Business strategy is the bridge between your business’s goals and success. Yet, a strategy is only as strong as the skills of those who formulate and execute it.
Whether launching your own venture, leading teams, or preparing to enter the business world, developing a strategic mindset is crucial for success.
Harvard Business School Online offers six certificate and credential programs to help you gain critical strategic skills:
Here’s an introduction to each so you can decide which best fits your goals.
Free E-Book
How to Formulate a Successful Business Strategy
This guide will equip you with the tools, frameworks, and knowledge to formulate a successful business strategy that propels your organization forward.
Which Strategy Course Is Right for You?
If You Want to Learn Foundational Concepts and Develop a Strategic Mindset
If you’re interested in the dynamics that shape international business strategies, explore Global Business. Taught by HBS Professor Forest Reinhardt, the course will equip you with a fundamental knowledge of macroeconomics to compare business decisions’ impact across geographic locations.
You’ll also learn how to assess the potential impact of social and political indicators, interest rates, inflation, and trade, and how to use frameworks to craft strategies in a global business environment.
Business Strategy is the right fit if you’re searching for a simplified, framework-based approach to strategy. HBS Professor Felix Oberholzer-Gee will teach you how to use the value stick framework to assess business opportunities and craft effective strategies through the lens of value creation. This course will also delve into how to compete in a saturated market by creating value for customers, employees, and suppliers and how to implement strategies for sustained success.
If You Want to Anticipate What’s on the Horizon to Shape Strategy
One aspect of creating and implementing strong strategies is anticipating what’s to come and communicating its importance to your organization. HBS Online offers two courses that cater directly to these skills.
Disruptive Strategy, taught by HBS Professor Willy Shih, outlines Clayton Christensen’s theory of disruptive innovation, jobs to be done, and techniques for executive-level strategy formulation.
After taking this course, you’ll feel comfortable assessing your industry for disruptive threats and opportunities and crafting strategies while maintaining a disruptive scope.
Sustainable Business Strategy also enables you to assess what’s on the horizon, specifically regarding your organization's impact on society. Taught by HBS Professor Rebecca Henderson, the course will equip you with the tools and skills to develop a business strategy guided by purpose.
You’ll learn to articulate the financial value of corporate social responsibility to key stakeholders, determine how your organization can be a catalyst for system-level change, and craft a personal plan for how to become a purpose-driven leader.
If You Want to Lead Strategic Decision-Making and Implementation
In addition to suiting those who want to build foundational skills and anticipate disruption, Business Strategy and Disruptive Strategy offer insights for implementing strategies and making decisions.
Business Strategy will equip you with the tools to transition from strategy formulation to execution and prioritize initiatives, while Disruptive Strategy will explain the difference between deliberate and emergent strategies and how to lead your team to innovate.
Finally, if you’re searching for a course that dives deep into the final step of the strategy process, Strategy Execution is right for you. Taught by HBS Professor Robert Simons, this course is a fit for mid-level and aspiring managers who want to gain the skills to measure, track, and evaluate strategic initiatives’ effectiveness and create environments conducive to success.
If You Want to Grow as a Strategic, Forward-Thinking Business Leader
If you’re a new or experienced leader who’s ready to ignite your career with vital business skills, self-reflection, and a diverse global network, consider enrolling in HBS Online’s Credential of Leadership, Impact, and Management in Business (CLIMB).
Combining strategy, leadership, finance, and skills for the cutting-edge professional, CLIMB can help you:
Practice effective teamwork and implement strategies of high-performing teams in your workplace
Lead teams that include AI agents to improve collaboration and performance
Identify what makes a successful personal brand
Unlike a certificate course, CLIMB is divided into two learning paths—New and Experienced Leaders—so the curriculum is tailored to where you are in your career. You’ll take seven courses over one year and apply your knowledge and skills in a capstone project.
Free Flowchart
Which HBS Online Strategy Course Is Right for You?
This flowchart will help you determine which HBS Online strategy course best aligns with your career level and experience, learning objectives, and educational goals.
Selecting the Best Strategy Course
With an understanding of each program’s content and learning objectives, reflect on your goals. Which program will provide the skill set needed to reach them?
Also consider your schedule, budget, and which features you value most. All HBS Online courses feature:
World-class faculty
Self-paced online coursework with deadlines
Engaging, interactive content
Social interaction with fellow learners
Real examples of business challenges faced by experts
The HBS Online Community, a global network of business professionals
Career growth and a positive return on investment
No matter which strategy program aligns with your goals, you can gain the knowledge and skills to craft and execute impactful strategies for your organization.
If you still aren't sure which HBS Online strategy course is the right fit, download our free course flowchart to determine which best aligns with your goals. If multiple programs interest you, consider pursuing a Learning Track, which enables you to take three certificate courses within the strategy subject area to earn an advanced Certificate of Specialization.
This post was updated on August 28, 2026. It was originally published on September 1, 2022.