Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Strategic Management
Spring, 2006
Preliminary Syllabus
Active Involvement. This class is designed so that participation plays an integral role in the learning
process. Everyone must prepare the assigned material before class and participate in class
discussion. You should expect me to "cold-call" frequently during class. A substantial portion of
your grade will depend on your ability to contribute productively to our collective learning
experience.
We will be very demanding with regard to class attendance and on-time arrival in this course,
because our collective learning is maximized with full participation and commitment on the part of
everyone. Please remember that late arrivals are very disruptive to your fellow students and to the
learning process. Your grade will be adversely affected if I discover a problem with regard to
tardiness or absences. When absences must occur, please notify me by email in advance. Please
note that class absences (for any reason) cannot be made up, because written assignments cannot
replicate your contribution and learning experience in class.
Case Discussion. We will be making extensive use of real business cases that provide a forum for
you to apply concepts and analytical tools. The goals for each case discussion are to understand the
strategic nature of the situation, define key issues, recognize critical assumptions and tradeoffs, and
propose strategically sensible recommendations. In order to fully benefit from case discussion, you
should:
Come to class well prepared. Analyze the case using the tools you have learned in class, and
come prepared to answer the case assignment questions in class.
If tables and figures are provided, perform basic analysis to uncover trends and issues that
may not be explicitly mentioned in the case. Probe beyond what is written to what you think
may really be going on, using the course lectures and readings as a guide.
Given the complexities of the real world, there is no single right answer, although some
answers are better than others. To find those, use strategic concepts and tools to analyze a
situation.
On any given day, you may be called upon to state your major conclusions and then to provide
evidence and analysis in support. Even in the most ambiguous situations, it is important to examine
data, reasons, and assumptions that make some answers better than others. For class discussion you
will be expected to draw from all the relevant readings and class discussions to date. Also, please
remember to listen carefully and respectfully to your classmates and suggest supporting or
alternative views. Thoughtful debate is highly encouraged.
Academic Integrity. In order to maintain a vigorous learning community in the classroom, it is
critical that we, as a class, do not tolerate academic fraud (cheating, plagiarism, lying). As a matter
of personal and professional respect for each other, and ourselves we should expect the highest
standards of conduct from our peers and ourselves. Violating these standards takes away the value
and meaning of the educational environment for all of us, and in the event that such a violation
occurs, the individual(s) responsible will be subject to University sanctions that may include failure
from the course, suspension, or expulsion.
Course Grading
Grading will be based on the following:
Participation
Quizzes
Team Company Analysis
35%
30%
35%
Participation. Your participation grade will be based on both oral contributions during class
(individual comments and informal group presentations) and individual and group exercises (inclass and out-of-class). Since the purpose of the exercises, cold calling, and presentations is to
facilitate your in-class contribution and learning, these may not be made up. You are also required
to attend the Barneys Strategy Event on Friday, April 28th. Please do not ask me for a way to make
up missed exercises; there is no substitute for the in-class aspect of learning in a case-based course.
Quizzes. There will be three non-cumulative quizzes to test and provide feedback about your
mastery of the content of course. These are closed-book, individual quizzes. If you must miss a
quiz, you should contact me at least one week in advance to make arrangements to take the quiz
early. If you miss a quiz unexpectedly, you should contact me immediately to discuss your options
for making up the work. There will be a grade penalty associated with taking a make-up quiz.
Team Case Analysis. Over the course of the semester, you will work in groups of 4-5 to write a
company analysis that utilizes the tools and concepts of the class. The companies to be analyzed
will be announced in class. Each company analysis must include (but is not limited to) the following
components:
1. Brief Introduction & Key Issues
It is your responsibility to identify the key issues that the company currently faces. Often
best to do this AFTER you have done the bulk of your analysis.
2. External Analysis, including
o Porters 5/6 Forces, and
o Macroenvironmental analysis
3. Internal Analysis, including
o Assessment of firms strengths and weaknesses
o Are any of the firms resources sources of competitive advantage? Are those
advantages sustainable? What are the firms core capabilities?
o What do the firms financial statements say about its health? Trends? Comparison to
competitors?
4. Analysis of business-level positioning strategy used by the firm, including
o What the overall positioning of the firm is in this particular market;
o How the positioning strategy is (or is not) supported by its functional strategies; and
o How the positioning strategy influences (or responds to) the competitive and/or
cooperative dynamics of the industry. Be sure to include any appropriate quantitative
analysis of the advantage this position yields (or fails to yield) over the firms
competitors.
SCHEDULE
Class
1
Industry Analysis
Readings:
Grant, Chapter 3 & 4
Case: Starbucks Corporation (No case in course materials; assignment to be described at
the end of the first day of class)
Competitive Dynamics
Readings:
The Right Game: Use Game Theory to Shape Strategy. By: Brandenburger, Adam M.;
Nalebuff, Barry J.. Harvard Business Review, Jul/Aug95, Vol. 73 Issue 4, p57, 15p (Access
through EBSCO)
Case: Dogfight over Europe: Ryanair (coursepacket)
Corporate-Level Strategy
Expanding the Scope of the Firm
Reading:
Grant, Chapter 13
Note on Corporate Governance (handed out in class)
Case: International Management Group (coursepacket)
Diversification Strategies
Readings:
Grant, Chapter 15
Note on Market Failures (handed out in class)
Case: The Walt Disney Company: The Entertainment King (coursepacket)
10
11
12
13
This schedule is a guideline only; instructor reserves the right to change the schedule as necessary.