Diagnose
Read the whole system
Move from industry conditions and resources to corporate scope, governance and global change.
PGDM · Strategic Management2025–27 · Term 3 · 3 credits
Strategy,end to end.
Twenty linked sessions move from competitive foundations to corporate scope, execution and global change, then test the whole system against original field evidence.
The course moves from diagnosis and strategic choice to a recommendation that can be implemented.
PGDM teaching in practice
Strategy develops through sustained attention, challenge and cumulative practice.
- 90-minute sessions
- 20
- contact hours
- 30
- programme outcomes
- 7
- marks across five signals
- 100
Worth asking
Strategy begins where the obvious answer stops.
If the founder scores your recommendation a 3 out of 10, does that disprove your analysis—or just reveal a founder defending the status quo?
Would your recommendation survive competitors, regulators, and employees actually reacting to it?
01 / Course profile
From competitive position to coordinated action.
Strategic Management develops the analytical tools and managerial perspective to read environments, evaluate resources, choose scope and implement coherent strategy in dynamic markets.
- Course code
- PGDM-2025-27-T3-SM
- Instructor
- Dr. Swapnil Sahoo
- Programme / term
- PGDM 2025–27 · Term 3
- Credit value
- 3 credits
- Contact design
- 20 × 1.5 hours
- Prerequisite
- All core business requirements, including operations, accounting, marketing, OB, leadership and communication
Design
Build the strategic choice
Choose a position, configure activities and decide how the firm will own, ally, acquire or adapt.
Deliver
Convert intent into action
Tie recommendations to evidence, implementation mode, stakeholder response and a practical timeline.
02 / The strategic pathway
Five stages across twenty sessions.
The course widens its focus in stages: from industry and competitive advantage to corporate scope, execution and global change.
Sessions 01—04
Read the arena
What is strategy—and what shapes the competitive system?
Cases · Tesla
- Purpose & value
- Industry structure
- Ecosystems & uncertainty
Sessions 05—09
Build advantage
What can the firm do distinctively—and can rivals catch it?
Cases · Patagonia · NVIDIA
- Resources & value chains
- Positioning
- Technology & innovation
Sessions 10—14
Design the corporation
Where should the firm participate—and how should it create shared value?
Cases · Amazon · Tata Group
- Corporate scope
- Integration
- Diversification & parenting
Sessions 15—17
Choose the execution mode
How should strategy move from intent to coordinated action?
Cases · Amazon 2025
- Portfolio governance
- M&A
- Joint ventures & alliances
Sessions 18—20
Compete through change
How do firms internationalize, evolve and redesign managerial work?
Cases · Rajesh Exports
- Globalization
- Industry evolution
- Future of management
03 / Complete session plan
The entire course, session by session.
Every 90-minute session below follows the supplied teaching plan, including topics, cases and assigned preparation.
01Session 01 · 1.5 hours
Introduction to Strategy
Session 01 · 1.5 hours
Introduction to Strategy
Topics & coverage
- What is strategy?
- Why do firms need it?
- How is strategy made?
Readings & references
- 01Case · Tesla (HBR)
- 02Porter, M. E. (1996). What Is Strategy? Harvard Business Review.
- 03Mintzberg, H. (1987). Crafting Strategy. Harvard Business Review.
02Session 02 · 1.5 hours
Framework for Strategic Analysis
Session 02 · 1.5 hours
Framework for Strategic Analysis
Topics & coverage
- Vision–Mission–Strategy / Purpose–Values–Strategy
- Strategy as a quest for value
Readings & references
- 01Case · Tesla (HBR)
- 02Kaplan, R. S., & Norton, D. P. Developing the Strategy—Vision, Value Gaps, and Analysis.
- 03Operations in an Era of Radical Uncertainty.
03Session 03 · 1.5 hours
Industry Analysis: The Fundamentals
Session 03 · 1.5 hours
Industry Analysis: The Fundamentals
Topics & coverage
- Analysis of the external environment of business
- Porter’s Five (six) Forces
Readings & references
- 01Case · Tesla (MIT)
- 02Porter, M. E. (2008). The Five Competitive Forces That Shape Strategy. Harvard Business Review.
- 03Porter, M. E. (1983). Note on the Structural Analysis of Industries.
04Session 04 · 1.5 hours
Beyond the Five Forces
Session 04 · 1.5 hours
Beyond the Five Forces
Topics & coverage
- Ecosystems and business models
- Game theory and competitor analysis
Readings & references
- 01Case · Tesla (MIT)
- 02Video · Selected videos on Steve Jobs
- 03Courtney, H., Kirkland, J., & Viguerie, P. Strategy Under Uncertainty.
05Session 05 · 1.5 hours
Internal Analysis & Resource-Based View
Session 05 · 1.5 hours
Internal Analysis & Resource-Based View
Topics & coverage
- Internal analysis of the company
- SWOT analysis
- Value chain analysis
- Resource-based view of the firm
Readings & references
- 01Case · Patagonia (HBR)
- 02Collis, D. J., & Montgomery, C. A. (1995). Competing on Resources. Harvard Business Review.
- 03Porter, M. E. From Competitive Advantage to Corporate Strategy.
06Session 06 · 1.5 hours
Creating Competitive Advantage
Session 06 · 1.5 hours
Creating Competitive Advantage
Topics & coverage
- How a firm creates competitive advantage
- External sources of competitive advantage
- Internal sources of competitive advantage
Readings & references
- 01Case · Patagonia (HBR)
- 02Ghemawat, P., & Rivkin, J. W. (1998). Creating Competitive Advantage.
- 03Bennett, N., & Lemoine, G. J. What VUCA Really Means for You.
07Session 07 · 1.5 hours
Sustaining Competitive Advantage
Session 07 · 1.5 hours
Sustaining Competitive Advantage
Topics & coverage
- How competitive advantage is sustained
- Deterrence and preemption
Readings & references
- 01Case · Patagonia (HBR)
- 02Ghemawat, P., & Pisano, G. P. (1997). Sustaining Superior Performance: Commitments and Capabilities.
08Session 08 · 1.5 hours
Differentiation & Cost Leadership
Session 08 · 1.5 hours
Differentiation & Cost Leadership
Topics & coverage
- Generic strategies
- Low-cost strategy
- Differentiation and focus strategies
Readings & references
- 01Case · NVIDIA (HBR)
- 02Eisenmann et al. (2006). Strategies for Two-Sided Markets.
09Session 09 · 1.5 hours
Managing Technology & Innovation
Session 09 · 1.5 hours
Managing Technology & Innovation
Topics & coverage
- Application of technology
- Innovation-led strategy formulation
Readings & references
- 01Case · NVIDIA (HBR)
- 02Kim, W. C., & Mauborgne, R. A. (2004). Blue Ocean Strategy. Harvard Business Review.
10Session 10 · 1.5 hours
Introduction to Corporate Strategy
Session 10 · 1.5 hours
Introduction to Corporate Strategy
Topics & coverage
- Portfolio approach, synergy approach and core competencies
- Transaction costs and the scope of the firm
Readings & references
- 01Case · Amazon (HBR)
- 02Porter, M. E. (1987). From Competitive Advantage to Corporate Strategy. Harvard Business Review.
11Session 11 · 1.5 hours
Vertical Integration
Session 11 · 1.5 hours
Vertical Integration
Topics & coverage
- Portfolio approach, synergy approach and core competencies
- Transaction costs and the scope of the firm
Readings & references
- 01Case · Amazon (HBR)
- 02Osegowitsch, T., & Madhok, A. (2003). Vertical Integration Is Dead, or Is It? Business Horizons.
12Session 12 · 1.5 hours
Global Strategy & MNC
Session 12 · 1.5 hours
Global Strategy & MNC
Topics & coverage
- Competitive advantage in an international context
- Global integration versus national differentiation
Readings & references
- 01Case · Creating Corporate Advantage: The Case of the Tata Group
- 02Goold, M., & Campbell, A. (1993). Why Diversify? Four Decades of Management Thinking.
13Session 13 · 1.5 hours
Diversification Strategies
Session 13 · 1.5 hours
Diversification Strategies
Topics & coverage
- Motives for diversification
- Competitive advantage from diversification
Readings & references
- 01Case · Creating Corporate Advantage: The Case of the Tata Group
- 02Goold, M., & Campbell, A. (1993). Why Diversify? Four Decades of Management Thinking.
14Session 14 · 1.5 hours
Business Groups: Corporate Parenting Advantage
Session 14 · 1.5 hours
Business Groups: Corporate Parenting Advantage
Topics & coverage
- Managing the multi-business firm
- Managing linkages across businesses
Readings & references
- 01Case · Creating Corporate Advantage: The Case of the Tata Group
- 02Ramachandran, J., Manikandan, K. S., & Pant, A. (2013). Why Conglomerates Thrive. Harvard Business Review.
15Session 15 · 1.5 hours
Strategy Implementation
Session 15 · 1.5 hours
Strategy Implementation
Topics & coverage
- Governance of multi-business corporations
- Managing the corporate portfolio
- Managing individual businesses
Readings & references
- 01Case · Amazon (HBR, 2025)
- 02Mankins, M. C., & Steele, R. (2005). Turning Great Strategy into Great Performance. Harvard Business Review.
16Session 16 · 1.5 hours
Implementation Mode: Mergers & Acquisitions
Session 16 · 1.5 hours
Implementation Mode: Mergers & Acquisitions
Topics & coverage
- The pattern of M&A activity
- Are mergers successful?
- Motives for mergers and acquisitions
Readings & references
- 01Case · Amazon (HBR, 2025)
- 02Kaplan, S. N. Mergers and Acquisitions: A Financial Economics Perspective. University of Chicago.
17Session 17 · 1.5 hours
Implementation Mode: Joint Ventures & Strategic Alliances
Session 17 · 1.5 hours
Implementation Mode: Joint Ventures & Strategic Alliances
Topics & coverage
- Motives for joint ventures and alliances
- Managing strategic alliances
Readings & references
- 01Case · Amazon (HBR, 2025)
- 02Dyer, J. H., Kale, P., Singh, H., & Singh, H. (2004). When to Ally and When to Acquire. Harvard Business Review.
18Session 18 · 1.5 hours
Internationalization & Globalization Strategy
Session 18 · 1.5 hours
Internationalization & Globalization Strategy
Topics & coverage
- Globalization and strategy: foundational concepts
Readings & references
- 01Case · Rajesh Exports: Gold Trader to International Jewellery Retailer
- 02Porter, M. E. (1990). The Competitive Advantage of Nations. Harvard Business Review.
19Session 19 · 1.5 hours
Industry Evolution & Strategic Change
Session 19 · 1.5 hours
Industry Evolution & Strategic Change
Topics & coverage
- Emerging multinationals: special challenges
Readings & references
- 01Case · Rajesh Exports: Gold Trader to International Jewellery Retailer
- 02Khanna, T., & Palepu, K. (2009). Emerging Giants. Harvard Business Review.
20Session 20 · 1.5 hours
Current Trends in Strategic Management
Session 20 · 1.5 hours
Current Trends in Strategic Management
Topics & coverage
- Redesigning organizations
- The changing role of managers
Readings & references
- 01The Future of Work. The Economist.
- 02Hamel, G. The Future of Management.
04 / Learning methodology
A workshop with seminar discipline.
Learners lead discussion from mandatory papers, cases and current evidence. The instructor adds only the theory needed to sharpen the decision.[2][7]
- Classroom lecture and discussion across the core text, references and videos.
- Case analyses spanning Tesla, Patagonia, NVIDIA, Amazon, Tata Group and Rajesh Exports.
- One quiz per session, case exercises, a group field project, midterm and end-term exams.
- Independent literature search that extends mandatory preparation.
Tentative deliverable timeline
Five milestones, each building on the evidence before it.
- By Session 1001
Reflection Paper 1
Handwritten submission
- Before Session 1102
Midterm exam
Concepts, analysis and decisions
- By Session 1603
Field analysis
Recommendations submitted and emailed to the founder or CEO
- By Session 1804
Reflection Paper 2
Handwritten submission
- After Session 2005
End-term exam
Cumulative strategic judgment
The schedule is tentative. The course brief separately describes reflection checkpoints at the ends of Sessions 10 and 20; instructor communication governs final timing.
Learning in public
Teams turn analysis into a position they can defend.
The two-year journey creates room to revisit assumptions, integrate functional perspectives and communicate a recommendation before peers, faculty and external reviewers.
05 / Signature field lab
Primary evidence or it does not count.
Teams of up to six study a real company through a live founder, CXO or core-team interview. Websites and reports may provide context, but marks depend on the originality and depth of primary evidence.
25 marksNo email-only interviewsNo secondary-data-only projects
Select
Choose a startup or regular company, preferably under 10–15 years old.
Interview
Conduct a live, in-depth founder, CXO or core-team conversation.
Analyse
Apply course frameworks to original evidence, decisions and evolution.
Return
Email practical recommendations and request a 1–10 relevance rating.
Primary evidence
Audio/video or detailed interview notes and transcript
Strategic analysis
A focused 5–7 page report
Executive synthesis
A presentation of up to 10 slides
Individual meaning
A 150-word handwritten reflection from every member
Appendix 1 · Complete project guide
Report structure, interview protocol, email template and submission rules.
06 / Interview question bank
A bank of 58 field-interview questions.
The interview bank spans resourcefulness, effectuation, dynamic capabilities, frugal innovation, entrepreneurial orientation, stakeholders and performance. Use it as a diagnostic menu—not a mechanical questionnaire.
Questions 01—07
Resource constraints & bricolage
Questions 01—07
Resource constraints & bricolage
- 01When you initiated your venture, what were the most significant resource constraints you encountered—limited funding, skills, technology or market access?
- 02Describe a situation where you had to creatively “make do” with only the resources immediately available. What did you repurpose and adapt?
- 03How have your personal experiences, professional background or specialized skills helped overcome a challenge or create an opportunity?
- 04How have social networks, relationships or community connections helped you access resources otherwise unavailable?
- 05Have you combined seemingly disparate assets, ideas or waste materials to develop a novel solution, product or service?
- 06How has your approach to acquiring and using resources evolved as the company grew or faced new environmental pressure?
- 07What role does improvisation play in your problem-solving culture when circumstances or resource limits are unexpected?
Questions 08—13
Effectuation & uncertainty
Questions 08—13
Effectuation & uncertainty
- 08Did you begin with a rigid long-term plan, or did your vision and goals evolve as you learned and adapted?
- 09How did you use the resources, skills and networks you already possessed to take the first concrete steps?
- 10Describe an unexpected challenge, setback or mistake. How did you respond, and did it create a new opportunity or pivot?
- 11When committing time, money or effort, did you focus on potential gain or on what you were prepared to lose?
- 12How have formal or informal collaborations changed the trajectory or resource base of the business?
- 13How do you manage uncertainty? Do your actions shape future opportunities, or are you more reactive to external forces?
Questions 14—19
Dynamic capabilities
Questions 14—19
Dynamic capabilities
- 14How does the company systematically identify emerging opportunities or threats such as technologies, customer shifts or competitor moves?
- 15Describe a successful response to a major market disruption or technological shift. Which internal routines enabled it?
- 16Once an opportunity is identified, how do you mobilize internal talent and knowledge plus external funding and partnerships?
- 17How do structure, routines and skills stay agile and aligned with the market? When did you last reconfigure operations or the business model?
- 18Which routines support continuous learning from market feedback, successful initiatives and failures?
- 19How do you balance exploitation of existing competencies and products with exploration of new opportunities?
Questions 20—31
Frugal innovation & jugaad
Questions 20—31
Frugal innovation & jugaad
- 20Who are the primary target customers, and which unmet needs or problems does the product or service address?
- 21How did you lower cost relative to alternatives while still meeting customer expectations?
- 22Which features or complexities did you remove or simplify, and why were they non-essential?
- 23How did you ensure adequate performance for the intended purpose and local conditions despite cost reductions?
- 24How did resource constraints influence innovation, and did they unexpectedly produce more creative solutions?
- 25How does the innovation embody the principle of doing more with less?
- 26Describe an improvised or makeshift solution created because conventional resources or methods were unavailable.
- 27How did you transform a specific scarcity—capital, infrastructure or specialised labour—into an innovation opportunity?
- 28Was the primary motivation a cheaper alternative, an underserved segment or something else?
- 29How important were simplicity and affordability, and which design, production or delivery choices achieved them?
- 30How have local resources, unconventional methods or existing technologies been recombined to create customer value?
- 31How does the jugaad mindset—flexibility, resourcefulness and ingenuity—show up in culture and decisions?
Questions 32—43
Entrepreneurial orientation & creativity
Questions 32—43
Entrepreneurial orientation & creativity
- 32How does the company support novel ideas, experimentation and new products, services or processes?
- 33Describe an emerging opportunity the company pursued before the trend became obvious.
- 34How are the risks of new ventures managed? Describe a bold decision and the reasoning behind it.
- 35How does culture support or hinder innovation, proactiveness and risk-taking?
- 36How do you balance stability and efficiency with exploration and calculated risk?
- 37How does compensation or recognition encourage—or discourage—sensible risk and innovation?
- 38Describe a truly novel idea that significantly changed the business direction or offering.
- 39Which practices foster creative thinking when the problem is complex?
- 40How do you approach a problem with no obvious solution and connect seemingly unrelated concepts?
- 41How are novel ideas implemented and brought to market despite difficulties?
- 42How do personal background, experience or cognitive strengths help you see opportunities others miss?
- 43Describe a constraint that unexpectedly spurred a highly creative solution.
Questions 44—50
Stakeholder strategy
Questions 44—50
Stakeholder strategy
- 44Who are the most critical stakeholders, especially early on—customers, employees, investors, suppliers, community or government?
- 45How did you engage those stakeholders to secure funding, talent, partnerships or market access?
- 46Describe a time when stakeholder expectations conflicted. How did you navigate the tension?
- 47How do you build customer loyalty and advocacy beyond transactional interactions?
- 48How do you create transparency and trust with investors and employees during uncertainty or major change?
- 49How do mission and values account for the wider community or society?
- 50When has a strong stakeholder relationship created an unexpected benefit or opportunity?
Questions 51—58
Performance & current challenges
Questions 51—58
Performance & current challenges
- 51How is success defined, and which financial and non-financial metrics are tracked?
- 52What have been the main drivers of revenue and profitability over the last one to three years?
- 53Which operational indicators—customer satisfaction, delivery, quality or efficiency—matter most, and how are they improved?
- 54How do you assess the growth trajectory, and which factors have been most important to sustained growth?
- 55What is difficult about measuring performance as a startup, regular company or SME, and how have you addressed it?
- 56How is performance communicated to investors, employees, customers and other stakeholders?
- 57How have innovation, proactiveness and stakeholder engagement directly affected firm performance?
- 58What current regulatory, growth or other strategic challenges is the company facing?
07 / Evidence of learning
Five signals. One hundred marks.
100total marks
Class descriptive & objective quizzes
Embedded questionsCO1 / PO1 · 10 | CO2 / PO2 · 10
Reflection paper
RubricCO1 / PO1 · 2.5 | CO2 / PO2 · 2.5
Midterm examination
Embedded questionsCO1 / PO1 · 10 | CO2 / PO2 · 5
End-term examination
Embedded questionsCO1 / PO1 · 20 | CO2 / PO2 · 15
Field analysis: startup or regular company
RubricCO1 / PO1 · 10 | CO2 / PO2 · 15
Reflection rubric
Concepts and critical thinking carry equal weight.
50%
Concepts & frameworks
Understand and integrate tools for strategy formulation and execution.
50%
Critical thinking
Demonstrate analytical capability for strategic decision-making.
Field-project rubric
Original evidence, disciplined analysis.
40%
Framework application
Integrate strategy concepts, tools and frameworks with the company evidence.
60%
Strategic reasoning
Demonstrate conceptual, analytical and critical-thinking capability.
08 / Capability outcomes
Ten capabilities, from diagnosis to persuasion.
CO 1 builds command of formulation and execution frameworks. CO 2 develops conceptual, analytical and critical thinking for strategic decisions.
- 01
Explain the characteristics of a well-conceived strategy and formulate one for competitive advantage.
- 02
Manage the parts of a business in strategic harmony.
- 03
Assess business risk and make sound decisions from collected and analysed data.
- 04
Analyse industry structure and recommend a favourable competitive position.
- 05
Diagnose, enhance and sustain a firm’s competitive advantage.
- 06
Evaluate corporate strategy and recommend vertical and horizontal changes to firm boundaries.
- 07
Evaluate global strategy and recommend ways to improve global performance.
- 08
Complete a comprehensive company analysis with problems, solutions and an implementation timeline.
- 09
Provide a thoughtful critique of others’ arguments, analyses and evidence.
- 10
Communicate arguments coherently and persuasively.
PGDM programme outcomes
Conceptual grounding in and application of business theory.
Analytic and decision-making skills.
Socio-cultural sensitisation and ethical awareness.
Managerial and leadership skills.
Team skills.
Anticipate, strategise and adapt to global market changes.
Effective oral and written communication and presentation techniques.
09 / References
Research behind the course design.
Inline citations connect the learning design to established work on strategy, the case method and assurance of learning.
- [1]Porter, M. E. (1996). What Is Strategy?. Harvard Business Review.
- [2]Harvard Business School (n.d.). The Case Method. Harvard Business School.
- [3]Porter, M. E. (2008). The Five Competitive Forces That Shape Strategy. Harvard Business Review.
- [4]Mintzberg, H. (1987). Crafting Strategy. Harvard Business Review.
- [5]Collis, D. J., & Montgomery, C. A. (1995). Competing on Resources. Harvard Business Review.
- [6]Mankins, M. C., & Steele, R. (2005). Turning Great Strategy into Great Performance. Harvard Business Review.
- [7]AACSB International (2022). 2020 Guiding Principles and Standards for Business Accreditation. AACSB International.
- [8]Rothaermel, F. T. (2024). Strategic Management, 6th edition. McGraw Hill.
Complete course reading list
Core textbook plus all 22 recommended books, cases and articles in the teaching plan.
Complete course reading list
Core textbook plus all 22 recommended books, cases and articles in the teaching plan.
- 01Rothaermel, F. T. Strategic Management (latest edition).
- 02Porter, M. E. (1980). Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors.
- 03Rumelt, R. P. (2011). Good Strategy/Bad Strategy.
- 04Collins, J. Good to Great.
- 05Christensen, C. M. The Innovator’s Dilemma.
- 06Collis, D. J., & Rukstad, M. G. (2008). Can You Say What Your Strategy Is?
- 07Campbell, A., Goold, M., & Alexander, M. (1995). Corporate Strategy: The Quest for Parenting Advantage.
- 08Case · Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy: In Search of Synergies in the Global Luxury Industry.
- 09Deighton, J. How Snapple Got Its Juice Back.
- 10Case · Eli Lilly in India: Rethinking the Joint Venture Strategy.
- 11Case · Microsoft Acquires Activision Blizzard: Beating Sony in Gaming and the Metaverse.
- 12Mergers and Acquisitions: The New Rules of Attraction. The Economist.
- 13Barton, D. (2011). Capitalism for the Long Term.
- 14Case · Creating Corporate Advantage: The Case of the Tata Group.
- 15Burgelman, R. A., & Grove, A. Strategic Dissonance.
- 16Laeven, L., & Levine, R. (2006). Is There a Diversification Discount in Financial Conglomerates?
- 17Case · Amazon Go: Venturing into Traditional Retail.
- 18Porter, M. E. The Competitive Advantage of Nations.
- 19Dewhurst, M., Harris, J., & Heywood, S. Understanding Your Globalization Penalty.
- 20Case · Coca-Cola in 2011: In Search of a New Model.
- 21Buzzell, R. D. Is Vertical Integration Profitable?
- 22Mankins, M. C., & Steele, R. Turning Great Strategy into Great Performance.
- 23Hamel, G. Moon Shots for Management?
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