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LDR 6140, CRN 20181, Strategic Leadership

CPS Winter Term B

Feb. 20, 2018 – March 31, 2018

Instructing Faculty

W. Joseph Condon E-mail: wj.condon@northeastern.edu Office Hours: As arranged

In the event that some concern about the course arises and is not satisfactorily addressed by the instructor, please contact Teresa Goode, Senior Teaching Fellow, at t.goode@northeastern.edu

You can access the course at http://nuonline.neu.edu/ by clicking on the course link under the "My Courses" tab.

Note: Courses you are enrolled in will not show up in CPS Blackboard until the start date of the term. If you have any difficulty accessing Blackboard or our course link, please contact the 24/7 NEU Online Support Desk: 855-836-3520

For computer access, the NEU library can be used 7 days a week: http://www.lib.neu.edu/

Required Textbook(s)/Materials

Essentials of Strategic Management (2011). Hill, C.W. and Jones, G.R. (3rd ed.) South-Western, Cengage

Learning. ISBN 978-1-111-52519-4

Additional readings will be provided through the course Blackboard.

Course Description

Strategic leaders look within and beyond their organizations to determine the right direction for action. Strategic

leadership capability extends beyond operational excellence; it requires an appreciation of the external environment,

the future, innovation, and change and the impact of all four factors on the organization. A common gap in leadership

competence of today’s administrators and managers is the ability to consider the role of the organization within its

wider current and future technological, competitive, and economic environments. This course will build an

understanding of the core concepts of strategy making and help participants achieve a strategic mindset. Based on

these analyses, students will develop recommendations for success in organizations and in themselves.

Learning Outcomes

Students will have the opportunity to become conversant with and knowledgeable about the following key elements of

strategic leadership:

• Develop an understanding of organizational strategy as a dynamic process.

• Become familiar with key strategic concepts and tools.

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• Learn the fundamentals of analyzing industry dynamics, responding to competitive challenges, and

improving corporate performance by conducting internal and external analyses for organizations.

• Define strategic decision-making, identify processes to overcome challenges, and understand the factors necessary to execute a strategic plan.

• Implement a plan of strategic development of a real organization of the student’s choice.

• Enhance strategic leadership competence and mindset by developing a personal action plan for growth as a strategic thinker and organizational leader.

Course Methodology

Strategic Leadership is offered as an action learning experience, in a highly interactive format, that relies on your

willingness to participate in all aspects of the readings and discussions. We use a variety of teaching methods to achieve

course objectives including case study, class dialogue, experiential team-based activities, and problem-based learning

approaches. You will be asked to complete weekly reading assignments, and utilize the Discussion Boards to offer key

ideas on how the readings inform your strategic competencies and leadership development experiences. Each week

there will be one or more assigned on-line Discussion Board topic(s) where you will be expected to contribute your

findings and respond to your classmate’s postings.

This course is an on-line class, and students should access all material through the NEU Online Blackboard system. Lectures, assignments and discussion board exchange will occur on-line throughout the six-week period.

Each week, you will be expected to:

1. Review the week's learning objectives. 2. Complete all assigned readings. 3. Complete all lecture materials for the week. 4. Participate in the Discussion Board(s). 5. Complete and submit all assignments by the due dates.

This syllabus lays out an initial plan for our work and may be revised during the course to meet students’ needs and

interests. All of the elements of this course are designed to help you become more insightful and aware of your own

strategic leadership practices, to become more reflective about your practices, and become clearer about the values

that underpin your own personal goals. To accomplish these tasks, we will undertake a variety of activities and

experiences, which include:

• Reading. During each week, book chapters, supplemental readings and case studies will be assigned. Given the participative nature of the course, it is imperative that you read the assigned material closely each week so that you can discuss it knowledgably on-line with your peers during class. All supplemental readings are available on our course Blackboard.

• Discussion. Each week you will be asked to participate on our weekly Discussion Board(s). These discussions

provide you with the opportunity to interact with and learn from your peers. Every student is expected to contribute to the learning of others in the class.

• Case Analysis. Read-world case analyses are an integral part of this course. Students will have individual and

group opportunities to analyze case studies and present your findings to the class. Case analysis serves several

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purposes: they provide an opportunity for students to gain an understanding of the strategic challenges facing different organizations and industries; they illustrate the use of strategic management concepts and tools; and they provide an opportunity for students to demonstrate their ability to utilize the course concepts and tools in the analysis of the case.

The overall pattern of each week will be spent:

• Discussing perspectives of organizational and leadership strategies based on the course readings. • Engaging in action learning in which you can test your assumptions and try out new strategic leadership

behaviors.

• Meeting in virtual learning teams to apply the theory in the course, and to digest the experiential activities.

This course requires that students reserve ample time to read, study and think about the issues we will work through during the time that we are discussing the material on-line. To do this well, students will need to spend approximately eight hours per week reading and studying lecture material, as well as completing on-line work.

Class Participation – Class Discussion Board (30% of course grade – maximum of 5 points per week)

Each week there are assigned discussion topics. Students are expected to research the topic and to contribute comments in the discussion forums throughout the week. Initial discussion contributions must be posted by Wednesday evening (Day 3) at 11:59 p.m. EDT of that week. The initial contribution should be 2 to 3 short paragraphs, approximately 350 - 400 words total in length. Students must also post at least three peer responses by Sunday evening at 11:59 p.m. EDT (Day 7) to meet the minimum discussion requirements. Responses should be 2 to 3 short paragraphs. It is highly encouraged that students actively participate throughout the week in order to gain the full benefit from ongoing discussions. Contributing more than the minimum requirements will result in achieving the full 5 points each week.

Active participation is a very important part of the learning process. By participating actively you will be able to improve

your ability to make clear, informed arguments, and synthesize ideas—skills that will help you in your educational

program and in the business world. In addition, these discussions provide you with an opportunity to interact with and

learn from your peers.

It is expected that you will raise questions as well as answer others during our on-line Blackboard discussions. Your

contributions will be evaluated on quality, yet sufficient quantity is necessary to effectively evaluate quality. Quality

comments possess one or more of the following attributes:

• Demonstrate your analytical and/or reflective thinking about a case situation or reading.

• Offer a different, unique and relevant perspective on the issue. • Contribute to moving the discussion and analysis forward by building on comments from your classmates and

incorporating them into your online discussions.

Here are some suggestions for Discussion Board work:

Students are expected to help facilitate the course by sharing your experiences, ideas, and opinions about the topics currently under discussion. Participants’ postings must show that one has understood and assimilated the course materials. Responses to other students’ postings should enhance and further discussion of the specific topics by, for example, asking probing questions that lead to additional discussion. Avoid responding with only a sentence or two – your comments must have some substance.

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The quality of your postings carries far more weight than their length or frequency. In drafting your responses, please keep the following guidelines in mind:

• Be timely in responses.

• Be concise and to the point.

• Make sure the answer adds substantially to the discussion.

• Be collaborative, not combative.

• Be positive in approaching the subject matter.

Avoid the following responses:

• Off-topic postings. Use the “Student Communication” forum for non-course-related discussion postings or additional postings.

• Simple “I agree” or “Good point” statements alone.

• Overly long threads; keep in mind everyone is busy. Two to three short paragraphs is sufficient (anywhere from 300 – 400 words for initial postings, 200-300 for feedback and response postings).

• Anything that could be interpreted as offensive by a fellow classmate.

• Avoid off-color humor and language; at all times maintain courtesy and respect towards the other members of the class.

Case Analysis (15% of course grade) - due at the end of Week 2

Real-world case study analysis is an integral part of Strategic Leadership. You will be required to study and discuss cases which are provided, develop an understanding of that particular industry and the strategic issues facing the organization. At the end of Week 2, you will be required to write one short case analysis which incorporates the answers to strategy-related questions about a selected organization.

Additional details about the case study will be provided in the Course Material section of our course Blackboard. This case analysis will be approximately 3 double-spaced pages, utilize the APA Style Guide, 12 point font, and be written with proper English grammar and spelling (please refer to the Writing Quality Rubric included in this syllabus). Course materials should be the foundation for all answers in this case analysis, with the inclusion of additional research and outside sources strongly encouraged. Answers should not be based upon your opinion unless specifically stated in the case question.

Submission instruction: Submit your Case Analysis through the link provided in the Course Material > Week 2 > Assignments section in Blackboard.

Mid-Term Paper – Strategic Leadership Reflection Paper “I Am A Strategic Leader” (25% of course grade) – due at the

end of Week 4

Just beyond the mid-point of our course, each student will write a reflection paper describing the change in thinking

gained as a result of the coursework to that point in time. The reflection paper must include a personal SWOT

analysis, and include the following elements as part of your learning summary:

• Introduction: what specific ideas about strategic leadership did you arrive with and what your goals in the

strategic leadership arena?

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• Understanding yourself through the prism of strategic leadership: Self-evaluate your skills and abilities through

the strategic leadership profile (based on chapter 1 and supplement readings). What are the strategy-making

approaches that you usually apply? What are the cognitive biases in your thinking and actions?

• Analyzing your strategic leadership capabilities: What are your strengths/weaknesses as viewed through the

strategic leadership framework? What are your opportunities and threats? What is your personal

competitive advantage?

• Action Plan: How will you leverage your strengths and improve your weaknesses? How will you handle your

threats and take advantage of your opportunities? What specific actions will you undertake to strengthen your

strategic leadership capabilities and achieve your goals? Who are your stakeholders, the mission and the vision?

• Conclusion: What will be your takeaways from this journey? How is the coursework broadening your thought-

processes?

This paper will be approximately 5 – 7 pages in length, double-spaced, follow the APA Style Guide, in 12 point font, and

be written with proper English grammar and spelling (please refer to Writing Quality Rubric included in this syllabus).

Additional details on this reflection paper will be provided in class.

Submission instruction: Submit your final paper through the link provided in the Course Material > Week 4 >

Assignments section in Blackboard.

Action Learning Project – Group Case Study Analysis (30% of course grade) – Due last week of class (Week 6)

The Action Learning Project is a group project devoted to the integration of the topics of this course. The objectives of

this assignment is to put yourself into the shoes of a practicing manager from a real-life organization, reveal his/her

dilemma, analyze the situation, discover possible options, and prepare recommendations for strategic development.

The case outline is usually 7-8 pages, and the case analysis is usually 10-15 pages in length (double-spaced, 12 point

font). These two sections are combined and submitted as one final product, equal to approximately 20 pages in length.

On the Week 1 Discussion Board, students will submit proposed case studies based on their own organizations, or on

organizations that are of particular interest to them. The proposals will consist of short descriptions of a particular

situation facing their organization, the people involved, and describe a situation that requires strategic actions and

decisions. Based on these submissions, four to five final proposals will be chosen as the finalists for these action

projects. Teams will then be formed, with a maximum of five students per team, to address an individual case study and

provide strategic recommendations and solutions for the particular dilemma(s) facing that organization.

In addition to the written case analysis, authored in part by all group members, an audio/visual presentation

summarizing the group’s findings and recommendations must be presented to the entire class during Week 6 (using

Powerpoint, Camtasia, Prezi, or similar presentation tool of the team’s choosing).

The following outline lists the elements to be included in the Action Learning Project:

Case Synopsis/ Key Issues: A brief synopsis of the case from the “consulting” point of view, focusing on the key issues of the case and clearly specifying the objectives of the case. This is basically an “executive summary” of your findings, done in professional language.

Methods: how was the information obtained (in-person interviews, secondary sources, observations, company website, etc.), including questions for the interviews and respondents, if any.

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Case Analysis: use the course material to analyze the situation. Focus on details of the most relevant issues, and describe briefly the least relevant:

▪ Analyze the strategic team through the strategic leadership profile. Did you reveal any strategic biases? ▪ Analyze the strategy making approach. Is it relevant for this organization? ▪ Analyze the core of the business (mission and vision). How far do they correlate with stakeholders’

expectations? ▪ Analyze the strategic choices of the leaders (competitive, international). How far do the strategic

choices rely on the SWOT? Justify your SWOT with the course concepts. ▪ How well do the implementation strategies fit the chosen strategic choices?

(This is the most important component of your submission. The case analysis should be specific and

provide a consistent perspective on the issues of the case.)

Recommendations: provide a set of alternative courses of action (if you see several of them) that would resolve the case solution. Provide an outline of the plan of action, which must be a clear recommendation supported by theory and logic that can reasonably be implemented. (Recommendations must be reasonable and specific. Don’t forget to strengthen your recommendations with articles/books/ websites relevant to the topics of the course.)

Conclusion: conclude the paper with your final thoughts and implication of the potential usefulness of the results to the real “client” and/or to you as organizational leaders.

Appendixes and References: The analysis must include a bibliography (in APA format) of publications and documents that you used to compile your information and to analyze and prepare the case. If applicable, you should also include a statement from the company, acknowledging their knowledge and participation in your case study project.

Action Learning Project - Group Project Weekly Discussion Board

There will be a Discussion Board assigned specifically to your group for the purpose of conducting ongoing discussions

surrounding your final project. Students are expected to help facilitate the group project by sharing their ideas and

opinions about the case study under discussion, as well as actively helping in the project’s completion. Participants’

postings must show that one has understood and assimilated the course materials and are actively contributing to the

case study’s successful outcome. Participation on the group project discussion board will be taken into account when

determining a student’s final grade for the Action Learning Project.

Grading/Evaluation Standards

Student participation is required in all aspects of the course. Participation in discussions is defined very clearly as contributing throughout the week to all of the discussions in that week.

Minimal preparation is reading the material, and being able to summarize what it is about, what the issue is, and what you would recommend.

Superior preparation involves being able to (i) summarize the situation/problem presented by the case; (ii) recommend a solution to the discussed problem; (iii) support your recommendation with relevant details and analyses; (iv) back up your sources with correctly formatted references; and (v) discuss innovative solutions, or why obvious solutions might be discounted.

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The instructor reserves the right to scale grades as needed.

Grade Evaluation Measures

Class Participation 30%

Case Study Analysis 15%

Strategic Leadership Reflection Paper 25%

Action Learning Project – Group Case Analysis 30%

Grading Rubric

Letter Grade

Low

High

A 95 100

A- 90 94.9

B+ 87 89.9

B 84 86.9

B- 80 83.9

C+ 77 79.9

C 74 76.9

C- 70 73.9

F 0 69.9

Late Submission of Work

Each assignment is due on the date indicated – there will be an automatic deduction of points for late assignments.

There are no make-up dates or extensions for the assignments except for documented personal emergencies or special

permission granted by the instructor in writing. Special permission must be requested in writing to the instructor at

least two days prior to the due date of the assignment.

Attendance/Tardiness

As the weekly class sessions and discussions are a vital part of the learning experience, all students are expected to actively participate every week.

However, in the event of extraordinary, legitimate and unavoidable situations, students may be excused for lateness or absence. Extraordinary, legitimate and unavoidable situations include personal illness, urgent family business, work- related issues, transportation-related issues, religious requirements. If at all possible, students should let me know by e- mail about the excused absence or lateness before that week of class.

Students with more than 1 unexcused lateness will be penalized per lateness.

Students with more than 1 unexcused absence during a class week will receive a failing grade for the course.

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Discussion Grading Rubric (each Discussion Board for Weeks 1 – 6 is worth a maximum of 5 points.)

Grading Discussion Board

A/A- (5 pts per week) Distinguished/ Outstanding

Have participated and posted more than 4 times during the week and have posted outstanding information.

• Initial contribution posted on or before Day 3

• Submitted more than the required 3 responses to other student posts on or before Day 7

• Initial post had academic research references

• Deliver information that shows that thought, insight, and analysis have taken place

• Make connections to previous or current content or to real-life situations

• Contain new ideas, connections, or applications

B+/B (4 pts per week) Proficient

Have participated at least 4 times (initial contribution and 3 responses) during the week and have posted proficient information.

• Posts are made in time for others to read and respond (initial contribution post made on or before Day 3)

• Deliver information that shows that thought, insight, and analysis have taken place

• Make connections to previous or current content or to real-life situations, but the connections are not really clear or are too obvious

• Contain new ideas, connections, or applications, but they may lack depth and/or detail

B- ( 3 pts per week) Basic

Have participated at least 3 times during the week and have posted basic information.

• May not all be made in time for others to read and respond are generally competent, but the actual information they deliver seems thin and commonplace

• Make limited, if any, connections, and those art often cast in the form of vague generalities

• Contain few, if any, new ideas or applications; often are a rehashing or summary of other comments

C / C- (less than 3 pts per week) Below Expectations

Have participated at least 1 time during the week and have posted information that was below expectations.

• May not all be made in time for others to read and respond

• Are rudimentary and superficial; there is no evidence of insight or analysis

• Contribute no new ideas, connections, or applications

• May be completely off topic

• How do you get other students to interact with your posts? By posting to theirs!

• Posting something brilliant on Sunday night is too late to generate a discussion. Remember to post early and post often.

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Students are expected to critically interpret the text, challenge assumptions, and use data from several sources (beyond the text), and to make their case and support their arguments.

Writing Quality Rubric

Scoring Level

Grammar, Mechanics, Usage

Clarity and Coherence

High level of

Proficiency

While there may be minor errors, the paper follows normal conventions of spelling and grammar throughout and has been carefully proofread.

Appropriate conventions for style and format are used consistently throughout the written assignment.

Sentences are structured and words

are chosen to communicate ideas

clearly.

Sequencing of ideas within paragraphs

and transitions between paragraphs

make the writer’s points easy to

follow.

Moderate

Proficiency –

half grade level

reduction (5%)

Frequent errors in spelling, grammar (such as

subject/verb agreements and tense), sentence

structure and/or other writing conventions

distract the reader, but the reader is able to

completely understand what the writer

meant.

Writing does not consistently follow

appropriate style and/or format.

Sentence structure and/or word

choice sometimes interfere with

clarity.

Needs to improve sequencing of ideas

within paragraphs and transitions

between paragraphs to make the

writing easy to follow.

Minimal

Proficiency – full

grade level

reduction (10%)

Writing contains numerous errors in spelling, grammar, and/or sentence structure which interfere with comprehension. The reader is unable to understand some of the intended meaning.

Style and/or format are inappropriate for the assignment.

Sentence structure, word choice, lack

of transitions and/or sequencing of

ideas make reading and

understanding difficult.

There is no intention to penalize students for writing skills but to help improve skills so they can participate fully in the

curriculum. The following resources are available:

• Smarthinking (available free in Tool section of Blackboard) – this allows students to submit personal written material in any subject and have it reviewed by an e-structor within a 24-hour window (in most cases).

• The Purdue Online Writing Lab http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/) provides free writing resources – with help in grammar, sentence structure and general writing skills

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Communication/Submission of Work In the Assignments folder, click on the View/Complete Assignment link to view each assignment. Attach your completed assignments here and click Submit. Once your assignment has been graded, you will be able to view the grade and feedback provided by clicking on Tools, View Grades from the Northeastern University Online Campus tab.

Class Schedule / Topical Outline

The weekly class schedule of discussion topics and readings is included as the last page of this syllabus.

Academic Honesty and Integrity Statement The University views academic dishonesty as one of the most serious offenses that a student can commit while in college and imposes appropriate punitive sanctions on violators. Here are some examples of academic dishonesty. While this is not an all-inclusive list, we hope this will help you to understand some of the things instructors look for. The following is excerpted from the University’s policy on academic honesty and integrity; the complete policy is available at http://www.northeastern.edu/osccr/academicintegrity/index.html

• Cheating – intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information or study aids in an

academic exercise. This may include use of unauthorized aids (notes, texts) or copying from another student’s exam, paper, computer disk, etc.

• Fabrication – intentional and unauthorized falsification, misrepresentation, or invention of any data, or citation in

an academic exercise. Examples may include making up data for a research paper, altering the results of a lab experiment or survey, listing a citation for a source not used, or stating an opinion as a scientifically proven fact.

• Plagiarism – intentionally representing the words or ideas of another as one’s own in any academic exercise

without providing proper documentation by source by way of a footnote, endnote or inter-textual note.

• Unauthorized collaboration – Students, each claiming sole authorship, submit separate reports, which are

substantially similar to one another. While several students may have the same source material, the analysis, interpretation and reporting of the data must be each individual’s.

• Participation in academically dishonest activities – Examples include stealing an exam, using a prewritten paper

through mail order or other services, selling, loaning or otherwise distributing materials for the purpose of heating, plagiarism, or other academically dishonest acts; alternation, theft, forgery, or destruction of the academic work of others.

• Facilitating academic dishonesty – Examples may include inaccurately listing someone as co-author of paper

who did not contribute, sharing a take home exam, taking an exam or writing a paper for another student.

24/7 NU Online Technical Support Get immediate 24/7 technical support for NU Online by calling 855-836-3520 or email NUOnline@neu.edu.

For answers to common questions you may also visit the NU Online support portal at: http://smartipantz.perceptis.com/neu/content/default.aspx

MyNEU Technical Support Please contact the University help desk by calling 617-373-HELP (4357) or email help@neu.edu

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LDR 6140 – Strategic Leadership – Class Schedule Winter B 2018

Week Dates Topic Assignments

STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP THINKING

1

2/20 – 2/25

Introduction to the Course

Introduction to Strategic Leadership

The Strategy Making Process

Strategic Management – Chapter 1 Introductions / Week One Discussions Group Project Formations

2

2/26 – 3/4

Stakeholders: Mission, Governance & Business Ethics

Identifying Opportunities and Threats

Strategic Management – Chapters 2 & 3 Class Blackboard Discussions Group Project Blackboard Discussions Assignment – Case Study Analysis Due By

3/4

STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP CHOICES

3

3/5 – 3/11

Building Competitive Analysis

Strategy and Competitive Positioning

Strategic Management – Chapters 4 & 5 Class Blackboard Discussions Group Project Blackboard Discussions

4

3/12 – 3/18

Strategy in the Global Environment

Strategy and Long-Term Profitability

Strategic Management – Chapters 6 & 7 Assignment - Reflection Paper Due By

3/18 Class Blackboard Discussions Group Project Blackboard Discussions

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STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP ACTIONS

5

3/19 – 3/25

Strategic Change: Implementation

Strategy Through Organizational Design

Strategic Management – Chapters 8 & 9 Class Blackboard Discussions Group Project Blackboard Discussions

6

3/26 – 3/31

Four Disciplines of Execution

Summary of Weeks 1 - 5

Class Blackboard Discussions Assignment – Group Written Case Study

Analysis and Class Presentation due by

Wednesday, 3/28

Action Learning Project Peer Review –

due by Wednesday, 3/28 Feedback on Case Studies produced by

other teams

.