Online Course | Learn Strategic Management

Learn to be a More Strategic Manager

Develop better Strategies to Optimise Future Performance.
Avoid unforeseen disasters in the management of businesses or other organisations
Bullet proof organisations by preparing for problems before they arise

Who can benefit from this course?

Anyone who needs to plan ahead for a smoother future
Managers, business owners, decision makers, coaches (business, life, sports), leaders
Students, consultants, teachers - anyone wanting to refresh or sharpen their management skills

Lesson Structure

There are 9 lessons in this course:

Nature and Scope of Strategic Management
- What is the Difference between Strategy & Strategic Management?
- The Importance Of Strategic Planning
- Mintzberg’s Five P’s
- How can you Use Mintzberg’s Approach?
- What Strategies Are There?
- Views of Strategy
- Levels of Decisions
- Strategic (Corporate) Level Decisions
- Tactical (Business) Level Decisions
- Operational (Functional) Level Decisions
- Where Do You Start?
- Analysis of your external environment and resource capabilities.
- Identify your mission statement.
- Identify a vision for the future.
- What are your core values and guiding principles?
- What are your long term goals and SMART objectives?
- An action plan with timelines.
- Develop a communication plan.
- Develop and implementation and monitoring plan.
The External Environment
- Introduction
- Why Analyse the External Environment?
- Tools of Analysis – Macro Environment
- Pestle Analysis
- Political
- Economic
- Socio-Cultural
- Technological
- Legal
- Environmental
- Porter’s Five Forces
- Bargaining Power of Suppliers
- Bargaining Power of Buyers
- Threat Of Potential New Entrants
- Threat Of Substitutes
- Extent Of Competitive Rivalry
- Competitors Review
- Competitor Profiling
- Tools of Analysis – Micro Environment
- SWOT Analysis
The Internal Environment
- Purpose of Analysing the Internal Environment
- Internal Analysis Tools
- VRIO
- McKinsey 7S Framework
- Using and Applying McKinsey’s Model
- Value Chain
- Portfolio Analysis
- Competitive Advantage
Strategic Management of Human Resources
- Human Resources
- Staff and Strategic Planning
- What is an HR Audit?
- Components of an HR audit
- Organisational Structure & Strategy
- Hierarchal
- Functional
- Horizontal (also known as Flat)
- Divisional
- Matrix
- Team Based
- Network
- Process
- Succession Planning
- Organisational Culture
- Adhocracy
- Clan
- Hierarchy
- Market
Developing a Strategic Plan
- Business Level Versus Corporate Level Strategy
- Developing a Strategy
- What Focus are you Wanting to Achieve?
- Strategy Mapping
- Finances
- Customers
- Processes
- Learning/Growth
- Choosing the Right Strategy
- Consistency
- Suitability
- Validity
- Feasibility
- Business Risk
- Attractiveness to Stakeholders
- Strategic Plan Document
- Foundation
- Competitive Advantages
- Vision
- Strategic Objectives and Organisational Goals
- Key Performance Indicators
- Resource Implications
- Implementation
- Strategy Timeline
- Evaluation before implementation
Some Initial Checks
- Resource Allocation
- Who Allocates Resources?
- Gaps In Resources
- Balanced Scorecard & Strategy Implementation
- The four perspectives
- Implementing the BSC
- Communicating the Implementation
- Evaluation
- Who Evaluates?
- What Are You Evaluating?
- What Happens After Evaluation?
- Strategy Monitoring & Control
- Creating A Control System
- Types of Control
Green Strategy and Sustainability
- Sustainability
- What is a Green Strategy?
- What do Companies Need to Consider?
- Creating a more Sustainable Business Strategy
- Assess the problem and define the objectives
- What is the organisation’s mission?
- Identify the available options
- Implementation
- Sustainability and Strategy - Areas for Concern
- Management Buy-In
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Goal Type
- Poor Monitoring
- Lack Of Investment
- Not Aligning Strategies
- Loss Of Innovation
- Missed Cost Savings
- Negative Perception
Managing Strategic Change
- What is Strategic Change?
- Why do we need Strategic Change?
- Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Change
- Impacts of Strategic Change
- What Causes the Need for Strategic Change?
- Approaches To Managing Strategic Change – Emergent and Prescriptive Tools
- Developing A Strategic Change Plan
- Sustainable Change
- Pillars of Sustainable Change
- Leadership
- Strategy
- Culture
- Structure
- Systems
- A Model for Sustainable Change
- The Prerequisite Approach
- Building Awareness
- Levels Of Motivation and Desire
- Assess Abilities
- Creating Opportunities
- Feedback
Leading Strategic Change
- Leading Strategic Change
- What is Strategic Leadership?
- Leadership and Management
- Leadership Styles
- Situational Leadership Theory
- Life Cycle of Leadership
- Contingency Theories
- Fielder
- Style Theories
- The Blake and Mouton Managerial Grid
- Informal Leadership
- Inspirational Theories
- Path Goal Theory
- Instrumental Theories
- Four Framework Leadership Model
- Limitations of Leadership Theories
- Leading Strategic Planning and Change
- Tools

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Aims

Discuss the nature and scope of Strategic Management in organisations.
Analyse the external environment that affects an organisation’s operations
Determine potential applications of strategic management to human resources in an organisation.
Determine how to develop a strategic plan.
Recommend the implementation of components of a strategic plan
Develop socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable approaches within a strategic plan
Explain how to manage strategic change.
Explain how to lead or facilitate strategic change

Developing strategy is all about thinking ahead

by being aware of tools and resources that are and will become available,
then making appropriate decisions that are focussed on achieving the long-term goals of a business or organisation.

Three key parts to strategy:

Long term goals/objectives – what is wanted to be achieved long term (3-5 years)
Courses of action – the ways in which the objectives will be achieved
Resources – what will be needed in order to successfully carry out those courses of action

Approach Strategic Planning Systematically

Throughout this course you will learn a variety of techniques that enable a well considered and systematic approach to strategic management. Strategic planning starts with an analysis of your external environment and your resources available to deal with external factors. Next you should identify your mission statement; and based on that, recognise a vision for the future.

Once you know where you are heading and your strengths and weaknesses, ask yourself "What are your Core values and guiding principles?" These are guidelines that help determine how people act, prioritise, made decisions and so on at work – you might see them referred to as values statements. These are written in order to support the meeting of your mission statement. As with the mission and vision, they need to align with the focus of your business and the strategy that is being developed. Therefore they may also be adapted over time.

Finally, ask yourself what are your long term objectives? (ie. specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely objectives).

The SMART acronym is a pattern to follow for most goals which enhances the likelihood of realising them. By asking probing questions of yourself (or colleagues) it is possible to determine the necessary elements to achieve a goal. Stating “we want to increase sales” is quite a vague goal but adopting a SMART approach it is possible to determine what this would look like. For example:

Specific – We want to increase sales by providing a more comprehensive and user-friendly website.
Measurable – We want to have 25,000 views and a sales conversion rate of 2% by the end of the new financial year.
Achievable – We will need contributors from IT, marketing and sales and someone managing the project.
Realistic – The resources are available within the organization and improving the website is a desired objective for the next year.
Timely – To allow enough time to hit the targets relating to the website it should be fully functional in its new iteration by the end of the second financial quarter.

What Next?

ENROL or Use our FREE Course Advice Service to Connect with a Tutor

ACS is an Organisational Member of the Association for Coaching (UK).

Member of Study Gold Coast Education Network.

ACS Global Partner - Affiliated with colleges in seven countries around the world.

Since 1999 ACS has been a recognised member of IARC (International Approval and Registration Centre). A non-profit quality management organisation servicing education.

UK Register of Learning Providers, UK PRN10000112

How can I start this course?

You can enrol at anytime and start the course when you are ready. Enrolments are accepted all year - students can commence study at any time. All study is self paced and ACS does not set assignment deadlines.

Please note that if a student is being assisted by someone else (e.g. an employer or government subsidy), the body offering the assistance may set deadlines. Students in such situations are advised to check with their sponsor prior to enrolling. The nominal duration of a course is approximately how long a course takes to complete. A course with a nominal duration of 100 hours is expected to take roughly 100 hours of study time to complete. However, this will vary from student to student. Short courses (eg. 100 hrs duration) should be completed within 12 months of enrolment. Certificates, Advanced Certificates and Awards (eg. over 500 hours duration) would normally be completed within 3 -5 years of enrolment. Additional fees may apply if a student requires an extended period to complete.
If a student cannot submit their assignments for 6 months to ACS, they should advise the school to avoid cancellation of their student
registration. Recommencement fees may apply.

Simply click on the ENROL OPTIONS button at the top of this screen and follow the prompts.

You can see the course price at the top of this page. Click 'enrolment options' to see any payment options available.

You can pay by Credit Card, PayPal, Afterpay or bank transfer.

Yes! We have payment plans for most courses. Click 'enrolment options' to see the available payment plans.
We also have Afterpay that will allow you to pay for your course or payment plans in four instalments (if you are in Australia).

What do I need to know before I enrol?

There are no entry requirements that you need to meet to enrol in our courses, our courses are for everyone.
If you are under 18, we need written permission from your parent/ guardian for your enrolment to continue, we can arrange that after you have enrolled.

You don’t need to purchase any additional resources to complete our courses.

We aim to teach you the essentials without you having to purchase any specific computer program.
We recommend that you have access to a word processing program, such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs, so that you can easily complete and submit your assignments.

You sure can. We are here to help you learn whatever your abilities.

Yes, if you are enrolling in a Certificate or Advanced Certificate, you might be eligible for credits if you have evidence of your previous studies or relevant experience. More information is here.

We recommend that you are able to browse websites, send emails and conduct online research. You will need to be able to type and submit your assignments.
If you have limited computer skills, we can make special arrangements for you.

This is possible, it depends on the institution. We recommend that if you would like to use our courses that you contact the institution first. Our Course Handbook is a good resource for this.

Our courses are written in English and we only have English speaking academic staff. If you can read and complete your assignments in English, our courses are ideal for you.

Our courses are designed to build knowledge, hands on skills and industry connections to help prepare you to work in the area, running your own business, professional development or as a base for further study.

This course has been designed to cover the fundamentals of the topic. It will take around 100 hours to complete, which includes your course reading, assignment work, research, practical tasks, watching videos and anything else that is contained in the course. Our short courses are a great way to do some professional development or to learn a new skill.

It’s up to you. The study hours listed in the course are a rough guide, however if you were to study a short course (100 hours) at 10 hours per week, you could finish the course in 10 weeks (just an example). Our courses are self-paced, so you can work through the courses in your own time. We recommend that you wait for your tutor to mark and return your assignment before your start your next one, so you get the benefits of their feedback.

The course consists of course notes, videos, set tasks for your practical work, online quizzes, an assignment for each lesson (that you receive feedback from your tutor from) and ends in an exam (which is optional, if would like to receive the formal award at the end), using our custom built Learning Management System - Login.Training.

Our courses are designed for adults to gain professional development and skills to further their careers and start businesses.

Our custom online learning portal allows you to conduct your learning online. There may be practical tasks that you can do offline. You have the option of downloading your course notes or print them to read later.

There is also the option to pay an additional fee for printed course notes and or USB (availability limited to location and deliverability).

Yes, if you don’t have access to the internet, you can receive the course as paper notes or on a USB stick for an additional fee. We can also make alternative arrangements for you to send your assignments to us.

We offer printed notes for an additional fee. Also, you can request your course notes on a USB stick for an additional fee.

Yes, your tutor is here to help you. Simply post any questions you have in your login.training portal or contact the office and we can pass on a message to your tutor.

We are more learning focussed, rather than assessment focussed. You have online quizzes to test your learning, written assignments and can complete an exam at the end of the course (if you want to receive your certificate). You will not receive a pass/ fail on your course work. If you need to add more details on your assignment, we will ask you to resubmit and direct you where you need to focus. If you need help, you can ask your tutor for advice in the student room.

Each module (short course) is completed with one exam.

Exams are optional, however you must sit an exam if you would like to receive a formal award. You will need to find someone who can supervise that you are sitting the exams under exams conditions. There is an additional cost of $60 incl. GST for each exam.
More information is here

There are practical components built into the course that have been designed to be achieved by anyone, anywhere. If you are unable to complete a task for any reason, you can ask your tutor for an alternative.

When you complete the course work and the exam and you will be able receive your course certificate- a Statement of Attainment. Otherwise, you can receive a Letter of Completion.

You can bundle the short courses to create your own customised learning bundle, Certificates or Advanced Certificates. More information is on this page.

Yes, our courses are built to be applicable for people living anywhere in any situation. We provide the fundamentals, and each student can apply their own unique flair for their own interests, region and circumstances with the one-on-one guidance of a tutor. There is also a bit of student directed research involved.

Employers value candidates with industry skills, knowledge, practical skills and formal learning. Our courses arm you with all of these things to help prepare you for a job or start your own business. The longer you study the more you will learn.

ACS has an arrangement with OAMPS (formerly AMP) who can arrange Professional Indemnity from Australian and New Zealand graduates across all disciplines. Ph: 1800 222 012 or email acs@oamps.com.au.

Who are ACS Distance Education?

ACS Distance Education have been educating people for over 40 years.

We are established and safe- we have been in education for over 40 years.
We are focused on developing innovative courses that are relevant to you now and what you will need to know in the future.
We are focused on helping you learn and make the most of your experience.
You can enrol at any time, you can work on your course when it suits you and at your own pace.
We are connected to many industry bodies and our staff participate in continuous improvement and learning activities to ensure that we are ahead of what learning is needed for the future.

Our courses are not accredited by the Australian Government. However many of our courses are recognised and held in high regard by many industry bodies.

Our courses are written by our staff, who all have many years experience and have qualifications in their speciality area. We have lots of academic staff who write and update our courses regularly.

How do I enrol my staff/ sponsored students?

Yes, you can do a request for a bulk enrolment and request an invoice on our Invoice Request Form

We can prepare an invoice, quote or proforma invoice. Simply complete your details on our Invoice Request form

We can arrange bulk discounts for your course enrolment, please get in touch with us to discuss your needs.

Yes, we have many students who are in locked facilities, such as prisons or hospitals. We can cater by also offering paper notes at an additional cost.

What if I have any more questions or need more information?

We can assist you to find the right course for your needs. Get in touch with us via email (admin@acs.edu.au) call on +61 7 5562 1088 or complete our course advice form.

Take a look at their testimonials here.

What if I change my mind?

Our terms and conditions of enrolment are here.

Please get in touch with studentservices@acs.edu.au if you would like to be removed from our mail list.

If you would like ACS Distance Education to delete your information at any time (whether you are a customer or a prospective customer), please contact our privacy officer and we will process this ( admin@acs.edu.au ).

If students require a reproduction of their certificate, an electronic copy can be provided at a cost of AUD$35 incl GST. Printed copies are not available.

Course Contributors

The following academics were involved in the development and/or updating of this course.

Search for a Course

How Our Courses Work

Unsure about which course
is best for you?

Free Course Counselling

Other Courses You May Like

Fitness Leaders Certificate

Permaculture I

Cat Psychology and Training

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Our Students Say

In my role within a large Aged Care Facility a great deal of my employment is spent in the area of Turf management and garden care/refurbishment. With ACS I was able to study at my own pace allowing me to put into practise and thoroughly research the subject matter broadening my knowledge and study experience further. I enjoyed the way in which the subject matter was presented as it allowed you to study each subject further, allowing for greater depth, clarity and knowledge.
Overall there are not many areas in which the course subject matter will not turn out to be invaluable, everything is covered to allow you to become successful within your own business or place of employment. A big thank you to Gavin Cole [tutor] and all at ACS. It was a pleasure to study with ACS, look forward to further study.

- Craig Ledbury