This course covers the formulation and implementation of strategies by corporations and businesses. The forces and factors that influence the choice of strategies, and their success or failure are examined. Topics include external analysis of opportunities and threats, internal analysis of capabilities and competencies, choice of strategy at functional, business, corporate and global levels, alignment of structures and controls with strategies and evaluation of strategies. The course draws upon case studies to highlight key concepts in strategic decision-making.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Analyse an organisation’s internal and external environments by applying appropriate theories, models, and/or frameworks;
2. Formulate appropriate strategies to gain a competitive advantage at both business and corporate levels;
3. Evaluate competing strategies; and
4. Communicate strategies or strategic alternatives both in writing and verbally to facilitate organisational decision-making and problem-solving.

Research-Led Teaching

The lectures content will be based on the rigorous scholarly research in the field of strategic management and contemporary practitioner research and issues emerging in popular business media. Students will be expected to demonstrate detailed understanding and application of contemporary best-practice strategic management frameworks based on scholarly research and also employ their own research into analysing quantitative or qualitative data pertaining to the strategy of a firm.

Field Trips

Not relevant

Examination Material or equipment

Please refer to the details for Assessment Task 4.

Required Resources

Students are able to access and use the required textbook via the ANU Library:

Crafting & Executing Strategy: The Quest for Competitive Advantage: Concepts and Cases, 24th Edition

ISBN: 9781266849466 - Publisher page - ANU Library ebook

Please note that the eBook has a restriction of access for up to three users at a time and a three-hour loan period. Corresponding chapters will be uploaded via the Canvas site.

Recommended Resources

Not applicable.

Staff Feedback

Students will receive written feedback on their case study analyses report assessment items. We may occasionally also provide verbal feedback to the whole class, to groups, or to individual students.

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Other Information

Support of students:

The University offers a number of support services for students. Information on these is available online from http://students.anu.edu.au/studentlife/.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Introduction to strategy	Reading: Thompson, Peter, Gamble & Strickland, 2024, Crafting and Executing Strategy, 24th edition, McGraw Hill, Chapter 1Class participation (10%): On-going; Weeks 1 to 11
2	The strategy development process	Tutorial: case studyReading: Thompson, Peter, Gamble & Strickland, 2024, Crafting and Executing Strategy, 24th edition, McGraw Hill, Chapter 2
3	Environmental scanning and industry analysis	Tutorial: case studyReading: Thompson, Peter, Gamble & Strickland, 2024, Crafting and Executing Strategy, 24th edition, McGraw Hill, Chapter 3
4	Internal scanning and organizational analysis	Tutorial: case studyReading: Thompson, Peter, Gamble & Strickland, 2024, Crafting and Executing Strategy, 24th edition, McGraw Hill, Chapter 4Case Analysis (20%): Due by 5pm AEST Friday 20 March 2026
5	The strategic toolkit	Tutorial: case studyReading: Thompson, Peter, Gamble & Strickland, 2024, Crafting and Executing Strategy, 24th edition, McGraw Hill, Chapter 5
6	Competitive positioning	Tutorial: case studyReading: Thompson, Peter, Gamble & Strickland, 2024, Crafting and Executing Strategy, 24th edition, McGraw Hill, Chapter 6
7	Strategic implementation	Tutorial: Preparation for in-class strategy simulationReading: Thompson, Peter, Gamble & Strickland, 2024, Crafting and Executing Strategy, 24th edition, McGraw Hill, Chapter 10
8	In-class simulation practice	Tutorial: Simulation reflection
9	Managing and evaluating strategies	Tutorial: Simulation reflectionReading: Thompson, Peter, Gamble & Strickland, 2024, Crafting and Executing Strategy, 24th edition, McGraw Hill, Chapters 8 & 11
10	International strategy	Tutorial: Preparation for the final examReading: Thompson, Peter, Gamble & Strickland, 2024, Crafting and Executing Strategy, 24th edition, McGraw Hill, Chapter 7Group Reflection Report Submission (40%): 5pm AEST Monday 11 May 2026
11	Digital strategy	Tutorial: Preparation for the final exam
12	Class review and summary
13	NO TEACHING / End of semester examination period	Final exam (30%)

Tutorial Registration

ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Class participation (Individual - 10%)	10 %	*	02/07/2026	1,2,3,4
Case study analysis (Individual - 20%)	20 %	20/03/2026	31/03/2026	1,2,3,4
Strategy simulation (Group - 40%)	40 %	11/05/2026	25/05/2026	1,2,3,4
Final exam (Individual - 30%)	30 %	*	02/07/2026	1,2,3,4

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website Students may choose not to submit assessment items through Turnitin. In this instance you will be required to submit, alongside the assessment item itself, hard copies of all references included in the assessment item.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

Attendance at seminars, lectures, and tutorials, while not compulsory, is expected in line with "Code of Practice for Teaching and Learning," Clause 2 paragraph (b). Where students will not be able to attend a seminar, lecture and tutorial, they should advise the Convenor and discuss how to otherwise address the learning materials.

Examination(s)

Please refer to the details for Assessment Task 4.

Assessment Task 1

Class participation (Individual - 10%)

Weighting: 10% (each attempt equally weighted)

Assessment Type: Individual

Purpose: This course is discussion-oriented, which means that each student must be prepared to contribute to class and tutorial discussions by either directly participating in the discussion or bringing interesting issues to the attention of the class, tutorial group, tutor, and/or lecturer. Class participation will contribute to this mark and is based on each student’s individual contributions to in-class discussions. Attendance alone is not assessed, and participation is evaluated according to marking criteria rather than individual discretion. Participation will be monitored throughout the semester, including at mid-semester and at the end of the semester. A cumulative participation score will be used as the final mark.

In general, this course values quality over quantity. Your inputs are highly valuable, particularly those that add intellectual value to our discussions. Such examples may include, but are not limited to: raising and answering substantive issues and questions, discussing relevant readings, sharing relevant ideas, observations, and personal experiences, and pointing out relationships to earlier topics and discussions. A written submission may be required to demonstrate contribution.

Marking Criteria will be provided on Canvas two weeks prior to Week 1 of the semester.

Due Date: Participation will be assessed during weekly seminars and tutorials from Week 1 to Week 11.

Late submission: Not accepted.

Feedback: Students may request feedback at any time. An interim mark will be provided on Canvas by 31 March. The final mark will be released with the Semester 1 final grades.

Assessment Task 2

Case study analysis (Individual - 20%)

Weighting: 20%

Assessment Type: Individual

Purpose: Case study analysis is a key activity in this course as a means of demonstrating the ability to both conceptualise (demonstrate a detailed understanding of the relevant models, concepts and frameworks we will be studying), application (ability to compare and contrast the models, concepts and frameworks to facts and evidence) and insight (ability to derive relevant interpretations from the analysis of data/factual evidence using relevant models).

More details on the assessment will be provided in Canvas in Week 1 Seminar, but it essentially involves comparing and contrasting the details of relevant strategic management models, concepts and frameworks that are studied in this course to the details and facts about a practical strategic scenario or strategic challenge set out in a case study and then drawing strategic conclusions from that process.

Tutorials will be instrumental in preparing you for this assessment. These activities will facilitate discussion and practice in applying models, concepts, and frameworks to the cases, allowing you to develop a better understanding of the theoretical frameworks and their implications.

 

Submission requirements:

• Due date: 5:00 pm AEST on Friday of Week 4 (20 March 2026) via the course Canvas site.
• The maximum length for this analysis and report is 1000 words (+/- 10%). The tutorials are a guide to what is expected and how to research and compile these.
• Penalties apply for going over or under the word limit (5% per 100 words).
• Diagrams, models, and charts do not count toward the word count. Word count does not include the cover page, reference list or appendices.
• Late submissions: A penalty of 5% per working day or part thereof will apply.
• Marking criteria for this assessment will be available on Canvas two weeks prior to Week 1 of the semester.
• Reference style: APA 7th guidelines.
• Presentation: New Times Roman 12 pt, 1.5 spacing, 2.54 cm margins.
• Return of assessment: Feedback on this assessment will be returned by Tuesday in Week 6 (31 March 2026).

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): Use of AI is rapidly growing in all sectors, particularly the use of Large Language Models, of which there are many proprietary brands. In this course, students may choose to use or to not use AI tools. In any case, where AI tools are used, the student must comply with the ANU Academic Integrity principles for the use of GenAI, as well as accurately cite and reference what tools were used, and advise in an appendix how they used the tool. The ANU provides further broad guidance in the ANU Gen AI LibGuide. As part of handling a potential breach of academic integrity, students are reminded that they may be requested to meet with the Convenor to discuss any assessment submission, including responding to questions on the content of submissions and on their understanding of the course concepts assessed by the submission.

Assessment Task 3

Strategy simulation (Group - 40%)

Weighting: 40%

Assessment Type: Group assignment

Purpose: This assessment is designed to help students apply corporate strategy concepts in a dynamic, decision-based environment. Through a live strategy simulation, students will work in teams to integrate strategic analysis with real-time decision-making, experience uncertainty and competitive interaction, develop teamwork, communication, and collective problem-solving skills, and reflect critically on the group management processes. The simulation mirrors real-world strategic challenges where decisions must be made collaboratively under time pressure.

Group formulation:

• Students will work in teams of 4–5; a maximum of five (5) members.
• You may self-nominate team members and inform the Teaching Team via email (mgmt3015.rsm@anu.edu.au) by 5:00 pm Friday of Week 5 (27 March 2026).
• Any remaining students will be allocated to teams by the Teaching Team.
• Final team formation will be released before the Week 6 seminar.
• Once formed, teams are expected to work consistently throughout Weeks 7 to 11 to develop Assignment #2, an in-class simulation and a group reflection report.

Key teamwork tasks:

Between Weeks 7 and 10, you will work in teams to complete the strategy simulation assessment, where you will assume the role of a management team responsible for making strategic decisions. This period includes structured preparation, participation in an in-class simulation, team reflection, and the completion of a final group report. Weekly tutorials are designed to support progressive learning, moving from strategy planning and decision-making to critical reflection and synthesis. Dedicated class time will be provided in selected weeks to facilitate teamwork, consultation, and questions, ensuring students are well supported throughout the assessment process. More details about assessment requirements and team formulation will be released in the Week 1 Seminar.

Please note that the outcomes of your simulation will not influence your marks. However, you must draw on the concepts and theories covered in class in the weeks leading up to the simulation in the group reflection report.

Group Reflection Report Submission

• Due date: 5 pm AEST on Monday of Week 10 (11 May 2026) via the course Canvas site.
• Late submissions: A penalty of 5% per working day or part thereof will apply.
• Word count: 2,000 words (+/- 10% tolerance) + Cover page; One group report per team.
• Diagrams, models, and charts do not count toward the word count. Word count does not include the cover page, reference list or appendices.
• Penalties apply for going over or under the word limit (5% per 100 words).
• Content requirement: You MUST use evidence (e.g. team chat messages, screenshots) from your simulation to support your reflection. 
• Presentation: New Times Roman 12 pt, 1.5 spacing, 2.54 cm margins; 
• Cover page: Student names and student IDs, Date of submission, word count, Assignment #/Title.
• Academic writing: You need to make sure your writing is coherent, cohesive, and understandable to a reader. Further information on reflective writing can be accessed at: https://www.anu.edu.au/students/academic-skills/writing-assessment/reflective-writing.
• Reference style: APA 7th guidelines.
• Marking criteria for this assessment will be available on Canvas two weeks prior to Week 1 of the semester.
• Return of assessment: Feedback on this assessment will be returned by Monday in Week 12 (25 May 2026).

Group work policy:

How will groups be formed?

• Students may self-formulate a group of 4 to 5 team members by sending emails to the course official contact address (mgmt3015.rsm@anu.edu.au). Students who do not join a group by 5:00 pm on Friday of Week 5 (27 March 2026) will be allocated to a group by the Teaching Team. Once formed, students will remain in the same groups for the Assignment 2 Simulation.

How will individual marking be determined from a group report?

• The ANU expects student groups to be self-managing and to collaborate effectively, with equal contributions from each member toward the successful completion of the task. Active participation from all group members is expected. By default, all group members will receive the same mark for group assessments.
• However, individual marks may be awarded if member/s have not contributed equally. Group members will be asked to complete a Group Contribution Form, available on Canvas, to report any non- or minimal contributions (e.g., failure to attend meetings, lack of draft input, or being unresponsive to group communication). Evidence is required to support any claims. The Teaching Team will review submitted forms and conduct an investigation as necessary to determine individual marks.

What support is available for group work?

• Groups may seek assistance from the lecturer, tutors, or course convenor for help in managing group dynamics, including conflict resolution or workload distribution. Tutors may refer groups to the lecturer for further support where needed.
• Up to one hour of scheduled time may be allocated for group work. During this time, the facilitator(s) and/or course convenor will be available to provide guidance and support.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): Use of AI is rapidly growing in all sectors, particularly the use of Large Language Models, of which there are many proprietary brands. In this course, students may choose to use or to not use AI tools. In any case, where AI tools are used, the student must comply with the ANU Academic Integrity principles for use of GenAI, as well as accurately cite and reference what tools were used, and advise in an appendix how they used the tool. The ANU provides further broad guidance in the ANU Gen AI LibGuide. As part of handling a potential breach of academic integrity, students are reminded that they may be requested to meet with the Convenor to discuss any assessment submission, including responding to questions on the content of submissions and on their understanding of the course concepts assessed by the submission.

Assessment Task 4

Final exam (Individual - 30%)

Weighting: 30%

Assessment Type: Individual

Purpose: The final exam will be comprehensive, encompassing all topics covered throughout the course. Questions will require you to identify key concepts and demonstrate the ability to apply course materials, models, concepts, and frameworks effectively.

Format: The exam will be a closed-book assessment, featuring a mix of multiple-choice and short essay questions. Some questions may be based on a short case study to assess practical application.

Duration: The exam will last 2 hours, including reading time.

Preparation: To help your preparation for this assessment, practical questions will be provided during the tutorials in Weeks 10 to 11. These sessions will help reinforce understanding and application of the course content in preparation for the final exam.

Exam date and other information: Refer to the ANU Examinations website for further information.

Return of assessment: with release of final grades.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of our culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically. This means that all members of the community commit to honest and responsible scholarly practice and to upholding these values with respect and fairness. The Australian National University commits to embedding the values of academic integrity in our teaching and learning. We ensure that all members of our community understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with. The University has policies and procedures in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Visit the following Academic honesty & plagiarism website for more information about academic integrity and what the ANU considers academic misconduct. The ANU offers a number of services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. The Academic Skills and Learning Centre offers a number of workshops and seminars that you may find useful for your studies.

Online Submission

The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. ANU provides clear guidelines and resources regarding academic integrity including guidelines on citing sources and the importance of originality - these can be found via the following link https://www.anu.edu.au/students/academic-skills/academic-integrity Turnitin will be used to check for both plagiarism and originality with assignment submissions and a zero tolerance will be applied to assignments that rely on simply copying material that is not the students own work unless this is appropriately cited.

Hardcopy Submission

This course will not require submissions of hard copies. Online submission via Canvas will suffice.

Late Submission

Individual assessment tasks may or may not allow for late submission. Policy regarding late submission is detailed below:

• Late submission not permitted. If submission of assessment tasks without an extension after the due date is not permitted, a mark of 0 will be awarded.
• Applies to Assessment Task 1 & Assessment Task 4
• Late submission permitted. Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Applies to Assessment Task 2 & Assessment Task 3

All requests for Assessment Adjustment (including Requests for Extension and for Consideration of Extenuating Circumstances) should be submitted via ANUHub .

Referencing Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Skills website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Canvas’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Returning Assignments

All assignments will be marked and where appropriate feedback will be provided: in class, or in person by appointment with the course lecturer, via email, or via the course Canvas site.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure The Course Convener may grant extensions for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Resubmission of Assignments

You are allowed to resubmit your assignments before the specific deadlines. Any submission done after the deadline will be considered as a late submission and not be marked.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information. In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service — including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy. If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes. Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Diversity and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students