COURSE SYLLABUS--SPRING 2013
BA 4390: STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: STRATEGY AND DECISION MAKING
DR. PATRICIA LAPOINT
OFFICE: C209A
TELEPHONE: 793-3855
e-mail:
lapointp@mcmurryadm.mcm.edu
web address: http://www.mcm.edu/~lapointp
OFFICE
HOURS:
MW: 8:30-11; 12:00-1:00; 2:30-3:30
F: 9:00-11:00; 12:00-1:00
CATALOG DESCRIPTION: This course integrates the functional areas of business from the strategic management perspective. Emphasis is placed on the role of management in the formulation of strategy and strategy implementation.
PREREQUISITES:
MGMT 3310; ACCT
2320; ECON 2320;
MKTG 3370; BA
3370; FIN 3340 AND/OR CONSENT OF THE INSTRUCTOR
COURSE OVERVIEW: The Capstone course is primarily a performance-based course in which students will use their functional expertise to develop strategic objectives/goals and strategy in order to make effective decisions. Through the use of a strategic management simulation, students will develop skills in managerial decision making for marketing, production/operations, finance, accounting, and quality management. In addition to the simulation of company operations, students will be expected to develop critical thinking skills through the use of strategic management case studies.
Throughout the course, the spotlight
will be focused on the foremost issue in running a business enterprise: “What
must managers do, and do well, to make the company a winner in the game of
business?” The answer that emerges,
and which becomes the theme of the course, is that good strategy-making and good
strategy-execution are the key ingredients of company
success and the most reliable signs of good management. The mission of the
course is to explore why good strategic management leads to good business
performance, to present the basic concepts and tools of strategic analysis, and
to drill you in the methods of crafting a well-conceived strategy and executing
it competently.
You’ll be called on to probe,
question, and evaluate all aspects of a company’s external and internal
situation. You’ll grapple with sizing up a company’s standing in the marketplace
and its ability to go head-to-head with rivals, learn to tell the difference
between winning strategies and mediocre strategies, and become more skilled in
spotting ways to improve a company’s strategy or its
execution.
In the midst of all this, another
purpose is accomplished: to help you synthesize what you have learned in prior
business courses. Dealing with the grand sweep of how to manage all the pieces
of a business makes strategic management an integrative, capstone course in
which you reach back to use concepts and techniques covered in previous courses.
For perhaps the first time you’ll see how the various pieces of the business
puzzle fit together and why the different parts of a business need to be managed
in strategic harmony for the organization to operate in winning
fashion.
The Next Weeks Will Be Exciting, Fun,
Challenging, and Filled with Learning Opportunities.
No matter what your major is, the
content of this course has all the ingredients to be the best course you’ve
taken—best in the sense of learning a lot about business, holding your interest
from beginning to end, and enhancing your powers of business judgment. As you
tackle the subject matter, ponder Ralph Waldo Emerson’s observation, “Commerce
is a game of skill which many people play, but which few play well.” The
overriding intent of the course is to help you become a more
savvy player and better prepare you for a successful business career. We
sincerely hope this course will prove to be instrumental in making you
“competitively superior”, successful in your career, and much wiser about the
secrets of first-rate management.
COURSE MATERIALS AND SUPPORT:
Required Course Materials:
TEXT: CRAFTING AND EXECUTING STRATEGY, 18TH EDITION, THOMPSON, PETERAF, GAMBLE, AND STRICKLAND. This textbook can
be purchased through the McMurry University Bookstore.
THE BUSINESS STRATEGY GAME ONLINE, 2009 EDITION, THOMPSON AND STAPPENBECK. The BSG Strategy Online simulation must be purchased through the publisher at: http://www.bsg-online.com. You will be given instructions by the Professor when you can register for
the BSG on-line simulation. However, you must have a credit card to pay
for the simulation directly to the publisher.
Case analysis support can be obtained from the publisher's website: http://www.mhhe.com/thompson . Click on the textbook and access Cases from the menu. You will then have access to the "Case Analysis Guidelines" and the Case specific assignment questions. In addition, you will find Resources posted on the course Moodle page to help you develop your case analyses.
Students who plan to minor in Curriculum and Instruction should refer to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for you subject area at: http://www.tea.state.us/index2.aspx?id=6148.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
| Course Objectives and Goals | Linked to Which Departmental Program Goal(s): see below | Linked to Which Institutional Goal(s) | Evidence of Student Learning to Meet This Goal |
| To build knowledge and skills in conducting strategic planning and analysis | Knowledge goals 1-9; Skills 1-5 | #2; #4; #7; #8; #9 | 3-year strategic plan case analyses Learning Assurance Report--BSG |
| To integrate functional knowledge of marketing, financial, and operations management for effective decision making | Knowledge goals 1-9; Skills 1-5 | #2; #4; #7; #8; #9 | Learning Assurance Report--BSG |
| To use and develop effective communications skills | Skills #3 | #2; #4; #7; #8; #9 | Oral presentations and written case analyses Learning Assurance Report--BSG |
| To develop effective leadership and team/collaborative skills | Skills #5 | #2; #4; #7; #8; #9 | Learning Assurance Report--BSG |
Departmental Program Goals
Knowledge-Students
will understand:
1.Core Business Discipline
2.Economic concepts
3.Financial Statements
4.Basic Computer knowledge
5.Social processes, including decision making
6.Data collection and Interpretation
7.Interrelationships of issues in Business
8. Ethical Issues
9.Global issues in Business
Skills:
1.Use math skills
2.Use applicable computer software
3.Make effective written and oral
presentations
4.Engage in critical thinking and problem
solving
5.Develop leadership abilities and team collaboration skills
6. PATHWAYS TO PROFESSIONALISM
COURSE POLICIES:
Attendance: Students are expected to attend class and participate in class discussions.
Three hours of unexcused absences may result in an automatic administrative
withdrawal from the course.
Late Arrival: Late arrivals to class are unacceptable. Please make sure you arrive to class on time. When case presentations are scheduled and the doors are closed, no one will be allowed to enter the classroom and disrupt the team presentations.
If you have been denied access to the classroom due to lateness, it will
constitute an unexcused absence.
Grade Determination:
|
100
points |
|
| Case 2 (written) |
100
points |
|
Company Presentations |
50 points |
|
BSG (Simulation) |
300
points |
| Audience Participation in case presentations Q&A | 20 points |
| BSG Individual Activity Level; peer evaluations; quizzes | 80 points |
|
TOTAL |
650 points |
|
93 and
higher |
A |
|
90-92 |
A- |
|
88-89 |
B+ |
|
83-87 |
B |
|
80-82 |
B- |
|
75-79 |
C+ |
|
70-74 |
C |
|
68-69 |
D+ |
|
63-67 |
D |
|
60-62 |
D- |
|
59 &
below |
F |
Final Grades can be accessed on Campus Connect, McMurry Homepage, after
grades are turned in to the Registrar's Office..
**The simulation grade will be based on the final team standing in the industry
, performance by the team in year-to-year performance for all game years
(trends), special emphasis on the last 4 years of the game (performance,
standing, and trends), the strategic plan, and meeting the yearly key performance
targets.
The individual component of the simulation grade will be based on peer evaluations, quizzes, and activity levels.
*** All students are required to take the CLA Assessment at the scheduled time.
The CLA is one of the methods we use in the School of Business to assess
different levels of competencies in the core business fields. There are
no exceptions to the scheduled date of the CLA. No grade
will be turned into the Registrar’s Office until the CLA is completed. All students are required to sit for this assessment exam.
Academic Dishonesty:
Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated in this course. Academic dishonesty
is defined as cheating, plagiarism, collusion, or other forms of academic
dishonesty. Any student found to have committed academic dishonesty is
subject to the conduct sanctions outlined in the Council Fire.
ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) Compliance: McMurry University abides by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973,
which stipulates that no otherwise qualified student shall be denied the
benefits of an education "solely by reason of a handicap". If
you have a documented disability that may impact your performance in this
class and for which you may be requesting accommodation, you must be registered
with and provide documentation of your disability to the Disability Services
Office, located in Old Main Room 102. Arrangements will be made for students
needing special accommodations.
Cell Phones, Calculators, and other Electronic Devices: All cell phones will be turned off during class time and remain hidden
from view. If you are expecting an emergency call, please consult with
me.
Under no circumstances will cell phones, PDAs etc. be allowed in class
during examinations. If a cell phone goes off during class, you will be
asked to leave the room and not return until the next class period. This
will constitute an unexcused absences. This policy is in effect in order
to maintain a distraction-free and considerate learning environment for
all students. Please manage your personal lives and schedules so that you
can "disconnect" for a short period of time while attending my
class.
Laptops and Tablets: Unless the laptop or tablet computer is being used as part of the classroom
learning process, all laptops and tablets will be turned off during class
time.
MAJOR PROJECTS, REQUIRED ACTIVITIES, AND ASSIGNMENTS:
1. BSG Simulation--Team and Individual performance
2. analyze and present 1 case--Team.
3. analyze and write a case--Individual
4. attend class and actively participate in class discussions
TIME
REQUIREMENTS:
THE BUSINESS STRATEGY GAME SIMULATION
TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE:
DAY SECTION [FALL AND SPRING]
| Mon | Wed | |
| Week of: January 14 | Course Introduction;Chapters 1 & 2 | same as Monday |
| Week of January 21: | Review of BSG and Player's Guide | Chapter 3 |
| Week of: January 28 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 |
| Week of: February 4; (for all BSG decision dates refer to the Decision Schedule) | BSG Practice Year 11; Chapter 6 |
Practice Year 11 Results Discussion |
| Week of: February 11 | (Year 11); Case Analysis and Presentation Lecture |
Chapter 8 ; PATHWAYS TO PROFESSIONALISM |
| Week of: February 18 | (Year 12); Chapter 10 |
Chapter 11 |
| Week of: February 25 | (YEAR 13); TEAM A |
OPEN |
| Week of: March 4 | (Year 14) TEAM B | TEAM C; 3-Year Strategic Plan due--Refer to Decision Schedule |
| Week of: March 18 | (Year 15); TEAM D |
Company Presentations lecture |
| Week of: March 25 | (Year 16); TEAM E |
TEAM F |
| Week of: April 1 | (Year 17) TEAM G |
TEAM H; Peer Evaluations Due: Refer to Decision Schedule |
| Week of: April 8 | (Year 18); Company Presentations Teams A & B |
Company Presentations Teams: C & D |
| Week of: April 15 | (Year 19); Company Presentations: Teams E & F | |
| Week of: April 22 | Year 20 Company Presentation: Teams G and H |
|
| Week of: April 29 | Written Case due |
NOTE: All due dates for the game years, 3-year strategic plan, and peer evaluations, and quizzes are located on the BSG Decision Schedule. Refer to the Decision Schedule for all due dates related to the BSG simulation.
EVENING SECTION (NO SPRING SEMESTER 2013))
| January 17 | Chapters 2,3 in text |
| January 24 | Chapters 4,5 in text; Read all material in the Player's Guide |
| Janaury 31 | Chapters 6,8 |
| February 7;(for all BSG decision dates, refer to the decision schedule) | Practice run for Year 11; Discuss Practice Run for Year 11 |
| February 14 | Year 11;Case Presentation Lecture; Chapter 10 |
| February 21 | Year 12; Chapter 11; PATHWAYS TO PROFESSIONALISM |
| February 28 | Year 13; (TEAM H) |
| March 6 | Year 14; 3-year strategic plan due (refer to the decision schedule for due date); (TEAM I) |
| March 20 | Year 15; (TEAM J) |
| March 27 | YEAR 16; (TEAM K); INFORMATION ON WRITTEN CASE |
| April 3 | (Year 17); Company presentations lecture; Peer evaluations due (refer to decision schedule for due date) |
| April 10 | (Year 18) |
| April 17 | (Year 19); COMPANY PRESENTATIONS |
| April 24 | (Year 20); WRITTEN CASE DUE |
| May 1 | MFT ASSESSMENT |
NOTE: ALL DUE DATES FOR THE GAME YEARS, THE 3-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN, PEER EVALUATIONS, AND THE QUIZZES ARE LOCATED ON THE BSG DECISION SCHEDULE.