COURSE SYLLABUS
Strategic Change, 7.5 credits
Strategic Change, 7,5 högskolepoäng
Course Syllabus for students Autumn 2025
Course Code: MGJN13
Confirmed by: Council for Undergraduate and Masters Education Jan 4, 2013
Revised by: Council for Undergraduate and Masters Education Mar 29, 2021
Valid From: Aug 23, 2021
Version: 3
Education Cycle: First-cycle level
Disciplinary domain: Social sciences
Subject group: FE1
Specialised in: G2F
Main field of study: Business Administration

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILO)

On completion of the course the students will be able to:

Knowledge and understanding

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the theoretical and practical meaning of strategic change.
2. Describe the relevance of main theories within the area of strategic change to different organizational situations.

Skills and abilities

3. Demonstrate an ability to explain different theoretical approaches to strategic change.
4. Demonstrate an ability to evaluate the need for, design and manage a strategic change project in a given organization.

Judgement and approach

5. Critically assess theoretical and empirical research on strategic change.
6. Demonstrate a theoretically informed attitude towards strategic change situations in organizations.

Contents

The course concerns the practical and conceptual meaning of strategic change in different types of organizations. The course provides students with conceptual frameworks for understanding strategic change as transformation through rejuvenation and renewal, and gives them an ability to analyze and interpret the practical and conceptual meaning of strategic change, and possible skills to manage such change processes. The course includes an overview of the field of strategy and introduces several theoretical perspectives, from analytical and sequential planning to more creative and emergent processes, the course covers aspects such as resources, dynamic capability, structure, corporate entrepreneurship, power, culture, emotion and more. From the perspective of strategy as practice, the course emphasizes managerial capabilities for leading strategic change processes.

Connection to Research and Practice

The course gives an overview of the field of strategic and organizational change and introduces several theoretical perspectives on strategic change, from analytical and sequential planning to more creative and emergent processes. The course covers aspects such as resources, capabilities, ownership, governance, corporate entrepreneurship, digitalization, internationalization and several more. The course aims to emphasize both conceptual and managerial capabilities for leading strategic change.

Type of instruction

Literature seminars, case seminars, group work and final oral examination

The teaching is conducted in English.

Prerequisites

60 credits in Business Administration or Economics including Entrepreneurship and Business Planning, Organization and Leadership, Marketing Management and Strategy and Technology (or the equivalent).

Examination and grades

The course is graded A, B, C, D, E, FX or F.

Individual oral examination (ILOs: 1, 2, 3 & 5) representing 4 credits

Group case analysis and literature reports (ILOs: 1,4 & 6) representing 3.5 credits

Registration of examination:
Name of the TestValueGrading
Individual oral examination14 creditsA/B/C/D/E/FX/F
Group case analysis and literature reports13.5 creditsA/B/C/D/E/FX/F
1 Registration of examination: All parts of compulsory examination in the course must be passed with a passing grade (A-E) before a final grade can be set. The final grade of the course is determined by the sum total of points for all parts of examination in the course (0-100 points). Grade is set in accordance to JIBS grading policy.

Course evaluation

It is the responsibility of the examiner to ensure that each course is evaluated. At the outset of the course, evaluators must be identified (elected) among the students. The course evaluation is carried out continuously as well as at the end of the course. On the completion of the course the course evaluators and course examiner discuss the course evaluation and possible improvements. A summary report is created and archived. The reports are followed up by program directors and discussed in program groups and with relevant others (depending on issue e.g. Associate Dean of Education, Associate Dean of faculty, Director of PhD Candidates, Dean and Director of Studies). The next time the course runs, students should be informed of any measures taken to improve the course based on the previous course evaluation.

Other information

Academic integrity
JIBS students are expected to maintain a strong academic integrity. This implies to behave within the boundaries of academic rules and expectations relating to all types of teaching and examination.
Copying someone else’s work is a particularly serious offence and can lead to disciplinary action. When you copy someone else’s work, you are plagiarizing. You must not copy sections of work (such as paragraphs, diagrams, tables and words) from any other person, including another student or any other author. Cutting and pasting is a clear example of plagiarism. There is a workshop and online resources to assist you in not plagiarizing called the Interactive Anti-Plagiarism Guide.
Other forms of breaking academic integrity include (but are not limited to) adding your name to a project you did not work on (or allowing someone to add their name), cheating on an examination, helping other students to cheat and submitting other students work as your own, and using non-allowed electronic equipment during an examination. All of these make you liable to disciplinary action.

Course literature

Compulsory literature

The course literature is based on a number of scientific academic articles and practice-oriented articles.