Development of Strategic Planning in Modern Business Enterprises: Strategic Business Analysis Assignment, SMU, Singapore

Topic 1: Strategic Thinking
This topic overviews the concepts and development of strategic planning in modern business enterprises. The traditional areas of corporate strategy; such as strategic objectives and strategic planning decision models are first introduced to the student. The state of strategic thinking in the current environment is then considered, especially in relation to multiple approaches to analyzing corporate strategy. The use of Big Data in strategic planning and thinking is specifically considered.

Topic 2: Strategic Marketing Analysis and Budgeting Here the marketing concept is introduced and the links between marketing and strategic business analysis are illustrated, and the impact of Big Data analytics in customer-data-driven marketing strategies is considered. It is shown how concepts such as the product life cycle and product portfolio matrix are linked to managerial accounting techniques such as budgeting and life cycle costing to provide relevant information for strategic decision making. A comprehensive strategic segmental marketing budget is developed on this topic.

Comprehensive Case Study on Accounting for Strategic Marketing: The Roxor Watch Company: Case Study Analysis and Presentations

Topic 3: Financial Analysis in Product Portfolio Management This topic looks at the interface between management accounting and marketing related “product or services management” especially in competitive environments. The “product” is the first “P” in the 4-Ps of marketing, the others being price, promotion, and place distribution, which will be discussed in detail in later topics. It is shown that as a product/service moves through various stages of its life cycle, there are different financial aspects that need to be focused on for competitive positioning. It is demonstrated that the company’s management accountant possesses the tools and techniques required to provide the product/service managers with decision-orientated information, especially in financing technological innovation in the digital age.

Topic 4: Pricing Methods and Strategies
Here the various aspects of pricing decisions are covered, especially in competitive environments. Pricing methods and pricing strategies are specifically contrasted, and the use of such techniques as CVP analysis and linear programming in the pricing area are discussed. Risk-averse pricing strategies and their limitations are also covered in this topic.

Case Study on Pricing: precision Manufacturing Company
Topic 5: Financial Dimensions of Pricing in International Business Strategies
This topic extends the discussion of the previous topic on pricing and considers pricing within a competitive international market. It is shown that setting a selling price in a foreign market has, in addition to strategic marketing considerations, some unique international financial dimensions, especially due to the lengthening of the channels of distribution and the impact of multiple currencies.

Topic 5: Financial Dimensions of Pricing in International Business Strategies

Topic 6: Promotion: Push Strategy and Human Resource Management
Here the principal ways of communicating with the market referred to collectively as the “promotional mix” are overviewed. The objective of this mix is to make a sale, either by “pulling” customers towards the product (using advertising) or by “pushing” the product to the customer (using personal selling). It is shown that the management accountant has a significant role in “push strategy”, especially in the human resource management areas of controlling field sales operations and evaluating sales force performance.

Case Study on SalesForce Analysis: Supersonic Stereo

Topic 7: Promotion: Pull Strategy and Integrated Marketing Communication
This topic continues with the discussion on the promotion and specifically looks at “pull strategy” and integrated marketing communication (IMC) with its heavy reliance on advertising; especially via digital marketing platforms. It is demonstrated that the management accountant has a significant role in formulating advertising budgets, especially using specific budget models, and in the difficult areas of controlling advertising outlay and evaluating advertising effectiveness.

Comprehensive Case Study on Accounting for Promotions: Suave Case Study Analysis and Presentations

Topic 8: Supply Chain Management and the Place-Distribution Decision
This topic considers the last “P” of the 4-P’s of marketing; i.e. place (or physical distribution). It is shown that the control of the supply-chain distribution function involves a “trade-off” between maximizing customer service and minimizing distribution costs and that the management accountant has a significant role to play in achieving this balance. The tools and techniques of distribution cost analysis and control that are used in providing customers value and maintaining efficient cost management in the digital world are highlighted in this topic.

 Topic 9: Performance Valuation and Strategic Financial Structures
This topic introduces Business Performance Measures and provides a link as to how these measures are interrelated with the capital structure of the firm. The impact of financial structure on planning performance evaluation is considered, specifically the relative measures (ratios) used in financial statement analysis. Investment and Financing issues are separated, and capital structure and its role in obtaining an appropriate discount rate for capital projects are particularly considered. The topic also covers the more recent approaches to project and corporate funding such as venture capital and crowdfunding.

Topic 10: Strategic Value Analysis
This topic overviews the different approaches to ‘value investing’; and introduces the concept of Strategic Value Analysis. The topic compares this concept to the more traditional concept of net present value; and demonstrates the impact of ‘free-cash flows’ on operational value, business value, and shareholder value. It is demonstrated that the concepts of ‘value’ and ‘strategic value’ can be quantified for planning purposes, and in valuing companies.

Case Study on Strategic Value Analysis: The Rappa Port Authority
Topic 11: Risk Management – Corporate Radar and Early Warning Systems
Here the concept of risk; and the approaches to risk management using short-term (weekly) and long-term (annual) corporate radar systems are considered, in order to determine the health of a business organization. Popular bankruptcy prediction models (such as Z-scores) and their reliability and relevance in the 2000s are specifically considered.