BU 595 - Strategic Management
Business
Aysar Sussan, PhD, Contact - Vitae
368-788-0090
Welcome to BU595 - Strategic Management
This is a graduate course, and I hope that this course will not only be a learning experience for you, but will be an interesting class and fun in the process. If you need to talk to me, you will find me at my desk during the day (Eastern-Time).
I plan to be an active participant in class discussion. My responsibility as the professor is to facilitate discussion, I will act as mentor/coach. If you have any question or concerns, feel free to post the question to the appropriate discussion board or e-mail me.
Hill & Jones, (2004), Strategic Management, 6th ed, Houghton Mifflin Company ISBN #: 0618309535
Course Description: This course explores the issues of defining corporate mission, objectives, and goals. Participants focus on the analysis of the firm's external and internal environment to identify and create competitive advantage in a global context. The course emphasizes the cultural, ethical, political, and regulatory issues faces any global business environment and the need for leadership for a successful management of strategic change.
Course Objectives:
The student will learn the strategic management process, stakeholders, and corporate mission.
The student will learn various techniques to identify industry opportunities and threats,
external & internal analysis.
The student will learn about strategic choice (SWOT) and building competitive advantage
through functional level strategy.
The student will learn about tactical decisions in business-level strategy, strategy in
global environment, corporate strategy, strategic alliances, diversification, and restructuring
the corporation.
Finally, the student will learn about designing organizational structure, control system and
implementing strategic change.
ASSIGNMENT SUMMARY:
BU595 will involve various components: reading assignments, lectures, discussion questions;
application assignments; participation; and, of course, the term paper (Project).
Reading Assignments:
Weekly reading assignments require students to read the assigned chapters. I do not expect students to read each chapter word for word. I do expect, however, that students have a general understanding of the concepts covered throughout the various chapters. Reading Assignments will be listed under ASSIGNMENTS.
Discussion Questions Assignment: 30 %
The student is required to respond to topic-related discussion questions. These questions will be provided weekly. Grading of responses will be based on content, grammar, and punctuation. Although a specific length is not mandated, responses should be well thought out and add value to the class discussion. (Due Day 3...Wednesday)
Cases Assignment: 30 %
The application component of BU - 595 involves, analyzing and writing a case study. Please refer to what is a case study analysis on page C-1 textbook. Again, a specific length is not mandated; but, responses should be well thought out and add value. (Due Day 6...Saturday)
Attention
***Please note the due dates for the Discussion Questions, Cases, and the Project. All assignments are due on Eastern-Time. Late postings will result in a reduction of (5) points per day.
Participation: 10 %
It is extremely important to generate ideas and participate in class discussion. Students are required to participate in at least three out of every seven days. participation includes adding new thoughts as well as commenting on fellow student responses to issues related to Strategic Management. The understanding and application of concepts is best reinforced by communicating with others. I will be the observer/facilitator of this process and will be assessing your contributions to the topic-related discussions. From time to time, I will interject comments; but, for the most part, the discussions will be left to the class.
Term Paper (Project): 30 %
The project is a critical component of BU595. It is a significant portion of your final grade. The Term Paper (Project) can pertain to any concept related to Strategic Management. The student may elect to choose a topic based on educational, personal, or professional interests; however, it should be tailored toward an area specific to Strategic Management. The specific topic is at the discretion of the student.
The paper should be a minimum of 10-12 pages in length, excluding the cover sheet. The paper should include table of contents, abstract, introduction, data to support the findings, and references. A minimum of six references is required, four of them must be from research journals. It should also be typed according to APA guidelines. The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA). The project will be graded based on content, identify specific organization, using data to support the findings, current references (2000-2003), grammar, and punctuation.....as well as APA format.
Topics for the (Project) should be submitted for approval no later than day 7 (SUNDAY) of week one; the actual paper is due day 1 (MONDAY) of week eight. It should be submitted as a word file to me, I will grade the document, and return (via e-mail) with specific comments.
If completed, the paper may be submitted early.
Week One
Reading Assignments:
Read analyzing and writing a case study on page C1 Textbook
Chapter 1 "The Strategic Management Process"
Chapter 2 "External Analysis"
Discussion Questions: (Due day 3 Wednesday)
Chapter One: Answer the D.Q. on page 31 (No. 3 and 5)
Chapter Two: Answer the D.Q. on page 70 (No. 2 and 4)
Case Assignment: (Due day 6 Saturday)
Do case No.10 on page C-129
Discussion Questions: (Due day 3 Wednesday)
Chapter Three: Answer the D.Q. on page 106 (No. 1 and 5)
Chapter Four: Answer the D.Q. on page 146 (No. 3 and 4)
Case Assignment: (Due day 6 Saturday)
Do case No. 15 on page C-212
Discussion Questions: (Due day 3 Wednesday)
Chapter Five: Answer the D.Q. on page 185 (No. 2 and 4)
Chapter Six: Answer the D.Q. on page 222 (No. 1 and 2)
Case Assignment: (Due day 6 Saturday)
Do case No. 20 on page C-295
Week Four
Reading Assignments:
Chapter 7 "Strategy in High Technology"
Chapter 8 "Strategy in the Global Environment"
Discussion Questions: (Due day 3 Wednesday)
Chapter Seven: Answer the D.Q. on page 255 (No. 4 and 5)
Chapter Eight: Answer the D.Q. on page 294 (N0. 2 and 5)
Case Assignment: (Due day 6 Saturday)
Do case No. 27 on page C-397
Week Five
Reading Assignments:
Chapter 9 "Corporate Strategy: Integration and Outsourcing"
Chapter 10 "Corporate Development: Diversification, Acquisitions & New Ventures"
Discussion Questions: (Due day 3 Wednesday)
Chapter Nine: Answer the D.Q. on page 323 (N0. 1 and 3)
Chapter Ten: Answer the D.Q. on page 361 (No. 1 and 3)
Case Assignment: (Due day 6 Saturday)
Do case No. 30 on page C-444
Week Six
Reading Assignments:
Chapter 11 "Corporate Performance, and Business Ethics"
Chapter 12 "Implementing Strategy in a Single Industry"
Discussion Questions: (Due day 3 Wednesday)
Chapter Eleven: Answer the D.Q. on page 339 (No. 2 and 4)
Chapter Twelve: Answer the D.Q. on page 442 (No. 3 and 5)
Case Assignment: (Due day 6 Saturday)
Do case No. 33 on page C-478
Week Seven
Reading Assignments:
Chapter 13 "Implementation Strategy, Across Industries and Countries"
Discussion Questions: (Due day 3 Wednesday)
Chapter Thirteen: Answer the D.Q. on page 480 (No. 3 and 5)
Case Assignment: (Due day 6 Saturday)
Do case No. 40 on page C-601
Week Eight: (Due day 1 Monday)
Term paper (Project) due, and must be sent to the professor.
Each student will discuss (summarize) his/her project during the week. Feed back and class
discussion from students is mandatory.
