Students will be introduced to the concepts of Company Vision, Mission, Strategy and Strategic Objectives in the quest for competitive advantage. The various stages in crafting and executing a strategy are presented in the context of a shipping business.
The core and generic strategies available to shipping companies based on their particular business environment are presented through case studies. A thorough examination of situation analysis techniques such as SWOT and STEEPLE is undertaken for both the internal and external environments of shipping companies with a review of the various stakeholders’ perspectives.
Successful strategy execution is examined through company resources and capabilities, organization structures, as well as cost leadership, approaches.
Case studies are also utilized for assessing and presenting strategies for specific industry conditions and situations ranging from normal ship operations to crisis and change management. Best practices and benchmarking methodologies are explored with specific examples from the shipping industry.
Real strategic plans and objectives of various shipping companies are also examined, linking theory to practice, including mergers and acquisitions, strategic collaborations, joint ventures, and outsourcing ship management.