National Taiwan University
College Of Management
Global MBA Program
Syllabus
of
Strategic Management
Fall Semester, 2015
Syllabus
Strategy Management
General Information
Date: Mondays From 9/14
Time: 6:30pm~9:15pm
Venue: 重光講堂, Chung-Kuang Seminar Room, 2F / College of Management Building 1
Professors: Chun-Chung Chen / Hsueh-Liang Wu
E-mail address: osimchen@ntu.edu.tw / hlwu@ntu.edu.tw
Office number: 02-3366-1030
Teaching Assistant: Neesha Wolf
E-mail address: assistantwolf@gmail.com
Introduction
To succeed in the future, managers must develop the resources and capabilities needed to
build and sustain advantage in competitive markets. The way in which organizations attempt to
develop such competitive advantage constitutes the essence of their strategy. This course
introduces the concept of strategy and the process of strategic management through lectures,
readings, discussion and case analyses. The emphasis is on the formulation and implementation
of strategy at business and corporate levels for different types of firms across industries.
Objectives
1. To analyze profit potential at the industry level
2. To assess the strength of a firm’s competitive position within a particular industry
3. To evaluate the sustainability of a firm’s competitive advantages (if any)
4. To provide the necessary frameworks and tools to perform a comprehensive analysis of
a firm’s strategy
5. To learn how to assess the appropriateness of a firm’s boundaries
6. To determine the best way for a firm to organize itself internally in light of its strategy
Class Contract
Sufficient preparation is the name of the game when it comes to achieving strong performance in
this course. While marketing courses normally use the 4P principle, we highlight a “5P rule” in this
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Syllabus
Strategy Management
course, i.e. “Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance”. The followings are five things you
must do to succeed in this course:
1. Active and meaningful participation.
This course is based on the premise that a great part of your learning will take place as you
prepare for each class, attend the class, and participate in the ensuing group and class
discussions. As such, on-time attendance in class is mandatory. Active participation, both in
class and in your group, is an indispensable element of the learning experience. Meaningful
participation means making a contribution to the intellectual conversation. Our interest is not in
how “right” or “wrong” your argument is, but rather in whether you’ve contributed to the
intellectual development of an issue in the class (or in group), and whether you have
moved the class (group) forward.
2. Preparation of HBS cases and submission write-ups.
You are required to read each case and submit a case write-up with your group for all four HBS
cases. The case write-ups must be word-processed, with reasonable line spacing and font size,
and be SIGNED by all group members before submission. Since report length does not
necessarily reflect the quality, please limit your write-ups to TWO pages, excluding any
necessary appendices. Finally and most importantly, all assignments are due by the date
of case discussion at the beginning of class. There will be no credit provided for overdue writeups.
3. Preparation of HBR articles and in-class presentation.
To enhance your reading and presentation skills, HBR articles are assigned in support
of most of the weekly topics of lectures. Every group is responsible for presenting ONE article
and leading class discussion.
4. Insight into the chosen industry and strategic suggestion to the case company in the
term project.
5. Thorough understanding of lectures, cases and supplementary readings.
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Syllabus
Strategy Management
Class Topics Overview
Session Date
Subject
Case Discussion
1
9/14
2
9/21
3
9/28
4
10/05
5
10/12
6
10/19
7
10/26
8
11/02
9
11/09
10
11/16
11
11/23
12
11/30
13
12/07
14
12/14
15
12/21
16
12/28 Term Project Presentations (I)
What’s Wrong
with strategy
Course Orientation
External Analysis
Five Competitive Forces
No Class
(National Holiday)
Driving Forces of
Industry Profitability;
Strategic Group Analysis
Internal Analysis
Value Chain Activities
Business Model Design
Nine-Cell Canvas
Strategic Choices
Activity System Map
Sustainable Competitive
Advantage;
Strategic Planning
Assigned Reading
Competitive Forces
What is Strategy?
HBS Case-1: Ice-Fili
Tests on Resources
Reinventing Business
Models
HBS Case-2:
Airborne
Co-opetition
Strategy Diamond
Covers all lectures
& HBS cases above
Mid-term exam
From BS to CS
The Fundamental
Growth Space of a Firm
Dimensions of Strategy
Diversification
Finding Your Next
HBS Case-3: Disney
Boundary-spanning of firm
Core Business
Vertical integration &
Vertical Integration is
Transaction Costs,
Dead, or is it?
Governance & Competence
Tomorrow’s Global
Strategy for Going Global HBS Case-4: Cemex Giants? Not the Usual
Suspects
How Strategy
Strategy & Structure
Shapes Structure
Strategy & Corporate
The Board's Missing Link
Governance
17
1/4
Term Project Presentations (II)
18
1/11
Final exam
Covers all lectures
& HBS cases after
the mid-term
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Syllabus
Strategy Management
Learning Materials
Textbook:
(optional) Thompson et. al. 2014. Crafting and Executing Strategy.
McGraw-Hill.
Cases: (required) Ice-Fili, Airborne, Disney, Cemex
Grading Policy:
Group Assignments
20%;
(Case Writeups x 4 / Presentation of Assigned Articles x 1)
Mid-term & Final Exam
35%;
Term Project
30%;
Class Participation & Contribution
15%.
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