Spring 2010
Global Business Strategy
BUS 498
Section 1: Wednesday, 2:30-5:20 p.m., BEH 215
Alan N. Miller, Ph.D.
Professor of Management
College of Business
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Office: Beam Hall, 301
Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday, 10:00-11:30 a.m. and by appointment
Telephone: (702) 895-3814
Email:
Course Objectives
This capstone course has three related learning objectives.First, to increase students’ understanding of the strategic management process. This process includes formulating avision, mission, and goals for amultinational corporation (MNC); analyzing an MNC’s internal environment to identify strengths and weaknesses; analyzing an MNC’sexternal environment to identify opportunities and threats;formulating andimplementing strategies to achieve an MNC’s goals; and assessing how well an MNC creates value for its stakeholders. Second,to integratewhat students have learned in theirother business school courses.Third, to develop students’ ability to analyze the complex competitive challenges MNCs face.
Prerequisites
Students must have completed FIN 301 (Principles of Managerial Finance), IS 301 (Management Information Systems), MGT 301 (Principles of Management and Organizational Behavior), MKT 301 (Marketing Management),and must be last semester seniors.
Required Book
David, F. R. (2009). Strategic Management: Concepts (twelfth edition). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Required Cases
Ghemawat, P., & Nueno, J. L. (2003). “Zara: Fast fashion.” HarvardBusinessSchool Case 9-703-497.
Jones, G., Kiron, D., Dessain, V., & Sjoman, A. (2006). “L’Oreal and the Globalization of American Beauty.” HarvardBusinessSchool Case 9-805-086.
Khanna, T., & DiLorenzo, L. P. (2002). “Morgan Stanley Japan, 2002.” HarvardBusinessSchool Case 9-702-458.
Khanna, T., & Weber, J. (2003). “General Electric Medical Systems, 2002.” HarvardBusinessSchool Case 9-702-428.
Moon, Y. (2004). “IKEA Invades America.” HarvardBusinessSchool Case 9-504-094.
Yoffie, D. B., & Kwak, M. (2001). “Gucci Group N. V. (A).” HarvardBusinessSchool Case 9-601-163.
Yoffie, D. B., & Kwak, M. (2002). “AOL Europe vs. Freeserve (A).” HarvardBusinessSchool Case 9-703-409.
Course Requirements and Grading
Attendance and punctuality are required at the class meetingon whichteams are selected for the Team Project and the class meetings on which examinations and quizzes are scheduled (see the class schedule below). Attendance and punctuality at all other class meetings are strongly recommended.
Students are required to read all assignments (book chapters andcases) before the date they are scheduled to be discussed in class (see the class schedule below). Cases must be brought to class on the date they are to be discussed.
There will be four examinations given on the dates shown in the class schedule. The first, second, and third exams will have 45 multiple-choice questions on each. Each of these exams is worth 45 points. The final exam will have 50 multiple-choice questions and is worth 65 points.The exams cover both assigned readings and class lectures. A brown or green Scan-Tron answer sheet and a number 2 pencil are required for each exam. Make-up exams are only given to students who notify the instructor before missing an exam and who provide an acceptable written excuse that can be documented.
There will be five quizzes given on the dates shown in the class schedule. Each quiz will have one or two multiple-choice or short answer questions that cover the case assigned on that date. Each quiz is worth 10 points. A brown or green Scan-Tron answer sheet and a number 2 pencil are required for multiple-choice quizzes. An 8½ x 11 inch piece of paper and a pen are required for short answer quizzes. The lowest quiz grade will be dropped. No make-up quizzes will be given.
On January20, each student must attend class and join a team. Each team is required to complete the Team Project, an in-depth strategic analysis of anMNC. Each team must select an MNCfrom themost recent Forbes Global 2000 list, a ranking of the top 2,000 public corporations in the world. The company selected may not be any of the companies listed under the Required Cases on page 2 of this syllabus or any of the companies listed on the handout distributed in class by the instructor. Teams may not select the same company and must provide the instructor with the name of their company by January27. The instructor must approve the company each team selects.
The Team Project requires that each team make an oral presentation to the class on April14or 21(see the class schedule) which describes their company’s vision and mission; evaluates their company’s internal strengths and weaknesses (including an evaluation of the company’s financial performance using financial ratios); evaluates their company’s external opportunities and threats; evaluates their company’s business level strategy; and makes recommendations about how their company can solve whatever strategic problems it is facing. Evaluation of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threatsmust include how each affects the company’s ability to achieve its vision and mission. The presentation must be between 30 and 35 minutes,must equally involve each team member in both the presentation and its preparation, and must follow the amended steps for presenting an oral case analysis on pages 330-331 of Strategic Management: Concepts (twelfth edition) by Fred R. David. The use of Power Points is strongly recommended. The oral presentation is worth 60 points and will be graded on quality of content (40%), thoroughness (40%), and adherence to the time requirement (20%).
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) is an excellent source of current information about MNCs and the strategic management process. Students who subscribe to the WSJfor the entire semester will receive 5 points that will be awarded as extra credit. In order to receive these points, students must give the instructor an Account Status (AS) form from the WSJ by February10.To obtain an AS form go to and follow the directions. The student’s full name must appear on the AS form.
Course and Textbook Web Sites
The web site for BUS 498 contains all of the PowerPoint presentations I will use in my class lecturesand the course syllabus. To access these click on “Classes” in the left column and then on “BUS 498 – Global Business Strategy.”
The web site for Strategic Management: Concepts (twelfth edition) contains multiple choice and true/false chapter quiz questions and links for preparing case analyses.
Determination of the Course Grade
A student’s course grade is determined by summing the number of points received for all examinations, quizzes,and the Team Project. If applicable, extra credit points for subscribing to the WSJ will be added to this total. The following table shows the number of points needed to receive each letter grade:
276-300 = A
270-275 = A-
264-269 = B+
246-263 = B
240-245 = B-
234-239 = C+
216-233 = C
210-215 = C-
204-209 = D+
186-203 = D
180-185 = D-
0-179 = F
Students who have a documented disability that may require accommodationmust contact the Disability Resource Center (DRC) for coordination of services. The DRC is located in the Student Services Complex (SSC), Room 137 (Voice: 895-0866 or TTY: 895-0652). These students must notify the instructor in writing, by the last day of late registration, of the accommodation they need.
Students requesting an accommodation for religious holidays must notify the instructor in writing, by the last day of late registration, of the accommodation they need.
CLASS SCHEDULE
January13:Discussion of course objectives, prerequisites, course requirements and grading, course and textbook web sites, determination of the course grade, etc.
Goals and StrategiesExercise.
What is Strategic Management and what are its Benefits?
Reading: David, chapter 1.
January 20:Business Vision and Mission.
The External Assessment.
Reading: David, chapters 2 and 3.
Students select teams for the Team Project.
January27: First Exam (covers David, chapters 1, 2, and 3; 75 minutes).
How to Prepare and Present a Case Analysis.
Reading: David, pages 320-331.
Teams must provide the instructor with the name of their MNC for the Team Project.
February3:The Internal Assessment.
Long-Term Objectives, Integration Strategies, Intensive Strategies, Diversification Strategies, and Defensive Strategies.
Reading: David, chapters 4 and 5.
Case: “L’Oreal and the Globalization of American Beauty.”
February10:Strategy Analysis and Choice.
Reading:David, chapter 6.
Discussion of the Team Project.
February17:Second Exam (covers David, chapters 4, 5, and 6; 75 minutes).
February 24:Implementing Strategies: Management and Operations Issues.
Reading: David, chapter 7.
March 3:Implementing Strategies: Marketing, Finance/Accounting, R&D, and MIS Issues.
Reading: David, chapter 8.
Case: “AOL Europe vs. Freeserve (A).”
Quiz 1.
March 10:Strategy Review, Evaluation, and Control.
Reading: David, chapter 9.
Case: “General Electric Medical Systems, 2002.”
Quiz 2.
March 17:Case: “Morgan Stanley Japan, 2002.”
Quiz 3.
Discussion of the Team Project.
March 24: Third Exam (covers David, chapters 7, 8, and 9; 75 minutes).
March 31:Spring Break.
April7:Case: “Gucci Group N. V. (A).”
Quiz 4.
Case: “Zara: Fast fashion.”
Quiz 5.
April14:Team Project Presentations (Teams 1, 2,and 3).
April 21:Team Project Presentations (Teams 4 and 5).
April 28: Case: “IKEA Invades America.”
College of Business Assessment Exams.
May 5:3:10 p.m. - Final Exam (50 multiple-choice questions covering all the Required Cases listed on page 2 of this syllabus; 120 minutes).
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