My favourite modules on the Executive Diploma in Strategy and Innovation

Executive Diploma in Strategy and Innovation participant, Samira Suffian, shares which were her favourite modules on the programme.

Studying Warwick Business School's (WBS) Executive Diploma in Strategy and Innovation has been a dream come true for me. After working in programme execution and innovation management, I realised that the majority of innovation initiatives carried out in organisations were done in small patches and did not align with the overall company strategy. I knew this programme would assist me in integrating my operational expertise with strategic decisions.

The modules have opened my mind, and the subjects are incredibly inspiring. One of my favourite classes was presented by Professor Christian Stadler on ‘Open Strategy’. As a certified Design Thinking facilitator, I am familiar with open innovation and was delighted to see that this concept could also be applied to strategy. Being taught in class by the best-selling author himself also seemed a bit surreal.

I felt particularly connected to the ‘Entrepreneurship and Innovation’ module because I have been working closely with entrepreneurs and start-ups in Malaysia. Learning about the Corporate Entrepreneurship Assessment Instrument (CEAI) has proven useful in gaining insight into a company's internal environment and its readiness for innovation and entrepreneurship activities.

Some of my other favourite topics that we covered include the ‘Ecosystem Economy’ and ‘Strategic Stakeholder Management’. Having built different communities prior, these improved my grasp of how to handle many stakeholders and recognise how they might affect one another while also maximising the potential of the company network.

And of course, Professor Pietro Micheli's module on ‘Strategy Implementation’ was just what I needed to turn the strategy plan into actual execution. His engaging teaching style makes learning in class even more enjoyable. The topic of ‘Performance Management Systems’ is vital, but it is not simply about monitoring metrics; rather, the organisation must determine whether it is monitoring the proper performance-related indicators.

My classmates, who come from diverse backgrounds and value knowledge exchange, added to the overall fun of this learning journey. Upon taking a personal sabbatical during this programme, I found that the experience of physically studying at The Shard in London with this incredible group of classmates and learning from strategy experts was extremely beneficial to me because it allowed me to thoroughly absorb the knowledge and identify the next step in my career.

As I complete this programme, I am pleased to share that I am taking on a new role as Chief Ecosystem Officer, a relatively new industry title that is closely linked to the subjects I have learned. Without a doubt, everything in the ecosystem economy is interconnected, and I am excited to put everything I have managed to learn at WBS to use in the Malaysian ecosystem through this role.

Find out more about the Executive Diploma in Strategy and Innovation.