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Learn business strategy with online courses and programs

Strategy entails planning and executing actions to steer organizations toward their goals. Solid strategy empowers individuals to navigate markets, make informed decisions, and foster sustainable growth. Learn business strategy with online courses on edX.

What is business strategy?

Business strategy refers to the plans and actions that help an organization achieve its short- and long-term goals. Professionals responsible for executing business strategy engage in several key activities, such as analyzing internal and external environments, identifying opportunities and threats, formulating comprehensive approaches to resource allocation and decision making, fostering sustainable growth, designing market positioning and product development strategies, ensuring operational efficiency, establishing customer segmentation, and building strategic partnerships.1

Each industry has its unique challenges and opportunities, and business strategy helps organizations navigate both so they can stay ahead of the competition. Gaining expertise in business strategy with online courses delivered through edX can empower you to contribute to strategic planning processes, assess market dynamics, evaluate competition, and develop strategies tailored to the specific needs of your organization or industry. Get started with edX today.

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Business strategy course curriculum

A business strategy course may cover a wide range of topics, encompassing beginner, intermediate, and advanced concepts. Potential areas of focus include:

  • Introduction to business strategy: Understanding the basics of business strategy, its importance, and the strategic management process.

  • Business administration fundamentals: Reviewing the principles and functions of business administration, including organizational structure, decision-making processes, and resource management.

  • Competitive analysis: Analyzing the industry landscape, identifying competitors, and evaluating their strengths and weaknesses.

  • SWOT analysis: Conducting a comprehensive analysis of an organization's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

  • Strategic planning: Practicing how to develop a strategic plan, set objectives, and allocate resources effectively.

  • Market segmentation: Learning how to segment the market and target specific customer groups for effective marketing.

  • Agile leadership: Embracing agility in decision making, adapting to changing market conditions, and fostering innovation.2

  • Business model innovation: Exploring different business models and strategies to drive innovation and create a competitive edge.3

  • Strategic growth: Studying growth strategies such as market expansion, diversification, and mergers and acquisitions.4

  • Strategic marketing: Developing marketing strategies that align with business objectives and target customer needs.5

  • Financial analysis: Examining financial statements, understanding key financial ratios, and using financial data for strategic decision making.

  • Business intelligence and data analytics: Leveraging data and analytics to gain insights, make informed decisions, and drive strategic initiatives.6

  • Global strategy: Identifying strategies for operating in global markets, managing international expansion, and navigating cultural differences.7

  • Strategic change management: Knowing how to lead and manage organizational change, ensuring successful implementation of strategic initiatives.8

  • Corporate social responsibility: Incorporating social and environmental considerations into business strategy and building sustainable practices.9

  • Innovation and disruption: Looking at strategies for fostering innovation, embracing disruptive technologies, and staying ahead of industry trends.

With courses that highlight business strategy and related subjects, and skills that are crucial to business growth, edX offers learning opportunities to individuals from a variety of backgrounds. Learners can broaden their expertise through a bachelor’s degree or pursue specialization with more advanced options like a master’s degree. Fast-paced boot camps allow learners to refine both hard and soft skills, while executive education courses cater to busy professionals, offering similar opportunities for skill development.

Find the right learning path for you with edX.

Explore business strategy jobs

There are various job roles that involve business strategy. Some examples include:

  • Strategy analyst/consultant: Analyzes market trends, competition, and industry dynamics to provide strategic recommendations to organizations.10

  • Strategic planner/chief strategy officer: Develops long-term plans and strategies that align with an organization's goals and vision.11

  • Business development manager: Identifies growth opportunities, forges strategic partnerships, and develops market entry strategies.12

  • Project manager: Oversees projects aligned with the organization's strategic objectives, ensuring they are executed effectively and deliver the desired outcomes.13

  • Market research analyst: Gathers and analyzes data to identify market trends, consumer preferences, and competitive landscapes, providing insights to shape strategic decisions.14

  • Innovation manager: Drives innovation within organizations by identifying new opportunities, developing innovative strategies, and fostering a culture of creativity.15

  • Entrepreneur/start-up founder: Develops business strategies to launch and grow their ventures, including market entry, differentiation, and scaling strategies.16

  • Product manager: Develops strategies for product development, pricing, and market positioning, ensuring that products meet customer needs and contribute to the overall business strategy.17

  • Operations manager: Aligns operational processes and resources with the overall business strategy to drive efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and quality in operations.18

Enhance your ability to think strategically and make data-driven decisions with business strategy online courses delivered through edX.

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    1. Business Strategy: What It Is & How to Build an Effective One. (2022). HubSpot. Retrieved July 12, 2023.

    2. Leading Agile Transformation: The New Capabilities Leaders Need to Build 21st-Century Organizations. (2018). McKinsey & Company. Retrieved July 12, 2023.

    3. Business Model Innovation. Boston Consulting Group. Retrieved July 12, 2023.

    4. Company Growth Strategy: 7 Key Steps for Business Growth & Expansion. (2023). HubSpot. Retrieved July 12, 2023.

    5. What Is Strategic Marketing? (2021). HubSpot. Retrieved July 12, 2023.

    6. Business Intelligence vs. Business Analytics: What's the Difference?Tableau. Retrieved July 12, 2023.

    7. Building a Global Strategy for Your Business. Smartling. Retrieved July 12, 2023.

    8. Managing Organizational Change. Society for Human Resource Management. Retrieved July 12, 2023.

    9. What Is CSR?United Nations Industrial Development Organization. Retrieved July 12, 2023.

    10. Strategy Consulting: What It Is & How to Succeed in It. (2021). HubSpot. Retrieved July 12, 2023.

    11. The Making of a Successful Chief Strategy Officer. Deloitte. Retrieved July 12, 2023.

    12. The Plain English Guide to Becoming a Business Development Manager. (2023). HubSpot. Retrieved July 12, 2023.

    13. Project Management Specialists. (2023). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved July 12, 2023.

    14. Market Research Analysts. (2023). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved July 12, 2023.

    15. Innovation Manager. TechTarget. Retrieved July 12, 2023.

    16. Entrepreneur: What It Means to Be One and How to Get Started. (2023). Investopedia. Retrieved July 12, 2023.

    17. Product Manager: The Role and Best Practices for Beginners. Atlassian. Retrieved July 12, 2023.

    18. Operations Management: Understanding and Using It. (2023). Investopedia. Retrieved July 12, 2023.