Learn competitive strategy with online courses and programs
What is competitive strategy?
Businesses that offer the same product or service are in competition with one another for market share. In order to gain a greater advantage, companies develop a competitive strategy that can set them apart, entice customers to their brand, and generate sales.
To gain insights about a company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, a company may put together a focus group of employees from different departments. This can help to uncover unique selling points that may not be obvious and provide insights for product differentiation.
Developing a competitive strategy is just the first step to ensuring that a company achieves the goals it has laid out. Being able to communicate that strategy across the organization and delegate the right tasks to the right people is essential. So is being able to measure the results and make the proper adjustments.
Browse online competitive strategy courses
Competitive strategy course curriculum
Do you want to learn how to develop and execute strategies that can help you and your organization gain a competitive advantage and improve your position in the marketplace? An online course can give you the tools and frameworks you need, covering topics such as:
Evaluating your strategic environment
Identifying the differences between an organization’s effectiveness and its strategic positioning
Mapping core and supporting activities and their interactions
Locating organizational barriers to strategy implementation and organizational change
Engaging in a strategic planning process that works
Depending on your interests and goals, you may decide to pursue courses that cover a specific aspect of competitive strategy. You might find classes on business management, brand and marketing research entrepreneurship, or market segmentation.
Learning about competitive strategy can supplement your knowledge of business and resource management. edX offers a variety of educational opportunities for learners interested in studying these topics, as well as a host of other disciplines. A boot camp can provide flexible hands-on learning for those who want to upskill quickly, while executive education courses are designed for busy professionals. You can also pursue a more comprehensive curriculum in a bachelor’s degree program or, for more advanced learners, a master’s degree program. Find the right learning path for you.
Explore jobs involved in competitive strategy
There are many different ways to be involved in a company’s competitive strategy, from the research that drives strategy development to the teams that execute it. Here are just a few of the roles that contribute to maintaining a strong market position:
Chief executive officer (CEO): Sets the company’s overall strategic direction, makes high-level decisions, and ensures all departments work cohesively.Footnote 1
Marketing manager: Conducts market research, identifies target audiences, creates marketing strategies to promote products or services, and analyzes consumer trends.Footnote 2
Operations manager: Oversees day-to-day operations, optimizes processes, manages the supply chain, and ensures efficient production or service delivery.Footnote 3
Supply chain manager: Manages the end-to-end supply chain process, including procurement, logistics, inventory management, and supplier relationships.Footnote 4
Research and development (R&D) manager: Leads research initiatives, develops new products or technologies, and drives innovation.Footnote 5
While many of these roles can exist within similar industries, employment qualifications for careers impacted by competitive strategy may differ based on the position and employer. Some roles may require a higher level degree while others may only ask for a demonstration of skills that can be acquired in a digital marketing boot camp, for example. Before deciding on which learning path will work best for you, research potential roles you hope to pursue and align your coursework with your professional aspirations.