MB106 - Introduction to
Strategic Management and
Decision Making
Winter 2021
General Course Information
Instructor:
Dr. Josephine McMurray
Contact:
email: jmcmurray@wlu.ca
Teleconference: [request by email & I will send video link]
Cell: 519 242 7477 [emergency only: response at my discretion]
Office Hours
Friday 13:00 – 14:00, or By Appointment
[See zoom links provided on course MyLS website]
Department
Lazaridis School of Business and Economics
Class Schedule:
BR2: Tuesday & Thursday, 10:00 – 11:20
Class Location
Zoom meeting accessed through the class MyLS site
Pre-requisites:
MB105
Course Description
Introduction to Strategic Management and Decision-Making
will explore the strategic role of the manager in the firm related to
a deep understanding of organizational issues based on internal
and external analysis. Content covered will include strategy
fundamentals with a focus on areas such as management,
leadership, and organizational controls.
Students will be introduced to strategic thinking and decision
making through case analysis, with a focus on higher level but
comprehensive analysis from problem identification through to
option generation and analysis.
Course Learning Objectives
1. Understand foundational management concepts and frameworks (e.g. PEST, Porters five
forces, and the Diamond E) that provide a foundation for senior business and technology
courses.
2. Understand a basic business vocabulary and develop business communication, presentation
and persuasion skills.
3. Use business concepts and frameworks to identify root causes and analyze problems using
cases.
4. Understand the components of strategy and a manager’s role in decision-making to support a
firm’s strategic plan.
5. Develop an understanding of critical analysis and through active class participation, formulate
and communicate ideas and critiques.
6. Have a clear understanding of the academic, behavioural, and ethical standards expected of
students studying business at Wilfrid Laurier University, which will prepare students for success
in the workplace.
Resources
e-Text, Simulation, Online Learning System: (Required) Approx. $129.50 +HST
Available from the Laurier bookstore only
o
o
o
Thompson, A.A., Peteraf, M.A., Gamble, J.E., Strickland, A.J. (2020). Crafting and
Executing Strategy: The Quest for Competitive Advantage. Concepts and Cases. [22nd
Edition]. McGraw Hill [print copies can be ordered on Connect for an extra $30]
Connect Online Learning System
GLO-BUS Management Simulation
Microsoft Office 365
Laurier provides MS Office 365 to every student free of charge. Instructions on how to
install, if you haven’t already, are located here:
https://students.wlu.ca/services-and-spaces/tech-services/software/index.html
Optional Textbook [do not purchase]
Dyer, L. (2006). Critical thinking for business students. Captus Press. Portions of this text will
be made available through MyLS.
The Laurier Bookstore is price competitive and allows students to acquire ALL their required course
materials for a single place and assists students in navigating through and troubleshooting their
course material selections and formats.
Course Evaluation & Deliverables
Assessment
Weight
Learning
Submission Procedures
Outcomes
Class-based Activities 10%
(Individual & Group)
Connect Pre-Class
5%
Connect SmartBook
Assignment
(Individual)
Connect Post-Class
Chapter Quizzes
(Individual)
5%
Management
Simulation (Group)
15%
Case Debug (Group)
Competition
5%
(Individual)
5%
Midterm (Individual)
25%
Final Exam
(Individual)
30%
Total
100%
1,2,3,4,5,6
Submit to MyLS through the appropriate date
Dropbox
1,2,3,4
MyLS>Content>Pre-Class SmartBook
Assignments
1,2,3,4
MyLS> Post-Class Chapter Quizzes
1,2,3,4
Submission of business decisions, quizzes,
questions & strategy
1,2,3,4,5
CaseDebug competition April 2-3 – quality of
analysis & teamwork
CaseDebug competition April 2-3 – quality of
presentation & peer evaluation
Remote respondus exam, written in class week 8
1,2,3,4,5
1,2,3,4,5
1,2,3,4,5
Remote respondus exam, written during the
exam period.
Class-Based Activities
All students must either attend classes synchronously or review the videos posted after the
class.
This class is what is commonly referred to as a “flipped” classroom. What that means for
students is that readings and other activities assigned as PRE-CLASS activities [readings
and the Pre-Class Smartbook Quizzes] must be completed ahead of the class.
In business, as in this class, you will be expected to actively engage with your colleagues
and management. Accordingly, many classes will involve interactive classroom
activities that may result in a group or individual deliverable that must be submitted
electronically to the instructor shortly after the class. These deliverables are
coordinated with your simulation and text readings.
Please note that all deliverables MUST be converted and submitted using MS application
formats [the University standard; e.g. .xls an .docx]. Files submitted in other formats will
not be marked. Deliverable deadlines will be adjusted to accommodate those who are
unable to attend the class in person. This information will be included at the end of each
class slide deck, and also beside each Dropbox.
Connect Pre- and Post-Class Quizzes
These marks are automatically uploaded from the Connect On-Line learning system.
Your lowest three scores in each will be dropped - there are no extensions or make ups
for these activities.
GLO-BUS Management Simulation
During weeks 1-9, students will participate in a business simulation game that will be
described in class. You will work in groups of THREE students that you may self-select.
You will be asked to send your group members to the instructor by the end of the day
on January 12th at 11pm. Anyone unassigned at that point will be assigned to a group by
the instructor [who will try to accommodate students in similar time zones].
As a strategic decision maker for your assigned company, you are responsible for all
aspects of the business success, including making decisions about: Marketing; Research &
Development; Production; Finance, and; Operations. Your decisions about these areas of
the business should be made in the context of this course – chosen wisely and based on
the internal and external business environment. For the duration of the simulation, you will
have one and sometimes two decisions to enter a week. If you make thoughtful and
considered decisions in the simulation, your business should do well. If you miss decisions
or ignore the internal or external business environment within the simulation, your business
will falter. You will be graded on the performance of your business at the end of the
simulation. The course is designed to supplement the work you complete in the simulation,
with many of the class activities supporting your understanding of the decision-making and
results.
Case Debug Competition
The Case Debug 24-hour competition will be held from Friday March 26th at noon and
Saturday March 27th at 3pm [those in a time zone more than 10 hours ahead of EST will
start the competition at 0800 on Friday and presentations will start at 0800 on Saturday].
This is outside of regular class hours and participation is mandatory so please
review your calendars and ensure this 27-hour period is free. Students will be
randomly assigned to teams prior to the Case Debug competition and will complete a
number of in-class activities to allow them time to work together in-class ahead of the
competition.
Teams will receive their case at an assigned time via email and will deliberate online with
their team. Deliberations and preparation of a slide presentation will occur over the next 24
hours– teams may use any resources online and may prepare a generic slide deck ahead
of time to use in the case competition, BUT they may NOT receive any help from outside
their group or speak to anyone outside their group about the case in that period of time.
The team will analyze the case and prepare a 15-minute presentation in PowerPoint.
Teams will present to a group of judges online, and then be questioned for 10 minutes
about their solution. Teams must upload their file half an hour before their presentation
time, and this file will be used WITHOUT CHANGES in their presentation to the judges
[who will have received a copy of the deck] – no exceptions. Results will be announced
following judges’ deliberations shortly after the last team presents.
More details and an information booklet will be announced closer to the date.
Midterm and Final Exam:
The midterm and final will be written online using the Respondus LockDown Browser and
Monitor.
The midterm will consist of questions that cover any course content [including content
covered in class] prior to the date of the midterm exam.
The final exam will be cumulative and will evaluate students’ knowledge of content
covered throughout the entirety of the course. Both exams will be paper based. The
midterm and the final exam will relate to class content and will be a mix of theory and
applied questions in multiple choice, and short answer format. Students will be
expected to independently utilize class content (text, theory & skills-based exercises) to
conduct a multi-page case analysis (prompt questions will be provided).
Course Schedule
Note: The following schedule may change week to week – students will be notified via MyLS News
or group emails. ALL TIMES ARE EASTERN STANDARD TIME [EST]
Week
Date
Topics
Reading + Preparation + Deliverables
[black = due before class, red = due in
class or after]
1
Jan 12
Orientation & course preview; syllabus
Discussion: What is Strategy & why is it
important?
Jan 14
Introduction to the course simulation
Jan 19
Ch.2: Charting a Company’s Long-Term
Direction – Vision, Mission, Objectives &
Strategy
Jan 21
Ch 3.: Evaluating a Company’s External
Environment
Debrief of Sim Practice Round
Jan 26
Ch.4: Evaluating a Company’s
Resources and Ability to Compete
Successfully
Jan 28
Ch 5: The Five Generic Competitive
Strategy Options
Debrief of Sim Round 1
Ch 6: Supplementing the Chosen
Competitive Strategy
Review the MyLS website
Identify groups of 3 for Sim – send member names &
emails by email to Dr. McMurray by 11pm Jan 12th
[those not assigned by then will be placed in groups
and will receive an email with their group and
registration code on January 13th]
Simulation Participant’s Guide
Chapter 1
Connect On-line Quiz: Chapter 1 [Indiv]
In Class: Sim Industry & long-term goals [Group]
Available at 11:pm
Sim (GLO-BUS) Quiz 1 on Participant’s Guide [Indiv]
Chapter 2
Connect On-line Quiz: Chapter 2 [Indiv]
MyLS Understanding Plagiarism Quiz [Indiv]
Sim Company Objectives (Ch2) [Group]
Due at 11:pm:
Sim (GLO-BUS) Quiz 1 on Participant’s Guide [Indiv]
Sim Practice Round Year 6 [Group]
Chapter 3
Connect On-line Quiz: Chapter 3 [Indiv]
Sim Company’s Industry (Ch3) [Group]
Due at 11:pm:
Sim Practice Round Year 7 [Group]
[Sim reset Jan 22 at 11pm and open for Round 1]
Chapter 4
Connect On-line Quiz: Chapter 4 [Indiv]
Sim Company’s Performance (Ch4) [Group]
Due at 11:pm:
Sim Round 1 (Year 6) decisions [Group]
Chapter 5
Connect On-line Quiz: Chapter 5 [Indiv]
Sim Company Strategies (Ch5) [Group]
Chapter 6
Connect On-line Quiz: Chapter 6 [Indiv]
Sim Specific Company Strategies (Ch6) [Group]
Due at 11:pm:
Sim Round 2 (Year 7) decisions [Group]
Chapter 7
Connect On-line Quiz: Chapter 7 [Indiv]
Sim Global Strategies (Ch7) [Group]
Available at 11:pm & due Feb 11 at 11:pm:
Sim Quiz 2 on company operations [Indiv]
Chapter 8
Connect On-line Quiz: Chapter 8 [Indiv]
Due at 11:pm:
Sim Round 3 (Year 8) decisions [Group]
Sim Quiz 2 on company operations [Indiv]
2
3
4
5
Feb 2
Feb 4
Ch 7: Strategies for Competing
Internationally and Globally
Feb9
Ch 8: Diversification Strategies
Week
Date
Topics
Feb 11
Ch 9: Strategy, Ethics, and Social
Responsibility
6
Feb 15-19
7
Feb 23
Feb 25
8
Mar 2
Mar 4
9
Mar 9
Mar 11
10
Mar 16
Mar 18
11
Mar 23
Mar 25
Mar 26 –
Mar 27
12
Mar 30
Reading + Preparation + Deliverables
[black = due before class, red = due in
class or after]
Chapter 9
Connect On-line Quiz: Chapter 9 [Indiv]
Sim Ethics & Social Resp. (Ch9) [Group]
Due at 11:pm
Sim Three Year Strategic Plan [Group]
Sim Round 4 (Year 9) decisions [Group]
READING WEEK – No classes
Ch10: Building an Organization
Capable of Good Strategy Execution
Chapter 10
Connect On-line Quiz: Chapter 10 [Indiv]
Due at 11:pm:
Sim Round 5 (Year 10) decisions [Group]
Midterm Review &
Respondus Lockdown Browser Overview
**MIDTERM EXAMINATION**
In-class, 70 minutes using Respondus Lockdown Browser
Midterm Take-up
Due at 11:pm:
Sim Round 6 (Year 11) decisions [Group]
Chapter 11
Ch 11: Managing Internal Operations:
Connect On-line Quiz: Chapter 11 [Indiv]
Actions that Promote Good Strategy
Sim Operational Excellence (Ch11) [Group]
Execution
Due at 11:pm:
Sim Round 7 (Year 12) decisions [Group]
Ch 12: Corporate Culture and
Chapter 12
Connect On-line Quiz: Chapter 12 [Indiv]
Leadership—Keys to Good Strategy
Due at 11:pm:
Execution
Sim Round 8 (Year 13-Final) decisions [Group]
Peer Evaluations open
Simulation Results & Debrief
Read Guide to Case Analysis
Case Analysis Introduction
Review Case Analysis Videos in MyLS
In Class: Sim Reflection [Indiv]
Due at 11:pm:
Sim Peer Evaluations
Case Analysis & Critical Thinking
Review Case Analysis Videos in MyLS
Read Case: To be announced and posted on
MyLS
In Class: Case Analysis Prep Sheet
Read the Diamond E
Using the Diamond-E & other
Case: Same case as Mar 18
Frameworks for Analysis
In Class: Diamond E Analysis
Case Analysis & Solutions
Read Case: To be announced and posted on
MyLS
Complete Case analysis up to Options
In Class: Options, Decision Criteria &
Recommendation
Case Debug Competition
**outside of normal class hours**
 Teams are pre-selected – and will be sent the case via email consecutively on Friday March
26 between noon – 2pm. Deliberations occur over the next 23 hours.
 Teams prepare a 15 min presentation, followed by a 10 min question period from the judges.
Presentations occur between noon – 2pm on Saturday March 27 in the same consecutive
order that they receive the case.
[More details on this event will follow – including start and end time adjustments for
those in different times zones]
No formal class in lieu of case competition
Instructor office hours during class
Week
13
Date
Topics
Reading + Preparation + Deliverables
[black = due before class, red = due in
class or after]
Apr 1
Instructor office hours during class
No formal class in lieu of case competition
April 6
Final Exam Preparation
Review all material from text & case analysis
April 8
Final Exam Preparation
Review all material from text & case analysis
Apr 16May 5
FINAL EXAMS – Schedule TBD
[Final exam is 90 mins]
Course Pass Requirement:
Students demonstrate that he/she can describe and apply concepts and theories without the
assistance of peers or instructors. To demonstrate this ability, the student must pass either the
midterm or the final exam. Failing both the midterm and final exam will result in an automatic
failure in the course.
Academic Misconduct:
Please note that students involved in academic dishonesty may receive a zero grade on the
course and notation of academic dishonesty on their transcripts. In this course, academic
dishonesty includes copying or use of unauthorized aids in all written work;
plagiarism; submission of work generated for another course without prior clearance
by the instructor of this course or aiding and abetting another student's dishonesty.
Wilfrid Laurier uses software that can check for plagiarism (see Turnitin below). You will be
Course Policies & Procedures
required to submit your work in electronic format, and have it checked for plagiarism.
If I suspect that you have engaged in academic misconduct I am obliged to follow the Academic
Misconduct Investigation and Adjudication Process outlined in the Student Code of Conduct:
https://www.wlu.ca/about/governance/assets/resources/12.2-student-code-of-conduct.html.
Late Submission Policy:
Late submissions are NOT ACCEPTED. Deadlines are deadlines. You will face deadlines
throughout university and your career. Few good opportunities have extensions, and missing a
deadline often results in loss i.e. applications to graduate schedule have deadlines and are
final, missed deadlines set by your boss will result in lost bonuses or firing.
If you have conflicts with other course deliverables or a personal emergency you MUST get in
touch with the instructor IN ADVANCE OF THE DEADLINE to discuss your options, otherwise
a mark of zero will be assigned. Note: Create alerts for all MB106 deadlines in your calendar.
Electronic Video or Audio Recording in Class:
Electronic recording of classes is expressly forbidden without consent of the instructor. When
recordings are permitted, they are solely for the use of the authorized student and may not be
reproduced, or transmitted to others, without the express written consent of the instructor. Videorecordings of classes will be provided to students in the Winter 2021 semester and posted on MyLS.
Turnitin.com
In this course, your instructor will be using Turnitin, integrated with the MyLearningSpace
Dropbox tool, to detect possible plagiarism, unauthorized collaboration, or copying as part of
the ongoing efforts to maintain academic integrity at Laurier.
All submitted assignments will be included as source documents in the Turnitin.com reference
database solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of such papers. Use of the
Turnitin.com service is subject to the Usage Policy posted on the Turnitin.com site.
A major benefit of using Turnitin is that students will be able to educate and empower
themselves in preventing academic misconduct. In this course, you may screen your own
assignments through Turnitin as many times as you wish before the due date. You will be
able to see and print reports that show you exactly where you have properly and improperly
referenced the outside sources and materials in your assignment.
Missed Exam Policies
A makeup exam opportunity will be made for those unable to write the mid-term for a bona
fide reason. This must occur within 24 hours of the actual mid-term. No reassignment of
the marks to other course deliverables is permitted.
It is the policy of the School of Business & Economics that course instructors cannot make
alternate arrangements with students for missed final exams. If you miss the final exam for
any reason, including weather, health issues, or a death in the family, you will be required
to submit a petition to the SBE Petitions Committee asking to write the exam at a later
date. If your petition is successful, the exam will be written during the deferred exam period. If
you know in advance that you have a scheduling conflict with an exam that is not addressed
above (i.e. a conflict caused by other exams) you have the option to submit a petition for a
deferred exam date. There are few situations in which the petitions committee will approve a
deferral, and vacation is not one of them. Any petitions must be submitted in person to the
Laurier Brantford Academic Advising Office. Petition forms can be found on the School of
Business & Economics website.
For complete university policy and procedure information regarding final examinations
please see the Undergraduate Academic Calendar.
Ethical Standards of Behaviour
Students will be expected to follow the Code of Conduct for the School of Business &
Economics:
a. Respect
i.Treat others in the same manner as you would want to be treated
ii.Do not demean other students (through put-downs or ridicule, etc.) in or out of
the classroom
iii.Avoid derogatory comments regarding other students or instructors (T.A.s or
professors)
iv.Respect differing points of view
v.Do your fair share of group work – work should be equally distributed between
all group members
vi.Respect that other students are here to learn – do not disrupt the class
vii.Turn off cell phones and pagers when you go into class
b. Professionalism
i.Behave as you would in a business setting with your colleagues and/or
superiors
ii.Don’t read or play computer games in class – be there in mind as well as body
iii.Do not talk in class when others are talking
iv.Remember when you are off campus that your behaviour reflects on the
c.
Lazaridis School – you are ambassadors to the school, and as such these
same principles apply off-campus as well
Integrity
i.Avoid any acts which would result in gaining an unfair advantage (as outlined
under Academic Privileges and Responsibilities – Academic and Research
Misconduct in the Regulations section of the University Undergraduate
Calendar). This includes, but is not restricted to:

Do not plagiarize – do not use the unacknowledged work of others as
your own (in whole or part, in written or oral form, on assignments or
test, etc.) – all work of others must be acknowledged as such

Do not collaborate on an assignment when you have been asked for
individual work

Do not cheat – do not use, give, sell, receive, or attempt to do so, any
unauthorized information before or during a test or when doing an
assignment, do not copy or allow someone else to copy, and don’t
smuggle notes into a test

Do not ‘share’ clickers – i.e. Do not bring another student’s clicker to
lectures or labs and use it for them, or have someone else use your
clicker on your behalf
Quality of Cited Sources
For all assignments you are expected to cite peer-reviewed academic journals or materials
from credible sources i.e., Government of Canada, the Economist, OECD etc. Company
websites such as IBM or those companies that we are studying [including white papers] are
appropriate and represent a legitimate source. Please speak to a librarian or your professor if
you cannot find the information you need.
Wikipedia is NOT a legitimate site for citing in assignments. Use it liberally to get a
handle on an issue covered in class, but then find original sources to cite in your
reports or presentations.
**Any student finding this message is eligible for 1 bonus mark. Please do not tell
other students you found this just show me you found it and email me a screen
capture of this message**
Students with Disabilities
Students with disabilities or special needs are advised to contact Laurier’s Special Needs
Office for information regarding its services and resources. If you require academic
accommodations to lessen the impact of your disability, please visit the Special Needs Office
at the beginning of each academic term.
Resources
The Wellness Centre
Students have access to support for all their health and counselling needs at the Wellness Centre.
Located in the Student Centre floor 2. Hours: 8:30am to 4:30pm Mon-Fri. Phone: 519.756.8228 x 5803
Gendered and Sexual Violence
There are a number of supports available at Laurier Brantford for individuals who have experienced or
witnessed an act of sexual violence including:
Sarah Scanlon, Sexual Violence Support Advocate, WLU
E: sscanlon@wlu.ca | T: 519-884-0710 x4847
Hayley Moody, Advocate & Counsellor, Sexual Assault Centre of Brant
Support person specifically for Laurier Brantford students (drop-in hours at the DEO Hub in St.
Andrews)
E: Hayley@sacbrant.ca | T: 519-751-1164 x209
See the following Laurier website for more information: https://students.wlu.ca/wellness-andrecreation/gendered-violence-prevention-and-support/index.html.
The Sexual Assault Centre of Brant (www.sacbrant.ca) offers a 24-hour phone line for survivors of
sexual violence, as well as friends and family members. Free counselling is available in a supportive,
safe environment, as well as accompaniment and support through hospital, police, and court
procedures.
Crisis & Support Line: Call 519-751-3471
Other: