YORKUNIVERSITY

Atkinson Faculty of Liberal and Professional Studies

School of Administrative Studies

AP/ADMS 4900 - Management Policy: Part 1

Winter 2013

INSTRUCTOR:Dayna Patterson

E-mail:

Appointments available upon request

COURSE OVERVIEW

This course examines the strategic management process - identifying, formulating, evaluating and implementing viable business strategies. The emphasis is on issues that affect the success of the entire organization. Accordingly, we will view the enterprise as a whole, but will draw upon, and integrate into our analysis, your understanding of the various functional areas of business.

It is assumed that students are interested in the challenge of strategic management and solving strategic problems. To increase your competence in this area, extensive use of the case study method is employed. This allows us to practice our business decision-making skills in simulated general management roles. To maximize the learning experience, it is essential that all students be prepared to discuss the assigned cases.

In addition to learning about strategic concepts, you can expect to further develop your abilities in sizing up complex business situations and identifying core problems and issues. Through the case studies, you will have the opportunity to analyze qualitative and quantitative data, both internal and external to the firm, and assess what implications it may hold for the firm's success. You will learn to identify and evaluate existing and alternative strategies and gain the confidence to recommend specific courses of action. Finally, you will gain an understanding of the issues involved in effectively implementing a change in strategic direction, including addressing the issue of control.

REQUIRED TEXT

Dess, G.G., Lumpkin, G.T., Eisner, A.B., Peridis, T. Strategic Management: Creating Competitive Advantages, Third Canadian Edition (2012) McGraw-Hill Ryerson.

Beamish P.W., Cases in Strategic Management, Tenth Edition (2012) McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 2012

OTHER

Report on Business, Globe & Mail (as often as possible!)

COURSE SCHEDULE

Session 1
Jan.7th / Introduction
Chapter 1: Strategic Management: Creating Competitive Advantages: An Overview
Course outline review/Course Expectation/Administrative issues
Session 2
Jan. 14th / Chapter 5: Business Level Strategy: Creating and Sustaining Competitive Advantages
Chapter 8: Industry Lifecycle stages: Strategic Implications
Case #25: Dell Inc. in 2009
Submission of group memberships
Session 3
Jan.21st / Chapter 2: Analyzing the External Environment of the Firm
Case #4: Loblaw Companies Limited
Session 4
Jan.28th / Chapter 3: Analyzing the Internal Environment of the Firm
Chapter 4: Recognizing a Firm’s Intellectual Assets: Human Capital, Technology and Knowledge, Brands and Trademarks, Relationships
Case #1 : Research in Motion- Managing Explosive Growth
Session 5
Feb. 4th / Chapter 6: Corporate-Level Strategy: Creating Value through Diversification
Case #18: CIBC-Barclays
Session 6
Feb. 11th / Group Project Discussion
Ch. 7: International Strategy
Case #23: Resuming Internationalization at Starbucks
Feb. 18th / No Class- Reading Week
Session 7 / COMMON MIDTERM: Sunday February 24th: Time and location tbd
Session 8
Feb. 25th / Chapter 9: Creating Effective Organizational Designs
Chapter 10: Strategic Control
Session 9
Mar.4th / Group Presentations
Session 10
Mar. 11th / Group Presentations
Session 11
Mar. 18th / Course Review and Wrap-up
Session 12
Mar. 25th / In-class Final Exam
Closed book; you can bring up to 10 pages of notes

NOTE: THE INSTRUCTOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE THE SEQUENCE OF TEXT MATERIALS AND THE ASSIGNMENT OF CASES.

COURSE GRADING

Mid-term Exam25%Multiple choice, short answer

Group Assignments35%Group Work

Participation20%Ongoing Class Participation

Final Exam20%Case Study Exam

MID-TERM EXAM

The mid-term exam will be based solely on the theories, constructs and other content presented in the text book. You will be responsible for all of the material from the chapter readings assigned for sessions 1 through 5 whether they are discussed in class or not.This closed-book exam will consist of both multiple choice and short answer questions.

GROUP WORK

Working in groups has proven to be an effective means in accomplishing this course’s objectives. Accordingly, the class will divide itself into study groups of 5 or 6 students (names of group members are to be submitted by session 3). Groups are expected to meet regularly, review the assigned cases prior to each session and work cooperatively to complete the group presentation exercise.

Weekly Case Study Recommendations

Beginning in session 4, each group is to submit a one-page summary recommendation for the cases assigned. You are to use two headings (Recommendation and Rationale) and may use point form if you wish. The intent here is that you come to class prepared to argue for a particular course of action. Summaries are due at the beginning of each session.

Group Presentation

For the group presentation, you will be assigned a case that requires rigorous analysis of all factors in the strategic management process. You will be required to formulate a strategy and recommend specific implementation details. Finally, you will present your recommendations in a simulated management role-play. You should expect some challenging interaction.

Group Grade

The group grade is determined as follows: Presentation  30%, weekly summaries  5% (1.67% * 3 summaries)

Please note that your classmates will participate in the evaluation and grading of your group presentation.

Also, group members will participate in evaluating each individual’s performance through a peer evaluation process and this will be reflected in individual students’ grades.

PARTICIPATION

A high degree of participation is expected from all students. The frequency and quality of your contributions to the classroom process will determine your grade. Students who advance the discussion and add to the collective learning experience will be rewarded. To succeed here, you should have read the assigned readings from your text and must have prepared the assigned case!

In addition to on-going classroom participation, 5% of the 20% participation grade will be attributed to your participation during the group presentation process (participation and critique).

RELEVANT UNIVERSITY REGULATIONS

Deferred standing may be granted to students who are unable to write their final examination at the scheduled time or to submit their outstanding course work on the last day of classes. In order to apply for deferred standing, students must complete a Deferred Standing Agreement (DSA) form and submit their request no later than five (5) business days from the date of the exam. The request must be properly submitted with supporting documentation directly to the main office of the School of Administrative Studies (282 Atkinson), NOT to the Course Director. These requests will be considered on their merit and decisions will be made available to the students by the main office in the School's web site (under the heading of 'Links'), no individualized communication will be sent by the School to the students (no letter or e-mails). The status of the DSA submitted shall be checked at:

Students with approved DSA will be able to write their deferred examination during the School's deferred examination period. No further extensions of deferred exams shall be granted. The format and covered content of the deferred examination may be different from that of the originally scheduled examination. The deferred exam may be closed book, cumulative and comprehensive and may include all subjects/topics of the textbook whether they have been covered in class or not. Any request for deferred standing on medical grounds must include an Attending Physician's Statement form; a “Doctor’s Note” will not be accepted.

DSA Process:

DSA Form:

Attending Physician's Statement form:

Academic Honesty: The Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies considers breaches of the Senate Policy on Academic Honesty to be serious matters. To quote the Senate Policy on Academic Honesty. The Policy on Academic Honesty is an affirmation and clarification for members of the University of the general obligation to maintain the highest standards of academic honesty. As a clear sense of academic honesty and responsibility is fundamental to good scholarship, the policy recognizes the general responsibility of all faculty members to foster acceptable standards of academic conduct and of the student to be mindful of and abide by such standards. Suspected breaches of academic honesty will be investigated and charges shall be laid if reasonable and probable grounds exist.

Students should review the York Academic Honesty policy for themselves at:

Students might also wish to review the interactive on-line Tutorial for students on academic integrity, at:

Grading Scheme and Feedback Policy: The grading scheme (i.e. kinds and weights of assignments, essays, exams, etc.) shall be announced, and be available in writing, within the first two weeks of class, and, under normal circumstances, graded feedback worth at least 15% of the final grade for Fall, Winter or Summer Term, and 30% for ‘full year’ courses offered in the Fall/Winter Term be received by students in all courses prior to the final withdrawal date from a course.

Note: Under unusual and/or unforeseeable circumstances which disrupt the academic norm, instructors are expected to provide grading schemes and academic feedback in the spirit of these regulations, as soon as possible. For more information on the Grading Scheme and Feedback Policy, please visit:

In-Class Tests and Exams - the 20% Rule: For all Undergraduate courses, except those which regularly meet on Friday evening or on a weekend, tests or exams worth more than 20% will not be held in the two weeks prior to the beginning of the official examination period. For further information on the 20% Rule, please visit:

For further information on examination scheduling and other important dates, please refer to:

Reappraisals: Students may, with sufficient academic grounds, request that a final grade in a course be reappraised (which may mean the review of specific pieces of tangible work). Non-academic grounds are not relevant for grade reappraisals; in such cases, students are advised to petition to their home Faculty. Students are normally expected to first contact the course director to discuss the grade received and to request that their tangible work be reviewed. Tangible work may include written, graphic, digitized, modeled, video recording or audio recording formats, but not oral work. Students need to be aware that a request for a grade reappraisal may result in the original grade being raised, lowered or confirmed. For reappraisal procedures and information, please visit the Office of the Registrar site at:

Accommodation Procedures: LA&PS students who have experienced a misfortune or who are too ill to attend the final examination in an ADMS course should not attempt to do so; they must pursue deferred standing. Other students should contact their home Faculty for information. For further information, please visit:

Religious Accommodation: York University is committed to respecting the religious beliefs and practices of all members of the community, and making accommodations for observances of special significance to adherents. For more information on religious accommodation, please visit:

Academic Accommodation for Students with Disabilities

The nature and extent of accommodations shall be consistent with and supportive of the integrity of the curriculum and of the academic standards of programs or courses. Provided that students have given sufficient notice about their accommodation needs, instructors shall take reasonable steps to accommodate these needs in a manner consistent with the guidelines established hereunder. For more information please visit the Disabilities Services website at

York’s disabilities offices and the Registrar’s Office work in partnership to support alternate exam and test accommodation services for students with disabilities at the Keele campus. For more information on alternate exams and tests please visit

Please alert the Course Director as soon as possible should you require special accommodations.