Summary Strategic Management
Prof: Peter Verhezen
Gabriel Gonzalez-Lopez
2025 - 2026
1
,Theme 1: What is strategy ? 6
Case Study: Net ix 6
The Quest for Competitive Advantage 6
The Evolving Nature of Strategy: Deliberate vs. Emergent 7
Business = Value Creation 7
What is Strategy About? 8
Ingredients of Success: Case Studies 9
Levers of Leadership In uence: The Value Chain 10
Financial Metrics and Performance 10
Strategic Curve & Keys to Creating Value 11
Theme 2: Purpose, Leadership & Industry Analysis 13
Stage 1: Developing a Strategic Vision, Mission, and Core Values 13
Stage 2: Setting Objectives 14
Stage 3: The Strategy-Making Hierarchy 14
Stage 4: Executing the Strategy 15
Who is Involved in Strategy Making? 15
Competitive Advantage 16
Industry Evolution 17
Management vs. Leadership 17
The Macro Environment 17
Analyzing the Industry: Porter's 5 Forces 18
Structural Determinants & Formula 20
Case Study: Gucci 20
Case Study: Ryanair 21
Theme 3: Internal Analysis & Competitive Advantage 23
Evaluating a Firm’s Internal Situation 23
Resources and Capabilities 23
Identifying Capabilities & Business Strategy 24
Strategic Tools: SWOT & 7-S Model 24
Resource and Capability Analysis: VRIO Framework 25
"Strategitizing" Distinctive Capabilities 26
CASE STUDY: Ducati vs. Harley Davidson 27
EXTRA CASE: Yamaha 28
Theme 4: Competitive Advantage through Positioning 29
The Product O ering: Industries, Markets, and Businesses 29
Competitive Advantage & Generic Strategies (Michael Porter) 30
Drivers of Competitive Advantage 31
2
ff fl fl
, Gaining Competitive Advantage: Overview 31
Segmentation and Focus 32
Theme 5: Blue Ocean Strategy & Non-Disruptive Innovation 37
Positioning vs. Reconstructing (The Perspectives) 37
The Principles of Blue Ocean Strategy 38
Shifting the Focus of Strategy 39
The Four Actions Framework (ERRC Grid) 39
Choosing the Right Strategic Approach 40
Strategic Case Studies 40
Non-Disruptive Strategic Innovation 42
Theme 6: Game Changing Innovation 43
Introduction: Growth Driven by Innovation 43
IBM Case: Innovate or Die 44
First Mover Advantage & E-Commerce 45
Strategic Innovation: What, Why, Who, Where & How 45
"A Job to be Done" (Value Innovation) 45
Digital Innovation & The Internet of Things (IoT) 47
Arti cial Intelligence (AI) & Big Data 48
Smart Decision Making: Human vs. Machine 49
The "Dark Side" of AI (Risks & Ethics) 49
Leadership & Culture in Industry 4.0 50
Theme 7: A Global Strategy for International Expansion 51
Global Expansion’s Di cult Middle Ground 51
Why Companies Decide to Enter Foreign Markets 51
The Diamond of National Comparative Advantage (Michael Porter) 51
Locating Value Chain Activities 52
The Impact of Government Policies and Economic Conditions 52
The Risks of Adverse Exchange Rate Shifts 53
Cross-Country Di erences: Cultural and Market Conditions 53
Strategic Options for Entering International Markets 54
Competing Internationally: The Three Main Strategic Approaches 55
The Quest for Competitive Advantage in the International Arena 55
International Composition 56
Theme 8: A Corporate Strategy Beyond Strategic Units 57
Introduction: The Concept of Corporate Strategy 57
The Scope of Operations 57
Horizontal M&A Strategies 58
3
fi ff ffi
, Vertical Integration Strategies 58
Strategic Alliances & Partnerships 59
Creating Value in a Diversi ed Firm 59
The Corporate Center 60
Portfolio Analysis 61
Di erentiation vs. Diversi cation 62
Building Shareholder Value: The 3 Tests 62
Choosing a Diversi cation Path: Related vs. Unrelated 62
Case Study: Walt Disney 63
Theme 9: Making a Strategy Work – Governance, Ethics & Sustainability 64
Trends in Strategy: The Accountability & Responsibility of a Firm 64
Sustainability & Business Ethics 65
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) 66
Circular Strategy & Business Models 67
Responsible Leadership: From Smart to Wise 67
Value Creation through ESG 67
Investing, Materiality, and Reporting 68
Performance and Strategy 69
Strategy and Society: Creating Shared Value 70
Corporate Governance 71
Theme 10: Strategy in Turbulent Times 71
Overview: Strategies & Competitive Advantage 71
Rethinking Competition & Collaboration in Turbulent Times 72
What is a "Good" Strategy? 72
Strategy in Turbulent Times: Ambidexterity 73
Case Study: The Rumble in the Jungle 73
Case Study: Two Routes to Resilience (Barnes & Noble vs. Amazon) 74
Game Theory & Strategy 74
Game Changers: Escaping the Prisoner's Dilemma 76
Collaboration: An Evolutionary Perspective 76
Human Development: The "Stress" Test 78
Selling Your Strategy (Leadership) 78
4
ff
fi fi fi
Prof: Peter Verhezen
Gabriel Gonzalez-Lopez
2025 - 2026
1
,Theme 1: What is strategy ? 6
Case Study: Net ix 6
The Quest for Competitive Advantage 6
The Evolving Nature of Strategy: Deliberate vs. Emergent 7
Business = Value Creation 7
What is Strategy About? 8
Ingredients of Success: Case Studies 9
Levers of Leadership In uence: The Value Chain 10
Financial Metrics and Performance 10
Strategic Curve & Keys to Creating Value 11
Theme 2: Purpose, Leadership & Industry Analysis 13
Stage 1: Developing a Strategic Vision, Mission, and Core Values 13
Stage 2: Setting Objectives 14
Stage 3: The Strategy-Making Hierarchy 14
Stage 4: Executing the Strategy 15
Who is Involved in Strategy Making? 15
Competitive Advantage 16
Industry Evolution 17
Management vs. Leadership 17
The Macro Environment 17
Analyzing the Industry: Porter's 5 Forces 18
Structural Determinants & Formula 20
Case Study: Gucci 20
Case Study: Ryanair 21
Theme 3: Internal Analysis & Competitive Advantage 23
Evaluating a Firm’s Internal Situation 23
Resources and Capabilities 23
Identifying Capabilities & Business Strategy 24
Strategic Tools: SWOT & 7-S Model 24
Resource and Capability Analysis: VRIO Framework 25
"Strategitizing" Distinctive Capabilities 26
CASE STUDY: Ducati vs. Harley Davidson 27
EXTRA CASE: Yamaha 28
Theme 4: Competitive Advantage through Positioning 29
The Product O ering: Industries, Markets, and Businesses 29
Competitive Advantage & Generic Strategies (Michael Porter) 30
Drivers of Competitive Advantage 31
2
ff fl fl
, Gaining Competitive Advantage: Overview 31
Segmentation and Focus 32
Theme 5: Blue Ocean Strategy & Non-Disruptive Innovation 37
Positioning vs. Reconstructing (The Perspectives) 37
The Principles of Blue Ocean Strategy 38
Shifting the Focus of Strategy 39
The Four Actions Framework (ERRC Grid) 39
Choosing the Right Strategic Approach 40
Strategic Case Studies 40
Non-Disruptive Strategic Innovation 42
Theme 6: Game Changing Innovation 43
Introduction: Growth Driven by Innovation 43
IBM Case: Innovate or Die 44
First Mover Advantage & E-Commerce 45
Strategic Innovation: What, Why, Who, Where & How 45
"A Job to be Done" (Value Innovation) 45
Digital Innovation & The Internet of Things (IoT) 47
Arti cial Intelligence (AI) & Big Data 48
Smart Decision Making: Human vs. Machine 49
The "Dark Side" of AI (Risks & Ethics) 49
Leadership & Culture in Industry 4.0 50
Theme 7: A Global Strategy for International Expansion 51
Global Expansion’s Di cult Middle Ground 51
Why Companies Decide to Enter Foreign Markets 51
The Diamond of National Comparative Advantage (Michael Porter) 51
Locating Value Chain Activities 52
The Impact of Government Policies and Economic Conditions 52
The Risks of Adverse Exchange Rate Shifts 53
Cross-Country Di erences: Cultural and Market Conditions 53
Strategic Options for Entering International Markets 54
Competing Internationally: The Three Main Strategic Approaches 55
The Quest for Competitive Advantage in the International Arena 55
International Composition 56
Theme 8: A Corporate Strategy Beyond Strategic Units 57
Introduction: The Concept of Corporate Strategy 57
The Scope of Operations 57
Horizontal M&A Strategies 58
3
fi ff ffi
, Vertical Integration Strategies 58
Strategic Alliances & Partnerships 59
Creating Value in a Diversi ed Firm 59
The Corporate Center 60
Portfolio Analysis 61
Di erentiation vs. Diversi cation 62
Building Shareholder Value: The 3 Tests 62
Choosing a Diversi cation Path: Related vs. Unrelated 62
Case Study: Walt Disney 63
Theme 9: Making a Strategy Work – Governance, Ethics & Sustainability 64
Trends in Strategy: The Accountability & Responsibility of a Firm 64
Sustainability & Business Ethics 65
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) 66
Circular Strategy & Business Models 67
Responsible Leadership: From Smart to Wise 67
Value Creation through ESG 67
Investing, Materiality, and Reporting 68
Performance and Strategy 69
Strategy and Society: Creating Shared Value 70
Corporate Governance 71
Theme 10: Strategy in Turbulent Times 71
Overview: Strategies & Competitive Advantage 71
Rethinking Competition & Collaboration in Turbulent Times 72
What is a "Good" Strategy? 72
Strategy in Turbulent Times: Ambidexterity 73
Case Study: The Rumble in the Jungle 73
Case Study: Two Routes to Resilience (Barnes & Noble vs. Amazon) 74
Game Theory & Strategy 74
Game Changers: Escaping the Prisoner's Dilemma 76
Collaboration: An Evolutionary Perspective 76
Human Development: The "Stress" Test 78
Selling Your Strategy (Leadership) 78
4
ff
fi fi fi
