MBA Leadership and Strategy

Course Details

Core subjects

Module 1: Business Strategy Planning

Business Strategy Planning provides students with a broad understanding of business strategy fundamentals and strategic planning approaches. Students will analyse the role business strategy has in identifying how companies can respond to the threats and opportunities in the market in which it operates. Also, students will examine strategic planning frameworks and apply them to formulate new and innovative strategies to create a competitive advantage, drive growth, and improve business performance. Lastly, students will consider the risks and strategic changes required during a business strategy implementation.

• Critically analyse strategic business planning and its role in responding to threats and opportunities.
• Select appropriate strategic business frameworks and concepts to inform business decision-making and strategy implementation.
• Examine and recommend business strategies to achieve business goals, create a competitive advantage, or develop efficiencies.
• Develop effective business strategies to drive growth or improve business performance for the organisation.

Module 2: Strategic Marketing

Strategic marketing enables students to critically examine strategic marketing from a customer-driven perspective. Overall, students will learn how to devise marketing strategies that focus on creating meaningful value for customers and gaining a competitive advantage. This begins with students conducting market research and assessing an organisation’s product positioning within a selected industry. Other fundamental marketing concepts such as segmenting and targeting, customer behaviours, product positioning, pricing, promotions, and customer experiences will be examined and used to create effective marketing strategies.

• Examine the role of strategic marketing and its impact on creating a competitive advantage.
• Conduct and critically analyse market research to discover relevant consumer trends and behaviours.
• Apply strategic marketing theoretical frameworks and tools to assess the marketing position of an organisation's products or services.
• Develop effective customer-driven marketing strategies to create value for target customers.

Module 3: People and Culture

As societies become more intertwined on a global scale and culturally diverse, organisations must understand how to become more inclusive and ways to engage with humans from different cultures and backgrounds. In this subject, students will explore how human factors influence organisational effectiveness and productivity. They will explore how human, cultural and social dynamics influence organizational culture, individuals, and teams. Students will critically examine the dynamics and formulate strategic approaches to balance between organisational and human demands in an increasingly diverse and global business environment.

• Critically evaluate the different elements of culture and behaviour prevalent in organisations
• Evaluate and develop organizational development approaches and tools to support a diverse workforce
• Develop strategies and approaches to manage diverse teams to achieve organisational objectives
• Examine and formulate strategies approach to managing organisational culture including developing, training, and motivating employees

Module 4: Technology Leadership

Technology has become a vital aspect of executing business strategy, reinventing operations, and enabling innovation. Leaders who can understand new technologies and leverage them strategically are extremely valuable to any organisation. In this subject, students will examine technology from a managerial and leadership perspective focusing on three key areas including big data, technology infrastructure and data analysis. Additionally, they will be given opportunities to explore how technology can be used to improve efficiencies, promote growth, and gain a competitive advantage.

• Illustrate a confident use of technical terminology and management of information systems.
• Critically evaluate existing data sources, infrastructures, and data analysis tools and devise opportunities to realise commercial outcomes.
• Articulate the value and risky proposition of information and systems.
• Assess and recommend information systems and tools to execute business strategies to improve operational efficiencies and promote growth or a competitive advantage.

Module 5: Strategic Leadership

This subject explores strategic leadership in the context of the 21st century and aims to prepare students to develop the capabilities to successfully lead organisations in the current turbulent competitive landscape. Through the exploration of different leadership theories and frameworks, students will learn how strategic leaders can create nimble organisations in order to stay ahead of the competition. As a result, students will gain new perspectives on effective leadership approaches and practices.

• Critically explore the role of strategic leadership in the new knowledge era.
• Critically evaluate key leadership theories and concepts and how they have been utilised by global industry leaders.
• Reflect on how social identity and selfhood impact leadership approaches and practices.
• Apply appropriate strategic leadership approaches to a contemporary organisation.

Module 6: Career Applied Project

The Career Applied Project enables students to consolidate their skills, knowledge, and past experiences to develop solutions for a real-world business problem identified in their workplace, start-up business, or industry of interest. In this module, students will be introduced to case study research methods and draw on their theoretical, conceptual and practical learnings from other classes to inform innovative ideas and solutions. Throughout the industry project, students will advance their practical and professional abilities while developing innovative ideas and solutions that have immediate practical applications.

• Prepare a research project proposal that outlines the exploration of a complex business problem or issue and adherence to ethical research.
• Define a relevant research question or problem statement and apply research design principles and methodologies to execute an applied research project.
• Demonstrate a theoretical and conceptual understanding of relevant literature by composing a literature review.
• Collect relevant information and data and select key theoretical frameworks to conceptualise potential solutions relevant to a business problem or issue.
• Communicate findings and recommendations using a relevant format while demonstrating academic rigour and immediate practical applications.
• Demonstrate technical and project management understanding by managing and leading a research project.

Presentation

Woo your audience with improved persuasion and presentation skills.

Creativity

Show your creative streak by approaching business challenges in a new way.

Collaboration

Harness the skills and abilities of others while working together to create better results.

Problem-solving

Use your creativity to find a solution that will give you the best outcome.

Critical Thinking

Evaluate and assess the research to make the right decision to get the best result.

Digital Literacy

Become more tech-savvy and understand the impacts of the digital world on your workplace.

Financial Literacy

Sharpen your numbers game and learn how financial analysis can help steer your decision-making to boost your bottom line.

Initiative

Know what you need to do to get the result you want and take steps to make it happen.

• CEO
• Business Owner
• Executive Director
• Consultant
• General Manager
• Project Manager
• Director
• Senior Manager