Study Guide

Objectives (course unit)

This course introduces the fundamentals of effective project management and how to connect them to the corporate strategy. Projects are here considered as tools to enable strategic change and business transformation. When the student has passed this course he/she will know and understand the following:
- core concepts of strategic management
- classical & contemporary tools for strategic management
- strategy creation in traditional and lean organizations
- how the strategic framework is connected to the project portfolio
- how to implement strategic change by using projects
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When the student has completed the course he/she can:
- choose appropriate strategic approaches for his/her business
- use strategic tools to analyze strategic position of his/her business
- analyze the strategic choices of his/her business
- create connection between the strategy and operations
- make use of BSC or Delta models
- create strategic plans by using business models
- design projects to implement the strategy and change programs
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When the student has passed this course he/she will be:
- a specialist to contribute to strategic planning in global environment
- a specialist who can bridge the strategy and operations
- a specialist who can implement strategic change by using projects

Content (course unit)

This course introduces the fundamentals of effective project management in the strategic framework of organizations. Projects are here considered as tools to enable strategic change and organizational development. During the course we will also discuss how to use strategic framework for selecting project to the portfolio.
The course will consist of the following modules (module does not mean a contact teaching session 1:1):
• The kick-off meeting
• Why strategic thinking is important?
• Core concepts of strategic management
• Classical & contemporary tools for strategic management
• Strategy creation in traditional and lean organizations
• How the strategic framework is connected to the project portfolio?
• How to implement strategic change by using projects?
• Closing the course and reflection of the lessons learnt.
During the course we’ll use participatory methodologies including:
• Contact teaching: interactive lessons, group work, and presentations
• Individual assignments and collaborative learning in between the contact teaching sessions
• Exploration of real cases: scouting and processing
• Tools: classroom facilities, Tabula, own computers and mobiles, the Internet
• Resources: selected books and articles, materials prepared by the teacher, the Internet

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1-2) (course unit)

 The student knows the basic concepts of innovation, can recognise different innovation types and understands the dynamics of creating and implementing the innovations to commercial products. He/she can do straightforward analysis of innovation concepts, often by receiving assistance from others. The student mainly follows the ideas of others.

Assessment criteria, good (3-4) (course unit)

The student knows well the basic concepts of innovation, can recognise different innovation types, sees the importance of protecting the innovations and understands the dynamics of creating and implementing the innovations to commercial products as a strategic process in a company. The student shows creativity and can justify his/her own ideas. 

Assessment criteria, excellent (5) (course unit)

The student masters the basic concepts of innovation, can recognise different innovation types, sees the importance of protecting the innovations and understands the dynamics of creating and implementing the innovations to commercial products as a strategic process in a company. He/she would be ready to take a role of an innovation champion and lead an innovation team. The student is very creative, can justify his/her own ideas well and often takes a lead in getting things done in time and with good quality and well-thought strategy.

Assessment scale

0-5