MGMT 450-001
CRN: 21053
BUSINESS POLICY AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
LeBow College of Business - Drexel University
Spring 2008
Time: 10:00-11:50 am · Tuesdays & Thursdays
Dates: March 31, 2008 - June 14, 2008
Location: Pearlstein 307
Instructor: Tianxu Chen
Office: Academic Building Room 320
Office Hours: Mondays, 2 pm - 3 pm and by appointment.
E-Mail:
I. Course Description
This four credit-hour course provides an integrated approach to business planning. It helps students develop strategic analysis and decision-making skills through examination of an organization's internal and external environment. This course requires written and oral reports.
This course is a capstone course about business strategy and managing for success. In studying the processes of strategy formulation and implementation, we will assume a general management perspective that emphasizes the enterprise as a whole. This view allows us to address an important function of a capstone course, the integration of the knowledge and skills gained in the business curriculum. Studying business strategy provides this opportunity because the challenges of strategic analysis, strategy formulation, and strategy implementation engage the entire spectrum of business and management.
II. Class Format
The course is comprised of interactive lectures, written and oral case analyses, and small group work. It is important that you participate in the discussion of the readings and the cases for each class.
III. Readings
All required readings come from the textbook and supporting materials:
· Ireland, R.D., Hoskisson, R.E., & Hitt, M.A. 2006. Understanding Business Strategy: Concepts and Cases (1st ed.): Thomson + SouthWestern. ISBN: 032428246X
· Cases:
Case 1. Blu-ray DVD vs HD DVD ( Handout)
Case 2: EMI and CT Scanner (A) (B) (HBS 383194; HBS 383195 )
Case 3: E Ink 2005 (HBS 9705506)
Case 4: Intel Capital: the Berkeley Network Investment (HBS 600069)
Case 5: Cisco Systems, Inc: Acquisition Integrations for Manufacturing (HBS 9600015)
Case 6: The Triumph of JVC VHS over Sony Beta (Handout)
Case 7: McKinsey & Company: Managing Knowledge and learning (HBS 9396357)
Please Note: Case 1 and Case 6 are available at Bb Vista. Others you need to purchase from the following website: http://harvardbusinessonline.hbsp.harvard.edu
Search the case ID number to find the case. For example, for Case 4, search: 600069.
IV. Grading
The components that make up grading in this course are listed below in Table 1: Grading Criteria.
Table 1: Grading Criteria
Ltr. / Criterion / % of GradeA) / Attendance / Class Participation / 25%
B) / Homework / 25%
C) / Writing-Intensive Assignment / 20%
D) / Mid-Term / 20%
E) / Project Presentation / 10%
TOTAL / 100%
Course grades will be determined as follows:
A+ = 95% – 100% A = 90% – 95%; A- = 88% – 90%;
B+ = 85% – 88%; B = 80% – 85%; B- = 78% – 80%;
C+ = 75% – 78%; C = 70% – 75%; C- = 68% – 70%;
D+ = 65% – 68%; D = 60% – 65%;
F = below 60%
A) Attendance /Class participation
We have 19 opportunities to meet, and I take attendance seriously. If you know before a scheduled class that you are not going to be able to attend class, please send me an email and let me know why you cannot attend (before class begins).
B) Homework
You can find homework assignments for each class from the schedule attached in the syllabus (also available at Bb Vista). Homework assignments are based on cases and will help you understand the cases in substantial depth. The length of each homework is expected to be one page, double space. Please submit homework assignments in hardcopy prior to the due time as indicated in the schedule . You can put your homework in my mailbox at Academic Building, 3rd Floor or bring it to class.
C) Writing-Intensive Assignment
The writing-intensive assignment is designed to address the university’s decision to choose this course as a “Writing-Intensive Course.” To reduce your workload, I incorporate this assignment as part of the Project you are supposed to present on June 3. Details are attached in the Appendix 2.
D) Mid-term Exam
Closed book. The exam is based on the materials we cover in the lectures.
E) Project Presentation
Groupwork. The description of the project presentation is attached in Appendix 1.
F) Credit-adding section.
The last class on June 5th, 2008 is an online section. Students do not need to come to classroom. I will post two discussion questions on the Bb Vista and students are expected to post their options. Students who participate in this section can expect to add credits to their final grades. However, if you do not participate, I will not take off your credits. Please note that the credit you can gain from this section depends on the quality of your answer.
Date / Section / Content1-Apr / 1 / Text Chapter 1: The foundations of strategic management
Key Topics:
1. Introduction
2. What is Strategic Management?
3. Why do we need a strategy?
4. The foundations of strategic management
HW1:
Read Case 1. Blu-ray DVD vs HD DVD
Summary of Sony’s key strategies in the DVD format war
HW1 due on 3-Apr.
3-Apr / 2 / Key Topics
1. Review of Section 1
2. Discussion of the role of strategy in Case 1
8-Apr / 3 / Text Chapter 2: Leading Strategically
Key Topics:
1. Definition of strategic leadership.
2. Functions of strategic leadership: external vs internal
3. Entrepreneurship
HW2:
Read Case 2: EMI and CT Scanner
Comment on EMI Leader’s strategy. List out what should / should not have been done.
HW2 due on 10-Apr.
10-Apr / 4 / Key Topics
1. Review of Section 3
2. Discussion of the role of the leaders in Case 2
15-Apr / 5 / Text Chapter 3: Analyzing the External Environment
Key Topics:
1. Intro to four central perspectives on organizations
2. Definition of External Environment
3. Porter’s Five-Forces Model
HW3:
Read Case 3: E Ink 2005
Comment on E Ink’s competitive environnent. Opportunities and threats.
HW3 due on 17-Apr.
17-Apr / 6 / Key Topics
1. Review of Porter’s Five-Force Model
2. Discussion of E Ink’s competitive environment and the strategies to deal with the environment
22-Apr / 7 / Text Chapter 4: Analyzing the Firm
Key Topics:
1. Review of central perspectives on organizations
2. Definition of Resources
3. The Resource-based View of the firm
HW4:
Re-read Case 2: EMI and CT Scanner
Comment on EMI’s internal strengths and weaknesses.
HW4 due on 24-Apr.
24-Apr / 8 / Due date for the outline of the Writing-Intensive Assignment.
Key Topics
1. Review of the resource-based view of the firm
2. Discussion of EMI’s internal strengths and weaknesses and the strategies to win competition
29-Apr / 9 / Text Chapter 5: Business Level Strategy
Key Topics:
1. Business Strategy vs Corporate Strategy
2. Types of business strategies
3. Implementation of business strategies
HW5:
Re-read Case 3: E Ink 2005
Comment: should E Ink pursue a cost-leadership strategy or differentiation strategy? Why?
HW5 due on 1-May
1-May / 10 / Due date for the draft of the Writing-Intensive Assignment.
Key Topics
1. Review of firms’ Business strategies
2. Discussion: should E Ink pursue a cost-leadership strategy or differentiation strategy?
6-May / 11 / Midterm exam: closed book.
8-May / 12 / Text Chapter 6: Multi-product Strategies
Key Topics:
1. Review: Business Strategy vs Corporate Strategy
2. Diversification strategy
3. Implementation of the diversification strategy
HW5:
Read Case 4: Intel Capital: the Berkeley Network Investment
Comment on Intel’s strategic purpose of diversification through capital investment.
HW5 due on 13-May
13-May / 13 / Key Topics
1. Review of firms’ diversification strategy
2. Discussion: Intel’s strategic purpose of diversification through capital investment.
15-May / 14 / Text Chapter 7: Acquiring and Integrating Businesses
Key Topics:
1. Acquisition as a form of Corporate Strategy
2. Strategic purposes of acquisition
3. Possible problems with acquisition
HW6:
Read Case 5: Cisco Systems, Inc: Acquisition Integrations for Manufacturing
Comment on Cisco’s acquisition strategy
HW6 due on 20-May
20-May / 15 / Due date for the revised version of the Writing-Intensive Assignment.
Key Topics
1. Review of the acquisition strategy
2. Discussion: Cisco’s growth and its acquisition strategy
22-May / 16 / Text Chapter 9: Creating and Maintaining Alliances
Chapter 8: Competing across borders
Key Topics:
1. Definition of strategic alliances
2. Strategic purposes and management of alliances
3. International strategies.
HW7:
Read Case 6: The Triumph of JVC VHS over Sony Beta
Compare JVC and Sony’s strategies in the video industry
HW7 due on 27-May
27-May / 17 / Key Topics
1. Review of firms’ alliance and international strategies
2. Discussion: How did JVC win the standards battle over Sony by strategic alliances?
HW 8:
Read Case 7: McKinsey & Company: Managing Knowledge and learning
HW8 due on 29-May
29-May / 18 / Text Chapter 10: Innovation through strategic entrepreneurship
Key Topics:
1. Innovation and entrepreneurship
2. Scholarly approaches to entrepreneurship research.
3. Discussion of the entrepreneurship at McKinsey
3-Jun / 19 / Due date for the final version of the Writing-Intensive Assignment.
Project Presentation
5-Jun / 20 / Credit adding section: Online discussion
Appendix 1
The Class Project
Each student must work with 3~4 classmates on a class project. A project should be conducted by 4~5 students. The project should include:
1) The identification of a company that has succeeded or failed in business competition.
2) The analysis concerning how the company has succeeded or failed in business competition.
- A review of the company’s major business activities.
- Analysis based on the theories we have learned from the class.
3) Suggestions to the company.
Please note:
Students are expected to work in groups. Each group should report the company chosen for analysis before the mid-term exam. The group is expected to report their analysis and suggestion with a 10-minute presentation.
Appendix 2
Writing-Intensive Assignment
Each student must complete an individual 6-page (or longer) paper. The paper should analyze the strategies that a specific firm uses in business competition. You can use the same firm you choose for the Project Presentation. However, this paper is individual work and each member of a workgroup must submit his/her own paper. Of course, the group members can discuss the firm’s strategies and get advice from each other.
To be more specific, I encourage you to do the following in the paper:
1) Identify a company that has succeeded or failed in business competition (Why do you think the firm is successful or not? Provide evidence).
2) Analyze the external competitive environment.
- analyze the characteristics of the industry / market where the firm competes
- analyze the competitors (Who does the firm compete with? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the competitors? What are the competitors’ strategies? Who are the possible new entrants? )
3) Analyze the internal resources which give the firm competitive advantage.
- Analyze the key firm-related resources that provide competitive advantage ( e.g. What kind of technology may give the firm competitive advantage? How do you evaluate the importance of human capital to the firm’s success in this particular industry? )
- Analyze the resources the firm possesses (e.g. what specific technology does the firm have? How do you evaluate the distribution channel of the firm? How do you evaluate the human capital of the firm? ).
- Compare the firm-specific resources with the resources of the competitors.
4) Analyze the reasons for the firms’ success or failure (e.g. How do you evaluate the firm’s strategy to address the external environment? How do you evaluate the firm’s strategy toward its internal resources? What should have been done to make the firm more successful?)
Since this assignment is designed for the Writing-Intensive program, students should also follow the procedure as required by the Writing-Intensive program. In the course schedule, you can find the steps we are going to take to carry out this program. The key dates include:
24-Apr Due date for the outline of the Writing-Intensive Assignment
1-May Due date for the draft of the Writing-Intensive Assignment.
20-May Due date for the revised version of the Writing-Intensive Assignment.
3-Jun Due date for the final version of the Writing-Intensive Assignment.
Please also refer to the instructions from the following website: http://www.drexel.edu/writingprogram/aboutwicourses.html
In Appendix 3, you can find the instructions from the Writing-Intensive manager.
We will discuss how to carry out the program with the Writing-Intensive Tutor in class.
Appendix 3
HOW TO OBTAIN A WRITING INTENSIVE TUTOR (WIT) REVIEW
All appointment requests must be made well in advance of all corresponding deadlines.
When seeking a WIT review of your draft(s), you may contact your specific WIT directly or the Writing Program in the following ways:
1. Come into the Writing Center, at 0032 MacAlister Hall (basement), and physically sign up for an appointment in the logbooks or see if a WIT is available for a drop-in appointment.
2. Call the Writing Program, at either (215) 895-6633 or (215) 895-6486, to request an appointment. Remember to provide your name, your number, your course, your first choice time, and additional availability, in the event that your first choice cannot be met.
3. E-mail us at this address, , to either request a face-to-face appointment or submit your draft for electronic review. If you should choose to e-mail WITdesk, please follow the guidelines below.
If you are requesting a face-to-face appointment, which is preferred:
1. Send your WITdesk request 48 hours in advance of your desired appointment time. Allow at least 24 hours for the WIT Manager to reply back to you. Since these e-mails are typically handled between 9 AM - 5 PM every weekday, please plan accordingly.
2. Include in the e-mail when you would like the appointment to be made as well as your availability for a couple of days, in case your first choice is unavailable.
3. Include in the e-mail for what course you are requesting a WIT review.
If you are submitting a draft for electronic review:
1. Attach your draft in either Word format, preferably, or pdf format.
2. Include a brief description of the assignment, quote directly from the instructor’s handout.
3. Include the deadline for the assignment.
4. Include the course, section, and professor.
5. Include whether or not you need proof of a WIT review.
6. Allow at least 36 hours and, during mid terms, and finals, as much as 60 hours (2.5 days) for a review to be sent back. Given that there are only a few WITs with weekend hours, plan accordingly.
3/28/2008