This course focuses on selected theories, concepts, and tools of strategic management in multibusiness firms (i.e. corporate strategy). In contrast to business strategy, which focuses on the creation and capturing of competitive advantage at the business-unit level, corporate-level strategy deals with the challenge of designing a portfolio of businesses and managing it in a way that adds value to the overall firm. In this course, we address the fundamental challenges of corporate strategy, including:

  1. Basic theories and concepts of corporate strategy
  2. Strategic analysis at the corporate level: shareholder vs. stakeholder approach
  3. Strategy formulation and selection at the corporate level: portfolio planning (incl. vertical integration, diversification, mergers, acquisitions, cooperation)
  4. Strategy implementation at the corporate level: roles and instruments of the corporate center

In addition, we will highlight numerous real-world case studies that will shed specific light on selected challenges of corporate strategy. 

This course is offered in the spring term.