1 - Version 1 (2015 Jan 13)

Management 452 Policy Formulation and Implementation

Section 003 – TR, 1:30 – 2:45 pm Spring 2015

Professor: Thomas Weber Email: thomas.weber@usi.edu

Office: BEC 2089 Office Hours: TR 9:00 – 10:00 am

Phone: 812 465 7086 TR 11:45 – 12:45 pm R 4:30 – 5:30 pm

Classroom: BEC 3023 Other times by appointment

Contacting Me Please use email as a means of communication. It is also important that in the subject of any email you send me that you include MNGT 452.003 in the subject line. Because of the volume of emails I receive, I set up mail filters to move emails to various folders, including junk email folders. I will also only respond to email Mondays through Fridays between 9 am and 5 pm. Text: Access Card to Strategic Management: Competitiveness and Globalization, 11th Edition by Hitt, Ireland, and Hoskisson Handouts: The lecture notes will be posted on Blackboard before each class. Course Description: This course introduces you to the complexities of the strategic management process which include strategy analysis, formulation, and implementation. This course requires you to develop interdisciplinary solutions for addressing contemporary business problems. In addition to integrating the traditional fields of business (accounting, finance, marketing, management, computer information systems). It also requires addressing a variety of different topics, such as social issues, diversity, environmental concerns, global differences, cultural differences, ethics, economics, critical thinking, problem identification, problem solving, communication skills, quantitative analysis, technology, current events, and politics. Through the use of cases, presentations, class discussions, lectures, and current periodicals, you will be exposed to the complexities of conducting business in a changing world. Course Objectives In addition to obtaining course specific content related to the field of strategic management, this course seeks to assist you in developing the following skills: 1. Critical thinking: evaluation and analysis of business problems and formulation of new

recommendations 2. Use of technology: use of presentation software during presentations 3. Stakeholder theory: understanding of the various stakeholders and their impact on the

organization through class discussions and presentations

2 - Version 1 (2015 Jan 13)

4. Ethical decision making: identification and evaluation of ethical situations and formulation of comprehensive solutions to business problems

5. Oral communication: presentation of semester final project 6. Teamwork: working in teams throughout the semester culminating in the final project Course Prerequisites: Prerequisites for this course are MNGT 305, FIN 305, MKTG 305, and senior standing. If you do not have the necessary prerequisites you will be administratively dropped from the course. Assignments:

You will be assigned a chapter of the textbook almost every week of class. In order to have productive class discussions, you must read the assigned chapter before each class.

A paper copy of assignments will be submitted in class as well as an electronic version through Blackboard at least five (5) minutes before class.

Grading The course grade will be the weighted average of the following:

Component Number Value

Class Participation 10%

Leading Case Discussions (Team assignment) 2 10%

Major Field Test 1 5%

Case Reports (Individual assignment) 6 10% 1st (0.5%) 2nd (1%) 3rd (1.5%) 4th, 5th (2%) 6th (3%)

Project Progress Report (Team assignment) 1 5%

Final Project Report (Team assignment) 1 10%

Final Project Presentation (Team assignment) 1 5%

Exam 1 1 10%

Exam 2 1 15%

Final Exam 1 20%

Grades will be assigned based on the following values:

90%-100% A And missing no more than 2 classes

87%-89% B+ And missing no more than 3 classes

80%-86% B And missing no more than 4 classes

77%-79% C+ And missing no more than 5 classes

70%-76% C And missing no more than 6 classes

67%-69% D+ And missing no more than 7 classes

60%-66% D And missing no more than 8 classes

<60% F

3 - Version 1 (2015 Jan 13)

Tentative Schedule: Note: I reserve the right to make adjustments to the schedule as necessary during the semester.

Date Topics

Jan 13 Syllabus, Introduction, Team Formation Preparing an Effective Case Analysis

Jan 15 Chapter 1: Strategic Management and Strategic Competitiveness

Jan 20 Chapter 2: The External Environment

Jan 22 Krispy Kreme Demonstration Case

Jan 27 J.C. Penney Case – Team 1

Jan 29 Chapter 3: The Internal Environment

Feb 03 RBV Demonstration

Feb 05 Chapter 4: Business Level Strategy

Feb 10 Columbia Case – Team 2

Feb 12 Exam 1: Chapters 1,2,3, and 4 Project Progress Report due

Feb 17 Chapter 5: Competitive Rivalry and Competitive Dynamics

Feb 19 Chapter 6: Corporate Level Strategy

Feb 24 Campbell Case – Team 3

Feb 26 Chapter 7: M&A Strategies

Mar 03 Glencore Case – Team 4

Mar 05 Chapter 8: International Strategy

Mar 10 Spring Break

Mar 12 Spring Break

Mar 17 Tata Case – Team 1 Overview of Chapters 5, 6, 7, and 8

Mar 19 Exam 2: Chapters 5, 6, 7, and 8

Mar 24 Assessment Day

Mar 26 Chapter 10: Corporate Governance

Mar 31 Yahoo! Case – Team 2

Apr 02 Chapter 11: Organizational Structure

Apr 07 Sirius Case – Team 3

Apr 09 Chapter 12: Strategic Leadership

Apr 14 Chapter 13: Strategic Entrepreneurship

Apr 16 borjo Case – Team 4 Final Project writeup due

Apr 21 Final Case Presentations

Apr 23 Final Case Presentations

Apr 28 Review for Final Exam

Apr 30 Final Exam - Comprehensive

4 - Version 1 (2015 Jan 13)

Class Participation:

Because the course is based on class activities and discussions, class participation is crucial. Please be in class on time, remain until the end of class, and contribute to class discussions. Participation points will be deducted if that does not happen.

During the lecture on conceptual material, contribute examples of various ways in which the material applies to real life situations. Examples from your own experience are especially helpful.

During the case discussions, discuss your assessments of the cases and offer your recommendations.

After presentations, audience members are expected to contribute to the discussion.

Please do not disrupt others, e.g. texting, accessing nonclass related material, and holding side conversations. Participation points will be deducted if this does happen.

Grading Criteria for Class Participation

Class participation will be graded according to the following scale:

10 Regular attendance and evidence of exceptional and careful advance preparation by taking a major role in pointing out new issues and new points of view in case discussions with fellow students.

7 Regular attendance and evidence of careful advance preparation by contributing an analysis and interpretation of some issues on several occasions. Some discussion with fellow students.

5 Regular attendance and evidence of advance preparation by contributing some factual details within an ongoing line of analysis on some occasions.

3 Regular attendance and minimal participation, such as general agreement with ongoing discussions or participated only when directly asked by instructor.

0 Frequently absent (more than 2), frequently late, frequently leaving early leaving, or any other behavior that disrupts or distracts from class discussions/lectures.

An absence is considered excused only when the proper university documentation is presented within two weeks after the absence (i.e., illness with a doctor’s note or passing of an immediate family member with proper documentation). Your participation grade accounts for 10% of the final grade, and each unexcused absence results in losing 3%.

An absence is considered excused only when the proper university documentation is presented within two weeks after the absence (i.e., illness with a doctor’s note or passing of an immediate family member with proper documentation). Your participation grade accounts for 10% of the final grade, and each unexcused absence results in losing 6%.

Arriving late and leaving early are considered ½ of an unexcused absence; therefore, for every two times these happen, that is one unexcused absence.

If you miss a class, you are responsible for the material covered during that class.

Pop quizzes may also happen. They will be part of the participation evaluation.

Attendance will be taken.

5 - Version 1 (2015 Jan 13)

Grading criteria for written assignments:

Written assignments will be graded on content and style. Factors that contribute to the quality of a report include:

o Organization and Clarity: Use appropriate headings and subheadings o Precision: Do not ramble just to fill the space. I will stop reading after the page limit

is reached. o Logical consistency o Rigor and Thoroughness: consider all the facts of the case before making a

recommendation o Application of concepts from class: integrate your analyses or review with class

material o Grammar and spelling o Following assignment directions o Answering all questions

All written assignments should be written in standard academic format and must be typed and double spaced with 1 inch margins (top, bottom, and sides), font size 12, sans serif font, such as Calibri, and page numbers.

Place a title block in the upper left corner of the first page that includes your name, the class number including section, and due date. Do not include my name.

Assignments should be turned in on time. If assignments are turned in late, your grade will be reduced 30% for each day late. If you know in advance of an unavoidable absence, your report is due prior to the absence.

Students are discouraged from sharing answers to any of the individual written assignments (e.g., Individual Case Reports); although, discussion is encouraged.

Use of proper citations both indirect and direct is required.

Leading Case Discussions (Team assignment)

There will be 6 teams: formed by the second class meeting: 2015 Jan 15.

Each team will present and lead the class discussion for 2 cases.

I will provide a skeleton PowerPoint file that the presenting team will fill out and use as the visual for its presentation.

The case presentation and discussion will be about 30 minutes covering the key chapter concepts and answering all of the questions in the PowerPoint file.

Each team will be evaluated by the other teams as well as me. An evaluation form can be found in Appendix 2.

When leading cases, the team members of the presenting team are not assigned individual case write-ups, i.e., they do not have a write-up to turn in.

Note: This is a team assignment. Every team member is responsible for every part. There should be no “I think”, “I find”, or any other “I” action. It is not a good idea to assign questions to individuals and just throw the presentation together before class. Assign an editor.

All teams are expected to ask questions

6 - Version 1 (2015 Jan 13)

Case Reports (Individual assignment)

This is an individual written assignment (1-2 pages and no more). You will answer specific questions provided by me via the Blackboard for each of the cases that are presented.

There are few (if any) absolute "right" answers to the questions (although there are wrong answers!). Consider all of the facts in the case and justify your answers based on our course material. Do not provide your opinion.

Make recommendations based on your analyses, not on opinion. For example, recommendations such as increase revenue or improve social media presence will not be acceptable

I will stop reading at the end of the second page.

I will not try to interpret poorly written papers. Teams

Teams will be selected by the students. Each team will consist of about 5 students to have 6 teams.

Each team member is responsible for the entire work of the team.

Assign an editor for each team assignment.

Do not present separate sections.

Team assignments are to be integrated works.

Think and use “We”.

If it is determined that a team member is not contributing to the team, the members of the team may terminate the person’s membership on the team. First, the team must meet with the noncontributing member, explain the team’s complaint, and seek to resolve the problem. If this attempt at reconciliation does not fix the problem, the members of the team must submit a letter of termination to me. The letter of termination should contain the following items:

o Name of team member to be terminated o Date the team met with the noncontributing member o Results of the meeting o Reasons the member should be terminated o Signatures of team members endorsing the termination.

At this point the person will be terminated from the team. The individual who has been terminated will then become solely responsible for an individual presentation on a different company. The termination process must be completed and delivered to me by 4:30 PM on Friday, 2015 April 10.

At the end of the course each student will be asked to evaluate their team members using the form in Appendix 4.

It is of utmost importance that you work well with your team members. I recommend that students develop a working relationship with their team members early in the semester to avoid any problems later on.

7 - Version 1 (2015 Jan 13)

Final Project Report

Each team will choose one firm which cannot be one of the firms discussed in class. The team will then apply the concepts discussed in the class to analyze the firm and provide recommendations for improvement.

Your recommendations, based on the analyses you have conducted, are the most important part of the report.

You are creating a report for knowledgeable people. Do not define the tools and concepts discussed in our course. Use them!

Do not present pages of how an analysis was conducted.

Be accurate in stating facts, e.g., do not misspell the company’s name.

Write about what impacts the firm and recommendations of how the firm should respond.

Do not write in generalities.

It is expected that all team members participate equally in the group projects. The responsibility for ensuring equal participation lies with the group members. I will seek peer evaluations towards the end of the semester. If any individual receives a poor evaluation by the group members, then that student's group project grade will be appropriately adjusted.

The final project report is due on 2015 Apr 16 at the beginning of the class.

The final project is expected to be a 10-12 pages (excluding title page, references, and appendixes).

I will stop reading after page 12.

Use the APA style guide for citations and references. It is important to cite all references, both direct and indirect. Not doing so is plagiarism.

The library provides style guide resources: http://usi.libguides.com/citingsources.

Do not use Wikipedia as a reference; it will result in earning 0% for the paper.

Potential Deductions o 10% for not using references properly o 5% for inaccurate information o 10% for poor grammar o 10% for length

Please refer to Appendix 1 for more details. This is the framework for the paper. Please use it

Project progress report

Each team will submit a 2-3 page project progress report to me at the beginning of the class on 2015 Feb 12. The progress report must include the name of the business, a brief business description (location, number of employees, main product or service, etc.), and some initial observations related to the mission, vision, and strategy of the firm.

There will be ad hoc requests for progress reports throughout the semester. Final Project Presentation:

On 2015 Apr 21 and 23, each team will present its final project in 20 to 30 minutes followed by a class discussion. The presentations are expected to be interactive and encourage all

8 - Version 1 (2015 Jan 13)

students to engage in a meaningful discussion. Each team will be evaluated by the other teams. An evaluation form can be found in Appendix 3.

Each member of the team must participate equally in the oral presentation. Public speaking is a mandatory part of this course.

Visual aids should be incorporated into the presentation to help streamline and clarify the recommendations being made.

Following the presentation there will be a question-and-answer session with questions being posed by members of the class. All teams are expected to ask questions.

Grades will be based on the content (depth, thoroughness, and detail), presentation skill, and presentation quality (how effectively the material was presented and delivered).

Please rehearse your presentation in advance to ensure that you do not cross the time limit. I will have to cut-off presentations that go beyond 30 minutes so that every group has an opportunity to present.

Groups that go under 20 minutes or beyond 30 minutes will incur a penalty in their presentation points on the project.

Each team may use a video for a maximum of 5 minutes. Exams

Exams will include multiple choice questions, fill in the blank, short answer questions, and longer answer questions.

Makeup tests will only be allowed in cases of university documented absences. Please do not approach me to seek an alternative exam date just because you happen to have more than 1 exam on the same day.

Classroom policies

Please communicate with me using your USI email address.

Your registration for and attendance of this class is considered acceptance of all University honor and behavior codes. You are responsible for knowing the standards as posted and as revised from time to time. I may from time to time give additional direction regarding expectations for work and conduct.

Academic integrity

Academic integrity is important, not just as a student but also a business professional. It should guide your actions in this class to do your own work and turn your own work in.

Plagiarism is a serious and significant issue within universities. If you have any questions about what is and is not plagiarism, as me!

Please read USI’s Academic Integrity Policies and Procedures in the student handbook on page 52 at: http://www.usi.edu/media/3402877/2014-2015-Student-Handbook.pdf or this webpage: http://www.usi.edu/media/3379739/Academic-Integrity-Policy-Interim-Fall-2014.pdf.

Based on the Student Handbook, the following table contains the possible sanctions for violating the Academic Integrity policy.

9 - Version 1 (2015 Jan 13)

Severity of Offense

Examples Possible Sanctions

Level I Small portion of work not cited

Unauthorized assistance/ collaboration on assignments

Disruptive classroom behaviors

Failing the assignment

Educational activity

Rewriting the assignment for partial credit

Removal from the class

Level II Plagiarism

Using unauthorized devices or material on exams

Facilitating dishonesty

Failing the class

Dismissal from the program

Probation

Level III Falsifying data

Violating research and/or professional ethics or standards

Criminal activities

Destroying or obstructing another student’s work

Dismissal from the program

Academic probation

Expulsion from the institution

Please note that the possible sanctions include receiving a 0 on an assignment, receiving an F in the course, being dismissed from the college, or being dismissed from the university.

Disability Services:

If you have a disability for which you may require academic accommodations for this class, please register with Disability Resources as soon as possible. Students who have or who receive an accommodation letter from Disability Resources are encouraged to meet privately with me to discuss the provisions of those accommodations as early in the semester as possible. To qualify for accommodation assistance, students must first register to use the disability resources in Disability Resources, Orr Center Rm. 095, 812 464 1961, http://www.usi.edu/disabilities. To help ensure that accommodations will be available when needed, students are encouraged to meet with me at least 7 days prior to the actual need for the accommodation.

MFT Exam

Everyone taking MNGT 452 is required to take the MFT (major field test). You will be contacted directly by the Office of Planning, Research, and Assessment (OPRA) as to the time and location for the exam. The exam will be taken online in a computer lab. Any exceptions must be approved by the Dean of the Romain College of Business.

Course Evaluations Please note, your opportunity to formally evaluate me is available between: Thursday, April 16, 2015 and Thursday, April 30, 2015. Please use this opportunity to provide feedback to me, my department, the college, and the university.

10 - Version 1 (2015 Jan 13)

Appendix 1: Final Project Report Guideline The final project written report is expected to include the following: 1. Title Page 2. Executive Summary

The executive summary is a one page to one and a half page synopsis of the paper that covers every main section and contains the important points of the paper including the conclusions and recommendations.

3. Introduction The introduction typically introduces the company to the reader. It provides information about the history of the firm, type of products and services, number of employees, number of branches, branch locations, and financial information such as revenues and profit. Pictures of products and services can be included in the appendixes.

4. Strategic Analysis 4.1. The Mission, Vision, and Corporate Strategies of the Firm

What is the mission statement of the firm? Did it change from the initial version? If so, describe the change. You may use online resources such as the company's website, YouTube, promotional videos, newspapers, and TV news about the company to become more familiar with the mission and vision and corporate strategies of the firm you are looking into. Do not use Wikipedia!

4.2. Environmental Scanning What are the external environmental factors that your team analyzed? What were the challenges in the external environment from the year the firm was established until now? What impact do the external factors have on the firm? (e.g., General Environment, Porter's Five Forces Model, competitors, etc.)

4.3. Assessing the Internal Environment of the Firm What are the internal environmental factors that your team analyzed? How do they impact the firm? (e.g., VRIN analysis, Value chain analysis, core competencies, etc.)

4.4. Recommendations for the Firm based on the Results of the Strategic Analyses 5. Strategic Formulation

5.1. Corporate and Business Strategies What are the corporate and business strategies of the firm? Have they changed from the firm establishment year till now? What were the challenges of developing the strategy? How does the business level strategy support sustainable competitive advantage? Is the corporate level strategy appropriate? How are functions used? Marketing? Production? HR? Sales? Finance?

5.2. Recommendations for the Firm based on examining the Corporate and Business Strategies

6. Strategic Implementation 6.1. Strategic Control and Corporate Governance

How are the strategies implemented? What factors influenced the performance of the firm?

6.2. Creating Effective Organizational Designs

11 - Version 1 (2015 Jan 13)

How was the firm structured? Did the firm divide the responsibilities along functional lines or product lines? How would you describe the organizational structure of the firm? (Centralized, decentralized, functional, divisional, matrix, or something else). Please note that most of the firms adopt a mixed structure (e.g., functional + divisional). Try to find different types of structure in different departments of the firm. Please provide an organizational chart of the firm in the appendices of the report.

6.3. Strategic Leadership: Has the leadership changed from the firm establishment year till now? What were the lessons learned?

6.4. Recommendations for Firm based on examining the organization and strategic leadership

7. Recommendations for Improving the 7.1. Strategic Analysis Process of the Firm 7.2. Strategic Formulation Process of the Firm 7.3. Strategic Implementation Process of the Firm

8. References and appendices

12 - Version 1 (2015 Jan 13)

Appendix 2: Case Presentation Evaluation Form Your Team Number: Presenting Team Number: Your evaluation is confidential and will not be directly shared with the presenting team. I will provide the presenting team with summarized feedback. Please rate each of the following statements by circling the appropriate number on the scale.

Poor Fair Excellent Content (60%)

Covered all questions and pertinent areas 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Provided details and steps for recommendation 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Information was factual 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Explained recommendations well 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Preparation (10%)

Organization was clear, logical, etc. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Appeared to be prepared 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Presentation Skills (30%)

Visual aids were readable, clear, understandable, etc. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Visual aids were consistent 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Flow among presenters was smooth 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Demonstrated proper enthusiasm and energy 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Appeared confident and poised 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Presented without reading from a script 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

All team members where professional in appearance and behavior

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Used time wisely 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Avoided grammatical errors and filler words 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Maintained eye contact throughout presentation 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Closing was effective 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Handled Q&A well 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Overall evaluation 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Overall, I’d like to offer the following words of praise and criticisms (Try to be fair and constructive): Words of praise: Points for improvements:

13 - Version 1 (2015 Jan 13)

Appendix 3: Final Project Presentation Evaluation Form Your Team Number: Presenting Team Number: Your evaluation is confidential. I will provide summarized feedback to the presenting team. Please rate each of the following statements by circling the appropriate number on the scale.

Poor Fair Excellent Content (60%)

Covered all questions and pertinent areas 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Provided details and steps for recommendation 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Information was factual 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Explained recommendations well 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Discussed major points of Strategic Analysis 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Discussed major points of Strategic Formulation 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Discussed major points of Strategic Implementation 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Preparation (10%)

Organization was clear, logical, etc. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Appeared to be prepared 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Presentation Skills (30%)

Visual aids were readable, clear, understandable, etc. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Visual aids were consistent 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Flow among presenters was smooth 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Demonstrated proper enthusiasm and energy 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Appeared confident and poised 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Presented without reading from a script 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

All team members where professional in appearance and behavior

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Used time wisely 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Avoided grammatical errors and filler words 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Maintained eye contact throughout presentation 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Closing was effective 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Handled Q&A well 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Overall evaluation 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Overall, I’d like to offer the following words of praise and points for improvements: Words of praise: Points for improvements:

Adapted from the University of Wisconsin-Madison

Appendix 4 - Team Member Evaluation Form: Team Number: ________ Your evaluation will be kept confidential. This evaluation of your team members is a tool to determine the team members who have been active and cooperative members as well as to identify those who did not fully participate. Be consistent when evaluating each group member’s performance by using the guidelines below. Please include yourself in the rating and add names to the columns 1 – Never 2 – Rarely 3 – Sometimes 4 – Usually 5 – Always Please rate the following statements using the scale above and enter the number under the column of the team member being rated.

Member Name 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. The team member fully participated in the team assignments.

The team member was available and attended team meetings.

The team member made a serious effort at assigned work before the team meetings.

The team member listened to his or her teammates’ ideas and opinions respectfully and gave them careful consideration.

The team member cooperated with the group effort.

The team member provided high quality work.

The team member completed work on time.

Based on your responses to these questions, assign an overall rating on the following scale

Excellent: Consistently carried more than his or her fair share of the workload Satisfactory: Usually did what he or she was supposed to do, acceptably prepared and cooperative Unsatisfactory: Consistently failed to show up or complete assignments, rarely prepared No show No participation at all