Master the fundamentals of business strategy and learn how firms create, capture, and sustain value.
In today’s fast-paced and complex business environment, organisations must not only create and deliver value but also capture and sustain it in order to remain competitive over time. This online course, Business Strategy, offered on Coursera, provides a comprehensive introduction to strategic management, giving learners the tools and frameworks needed to understand how different functions, resources, and systems within a company interact and align with the larger external environment to drive overall business performance. Participants investigate how value is created, analysed, and leveraged at multiple levels, ranging from the industry landscape, using tools like five forces analysis, to firm-level strategies like business models and strategic positioning. Through a combination of theoretical insights and practical applications, learners develop the ability to critically assess diverse business and industry information, identify strategic opportunities and challenges, and formulate coherent, actionable plans. By the end of the course, participants will have a thorough understanding of value creation and competitive advantage, as well as the strategic thinking skills required to make informed decisions that support long-term organisational growth.
Module 1
Course Orientation
This orientation module familiarises learners with the course structure, classmates, and the online learning environment of Coursera. Participants also develop the technical skills needed to navigate the platform effectively. Through videos, readings, an assignment, and a discussion prompt, learners explore the syllabus, discussion forums, and course resources while getting to know their peers. By the end of the module, participants will be comfortable with the course tools, understand how to engage with content and classmates, and be prepared to succeed in the learning environment.
Videos: 3
Readings 6
Assignment: 1
Discussion Prompts: 1
Module 2
Leading Strategically
This module lays the foundation for understanding core concepts in business strategy. Learners examine the role of mission, vision, and values in shaping an organisation’s strategic direction, as well as how leadership influences these elements. The module introduces analytical tools such as the V.A.R.S. framework for evaluating business models and the SWOT framework for assessing strategic fit and coherence. Through executive interviews, case studies such as Uber and interactive assessments, learners gain a practical understanding of how fundamental strategy concepts and frameworks guide effective decision-making and support organisational success.
Videos: 10
Readings: 4
Assignments: 1
Peer Review: 1
Module 3
External Analysis
This module focuses on environmental analysis, a key component of business strategy. In order to forecast industry profitability, learners investigate how to evaluate a firm’s external environment, including the macroenvironment, using the PESTEL framework and the industry environment using the 5-forces framework. By the end of the module, learners will be able to analyse external factors affecting a business and apply strategic frameworks to evaluate industry structure and competitive forces.
Videos: 9
Readings: 4
Assignment: 1
Peer Review: 1
Module 4
Internal Analysis and Competitive Advantage
This module explores how firms develop unique strengths that drive sustainable competitive advantage. Learners examine the sources and effects of internal differences across activities, resources, and capabilities. The module introduces strategic tools such as value chains, value networks, and the V-R-I framework to analyse how these internal factors influence performance. Through videos, readings, an assignment, and a peer review, participants gain practical insights into identifying and leveraging firm-specific strengths to achieve long-term strategic success.
Videos: 8
Readings: 4
Assignment: 1
Peer Review: 1
Module 5
Strategic Positioning and Strategic Renewal
This module integrates internal and external analysis to help learners formulate a comprehensive business strategy. Participants explore generic business strategies and how scope considerations create four key strategic positions. The module also covers dual strategies and the importance of adapting a firm’s approach for strategic renewal. Learners gain practical insights into competitive positioning and keeping a company’s strategy relevant over time.
Videos: 10
Readings: 6
Assignment: 1
Peer Review: 1
Course Overview
Platform: Coursera
Duration: 2 weeks
Difficulty: Beginner
Flexibility: Self-paced
