Managing the Enterprise MGT 490-01: Syllabus Spring 2011

Managing the Enterprise MGT 490-01: Syllabus Spring 2011

Tuesday and Thursday 10:30am to 11:45am — Miriam Hall, Room 209

Objective

This course focuses on creating an understanding of how concepts and analytical tools learned in other business courses are integrated in practice to create a unified whole. Students learn how general and top managers gather and use information to influence organizational mission, goals, and strategies. Course typically relies heavily on cases and/or simulation. Further, this course seeks to align understanding managing the enterprise with the Mission of the UD SBA: The School of Business Administration is a learning community committed in the Marianist tradition to educating the whole person and to connecting learning and scholarship with leadership and service in an innovative business curriculum designed to prepare students for successful careers in the contemporary business environment.

Text:

Hitt, Ireland & Hoskisson (2007). Strategic Management: Competitiveness and Globalization- Concepts, 8th Ed., Thompson South-Western.

Other Materials:

Capstone® simulation registration (www.capsim.com).

Grades are comprised of:

Simulation Performance

CapSim Strategic Plan

Firm Decision Worksheets and Product Decision Worksheets (5-pts per week)

Final Presentation (80-pts)

Peer Evaluations (20-pts)

Ø  Grading

The plus/minus system will be used whereby grades will be distributed according to the following schedule:

Out of 700 Points:

Ø  Performance Standard for Grading

Ø  Many of you have either already begun your transition period from being a student to a professional or you are planning to in the near future. As such, the quality of the work you complete should be that of a professional.

Ø  The following will be used in grading your work and in assigning your final grade for the course.

Ø  A = Outstanding: A student who consistently demonstrates a nuanced understanding of material, engages in high quality participation/preparedness, exhibits excellent team management abilities, generates deliverables that demonstrate superior abilities, etc.

Ø  B = Above Average: A student who consistently demonstrates above average understanding of the material, engages in participation demonstrating regular preparation, works well in groups, turns in thoughtful, well-prepared, high-quality deliverables, etc. May demonstrate sporadic “outstanding” work.

Ø  C = Average: A student who demonstrates an understanding of the material, comes to class most of the time and participates, is usually prepared, gets along in groups, provides a positive contribution to team assignments, and turns in deliverables of appropriate professional quality.

Ø  D = Below Average: A student who does not fully understand the material, misses class and/or fails to participate regularly, doesn’t prepare for class regularly, gets along in groups and does a fair share but the quality may not meet group members’ expectations, puts deliverables together at the last minute, etc.

Ø  F = Failure: A student who has an inadequate understanding of some or all of the material, misses class, does not participate, does not turn in all deliverables, and/or does not complete team assignments.

Ø  Attendance and Class Participation

Ø  Attendance, advanced preparation, active preparation and contribution are vital to your career success. It is also vital to an effective learning environment. No set weight is allocated to this component of the course. However, your instructor, at her discretion, will use this component to revise your overall grade for this course—this may raise or lower your grade. Pop quizzes may periodically be given to help in assessing preparation.

Ø  Throughout the semester I will evaluate the adequacy your individual class participation. Evaluations will primarily be based on the frequency and quality of your contributions to in-class discussions as well as your contributions during in-class exercises (both individual and team-based). If individual class contributions are not deemed adequate (e.g., if you never speak up in class) or value-adding to the class discussions and in-class projects (e.g., your contributions must be meaningful to the topics under discussion), your overall final grade can be increased or decreased. These evaluations will occur on an ongoing basis and a final evaluation regarding each student’s semester-long participation quality will be made at the end of the semester.

Ø  A few notes on class contributions: The assessment of contribution will be based first on the quality and second on the quantity of your participation. Further, the extent of both attributes will be solely determined by the instructor. While much of the focus of class discussions is the application of analytical frameworks/tools to guide strategic decisions, any comments adding to the classes’ understanding of the issues, cases, firms, strategic topics, etc. are encouraged. Comments reflecting thorough preparation which extend the class discussion can positively affect your grade. Conversely, “off-the-cuff” and non-value adding contributions will negatively affect your grade.

Ø  What is a contribution?

Ø  Raising and answering substantive and relevant questions

Ø  Sharing relevant ideas, observations, and personal experiences

Ø  Generating potential solutions

Ø  Relating/synthesizing ideas of others to increase everyone’s understanding of a concept

Ø  Pointing out relationships to earlier discussions

Ø  Please note that criticism of others’ ideas/comments without substantive recommendations or alternatives is not considered a contribution

Other Policies

Ø  Electronic Devices

1.  No electronic devices are to be used in the classroom (e.g., cell phones, PDAs, laptops, etc.).

2.  Throughout the semester, there may be certain designated in-class work days where a laptop may be used in class. These days will be announced in class.

Ø  Students with Disabilities

1.  I would like us to discuss ways to ensure your full participation in this course. If you feel you need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability, please contact me privately to discuss your specific needs. Formal disability-related accommodations are determined through the Learning Teaching Center’s Office of Student Learning Services (SLS). It is very important that you be registered with SLS and notify me of your eligibility for reasonable accommodations with a signed SLS Self-Identification Form. We can then plan how best to coordinate your accommodations. For more information, please contact SLS at 937-229-2066, by email at or stop by the SLS office in LTC 023.

Ø  Academic Integrity

1.  Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. This is a policy that I take very seriously. If cheating, plagiarism, or academic dishonesty of any kind occurs, the offender will be automatically dismissed from the course with a failing grade.

2.  The University Bulletin specifies what constitutes academic dishonesty, so I suggest that you read it. For example, beyond those types of dishonesty discussed in point one in this section, academic dishonesty also involves enabling others to cheat. That is, if you “lend an assignment” to someone, and they copy it (or just portions of it), you will receive the same penalty as they do. It doesn’t matter if you tell them not to copy, if they do so anyway, you share liability with them. If it is a group assignment, I use my judgment to decide what to do, but everyone within the group can receive the same grade.

3.  With regard to citing references that you have used within the body of your work, you must cite all sources. Anything that is cut and pasted should be included in quotes and cited in your bibliography. Do not excessively use direct quotes, either. Be sure to paraphrase if direct quoting seems excessive. If you are unclear of what to cite or not, contact me for clarification before the assignment is due.

4.  For any emails sent during the semester, I will use the University’s Lotus Notes email system and the corresponding email addresses for the members of the class.

Ø  Classroom Professionalism

1.  Always be respectful of others in the class (professor and students); their opinions and comments.

2.  Respect extends beyond the classroom. The content of any emails, group meetings, online chat meetings, etc., should be carefully thought out. Please be respectful of each other and the professor, including your electronic transmittals. This is a formal business course and I expect you to conduct yourselves as business people inside and outside of the classroom, including correspondence.

3.  The professor reserves the right to alter the syllabus, itinerary, or class assignments at any time.

4.  Any behavior deemed by the professor as unprofessional, disrespectful, inappropriate, and/or rude will result in up to a 20% reduction in your final grade.

Managing the Enterprise MGT 490

Course Outline for Spring 2011

Readings and assignments are due on the day noted on this itinerary. Please come prepared to discuss the readings assigned and with the downloaded slides from the course website. Changes can occur to maximize learning.

Class Date

Day

Topics

Assignments Due

·  Acquisition and Restructuring Strategies Day #1

·  Presentation Prep Day (team meetings, teams 1, 2 and 3)

Final Presentations Teams

Andrews, Baldwin and Chester

Final Presentations Teams

Digby, Erie and Ferris

*Last Day of Class*

Final Exam (100-points)

Managing the Enterprise: Individual Assignments