NationalChengChiUniversity
Department of International Business
Fall 2007
351738001全球產業競爭分析Industry and Competitive Analysis of global business
Thursday: 2:00pm~5:00pm
Instructor: Pao-Lien Chen
Office: Room 801 ResearchBuilding (subject to change)
Email:
Office hours: by appointment
ATTENTION: YOU NEED TO SHOW UP ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE CLASS IN ORDER TO TAKE THIS COURSE!!!!!!
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
The course, exploring the overlapping areas of industrial economics and strategic management, addresses the organizational structure, resources & capabilities, and strategic positioning of the firm to create, capture, and sustain competitive advantage. It is designed to provide students with a thorough understanding of the economic principles underlying strategy formulation and the tools to analyze the positioning and performance of global organizations in different industry environments.
In this course, you will develop your skill at:
- understanding how global organizations (firms) gain and sustain competitive advantage
- analyzing strategic business situations and formulating strategy
- implementing strategy and organizing the organization (firm) for strategic success
- team work and presentation
- critical assessment and identifying research questions independently
COURSETEXTSANDCASES
Textbook:Grant, Robert M. (2005).Contemporary Strategy Analysis: Concepts, Techniques, and Applications.Malden, MA: Blackwell.
Reading:Porter, Michael (1996). “What is Strategy?” Harvard Business Review, (November-December): 61-78. (T.I.S. bookstore, BA 449Case Readings packet).
Cases:Harvard Business Cases
COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING
(1) / Individual case assignments (4 cases; 25 points each) / 100 points(2) / One page written assignment for the assigned article (3; 25 points each) / 75 points
(3) / In-class exams (2; 125 points and 175 points) / 300 points
(4) / Individual participation / 125 points
(5) / Mini-Group Presentation (100 points) / 100 points
(6) / Practicum (Top Management Team, Primary Case Presentation, Group Paper, Peer Evaluation, Interim Receivables; 25, 100, 100, 50 25 points) / 300 points
Total / 1000points
*Your final grade will be thetotal points you receive divided by 10.
WEEKLY OVERVIEW (subject to change)
Session / Date / Topic / Book chapter / Article / HBPS Case / Assignments due1 / Sept. 20 / Introduction & Administration
2 / Sept. 27 / The concept of strategy
Goal, value, and
Strategic Coherence / 1&2 / Porter (1996)
3 / Oct. 4 / Industry Analysis / 3 / Wal-Mart Case / Strategic coherence map
Team Skills Resume and Plan of Action (Due Thursday October 4th)
4 / Oct 11 / Business-level strategies / 8&9 / Cola Wars 21st Century Case
Group #1: industry-level analysis (e.g., 5-Forces Model) Group #2: Business-level strategy (e.g., Pepsi strategic plan) / Porter’s 5-Forces Model
5 / Oct. 18 / Resources and capabilities / 5 / Starbucks
Group #3Industry-level analysis
Group #4 Business-level strategy (e.g., Starbuck’s Value Chain) / value chain analysis of Starbucks’ business model
6 / Oct. 25 / **Exam 1**
7 / Nov. 1 / Corporate Strategy / 13&15 / Yes / Two-page written assignment of the article assigned to you
8 / Nov. 8 / Global Strategy / 6,14 & 16 / Zara: Fast Fashion
Group #5 Industry – level analysis
Group #6 Business –level strategy / Zara’s resources and capabilities (or competitive competences
9 / Nov. 15 / Organization Structure and Incentives / Yes
10 / Nov. 22 / Technology Strategy / 10&11 / Kodak and the Digital Revolution
Group #7 Industry-level analysis
Group #8 Business-level strategy (e.g., Kodak’s strategic plan) / Outline of Presentation and Paper for the main case (Due ThursdayNovember 22nd)
11 / Nov. 29 / Profiting from technology innovations (entry choice) / Yes / Two-page written assignment of the article assigned to you
12 / Dec. 6 / Competitive dynamic & real option / Yes / Two-page written assignment of the article assigned to you
13 / Dec. 13 / ** Exam 2**
14 / Dec. 20 / Practicum case / G1.Haier: Taking a Chinese Company Global (G5 as the top management team)
G2.Pharmaceutical Industry faces AIDS (G6 as the tmt) / Presentation Slides (Due 2 days before Practicum Presentation)
15 / Dec. 27 / Practicum case / G3.Progressive (G7 as the TMT)
G4.Google.com (G8 as the TMT) / Presentation Slides (Due 2 days before Practicum Presentation)
16 / Jan. 3 / Practicum case / G5.HP-Compaq Merger (G1 as the TMT)
G6.Samsung Electronics (G2 as the TMT) / Presentation Slides (Due 2 days before Practicum Presentation)
17 / Jan. 10 / Practicum case / G7.The Walt Disney Company (G3 as the TMT)
G8.P&G Japan: The SK II Globalization Project ( G4 as the TMT) / Presentation Slides (Due 2 days before Practicum Presentation)
18 / Jan. 17 / Primary case paper due
Other policies:
-Do not miss classes
-Be on time for classes
-Turn off cellular phones
-Do not accept late assignments
-Do not cheat on exams
-Any violation of the above rules will seriously adversely affect your grade
EXPLANATION OF ASSIGNMENTS
Individual case assignment (100 points)
Case #1Wal-Mart “Strategic Coherence” Map (25 points)
The Michael Porter article in the Coursepack (Porter 1996) provides a graphical description of Southwest Airlines activity system in order to demonstrate the coherence of its strategy. Draw a similar strategic coherence map for Wal-Mart. Think carefully about how all of Wal-Mart’s “details” in their activity system are complementary and reinforcing for their overall business strategy. Identify which activities are major and which are minor. Only link together activities that reinforce each other to a significant degree. You may complete this assignment (and only this assignment) by hand and turn it in at the beginning of class.
Case #2Coke v. Pepsi 5-Forces (25 points)
The Soft Drink Industry assignment asks you to provide an industry analysis using Porter’s 5-Forces Model. For Porter’s 5-Forces model, there are three parts to the assignment: (1) for each Force, answer whether the Industry Force is low, medium, or high in intensity. Cite key evidence from the case for your answer — do not list everything, just the most important point or two that supports your answer; (2) given the strengths of the other Industry Forces, is the level of rivalry what you would expect? Why or why not? (3) Think dynamically; What Force is changing the most? Is it increasing or decreasing? Provide evidence from the case for your answer. You should not do any graphics for this assignment: Just type your answers. To encourage conciseness, there is a limit of two pages for this assignment.
Case # 3 Starbucks (25 point)
Please provide a value chain analysis of Starbucks’ business model. Specifically, for each primary and secondary activity in which Starbucks has a substantial value-creating activity, list the key components of this activity. Identify at least one value-chain activity that is a ―core competence in creating economic value for Starbucks. To encourage conciseness, there is a limit of two pages for this assignment.
Case #4 Zara: Fast Fashion (25 points)
Please identify Zara’s resources and capabilities (or competitive competences).To encourage conciseness, there is a limit of one page for this assignment.
Written assignment for the assigned article (75 points)
For section 7,11, and 12, you will be assigned to one research article and be asked to providetwo page written assignment for that article, covering the following tasks
- What is the article about?
- Strength and weakness of the article
- Identify one research question
Articles will be announced when the class starts.
In-class exams (125 and 175 points)
Exam 1(125 pts)
Exam 2(175 pts)
Both examinations will be closed-book and closed-notes.
Individual participation (125 points)
Active participation in the class is an essential part of the learning experience. We will be using cases and you must be prepared to discuss these cases. Meaningful participation means making a contribution to our discussion, not merely talking, and it does not mean repeating case facts or simply agreeing with what others have already said. Case discussion demands that we listen carefully to the statements of others, ask them to explain or defend controversial points, and expect to defend our judgments as well.
When I determine the final participation grades, I generally consider two factors: regular participation and number of stand-out comments.
Please do not confuse attendance with participation. While on-time attendance is important, active participation in the class discussion is evaluated separately.
Mini-Group Presentation (100 points)
Cases 2, 3, 4 and 5 will be mini-group presentations. Two groups are assigned to each of these four cases and each group is responsible for covering specific aspects of the case within 15 minutes, leaving 5 minutes for questions from the class.The instructor will take the last 35 minutes for class discussion about the case.
Group #1 / Cola Wars 21st Century / industry-level analysis (e.g., 5-Forces Model)Group #2 / Cola Wars 21st Century / Business-level strategy (e.g., Pepsi strategic plan)
Group #3 / Starbucks / Industry-level analysis
Group #4 / Starbucks / Business-level strategy (e.g., Starbuck’s Value Chain)
Group #5 / Zara: Fast Fashion / Industry – level analysis
Group #6 / Zara: Fast Fashion / Business –level strategy
Group #7 / Kodak and the Digital Revolution / Industry-level analysis
Group #8 / Kodakand the Digital Revolution / Business-level strategy (e.g., Kodak’s strategic plan)
(7) Practicum-Primary Case (Cases 6-13):300 points
Top Management Team(25 points)
Group Presentation for Primary Case(100 points)
Group Paper on Primary Case(100 points)
Interim Receivables(25 points)
Peer Evaluation(50 points)
Top Management Team. In the final section of the course (for cases 6-13), each group will be assigned one case to take the role of a top management team and to ask the presenting group questions concerning their presentation and recommended actions.
Group Presentation for Primary Case. Beginning the class before Thanksgiving break, two teams will present their practicum project in each class. 40 minutes will be assigned for each presentation, with 20 minutes for presentation, 10 minutes for Top Management Team questions and responses, and 10 minutes for class discussion. The Top Management Team may ask questions at any point in the presentation! Teams that are not presenting or representing Top Management will be assigned one of the two cases to read.
Group Paper on Primary Case: The body of the paper is limited to 12 double-spaced pages in 12 point font. Supplemental exhibits and figures may be included as appendices. Because of the short length of the paper, I suggest that you use the exhibits section to hold the details of analyses, such as five forces and firm capabilities. The written text can then argue for these interpretations and draw appropriate conclusions and recommendations that arise from them.
The written case assignment provides you with the opportunity to apply your analytical skills and strategic knowledge to a real-world business situation. You should adopt the role of a consulting team that has been asked to examine the corporation and provide (a) strategic judgments regarding the key issues and problems facing the company with supporting evidence and sound logic; (b) alternative courses of actions open to the corporation and assessments of these; and (c) specific recommendations with a supporting plan of action.
A draft of the paper is due on the day of the presentation. The team should then use comments from the Top Management Team, other class members, and from me to revise the draft. Feel free to arrange a meeting with me to plan your response to issues raised by all these groups. The final paper is due five days after the presentation.
The Group Process.A critical aspect of writing a good paper is the group process. First and foremost, take your role seriously. Decide on a specific process for analyzing the case and writing the report. You should aim to integrate the various viewpoints and simultaneously make the best possible use of the different analytical skills of the group members. A creative group process builds upon resolving diverse views in arriving at a synthesized whole. One method for achieving this result is to first have each group member exhaustively analyze the case individually, then meet as a group and verbally decide on the group's collective judgments. You should also decide on a specific group process for drafting, writing, rewriting and editing the final document. An important part of this process may involve giving one or two group members the authority to edit and pull the final document together, in the interests of generating a cohesive and persuasive report.
Most of you have worked in teams before, but every new class and set of partners can bring their own challenges. Student groups are inherently stressful because members vary widely in their expectations, skills, and outside commitments. Please contact me if your team is not functioning well. It is easier to fix things early in the process than the week before your final presentation.
Focus: Judgments versus Analysis. You are encouraged to use the various frameworks, concepts, and techniques discussed in the course or otherwise known to you. Remember, however, that these are analytical tools and help in forming judgments about central problems and associated recommendations; they are not ends in themselves. Emphasize your judgments (usually using headings or subheadings) and present data/information from the case, along with supporting analysis, in support of these judgments. Avoid merely rehashing facts.
Format. There is a limit of 12 double-spaced pages for the main material of the paper, with no limit on charts, tables, etc. The purpose of the page limit is to encourage you to prioritize the material you wish to include in the final document. You should use the exhibits creatively to hold exhaustive information (such as a detailed five forces analysis) that will not fit in the text of the paper. Push yourself to be selective, in order to generate a rigorous and relevant paper. Along with each report, following the title page, you should provide a brief (1-page) abstract that provides an executive summary(see the back pages of the Harvard Business Review for an example of an executive summary) of the key problems and associated recommendations discussed in further detail in the report. As far as possible, you should try to clarify your views on the relative importance of each of the issues you will discuss. Though grading will focus primarily on the strength of analysis and strategic recommendations, writing form, grammar, punctuation and professional presentation will be evaluated. The first draft of the paper is due the day of the presentation. After getting feedback from the class, you have the option of revising the paper. The revised paper is due on or before 5pm on Jan. 17th.
Interim Deliverables. To encourage you to plan ahead for this project, I require the following submissions during the semester:
Team Skills Resumeand Plan of Action (5 points): Please list the skills and experience that members have that will enable the team to perform that activity, and the action plan, which should include individual work plans, scheduled meetings that all members can attend, interim deadlines, and time set aside for assembling the individual contributions into a coherent whole (this should not be relegated to the night before the presentation!). Due Thursday October 4th.
Outline of Presentation and Paper(10 points): An outline for the presentation and paper that includes the main points, separate areas of analysis that support these points, and an update that brings the case up to the present. The outline should identify the team member(s) primarily responsible for each section and the planned process for integrating the individual work into a coherent whole. Due ThursdayNovember 22nd.
Presentation Slides (10 points): The slides for the practicum should be emailed to the instructor and the Top Management Team. A draft should be submitted 2 days before the actual presentation. Of course, details of the presentation may change between the draft is published and when it is presented in class. Due 2 days before Practicum Presentation.
Peer Evaluation. A word document on the team section of the website shows the peer evaluation for the team project. Each team member will answer questions about timeliness, attendance, collaboration, effort, and contribution of each team member. Then you will assign points for participation across the team (50 points per team member distributed according to contribution). I recommend you discuss this form at your first meeting to establish your expectations.
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