Strategic Management lectures 2025/26
Lecture 1 Introduction to Strategic management
and a firm’s environment
Today’s session
Introduction to our class
This week’s content
Learning goals
After completion of the course, you will be able to:
recognize basic strategic problems in practical situations;
analyze the external and internal environment of an organization at the business and
the corporate level;
explain how organizations can develop strategies to effectively deal with the
demands of the contemporary business environment;
resolve basic strategic problems in practical situations.
Communication rules
Always check course outline and canvas first!
If you cannot find the answer to your question, contact us:
* Specific questions about your workgroup, attendance and assignments: → your
corresponding workgroup lecturer.
* Contact info: For general questions: course coordinator () If you
cannot find the answer to your question, contact us:
Professionalism and etiquette
Although we strive for a friendly and stimulating environment, make sure to maintain
professionalism at all times!
Follow professional etiquette in your emails or any other communication channels.
Image Source
Dear XXX, …. …. Best wishes/ Kind regards/ etc. Name
Course practicalities – Course structure
Mondays: Content lectures
* 6 plenary lectures
* Format: In-person only!
* Attendance: Non-mandatory
Thursdays or Fridays: Tutorials
* Case studies: 5 cases + 1 feedback lecture
* Format: In-person only!
, * Attendance: Mandatory (can only miss one case session; last feedback is not
mandatory.)
Summary: Your learning flow
What happens if you cannot attend to a tutorial?
Course material
Weekly slides: Exam material (Most important!)
Book: Exam material (Make sure to find the right edition)
Case centre: Not exam material (only for tutorial preparation, except the first week)
Assignments
1 individual (bonus) personal assignment
+
4 group assignments (starting from week 2) – will be posted every week
Thursday morning on Canvas
All details will be discussed in your first tutorial session
Use of ChatGPT in the assignment
According to the UvA's fraud and plagiarism regulations (as outlined in the paragraph below),
it is strictly prohibited to use ChatGPT for answering assignment questions. Further details on
this policy can be found in the link below.
→ In case an inappropriate use detected, the assignment (i.e., for all group members) will be
,graded as 1 (fail).
An action will also be taken and the instance will be reported to the Examination Board.
https://student.uva.nl/en/topics/chatgpt-and-your-studies
“Assignments that you didn’t write yourself may be deemed fraudulent
The UvA’s fraud and plagiarism regulations state that lecturers must be able to assess a
student’s knowledge, insight and skills. We therefore expect students to write everything
they submit themselves. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, the use of AI tools such as
ChatGPT is therefore not permitted. Consequently, submitting assignments that you didn’t
write yourself may be deemed fraudulent. In cases of fraud, the UvA will take strict action.
Course practicalities – The final course grade
Written exam (online)
* Multiple choice
* Weight: 75%
* Grade higher than 5.5
Average assignment grade
* Plus bonus (H&M case)
* Weight: 25%
* The average assignment grade can drag your overall grade below 5.5
Course practicalities – Course structure
For a more detailed course structure and practicalities, please go to Canvas (Homepage) and
check the Course Description (Syllabus) and
→ Feel free to post your remaining general questions:
→ Canvas → Discussions → General discussion board
Introduction to strategic management (Chapter 1)
What is strategy
Origin: strategos (Greek): “the leader or commander of an army”
Definition of strategy: orchestrated, unified, integrated, and purposeful set of
objectives activities achieve choices, commitments, and activities directed at
achieving and sustaining above average performance.
outperforming the market.
Strategic management: the formulation + execution of strategy
Goals, objectives, long-term, competitors, execution, creation, achieve, activities
How can we achieve above average returns?
Two underlying models to achieve above-average returns
I/O Model (outside-in)
Industrial organizational model
, * Assumptions: Resources are mobile, rational decision-making, firm strategies are
similar in nature
It can be copied
Resource-based model (inside-out)
* Assumptions: Heterogeneous firm resources, immobile resources, rational decision-
making.
Read market opportunities, human resources are importan
Strategy vs. tactics
Strategy
* High-level
* Long-term
* E.g., Ryanair decides to be a low-cost airline
Tactics
* Operational
* Short-term
* E.g., Ryanair charges extra’s (for luggage, seat, etc.)
Lecture 1 Introduction to Strategic management
and a firm’s environment
Today’s session
Introduction to our class
This week’s content
Learning goals
After completion of the course, you will be able to:
recognize basic strategic problems in practical situations;
analyze the external and internal environment of an organization at the business and
the corporate level;
explain how organizations can develop strategies to effectively deal with the
demands of the contemporary business environment;
resolve basic strategic problems in practical situations.
Communication rules
Always check course outline and canvas first!
If you cannot find the answer to your question, contact us:
* Specific questions about your workgroup, attendance and assignments: → your
corresponding workgroup lecturer.
* Contact info: For general questions: course coordinator () If you
cannot find the answer to your question, contact us:
Professionalism and etiquette
Although we strive for a friendly and stimulating environment, make sure to maintain
professionalism at all times!
Follow professional etiquette in your emails or any other communication channels.
Image Source
Dear XXX, …. …. Best wishes/ Kind regards/ etc. Name
Course practicalities – Course structure
Mondays: Content lectures
* 6 plenary lectures
* Format: In-person only!
* Attendance: Non-mandatory
Thursdays or Fridays: Tutorials
* Case studies: 5 cases + 1 feedback lecture
* Format: In-person only!
, * Attendance: Mandatory (can only miss one case session; last feedback is not
mandatory.)
Summary: Your learning flow
What happens if you cannot attend to a tutorial?
Course material
Weekly slides: Exam material (Most important!)
Book: Exam material (Make sure to find the right edition)
Case centre: Not exam material (only for tutorial preparation, except the first week)
Assignments
1 individual (bonus) personal assignment
+
4 group assignments (starting from week 2) – will be posted every week
Thursday morning on Canvas
All details will be discussed in your first tutorial session
Use of ChatGPT in the assignment
According to the UvA's fraud and plagiarism regulations (as outlined in the paragraph below),
it is strictly prohibited to use ChatGPT for answering assignment questions. Further details on
this policy can be found in the link below.
→ In case an inappropriate use detected, the assignment (i.e., for all group members) will be
,graded as 1 (fail).
An action will also be taken and the instance will be reported to the Examination Board.
https://student.uva.nl/en/topics/chatgpt-and-your-studies
“Assignments that you didn’t write yourself may be deemed fraudulent
The UvA’s fraud and plagiarism regulations state that lecturers must be able to assess a
student’s knowledge, insight and skills. We therefore expect students to write everything
they submit themselves. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, the use of AI tools such as
ChatGPT is therefore not permitted. Consequently, submitting assignments that you didn’t
write yourself may be deemed fraudulent. In cases of fraud, the UvA will take strict action.
Course practicalities – The final course grade
Written exam (online)
* Multiple choice
* Weight: 75%
* Grade higher than 5.5
Average assignment grade
* Plus bonus (H&M case)
* Weight: 25%
* The average assignment grade can drag your overall grade below 5.5
Course practicalities – Course structure
For a more detailed course structure and practicalities, please go to Canvas (Homepage) and
check the Course Description (Syllabus) and
→ Feel free to post your remaining general questions:
→ Canvas → Discussions → General discussion board
Introduction to strategic management (Chapter 1)
What is strategy
Origin: strategos (Greek): “the leader or commander of an army”
Definition of strategy: orchestrated, unified, integrated, and purposeful set of
objectives activities achieve choices, commitments, and activities directed at
achieving and sustaining above average performance.
outperforming the market.
Strategic management: the formulation + execution of strategy
Goals, objectives, long-term, competitors, execution, creation, achieve, activities
How can we achieve above average returns?
Two underlying models to achieve above-average returns
I/O Model (outside-in)
Industrial organizational model
, * Assumptions: Resources are mobile, rational decision-making, firm strategies are
similar in nature
It can be copied
Resource-based model (inside-out)
* Assumptions: Heterogeneous firm resources, immobile resources, rational decision-
making.
Read market opportunities, human resources are importan
Strategy vs. tactics
Strategy
* High-level
* Long-term
* E.g., Ryanair decides to be a low-cost airline
Tactics
* Operational
* Short-term
* E.g., Ryanair charges extra’s (for luggage, seat, etc.)
