Strategic Planning and Marketing Analysis Course

Lesson 1 • Governance and Accountability Structures

Explains how governance frameworks support strategy execution and accountability. Links planning authority to organizational structure.

Lesson 2 • Setting Strategic Objectives

Introduces criteria for well-formed strategic objectives and goal hierarchies. Provides tools to translate vision into measurable targets.

Lesson 3 • Mission, Vision, and Values

Teaches how to craft and evaluate mission, vision, and values statements. Connects organizational purpose to strategic direction.

Lesson 4 • What Strategic Planning Means

Defines strategic planning and distinguishes it from operational planning. Establishes the vocabulary used throughout the course.

Lesson 1 • Internal Capability Assessment

Guides evaluation of organizational resources, capabilities, and core competencies. Identifies strengths and gaps relative to strategic ambitions.

Lesson 2 • Industry and Competitive Environment

Applies Porter's Five Forces to assess industry attractiveness and competitive intensity. Connects industry structure to strategic positioning options.

Lesson 3 • Scenario Planning Basics

Introduces scenario planning as a tool for navigating uncertainty. Students build two to four plausible future scenarios from scan data.

Lesson 4 • SWOT Analysis and Synthesis

Integrates external and internal findings into a SWOT matrix. Teaches how to derive strategic implications rather than just list factors.

Lesson 1 • Consumer Behavior Models

Introduces decision-making models and the consumer journey. Connects behavioral theory to practical targeting and messaging decisions.

Lesson 2 • Research Design Fundamentals

Establishes the logic of research design, including objectives, hypotheses, and methodology selection. Prevents common design errors that invalidate findings.

Lesson 3 • Secondary Research and Data Sources

Teaches efficient use of published reports, databases, and syndicated data. Builds critical evaluation skills for assessing source credibility.

Lesson 4 • Analyzing and Interpreting Consumer Data

Applies descriptive statistics and thematic analysis to research outputs. Translates raw data into insight statements usable in strategy.

Lesson 1 • Principles of Market Segmentation

Explains why and how markets are divided into distinct groups. Covers the criteria that make a segment strategically useful.

Lesson 2 • Targeting Strategy and Segment Selection

Provides frameworks for evaluating and selecting target segments. Balances attractiveness, fit, and resource constraints.

Lesson 3 • Brand Architecture and Portfolio Positioning

Extends positioning to multi-brand and product portfolio contexts. Addresses how individual positions coexist within a brand system.

Lesson 4 • Segmentation Research Techniques

Introduces cluster analysis and perceptual mapping as segmentation tools. Connects research methods from Chapter 3 to segment discovery.

Lesson 1 • Anticipating Competitive Responses

Introduces game-theory thinking and competitor reaction modeling. Prepares students to stress-test strategies against likely competitive moves.

Lesson 2 • Competitor Intelligence Gathering

Covers ethical methods for collecting and organizing competitor data. Establishes a repeatable intelligence process tied to strategic decisions.

Lesson 3 • Value Proposition Design

Guides construction of a compelling value proposition aligned with target segment needs. Integrates STP outputs from Chapter 4.

Lesson 4 • Competitor Profiling and Mapping

Teaches structured competitor profiles and strategic group mapping. Reveals white spaces and crowded positions in the market.

Lesson 1 • Strategic Marketing Objectives

Translates business goals into specific marketing objectives using the frameworks built in earlier chapters. Ensures objectives are measurable and time-bound.

Lesson 2 • Growth Strategy Frameworks

Applies Ansoff's matrix and other growth models to identify expansion paths. Evaluates risk-return trade-offs across growth options.

Lesson 3 • Marketing Mix Strategy

Designs an integrated marketing mix aligned with positioning and target segments. Covers product, price, place, and promotion decisions.

Lesson 4 • Strategy Documentation and Communication

Teaches how to structure and present a marketing strategy document to stakeholders. Covers narrative logic, visual frameworks, and executive summaries.

Lesson 1 • Risk Management in Execution

Teaches identification, assessment, and mitigation of execution risks. Connects risk planning to contingency budgeting from Chapter 6.

Lesson 2 • Translating Strategy into Action Plans

Breaks strategic objectives into tactical initiatives and work packages. Establishes the link between strategy and day-to-day execution.

Lesson 3 • Cross-Functional Alignment

Addresses how marketing strategy requires coordination across sales, operations, and finance. Builds skills for managing cross-functional dependencies.

Lesson 4 • Project and Campaign Planning

Applies project management principles to marketing campaign execution. Covers timelines, dependencies, and resource scheduling.

Lesson 1 • Marketing Analytics and Dashboards

Covers dashboard design and data visualization for ongoing performance monitoring. Connects analytics to decision-making rather than reporting alone.

Lesson 2 • Adapting Strategy Based on Results

Teaches dynamic strategy adjustment in response to performance data and environmental shifts. Closes the planning cycle introduced in Chapter 1.

Lesson 3 • Balanced Scorecard Application

Applies the balanced scorecard to integrate financial, customer, process, and learning perspectives. Builds a strategy map linking cause and effect.

Lesson 4 • Key Performance Indicators for Marketing

Defines and selects KPIs aligned with marketing objectives set in Chapter 6. Distinguishes leading from lagging indicators.