CRITICAL REFLECTION 1

Critical Reflection

Name

Instructor

Institution

Date
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Introduction
This paper provides a critical reflection of my experience and knowledge gained during the
semester. The reflection focuses on learning and how the modules contributed to individual
development as a manager in the future. The reflection follows the prompts of the 4Rs reflection
framework (respond, relate, reason and reconstruction).

Report
The module introduced me to the frameworks, tools and knowledge of strategic
management with innovation. When starting the semester, I want to develop the capacity to
create innovative ideas and address complex business problems in a real-world environment.
During the semester, I learned about applied strategy tools through a case study report, worked
with a team and used innovation frameworks to evaluate a case organization. There was a focus
on ethical and responsible business management. The modules provided opportunities to explore
the tools and frameworks available for strategically and innovatively addressing business
challenges caused by the turbulence o the global business environment, while ensuring
environmental and social accountability of business operations. I was expected to learn to use
strategic thinking, manage innovation and consider sustainable goals. It is also through the
course that I needed to hone my teamwork, negotiation and leadership skills. I also completed
online modules through weekly workshops, participatory tutorials and interactive activities.

Relate
Two key learning experiences resonated well with my knowledge of the strategic business.
First, the Strategy and Emerging Markets unit revealed that globalization of business complicates
the international strategy as economic interdependence continues growing between countries.
Course readings and further research on international trade theory revealed that as many
businesses are eager to expand, complexities resulting from the macro-environment factors make
it difficult to expand (Jones & Kierzkowski, 2018). For example, research on BRIC countries
(Brazil, Russia, India and China) using the strategy frameworks such as Porter's Diamond
revealed that foreign businesses seeking to leverage such emerging markets have to grapple with
political risks, dynamics of customer behavior and preference for sustainable business solutions.
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This discovery affirmed the knowledge that one of the success factors in international business is
competitive advantages that allow a firm to outperform domestic and other foreign firms.
However, it is understandable from research that entry into a new market by leveraging
competitive advantages is one thing, but remaining in the market is another thing. Based on this
understanding, I delved into further exploration of strategies to sustain competitive advantage,
and cost leadership/advantage stood out. A reflection of many successful multinational
enterprises revealed the use of cost advantage to sustain their competitive advantage. For
example, American companies such as Apple Inc. have their manufacturing plants in China to
leverage cheap labor and resource abundance. To this end, it resonated with me that as a
strategist, it is critical to identify sources of competitive advantage, most of which rest with the
social complicity of a country.

Second, my experience with the team revealed the value of teamwork in building the
innovation capacity of a strategist. I understand that successful innovation is critical in adding
value to a business not only by maximizing profits, but also by considering social and
environmental sustainability. Given the insights drawn from case study analyses, I understood
that failure to innovate in the contemporary business environment is synonymous with a failed
business. The review of the resource-based view of a firm using frameworks such as VRIO
showed that innovation helps businesses to leverage unique resources to stay ahead of
competitors. However, innovation is not always achievable given the fast-changing business
environment and complexities of international businesses (Russell & Smorodinskaya, 2018).).
Increased competition, market volatility, high customer expectations, and resource insufficiency
are all important reasons for using innovation as a tool for competitiveness. Yet, teamwork
becomes one of the strategic methods of promoting the innovation capability of a firm. As a
team-oriented strategist, working interdependently with others seemed to provide capacity for
more achievements and optimize problem-solving capability. Working on group-based course
projects, I discovered that new ideas are generated faster when people contribute multiple ideas.
Indeed, teams are often homogeneous in terms of skills, knowledge and abilities (Klaic et al.,
2020). Thus, using such teams creates an opportunity of breaking impermeable business
boundaries and create a more flexible and fertile environment. The value of innovation for
effective business strategy and management is consistent with best industry practices by
companies such as Starbucks and Google that leverage teamwork to make game-changing
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novelties. As such, I expect to leverage strategic thinking and teamwork-driven innovation to

drive my profession in business strategy.

Reason
I attribute the new understanding to the use of problem-based learning where real-world
problems were introduced and I needed to work on them by unraveling challenges and solutions
while identifying the frameworks and theories to use in managing the situations. The approach
provided an opportunity to work with others and learn in the direction of the course and personal
interests. The problem-based learning provided me with autonomy and responsibility to learn,
and induced my information-seeking habits on concepts I needed to perfect. For example, the
concept of ethical and responsible management in a complex environment seemed challenging
given the multiplicity of interwoven factors in the business environment. However, using the
concepts and frameworks such as the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) and Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR) to understand different scenarios allowed me to identify the ideal solution
for specific problems (Farooq et al., 2021). Comparing insights from independent studies,
seminars and tutorials, I comprehended the value of ethical considerations in business strategy,
innovation and management. Commitment to solving problems from an ethical perspective
allowed me to understand that the economic growth of a firm is often constrained by social
requirements that must be addressed concurrently. To link business interests with social needs
and requirements, it is critical to establish an enabling environment that optimizes resource
allocation to meet the business's societal needs concurrently.

Completing a case study analysis is arguably the most crucial method of learning that
contributed to learning and experience with strategic thinking, innovation and problem-solving in
a real-world context. As part of the assessment for the course, the project required the
application of strategic management tools covered in the unit. I found this task fulfilling as it
provided an opportunity to test my competence as a strategist in the context of business response
to Covid-19 aftermaths and pursuit of long-term prospects. Using frameworks such as PESTEL
and Porter’s Five Forces to analyze the business environment, it resonated with me that
businesses operate in volatile environments with unprecedented shocks that require sufficient
strategic response. Consistent with my understanding of flexibility as a necessity in navigating
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the complex supply chain landscape, I considered reorganization of logistics, production

processes and human resource optimization as critical response strategies. These changes are
enabled by the use of important organizational resources and dynamic capabilities that determine
the flexibility of an organization. Understanding the influence of internal environmental factors
in building dynamic capabilities of a firm following the use of Porter's Value Chain framework
to understand how organizations organize activities strategically based on pressures from the
business environment. The use of these frameworks was informed by ideas and information
provided in lectures and seminars that provided opportunities for open discussion around the
concepts and theories.

Reconstruct
The experiences changed my understanding of strategic management as an area of my
future profession; strategy is largely dependent on capabilities and competencies, and an ethical
approach to business challenges. I now understand that capability-based strategies are built on
the idea that core competencies and internal resources derived from unique competitive
advantages underscore the long-sustainable economic and social performance of a firm.
Leveraging these competencies is likely to create a strategic advantage. Before pursuing the
course, I believed that identifying and implementing core competencies is the core of business
performance. However, the experiences revealed that it is possible to misidentify competencies
and core resources as this could lead a business towards failure. Indeed, no business and business
environment are alike at all times, and not all viable strategies work for all businesses (Bindra et
al., 2019). These challenges call for the managerial competencies around strategy.

The new knowledge suggests specific practical implications in the future practice of
strategic management. Importantly, I will need to address business problems from a logical
approach. Given the interwoven nature of business environmental factors, a logical model of
exploring problems will allow for the identification of all possible scenarios and outlining of
possible outcomes. I discovered from independent studies that a logic tree-based method is ideal
in problem-solving as it allows for iterative steps of identifying problems and arriving at a
satisfactory strategic response. Besides, the strategic responses to business issues will leverage
unique advantages such as cost leadership and social responsibility by capitalizing on innovation
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and creativity. As I discovered in the case studies, competitive advantage is hardly achievable
without consideration of society and the environment in which a business operates.

Conclusion
Learning experiences during the semester influenced my perspective on business strategy
as a subject of economic and ethical aspects. Accordingly, my practice will integrate ethical
lenses while addressing business problems, mainly to create value for stakeholders beyond
shareholders. I intend to build on these strategic competencies through more case study analysis
and attempting to solve more business problems in real-world settings.
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References
Farooq, Q., Fu, P., Liu, X., & Hao, Y. (2021). Basics of macro to microlevel corporate social
responsibility and advancement in triple bottom line theory. Corporate Social
Responsibility and Environmental Management, 28(3), 969-979.

Jones, R. W., & Kierzkowski, H. (2018). The role of services in production and international
trade: A theoretical framework. World Scientific Book Chapters, 233-253.

Russell, M. G., & Smorodinskaya, N. V. (2018). Leveraging complexity for ecosystemic

innovation. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 136, 114-131.

Klaic, A., Burtscher, M. J., & Jonas, K. (2020). Fostering team innovation and learning by means
of team‐centric transformational leadership: The role of teamwork quality. Journal of
Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 93(4), 942-966.

Bindra, S., Parameswar, N., & Dhir, S. (2019). Strategic management: The evolution of the
field. Strategic Change, 28(6), 469-478.