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Corporate Strategy

Approx. 11 hours to complete

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Description

Corporate strategy is the strategy a firm uses to compete across multiple businesses. Many small firms want to grow by entering new businesses. Many large firms already are in multiple businesses, e.g. a photo camera producer selling also sunglasses.

We developed this course to help you make good corporate strategy decisions. Of the many decisions a firm has to make, corporate strategy decisions are among the most consequential. We will look at these key corporate strategy decisions: - Diversification: How and which businesses should your firm enter? - Divestiture: How and from which businesses should your firm exit? - Corporate HQ: How should we organize corporate headquarters to create value across the different businesses?

Outline

Corporate Advantage
Welcome to Corporate Strategy!
Examples of Multi-Business Firms
Defining Corporate Strategy
Understanding Difference 1: Number of Businesses
Understanding Difference 2: Corporate Advantage
Understanding Difference 3: Competition
Conducting a Sum-of-the-parts Analysis
Why We Cannot Infer Corporate Advantage from a Sum-of-the-Parts Analysis
How to Use Discussion Forums
Get to Know Your Classmates
Optional: Example of a Sum-of-the-Parts Analysis
Lecture slides
Chapter Corporate Advantage
Glossary
Assessment
Corporate Advantage

Diversification
Examples of Diversification
Understanding the Basic Modes of Diversification
Understanding the Diversification Test
Understanding Synergies
A Five-step Approach to the Diversification Decision
Step 1: Finding Synergies
Step 2: Identifying Resource Gaps
Step 3: Identifying Candidates
Step 4: Evaluating Ally or Acquire
Step 5: Evaluating Organic or Inorganic Growth
Concluding the Five-step Approach to the Diversification Decision
4Cs Synergies Framework
Lecture slides
Chapter Diversification
Introduction to quiz on Microsoft-Linkedin acquisition
Diversification
Microsoft-Linkedin acquisition

Divestiture
Examples of Divestiture
Understanding the Basic Modes of Divestiture
Understanding the Divestiture Test
Understanding the Regional Perspective
A Three-step Approach to the Divestiture Decision
Step 1: Finding Synergies
Step 2: Identifying Better Parents
Step 3: Choosing Divestiture Mode
Concluding the Three-step Approach to the Divestiture Decision
Lecture slides
Chapter Divestiture: Stay or Exit
Divestiture

Corporate Headquarters
Example of Corporate Headquarters
Who Controls Corporate Headquarters?
How to Control More than You Own
Understanding HQ Influence Models
Understanding the Financial Perspective
Understanding the Uncertainty Perspective
Understanding the Synergy Perspective
Understanding the Social Perspective
Using the Synergistic Portfolio Framework
Course review
Lecture slides
Chapter Designing the Corporate HQ
Further readings
Introduction to quiz on resource allocation
Corporate Headquarters
Resource allocation

Summary of User Reviews

Learn about corporate strategy in this highly rated course on Coursera. Users praise the course for its comprehensive content and practical applications.

Key Aspect Users Liked About This Course

Comprehensive content

Pros from User Reviews

Practical applications in real-world scenarios
Clear and concise explanations of complex concepts
Engaging and interactive assignments
Great for beginners and professionals alike

Cons from User Reviews

Some users found the course too basic
Limited interaction with instructors
No certificate of completion without paying for the course

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