Best Business Strategy Courses - Q2 2023
According to LinkedIn, Management (and by extension, Strategy) is the top skill in demand by employers in 2023. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the development of strategies for entering and remaining competitive as one of the key responsibilities of managers. Jobs in management are expected to grow at 11% in the next 10 years and the median pay for managers is currently $93,000. Given this, earning a certificate in strategy can boost your career possibilities.
Our Expert Picks
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Our Expert Review
Content Coverage (4.5/5)
This course is structured into video lectures, readings, discussion forums, quizzes, and assignments. The sequence is very intuitive and easy to follow. The majority of topics that we consider essential for a Strategy course are covered, with the following exceptions:
- Understanding the different types of innovation
- Understanding mergers, acquisitions, and partnerships (partnerships)
- Identifying and leveraging assets and competitive advantages
The course does cover material that is helpful but not essential for a strategy class, such as:
- Leadership and culture
- International service operations
- Making technology choices
Lecture Quality (5/5)
There are two instructors for this course, both of whom are very experienced, knowledgeable, and poised. The lectures consist of the instructor talking directly to the learner as they draw on a transparent board. The manner in which the instructors use graphs and other illustrations on the board is very effective.
The lectures are also largely based on real-world cases, which is an excellent way to illustrate business concepts.
Quiz Quality (5/5)
Quizzes accompany many of the sections within modules. The quizzes consist of multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank questions. The amount and nature of questions are appropriate for the material being covered, and the questions are well-designed.
Learners can submit each question individually to receive feedback and are only required to answer all questions to gain credit for the quizzes.
Assignment/Exercise Quality (5/5)
There are multiple, substantive writing and planning assignments throughout the course. Unlike many online courses, these assignments are actually reviewed and graded by experts.
Certificate Brand Quality (5/5)
This course is offered by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) through EdX. MIT is one of the most prestigious and well-known universities in the world and EdX is one of the leading online learning platforms.
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Our Expert Review
Content Coverage (4.5/5)
This course is structured into 4 modules, each containing readings, video lectures, and quizzes. The recommended readings for this course are extensive – several full books. The video lectures cover most of the theory related to the topics we consider essential but lack practical tips and tools.
The instructor for this course uses an extensive array of real-world examples to explain different concepts of strategy and entrepreneurship. There are also vignettes featuring actual entrepreneurs discussing real-world challenges and solutions.
The scope of the course is structured around The Opportunity Analysis Canvas, a well-known framework for entrepreneurship.
The essential topics that are not covered in this course include:
- Building budgets and financial models
Lecture Quality (5/5)
The lectures for this course are relatively bland – consisting of the instructor talking directly to the learner, augmented with simple PowerPoint bullets and graphics. However, each of the lectures is full of excellent real-world examples to illustrate various concepts.
There are also vignette lectures from actual entrepreneurs that add quite a bit of value to the learning experience.
Quiz Quality (5/5)
Quizzes containing multiple-choice, multiple-select, and true/false questions conclude each module. The questions are well-written and adequately cover the key material in each module. Quizzes are automatically scored and the learner receives immediate correct/incorrect feedback. Providing more informative feedback for each question and/or providing links back to the lectures covered by the question would be better for the learner.
Learners must receive a score of 70% to earn credit for the quizzes and can retake them up to 3 times every 8 hours.
Assignment/Exercise Quality (3/5)
There is a final assignment that requires the learner to analyze the aspects of an actual business plan. This is a good summative exercise, but the responses from the learner are not actually evaluated by an expert.
Certificate Brand Quality (5/5)
This course is offered by the University of Maryland through Coursera. The University of Maryland is a well-known and respected college in the area of business and Coursera is one of the leading learning platforms.
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Our Expert Review
Content Coverage (4.5/5)
This course is organized into modules, each containing video lectures, quizzes, and optional exercises. Topics are presented in a sequence that is logical and easy to follow. The majority of concepts we consider to be essential in a Strategy course are covered, with the following exceptions:
- Understanding mergers and acquisitions
- Understanding diversification
- Considering different types of innovation
That said, the course does have some substantive topics that might be useful:
- Working with advisers
- Working with accelerators and raising capital
Lecture Delivery (4.5/5)
The instructor for this course is knowledgeable and poised. The lectures are well-written and organized. Lectures consist of the instructor speaking directly to the learner, augmented by simple Powerpoint slides and graphics. The instructor does an excellent job of weaving real-world cases into his lectures to illustrate specific concepts.
While the lectures are thorough, they are a bit monotonous and not as engaging as some others on our list.
Quiz Quality (5/5)
Quizzes accompany most of the sections within most of the modules in this course. The quizzes are comprised of multiple-choice, multiple-select, and true/false questions. The number of questions is adequate for the content covered and the questions are well-written.
Learners can submit each question individually. The questions are automatically scored and learners receive correct/incorrect feedback.
Assignment/Exercise Quality (3/5)
There are substantive assignments within the modules that allow learners to synthesize and apply the concepts taught. However, these assignments are optional and no feedback is provided.
Certificate Brand Quality (5/5)
This course is offered by the University of Maryland through EdX. The University of Maryland is a well-known and respected university and EdX is one of the leading online learning providers.
Topics to Look For in a Strategy Course
- Analyzing industry trends
- Identifying market segments, market-sizing, and target markets
- Performing competitive analysis
- Identifying and leveraging assets and competitive advantages
- Considering different types of innovation
- Identifying and validating value propositions
- Establishing product-market fit
- Analyzing price, placement and promotion
- Understanding and planning for distribution channels
- Understanding mergers, acquisitions, and partnerships
- Understanding diversification
- Building budgets and financial models
- Planning and managing operations
The Major Online Learning Platforms
Each online learning platform is unique. Some specialize in certain types of content, some partner with major universities or corporations to develop content, and some have special learning features. While not exhaustive, the list below includes the major online platforms whose courses we feature.
Pros / Cons
Pros: Certificates often are offered from major universities or corporations.
Cons: The quality of course content and features available varies dramatically between courses.
Cost
$$$
Pros / Cons
Pros: Courses are very similar to those offered in colleges.
Cons: The quality of content and features offered varies dramatically between learning programs.
Cost
$$$$
Pros / Cons
Pros: A focus on microlearning with consistently high-quality content. Consistent use of quizzes throughout all courses.
Cons: Pricing is skewed toward annual subscriptions, which is far more content (and cost) than most learners need within a year.
Cost
$$$
Pros / Cons
Pros: Labs offer a means of gaining practical experience in technical skills.
Cons: There are no incremental quizzes or ways to test learners on specific topics.
Cost
$$$$
Pros / Cons
Pros: Udemy tends to be one of the more affordable options for individuals looking to learn specific technical skills.
Cons: Highly inconsistent quality between courses.
Cost
$
Pros / Cons
Pros: Consistent, high-quality micro-content that focuses on practical exercises.
Cons: The catalog is somewhat limited compared to other vendors on this list.
Cost
$$$
Pros / Cons
Pros: Many free online classes are offered. Live online classroom experiences are offered for some of their courses.
Cons: Variable quality of courses, with some courses having relatively low quality.
Cost
$$$$$
Pros / Cons
Pros: Skillshare has a large library of courses related to creative skills.
Cons: Most courses are just a series of lectures with no interactivity, quizzing, or opportunities to practice concepts.
Cost
$$$
For more information, check out our detailed post on the best online course platforms.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is business strategy?
A business strategy is an overall plan for an organization to achieve its goals.
What skills are important for business strategy?
According to the Wharton School, there are six major skills related to business strategy. They are the ability to anticipate, challenge, interpret, decide, align, and learn. In fact, all of these skills are represented in the topics our experts identified as essential for a course on strategy.
Is business strategy effective?
Business strategies, by themselves, are not what bring positive outcomes to a business. Ultimately, the careful execution of strategies can. This requires operational excellence, great communication, and the ability to adapt strategies to real-time changes in the market.
Why is business strategy important to business risk?
A critical part of any good business strategy is the assessment of risk. This comes in the form of thorough market analysis, competitive analysis, and analysis of internal deficiencies. SWOT analysis, which requires business leaders to identify the strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities of business strategies, is a common tool for identifying risk.
How are business strategy and HR connected?
How a business hires, onboards, upskills, manages, and communicates with its employees are a key part of any business strategy. For this reason, Human Resource departments must be completely aligned with the overall goals of the business. Some of the ways that HR teams aid business strategy include:
- Building a pipeline of skilled candidates aligned with the strategic goals
- Ensuring that all new employees are onboarded in a way that makes them aware and prepared for their roles in the strategy
- Coordinating with managers to establish upskilling programs for current managers
- Helping to communicate various aspects of the business strategy clearly to employees
How are business plans used in business strategy?
Business plans provide structure to the process of building business strategies. They ensure that organizations are considering all important aspects of a business before making major investments.