MGT 362 Summer 2012 Developing Strategies for Competitive Advantage

Steven Gilman Adjunct Professor, Ageno School of Business GOLDEN GATE UNIVERSITY Contact Information Email: sgteach@satoritrading.com Course Location and Meeting Time: Downtown Mission Campus. Thursday 6:50 - 9:30 pm Important Dates: Course start date: May 3, 2012 Course end date: August 9, 2012 l. Welcome Welcome to each of you. My name is Steven Gilman and I have been teaching adults in graduate school since 2000. 2. Course Description Focuses on the development of company policy and strategy, examines the impact of a company's internal and external environment on strategic decisions and assigns case practice in analyzing and formulating business policy and strategy. Will stimulate critical thinking and decision making through business case examination, lecture and discussion. Links theory and practice along with environment analysis and communication. Considers the strategic problems encountered by top-level managers in a competitive global market from an integrated perspective. You will learn varied approaches to analyzing strategic situations, developing a competitive strategy and managing policies to implement these strategies including: controlling organization-wide policies, leading organizational change and the allocation and leverage of resources. Considers such emerging topics as competitive dynamics, technology-based competition, business-governmental relationships, corporate social responsibility and cooperative strategy. Prerequisites: Satisfactory completion of MGT 300; MGT 362 must be taken as part of the final six units in the MBA Advanced Program. Strategy is concerned with answering two central questions: “What business should we be in?” and “How should we compete?” Since competition from rival firms is the dominant feature of the business environment, we will be particularly concerned with the latter question. A major part of the course will be concerned with how a firm can establish a sustainable competitive advantage. In pursuit of advantage, we must consider (1) the strategic and managerial problems encountered by top level managers in a competitive global market, (2) the analytic and decision making processes used to solve them, and (3) the resources available to implement them. An international or global perspective in the strategic management of a company has become so crucial, that any strategy must really be considered as a global strategy. However, what does it mean to have a global strategy? In what ways is this different from a normal business strategy? What changes when competition crosses national boundaries? And what is different about strategies that must consider cross-border competition? It is the purpose of this course to explore these issues. In the process we will look at foreign competitive environments, differing business methods, and varied approaches to adapting managerial and organizational processes to new and different conditions. The approach of the course is practical and problem oriented through the application of concepts and frameworks to solve real-world company problems.

You will receive 3 units of credit if you successfully complete this class. This means that you can expect to spend 2 hours 40 minutes in class and/or online in class each week plus an additional 8-12 hours each week completing homework and preparing for the next class. You can expect to spend more time studying some weeks and less time other weeks, but overall you should expect to average between 11 and 15 hours each week on this class for the entire term. 3. Course Objectives This course is designed to integrate the skills and perspectives of the separate functional areas you have studied into those of the senior manager who views the company as a coherent whole. Students are expected to (1) display alacrity with the theories, terminology and practice associated with strategic management, (2) prove the ability to analyze situations strategically, (3) apply those abilities in the evaluation of specific situations, (4) integrate the knowledge gained in previous and parallel courses into the making of sound, multi-disciplinary business decisions, and (5) to display graduate-level skills in oral and written communication. Explore strategic landscape for profitability scenarios, competitive challenges, social, political and sustainability implications, corporate, functional and business decisions and how they affect the firm and industry. 4. Contacting the Instructor I’m online at various times of the day and night. I have no set schedule. Please post questions for all to see. I will attempt to respond within 24 to 48 hours. This timing means that if you post a question shortly before the due date of an assignment, it may not get answered until after the assignment is due. Such a situation does not make a late assignment acceptable. If you have any question please do not hesitate to call me at 415-655-3241 anytime. If I do not answer simply leave a message and I will get back to you. All assignments must be received in the appropriate dropbox. DO NOT email assignments to the instructor. You can either post questions to me in the Discussion or Questions area on moodle or email me. 5. Required Text

Grant, R.M. (2005). Contemporary Strategy Analysis: Concepts, Techniques, Applications (Latest ed.). Seventh Edition, Cambridge, MA: Blackwell Business. ISBN978-1-4051-6309-5 To purchase course books and materials from eFollet, GGU's official online bookstore, go to http://shop.efollett.com/htmlroot/storehome/goldengateuniversity690.html Or you can probably find a used copy on Amazon.

The MGT362 Case Pack available in the bookstore is also required

Periodicals: It is highly recommended that you regularly read current business periodicals, global, national and regional such as The WSJ, Business Week, SF Business Times, The Economist, Forbes, The Far East Economic Review, etc You are encouraged to bring in current news relating to strategic issues. Websites: cbsmarketwatch, Financial Times (ft.com), bloomberg.com etc… Other selected readings relating to cases and topics may be distributed in class.

6. Course Work and Assignments This section provides a general overview of the types of assignments that you will be responsible for. The primary function of this course is to develop your understanding of global competitive dynamics and your ability for strategic analysis and decision-making within the international business context. While the course will offer you with a variety of objective methods for analyzing and understanding the strategic options that face an organization, the emphasis in this class will be on the need to develop creative and critical thinking. Since strategy is a dynamic subject, the application of a standard formula will rarely lead to success. In this spirit, what we read will be open for debate and the emphasis will be more on the application of appropriate analysis to understand the situation, rather than the discovery of the “right” strategy. An important feature of this course is that it is an integrative class. You will need to draw upon the knowledge you have gained from your previous classes, and from your general knowledge of business affairs. In analyzing the company cases, you are expected to: • Undertake an analysis of the firm’s financial statements • Analyze the main features of the firm’s industry and market environment • Understand basic features of the firm’s production system and production technology • Consider the appropriateness of the firm’s organizational structure and human resource management policies in achieving its existing and recommended strategic goals. The class is designed to provide an opportunity for you to build essential managerial skills. Communication skills, both oral and written, as well as discussion skills will be utilized in analyzing the cases. Team dynamics and presentation skills are developed in the group projects and oral reports. Throughout the course, critical analysis of the subject and its application to real-world issues will be stressed. Your scholarship will be assessed as follows: (a) One-Page Memos. These five (5) one-page memos will examine specific assigned strategic issues based upon the cases. See the course outline and the memorandum for more information regarding the format, due dates, etc. These cases are weighted at 10% each. A total of 50% of your final grade will be from one-page memos. Memos should be submitted via E-College drop-in box on the appropriate date due. (b) Group Project: Real-time Case Analysis. There will be a group real-time case analysis project in which you will research an international company’s current status and develop a detailed strategic plan to address the company’s problems. This project will entail a final group paper and an oral presentation. The team will turn in a one to two page outline of your selected project by the end of the third class week. The team will make its presentation and submit a completed report on the last day of class. This project is explained in greater detail below in the syllabus and will be discussed during class. Peer and group evaluations will be considered in determining your grade for this section of the class. The weight for this project (report and presentation) is a total of 30% of your final grade. (c) Class Participation. Much of the class time is designed for an exploration of the text material and cases through class discussion. The value of this class design is dependent on the participation of the entire class. You will be expected to attend class and participate in the class discussions. Effective participation requires that you arrive at every class period having read the assigned text material and case(s), and prepared to offer and defend your recommendations. A brief guide for preparing for cases is included in this syllabus. Your self-evaluation will be considered in assigning your grade for this section of the class. Class participation is weighted at 20% of your final grade.

7. Course Policies Late assignments Assignments are considered late if received after the appointed time for any assignment. Grades on late papers may be reduced for each day or beyond that the assignment is late, and the grade reduction is at my discretion. Any time you feel you might be falling behind in the course, it's best to contact me to discuss your situation.

Feedback Feedback to each student on the homework assignment(s) will usually be sent within 2 weeks and include a scoring summary and brief notes from the instructor along with any graded assignments.

Special Accommodations

If you require special accommodations due to a disability, please contact the instructor and the GGU Coordinator of Disability Services. Academic Integrity GGU's Policy on Student Academic Integrity is in effect at all GGU teaching locations, including regional classroom sites, corporate sites, and distance courses delivered in any medium. Academic integrity means doing academic work in a manner that strives to achieve the learning objectives your courses have set out for you. It means that you follow the rules and procedures prescribed by your instructors so that you acquire the skills and knowledge your courses are designed to give you. It means that you engage in ethical practices in taking tests and doing assignments and that you respect intellectual property rights by fully disclosing sources of information that appear in your papers and presentations. Please read GGU’s full policy on Academic Integrity: http://www.ggu.edu/student_services/student_life/griffin_student_handbook/policy_academic_honesty Free Resources (Live and Online) for GGU Students 1. For detailed information on using and citing sources using APA, MLA, and other styles, consult A Writer’s Reference by Diana Hacker, the textbook used in GGU English composition classes, available in the GGU Bookstore, or consult the free website http://dianahacker.com/writersref/resdoc.html 2. The University Library’s web site offers a wealth of information to guide you through the research process. Resources include a sample research paper and detailed information on evaluating and citing sources. Available at http://internet.ggu.edu/university_library/ 3. An online tutorial, Core Research Skills, is designed to help you find, evaluate, and use library and online sources in your projects and papers. In every step of the tutorial, a reference librarian is available to help with specific research needs and questions. The tutorial is free and can be accessed at http://www.ggu.edu/cybercampus/FreeDemo 4. At the Writing Center, located in Room P-25 at the San Francisco campus, you work one-on-one with experienced writing tutors (most of them GGU instructors) who are familiar with the types of writing assignments common in GGU courses. 5. The Online Writing Lab (OWL) offers online writing help to GGU students. OWL tutors help you solve specific problems in the work you submit, and guide you through the writing process. The OWL is available at http://www.ggu.edu/academic_programs/division_general_ed/english_communications/online_writing_lab

Privacy and Confidentiality in the Classroom One of the highlights of the academic experience is that students can draw on the wealth of examples from their organizations in class discussions and in their written work. However, it is important to note that we all are bound by confidentiality in this class. In order to assure that there is free and open discussion in which students may elect to discuss their company and its policies and procedures as they apply to the course material, it is expected that each person will respect the confidentiality and sensitivity of what your classmates are willing to share and, at the same time, exercise good judgment in what you choose to share. Please avoid non-public or competitively sensitive information. Students and faculty members may appropriately choose to illustrate lessons from their experience that might challenge these boundaries without identifying specific employers or individuals by name. If you have any questions about any of the information contained in this syllabus, or about any other aspect of this training session, please do not hesitate to ask! 8. Grading 1) Written Assignments: 50%

5 1-page briefs are assigned. Assignments are graded on appropriate discrimination and analysis of the issues relating to each case. Critical Thinking is key. Papers 1 page memos, see example.

2) Class Participation: 20% Includes attendance, participation in discussions, final presentations, team activity, and oral presentations. Explicit involvement in the learning format is highly regarded. Included in class participation are the weekly country/region briefs.

3) Final Project: 30% Each assignment will receive a grade based on a standard grading system. Participation grades will be based on the overall quality (not quantity) of the student’s involvement and engagement with the course.

How points and percentages equate to grades

100.0-93.0 A 76.9-73.0 C

92.9-90.0 A- 72.9-70.0 C-

89.9-87.0 B+ 69.9-67.0 D+

86.9-83.0 B 66.9-63.0 D

82.9-80.0 B- 62.9-60.0 D-

79.9-77.0 C+ 59.9 or < F

9. Evaluating Student Participation Guidelines for evaluating participation Participation is evaluated based on meaningful contribution that adds to learning for the class.

10. Instructor Bio Steven Gilman has held senior positions in technology, consulting, marketing and management for large international corporate enterprises, start-ups and privately held firms. Focusing on marketing, strategy, finance and organization development, his expertise has benefited initiatives in digital media, communications, health and education. Steven has broad international experience in community development and cross-cultural communications and is a frequent executive lecturer.

Steven currently is CEO of Satori Trading, a firm started in Asia over 20 years ago, and COO or studio Asterisk, an innovation design firm in San Francisco. He teaches management and innovation practices at several Bay Area graduate institutions.

11. Course Outline Date Activity 3-May Introduction Orientation & Syllabus Discussion The concept of Strategy Readings Grant 1 10-May Discussion The concept of Strategy Readings Grant 2 + Mintzberg Cases Honda (A) and (B) Case Preparation Questions: Compare and contrast the two descriptions of Honda’s start-up, early growth, and entry into the US motorcycle market. How does each explain Honda’s success? What concept of strategy is implied in each case? What do these cases tell us about the job of the general manager? 17-May Discussion Industry Environment Readings Grant 3 Cases Crown Cork & Seal in 1989 Case Preparation Questions: Prepare and submit an industry analysis of the Metal Can Industry. What changes are taking place in CC&S’s industry, and what should Crown Cork & Seal to respond? What were the keys to CC&S’s success? How can they best leverage these in the future? Which (if any) of Continental’s regional divisions should Crown Cork consider bidding on? Why, or Why not? 24-May Discussion Intra-industry Competition and Strategic Groups Readings Grant 4 + D’Aveni (on website) Cases A Hundred-Year War: Coke vs. Pepsi, 1980-1990’s Case Preparation Questions: Prepare and submit a Hypercompetition analysis for the competitive dynamics of Coke and Pepsi. Using the hypercompetition framework: (1) why was Coke able to dominate the world soft drink industry by 1950? (2) How was Pepsi able to gain market share in each decade of the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Consider each period separately and be specific. What arenas do you predict will be the most beneficial for Coke to Pursue? For Pepsi? 31-May Discussion Capabilities and Competitive Advantage Readings Grant 5 + Collis and Montgomery Cases Marks and Spencer, Ltd. (A) ASSIGNMENT #1: Evaluate Marks and Spencer’s overseas expansion efforts and recommend actions M&S should take in expanding to new overseas markets in the future. Prepare and attach a Resource-based analysis to support your case analysis and recommendations. Consider: What resources have been the basis of M&S’s competitive advantage? Why has it been successful in transferring its advantages from clothing to food, less successful in transferring its competitive advantage from Britain to overseas?

7-Jun Discussion Organizing and Managing for Competitive Advantage Readings Grant 6, 7 Cases Procter & Gamble Europe: Vizir Launch Case Preparation Questions: Decide if Vizir (1) should be launched or delayed; and (2) if and it should be positioned as a Eurobrand (You are free to define “Eurobrand strategy” as you see fit.) Prepare a one-page memo defending your position from a strategic perspective. Consider the implications of your decision on P&G's European management structure in your conducting your analysis.

14-Jun Discussion Cost and Differentiation Advantage Readings Grant 8, 9 Cases Charles Schwab: A Category of One ASSIGNMENT #2: Prepare a one-page memo in which you recommend what Schwab should do to sustain its competitive advantage. Consider: Has Schwab effectively balanced the old and new world of stock trading How will Schwab remain a leader between giants like Merrill Lynch and Internet pure plays like E-Trade. How has Schwab remained a competitive player. Has Schwab's unique status as a discount brokerage began to wane?

21-Jun Discussion Industry Evolution and High Technology Competition Readings Grant 10, 11

Cases Apple Computer 2002 Case Preparation Questions: Historically, what were Apple’s major advantages? How have the structure and dynamics of the PC industry changed over the last ten years? What have been Apple’s strategies since 1990? Has Steve Jobs solved the “problem?” What should Steve Jobs do today?

28-Jun Discussion Strategy in a Mature Industry Readings Grant 12 - 13 Cases Matching Dell ASSIGNMENT #3: Prepare a one-page memo in which you recommend to the head of the newly combined HP/Compaq PC division how they should go about competing with Dell. In this, you should explain (a) how and why the PC industry has such a low average profitability, (b) the keys to Dell’s success, and (c) Dell’s actual competitive advantage, and evaluate recent attempts to respond to Dell by industry rivals and the resulting impact on Dell’s competitive advantage. 5-Jul Discussion TBD Readings Grant 13 Cases TBD

12-Jul Discussion Global Strategy Readings Grant 15 Case Preparation Philips versus Matsushita: A New Century, a New Round Case Preparation Questions: How did Philips become the world’s leading consumer electronics company in the post World War II era, and how did Matsushita succeed in displacing Philips? What changes has each made, and why has change been so hard for each? What changes should Phillips and Matsushita make to their strategy and organizational structure? 19-Jul Discussion Vertical Integration Readings Grant 14 Cases Merck-Medco: Vertical Integration in the Pharmaceutical Industry ASSIGNMENT #4: Prepare a one-page memo in which you recommend to Merck what it should do with the health management business in the future. Consider: What was the rationale for PBMs? Does Medco fit with Merck’s strategy? What are the advantages and disadvantages of the merger? What does Medco bring to Merck, and what does Medco get from Merck? Why is vertical integration so attractive a strategic option in this industry?

26-Jul Discussion Diversification & Managing the Multibusiness Firm Readings Grant 16 & 17 + Bleeke & Ernst Cases Corning Incorporated: A Network of Alliances ASSIGNMENT #5: Decide what should Corning do with its proposals for its (a) Laboratory Sciences, (b) Fiber Optics, and (c) TV Glass Divisions. Prepare a one page memo presenting and supporting your recommendations considering: (1) Corning’s stated corporate and business unit strategies, 2) the appropriateness of each partnership in achieving Corning’s overall strategy, (3) the effectiveness of Corning’s “evolving network.”

2-Aug Discussion Trends …. ? Readings Grant 18 + Collins & Porras, Hamel & Prahalad, Porter Cases GE’s Two-Decade Transformation: Jack Welch’s Leadership Case Preparation Questions: Some management scholars have described Jack Welch’s ideas and actions as a “new model of strategic management” to be imitated by other companies and CEOs. Prepare a one-page memo taking a position on the issue. Consider Welch’s principal initiatives with regard to strategic change, organizational structure and management systems, and corporate strategy in building your argument as to whether Welch has created a “new model of strategic management,” and in what way it should be imitated by other companies.

9-Aug Final Cases Real-Time Case Analysis Presentations.

Course-Long Team Project Course-Long Team Project

Introduction: The final project for this class will differ from the projects you’ve completed in prior courses. In many of your courses, your final project was designed to allow you to display a grasp of the content of that course; in this class, your final project is about your ability to use the cumulative content of all of your courses together to make good business decisions and to construct a meaningful plan for a company. With the approval of your Professor, each Team will select a publicly held company to use as the backdrop for this final project. The subject of the paper is not the company – the subject is your ability to prove your skills in Finance, Marketing, Operations, Planning, Economics, and other classes together to form a well-developed plan. It would be arrogant to think that after your few semesters here at GGU that you could out-think the planning staff for any of the large firms that you’ll select. The assignment is not about designing a workably superior plan – you won’t have the time, the information or the skills necessary. This project is simply about proving that you know how to integrate all of the content of your MBA program into one cohesive plan. That will be the primary grading standard – did you show facility with the key concepts of the MBA program and show and explain how they work together to help you make excellent decisions Here’s the assignment: The Objective: The objective of this group project is to apply the tools of your MBA program in evaluating the direction and performance of a business enterprise. Your descriptions of those tools and the explanation of how each one works and explanation of why each is valuable and illustration of the analyses required are the core content of this project. Only then, on the basis of your analysis of the present situation and well-supported anticipation of emerging trends, should you conclude and support a forward-looking plan for the firm. Part of the challenge of this assignment is the identification of compelling issues for your analysis. There should be a sense of urgency, uncertainty, and importance in the company-situation that you are analyzing. That gives you the opportunity to explain significant amounts of the content of your MBA courses, to display your alacrity with those concepts and analyses, and your ability to create and support an interdisciplinary conclusion.

The Companies: You may choose – with the advice and consent of your professor – any profitable publicly held company listed on a recognized US exchange and whose financial statements are readily available in the public domain. I suggest that you select a local or prominent company as you may find it easier to obtain information - but no one may choose Starbucks, Peet’s, Nike, Wal*Mart, or Apple – I have found that groups trying to use those firms as their backdrop always want to talk about the company rather than displaying their alacrity with the content of their MBA. Remember that the paper is not about a company. The Analysis: The specific content of the plan will vary according to the characteristics and circumstances of the company and its industry, but you should at a minimum, describe and explain all of the academic concepts and analyses that are valuable and then conduct the basic analysis below in order to establish the key issues that need to be developed in your plan. • How and why do you research and analyze a company’s current / recent strategic direction? How does one determine and analyze what activities it has undertaken in an attempt to establish competitive advantage over its rivals? This is an explanation of analysis, not a company history or a report using the firm’s PR materials or website. It is expected that at a minimum you will use and explain material from your classes in Finance, Economics, and Marketing • How and why do you research and analyze a company’s organizational structure, management systems, and leadership style that guides the firm? How does one determine analytically how successful a firm has been in achieving competitive advantage through superior management? This is an explanation of analysis, not a report on the company’s management or a company history. It is expected that at a minimum you will use and explain concepts from your courses on Management, Leadership, and Finance and will at the very minimum show comparative industry analysis and complete understanding of how management is used to react to changes in the external environment. • How and why do you appraise internal resources and capabilities. How does one determine what the company’s principal strengths and weaknesses are? How do you determine what a strength is and what a weakness is? An elementary and speculative SWOT analysis is insufficient [I’d rather never see that term used again]. How do you analyze the extent a firm’s current operations effectively exploit the company’s strengths in resources and capabilities and defend against its weaknesses? How do you research and analyze what a firm’s basic production system and production technologies are? How and why are a firm’s financial capabilities measured and analyzed? It is expected that at a minimum you will use and explain salient concepts from your courses in Operations, Finance, Marketing, Economics and Statistics. This is an analysis, not a report using the company’s PR materials or the company’s website.

•How does one determine and analyze the bases of competition within the industry? Don’t quote Porter’s Five Forces – those are a framework – not the necessary analyses. How does one identify and measure market position of a company vis a vis its rivals. What are the appropriate metrics of market position and how are those metrics used and quantified? How and why does one determine analytically what the overall attractiveness and state of globalization of an industry? What are the appropriate metrics of “degree of globalization?” How does one research and analyze the principal developments in an industry in order to determine how firms currently compete, how they will compete in the future and explain why are those metrics and analyses are more appropriate than any other? This should be analytical – not an opinion or speculation. It is expected that you will use and explain content from your courses on Marketing, Economics, Finance, Leadership, International Business, Statistics, and Operations Management. This is an analysis, not a report based on advertising or PR materials or the company’s website.. • Recommendations. How does one form recommendations using everything in this paper to create decision-grade information and then to make excellent decisions? How are recommendations reached? What alternatives should be considered? Why? How does one create recommendations that are superior to alternatives not selected. What analytic scoring systems are available and when are they used and how are they used appropriately? How do you envision a company’s plans being amended in order to achieve a better match between the requirements of the future environment and the company’s current potential for competitive advantage? What do you do to implement internal organizational changes your analysis might suggest? Why? How would you prioritize your recommendations in terms of the short/medium/long term? Why? How and why does one build a detailed implementation plan and justify the required resources and timeline? Sources: Remember that the assignment is not about a company, your primary resources should be past texts and other academic research. For the illustrations of the concepts you make using your chosen company’s data, you will be able to glean information from published data –including 10k reports and material from financial analysts. Some newspaper and magazine articles, press releases may be valuable but you are expected to be able to filter the speculation and PR from the facts. You should avoid non-academic resources (like Wikipedia) and rely heavily on the texts you used in your MBA courses. Your opinion or speculation is never a resource but analytical outcomes are. The project hinges on your ability to explain how analysis is performed, to demonstrate the analysis, and to explain why that analysis is valuable.

Output: This project has two principal outputs: (1) A written report which will comprise approximately 6,000 words (charts and tables are in addition to the 6000 words.) And (2) An oral presentation of approximately 20 minutes in which you will outline your principal findings and detail how to make recommendations using your chosen company as the backdrop. There will be 5-10 minutes of questions and discussion. Presentations that go on too long are as unworthy as ones that are too short. Presentation planning is a must. Students that read from their paper or from notes will be assumed to lack familiarity with the content. Every student on every Team is expected to be able to respond to all questions. Simply deferring by saying, “Oh, that was Joe’s part,” is unacceptable. The goal is to have everyone equally capable of explaining all segments of the analysis. Best of luck, remember that I’m here to help. Final Thought: These last few pages give you a lot of things to analyze and think about. Teams that try to use my instructions as a Q&A outline for your paper do very poorly. This should be a cohesive, team paper that reflects significant editing and analysis. Book reports on companies are unwanted. Simple statements without complete explanation of how things are done and without explanation of why the content of your degree program are valuable, are inadequate. Your sentiments, speculation, opinions and guesses are no substitute for the desired content. You have 13 weeks to work on this project and I expect to see an effort that reflects 13 weeks work. Best of luck, I’m here to help.

MEMORANDUM Date: May 2012 To: Management 362 Participants From: Steven Gilman Subject: One-Page Memos Your writing matters. Clearly, as a student your ability to express your ideas in writing influences your success in many of your courses, and will especially effect your outcome in this course. However, in your working career, writing is even more important. Managers judge a subordinate’s competence based upon her (or his) writing skill. Lucid and persuasive writing will magnify your abilities and enhance your reputation in your current or future organization. In many business organizations, the one-page memo has become an art form. Because of both an overage of information and a shortage of time, complex ideas must be presented quickly in straight forward manner. Ed Harness, former CEO of Procter & Gamble put it this way:

“The one-page memo isn’t just a training exercise at P&G. We use it as an integrated tool for decision making. Important decisions are usually based upon input from many different parts of the organization, and the one-page memo forces managers to think concisely ... separating fact from opinion.”

In this class, you are asked to read six cases, apply models from the text in your analysis, and present your conclusions in the form of one-page memos. In evaluating the memos, these criteria will be considered: 1) Analysis - Have you identified the key issues in the case and are appropriate theories and concepts applied in the analysis of these issues? Is your interpretation supported by facts from the case? Is your argument logical?; 2) Clarity - Is the writing clear and concise? Is there a statement of your recommendations at the start and a summary of your justifications at the end? Is there a logical flow to the argument?; and 3) Presentation – Even if non-native English language, what efforts have you put in to carefully construct the communication with respect to spelling, typing, grammar, or punctuation? Is the memo professional in appearance? As the name implies, the analysis section of these one-page memos are to be 1) a maximum of one page in length, 2) single spaced, and 3) between 10 to 12 point font. You are allowed to include an attachment which presents the facts arranged in a table format or chart on a second sheet. NOTE: This memo is not designed to be an example of a one page memo case analysis. Your one page memos should be approximately 700 words in length. The syllabus indicates the dates the one-page memos are due, the cases the memos cover and the issues to be analyzed. All memos are due in class, at the beginning of the class period. Late memos are accepted, however your grade may be affected. We will be discussing the cases in class, and if you wish to refer to your memo during the class discussion, you will need to make a copy for yourself. Writing is a painful process, but if you are serious about a successful career in business, it is vital that you master the ability to write clearly. This course requirement is designed to help you sharpen your skills in this difficult, but essential craft.

MEMORANDUM Date: May 2012 To: Management 362 Participants From: Steven Gilman Subject: Real-time Case Analysis The Objective: The objective of this group project is to apply the tools of business strategy in evaluating the strategy and performance of an international business enterprise and, on the basis of an analysis of the present situation and emerging trends, to chart a future direction for the enterprise. Part of the challenge of this assignment is the identification of compelling issues for your analysis. There should be a sense of urgency, uncertainty, and importance in the company-situation that you are analyzing. The Companies: You may choose any international company to study that is of interest to you. A list will be provided for suggested companies and industry sectors. I suggest that you select a local or prominent company as you may find it easier to obtain information. The Analysis: The content of the analysis will vary according to the characteristics and circumstances of the company and its industry, and the preferences of the students in the groups. It is highly suggested to approach this as an investment thesis. Among the issues which you may wish to address are the following: • Identification and evaluation of the current strategy. What is the company’s current / recent

international strategy in relation to the scope of its activities and to the basis on which it has attempted to establish competitive advantage over its rivals? What is the organizational structure, management systems, and leadership style through which the strategy has been implemented? How successful has the strategy been in relation to the performance of the company?

• Appraisal of internal resources and capabilities. What are the company’s principal strengths

and weaknesses? To what extent does the current strategy effectively exploit the company’s strengths in resources and capabilities and defend against its weaknesses?

• Appraisal of the industry environment. What are the basis of competition within the industry.

What is the position of the company vis a vis its rivals. What is the overall attractiveness and state of globalization of the industry? What are the principal developments in the industry which determine how the firms currently compete, and how they will compete in the future.

• Appraisal of the institutional environment. What is the home and host country institutional

contexts in which the firm operates. How does this context affect the firm’s competitive position in these markets, and how they will compete in the future?

• Recommendations. What are your recommendations? How do you envision the company’s

strategy being amended in order to achieve a better match between the requirements of the international environment and the company’s internal potential for competitive advantage? What internal organizational changes does you analysis suggest? How would you prioritize your recommendations in terms of the short/medium/long term? Present a detailed implementation plan.

Sources: For larger public companies, you will be able to rely heavily on published data –including annual reports, 10k reports, newspaper and magazine articles, press releases , and investment analysis reports. For smaller companies, private companies or divisions of larger companies. financial and other data is likely to be sparse, and information directly from the company is likely to be correspondingly more important.

Management 362 – Developing Strategies for Competitive Advantage

Summer 2012 • SF1 CASE ANALYSIS GUIDE

I. Why do cases? • Develop analytical and judgmental skills. • Learn how to ask the right questions. • Exposure to a variety of organizations, and managerial situations. • Enhance oral and written communications skills.

II. What to expect in a case.

• The critical issues are not explicitly identified. • The information is ambiguous and contradictory. • Some information may be redundant or irrelevant.

• There is no unique or right answer. III. How to approach a case.

• Read the case through quickly to get a general feel for what the case is about and what information is given.

• Reread the case carefully, noting the key facts and important information. Develop a sense of the important issues and basic problems.

• Decide what issues must be resolved and provide answers to them. Use and

analyze the data and information in the case.

• Develop a set of recommendations that are supported by your analysis. Evaluate and reject alternate courses of action based upon your analysis. Address implementation issues.

• Consider: goal consistency, strategic relevance, organizational capability, political feasibility.

IV. Class case discussion suggestions:

• Take a stand on the assigned issues. • Keep an open mind. • Bring in your outside experience, previous cases, text material, outside reading, and

outside research. • Be concise and to the point. • Don't be shy. • Learn from other students.

V. Written case suggestions:

• Don't start writing until you have completed your analysis. • Address the assigned issues. • Avoid extensive restatement of the case material. • Make judicious use of tables and graphs as appendixes. • Eliminate spelling and grammatical errors. • Make a professional presentation.