WEEK 6 : Job Advertisement

JOB ADVERT : 1

http://jobview.monster.com/Head-of-Strategic-Planning-Corporate-Real-Estate-Job-Cranston-RI-US-120693930.aspx

 JOB ADVERT : 2

http://jobview.monster.com/Director-of-Strategic-Analysis-Planning-Job-Basking-Ridge-NJ-US-120676508.aspx

JOB ADVERT : 3

http://jobview.monster.com/Strategic-Planner-Job-Dallas-TX-US-119345343.aspx

WEEK 5: Journal Learnng

1). Who is a strategist? Describe the main types of jobs that have a strong strategy element

Strategist is someone who stays at a high level and implements ideas and plans regarding the objectives that needs to be achieved in an organization. We can also say that strategist helps to coordinate the strategy process.
The main types of jobs that have a strong strategy element are 

• Chief executive manager
• Top management team
• Non- executive directors

2). What’s the difference between a strategic planner and a strategy consultant?

Strategic Planner:

• Strategic Planners is some one who collects information and analyse it.
• We can also call them the manager of strategy.
• They implement on special projects.

Strategy Consultant:

• Strategy Consultant is the one who analyzes, prioritizes, and generates options.
• Strategy Consultant helps in transferring knowledge.
• Strategy Consultant helps in promoting strategic decision.
• It implements to bring strategic change.

REFERENCES:

Retrieved March 13, 2013, from http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/emergent-strategy.html

WEEK 4: Journal Learning

1) Why is strategy making like a science and why is it also like an art or craft?

• Strategy making is like a science because similar to science while making a strategy experimental work needs to be done. Strategy also uses different tools and rules. Just like science strategy also first formulates and finally implements.
• Strategy making is like an art or craft because it is also all about creativity Strategy is an emerging factor.Similar to art or craft, strategy also involves discussion and group works.,

2) In your own words using referenced quotes describe the difference between intended strategy and  emergent strategy.

• The terms intended strategy refers to one seriously intended kind of strategy.whereas the strategy which just emerges without any work out is emergent strategy.
• Intended strategy are more formal whereas emergent strategy are more informal.
• The strategy made with a plan, structure and exploration before implementing is a intended strategy whereas the strategy made without a specific plan, structure is emergent strategy.

3) Choose two of the 10 schools of strategy thought and describe them in your own words.Try and provide a real world example for each e.g. an organisation or a situation.

1. The Learning School:

In Learning School, certain strategy emerges only after many experiments. This School basically is all about experimenting, and then acting. In this kind of school of strategy one organisation always try to learn from several circumstances and changes. For example: In present context we can take Samsung mobile as the organisation practicing the learning school strategy. We find several models of Samsung smart phones in the market very easily and also in reliable prices. Samsung is basically learning the environment and the minds of people and trying to create something that anyone and everyone can use.

2. The planning School:

In Planning School, they always plans beforehand and then create a strategy and systematically follow it. Here, everything is well planned. Let me take an example of  a Bank, all banks practice the strategy school of Planning. In banks, every activity is well planned and every action takes place accordingly. One never just perform the tasks as they want to.

4) Write about your experience with today's case study. what answers did you give to the questions?

Today's case study was an interesting one. I learned a lot and it was very interesting to know about the facts of Google and also the Google Plex.

Google Case study

1) Would you describe Google‟s strategy as more deliberate or more emergent? (list reasons for each)

 I would describe Google's strategy as more emergent since the environment created in the Google company is more adaptable and relaxing, creating less pressure for the employees during work sessions. Moreover, with all facilities that an employees would dream of attaining. We can say that overall this strategy helps in making the employee more creative and idea generating, good esteem to work confidently. Due to its high improvement in the internet field by Google, the search engine has been updated providing the public with more facilities in internet sectors.

2) What are the advantages of being very „experimental‟?

The advantages are as follow:

• New ideas can be gathered.
• With the help of experimental method we can choose the best alternative .
• The decision process will be more easier and effective.
• We can able to achieve new experiences with new experiments.

3) What are the disadvantages of being very „experimental‟?

The disadvantages are as follows:

• Sometimes these experiments could result to an unexpected error.
• It can be vague.
• People would not be satisfied by the experiment applied.

4) What do you think of their strategy?

I think the strategy of Google is good. I believe that this strategy applied by Google is very effective,with the friendly environment and encouragement to work more promptly.All the facilities provided by the company has made the employee full satisfaction on work.

WEEK 3 : Learning journal

1) In your own words using referenced quotes describe what "strategic management" is.

• The process of decision making taken by the general manager of a firm  while representing the capital stakeholders with an expectation of achieving effective performance and results in each aspect of its functioning is "strategic management". We can also say that it a process that helps to determine the goals,values and objectives of an organization.

Strategic management analyses the major initiatives taken by a company's top management on behalf of owners, involving resources and performance in external environments.

2) How is business strategy similar to military strategy? How is it different?

Similarities:

• Military does not often attack head to head with frontal attack since it is very costly,this is same with the business for numerous marketing campaign there is high expenses.
• Just like we use the term strength, objectives and mission widely in an organization, the military also used these terms in the battle field addressed as issues or obstacles.
•  Both business and military pin point the rivals weakness and dominate them by using their core strength.

Differences:

• The formation of business strategy usually occurs due to an assumption of competition whereas assumption of conflict is the bass of forming of military strategy.
• The purpose of military and business strategy varies. Military strategy's purpose if to battle and get victory whereas business strategy's purpose is to create values for the stakeholder by stabilizing their interests.
• In a military world the career progression is constant but in business world the career progression is not constant.

3) What do you understand by the term "strategic analysis", strategic development" and "strategic implementation".

• Strategy analysis: This is the very beginning part of the strategic management process in an organization.with the help of strategy analysis we can formulate and implement strategies effectively.  This strategy is very important since it gives the organization a thorough analysis on the internal and external aspects of a business and moreover it would make the probability of  fail strategy certain.

•  Strategic development: Here the development of strategic plan takes place, which is very essential for an organizational strategy for obtaining the aim of the organizations objective.

• Strategic implementation: A list of strategy are drawn by an organization among which the best one is selected to obtain strategic objectives and goals. So, we can also say that strategic implementation is the translation of choosing strategy into and action effectively and efficiently in an organization.

4) Write about your experience with today's case study. What answers did you give? Was it easy to answer the questions? Did your group agree with each other?

• The case study that we studied today was on the growth strategy implemented on the city Milton Keynes, Peter borough and Swindon by the conservative leaders.Due to the lack of growth and prosperity these towns were called sleepy cathedral which was near Cambridge.So, they wanted to bring upon growth and prosperity in these towns.

My assessment on the case study:

Since, the cities where connected to the main developed cities of England through transport it was a good short term strategy and it was almost three times less than that of London because of the land price.during the time of 2001-2011 its shows the highest growth rate of population in Milton Keynes.Although the expansion strategy brought growth to the town it did not have equal growth rate in the service sectors. Well it was as difficult as we thought it would be to answer the questions and our group came to a conclusion that this growth strategy is a "mad" one. The growth of population in an unwanted manner causes growth in crime, unsystematic lifestyle  and the dissatisfaction of a local who enjoyed the leisure and suburban feel of the town.

References:

^[1] Nag, R.; Ham brick, D. C.; Chen, M.-J (2007). "What is strategic management, really? Inductive derivation of a consensus definition of the field" (PDF). Strategic Management Journal 28 (9): 935–955. Doi: 10.1002/smj.615. Retrieved October 22, 2012.

WEEK 2: Case study: Texas in the shires

1) Why are Milton Keynes, Peterborough and Swindon growing rapidly?

• Milton Keynes, Peterborough and Swindon were chosen as locations for expansion in the 1950's and 1960's, when the government was looking for places to put Londoners displaced from demolished slums.
• They are all on motorways connected to London and have decent train links.
• Although the quasi-private development corporations founded to develop the cities are gone, the pro-growth corporate mindset remains.
• Due to least expensive housing and commercial properties along with cheap land near the motorways which attracts more business.
• Advertisement campaign through TV intended to attract families and businesses.

2) Why might there growth strategy be 'mad'?

• These three states are developing and updating themselves in a very fast process which might be a disadvantage in future.
• Due to the continuous entry of immigrants in a high rate which is affecting the people already living in the cities and eventually leading to high population.
• Providing very cheap housing and commercial properties to the people, leading to economic crisis.

3) What do you think is it a good strategy to continue with?

Yes, this strategy is good. Since, this world that we live in operates in a globalized form. I believe every nation should have a conception on how to develop their nation and bring upon modifications. Which this strategy applied reflects the concepts of developing and improving one's nation.

4) Would you live in any of these three towns?

Yes, i would live in any of these three towns. Since, it provides affordable house and good transportation system. Moreover, with the rapid developing speed of these cities, people could really be amused with what the city have to provide more to satisfy them. Thus, anyone could have a easy life in ant of these cities.

WEEK 1 : Learning journal

A) What are you hoping to learn from this 

Through this module i am looking forward to learning all about strategy., how it works, its importance, and what can a good strategy result to. Also keeping in mind the choices and impact a strategy can have. I hope to increase my skills on the strategic planning and strategic thinking process, utilizing the choices and initializing the impacts.

B) How might this module be useful to you after passing out of Institution (think specifically about what you want to do when you 

Since, this module is all about strategy, its choices and impacts. I believe i would have a lot more idea about strategy, choices and impact till the end of the session. After i finish my masters with the help of the knowledge i have gained i would start a business of my own, with an effective strategic plan, using the choices effectively and being aware of the impact of the business.

C) Describe three things you will do that will help you learn and to get good marks on this 

• Being more attentive and interactive with the lecturer, so that i can gain more knowledge.
• Look thoroughly over all the lecture slides provided by the lecturer so, that i don't miss any topic.
• To give my very in all the tasks provided by my lecturer whether be it an individual task or a group task.

D)  Describe three things that others (your lecturer, classmates, others…) could do that would help you learn and to get good marks on this module.

 

• Encouragement , good guidance and interesting style of teaching methods by my lecturer could help me learn more easily and eventually gain good marks on this module.
• Since, there are some task that needs to be done in a group or you can say we have group task. so, if there is a good co-ordination and group work with the classmate then we all can learn so much more from the task and moreover gain good marks from the group task.
• If people co-operative then i could do a brief research on an organization. All about how their strategic plans are and how the strategist think in their organization. Presenting this brief research it could help me gain good marks in this module as well.