Unit rationale, description and aim
Knowledge about strategic management is essential in successfully determining the direction of an organisation’s future in a dynamic environment. This unit provides the conceptual frameworks and skills required by management for effective strategies for sustainable competitive advantages. Strategic management includes the formulation and implementation, as well as the process of control and review of strategic direction of an organisation. Using a distinctly global, ethical and practical approach to business, the aim of this unit is to provide students with strategic management knowledge in order to create economic and social values which enable a balanced development of organisations and stakeholders, business and society and common good.
Campus offering
No unit offerings are currently available for this unit.Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Design strategies and build decision-making abilit...
Learning Outcome 01
Analyse strategic business environments and develo...
Learning Outcome 02
Critically evaluate strategic management approache...
Learning Outcome 03
Reflect insights from domestic and international o...
Learning Outcome 04
Content
Topics will include:
· Foundations of strategy and strategic thinking for sustainability
· Analysing business environments in global and sustainable contexts
· Achieving sustainable competitive advantage and ethical decision-making
· Business, corporate, and global strategies with governance for sustainability
· Implementing strategy: change and organisational sustainability
· Global and ethical challenges in strategic management for the common good
Assessment strategy and rationale
Assessment is an integral part of the learning process.
In this unit to achieve the learning outcomes, two (2) main pieces of assessment are used. The first piece of individual based assessment aims to develop skills to plan and implement business strategies through a comprehensive case study. The second piece of assessment is a recorded presentation based on critical reflection, which draws on a student’s developed understanding of strategic management knowledge to achieve organisational performance for the common good.
To pass this unit, students must demonstrate competence in all learning outcomes and achieve an aggregate mark of at least 50%. Marking will be in accordance with a rubric specifically developed to measure the level of achievement of the learning outcomes for each item of assessment. Students will be awarded a final grade which signifies their overall achievement in the Unit.
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1: Case study In this task, you ...
Assessment Task 1: Case study
In this task, you will apply strategic management knowledge to a real (only using publicly available information) or simulated business case. You are expected to demonstrate your ability to analyse the external business environment using appropriate strategic frameworks, evaluate the organisation’s current strategic position in both national and global contexts, and propose research-based strategic recommendations. These recommendations should be ethical, responsible, and designed to achieve sustainable competitive advantage while contributing to the common good. The case study should be presented in the form of a written report (1,100 words) that communicates findings and solutions clearly and persuasively for a managerial audience.
Submission Type: Individual
Assessment Method: Case study report
Artefact: Written report
45%
Assessment Task 2: Recorded presentation of Criti...
Assessment Task 2: Recorded presentation of Critical reflection
This task requires you to reflect critically on your learning in strategic management for sustainability across the unit. You will synthesise your understanding of strategy formulation, governance, ethics, and global challenges, and consider how these insights can be applied in practice. Your presentation should demonstrate how organisations achieve and sustain competitive advantage for sustainability, and how managers can respond responsibly to global and ethical challenges. The reflection will also invite you to integrate personal insights into how this learning shapes your identity and future practice as a manager. The task will be submitted as a 15-minute recorded video presentation.
Submission Type: Individual
Assessment Method: Critical Reflection (recorded presentation)
Artefact: Video presentation (15 min)
55%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
ACU Online
This unit uses an active learning approach to support students in the exploration of knowledge essential to the discipline. Students are provided with choice and variety in how they learn. Students are encouraged to contribute to asynchronous weekly discussions. Active learning opportunities provide students with opportunities to practice and apply their learning in situations similar to their future professions. Activities encourage students to bring their own examples to demonstrate understanding, application and engage constructively with their peers. Students receive regular and timely feedback on their learning, which includes information on their progress. The fully online mode of delivery is particularly suited to this program, as it accommodates the needs of working professionals in the target countries who are balancing study with career and family responsibilities. Online learning ensures flexibility and accessibility across time zones, while also enabling diverse global cohorts to connect and share perspectives.
Representative texts and references
The latest editions of:
David, FR, David, FR & David ME 2020, Strategic management: A competitive advantage approach, concepts and cases, 17th Edition, Pearson, UK.
De Wit, B 2020, Strategy: An international perspective, 7th Edition, Cengage, UK.
Hitt, MA,. Ireland, RD & Hoskisson, RE 2019, Strategic management: Competitiveness and globalization - concepts and cases, 13th Edition, South-Western Cengage, US.
Johnson, G. Whittington, R. Scholes, K. Angwin, D & Regner, P 2019, Exploring strategy – text and cases, 12th Edn, Pearson, UK.
Lynch, R 2018, Strategic management, 8th Edition, Pearson, UK.
Rothaermel, F 2020, Strategic management, 5th Edn, McGraw Hill, Australia.
Mehmood, K., Kiani, A., & Rashid, M., 2025, Is data the key to sustainability? The roles of big data analytics, green innovation, and organizational identity in gaining green competitive advantage, Technology Analysis & Strategic Management, 37(5),494-508. https://doi.org/10.1080/09537325.2023.2293867
Nair, A., Khobdeh, M.S., Oksoy, A., Oksoy, A.,Guldiken, O. & Willis, CH. 2023, A review of strategic management research on India. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 40, 1341–1392 . https://doi.org/10.1007/s10490-022-09820-1
Rao, PK. & Shukla, A. 2025, Impact Assessment of Strategic Management on Sustainable Performance: A Study of Indian Banking Industry, Business Strategy & the Environment, 34(4), 5059-5074. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.4240
Srinivasan, R. (2025) Strategic Management: The Indian Context, 7th edition, PHI Learning Private Limited, Delhi, India.