Strategic Management and Planning

INTERNATIONAL TRAINING ON STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING

COURSE BACKGROUND

In today’s rapidly evolving global landscape, marked by intense competition, technological disruption, and dynamic market shifts, organizations face unprecedented challenges and opportunities. Success is no longer guaranteed by operational efficiency alone; it demands a clear sense of direction, the ability to anticipate change, and the capacity to adapt strategically.

Strategic Management and Planning provides the framework for organizations to define their long-term vision, analyze their internal and external environments, formulate competitive strategies, effectively implement plans, and continuously monitor performance. For businesses and institutions in regions like East Africa, navigating complex local and global dynamics necessitates a robust strategic approach to ensure sustained growth, market relevance, and resilience in the face of uncertainty. Without a well-defined strategy, organizations risk drifting aimlessly, squandering resources, and losing their competitive edge.

ECAS Institute offers this “Strategic Management and Planning” course to equip senior managers, aspiring leaders, consultants, and entrepreneurs with the advanced knowledge and practical skills required to develop, implement, and evaluate effective organizational strategies. This program goes beyond foundational management principles, focusing on how organizations can achieve sustainable competitive advantage and long-term success in a complex environment.

COURSE OBJECTIVES OF THE TRAINING

Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Understand the fundamental concepts and importance of strategic management in ensuring organizational success and sustainability.
2. Conduct comprehensive strategic analyses of an organization’s internal capabilities and external environment.
3. Formulate effective business, corporate, and functional strategies that align with organizational vision and objectives.
4. Develop practical skills in implementing strategic plans, including resource allocation, organizational design, and change management.
5. Establish robust monitoring and evaluation systems to assess strategic performance and make necessary adjustments.
6. Cultivate strategic leadership capabilities to drive organizational transformation and achieve desired outcomes.
7. Apply strategic management principles to real-world challenges and opportunities within their respective industries or organizations.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

This course will provide you with a powerful toolkit for guiding organizations towards sustained growth and competitive advantage. You will learn to:

• Articulate the strategic management process, from vision setting to performance evaluation.
• Perform thorough environmental scanning, including PESTEL (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental, Legal) analysis and Porter’s Five Forces model to understand industry competitiveness.
• Conduct internal organizational assessments, identifying core competencies, strengths, and weaknesses (SWOT analysis).
• Develop compelling vision, mission statements, and strategic objectives that inspire and guide the organization.
• Formulate various competitive strategies such as cost leadership, differentiation, and focus strategies.
• Design corporate-level strategies for growth (e.g., diversification, mergers & acquisitions), stability, and retrenchment.
• Translate strategic plans into actionable initiatives and projects, ensuring effective resource allocation.
• Understand the role of organizational structure, culture, and leadership in successful strategy implementation.
• Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) and balanced scorecards to monitor strategic progress.
• Manage strategic change and adapt organizational strategies in response to dynamic market conditions.

DURATION AND PROGRAM

This is a structured training course designed for active participation and in-depth learning. The program will feature a blend of expert-led lectures, interactive case studies (including examples of strategic success and failure from diverse industries, particularly drawing on African and global contexts), group strategic planning exercises, and peer discussions. Participants will engage in applying strategic frameworks to real-world business scenarios, fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills essential for effective strategic leadership. The specific duration of the course will be communicated upon registration, tailored to ensure comprehensive coverage and practical application.

TARGET PARTICIPANTS

This course is ideal for professionals in mid to senior-level management positions, aspiring leaders, consultants, and entrepreneurs who are involved in or responsible for organizational strategy. It will particularly benefit:

• Senior Managers and Directors
• Department Heads and Unit Leaders
• Strategic Planners and Analysts
• Consultants specializing in organizational development or business strategy
• Entrepreneurs and Business Owners looking to scale and formalize their growth strategies.
• Project Managers who need a broader strategic perspective.
• Board Members and Executives
• Public Sector Managers involved in policy formulation and long-term planning.

TRAINING MODULES

The course is structured into comprehensive modules, guiding participants through the complete strategic management process

No	Module	Details
1.	Foundations of Strategic Management	This introductory module defines strategic management, highlights its critical importance for organizational success and sustainability, and outlines the overall strategic management process. Key Topics: Definition and benefits of strategic management. The strategic management process: vision, mission, objectives, formulation, implementation, evaluation. Levels of strategy: Corporate, Business, Functional. Strategic thinking vs. operational thinking. The role of strategy in a dynamic environment.
2.	Strategic Analysis: External Environment	This module focuses on understanding the external forces and factors that influence an organization’s strategic choices and competitive landscape. Key Topics: Environmental scanning and industry analysis. PESTEL (Political, Economic, Socio-cultural, Technological, Environmental, Legal) analysis. Porter’s Five Forces model of industry competition. Key success factors and competitive intelligence. Identifying opportunities and threats.
3.	Strategic Analysis: Internal Capabilities and Competitive Advantage	This module delves into the internal assessment of an organization, identifying its strengths, weaknesses, resources, and core competencies that form the basis of competitive advantage. Key Topics: Resource-Based View (RBV) of the firm. Value chain analysis. Core competencies and distinctive capabilities. SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis. Competitive advantage: achieving and sustaining it.
4.	Strategy Formulation: Crafting the Future Direction	This module focuses on developing specific strategic options and choosing the most appropriate path to achieve organizational goals. Key Topics: Vision, Mission, and Values: Their role in strategic direction. Setting strategic objectives and goals (SMART criteria). Generic competitive strategies (Cost Leadership, Differentiation, Focus). Corporate strategies (Growth, Stability, Retrenchment, Internationalization). Strategic choices and decision-making frameworks.
5.	Strategy Implementation: Putting Plans into Action	This module addresses the critical process of translating formulated strategies into actionable plans and ensuring they are effectively executed throughout the organization. Key Topics: Linking strategy to organizational structure. Resource allocation and budgeting for strategy. Leadership and strategic change management. Organizational culture and its role in implementation. Developing action plans and operationalizing strategy.
6.	Strategy Evaluation and Control	This module covers the vital process of monitoring strategic progress, measuring performance, and making necessary adjustments to ensure the organization stays on track towards its strategic objectives. Key Topics: Establishing performance metrics and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). The Balanced Scorecard framework. Feedback systems and corrective actions. Strategic control and contingency planning. Reviewing and adapting strategy in response to internal/external changes.
7.	Strategic Leadership and Future Trends	This module explores the crucial role of leadership in driving strategic change and examines emerging trends that will shape future strategic management practices. Key Topics: The role of strategic leaders in vision, communication, and execution. Ethics and corporate governance in strategic management. Digital transformation and its impact on strategy. Sustainability, ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) and stakeholder strategy. Strategic resilience and agility in uncertain times.

TRAINING STYLE

The modules will be taught through PowerPoint presentations, and lectures and will include a case study/field visit, breakout sessions, case studies and other interactive discussion components.

The course will also include a few guest speakers, both in person and via Zoom and other online learning platforms for overseas speakers. This provides useful real-world insights alongside the more theoretical aspects of the course.

The conference faculty shall consist of experienced decision makers, as well as practitioners and representatives from established educational and research institutions active around climate change, engineering and international development. Throughout the course, theoretical presentation of concepts will be moderated and more group discussions and plenary engagements will be optimized. PowerPoint presentations will be made by facilitators and resource persons, to highlight key concepts before embarking on group work.

GENERAL NOTES

• Training manuals and additional reference materials are provided to the participants.
• Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be issued with a certificate.
• We can also do this as a tailor-made course to meet organization-wide needs. Contact us to find out more: info@ecasiafrica.org.
• Payment should be sent to our bank account before the start of training and proof of payment sent to: info@ecasiafrica.org.

ABOUT ECAS INSTITUTE

The ECAS Institute designs and delivers independent and targeted training, research, and consulting services. Our work focusses on climate change and resilience building, carbon markets, renewable energy, nature-based solution, biodiversity conservation, agriculture and food systems, We are located in Nairobi Kenya and work across the African region. We have implemented training and research assignments in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Somalia, Malawi, Rwanda, Congo, and South Africa. Globally, we have supported our partners from the UK, Denmark, Italy, Sweden, Germany, and USA.