GBUS 8028 Corporate Strategic Leadership: Major Concepts from Strategy Consulting                                        

Every corporation must grapple with a host of strategic issues, whether it is a start-up, or a multi-business unit corporation.  The development of a strategy-the integrated set of actions required to achieve the vision of the company-is a complex exercise that is more than a set answer at a given moment in time.  It is an on-going process, that involves many different lenses and conceptual tools.  Since corporations frame their strategic imperatives or challenges from a specific vantage point, the course explores strategy from a number of different lenses and conceptual approaches:  strategy in context-global forces; corporate and business unit strategy; scenario planning; growth; regulatory and stakeholder strategy; and interacting with boards and investors on strategy.  Both conceptual frameworks will be explored, as well as their application using cases.  The course draws upon the extensive strategy consulting experience of the faculty, who have served dozens of leading multi-national clients on strategic issues as management consultants. Scott Beardsley, dean, led McKinsey & Company’s strategy practice in EMEA, was the global leader of regulatory and stakeholder strategy, and an elected member of McKinsey’s global board of directors. Bill Huyett, a Darden graduate, led McKinsey’s corporate finance practice, was the knowledge leader of McKinsey’s corporate finance and strategy practice, and an elected member of McKinsey’s board of directors.  He is presently the CFO and EVP of Ironwood, a pharmaceutical company.  Patrick Viguerie, is the President of Innosight, a leading consulting firm, and author of the book Granularity of Growth.  Prior to that, he was the leader of McKinsey’s strategy practice in the Americas. 

Academic Course Objectives:

· Understand strategy development and execution from an executive leadership level and consider how firms can successfully address strategic issues and opportunities.

· Consider different frameworks for considering strategy across a wide range of business structures and concepts, and the application of these frameworks to strategic problems.

Elements of the Course Grade:

· Strategy memos	25%
· Participation	50%
· Final Paper	25%