BA 590 Online
Strategic Business Concepts & Applications
Overview
Concepts and business strategies focusing on viewing the organization as an integrated whole. Use of integrated management exercises involving student teams working on a business simulation or actual business project aimed at challenges and opportunities facing a business.
Simulation
Capstone Strategic Management Simulation
Course Objectives
1) Understand foundational principles of strategic management.
2) Debate competing strategic management perspectives.
3) Develop skills in competitive intelligence gathering, interpretation, and application.
4) Consider emerging views in strategic management.
5) Participate in strategic decision making.
Assessment of Course Objectives
1) Discuss Theme A
2) Discuss Theme B
3) Discuss Theme C
4) Participate in Theme E
Please scroll down for content of each theme.
Grading
Grade of C
1) Lead discussion for one course theme.
2) Fully participate in all Blackboard threaded discussions.
3) Score higher in the simulation in terms of analyst points than at least one competitor
Grade of B
1) Lead discussion for one course theme.
2) Fully participate in all Blackboard threaded discussions.
3) Score higher in the simulation in terms of analyst points than at least two competitors
Grade of A
1) Lead discussion for one course theme.
2) Fully participate in all Blackboard threaded discussions.
3) Score higher in the simulation in terms of analyst points than at least three competitors
NOTE: There is a safety net for those who do not score as high in the simulation as they would like to. You may increase your course grade by one letter grade by substituting a written assignment in place of scoring higher than one simulation team. The written assignment should follow this outline:
1) Examine a competitive rivalry between three major rivals in a single industry.
2) Address all five major components of the Hambrick & Frederickson (2005) paper.
3) Analyze all the major industry forces in the Porter (2008) paper.
4) Complete a resource analysis for each of the three rivals based on the Collis and Montgomery (2008) paper.
5) Explain how each of your three firms could benefit by incorporating ideas from competitive intelligence (include in your discussion the ideas from Day & Schoemaker (2005); Christensen, Raynoer, & Verlinden (2001); and Ketchen, Snow & Street (2004).
6) Use at least two of the four papers in the Emerging Views in Strategic Management section to address future strategic paths each of your three firms might pursue.
7) Conclude with your specific recommendations for each firm
Grades of D and F are reserved for students who do not complete the course basics or who are absent from the discussions and simulation participation for much of the course.
Content Outline
You can access all of the articles by clicking here.
Theme A: Foundational Principles in Strategic Management
Collis, D.J. & Rukstad, 2008. Can you say what your strategy is? Harvard Business Review, April: 82-90.
Hambrick, D.C. & Fredrickson, J.W. 2005. Are you sure you have a strategy? Academy of Management Executive, 19(4): 51-62.
Porter, M.E. 2008. The five competitive forces that shape strategy. Harvard Business Review, January: 78-93.
Collis, D.J. & Montgomery, C.A. 2008. Competing on resources. Harvard Business Review, July-August: 140-150.
Theme B: Competing Perspectives of Strategic Management
Mankins, M.C. & Steele, R. 2006. Stop making plans: Start making decisions. Harvard Business Review, January: 76-84.
Bower, J.L & Gilbert, C.G. 2007. How managers' everyday decisions create or destroy your company's strategy. Harvard Business Review, February: 72-79.
Decker, C. & Mellewigt, T. 2007. Thirty years after Michael E. Porter: What do we know about business exit? Academy of Management Perspectives, May: 41-55.
Christensen, C.M., Kaufman, S.P, & Shih, W.C. 2008. Innovation killers: How financial tools destroy your capacity to do new things. Harvard Business Review, January 28: 98-105
Mehri, D. 2006. The darker side of learn: An insider’s perspective on the realities of the Toyota Production System. Academy of Management Perspectives, May: 21-42
Theme C: Competitive Intelligence
Day, G.S. & Schoemaker, P.J.H. 2005. Scanning the periphery. Harvard Business Review, November: 135-148.
Christensen, C.M., Raynor, M., & Verlinden, M. 2001. Skate to where the money will be. Harvard Business Review, November: 72-81.
Ketchen Jr., D.J., Snow, C.C. & Street, V.L. 2004. Improving firm performance by matching strategic decision-making processes to competitive dynamics. Academy of Management Executive, 18(4): 29-43.
Theme D: Emerging Views in Strategic Management
Porter, M.E. & Kramer, M.R. 2006. The link between competitive advantage and corporate social responsibility. Harvard Business Review, December: 78-92.
Clayton, C.M.Christensen, Baumann, H., Ruggles, R. & and Sadtler, T.M. 2006. Disruptive innovation for social change. Harvard Business Review, December: 94-101.
Khanna, T. & Palepu, K.G. 2006. Emerging giants: Building world-clsss companies in developing countries. Harvard Business Review, October: 60-69.
Seelos. C. & Mair, J. 2007. Profitable business models and market creation in the context of deep poverty: A strategic view. Academy of Management Perspectives, 21(4): 49-63.
Porter, M. & Siggelkow, N. 2008. Contextuality within activity systems and sustainability of competitive advantage. Academy of Management Perspectives, May: 34-56.
Lash, J. & Wellington, F. 2007. Competitive advantage on a warming planet. Harvard Business Review. March: 92-102.
Theme E: Strategic Decision Making
Although listed as a separate theme, we will integrate strategic decision making throughout the course using a strategic management simulation. The progression of the simulation begins near the start of the course and concludes at the end of the course.
Schedule
Week 1
Course introduction
Simulation rehearsal round
Arrange teams
Week 2
Simulation practice round 1
Simulation FAQs led by Scott on the Blackboard discussion board
Week 3
Simulation practice round 2
Theme A: Andrews Team leads the Blackboard discussion
Week 4
Simulation round 1
Theme B: Baldwin Team leads the Blackboard discussion
Week 5
Simulation round 2
Theme C: Chester Team leads the Blackboard discussion
Week 6
Simulation round 3
Theme D: Digby Team leads the Blackboard discussion
Week 7
Simulation round 4
Week 8
Final simulation round (round 5)
Please note that this is due Tuesday, Dec. 2 rather than our usual Thursday due date.
Please note that simulation rounds 1-4 are due by 8 p.m. each Thursday evening. Round 5 is the exception--it is due at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec 2.