Department of Management, California State University, Northridge
BUS 497 – Course Outlines
(Spring 2008)
Course
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT SEMINAR
Sessions
W 1900 – 2145
Professor
Kalyan S Chakravarty
Office
JH 4224, Extension 2435
E mail
kalyan.chakravarty@csun.edu
Office Hours
M
W
Textbooks
17450 JH 1103
1730 – 1900
1730 – 1900
• Hitt, Ireland & Hoskisson, 2007.
Strategic Management: Competitiveness and
Globalization: Concepts and Cases, (7th Ed.),
ISBN: 0-324-31694-1,
Thomson: South-Western (Required)
• Gopinath & Siciliano, 2005.
Strategize! – Experiential Exercises in Strategic
Management, (2nd Ed.),
ISBN: 0-324-25912-3,
Thomson: South-Western (Required)
Prerequisites Bus 302 and 302L, Mgt 360, Mkt 304, Fin 303 and
passing the Upper Division Writing Proficiency
Exams
BUS 497 Spring 2008
Course Outlines
Page 1 of 7
Department of Management, California State University, Northridge
Course Description
This capstone course has been designed to introduce the principles of strategic
management. It is an integrative and interdisciplinary course providing a broad
view of the organization and its environment that includes buyers/consumers,
suppliers, competitors, complementors, and the government – while taking a
general management perspective throughout the curriculum.
The emphasis of the course will be on sharpening the analytical and decisionmaking skills necessary for strategy formulation, implementation and control at
both the corporate and business levels.
The learning objectives are:
1. To identify the key issues faced by a firm and analyze its internal strengths
and weaknesses in the context of current environmental forces impacting
the firm.
2. To see the firm as a whole while examining critically how policies in each
function like finance, marketing, manufacturing and human resources can
be synthesized and integrated into an overall competitive strategy.
3. To be able to recommend a set of viable strategies that the firm might
pursue and communicate this analysis in a concise and persuasive
fashion.
4. To understand key implementation issues that managers need to deal
with, while making relevant and reasonable strategic recommendations for
the firm.
Preparations
The course will have an uniform blend of a number of teaching methodologies
and aids with a strong focus on group work and experiential exercises including
the analysis of a number of cases, articles, etc. The students are expected to
prepare themselves well in advance before each session in order to participate in
the discussions meaningfully. The assigned readings must be read thoroughly
before coming to the class in order to derive maximum mileage from each
session.
Course Work
The evaluation and grading will be based on the following course work. The
components described below are designed, both independently and collectively,
to achieve the course objectives. Each component is important both by itself and
as a key part of the overall system (so any major omission may lead to an F for
the course).
BUS 497 Spring 2008
Course Outlines
Page 2 of 7
Department of Management, California State University, Northridge
A. Group Project (20%):
Students will form groups of five or less, and each group will conduct an in-depth
analysis of one INDUSTRY (a different one for each group). They will research
the writings related to this industry, and apply the models described in the class
to analyze this industry.
The aspects to be covered should include:
(1) The basics of the industry (including a basic description of the industry,
the basic technology and process, customer bases, suppliers and other
significant stakeholders as the group members see appropriate),
(2) The general environment,
(3) The industry environment (the five forces model and other relevant
industry analysis models when applicable),
(4) The interplays among the major competitors in this industry (competitive
approaches and strategic groups), and
(5) The strategic recommendations based on your analysis of the competing
firms in this industry.
The outcome of this paper should be a better understanding of the industry in
particular and the ability to understand broad issues relevant to strategic
management in general.
The group will then make a formal presentation of the analysis in the class, with
each member of the group getting an opportunity to handle a section of the
presentation. The total time allotted for each group will be 30 minutes. Please
practice prior to the presentation so that you will be able to finish the report within
the given time limit. The presentation of each group will be evaluated by the
instructor using predetermined criteria that include presentation quality
(introduction, style, structure, preparation, and visual aids) and substances
specified above. Each group will also be required to submit a report. The
completed report must be turned in on the day the group makes its
presentation. All references must be specified on a separate page. We will also
utilize electronic submission for the project report.
The industry to be analyzed will be determined with students’ inputs, and dates
fixed in advance for the presentations. The data used for the analysis and
presentation should be up-to-date and could be from primary or published data
sources, and all the analyses will be conducted in the context of the course and
its coverage. Information about the reference materials is available in the
textbook and from the library.
BUS 497 Spring 2008
Course Outlines
Page 3 of 7
Department of Management, California State University, Northridge
B. Group Project: Competitors Analysis: (20%):
Students will form groups of three (triads), and each group will conduct an indepth comparative analysis of two competing firms in the same industry (a
different one for each group) to be allotted at an appropriate time. They will
research the writings related to these two firms in the prescribed template, and
apply the models described in the class to analyze them and present their
strategic recommendations for the firms. More details shall be provided later in
the course. The aspects to be covered should include:
(1) Evaluation of the current performance of the firms
How successful have the strategies been in generating an above-average
financial performance of the firm over time and in relation to the industry and
competitors?
(2) Comparing the two competing firms on prescribed parameters
Faced with the same industry environment, examine how and why the firms
pursued the strategies they did.
(3) Strategic recommendations by the triad
What are your recommendations for each of them? How would you change their
strategies? What recommendations do you have for implementation?
The completed report must be turned in on the day the triad makes its
presentation.
C. Written Individual Assignment: Firm Analysis: (20%):
Extending from the industry analysis group project, each student will submit an
individual written strategic analysis and recommendations for a FIRM in an
allotted case. He/she will research the writings related to this firm, while
presenting a coherent and defensible analysis of the situation based on the
framework (Strategic Management Model) used in the textbook. Within this
framework, he/she will be free to select the format and length; the general
principle is to present a comprehensive paper in a concise fashion.
The report should be an individual effort and anyone attempting to share
analyses and ideas will be penalized. Sloppy work in terms of analysis, content,
style, neatness, grammar, syntax, and spelling will be equitably penalized and
points deducted. The written individual paper will be due on 23rd April 2008
at the beginning of the class. Late submissions will also be appropriately
penalized. More details shall be provided later in the course.
BUS 497 Spring 2008
Course Outlines
Page 4 of 7
Department of Management, California State University, Northridge
D. Middle Term Tests (20% x 2):
There will be two middle term tests. They will consist of a combination of
multiple choice questions, true/false statements, and short essays on topics
related to course curriculum.
Grading
The final letter grade assigned to each student will be determined by the
students’ performance on the course components mentioned above.
Attendance
Class attendance is essential. There will be no penalty for those with a maximum
of three absences. Students with four or more unexcused absences will run
the risk of even failing in the course. Habitual lateness and/or leaving the
classes early, for whatever reasons, are evidence of low commitment and will be
penalized.
Other Issues
1. The College of Business and Economics at California State University,
Northridge prepares students to be ethical decision makers. The college
maintains high standards of ethical conduct that students are expected to
maintain throughout their academic and professional careers. Students in the
College of Business and Economics have identified the values of respect,
honesty, integrity, commitment, and responsibility as their guiding principles.
Please visit http://busecon.csun.edu/dean/values.html for a detailed
description of these core values.
2. This syllabus provides the basic guidelines for various activities related to
this class. Please read it carefully, and refer to it as we proceed.
3. Please talk to me soon if you have any suggestions, questions, or
concerns.
4. Time management is critical when dealing with many, and often conflicting
demands. Such demands could be from your studies, your work, and/or
personal obligations. To deal with them effectively, you must set up your
priorities straight and work accordingly (When in this class, you are required
to engage fully in activities in this class).
5. All instances of academic dishonesty will be dealt with strictly according to
the University policies and guidelines.
6. All students are required to use the CSUN computing facility to send and
receive email communications.
BUS 497 Spring 2008
Course Outlines
Page 5 of 7
Department of Management, California State University, Northridge
Spring 2008 - Timetable
SESSIONS
TOPICS, TASKS, READINGS
1
Housekeeping, Course Introduction:
Clarifying Mutual Expectations.
Preparing for an Effective Case Analysis.
Chapter 1: Strategic Management:
Decision Making at the Strategic and Operational Levels.
2
Understanding Strategy
Exercise: Innkeepers of America
Exercise: How do you define Strategy?
Chapter 1: Vision and Mission; The Strategic Management Process;
Stakeholders
3
Exercise:
How well do these organizations communicate their purpose?
Chapter 2: The External Environment: Opportunities, Threats,
The General Environment, The Industry Environment and
The Competitors Environment.
4
Case: Whole Foods Market: 2005:
Will There Be Enough Organic Food to Satisfy the Growing Demand?
Chapter 3: The Internal Environment: Resources, Capabilities, and
Core Competencies, Value Chain Analysis.
5
Case: Whole Foods Market: 2005 – Contd.
Will There Be Enough Organic Food to Satisfy the Growing Demand?
Guidelines for the Group Projects: Industry Analysis, Competitors’
Analysis and Firm Analysis: Written Individual Assignment
6
Chapter 4: Business-Level Strategy;
Customers: Their Relationships with Business-Level Strategies;
Purposes and Types of Business-Level Strategies.
Developing Generic Business-Level Strategy;
Exercise: Choosing how to Compete in the Lodging Industry
7
MIDDLE TERM 1
Chapter 5: Competitive Rivalry and Competitive Dynamics;
Competitor Analysis, Drivers of Competitive Actions and Responses,
Strategic Focus.
BUS 497 Spring 2008
Course Outlines
Page 6 of 7
Department of Management, California State University, Northridge
Spring 2008 - Timetable
SESSIONS
TOPICS, TASKS, READINGS
Chapter 6: Corporate-Level Strategy; Diversification Strategies;
Levels of Diversification, Reasons, Managerial Motives to Diversify.
8
Group Project: Industry Analysis, Competitors’ Analysis and
Individual Project Firm Analysis: Written Individual Assignment –
Update
Chapters 7&8:
Acquisition and Restructuring Strategies; International Strategy.
9
Chapter 9:
Cooperative Strategy.
10
Chapters 10-13: Organizational Structure and Controls:
Relationship between Strategy and Structure;
Critical Issues in Strategic Implementation, Strategic Leadership
Exercise: Transition at People Soft Inc.
11
MIDDLE TERM II
Preparatory Work for Group Projects:
- Industry Analysis Presentations
- Competitors’ Analysis Presentations
12
Key Competitors’ Analysis Project Presentations:
Comparing Two Organizations in the Same Industry
13
Key Competitors’ Analysis Project Presentations:
Comparing Two Organizations in the Same Industry
14
GROUP PROJECT: Industry Analysis
PRESENTATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS
GROUP PROJECT: Industry Analysis
PRESENTATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS
15
Individual paper (Written Case Analysis):
Due at the start of class on April 23 2008
1
The timetable is subject to change
BUS 497 Spring 2008
Course Outlines
Page 7 of 7