BUSINESS STRATEGY

Course objectives

The training objective of the course component is to provide the learner with an appropriate point of view on the decisions and strategic trajectories adopted by companies in the current complex transnational and digital competitive context. The Course (after an introduction and a summary of the guidelines relating to the company, its constituent elements, and its interlocutors) deals, in particular, with issues relating to the governance and management of business activities from a managerial, strategic profile - organizational and financial. Among the topics of greatest interest are: the strategic choices concerning the definition of the most suitable structure for the competition of companies in the global arena and the drivers of competitive advantage. Upon completion, students should be able to: 1. Know the logical and operational components of the strategic business dynamics 2. analyze the areas and circumstances in which strategic processes are implemented and the related peculiarities/criticalities 3. have a clear representation of the context within which management must make strategic decisions. 4. Acquire adequate knowledge of the set of operational tools, indicators, and models to support strategic business decisions.

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LUCA DEZI Lecturers' profile

Program - Frequency - Exams

Course program
The course covers the foundations of business strategy, focusing on the firm’s core elements, stakeholders, and the international and digital environment. It introduces mission, vision, purpose, and objective measurement tools such as KPI and OKR. Key models of strategic analysis are discussed, including SWOT, ASA, Porter’s Five Forces, and the BCG, GE and Abell matrices, along with quantitative and qualitative tools for performance evaluation. The program addresses competitive strategies, growth strategies, vertical and horizontal integration, differentiation, diversification and internationalization, with specific attention to digital strategy. Considerable emphasis is placed on business models, innovation and value proposition validation through tools such as the Business Model Canvas, Sustainable BMC, MVP and customer discovery. The strategic process is analyzed through different schools of thought, planning and implementation approaches, with a focus on foresight and future scenarios. The course combines lectures, practical exercises, business cases and guest speakers, and concludes with a group project and the final presentation of results.
Prerequisites
No specific prerequisites are necessary, although a good understanding of managerial dynamics and business management will facilitate understanding and learning of the concepts covered during the course.
Books
Materials shared on Classroom by the teacher
Frequency
In person and with classroom assessment
Exam mode
The exam consists of a mixed assessment comprising a written test and an oral test.The aim is to assess theoretical understanding of the models, the ability to apply them to real-life contexts, and mastery of business strategy terminology through more direct questions, open-ended written questions, and an oral exam on questions from the program, published materials, and real-life applications.
Lesson mode
The course combines traditional lectures with practical exercises and business case discussions. A key component is the “Entrepreneurship Lab,” which involves the launch and development of a national project, carried out in teams and guided step by step throughout the course. The integration of theoretical sessions with experiential activities enables students to apply business strategy models in a practical and hands-on way.
  • Lesson code10612120
  • Academic year2025/2026
  • CourseOrganization and Marketing for Corporate Communication
  • CurriculumMarketing e relazioni d'impresa
  • Year2nd year
  • Semester1st semester
  • SSDSECS-P/08
  • CFU9