This course aims to equip participants with the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to contribute effectively to their organization's strategic direction:

• New managers and supervisors transitioning into leadership roles.
• Staff members recently assigned to strategy, planning, or business development teams.
• Individuals seeking a foundational understanding of corporate strategy.
• Project managers who need to align their work with organizational goals.
• Analysts and specialists looking to improve their strategic insight.
• Anyone interested in advancing their career by developing a strategic mindset.

• Interactive lectures and guided discussions.
• Case studies of successful and failed strategic plans.
• Individual exercises on PESTLE and SWOT analysis.
• Group activities to formulate mock strategic objectives.
• Practical application templates and tools.

Unit 1: The Foundations of Strategy

• Defining strategic thinking versus operational planning.
• The importance of a clear Mission, Vision, and Values statement.
• Exploring the hierarchy of strategy (corporate, business, functional).
• The benefits of a structured planning approach for organizational agility.
• Recognizing the internal and external drivers of change.
• Differentiating between goals, objectives, and tactics.

• Overview of the five-stage planning process.
• The role of environmental scanning and foresight.
• Setting the scope and time horizon for planning.
• Identifying key stakeholders and their influence.

Unit 2: External Environmental Analysis

• Applying the PESTLE framework for comprehensive analysis.
• Identifying significant political and economic trends.
• Assessing socio-cultural shifts and technological advancements.
• Evaluating the impact of legal and environmental factors.
• Sources of external data and competitive intelligence.

• Introduction to Porter's Five Forces model.
• Analyzing the threat of new entrants and substitute products.
• Assessing the bargaining power of buyers and suppliers.
• Evaluating competitive rivalry within the industry.
• Defining key success factors in the current market.

Unit 3: Internal Resource Assessment

• Defining and identifying core competencies.
• Understanding the Value Chain framework.
• Assessing organizational resources (tangible and intangible).
• Identifying areas of competitive advantage and vulnerability.

• Conducting a structured and objective SWOT analysis.
• Techniques for moving beyond simple listing to strategic insight.
• Matching internal Strengths to external Opportunities (SO strategies).
• Converting Weaknesses into Strengths and mitigating Threats.

Unit 4: Formulating Strategic Direction

• Principles of setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) objectives.
• Prioritizing strategic issues and focus areas.
• Translating vision into high-level strategic goals.
• Defining appropriate metrics for success and progress tracking.

• Exploring Michael Porter's generic strategies (Cost Leadership, Differentiation, Focus).
• Understanding the concept of strategic trade-offs.
• Identifying potential growth strategies (e.g., market penetration, product development).

Unit 5: Introduction to Strategy Execution

• Developing action plans and allocating resources.
• The role of functional strategies (Marketing, HR, Finance).
• Introduction to performance management and monitoring.
• Creating a culture of accountability and execution.

• Techniques for clearly articulating the strategy across the organization.
• Gaining buy-in and alignment from various teams.
• The importance of consistent and timely communication.
• Overcoming initial resistance to strategic change.