Management Development Institute Gurgaon

Course Outline
Programme: PGDM-BM

Title of the Course : Strategy Formulation & Implementation Course Credit : 3

Core/Elective : Core Term : III
Area : Strategy Academic Year :2023-24
Course Faculty : Profs Rajesh & Saikat Contact No. :0124-4560397
Email : rajeshpillania@mdi.ac.in/ saikat.banerjee@mdi.ac.in

I. Introduction/Description of the Course

The business environment in which a company operates is like the concept of entropy in physics.
The degree of randomness of the environment is always increasing, making the life of top
management interesting and challenging. How to understand and operate successfully in such a
complex environment highlights the need for strategy. Due to various reasons, the concept of
strategy is often not well understood and, in fact, is misused many times, which makes it
imperative to know what strategy is and what it is not, and more so in the Indian context. This
course aspires to help students understand the basic concepts of strategic management, the practice
of strategy, and recent developments in strategic management for the long-term success of an
organisation.

II. Course Objectives

 Understanding the fundamental concepts of strategy.

 Creating conceptual clarity and relating it with the practice of strategy.
 Developing the skills and knowledge for strategic management.

III. Assurance of Learning (Program Level Goals and Program Level Outcomes)

Learning Goal (LG)

Learning Outcomes (LOs) Analytical and Integrative Thinking

 IV. Pedagogical Methods

The course methodology will involve interactive sessions focusing on experiential learning
through class exercises, industry interactions through guest speakers, and project work. It puts
special emphasis on self-learning through projects.

V. Evaluation Criteria

Sr. No. Name of Component Approximate % Weightage

Number Assigned
1 Quizzes 4 10
2 Group Project 1 20
3 Mid Term 1 20
4 End-Term Examination 1 30
5 Class Participation 20 20
Total Weightage Assigned 100%

VI. Compulsory Text Books

Happiness Strategy: Strategy and Happiness for Everyone, Rajesh Pillania.

VII. Content and Session Plan

Session Topic Essential readings/activities

1. Introduction & Overview of Class Exercise: What are we going to do?

Strategic Management
2 What is Strategy & Schools of
Thought
3 Theory of Business
4 Strategic Intent (Vision
Mission)
5 External Environment Analysis
Industry Analysis
Porter, Michael, E. (1996). “What is Strategy?” Harvard
Business Review, 74(6), 61 – 78.
Pillania, Rajesh (2017), What is Not Strategy? Strategic
Directions.
Case: Kingdom of Dreams by Vikas and Rajesh Pillania.
Drucker, P. F. (1994). The theory of the business. Harvard
Business Review, 72(5), 95-104.
Case : Lagom Kitchen + Brewery: A Quest for Survival by
Sanjeev Pathak and Rajesh Pillania
& Collins, J. C., & Porras, J. I. (1996). Building your company's
vision. Harvard Business Review, 74(5), 65-77.
Class Exercise : Developing vision statement
Porter, M. E. (2008). The five competitive forces that shape
strategy. Harvard Business Review, 86(1), 25-40.
 Case: Fashion2Go- just another fashion e-tailer? by Aditya
Banerjee and Rajesh Pillania, 2015
6 Internal Environment Analysis Prahalad, C. K., & Hamel, G. (1990). The core competence
Evaluating Firm Strengths and of the corporation. Harvard Business Review, 70(3), 79 – 93.
Weaknesses Case : Focus Adventure: Where to focus?, by Sanjeev Pathak
and Rajesh Pillania
7 Value Chain Analysis and Ghemawat, P., & Rivkin, J. W. (1998). Creating competitive
Competitive Advantage advantage. Harvard Business School Press, Boston.
Case: StarBucks
8 Competitive Strategies Class exercise
Cost Leadership
9 Competitive Strategies Case : Zara - Fast Fashion
Differentiators – Becoming and
Remaining Unique
10 Pre Mid Term Sum up Mathur, A., & Pillania, R. K. (2014). Strategy lessons from
the FIFA World Cup 2014. Strategic Direction, 30(11), 1-3.
11 Blue Ocean Strategy Kim, W. C., & Mauborgne, R. (2005), Blue Ocean Strategy:
From Theory to Practice, California Management Review, 47
(3).
Class exercise
12 International Strategy Ghemawat, P. (2007), Managing Differences: The Central
Challenge of Global Strategy, Harvard Business Review,
85(3), 58-68.
Pillania, R. K. (2009). Multinationals and emerging
markets. Business Strategy Series, 10(2), 100-103.
Class exercise
13-14 Innovation Strategy Johansson, F. (2004). The Medici effect: Breakthrough
insights at the intersection of ideas, concepts, and cultures.
Harvard Business Press.
Introduction: What is the Medici Effect and How Can it Help
Me Innovate? & The Rise of Intersections: The Sounds of
Shakira and the Emotions of Shrek--The Preconditions for
Innovative Ideas.
Class exercise
Learning from great innovators
15 Strategy Implementation, Pillania, R. K. (2009). Strategy in India: why doesn't it
Pitfalls & Remedies. deliver? Strategic Direction, 25(5), 3-4.
Class exercise
16 Recent Developments in Case: Snapdeal and the Indian online retail opportunity
Strategy
17-18 Strategy as Practice - Industry
Speaker
19-20 Project Presentations, Key Christensen, Clayton M. (2010). How will you measure your
Takeaways, and Course Sum life? Harvard Business Review, Vol. 88, No. 7/8, pp. 46-51.
Up

VIII List of Suggested Readings

Journals
Long Range Planning McKinsey Quarterly
Strategic Direction Harvard Business Review

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