Business Strategy

BUSINESS STRATEGY COURSE OUTLINE JOYDIP CHAKLADAR Course Outline Module 1: Competitive Advantage and Business Strategy Session 1: “Getting Started” An overview of the Class and an Introduction to Strategy Students—General conversation on experiences of the past sessions on Strategic Human Resource Management. Session 2: “Strategic Environments” “The External Environment: Opportunities, Threats, Industry Competition, and Competitor Analysis” “The Internal Environment: Resources, Capabilities, and Core Competencies” Session 3. “Application – 1 ” Case Study, “A Comparative Review of Strategic Environment of West Bengal at 2001 and at 2006 “ Session 4, “Perspectives on Strategy” C.K. Prahalad (1993) “The role of core competencies in the corporation.” Research Technology Management, November-December: 40-47 Michael Porter (1996). “What is strategy?” Harvard Business Review, Nov-Dec: 61-78. Henry Mintzberg (1996). “Managers not MBA’s,” Session 5, “Application –2 ” “Infosys: Using Human Resources for Competitive Advantage (A).” Session 6, “Business Strategy in an IT Age” “Business-Level Strategy” Session 7: “Application-3 ” “Indusnet Technologies ” Session 8 : “Views on Head to Head Competition” “Competitive Dynamics” Session 9, Wednesday February 20. Application -4 “Leadership Online: Google vs. Yahoo” Module 2. Simulation Game Special Session. Introduction to Capstone “Team Member Guide for The Capstone Business Simulation” Session 10 “Capstone I: Introduction to the Simulation” Module 3. Extending the Business Strategy I: The Corporation Session 11 “Corporate Strategy” “Corporate Level Strategy” Session 12, , Open date Students work on oral presentations and written summary of experience With Capstone simulation Session 13 : “Reflections on Capstone” Student teams make 10-minute oral presentations, followed by 10-minute Q&A, that analyze and evaluate the strategy and performance of their Capstone Company. Student teams submit written evaluations of their strategy and performance during the capstone simulation. Session 14, “Acquisition and Restructuring Strategies” Session 15, Application -5 “The Mittal – Arcelor Merger,” Module 4. Extending Business Strategy Part II: Going Global and Forming Alliances In this Module, student-teams will explore the possibility of making a company a global venture and of forming a strategic alliance. Session 16 : “International Strategy” Session 17 : “The Political Risks of going Global” Simulated negotiation Session 18, Cooperative Strategy “Cooperative Strategy” “Corporate Entrepreneurship and Innovation” Module 5. Strategy Formulation and Implementation . Session 19 : The Mind of Strategist : From Strategic planning to strategic thinking Session 20 : Capstone final presentation Evaluation During the semester, we will encounter three types of readings: chapters from certain books on strategy, case studies, and journal articles. On some occasions, I will facilitate our conversations. On others, we will engage in simulation exercises. And on others, teams of students will lead discussion or make presentations. 20% In our course, we will analyze 5 Case Studies. For the first five, I will ask all students to submit a 1 to 2 page case analysis, which I will grade. 10% Class Preparation and Participation—Here, I am primarily interested in the quality of a students contributions to class discussions, and will use my judgment about those contributions as my first cut at the grade. However, I do know that while some students may not say as much as others in class, they are extraordinarily well prepared. Therefore, I will ask each of you to maintain a notebook of your reading notes, your reactions to class discussions, or other relevant material. At the end of the course, if you think it may help your Preparation Grade, you will have the option of submitting your notebook to me for my consideration. 20% Work on Capstone Simulation—This will essentially be the grade I assign to the Group for their work on the simulation exercise, including the written business plan, the written self-assessment, and the oral presentation. I reserve the right to adjust the grades of individual team members up or down, depending upon my judgment of individual contributions. 10% In Module 4, we will do a week-long, simulated, international negotiation. As with the Capstone Simulation, I will award a team grade based upon student engagement and presentations. 40% End term Paper Attendance Policy Given the nature of the senior seminar, I expect all students to attend every class session. My expectations of course are subject to normal business practices—that is, I will respect serious illness or the need to attend very important personal matters, but will not look kindly upon casual absence.