XCPD-484 Business Strategy and Program Management

Most organizations have trouble linking strategy to performance. According to current business literature and research, companies, on average, deliver only 60% of the financial performance their strategies promise. It has also been revealed that high performing companies managed to close the strategy-to-performance gap through better planning and execution.

In many cases, companies don’t have a process that links strategy and execution. Therefore, these companies never capture the full value of the strategy or effectively map it to the needs of the organization. Strategy execution focuses on translating strategic goals into a structured portfolio of programs to meet organizational objectives.

In this fast-paced, high impact course the following strategy and program management topics will be presented and discussed: the gap between strategy and performance; leadership attributes needed to effectively direct a strategy effort; issues that prevent linking strategy and execution; how to develop strategic and operations plans; creating a program portfolio to facilitate aligning strategy with financial and human resources to meet business goals; and developing a performance monitoring system to manage a strategic program portfolio.

Course Objectives

At the completion of the course, a successful student will be able to:

• Understand the gap between strategy and execution
• Discuss key leadership attributes needed to direct a strategy effort
• Create a strategic operations plan and integrate it into an organization's culture
• Monitor and control a strategic program portfolio using metrics
• Facilitate a deeper understanding of strategy development and execution using case studies, articles, and practical course exercises