Introduction
Certified Strategy and Business Planning Professional Exam Preparation Course is a 1-week course for staff who draft, coordinate or review strategic and business plans, ending with a Strategy Folder and Exam Study Plan. Many organisations produce strategic plans whose objectives are vague, whose analysis is not linked to the choices made and whose departmental plans drift away from corporate priorities. Nominees already contribute to planning cycles and work through case studies from public services, banking, healthcare and retail, with practice questions on each topic. CoreConcept Training Center delivers this Certified Strategy and Business Planning Professional exam preparation course.
Course Objectives
- Explain the strategic planning process, planning assumptions and the difference between long-term and strategic objectives
- Write SMART objectives at corporate level and structure them in a strategy tree
- Analyse the internal and external environment using benchmarking, PESTEL, Porter's Five Forces, SWOT and scenario planning
- Evaluate competitive and growth strategy options and recommend a justified choice
- Cascade corporate strategy into departmental plans that separate business as usual from new projects
- Produce a Strategy Folder and Exam Study Plan from case study work and practice question results
Target Audience
- Strategy and planning staff responsible for preparing corporate and business unit plans
- Business planning analysts responsible for environmental scanning and option analysis
- Department heads accountable for departmental plans that support corporate objectives
- Performance and excellence staff responsible for linking plans to objectives and measures
- Business development staff responsible for growth options and new market proposals
Course Outline
Day 1: Strategic Planning Concepts and Exam Orientation
- Certified Strategy and Business Planning Professional Topics and Exam Format
- Strategic Planning Process Stages and Planning Assumptions
- Long-Term Versus Strategic Objectives Distinction Exercises
- Corporate Identity Elements of Impact, Mission and Values
- Diagnostic Practice Questions to Baseline Topic Knowledge
Day 2: Objectives and Environmental Scanning Tools
- SMART Objectives Drafting at Corporate Level
- Strategy Tree Construction Linking Objectives Across Levels
- Internal Scanning of Processes, Resources and Capabilities
- Competitive Benchmarking Against Peer Organisations
- PESTEL and Porter's Five Forces External Analysis
Day 3: SWOT, Scenarios and Strategy Choice
- SWOT Analysis Converted into Strategic Options
- Scenario Planning for Uncertain External Conditions
- Competitive Strategy Choice Among Low Cost and Differentiation
- Customer Relationship and Network Effect Strategy Options
- Vision Statement and Growth Strategy Selection Criteria
Day 4: Departmental Planning and Planning Pitfalls
- Cascading Corporate Strategy into Departmental Plans
- Business as Usual Versus New Projects Planning Split
- Portfolio of Initiatives and Resource Planning Forms
- Planning Timeline, Governance and Risk Considerations
- Common Strategic Planning Errors in Exam Scenarios
Day 5: Case Study Work and Exam Readiness
- Case Study Environmental Scan for a Multi-Sector Organisation
- Case Study Strategy Choice and SMART Objective Set
- Case Study Departmental Plan Cascade and Peer Review
- Timed Practice Exam with Answer Rationale Review
- Strategy Folder and Exam Study Plan Completion
Skills You Will Gain
- Environmental Scanning
- SMART Objective Writing
- Strategy Tree Design
- Strategic Option Evaluation
- Scenario Planning
- Departmental Plan Cascading
- Initiative Portfolio Planning
- Planning Governance
Why Attend This Course
- Deliver a Strategy Folder and Exam Study Plan to the strategy office or line manager sponsoring the candidate
- Choose between competitive and growth strategy options using structured analysis rather than preference
- Avoid strategic plans with vague objectives and departmental plans that drift from corporate priorities
- Guide colleagues in using PESTEL, Porter's Five Forces, SWOT and SMART templates during planning cycles
Conclusion
Back at work, the participant hands the Strategy Folder and Exam Study Plan to the strategy office or the manager who sponsors the candidacy. The strategy office can reuse the folder's analysis templates, objective structure and departmental cascade in the next planning cycle, while the manager agrees protected study time before the exam. After the folder is first used in a planning round, the team should review which objectives lacked clear measures and which departmental plans needed rework, then update the templates.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What should participants know before a Certified Strategy and Business Planning Professional exam preparation course?
Participants should already contribute to strategic or business planning, for example drafting objectives, collecting analysis or preparing departmental plans. Bringing a current strategic plan or planning template helps them apply the case study work to their own organisation.
How does a Certified Strategy and Business Planning Professional exam preparation course differ from a strategic planning and execution course?
A strategic planning and execution course concentrates on delivering a strategy through initiatives and performance reviews. This course follows the topics of the Certified Strategy and Business Planning Professional credential and combines case studies with practice questions to prepare participants for its exam.
What topics does the Certified Strategy and Business Planning Professional exam cover?
The Certified Strategy and Business Planning Professional covers planning concepts and SMART objectives, corporate identity, internal and external environmental scanning, competitive and growth strategy choice and departmental planning. Its certification exam has 75 multiple-answer questions.
What do participants take back from a Certified Strategy and Business Planning Professional exam preparation course?
Participants take back a Strategy Folder containing an environmental scan, strategy choice, SMART objectives, strategy tree and departmental cascade for a case organisation, and an Exam Study Plan based on their practice results by topic.