Syllabus

School of Management

MBA 500: Essentials of Business Management

3 Credit Hours

Effective: October 2009

Porter, M. E. (1998). Competitive strategy techniques for analyzing industries and competitors. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.

Whitaker, A. (2010). Research and APA style guide. Bratislava, Slovakia: City University of Seattle. Available online at or for purchase in the CU Slovakia library.

Capstone Business Simulation Student guide with PKG Capsim Business Simulation Software/ download (with registration).

* Plan Write Expert Edition V.10 software, (2006) Macrovision Corporation.

Purchase at inc.com/edu

* This text is also used in other MBA courses.

MBA 500: Essentials of Business Management

Faculty

Faculty Name: Peter Folk, MBA

Contact Information: E-mail: , , Tel. : 02-5934 8185

Course Description

Successful managers need to understand the fundamentals of business practices within a global context. This course will introduce you to the overall MBA program and prepare you for writing a comprehensive and viable business plan. You will also practice business decision–making through the use of simulations. Learning how to find relevant data through the use of credible sources will be a main focus of this course, as well as how to effectively communicate in writing.

Course Resources

Required and recommended resources to complete coursework and assignments are listed on the My.CityU portal at Library>Resources by Course.

CItyU Learning Goals

This course supports the following City University learning goals:

  • Professional Competency
  • Strong Communication and Interpersonal Skills
  • Critical Thinking

Program Context

This course begins the MBA program. It will lay the groundwork for subsequent MBA courses. Many of the assignments completed in this course will be revisited as the program progresses. This course contributes to the following end-of-program outcomes:

  • Communicate effectively both orally and in writing with internal and external stakeholders;
  • Leverage managerial effectiveness through recognition of individual strengths, values and business philosophy;
  • Capitalize on business opportunities in a rapidly changing environment by thinking critically and applying quantitative procedures and tools;
  • Build, lead and participate in productive and diverse teams.

Throughout the MBA program, you will be expected to maintain an electronic portfolio of all major assignments from each course, either in a folder or removable disk drive dedicated solely to this purpose. Be sure to keep back up copies of all your portfolio components. The E-portfolio will enable you to reflect back on your previous work. It will also become a valuable tool for you to use in presenting your work to potential employers to demonstrate how you applied your leadership skills and abilities to devise strategies, accomplish goals, and work in team environments.

Course Outcomes

After completing this course, you will be able to:

  • Demonstrate effective team participation;
  • After completing the disposition assessment, analyze personal business strengths and weaknesses, and team function;
  • Given participation in a business simulation, articulate gaps in business knowledge, MBA program goals and professional goals;
  • Implement business strategy;
  • Document strategic decision-making;
  • Using effective research strategies, research business ideas;
  • Draft an initial business proposal.

Core Concepts, Knowledge, and Skills

The course will cover the following concepts and topics:

  • Information literacy;
  • Team functioning;
  • Jungian types;
  • Self-analysis;
  • Performance criteria;
  • Company structure and functions;
  • Documentation methods;
  • Components of a business proposal.

Overview of Course Grading

The grade you receive for the course will be derived using City University of Seattle’s decimal grading system, based on the following:

Overview of Required Assignments / % of Final Grade
Capsim Introductory Lessons and Quiz, Rehearsal Simulation Rounds (at least four rounds), and Situation Analysis / 5 %
Porter’s Company Competitive Analysis / 20 %
Business Plan (Idea) Proposal with business-viability justification supported with research / 20 %
Final Personal Learning Journal (PLJ) including Professional Assessment & Development Plan (PADP) / 20 %
Team Situation Analysis & Strategy Report / 5 %
Capsim Competition Rounds 1 & 2. Team company performance in two competition rounds of Capstone Business Simulation / 10 %
Final Team Decision-Making Journal (TDMJ) / 15 %
Team Peer Evaluation / 5 %
TOTAL / 100%

Specifics of Course Assignments

Your instructor will provide grading rubrics that will provide more detail as to how this assignment will be graded.

Capsim Introductory Lessons and Quiz, Rehearsal Simulation Rounds (at least four rounds), and Situation Analysis

Students will register at Capsim.com to complete this assignment. Once students register and receive their student identification from Capsim, and industry number from their instructor, students are to complete their introductory lessons and quiz in the Capsim Simulation established by their instructor. Completion of the introductory lessons and quiz will lead the students directly into the Rehearsal Simulations Rounds. Students must complete at least four rounds of simulation, but may due more (no more than eight). Completion of the Rehearsal Simulation Rounds will lead students in completing their Situational Analysis. The Situational Analysis is to be prepared and turned in to the instructor for grading. The instructor can go to Capsim.com to confirm whether students completed the lessons, quiz and rehearsal rounds.

Components / % of Grade
Completion confirmation of lessons/quizzes from Capsim / 30%
Completion confirmation of individual rehersal rounds (at least 4) / 40%
Logically support recommendations and conclusions of analysis / 30%
TOTAL / 100%

Porter-Company Competitive Analysis Assignment

The fundamental assumption of this assignment is that the profit potential of any firm is a function of: (1) the industries it operates in; and (2) the competitors it opposes. Therefore to enhance profits, executive management must understand the industry structure and competition. The profits within an industry are affected by a wide range of influences, including the macroeconomic environment, cost and demand structures of the industry, technological change and government regulation. Competitive moves and responses of incumbents also affect firm profits. Actions taken by firms to improve competitive position engender responses by other firms, and the expected sequence of actions and responses must be understood to develop an effective strategy. Reactions of rivals will depend on their goals or intent, beliefs, relative resource positions and past actions. Thus, the approach to studying the dynamics of industry structure and competitors is to focus on the key characteristics of industry structure and the individual competitive moves and countermoves by the competitive players.

Using the components of a competitive analysis Figure 3-1 in the Porter’s text book (page 49), students select a primary company in an industry that they have interest and/or are familiar. Students analyze and contrast the competitive strategy of primary company and the other two competitors’ strategy. Students then develop a competitive profile for the primary company and the two other companies in the industry using the Porter competitor analysis criteria.

Next, analyze and contrast the competitive strategy of the primary company with the other 2 competitors’ strategy then answer the following questions:

  1. What is the primary company’s current competitive strategy (be specific)?
  2. What are the two competitors doing to improve their current competitive position?
  3. What likely moves or strategy shifts will the two competitors make?
  4. Where is the primary company most vulnerable?
  5. Where are the two competitors most vulnerable?
  6. What competitive moves by the two competitors will provoke the greatest and most effective retaliation by the primary company?
  7. Would you recommend the continuation or modification of the primary company’s current strategy (support your rationale with specifics)?

Porter competitor analysis criteria:

Estimated overall business strength:

  • Market share (percent, rank)
  • Market share trend (five years)
  • Financial strengths
  • Profitability
  • Management
  • Technology position
  • Other key strengths/limitations (e.g., production cost advantages)

Marketing strategy (assessment of key strengths and limitations):

  • Competitive strategy (Porter’s)
  • Market strategy
  • Distribution strategy
  • Recent offensive or defensive competitive moves

Components / % of Grade
Clarity of expression / 15%
Integration of course concepts, where relevant / 20%
Completeness of analysis / 30%
Logically supported conclusions and recommendations / 25%
Grammar, spelling, punctuation, and syntax (including proper APA citation of throughout paper in for references) / 10%
TOTAL / 100%

Business Plan Proposal Assignment

One of the final deliverables for the MBA program is a comprehensive business plan. In the MBA500 course, you will select the business concept (idea) for the business plan and provide supporting justification for the proposed business.

The Business Plan Proposal will cover the business vision and intended mission, description of products/services, target market and proposed competitive strategy for the business plan you will develop during the MBA program. The business planning software (BRS) provides information on the content of a business plan proposal.

Selecting a Topic/Company for the Business Plan Proposal:

Select a business concept (idea) with products/services for which you have a passion. The research, analysis, developing and writing of a comprehensive business plan require immense effort and time. It is important that you select a business concept (idea) that is of interest to you, as well as realistic. Select a business concept that you will enjoy learning, researching and analyzing for a potential business.

It is recommended that the business plan be for a new/start-up business or a new product or service for an existing company. It is critically important that you have access to information, data and statistics required to develop the comprehensive business plan. The business plan can be for a for-profit or non-profit business. The business concept/idea must be realistic. The business concept must be one that can be developed into comprehensive business plan for a viable business that can attract or be approved for funding and implemented. Additional information for developing and writing the business plan proposal is available online at

Components / % of Grade
Business concept and justification, clarity and realistic / 20%
Vision and mission, viable and realistic / 10%
Target market, clearly defined and appropriate / 10%
Concept analysis, realistic and specific / 10%
Competitive strategy, viable, realistic and appropriate / 20%
Evidence of critical reflection / 10%
Presentation (organization, format, citations) / 10%
Writing (appropriateness of language, style, punctuation and grammar) / 10%
TOTAL / 100%

Personal Learning Journal with Professional Assessment and Development Plan (PADP) section

The MBA Program requires participants to be an active partner in achieving personal and professional learning and self-development goals. Active involvement and commitment to continuous learning and self-development simulate the activities of successful business managers and leaders in the competitive global environment.

The Personal Learning Journal, which includes the Professional Assessment and Development Plan, comprises 20% of the MBA 500 class grade. The PADP section needs to be finalized and included in the final Personal Learning Journal.

Professional Assessment & Development Plan (PADP) – Section of Personal Learning Journal

The purpose of the Professional Assessment & Development Plan is to assess and integrate what you have read, written and experienced during the course into a personal development plan for the future. Identify career objectives for the short and medium term, and assess personal and professional strengths and weaknesses relative to career aspirations in your PADP.

The personal development plan completed for this course will be one that you will work on throughout the MBA Program.

The goals of this assignment are:

1. Assess and integrate what you have learned in this course into personal development plan for the future.

2. Assess and document your professional goals. It is recognized that your professional goals may not be known exactly and may change later. Nevertheless, for your PADP for this course, share specific professional goals, including positions and roles. As stated earlier, the resulting professional development plan will be one that you will work on throughout the MBA Program.

3. Assess and document specific opportunities and challenges associated with your specific professional goals, positions and roles. Reference what you have learned in this course in general and specific course materials.

4. Assess and document how you will develop required knowledge and comprehension, skills and capabilities to leverage identified opportunities and effectively address identified challenges. Reference what you have learned in this course in general and specific course materials. It is recognized that your identified professional goals are volatile – in flux and subject to change. Nevertheless, be specific about you believe you will need to know and understand, and the skills and capabilities that you need to develop and/or acquire.

Components / % of Grade
Completeness – entries address all assigned aspects / 10 %
Personality type – assessment of impact on approach to MBA Program, professional goals & career / 10 %
Strengths and Weaknesses in Business Knowledge & Lessons Learned / 35 %
Professional Assessment and Development Plan / 15 %
Evidence of critical reflection / 10 %
Presentation (organization, format, citations) / 10 %
Writing (appropriateness of language, style, punctuation and grammar) / 10 %
TOTAL / 100%

Capsim Team Situation Analysis & Strategy Report

Once students have selected teams, and have begun their Capsim Practice Rounds, teams are to submit a paper to their instructor, outlining their Situational Analysis and current strategy for the Capsim Practice Rounds. The paper should be no more than two pages in length, detailing clarity, integration of course concepts, a completeness of analysis and logically supported conclusions and recommendations.

Components / % of Grade
Clarity of expression / 15%
Integration of course concepts, as appropriate / 20%
Completeness of analysis
Logically supported conclusions and recommendations
Grammar, spelling, punctuation, and syntax (including proper APA) references support, if applicable / 30%
25%
10%
TOTAL / 100%

Capsim Competition Rounds 1 & 2. Team company performance in two competition rounds of Capstone Business Simulation

Students are to complete Capsim Competition Rounds 1 & 2 on their assigned teams. Once students on their assigned teams have completed these Competition Rounds, the student teams are to report out to the class regarding their results for Capsim Competition Rounds 1 & 2. The synthesis of the reporting will be centered on their performance with regard to their Capsim team financial condition, internal business processes, customer focus, and learning and growth.

Components / % of Grade
Financial: Analysis of profitability, leverage, stock price / 25%
Internal Business Process: Analysis of ranks, among other measures, contribution margin, plant utilization and days of working capital / 25%
Customer: Analysis of company’s product line, buying criteria satisfaction, awareness, and accessibility levels
Learning and Growth: Employee productivity analysis / 25%
25%
TOTAL / 100%

Final Team Decision-Making Journal (Entries & Final Journal)

MBA 500 requires that participants work on teams. These teams simulate the challenges faced by real life executive leadership teams in defining problems and making decisions. Effective team performance is vital to business success and bottom line results.

Team assignments and activities comprise 35% of the class grade. The Team Decision-Making Journal comprises 15% of the class grade. This journal documents the team’s decision-making process and includes decision and the rationale (why) for actual decisions made by the team for Capsim Competition Rounds. The Team Decision-Making Journal will be shared with future teams assigned to the Capsim Company in subsequent MBA Program classes. The team needs to collect and compile individual team perspectives for Team Decision-Making Journal entries.

Components / % of Grade
Completeness – Entries address all assigned aspects / 10%
Familiarity with business strategy concepts in Corporate Strategy text / 10%
Decisions and rationale for Capsim Competition Rounds 1 & 2 / 25%
Evaluation/Analysis of results & how to improve performance/decisions made for Capsim Competition Rounds 1 & 2. Recommendations and thoughts for subsequent / 25%
Capsim Competition Rounds (Round 3 and higher.)
Evidence of critical reflection / 10%
Presentation (organization, format, citations) / 10%
Writing (appropriateness of language, style, punctuation and grammar) / 10%
TOTAL / 100%

Team Peer Evaluation

MBA 500 requires working on teams. These teams simulate the challenges faced by real-life executive management teams in defining and resolving business problems and making strategic-level decisions. Effective team performance is linked to business success and bottom-line results.

This Team Peer Evaluation of team performance and contributions of yourself and other team members comprises 5% of the class grade. Complete a Team Peer Evaluation individually after all team assignments have been completed. Your instructor will give you the Team Peer Evaluation, or you can locate the electronic version online in the portal.

Components / % of Grade
Requirements: Does the student meet the requirements of the program and remain focused on the purpose of the assignment / 30%
Purpose: How does the student frame the content of the team / 20%
Content: How well is the content presented? Does the team member gain insight from the other students / 25%
Organization: How well is the content of the team organized? / 25%
TOTAL / 100%

Course Policies

This document provides an overview of the course foundation elements, assignments, schedules, and activities. For information about general, City University of Seattle policies, please see the City University of Seattle catalog. If you have additional questions about the course, please contact your instructor.

Late Assignments

Students are expected to meet submission requirements for assignments in a timely manner. Evaluation includes an assessment of timeliness. Late assignments jeopardize your learning, and may also penalize your classmates as most assignments will not be returned to students until all students have submitted their work. Late submission of assignments can be penalized by up to 100% of the relevant grade. Your instructor will provide additional details.