Management 4380-Strategic Management
Section 006
Fall 2010
Kimberly B. Boal, Rawls Professor of Management
Class Hours: 11-12:20 pm T/Th
Office Hours: 12:30-2:00 pm T/Th & by appointment
Office: Room BB 1110
Phone: 742-2150 Office
441-3509 Cell
Email:
Web: kimboal.ba.ttu.edu
Text: Jim Collins, Good to Great, Harper Business, 2001. (C)
W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne, Blue Ocean Strategy, 2005. (BOS)
Mary Coulter, Strategy Management in Action, 5th ed. (SM)
Teaching Assistants: Robert Robinson,
Purpose of Course:
Management 4380 is first and foremost a course about "strategy"
and about "managing for success," and while there are no formulas for “riches” you can influence your chances by the decisions you make.
The fundamental question we seek to understand is why some firms succeed and others fail.
To do so requires that we first understand the range of businesses and the
industries in which a firm chooses to compete, ie., its corporate strategy; next that we
understand how the firm attempts to compete, i.e., the competitive or business level
strategies it develops; and finally, how it marshals it resources to
achieve a sustainable competitive advantage, its functional level strategies.
In studying the tasks of managing strategy we shall also tackle
another important function: that of trying to integrate much of the
knowledge you have gained in the core business curriculum. This is a
"big picture" course, a trait that makes it different from other
courses. The problems and issues of strategy formulation and
implementation cover the whole spectrum of business and
management. Many variables and situational factors must be dealt
with simultaneously. Weighing the pros and cons of strategy entails
a top management perspective of the total enterprise. The objective
of this course is to sharpen your abilities to "think strategically"
and to weigh things from the perspective of the total enterprise
operating in an increasingly global market environment.
Accomplishing this objective means giving you an appreciation for
the importance of building a sustainable competitive advantage. It
means systematically exposing you to the rigors of industry and
competitive analysis, to the ingredients of an attractive strategic
plan, and to the varied administrative tasks associated with
implementing and executing the chosen strategy as well as
circumstances permit. And it means instilling a strong sense of
ethical principles and values into the process and tasks of managing.
I sincerely hope this course will be the very best course you have
ever had-that it will be instrumental in making you: 1) competitively
superior; 2) successful in your career; and 3) much wiser about the
secrets of first-rate management.
Grading
Grades are based on the following components:
Daily Group Assignments from Texts 1/4
Team Industry and Competitive Papers 1 @ ½ each
Tests: 1 @ 1/4th each 1/4
Preparation of Written/Oral Work
Written and oral assignments are to be prepared on an individual or group basis as assigned.
Since this is a capstone course, it is important that students have the ability to both present ideas and lead a group discussion on those ideas. Therefore, student teams will be responsible for presenting a written (1-3 page class handout) & oral summary of the readings and leading the class discussion on all readings including the text. At minimum, a good presentation should summarize important points and take away lessons for the class. A better presentations will link the readings to any other relevant readings or materials in the texts that have been previously covered or are covered contemporaneously in this class or other classes. The best presentations, will not only link the presentation to other readings, but will use current events to illustrate how the concepts inform and help us make sense of practice and use what is happening in their own company to illustrate points in the chapter.
All written work, except tests, is to be typed (double-spaced) or done on computer printers and to follow correct form, spelling, grammar etc. Students should provide written synopsis of articles as well as power points. These should be submitted to the instructor ahead of time who will put them on his website. However, each student group should provide a copy of power points so that the class can follow their presentation and make notes.
Papers which, in the opinion of the instructor, employ disproportionately
poor grammar and are poorly structured and written, will be
assigned a grade that is one-letter lower than would otherwise be assigned.
Daily Group Assignments: Students will be divided into teams. Each team is given a number of chapters (primarily from the three texts) which they are responsible for covering with the class in the form of an oral presentation, with power points. Competent presentation will completely cover the material in the assigned chapter. Good presentations will cover the material and relate the material to other material we are or have covered. The best presentations will not only do the first two, but in addition will relate the material to current events in the business press. All groups should include three to five class take aways, the most important points to remember, from their presentation.
Class Attendance:
Attendance at all class sessions is required.
Each student is expected to be an active participant and to make meaningful comments.
You should, therefore, make a conscientious effort to attend class and be
sufficiently prepared to contribute to class discussion.
Understandably, there are circumstances (job interviews, family
matters, etc) which may cause you to miss class. If you are absent, more than once,
then you are required to make it up by doing an outside reading assignment in addition
to any previously assigned work. Please inform your instruction regarding anticipated absences. Failure to turn in the assignment by an agreed upon deadline will result in ½ grade deduction from your grade.
Team Membership
Because group work constitutes such a large portion of your grade, not only will students be given the opportunity to chose their own team members, the team will be given the power to firer any student from the team that the other members of the team feel is slacking off and hurting the team’s performance. To do so, each team must first inform me that the student in question is not doing their work. Second, the team must meet with the student, at a time and place of the team’s choosing, inform the student of his/her deficiencies, give them one chance to improve, then, if they don’t, inform them they have been terminated from the team.
Students terminated from their teams must complete all remaining assignments on their own. Failure to do so will result in a grade of F for the assignment.
Student Handbook:
Students should be aware of and conform to issues involving plagiarism, bullying, etc. and other issues as outlined in the Student Code of Conduct. Those students with Special needs should see me so that proper accommodations can be made to enhance their learning.
August 26 Class Organization/Intro
August 31 Intro & Group Assignments
September 2 Key Components of Strategy
September 7 SM Chapter 1: Introducing the concepts
C: Chapter 1: Good is the enemy of the great
September 9 BOS Creating Blue Oceans
Class discussion
Each Team Must Turn In the Name of the Industry and the
Name of the Company they have Chosen to Analyze
September 14 SM: Chapter 2: The context of managing strategically
C: Chapter 2: Level 5 leadership
September 16 BOS Analytical tools and frameworks
Class Discussion
September 21 SM: Assessing opportunities and threats:…
C: Chapter 3: First Who…then what
September 23 BOS Reconstruct market boundaries
Class Discussion
September 28 SM: Chapter 4: Assessing strengths and weaknesses:…
C: Chapter 4: Confront the brutal facts (Yet never lose faith)
September 30 BOS Focus on the big picture, not the numbers
Class Discussion
October 5 SM: Chapter 5: Functional strategies
C: Chapter 5: The hedgehog concept (Simplicity in the three
circles)
October 7 BOS : Reach beyond existing demand
Class Discussion
October 12 School Holiday
October 14 SM: Chapter 6: Competitive strategies
C: Chapter 6: A culture of discipline
October 19 BOS : Chapter 6: Get the strategic sequence right
Class Discussion
October 21 SM: Chapter 7: Corporate strategies
C: Chapter 7: Technology accelerators
October 26 BOS: Overcome key organizational hurdles
Class Discussion
October 28 SM: Chapter 8: Special topics: International & Entrepreneurial
C: Chapter 8: The flywheel and the doom loop
November 2 BOS : Chapter 8: Build execution into strategy
Class Discussion
November 4 SM: Appendix 2 versus BOS and GTG
C: Chapter 9: From good to great to built to last
November 9 BOS: Conclusion: The sustainability and renewal of Blue Ocean
Strategy
Class Discussion
November 11 Book review presentations
November 16 Group Test Study Day
November 18 TEST
November 23 Group study day, finish papers
November 24 Thanksgiving
November 30 Competitive Analysis Team Papers and presentations (All papers are due, but presentations will
be spread out)
December 2 Competitive Analysis Team Presentations
December 7 Competitive Analysis Team Presentations
(Last Day of Class)
The above is a tentative syllabus and class schedule. Your instructor is free to change any part of it as circumstances dictate. Prior to any changes, you will be informed and given a chance to provide input. The syllabus contains several group study dates. Your group should take advantage of these dates to work on the team project. Remember, it is worth 50% of your grade.