Strategic Systems Thinking
An 8-week module on strategy as practice and leadership.
Module Aims
This module encourages participants to go beyond the study of theory and become active participants in the debate that is at the leading edge of strategic thinking and practice. The practice perspective in strategic management is drawn from a critique of the traditional rational economic approach to the subject and incorporates behavioural and sociological aspects of organisational decision-making. This module is a critical review of practices involved in the formulation and implementation of strategy. This module, however, takes the discussion of strategy formulation and implementation beyond a simplistic application and considers the social systems that inform and enable effective decision-making.
The module draws on sociological theory to critically explore the contribution of actors throughout the organisation to the practice of strategy. Students who complete this module are expected to be able to contribute to strategic thinking within organisations in which they involved. Consequently, this module aims to develop and enhance the skills and knowledge explored to enable participants to actively consider how they may personally make a difference in the different strategic contexts which may confront them. In particular, students will focus on innovative practices and an inclusive social approach to strategic development.
Learning Outcomes
- On completion of the Strategic Systems Thinking module students should be able to: Critically appraise strategic systems theory and its impact on a business context
- On completion of the Strategic Systems Thinking module students should be able to: Critically explore and determine how aspects of strategic knowledge impact on strategic management.
Content Summary
The module introduces students to the practices engaged in strategy thinking; exploring key concepts:
- Systems thinking - Organisations are complex social systems so an awareness and understanding of systems principles and methods are essential in enabling a critical appreciation of how strategy is informed and shaped
- Managing knowledge - The focus of this aspect of the module is on the way organisations develop and enhance their key strategic resource, knowledge, to achieve competitive advantage. This will incorporate the ideas of Knowledge Management and Knowledge Environment and the way these positions may impact on Strategic thinking.
- Intellectual Capital – within a context of KPI and CPI pressures on organisations the way that Intellectual Capital can provide a framework to make strategic use of a knowledge base is an increasingly important area to be considered.
- Managing complexity - Environmental and organisational complexity is a key strategic challenge for organisations in the 21st Century. The understanding of how complex adaptive systems shape social structures plays an important role in enabling strategic thinking to be developed
- Managing strategic discourse – There is no universal acceptance of being strategic so it is important to consider the way that different discourses can impact on strategic thinking e.g. the Strategy as Practice perspective.
Course curriculum
-
1Module Specification
-
2Week one: Introduction
-
3Week Two: Soft Systems Thinking
-
4Week Three: The Practice of Strategy
-
5Week 4: Summative Assessment
-
6Week Five: Knowledge Management & Intellectual Capital
-
7Week Six: Communities of Practice
-
8Week Seven: Performance Measurement
-
9Week Eight: Summative Assessment