  • What factors should firms take into consideration when engaging in partnering and contracting for research and development? How can cooperating firms create a framework within which they can successfully develop products of commercial value?
  • What challenges and opportunities do firms confront in managing environmentally sustainable innovation strategies?
  • How do recent trends towards globalization, modularization and networking transform the corporate strategies of large multinational companies – especially as related to innovation and corporate venturing?
Teaching methods
The course combines interactive lectures with case-based exercises, simulations and videos, and interaction with business managers.
Last updated on 04-07-2014