CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT

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Time & Place

Lecture: Mondays, 16:15 - 17:45

Room: ZHG 006

Start: 13.04.2026

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Examination:

Written exam: 60 minutes (6 credits)

Date: 27.07.2027, 16 - 17 Uhr

Room: ZHG 011

Examination requirements:

Students:

• demonstrate a profound knowledge of and ability to manage challenges in
  corporate development,


• document a thorough understanding of how to actively design an organizations’
  development processes,


• demonstrate the ability to discuss different measures, strategies, and tools to
  manage corporate development,


• show a profound understanding of empirical studies and theoretical implications
  and be able to transfer findings on current practical examples in case studies.

Requirements:

None. Basic knowledge in the areas of management and organization as well as organizational design and change is recommended.

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Learning outcomes, core skills:

After successful completion of this course, students are able to:

• demonstrate a profound knowledge of different perspectives and drivers of corporate development,


• identify and define options of actions and strategies for the growth of companies and the conditions necessary to obtain success,


• identify and define options of actions and strategies for the reduction of company size and the conditions necessary to obtain success,


• apply and critically discuss the tools, strategies, and concepts that have been acquired in order to analyze as well as to tackle case studies,


• deal with the ambiguity of real situations and make reasonable decisions.

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Contents:

a) Introduction to corporate development

• Definition and practical relevance of ”Corporate Development”

b) Tracks and drivers of corporate development processes

• In which different tracks do companies develop over time and why?


• Models and theories about patterns of change


• Measures and mechanisms to manage corporate development and to ensure sustainable success


• Models on driving forces of corporate development


• Empirical studies discussing tracks and drivers of corporate development processes

c) Growing company size

• Strategies of corporate development, direction of growth and shifting boundaries of companies


• Cooperation and M&A as different growth strategies


• Potentials and challenges of different growth strategies

d) Reducing company size

• When and how do companies reduce their size and how can they do so successfully?


• Outsourcing and Downsizing as different strategies to reduce company size


• Potentials and challenges of different strategies to reduce company size