CIMA-E3-Strategic Management

Syllabus overview

E3 builds on the insights gained from E1 and E2 about how organisations effectively implement their strategies by aligning their structures, people, process, projects and relationships. E3 aims to develop the skills and abilities of the strategic leaders of organisations, enabling them to create the vision and direction for the growth and long-term sustainable success of the organisation. This involves successfully managing and leading change within the process of strategy formulation and implementation.

Summary of syllabus & Topic weight

1. Interacting with the organisation’s environment 20%
2. Evaluating strategic position and strategic options 30%
3. Leading change 20%
4. Implementing strategy 15%
5. The role of information systems in organisational strategy 15%

Learning Outcome

E3 – A. INTERACTING WITH THE ORGANISATION’S ENVIRONMENT (20%)

1. evaluate the influence of key external factors on an organisation’s strategy.

(a) evaluate the influence and impact of the external environment on an organisation and its strategy

(b) recommend approaches to business/government relations and to relations with society

(c) discuss the drivers of external demands for environmental sustainability and corporate social responsibility and the organisation’s response

(d) recommend how to build and manage strategic relationships with stakeholders (including suppliers, customers, owners, government and the wider society).

2. evaluate ethical issues arising from the organisation’s interaction with its environment.

(a) evaluate ethical issues and their resolution within a range of organisational contexts.

E3 – B. EVALUATING STRATEGIC POSITION AND STRATEGIC OPTIONS (30%)

1. evaluate the process of strategy formulation.

(a) evaluate the processes of strategic analysis and strategic options generation

(b) recommend strategic options

(c) discuss the role and responsibilities of directors in the strategy formulation and implementation process

2. evaluate tools and techniques used in strategy formulation.

(a) evaluate strategic analysis tools

(b) recommend how to manage the product portfolio of an organisation to support the organisation’s strategic goals

(c) produce an organisation’s Value Chain.

E3 – C. Leading change (20%)

1. advise on the important aspects of organisational change.

(a) evaluate the key impacts of organisational change on organisations.

(b) evaluate the role of leadership in managing the change process and building and managing effective teams.

2. evaluate tools and methods for successfully implementing a change programme.

(a) evaluate tools, techniques and strategies for managing and leading the change process.

3. recommend change leadership processes in support of strategy implementation.

(a) evaluate the role of the change leader in supporting strategy implementation

(b) recommend appropriate leadership styles within a range of organisational change contexts.

E3 – D. Implementing strategy (15%)

1. evaluate the tools and techniques of strategy implementation.

(a) evaluate alternative models of strategic performance measurement in a range of business contexts (b) recommend solutions to problems in strategic performance measurement.

E3 – E. THE ROLE OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN ORGANISATIONAL STRATEGY (15%)

1. evaluate the information systems requirements for successful strategic implementation.

(a) evaluate the information systems required to sustain the organisation

(b) advise managers on the development of strategies for knowledge management.

2. evaluate the opportunities for the use of IT and IS for the organisation, including Big Data.

(a) evaluate the impact of IT/IS on an organisation and its strategy

(b) evaluate the strategic and competitive impact of information systems, including the potential contribution of Big Data.