Lesson Plan

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Lesson Plan
Grade: Date: 17/01/2026
Subject: Business
Lesson Topic: the importance of joint ventures and strategic alliances as methods of external growth
Learning Objective/s:
  • Describe the key characteristics that differentiate joint ventures from strategic alliances.
  • Explain the advantages and disadvantages of each external growth method.
  • Evaluate which method is most appropriate for a given business scenario using criteria such as capital commitment, control, duration, and risk.
  • Apply the decision‑making framework to real‑world case studies to justify a choice of JV or alliance.
Materials Needed:
  • Projector or interactive whiteboard
  • Slide deck summarising JV and alliance concepts
  • Handout with comparison table and case‑study excerpts
  • Whiteboard markers and flip chart
  • Sticky notes for group activity
  • Internet access for quick research (optional)
 Introduction:
Begin with a quick poll: which global brands have you noticed sharing products or services? Building on students’ prior knowledge of mergers, we will explore two alternative external‑growth routes—joint ventures and strategic alliances. By the end of the lesson, students will be able to distinguish the two, weigh their pros and cons, and decide which is most suitable for a given scenario.
Lesson Structure:
  1. Do‑now (5'): Students list examples of companies that collaborate and share with the class.
  2. Mini‑lecture (10'): Present definitions, key differences, and a Venn diagram using slides.
  3. Guided analysis (10'): Compare advantages/disadvantages via the comparison table; brief Q&A.
  4. Group case study (15'): Teams receive a scenario and decide whether a JV or strategic alliance is appropriate, justifying their choice on a poster.
  5. Gallery walk & feedback (5'): Groups present findings; peers give quick feedback.
  6. Summary check (5'): Exit ticket – one sentence stating when to choose a JV versus an alliance.
Conclusion:
Recap the main distinctions and decision factors for joint ventures and strategic alliances. Students complete an exit ticket summarising the key criteria for each method. For homework, they research a recent real‑world partnership and write a short analysis of why the chosen form of external growth was appropriate.