Strategic Decision Making for Scientists, Engineers, and Project Managers
This program is designed for individual contributors to transition successfully to a general management role, focusing on enterprise-wide issues and solutions. Scientists, engineers, and other technical positions will learn to adopt a more integrated, cross-functional perspective on business. They will become strategic decision makers.
In today’s dynamic global marketplaces, managers must understand the importance of developing a longer-term, strategic view, and the impact that department actions might have on the entire organization. Teamwork is essential for success, both within a department as well as in the entire organization. Listening, planning, and executing are all key to a manager's success and part of being a strategic decision maker.
Program Description
The Strategic Decision Making Program challenges participants to develop a longer-term strategic view in a team environment. Using an advanced computer simulation, team-based decision making and group discussion, the program gives participants the opportunity to develop a management perspective without putting their companies or careers at risk. Participants will make strategic decisions which necessitate an integrated understanding of the simulated company’s marketing, research and development, manufacturing, finance, and human resources functions.
Participants will experience how these functional areas interact over time and how a longer-term perspective is essential for the successful implementation of a company’s strategy. In addition, participants will learn that competitive threats inevitably challenge the viability of initial strategies and that competitor analysis and strategic readjustment are critical aspects of the strategic management process.
At the end of the program, participants will be awarded a certificate of completion by the UC Berkeley Center for Executive Education.
Methodology
In contrast to traditional lecture or case based teaching formats, this program develops strategic thinking through action-based learning. Participants become a member of a C-level management team that makes decisions for a simulated company over a number of years. The computer-based simulation provides advanced analytical tools that aid the team in the development of a long-term strategy that incorporates marketing, research and development, finance, manufacturing, and human resource decisions. The learning really begins as competitors’ companies (run by other course participants) make decisions which interfere with the implementation of the strategy. Each top management team must decide how to adjust the implementation of their strategy in this dynamic competitive environment.
Program Topics
- Experience the complex interdependencies that exist between an organization’s functional areas. Enhance your ability to view the organization as a whole and understand the impact of your job in the context of the larger organization.
- Appreciate the critical importance of monitoring, assessing and responding to competitors’ strategic actions and reactions.
- Develop a long-term, strategic view of organizations and experience how to discuss this view in a team environment.
- Enhance your value to your organization as a strategic thinker and be better able to communicate with top executives of an organization.
Who Should Attend
- Managers in IT, science, engineering, project management, bio-pharma and medical devices
- New team managers/leads with cross-functional stakeholders
Advantages
Participants will optimize their decision making effectiveness, and learn achieve and assure alignment with corporate strategy and goals, how to create a culture of accountability and results with teams, to empower and lead teams through knowledge share, and to execute with clarity and precision.
