Advanced Strategy for Directors

The changing nature of governance in the global business economy means today’s boards of directors must rethink the way they view and address strategy.

Strategy has become a greater concern for boards, thanks largely to its close link to competitiveness and sustainability – both of which have become harder to achieve in today’s turbulent and hypercompetitive business environment. Strategy is also tied to another important board concern: risk management, which can be defined as anything that prohibits strategy goals from being attained.

Strategy competencies have changed from a “nice to have” to a fundamental requirement for all directors, to ensure the board fulfils its expected role. Digitalisation only adds weight to this new requirement, which in earlier days was filled by a few directors, or by executives and consultants. However, strategy is not something that can be delegated solely to executives – even when they typically play a major role in proposing, executing and evaluating strategies.

The complex forces shaping the new global world have a direct impact on the board’s agenda and on the decisions that boards need to make. Boards need to take greater responsibility for their organisation’s course in this new global environment, which offers great challenges but also new opportunities, and where the usual distinction between local and global has fundamentally altered

Through its Corporate Governance Centre, INSEAD’s Advanced Strategy for Directors programme aims to deepen directors’ understanding of the complexities of this new business landscape. A dynamic mix of lectures and discussions enables participants to review and explore key issues such as the impact of digital technology on strategy and organisations, and on the role of the board. Role playing allows directors to practise formulating, implementing and evaluating strategies in a board environment.