Strategy Management
Course No.: 02834390
Credit: 2
Prerequisite: N.A.
Program: Undergraduate
Instructor: Weiguo Zhong
Semester: 2014 Fall
Contact Information:
Office: R312, Guanghua New Building
Email: zwg@gsm.pku.edu.cn
Office Hour: by appointment
Program Learning Goals and Objectives
Learning Goal 1: Graduates will possess a solid understanding of business and management and
will be able to translate this knowledge into practice.
1.1 Objective 1 Our students will have a good command of fundamental theories and
knowledge.
1.2 Objective 2 Our students will have a good command of analytical methods and
decision-making tools.
1.3 Objective 3 Our students will be able to apply theories and methodologies in key
business functions.
Learning Goal 2: Our students will be able to think critically.
2.1 Objective 1 Our students will be able to identify and summarize problems
2.2 Objective 2 Our students will be able to collect data and analyze problems in a critical
manner
2.3 Objective 3 Our students will be able to put forward effective solutions to business
problems
Learning Goal 3: Our students will have a sense of social responsibility.
3.1 Objective 1 Our students will be aware of the importance of ethics.
3.2 Objective 2 Our students will be able to provide solutions that take account of
contrasting ethical standpoints.
Learning Goal 4: Our students will be effective communicators.
4.1 Objective 1 Our students will be proficient in oral and written communication.
4.2 Objective 2 Our students will possess good interpersonal skills.
4.3 Objective 3 Our students will be able to adapt to diverse learning environments.
Learning Goal 5: Our students will have global perspectives.
5.1 Objective 1 Our students will be aware of social and cultural differences.
5.2 Objective 2 Our students will be aware of the impact of globalization on business
operations, opportunities, and challenges.
Objective 3 Our students will be proficient in English.
Course Overview
This course introduces the key concepts, tools, and principles of strategy formulation and competitive
1
analysis. It is concerned with managerial decisions and actions that affect the performance and survival
of business enterprises, especially from a perspective of China firms.
This course assumes a broad view of the environment that includes buyers, suppliers, competitors,
technology, the economy, capital markets, government, culture, and global forces and views the
external environment as dynamic and characterized by uncertainty. In studying strategy, the course
takes a general management perspective, viewing the firm as a whole, and examining how policies in
each functional area are integrated into an overall competitive strategy.
This course is designed to prepare students to be senior managers for the increasingly competitive
business world. The emphasis of this course will be on the strategic analyses, decisions, and actions
that organizations take to create sustainable competitive advantages, with the consideration of both the
internal condition and the external environment. Through chapters, case analyses, and discussions we
will also explore issues related to ethical decision making, corporate social responsibility, stakeholder
theory, and the relationship of business & government, which become increasingly important in China
and global markets.
The case method and oral presentation will be used extensively to combine theory and application. To
effectively learn from the case method, the course will require considerable amount of preparation,
analysis and class participation. Class attendance is mandatory.
Course Objectives
This course aims to

Introduce the students with the important frameworks, concepts and techniques of
strategic management.

Provide students general knowledge about planning and implementing successful
management strategies.

Familiarize students with the marketing concepts and applications in real business
situations.
Detailed Course Plan
Week
1
Date
M 15/09
Lecture

Course Introduction and Overview

Lecture/Discussion: Strategic Management & Strategic Leadership
(Hill & Jones Ch. 1)
2
3
M 22/09
M 29/09

External Analysis: Identify Opportunities and Threats (Hill & Jones Ch. 2)

Guidelines for Conducting Case Analysis

Mini case I for Individual Case Analysis

Form Teams

Internal Analysis and Functional-Level Strategy (Hill & Jones Ch. 3 &4)

Reconfirmation of Group Compositions and Group Case Discussion
Assignments
2
4
M 13/10
5
M 20/10
6
M 27/10
7
M 3/11
8
M 10/11
9
M 17/11
10
M 24/11
11
M 1/12

Mini case II for Individual Case Analysis

Business-Level Strategy (Hill & Jones Ch. 5 & 6)

Mini case III for Individual Case Analysis

Corporate-Level Strategy (Hill & Jones Ch. 9 & 10)

Mini case VI for Individual Case Analysis

Detailed requirements on the final group project announcement

International Strategy (Hill & Jones Ch. 8)

Mini case V for Individual Case Analysis

Group Case Discussion and Presentation 1:

Strategy and Technology (Hill & Jones Ch. 7)

Group Case Discussion and Presentation 2:

Corporate Governance (Hill & Jones Ch. 11)

Group Case Discussion and Presentation 3:

Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility (Hill & Jones Ch. 11)

Group Case Discussion and Presentation 4:

Strategy Implementation in Single Industries (Hill & Jones Ch. 12)

Group Case Discussion and Presentation 5:

Strategy Implementation in Multiple Markets (Hill & Jones Ch. 13)

Group Case Discussion and Presentation 6:
Teaching Methods
The module is conducted in a lecture format including:

Formal lectures

Case analyses and class discussions

Group projects and presentations
IT tools to be used in the classroom
Computer, projector, and
videos
Textbooks
Main Textbook
Strategic Management: An Integrated Approach, 10th Edition
Charles W. L. Hill - University of Washington
Gareth R. Jones - Texas A&M University
ISBN-10: 111182584X ISBN-13: 9781111825843
960 Pages
Casebound
© 2013
Published
The publisher of the text has the following website:
http://www.cengage.com/aushed/instructor.do?disciplinenumber=1028&product_isbn=9781111825843
&courseid=MN03&codeid=2A46
You are encouraged to use the website to review the course material.
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Complementary Textbook
Hitt, M., Ireland, R. and Hoskisson, R. 2010. Strategic Management: Competitiveness and
Globalization-Concepts, Cincinnati, OH: Southwestern College Publishing. 9th edition. Paperback.
References & Readings
Additional reading material will be provided as needed.
Videos, CD-ROMs and other adjunct learning resources used
CEO announcement videos, CEO interview video slices, and newspaper reports
Rules students must follow
This course requires careful readings, active discussions, diligent research, and effective group work,
which will also determine whether and how a student may succeed in this course. The instructor’s main
role will be to facilitate the implementations of these activities and provide constant guidance along
each step of the way.
Academic Integrity
DO NOT COPY, PARAPHRASE OR TRANSLATE ANYTHING FROM ANYWHERE WITHOUT
STATING FROM WHERE YOU OBTAINED IT!
Course Assessment
A student’s final grade will be based on the weighted average of the following four categories:
Individual Class Participation, Individual Case Analysis, Group Case Discussion and Presentation,
and Group Strategy Project, each of which will be evaluated in the form of a letter grade system (A+, A,
A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, and F).
a) Individual Class Participation (20%)
i.
In-class discussion (15%)
All students are expected to attend classes and be prepared for and actively involved in
the discussions during the lecture time. This part of the evaluation will be based on a
student’s attendance (sign-in sheet and instructor/TA observations) and overall
participation throughout the whole semester. Generally, a student can get an A level grade
in this category if he/she has few or no absence, is mostly on time, and participates
actively on a regular basis in class discussions.
ii.
Project presentation feedback (5%)
Students should submit 2 presentation feedback forms (except their own presentation
week) to evaluate the performance of the presenting groups in presentation weeks. Each
presentation evaluation carries 2.5%.
b) Individual Case Analysis (20%)
4
Each student will conduct a two to three page (double spaced) case analysis for a designated case
from the instructor. The general flow of the case analysis should follow the guidelines discussed in
class and address the following issues with coherent and logical writings (instead of bullet points):

What are the key challenges faced by the organization?

What are the main strategies used by the organization and were they successful or not?

What strategic management concepts and theories can you apply?

What relevant recommendations can you come up with for the future of the organization?
Each student will conduct five mini-case analyses. The deadline for submission is at the beginning
of the next class. Please, no late or electronic submissions.
c)
Group Case Discussion and Presentation (30%)
 5-6 students in a group. The group leader of each group should submit their group list on
or before week 3 to the instructor.

Topic and presentation sequence will be assigned randomly and announced in Week 5.
(1) Each group will research one of the real world companies listed in the textbook,
suggested by the students, or nominated by the instructor and conduct a professional
case analysis. Students are required to find additional background information from
various sources including libraries, internet sites, books, magazines, and newspapers.
The format is similar to that of the individual case analysis with emphases on how a
group can systematically apply strategic concepts and theories and provide effective
recommendations.
(2) The presentation will be held from Week 7 to Week 12. One group will present their
group project on each presentation week. Each group will have 20 minutes for
presentation and around 5 minutes for Q&A session. English is the only medium
for presentation. It is a must that the whole team attends the class on the presentation
day and at least 3 members should participate in the presentation.
(3) A softcopy of the presentation should be submitted by the group leader to the
instructor at least 24 hours BEFORE the presentation (File name of the
presentation should be in the format of: SM2014 - project topic - group number).
Presentation hardcopy should be handed in to the instructor on the presentation
day. 10% of total presentation scores will be deducted for any late submission.
To ensure a good quality, each group is strongly urged to start the preparation process at least
two weeks prior to the designated group case discussion date.
d) Group Strategy Project (30%)
At the end of the semester, there will be a final group project to test the students’ understanding
and application of main theories and concepts learned from Week 1 to 12. Each group will be
assigned a task as following:
Assume your group is the top management team of a company that is going through some tough
times or is struggling with some key strategic issues. You are asked to conduct an in-depth study of
the firm, and apply the concepts, analytical tools and frameworks of this course to analyze its
external and internal environments, identify the firm’s strategic options, and come up with a set of
recommendations to maximize the firm’s long-term performance. Alternatively, you could prepare
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a five-year strategy plan (from Jan. 2014 to Dec. 2014) and present it to the director board. A
comprehensive study and analysis are strongly recommended in order to understand the strategy
situation and explore the strategy opportunities of the company.
Detailed requirements on the strategy planning will be announced in Week 6.
Peer Evaluation
It is important to notice that all group works will be subject to peer evaluation. It is important
for everyone to be a TEAM PLAYER as it is one of the intended learning outcomes of the course.
In case you found that you cannot get along with the team you formed on your own, the whole
group should come to the instructor and discuss about the issues and remedies as soon as
possible.

Students should email the peer evaluation forms to the instructor on or before the last day of
Week 12. Late submission will not be handled.

If no submission is received for all team members, the marks will be equally allocated to
group members

The upper limit of evaluation is 100% while the lower limit is 50% for your final mark
after the judgment from instructor.

Marks and comments (without telling him/her WHO made the comments) will be released to
students who got below mean of the group, before the final grade is decided. Any student who
is not satisfied with the peer evaluation result can appeal.
How does this course serve the Assurance of Learning Assessment?
Through the assessment of class participation, individual case analysis, group case discussion, and
group strategy project, and peer evaluation, we finally ensure that the students achieve the course
Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs).
Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:
No.
DEC
dimensions
CILOs
Weighting
1
Ability
Analyze the customers, suppliers, competitors and other business
environments with a good command of fundamental theories and
analytical methods and decision-making tools
2
2
Attitude
Critically identify and summarize problems, collect data and
analyze problems in a critical manner, and discuss the strategic
planning process and its key roles in business organizations
1
3
Ability
Demonstrate competence in selecting, analyzing, evaluating, and
formulating effective practice of strategy in business
organizations
3
4
Attitude
Develop global perspectives, be aware of social and cultural
differences, and learn the impact of globalization on business
operations, opportunities, and challenges
2
6
5
Ability
Apply both managerial judgment and analytical approaches to
current strategy problems and issues.
3
6
Attitude
Have a strong sense of social responsibility, be aware of the
importance of ethics, and provide solutions that take account of
contrasting ethical standpoints
2
Work productively as part of a team, and in particular,
communicate and present qualitative and quantitative information
7
Achievement
effectively in oral, written and electronic formats in a collaborative
environment
(Weighting  1: Least important CILO; 2: More important CILO; 3: Most important CILO)
7
2