Mastering Strategic Thinking: A Systematic Approach to Business Problem-Solving

Abstract

MODULE 1 - Get your THINKING right Before we get into the nitty gritty of actual strategic management and analysis, it is valuable to cover some topics about thinking, analysis, and solving problems. Strategic Management, as an activity, is all about this…being analytical to examine and understand a business (or business unit), diagnose cause and effect relationships that explain the good or bad performance status, and then using that to develop a prioritized and specific recommendation for how to improve the performance. Learning Objectives: Learn or enhance your understanding of concepts and behaviors related to critical thinking Learn and apply a systematic process for problem solving Understand strategic management as a process leading to selection of probabilistic decisions to improve long-term performance Understand systems-thinking and how it applies to a business enterprise Understand the purpose, nature, and scope of strategic management Learn and demonstrate an understanding of how to craft a logical argument INSTRUCTIONS: Read and study the Module 1 Reading located in the Module 1 folder (in Files Directory). Watch the following videos (go to the Panopto tab in Sakai). Pay attention to these…take notes…don’t just let your eyeballs watch – learn. You can watch these as many times as you like. - A Process for Solving Problems - The Five Whys technique for identifying the Root Cause - Argumentation in Strategic Management The slides that go with this video are located in the Module 1 folder. I suggest you print them out and use as a guide for taking notes as you watch the video Take the QUIZ on the videos and reading. (See Tests and Quizzes tab in Sakai). The quiz has seven questions worth a total of 10 points. You have 1 hour per attempt and you have two attempts. Keep a written note of how...