Hi, welcome to to the Specialization Competitive Strategy and Organization Design. My name is Tobias Kretschmer and I'm a professor of strategy, technology and organization at LMU Munich. And the chair I'm sitting in is probably similar to the one that I, and probably you, use at the office. Office chairs are fantastic. They let us lean back when we need it, they let us get to stuff quickly. But can you believe that companies such as Valve are taking it to the extreme by putting their desks on wheels. Why would they do that? It's actually quite simple. Valve works in an innovative industry where coming up with new ideas is essential in differentiating themselves from rivals. And mobile desks support this goal by fostering interaction between employees. Considering integrating both internal and external elements of an organization will be the key focus of this specialization. [MUSIC] So here we are a factory hall. And if you think about it organizational strategists designers and pioneers have very similar concerns to the ones I have now. Where do I start? How do I design my products, my partnerships or patent portfolios in competitive environments? Which elements do I choose in my organization design and how do they respond to shifts within and outside my organization? Our specialization provides answers to such fundamental questions in three courses, competitive strategy, advanced competitive strategy and strategic organization design. You might have noticed that strategy and organization are often treated as different pairs of shoes in most university and online courses. But in reality, they're really two sides of the same coin, which we need to consider. Competitive strategy was recently selected into the Online Course Report's list of the 50 most popular MOOCs of all time. In this course we analyze competitive situations and find strategic solutions for them. In advance competitive strategy, we go one step further, looking at more concrete strategies to stay ahead of the game and your competitors. Finally, in strategic organization design, we learn how to design organizations to meet these goals. So you might be wondering whether this specialization is a right choice for you. Let's have a look. [MUSIC] >> Can you help me with this? >> Sure, that's great, thank you, thanks. Are you a student of management and strategy? Interested in engaging deeper in the concepts discussed in class? Are you self-employed or considering to start your own business? Are you working for a company facing a new market or a changing environment? Are you an employed professional eager to refresh your existing knowledge, a learner with a non-business background seeking additional business insights? Would you like to launch your career or change its direction? Or do you simply enjoy learning, and laughing, and re-learning experiences. Well, this specialization has been filmed in a unique exciting environments including a castle, a zoo, and Munich's famous Allianz soccer arena. [MUSIC] So don't worry, we have plenty to keep you entertained. And we've also made sure to integrate various real world examples and interaction opportunities to further aid your learning process. So what's in it for you if you take this specialization? Well by the end you will have become an expert in strategy and organization. You will have engaged in fundamental theories and concepts in both areas. You will have learned to analyze a diverse set of business questions in a structured and systematic way. The broad set of skills that you will have acquired will allow you to understand complex organizational interdependencies and make better strategic decisions. You will have applied these skills to business problems in an exciting and real industry project. And most importantly, we will have had a lot of fun on the way. So I definitely look forward to seeing you on board our specialization very soon. See you soon.
