Department of Management, California State University, Northridge
BUS 497 – Course Outlines
(FALL 2007)
Course
BUS 497: STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT SEMINAR
Sessions
R1900 – 2145
Professor
Kalyan S Chakravarty
Office
JH4224, Extension 2435
E mail
kalyan.chakravarty@csun.edu
17857
JH1238
Office Hours M 1230 – 1400
R 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)
Textbooks
• 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, Fin303 and passing
the Upper Division Writing Proficiency Exams
BUS 497 Fall 2007
Course Outlines
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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 decision-making
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).
A. (20%) Group Project:
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.
BUS 497 Fall 2007
Course Outlines
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Department of Management, California State University, Northridge
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 to 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.
B. Case Analysis (20% Written Individual Assignment)
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 15th November 2007 at the beginning of the
class. Late submissions will also be appropriately penalized. More details shall be
provided later in the course.
BUS 497 Fall 2007
Course Outlines
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Department of Management, California State University, Northridge
C. (20% x 3) Middle Term Tests:
There will be three 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 Fall 2007
Course Outlines
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Department of Management, California State University, Northridge
Fall 2007 - Timetable
SESSIONS
1
2
TOPICS, TASKS, READINGS
Housekeeping, Course Introduction; Clarifying Mutual Expectations.
Preparing for an Effective Case Analysis.
Chapter 1: Strategic Management: Decision Making at the Strategic
and Operational Levels.
Understanding Strategy
Exercise: Innkeepers of America
Exercise: How do you define Strategy?
3
Chapter 1: Vision and Mission; The Strategic Management Process;
Stakeholders.
Exercise: How well do these organizations communicate their
purpose?
4
Chapter 2: The External Environment: Opportunities, Threats, Industry
Competition, and Competitor Analysis.
Case: Whole Foods Market: 2005
Will There Be Enough Organic Food to Satisfy the Growing Demand?
5
Chapter 3: The Internal Environment: Resources, Capabilities, and
Core Competencies.
Case: Whole Foods Market: 2005 – Contd.
Will There Be Enough Organic Food to Satisfy the Growing Demand?
6
Structured Guidelines for the Group Project (Industry Analysis) and
Firm Analysis (Written Individual Assignment)
Chapter 4: Business-Level Strategy;
Customers: Their Relationships with Business-Level Strategies;
Purposes and Types of Business-Level Strategies.
MIDDLE TERM I
BUS 497 Fall 2007
Course Outlines
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Department of Management, California State University, Northridge
Fall 2007 - Timetable
SESSIONS
7
TOPICS, TASKS, READINGS
Developing Generic Business-Level Strategy;
Chapter 9: Cooperative Strategy.
Exercise: Choosing how to Compete in the Lodging Industry
8
9
Chapter 5: Competitive Rivalry and Competitive Dynamics;
Competitor Analysis, Drivers of Competitive Actions and Responses,
Strategic Focus.
Southwest Airlines: The King of the Hill that is changing an Industry.
Strategic Focus: Is GM stuck in the 1970’s?
Group Project (Industry Analysis) and Individual Project (Firm
Analysis: Written Individual Assignment) –Update
MIDDLE TERM II
10
Chapter 6: Corporate-Level Strategy; Diversification Strategies;
Levels of Diversification, Reasons, Managerial Motives to Diversify.
Chapters 7&8:
Acquisition and Restructuring Strategies; International Strategy.
11
12
Chapter 11: Organizational Structure and Controls: Relationship
between Strategy and Structure; Critical Issues in Strategic
Implementation.
Exercise: Transition at PeopleSoft Inc.
Chapter 12: Strategic Leadership: The Role of Top Level Managers;
Managerial Succession; Key Strategic Leadership Actions;
MIDDLE TERM III
13
GROUP PROJECT: PRESENTATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS
14
GROUP PROJECT: PRESENTATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS
15
GROUP PROJECT: PRESENTATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS
Individual paper (Written Case Analysis):
Due at the start of class on Nov15 2007
1
The timetable is subject to change.
BUS 497 Fall 2007
Course Outlines
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