The London School of Economics and Political Science
Competitive Strategy and Innovation
Leverage your organisation’s resources for competitive advantage and strategically drive innovation to boost business performance.
Start date
27 January 2021
Enroll by 19 January 2021
Course duration
8 weeks
Excluding orientation
Language
English
Access resources from start date
Effort
6–8 hours per week
Self-paced learning online
Course overview
The number of direct competitors the average company has today.
Crayon (2020).
The amount of global executives who say that innovations over the last five years have had a positive impact on their business’s bottom line.
GE Global Innovation Barometer (2018).
Duration: 8 weeks (excluding orientation)
In today’s dynamic and uncertain business landscape, organisations that are able to leverage innovation strategically have an edge over their competitors, and are best positioned to improve performance and profitability. Whether responding to pandemics such as COVID-19, technological change or customers' growing concerns for the environment, systematic innovation management proves invaluable.
The Competitive Strategy and Innovation online certificate course from LSE explores how harnessing your internal resources and identifying what makes your company unique can be used to win and sustain competitive advantage. Guided by an expert from LSE, you’ll learn to use innovation as a strategic tool to set yourself apart in a competitive market.
You’ll explore a range of practical techniques and frameworks that can be used to identify opportunities for innovation in the face of disruption, assess the viability of your ideas, and build a competitive strategy for real-world implementation. On completion, you’ll walk away with an action plan to sustain long-term performance in your organisation.
Is this course for you?
This course is designed for anyone in a decision-making role who is interested in learning how to use innovation as a tool to respond to disruption and an increasingly competitive landscape. Business leaders who want to build strategies for competitive advantage, as well as middle managers who are responsible for implementing these strategies within their organisation, will find the content beneficial. This course also provides key insights to consultants or entrepreneurs who are looking to apply cutting-edge innovation practices in their work in order to help their company or client stand out in the market.
This Competitive Strategy and Innovation online certificate course is certified by the United Kingdom CPD Certification Service, and may be applicable to individuals who are members of, or are associated with, UK-based professional bodies. The course has an estimated 70 hours of learning.
Note: should you wish to claim CPD activity, the onus is on you. The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and GetSmarter accept no responsibility, and cannot be held responsible, for the claiming or validation of hours or points.
Course overview
Introduction
Duration: 8 weeks (excluding orientation)
In today’s dynamic and uncertain business landscape, organisations that are able to leverage innovation strategically have an edge over their competitors, and are best positioned to improve performance and profitability. Whether responding to pandemics such as COVID-19, technological change or customers' growing concerns for the environment, systematic innovation management proves invaluable.
The Competitive Strategy and Innovation online certificate course from LSE explores how harnessing your internal resources and identifying what makes your company unique can be used to win and sustain competitive advantage. Guided by an expert from LSE, you’ll learn to use innovation as a strategic tool to set yourself apart in a competitive market.
You’ll explore a range of practical techniques and frameworks that can be used to identify opportunities for innovation in the face of disruption, assess the viability of your ideas, and build a competitive strategy for real-world implementation. On completion, you’ll walk away with an action plan to sustain long-term performance in your organisation.
Is this course for you?
This course is designed for anyone in a decision-making role who is interested in learning how to use innovation as a tool to respond to disruption and an increasingly competitive landscape. Business leaders who want to build strategies for competitive advantage, as well as middle managers who are responsible for implementing these strategies within their organisation, will find the content beneficial. This course also provides key insights to consultants or entrepreneurs who are looking to apply cutting-edge innovation practices in their work in order to help their company or client stand out in the market.
This Competitive Strategy and Innovation online certificate course is certified by the United Kingdom CPD Certification Service, and may be applicable to individuals who are members of, or are associated with, UK-based professional bodies. The course has an estimated 70 hours of learning.
Note: should you wish to claim CPD activity, the onus is on you. The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and GetSmarter accept no responsibility, and cannot be held responsible, for the claiming or validation of hours or points.
What will set you apart
The ability to benchmark your business against competitors and respond to disruption.
Strategies to identify and harness existing internal resources in order to gain a competitive edge.
The skills to leverage innovation through various techniques and frameworks to improve organisational performance.
Practical examples of innovation in response to the COVID-19 disruption.
A practical toolkit to foster consistent innovation for competitive advantage.Course curriculum
Orientation module
Welcome to your Online Campus
Module 1
The resource-based view of the firm
Module 2
The trade-off between value creation and value capture
Module 3
Value proposition and strategic resources
Module 4
Cumulative resources and internal organisation
Module 5
Innovation, competition, and blue ocean strategy
Module 6
Disruption and competence destruction
Module 7
Design thinking for an innovation system
Module 8
Customer journey mapping and innovation in practice
Get course prospectus
Course Convenor
Dr Lourdes Sosa
Associate Professor, LSE Department of Management
About the certificate
Discover a practical approach to innovation as you earn an official certificate of competence from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Assessment is continuous and based on a series of practical assignments completed online. In order to be issued with a certificate, you’ll need to meet the requirements outlined in the course handbook. The handbook will be made available to you as soon as you begin the course.
Get a course brochure
Want to know more?
Why choose GetSmarter?
GetSmarter, a 2U, Inc. brand, is an online learning expert with over 10 years' experience in developing high-quality online short courses from the world’s leading universities. We deliver market-led courses that equip working professionals with the expertise required for the workplace of the future. Through a data-driven approach, we analyze future skills requirements and ensure all courses address this need.
Students are supported at every stage of the learning journey, enabling them to thrive professionally through increased relevance, competence, and confidence. Find out more about GetSmarter’s approach to digital learning, course design, and online delivery here.
Payment options
You can pay your course fees before the course starts, or you may opt for a split payment plan on courses that are nine weeks and shorter. For courses 10 weeks and longer, there is a three-part payment plan available. To find out more about payment options please visit our Payment and Financing FAQ, or contact an Enrollment Adviser, to find out which option you qualify for.
Manage your time
GetSmarter's learning model is designed to help you, as a working professional, improve your skills without compromising on work and family responsibilities. The course work is broken up into weekly, manageable bite-sized modules, with incremental deadlines, designed to help you pace yourself over the duration of the course and allow you the legroom to work when it suits you best.
At the beginning of each module you'll be presented with the course content and assignments necessary for completion. You also have access to your Success Adviser who will help you manage your time, and support you with any administrative or technical queries you might have.
Seek employer assistance
By improving your skills and industry knowledge, you'll have an influence on the success of your organization. Why wouldn't you ask your boss to help you fund your studies if it's going to have an impact on the way you do business?
Of our past students, 37 percent have received financial assistance from their employers. You can ask for help, too. Here is a guide to show you how to request financial assistance from your employer.
If you are a Learning & Development (L&D) manager, or involved in training and upskilling for an organization, you can request information regarding our corporate offering on our GetSmarter for business page.
How to change your start date
As part of our commitment to your professional development, GetSmarter offers you a two-week period to change your course start date or request your money back if you’re not fully satisfied.
To qualify for a deferral of your course start date, or to cancel your enrollment and receive a refund of your course fee, your request would need to reach our Success Advisers before the release of Module 2. For more information, please read our Terms and Conditions.
Discover the Online Campus
The Online Campus will be your virtual classroom for the duration of your course. Through its easy-to-use interface you'll have access to a diverse variety of course content formats including: interactive videos, module notes, practice quizzes, presentations, assignment briefs, and additional web resources.
On the Online Campus, you'll also be able to ask questions and interact with your fellow students and teaching team through the discussion forums. If you are looking for your Online Campus login, please see the list of university partner login pages here.
