Programmes - INSEAD Blue Ocean Strategy Institute

The INSEAD Blue Ocean Strategy Open Enrolment Programme (BOS OEP) offers a novel perspective on strategy formulation and execution. Participants learn the strategic logic behind creating blue oceans of uncontested market space and gain insight into how this concept complements and goes beyond traditional approaches to strategy.

Participants not only learn the key building blocks of Blue Ocean Strategy, created by Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne, but begin to apply the concepts, tools and frameworks to the practical strategic challenges faced by their organisation. In this way, the INSEAD Blue Ocean Strategy Open Enrolment Programme encourages active learning through hands-on application and exercises. The programme also uses the latest multimedia teaching materials, from theory-based videos to simulations covering a wide range of industries, allowing participants to see and feel what companies are up against and how they can break out of the red ocean.

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Launched in 2016, this full elective course provides participants with a comprehensive understanding of the key concepts, frameworks and tools of Blue Ocean Strategy/ Blue Ocean Shift created by Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne and an opportunity to systematically apply the fundamental methodology for creating and capturing blue oceans to simulated business settings.

The course is organised in sixteen carefully constructed sessions that alternate between theory case discussion (to introduce frameworks and tools) and computer simulation (to apply frameworks and tools).

The theory case discussion sessions use high-impact teaching materials such as theory-based videos to introduce and analyse a series of key blue ocean strategic moves. The videos are designed to capture the dynamics of actual strategic settings, based on first-hand research and face-to-face interviews, promising a rich understanding, deep conceptual learning and an engaging experience in the classroom. Short paper cases are used to complement the full-fledged video cases.

The simulation sessions introduce participants to computer simulations and provide an innovative, fun and effective way to bridge the gap between theory and practice. Students will have the opportunity to apply BOS concepts, tools and methodology by playing the challenging role of an executive of a fictitious company in the intensely competitive consumer electronics industry. Teams apply Blue Ocean Strategy to reconstruct market boundaries and unlock new demand, and participants receive simulated results in real-time on their strategic choices and system-generated feedback specific to how their performance can be improved. The fast pace and hands-on experience builds strong teamwork dynamics while sharpening participants’ strategic thinking in an exciting and engaging way.

The Blue Ocean Strategy Study Group (BOSSG) is an excellent way for students to conduct independent research projects that apply the theory of blue ocean strategy, its ideas and analytic frameworks underlying the creation and capturing of blue oceans of uncontested market space to strategic moves of participants' choice,

The BOSSG aims to create awareness on what it takes to break out of the bloody ocean of competition and make a positive difference to industry in Europe, Asia, and the U.S.

INSEAD Blue Ocean Strategy Institute's Co-Directors, Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne, will issue a Blue Ocean Certificate that establishes proficiency of INSEAD MBA participants who have successfully completed the two dedicated Blue Ocean Strategy courses:

Blue Ocean Strategy Elective
Blue Ocean Strategy Study Group

The following courses are offered:

For the class of July

• Blue Ocean Strategy Elective in P4, March-April.
• Blue Ocean Strategy Study Group in P5, May-June.

For the class of December

• Blue Ocean Strategy Elective in P4, September-October.
• Blue Ocean Strategy Study Group in P5, November-December.

The two courses are offered on both the Asia and Europe campuses.