INSTITUTO TECNOLÓGICO AUTÓNOMO DE MÉXICO
ACCOUNTING AND MANAGEMENT DIVISION
ADM-31414 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
Course description
The objective of the course is to introduce concepts and analytical techniques for
creating and sustaining competitive advantage in complex environments. Our goal is to
develop world class, globally-oriented managers that can assume responsibility for firm
or business unit performance. Such managers must be able to identify and use the firm’s
resources to formulate and implement strategies to successfully compete in current and
future environments. To achieve this goal, we will review the strategic decision-making
process of the firm, using appropriate theories and frameworks to understand the firm’s
external and internal environment. Case studies about companies from different
countries are used to illustrate the strategic decision-making process of the firm at
various levels of analysis (i.e., macro, industry, firm).
Course objectives
1. Develop a conceptual framework for analyzing the business environment in
complex settings.
2. Understand the strategic actions that different types of organizations have at their
disposal to compete locally and internationally.
3. Use firm-level frameworks such as the VRIO to reveal how companies create and
maintain sustainable competitive advantage.
4. Understand how to combine various strategic frameworks (VRIO, PESTEL, Porter,
etc.) into a coherent strategic plan for the company.
Course textbook
Peng, M. W. (2021). Global strategy. 5th Edition. Cengage learning. You can access a
special discount by following this link:
https://tienda.itam.mx/products/global-strategy
Grading
Class Participation 30%
Case Presentation 30%
Final Project
40%
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Class Participation: Attendance, level of preparation, ability to answer questions, and
involvement in discussions and other class activities.
Case presentations: Throughout the course you will be assigned Harvard cases to
present either individually or in groups depending on the number of students. The
presentation should be a power point presentation (other software is allowed but
requires the authorization of the instructor) and should last 45 minutes. The
presentation should give an overall overview of the case, as well as analysis and
recommendations. It should cover the readings assigned for your session (you should
use them, rather than summarize them). *
Final project: This team project will require students to use all the topics covered
throughout the course and apply them in a practical and professional way. The goal of
the project is to design an international business plan and strategy for a chosen
company. You are free to choose the company but do it wisely (ask yourself: what can
we learn from this company?). The project should cover everything from basic company
and industry information and analysis; country analysis; internationalization strategy;
marketing, finance, operations, and HR issues; risks and opportunities; future
projections, among others. It should last 50 minutes (strict, you will not be allowed to
continue after). *
*In both your case and final project presentations, 30% of your grade will be determined
by other team members, while the remaining 70% will be determined by the professor.
Course calendar:
Date
Sep-27
Session
Session 1
Oct-04
Session 2
Oct-11
Session 3
Oct-18
Session 4
Theme
Introduction
Industry analysis: The Porter’s 5 forces framework (Chapter 2)
Case: Epic games. HBS case No. 9-720-380
Case: Visa Inc.: Threat from cryptocurrency. Ivey case No. W20161
Understanding competitive advantage (Chapters 1 & 3)
Understanding competitive advantage (Chapters 1 & 3) (continues)
Case: The video-streaming wars in 2019: Can Disney catch Netflix? HBS
case No. 9-519-094
VRIO workshop
Institutions and culture (Chapter 4)
Case: Pierre Frankel in Moscow (A): Unfreezing Change. HBS Case no. 312070
Cross-cultural differences workshop
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Oct-25
Session 5
Nov-01
Session 6
Nov-08
Session 7
Nov-15
Session 8
Nov-22
Session 9
Nov-29
Dec-06
Dec-13
Session 10
Session 11
Session 12
Entering foreign markets (Chapter 6)
Case: Amazon goes global 2020. Ivey case No. W20834
Strategic alliances and networks (Chapter 7)
Case: Tiffany and swatch: Lessons from an international strategic alliance.
Ivey Case no. W20920
Managing competitive dynamics (Chapter 8)
Case: Xiaomi: At a crossroads. HKU Business School Case no. HK 1289
Diversifying and managing acquisitions globally (Chapter 9)
Case: Walmart - Flipkart deal: In search of stability. Ivey case No. W21225
Strategy and structure around the world (Chapter 10)
Case: Uber: Competing Globally. HBS case no. 9-720-404
Final project presentations – Teams 1 and 3
Final project presentations – Teams 3 and 4
Final project presentations – Teams 5 and 6
Reading plan
*Readings marked with an asterisk (*) are mandatory and will be discussed during class.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Industry analysis: The Porter’s 5 forces framework
*Porter, M. E. (2008). The five competitive forces that shape strategy. Harvard Business
Review, 86(1), 25-40.
*Peng (2021), Chapter 2
*Case: Epic games. HBS case No. 9-720-380
*Case: Visa Inc.: Threat from cryptocurrency. Ivey case No. W20161
_________________________________________________________________________________
Introduction to strategic management - Understanding competitive advantage in a
global setting
*Lafley, A., Martin, R., & Riel, J. (2013). A playbook for strategy: The five essential
questions at the heart of any winning strategy. Rotman Management Magazine, 5-9
*Peng (2021), Chapters 1&3
*Case: The video-streaming wars in 2019: Can Disney catch Netflix? HBS case No. 9519-094
Additional readings:
Kozlenkova, I. V., Samaha, S. A., & Palmatier, R. W. (2014). Resource-based theory in
marketing. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 42(1), 1-21. (pages 3-5)
_________________________________________________________________________________
Institutions and culture
*Peng (2021), Chapter 4
*Case: Pierre Frankel in Moscow (A): Unfreezing Change. HBS Case no. 312-070.
Additional readings:
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Ghemawat, P. (2007). Managing differences: The central challenge of global strategy.
Harvard Business Review.
Ghemawat, P. (2001). Distance still matters. Harvard Business Review, 79(8), 137-147.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Entering foreign markets
*Peng (2021), Chapter 6
*Case: Amazon goes global 2020. Ivey case No. W20834
Additional readings:
Hamel, G., & Prahalad, C. K. (1985). Do you really have a global strategy?. Harvard
Business Review, 27(3), 13-14.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Strategic alliances and networks
*Peng (2021), Chapter 7
*Case: Tiffany and swatch: Lessons from an international strategic alliance. Ivey Case no.
W20920
Additional readings:
Dyer, J. H., Kale, P., & Singh, H. (2001). How to make strategic alliances work. MIT Sloan
management review, 42(4), 37-37.
Dyer, J. H., Kale, P., & Singh, H. (2004). When to ally and when to acquire. Harvard
Business Review, 82(7/8), 109-115.
Doz, Y., Hamel, G., & Prahalad, C. K. (1989). Collaborate with your competitors and win.
Harvard Business Review, 67(1), 133-139.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Managing competitive dynamics
* Peng (2021), Chapter 8
*Case: Xiaomi: At a crossroads. HKU Business School Case no. HK 1289
Additional readings:
Kim, W. C., & Mauborgne, R. (2015). Red ocean traps. Harvard Business Review, 93(3),
68-73.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Diversifying and managing acquisitions globally
* Peng (2021), Chapter 9
*Case: Walmart - Flipkart deal: In search of stability. Ivey case No. W21225
Additional readings:
Gomes-Casseres, B. (2015). Making mergers, acquisitions, and other business
combinations work. Harvard Business Review, 2-9.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Strategy and structure around the world
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* Peng (2021), Chapter 10
*Case: Uber: Competing Globally. HBS case no. 9-720-404
Additional readings:
Hagiu, Andrei; Yoffie, David B. (2009) What’s your google strategy? Harvard Business
Review. Vol. 87 Issue 4, p74-81.
Hagiu, Andrei (2014) Strategic decisions for multisided platforms? Sloan Management
Review. Vol. 55 Issue 2, p71-80.
_________________________________________________________________________________
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