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Introduction to Business Strategy

Reflect on your business environment. Explore options for creating and implementing suitable strategies for future business success. Relate strategic principles and theories to your workplace and role.

Four students sat next to each other each typing on their laptops
LevelShort courses and CPD
Duration1 day
Start dates24 February 2026
Fee£125
Course codeCID1552

Course summary

In today’s highly competitive business environment, budget-orientated planning or forecast-based planning methods are insufficient for companies to survive and prosper. Companies must engage in strategic planning that clearly defines objectives and assesses both the internal and external situation to formulate strategy, implement that strategy, evaluate progress, and make adjustments as necessary to stay on track.

This masterclass asks you to reflect on your business environment and explore options for creating and implementing suitable strategies for future business success. The course is designed to introduce you to principles and theories relating to strategy and relate these to your workplace and role.

What you'll study

The masterclass will cover:

  • Foundations of leadership, personal aspirations, values, and beliefs
  • The business, organisational purpose, destination, and visionary goals
  • Planning the route, exploring the external environment, opportunities, and threats
  • The internal environment, “looking in the mirror”, business strengths and weaknesses
  • Enabling results, finding a focused strategy, square pegs in square holes, people and performance.

How you'll learn

This one-day masterclass takes place on campus.

The course has no formal accreditation or assessment; however, you'll be asked to reflect on your experience, providing evidence of the impact of the course with a consideration of how this might inform your future development.

Entry requirements

Fees and finance support

You may be eligible to receive this course fully funded through the UKSPF Sunderland Skills and Inclusion Programme.

To be eligible for this funding, you must be employed by a Sunderland-based company, excluding the public sector.

For further information about funding opportunities, please email skills@sunderland.ac.uk(opens in new tab).

Apply now

Contact the Corporate and Professional Education team for further information about applying for this course by calling 0191 515 3361(opens in new tab) or emailing cpd@sunderland.ac.uk(opens in new tab).