This course is part of the IBM & Darden Digital Strategy Specialization

4.7
stars
35 ratings

Jared Harris +1 more instructor

2,902 already enrolled

Offered By

IBM & Darden Digital Strategy SpecializationUniversity of Virginia Darden School Foundation

About this Course

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In this course, you will develop your ability to think strategically, analyze the competitive environment, and recommend firm positioning and value creation. We will explore the underlying theory and frameworks that provide the foundations of a successful business strategy and provide the tools you need to understand that strategy including SWOT, Competitor, Environmental, Five Forces, and Capabilities Analyses.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Course 2 of 6 in the

IBM & Darden Digital Strategy Specialization

Beginner Level

Interest or experience in digital strategy or business strategy

Approx. 5 hours to complete

English

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What you will learn

Develop your ability to think strategically, analyze the competitive environment, and recommend firm positioning and value creation

Skills you will gain

strategy
Swot Analysis
Value Proposition
Competitiveness

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Course 2 of 6 in the

IBM & Darden Digital Strategy Specialization

Beginner Level

Interest or experience in digital strategy or business strategy

Approx. 5 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructors

Instructor rating

4.5/5 (7 Ratings)

Jared Harris

Samuel L. Slover Research Chair in Business Administration

Darden School of Business

178,575 Learners

10 Courses

Michael Lenox

Senior Associate Dean and Chief Strategy Officer

Darden School of Business

387,558 Learners

21 Courses

Offered by

University of Virginia Darden School Foundation

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Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Week1

Week 1

1 hour to complete

The Strategist's Toolkit

1 hour to complete

10 videos (Total 44 min)

Week2

Week 2

2 hours to complete

Analyzing Industry Structure

In this module, we'll explore how to assess an industry's structure and how the competitive dynamics in an industry affect profitability. We'll go into depth with the five forces tool, a common and highly influential analytical framework that helps you understand key factors that shape the nature of competition in a specific industry environment. You'll get a chance to apply this tool in the Redhook case study. Enjoy analyzing!

2 hours to complete

10 videos (Total 66 min)

Week3

Week 3

1 hour to complete

Firm Capabilties

1 hour to complete

8 videos (Total 43 min)

Week4

Week 4

1 hour to complete

Competitive Position

In this module, we'll explore firms' competitive positioning relative to rivals and analyze the advantages and disadvantages of four generic competitive positions firms occupy. We'll use the easy and intuitive strategy maps tool to develop an at-a-glance communication about firm positioning. This visual approach will help spark discussion about drivers of positioning and help you determine the best approach for your firm. You will have a chance to deepen your understanding of how to utilize this tool in the Piaggio case study.

1 hour to complete

7 videos (Total 40 min)

Reviews

4.7

7 reviews

5 stars
77.77%
4 stars
19.44%
3 stars
2.77%

TOP REVIEWS FROM THE STRATEGIST'S CHALLENGE

by HFAug 31, 2022

Excellent topics and great introduction.

-1 star because questions were often not clear

by CAFeb 18, 2023

This course is equipped me to get a new job at a new company. Thanks Coursera for this course.

by AOMay 3, 2022

A great blend of theory and real-life experience, thus, deepen understanding of concepts and potential applications

View all reviews

About the IBM & Darden Digital Strategy Specialization

This Specialization was designed to combine the most current business research in digital transformation and strategy with the most up-to-date technical knowledge of the technologies that are changing how we work and do business to enable you to advance your career. By the end of this Specialization, you will have an understanding of the three technologies impacting all businesses: artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and data science. You will also be able to develop or advance a digital transformation strategy for your own business using these technologies. This specialization will help managers understand technology and technical workers to understand strategy, and is ideal for anyone who wants to be able to help lead projects in digital transformation and technical and business strategy.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

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