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University of Virginia via Coursera

Foundations of Business Strategy

4.83,425 ratings at Coursera

Overview

Develop your ability to think strategically, analyze the competitive environment, and recommend firm positioning and value creation. In this course, developed at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia, top-ranked faculty will help you explore the underlying theory and frameworks that provide the foundations of a successful business strategy and provide the tools you need to understand that strategy: SWOT, Competitor, Environmental, Five Forces, and Capabilities Analyses, as well as Strategy Maps.

Syllabus 4

  1. Introduction to Strategic Analysis 2 hours

    Welcome to the first module in the Foundations course. In this module, we'll discuss the meaning and importance of business strategy to an organization's competitive positioning. You'll learn about strategic analysis and the SWOT, competitor, and environmental analysis tools. Have fun building your…

  2. Analyzing Industry Structure 2 hours

    Hello and welcome back. In this module, we'll explore how to assess an industry's structure and how the competitive dynamics in an industry affect profitability. We'll go into depth with the five forces tool, a common and highly influential analytical framework. Happy analyzing!

  3. Analyzing Firm Capabilities 1.5 hours

    Welcome! In this module, we'll examine the tangible and intangible assets that form an organization's strength. We'll show you in depth how to complete a capabilities analysis and how to use this analysis to guide decision making. Happy analyzing!

  4. Determining Competitive Position 4 hours

    Welcome to the final module. In these lessons, we'll explore firms' competitive positioning relative to rivals and analyze the advantages and disadvantages of four generic competitive positions firms occupy. We'll use an easy and intuitive tool--strategy maps--to visually communicate information ab…

Skills you'll practise

Strategic ThinkingAnalysisBusiness Strategy

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages

  • Structured courses with graded quizzes, assignments and deadlines you can reset.
  • A shareable certificate from the university or company when you pay.
  • Financial aid is often approved for students in India (apply 15 days before you need it).
  • From University of Virginia, a well-regarded name.
  • Rated 4.8 out of 5 by 3,425 learners.
  • Self-paced: start any time.
  • A clear syllabus (4 parts) you can see before you start.

Disadvantages

  • Paid after a 7-day free trial (Coursera Plus or per course).
  • Some courses can be audited for free, but graded work and certificates need payment.

Some points apply to every course of this kind; see how we rank.

This course is paid. Here is how to take it for free

  • Free trials: You can start a 7-day free trial for many individual courses, Specializations, or a Coursera Plus subscription to test full course features. Cancel before the seventh day if you do not want to be charged.
  • Financial aid: If you cannot afford the fee for a certificate, you can apply for financial aid through the link on the course home page by filling out an application about your background and goals.

Taught by

  • Michael LenoxSenior Associate Dean and Chief Strategy Officer, Darden School of Business
  • Jared HarrisSamuel L. Slover Research Chair in Business Administration, Darden School of Business

University of Virginia is in Tier 2: excellent universities and the companies that build the technology of our institution ranking (86/100).

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