Syllabus
COURSE INFORMATION
Course title:
Strategic Management
Course code:
COMR 493
Session and term: 2023W1
Credits:
3
Class location: Section 101: HA 295
Section 102: HA 037
Sections:
101 - 102
Class times:
Tuesday and Thrusday
Sec 101: 2p-3:20p
Sec 102: 3:30p to 4:50p
th
th
Course duration: Sep 5 to Dec 7 , 2023
Pre-requisites: n/a
Division:
Strategy and Business Economics Co-requisites: n/a
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
Instructor:
Álvaro Parra, Assistant Professor
Email:
alvaro.parra@sauder.ubc.ca
Office location: HA 274
Office hours: Th
X 12:30p-1:30p
WED
Teaching assistants: TBD
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES
The main goal of this class is to help you answer common, yet difficult, questions: “How can a firm earn
long-run profits?” and “what can a firm do to avoid its profits to be eroded by the actions of its
competitors and other market actors?” No equation, recipe or formula can universally answer the
previous questions. There is, however, critical thinking, economic models, and rational judgment that
we can use to understand the firms’ context and answer the question case by case.
The aim of this course is to develop a flexible business strategy toolkit that can be applied to a broad
range of practical problems. We place equal emphasis on understanding the underlying economic
models and on the applications to real-world problems. At the end of the course, students should be
able to recognise and categorise major strategic problems, and suggest how the participants can change
the market to their advantage.
In this course you will learn how to apply simple—yet powerful—ideas to specific situations. You will be
endowed with new technical tools that will help you improve your ability to think analytically and
strategically. Special emphasis will be given to your ability to discern the right tool to understand and
analyse any given situation. In particular, the primary skills developed in this class are:
•
•
•
Diagnosis. Can you identify the salient details of a situation and understand their strategic
significance and implications? The goal is to pick out what really matters from among the facts and
to use economic frameworks to understand the significance of those details.
Judgment. The frameworks and tools we develop in this course need to be applied intelligently.
This class teaches you to be a better—meaning a more systematic, logical, complete, critical—
thinker about strategy. You should not expect to gain from this course a body of business-related
facts. Instead, the aim is to teach you skills that will help you understand the significance of
whatever set of facts you face.
Creativity. One theme of the course is that you can’t outperform your competitors by simply doing
the same things they are doing. Finding new approaches and new ways to do things is often the key
to a successful, profitable strategy.
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The concepts, skills, and analytical tools that you will learn in this course rest on economic principles
relating to firms’ underlying organizational objectives. In particular, a business exists to generate wealth
for its owners. To that end, a firm may have to consider stakeholders beyond shareholders. Although
the primary focus of this class will be the creation and capture of economic wealth, a variety of other
objectives may apply to certain firms in particular contexts. The concepts and tools discussed in class
can be used to formulate strategy with any objective in mind.
COURSE OUTLINE
The course covers the following topics.
1. Business Strategy:
a. Value Creation and Capture – How does a firm create value for customers, and how can it retain
some of that value as profit?
b. External Analysis – What competitive pressures does a firm face in its industry?
c. Internal Analysis – What enables some firms to be more profitable than others, even within the
same industry? How can a firm maintain, over the long term, the profit arising from its
competitive advantage?
2. Corporate Strategy and Organizational Design
a. Scope of the Firm – Which business opportunities and stages of production should firms be
involved in and which should they leave to other firms?
b. Incentives and Compensation – What are the key trade-offs that a strategist faces when
implementing the strategy within its organization? In particular, how can the employees’
incentives be aligned with the goals of the firm?
3. General Topics in Strategy
a. Pricing – How can product design in conjunction with pricing be used increase profitability?
b. Competition Policy (antitrust) – Where are the limits of what can and cannot be done to keep
your firm profitable?
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGS)
At UBC Sauder, we are committed to responsible business practices that can have transformative
impacts on society. One of the ways we are reinforcing our commitment to responsible business is by
showcasing relevant content in our courses via the lens of the United Nations Sustainable Development
Goals. In this course, we will touch on topics that relate to the following goals:
Sustainable Development
Goal
Description of how and when the goal is covered in the course.
Goal 8: Decent Work and
Economic Growth
We will discuss how fair trade and wages can be an important
business strategy choice in week 2. We will discuss the impact of
different worker compensation schemes on various worker
outcomes, including worker wellbeing in week 10. The discussion
will help the student recognize aspects of compensation
schemes that may negatively impact worker satisfaction and life
quality.
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Goal 9: Industry, Innovation
and Infrastructure
Goal 12: Responsible
Consumption and Production
Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and
Strong Institutions
Innovation is often driven profit seeking firms who wish to
develop and sustain a competitive advantage. In weeks 4
through 6, we will develop a number of tools useful for
determining how firms should develop new techniques and
product lines to maximize their own profits as well as their value
to society at large.
Throughout the course, we will consider issues related to
responsible consumption and production, highlighting how i)
consumer preferences affect incentives for environmentally
friendly products in week 2, ii) vertical integration or
decentralization of production can limit wastage of resources in
weeks 8 and 9.
We discuss the role of competition policy in preserving market
competition in the last week of class, highlighting how
appropriately chosen government policy in this area can
promote efficiency, and increase consumer access to products
and services.
TEACHING APPROACH
Because the aim of the course is build your own critical and analytical thinking abilities, you will spend
much of your time preparing for and engaging in class discussion.
Many of our discussions will be based on business cases and news articles. Cases tend not to have a
single, tidy solution. However, there are always better and worse answers, and valid and invalid
inferences. Cases never contain all the information you would like to have to make a decision—in this
way, they are very much like real life. You may find it frustrating to be pushed to make a decision or
take a stand when you are not sure whether it is the right one; this is the nature of real-world business
decision-making. Cases often offer conflicting information. They will require you to make judgment
calls. This kind of ambiguity is also a feature of real-world business decisions.
Strategy is a field that asks big questions and so necessarily draws on many of the other functional areas
of business. This course aims to give you an overall vision of how the different areas fit together in
contributing to the success of the firm.
PREPARING FOR CLASS
Preparing for case discussions means more than just reading the cases. Each case assignment will
include several preparation questions, as well as a written assignment that will help you articulate some
of your thinking about the case in advance of the discussion. I encourage you to review the questions
before reading the case, and make some notes after reading the case in order to be prepared for class.
Much of our time in class will be spent discussing news articles that describe current strategy issues
facing companies in a variety of industries and contexts. You are expected to have read these articles
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and to be prepared to discuss them. Although there will not be explicit preparation questions provided
for these readings, it is a good idea always to be asking yourself, “Do I believe this argument? Where
else does it apply? When would this approach not be useful?”
If for some reason you are not prepared for class, I expect you to let me know before class. I know that
you are juggling other classes and other commitments; you don’t need to give me an explanation.
However, if you haven’t told me otherwise, then you have implicitly committed to be ready to
contribute to the class if I should call on you.
HOW TO STUDY FOR THIS COURSE
The aim of this course is to make you more rigorous, critical, precise, and thorough in your analysis of
strategy issues—in short, the course goal is to change the way you think. The only way to do this is to
practice it steadily throughout the quarter. You can’t learn it by “cramming” it all just before the exam.
You should think of this course like sports or exercise or learning a musical instrument: you can’t really
learn anything, and you certainly can’t get better at it, by just watching from the sidelines. In practical
terms, the most important steps to study for this course are:
1. Come to class prepared. There is no substitute to this. If you haven’t read and thought about the
material, you won’t get very much out of what is going on.
2. Engage in class discussion. Class time is not entertainment, and you shouldn’t expect to just sit back
and listen. Engaging means listening critically to what other people are saying, evaluating whether
you think their arguments are right, and speaking up when you think you have something to
contribute.
3. Summarize and synthesize. After every class session, write yourself a summary of what was covered
in class: what did we talk about and what lessons were you supposed to take away. Note that the
purpose of this is to do it yourself. Forcing yourself to summarize and synthesize this way is how
you internalize and obtain ownership of the material. If your study group splits this up and each
does a day, you’ve missed the point; it’s not about having the write-up, it’s about creating it.
4. Practice. The only way to get good at thinking in a new way is to practice it. When you meet a
strategy issue somewhere else (e.g., in the news, talking with someone, in another course, out
shopping), use the tools and frameworks of the course to understand it.
5. Consider studying with a group. Some people find it helpful to study and discuss things with a
group, some don’t. You are looking for a group that discusses carefully and thoroughly, but doesn’t
descend into a protracted argument about who is right. Once you’ve discussed as much as you
productively can, drop it and pick up the discussion in class rather than beating it to death.
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COURSE MATERIALS & REQUIREMENTS
News articles: About 35 articles posted on the Library Online Course Reserve on Canvas.
Cases: There is a required case packet which can be purchased online at Ivey following (see info on
Canvas). The cost of the packet is approximately 27CAD.
Textbooks: There is no required textbook. I will use, however, as a reference:
•
•
•
Besanko, Dranove, Shanley and Schaefer (henceforth, BDSS), Economics of Strategy, 6th edition,
Wiley. Note: International editions and previous editions (5th and 4th) also work and are less
pricey.
Jeffrey R. Church and Roger Ware, Industrial Organization: A Strategic Approach. Free download
available: http://works.bepress.com/jeffrey_church/23/
McAfee (2002), Competitive Solutions: The Strategist Toolkit.
ASSESSMENT
Short Assignments
Quiz
Midterm
Group Analysis
Participation
Final Exam
5%
5%
20%
20%
15%
35%
Short assignments: 5%. For each case that we will discuss in class, there will be a short assignment
posted on Canvas. Their main goal is to help you direct your efforts in to the right track and prepare you
for an active class discussion.
Assignments are submitted online and are due at the beginning of each class in which a case is
discussed, independently of whether you are attending that class or not. Late assignments will not be
accepted. Each student is expected to hand in his or her own assignment, although you can certainly
discuss the assignment in groups. Each assignment is worth the same and will be graded mark or no
mark.
Quiz: 5%- October 5th. In order for you to get used to the kind of questions I ask (in the Midterm and
Final), and to get some feedback on how you will be marked, I will hold a short quiz. The quiz will not
last more than 15 minutes and will be held during class time. If for any reason you miss the quiz, the 5%
is automatically transferred to the midterm. No questions asked.
Group Analysis: 20% - November 23rd. During the 4th week of class, students will be assigned randomly
to groups of 3-4 people. With your assigned group, you will work together with three objectives: 1)
Choose a firm of interest and analyse its strategy. 2) Present your findings in front of the class. 3) Teach
us something that we did not know about the firm and business strategy in general.
The main objective of this assignment is to effectively apply the course concepts to a real-world
situation of your choice. Interesting and successful analyses generally start with a concrete
question/problem in mind. For example, you might come across a retailer that has an interesting
approach to differentiation, a technology company that has a particularly compelling competitive
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advantage, or a service company that is trying a new approach to value creation and capture. You may
choose a strategy that has been a success, one that has failed, or one whose outcome is still uncertain.
Your presentation should start by briefly describing the relevant details of the environment. The rest of
the presentation should focus on the main insights of your analysis. Your mark will depend on the clarity
and quality of your presentation, and how well you apply class concepts to understand the problem
that you have chosen. Keep in mind that whether you have chosen a really “cool” company is irrelevant,
I am looking for a deep and thoughtful analysis. The more focused and specific a situation you choose,
the better your analysis is likely to be. For example, don’t try to analyze “the strategy of Apple.” Instead,
you could analyze “the introduction of Apple iOS 7” or “Apple’s outsourcing strategy.” The best analyses
will be those in which applying the course concept reveals something insightful about the situation that
isn’t initially obvious. In simple words, I want you to show me that you have learned something about
the firm’s strategy by applying class concepts.
To help you move along with the assignment, you are required to provide the background information
that you will use for your analysis by October 31st. The background information must be some kind of
documentation that describes the situation that you are analyzing. A newspaper or magazine article is
the most straightforward source, although credible websites, annual reports, or other sources are
acceptable. It is important to notice that the problem/situation must be new, i.e., it must not a firm
analysed throughout the term.
Class participation: 15%
The participation mark is a substantial portion of your final grade. It is so, because you are expected to
be a relevant and active contributor to the class. The premise of this methodology is that you will learn
as much from me as you will from your classmates’ experiences and views. Thus, you must contribute
to their learning as well. The participation mark will be assessed in the most objective way possible; I
will keep track and quantify each of your contributions. The grade will be determined by a combination
of the average contribution score of the class and what is expected from each student. In particular, the
scores for participation are determined as follows:
1. Attendance, punctuality, and engagement: Although attendance is not mandatory, you cannot
participate actively if you are not present. Students arriving late interrupt the flow of the class,
distract classmates, and harms your leaning experience. Similarly, distracted students do not obtain
the most of this learning experience. To obtain full marks in this item you need to arrive on time
and be engaged in class.
2. Class participation: Whenever you meaningfully contribute to class discussion you will get
participation points. A contribution may be an interesting question, remark, answer, refuting a
classmate, etc.
3. My discretion: At the end of the term, I may add a bonus to your points. These points will depend
of the quality of your contributions, how well prepared you were during the semester, and my own
judgment
HOW
Points
Attend, punctual, and engage
2 p.
Only receive full marks if you show
up on time, and are engage
In class participation
2 p.
Quality of comments matter!
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In general, I do not like to cold call students but due to the nature of the class I have to do it. If you really
would like to lead discussion one day, either for a case or a theory driven lesson, let me know in advance
(via email). In the past, for case lectures, I have had enough volunteers to start the discussion and the
discussion has flowed from there. That said, you should be prepared to contribute to every class.
Participation Marks COMR 493-2017
16
12
6
3
3
<=0.7
0.75
0.8
5
5
0.85
0.9
0.95
1
Most Valuable Strategist/Student (MVS) At the end of the term you will vote for the classmate(s) that
meant the biggest contribution to your learning. The student that gets the largest vote count will get a
letter ---with copy to Sauder’s Dean Robert Helsley--- acknowledging that its classmates have her/him
as the Most Valuable Student/Strategist of your cohort. In addition, the student will get a 100% mark in
participation.
Exams: 55%. The examinations will test your broad understanding and application of course concepts
rather than the ability to memorize details. The best way to prepare for the exam is to come prepared
for each class, and actively participate in class discussion
1. Midterm Exam: 20% - Tuesday, October 24th 7:30pm (at room LIFE 2201). The midterm exam
for the course will be around 90-minutes long. More detailed information about the content
and format of the exam will become available as the date of the midterm approaches.
2. Final Exam: 35% - TBD. Location to be determined
Please do not make plans that conflict with either examination. Exam dates are not flexible. If for any
reason you miss the midterm, its weight will be added to the final (no questions asked).
NO DISTRIBUTION OF RECORDINGS
There is no distribution of recordings of class. Classes are designed as and are intended to be
in-person. Your attendance is expected. If you are unable to attend, the policy regarding missed
classes described in this syllabus applies. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the
materials you need for missed classes. It is strongly recommended that you make arrangements
at the start of the semester for materials in case you miss class. For instance, you may wish to
exchange contact information with a classmate who can provide you with notes in the event
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you miss class. If you believe you are an exceptional case that merits special consideration,
please promptly reach out to your instructor to advise them of your circumstances.
ACADEMIC CONCESSIONS
Academic Concession Policy
The policy on missing assignments is as follows. The weight of a missing quiz will be transferred
to the midterm, and the weight of a missed midterm will be transferred to the final. No
questions asked. Due to the nature of the course, no make-up midterm will be provided. A late
group assignment will be penalized according to how late the project is returned. Students can
miss up to three lectures without being penalized for their participation marks. Abscesses
during the enrolment period count towards the three allowances for missed classes.
COVID-19 Considerations
All students must assess themselves daily for COVID-19 symptoms prior to coming to class.
Please stay home if you exhibit symptoms or have tested positive for COVID-19. A list of COVID19 symptoms can be found here. Use the BC Ministry of Health’s self-assessment tool, to help
determine whether further assessment or testing for COVID-19 is recommended. Full UBC
COVID-19 Campus Rules can be found here.
Requesting Academic Concession
If you are unable to attend class or complete assignments because you feel unwell or are facing
other circumstances that constitute valid grounds for academic concession as defined by UBC’s
Academic Concession Policy, complete the concession request webform. Concessions are timesensitive and the webform should be submitted within 48 hours of the missed deadline. Upon
submission, an email notice will be sent to your instructor and the UGO. You will also receive
an email with further instructions. Please read this email carefully and be sure to also refer to
the relevant course syllabus for each concession that you have requested.
ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATIONS
Centre for Accessibility
The Centre for Accessibility (CfA) facilitates disability-related accommodations and
programming initiatives designed to remove barriers for students with disabilities and ongoing
medical conditions. If you are registered with the CfA and are eligible for exam
accommodations, it is your responsibility to book your exam writing with the CfA using its exam
reservation system: for midterm exams or quizzes, at least 7 days in advance; and final exams,
7 days before the start of the formal exam period.
OTHER COURSE POLICIES AND RESOURCES
Communication
If you would like to communicate with me, email me with “[493-23]” in the email’s subject, so your
email gets routed correctly, speeding up my response time. For instance, if you have a question about
the syllabus, your subject line should read: “[491-23] Question about the syllabus”. Of course, you are
welcome to visit me at my office hours.
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Electronic Devices
Students may use a tablet in class, as long as the tablet remains flat on the desk, is used only for course
activities, and remains in “airplane mode” with access to Wi-Fi disabled. Class slides will be posted on
Canvas at least one hour prior to class. Other electronic devices, such as laptops, mobile phones, or
similar do not fit with the format of the class and are also distracting to your classmates to sit beside or
behind you. Therefore, they are not allowed in class unless directed. Violation of this policy will impact
your class participation mark.
Seating and Nametags
Starting in the second class, students are required to always sit in the same seat. This is to facilitate me
the task of keeping track of your participation, and also to have a place to direct prospective students
and visitors to sit. Also, I will bring nametags so I can identify you. It is expected that you bring your
name tag to every class.
Punctuality
Class will start on time. It is distracting to your classmates for you to be climbing to your seat and settling
in while they are trying to pay attention to the class. If you are absent or late more than three times, it
will lower your class participation grade.
Beverages and snacks
Out of courtesy to your classmates, please don’t bring anything messy, noisy, or smelly to eat or drink
in class.
POLICIES APPLICABLE TO UBC SAUDER UNDERGRADUATE COURSES
At UBC Sauder, professional behaviour aligns with the school’s guiding values – rigour, respect
and responsibility – and is upheld in the UBC Sauder BCom Statement of Professionalism and
Code of Conduct.
Respectfulness in the classroom
Students are expected to be respectful of their colleagues at all times, including faculty, staff
and peers. This means being attentive and conscious of words and actions and their impact on
others, listening to people with an open mind, treating all UBC Sauder community members
equally and understanding diversity. Students who act disrespectfully toward others will be
asked to leave the class and be marked as absent for the day. They may also be removed from
a team, lose credit for in-class assessments and activities, or be asked to complete a group
assignment individually.
Respect for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
The UBC Sauder School of Business strives to promote an intellectual community that is
enhanced by diversity along various dimensions including status as a First Nation, Métis, Inuit,
or Indigenous person, race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, political
beliefs, social class, and/or disability. It is critical that students from diverse backgrounds and
perspectives be valued in and well-served by their courses. Furthermore, the diversity that
students bring to the classroom should be viewed as a resource, benefit, and source of strength
for your learning experience. It is expected that all students and members of our community
conduct themselves with empathy and respect for others.
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UNIVERSITY POLICIES AND RESOURCES
UBC provides resources to support student learning and to maintain healthy lifestyles but
recognizes that sometimes crises arise and so there are additional resources to access including
those for survivors of sexual violence. UBC values respect for the person and ideas of all
members of the academic community. Harassment and discrimination are not tolerated nor is
suppression of academic freedom. UBC provides appropriate accommodation for students with
disabilities and for religious observances. UBC values academic honesty and students are
expected to acknowledge the ideas generated by others and to uphold the highest academic
standards in all of their actions. Details of the policies and how to access support are available
on the UBC Senate website at https://senate.ubc.ca/policies-resources-support-studentsuccess.
Academic Integrity
The academic enterprise is founded on honesty, civility, and integrity. As members of this
enterprise, all students are expected to know, understand, and follow the university policies
and codes of conduct regarding academic integrity. At the most basic level, this means
submitting only original work done by you and acknowledging all sources of information or
ideas and attributing them to others as required. This also means you should not cheat, copy,
or mislead others about what is your work; nor should you help others to do the same. For
example, it is prohibited to: share your past assignments and answers with other students;
work with other students on an assignment when an instructor has not expressly given
permission; or spread information through word of mouth, social media, or other channels that
subverts the fair evaluation of a class exercise, or assessment. Violations of academic integrity
(i.e., misconduct) lead to the breakdown of the academic enterprise, and therefore serious
consequences arise and harsh sanctions are imposed. For example, incidences of plagiarism or
cheating may result in a mark of zero on the assignment or exam and more serious
consequences may apply if the matter is referred to the President’s Advisory Committee on
Student Discipline. Careful records are kept in order to monitor and prevent recurrences.
Use of Artificial Intelligence
Generative AI (Including ChatGPT) Not Permitted
Any work submitted must be your own original work. Any use of generative artificial
intelligence (AI), including ChatGPT, is prohibited and constitutes academic misconduct. Any
student suspected of submitting work that includes AI generated content may be asked for
preliminary work or other materials to evidence the student’s original and unaided authorship.
The student may also be asked to separately explain or support their work. AI identification
methods may also be employed by the instructor. After review, if it is determined by the
instructor that submitted work likely contains AI generated content, the work may receive a
zero and may be subject to further misconduct measures set out in the UBC Academic Calendar.
COPYRIGHT
All materials of this course (course handouts, lecture slides, assessments, course readings, etc.)
are the intellectual property of the instructor or licensed to be used in this course by the
copyright owner. Redistribution of these materials by any means without permission of the
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copyright holder(s) constitutes a breach of copyright and may lead to academic discipline and
could be subject to legal action. Any lecture recordings are for the sole use of the instructor
and students enrolled in the class. In no case may the lecture recording or part of the recording
be used by students for any other purpose, either personal or commercial. Further, audio or
video recording of classes are not permitted without the prior consent of the instructor.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
UBC’s Point Grey Campus is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the
xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam) people, who for millennia have passed on their culture, history,
and traditions from one generation to the next on this site.
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COURSE SCHEDULE
(SUBJECT TO MODIFICATIONS)
Important: Thursday, October 12, 2023 has been designated as a “Make-up Monday” for the Term 1
academic schedule. Classes normally scheduled for Thursday, October 12 are cancelled, and will be
replaced by classes normally scheduled on a Monday. This includes our course. Please note that our
Thursday, October 12 class is cancelled.
Tuesday
Thursday
Introduction (Sep 7)
• What is strategy?
Orientation Day
Week 1
Learning with Cases (Sep 12)
Value Creation (Sep 14)
• Profits and Consumer Value
Week 3
Value Capture (Sep 19)
• [Activity] The joint venture game
Value Capture II (Sep 21)
• [Case] Performance Indicator
Week 4
Industry analysis I (Sep 26)
• Porter five forces & the value net
Industry analysis II (Sep 28)
• [Small Case] Boeing vs. Airbus
Week 5
Industry analysis III (Oct 3)
• [Case] Uber
Competitive advantage (CA) (Oct 5)
• The triple A framework
• Quiz
Week 6
Applying CA (Oct 10)
• [Case] Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Week 2
Week 7
Sustaining a CA (Oct 17)
Sustainability II (Oct 19)
• [Case] Starbucks
Oct 24 - Midterm
Week 8
Oct 12 - Make-up Monday
Boundaries of the Firm (Oct 26)
• The Gains from Coordination
Boundaries of the Firm III (Nov 2)
Week 9
Boundaries of the Firm II (Oct 31)
• Transaction costs
• Group ppt proposal
Week 10
Signaling (Nov 7)
• Asymmetric information
Incentives & Compensation I (Nov 9)
• Moral Hazard, Teams & Externalities
Remembrance day
Week 11
Week 12
Week 13
Week 14
[Case] Cola Wars Continue
Incentives & Compensation II (Nov 16)
• [Case] Safelite Autoglass
Antitrust Law I (Nov 21)
• Abuse of dominance, Mergers
Group Presentations (Nov 23)
Group Presentations (Nov 28)
Group Presentations (Nov 30)
Catch-up/Review day(Dec 5)
Review (Dec 7)
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Schedule of Course Readings
(subject to modifications)
Value Creation and Capture
0.
Before Class
• Syllabus, pp. 1-7.
Complementary1
• M. Porter, “What is Strategy?” Harvard Business Review, Vol. 74, Nov/Dec 1996, pp. 39-73 (available on
Canvas2)
1.
September 5 (Tuesday) – No class (orientation day)
2.
September 7 (Thursday) – What is Strategy
• M. Ramsey, “Tesla Motors Offers Open Licenses to Its Patents,” Wall Street Journal, June 12, 2014.
Complementary
• BDSS pp. 1-8, 10-32, 291-302 (5th: 1-7; 11-34; 362-373).
3.
September 12 (Tuesday) – Learning with Cases
•
4.
[CASE] Plagiarism and Discipline – Ivey 9B12C017 (in case packet) DO NOT READ THE CASE.
September 14 (Thursday) – Value Creation
•
C. Oster, “On the Hook: The Ill-Fated Union of an Insurance Giant and a Bail Bondsman,” Wall Street
Journal, April 10, 2001 (skip the abstract, and read at least the first 2 pages).
• S. Chaudhuri, “Paper Cups Become a Target in the Fight against Plastic,” Wall Street Journal, October
30, 2018
• [Read only for after class optional HW] V. Goel and S. Ember, “Instagram to Open Its Photo Feed to
Ads,” New York Times, June 2, 2015.
Complementary
• [Video: optional] Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Bail, HBO (available on Canvas)
5.
September 19 (Tuesday) – Value Capture (Irreplaceability)
• A. Efrati, “Samsung Sparks Anxiety at Google,” Wall Street Journal, February 25, 2013.
• J. Cheng, “Samsung Drops Android for New Smartwatch,” Wall Street Journal, February 23, 2014.
Complementary
• A. Brandenburger and H. Stuart, “Value-Based Business Strategy,” Journal of Economics and Business
Strategy, 5(1), pp. 5-24, 1996. (Available on Canvas)
• BDSS pp. 293-302 (5th: 362-373)
6.
September 21 (Thursday) – Performance Indicator
•
[CASE] Performance Indicator – Kellogg 5-311-508 (in case packet).
1
Complementary readings are not required to be read before each class. They are simply suggestions for the
interested reader.
2
News articles, Videos, Harvard Business Review articles, and podcasts available in Library Online Course
Reserve on Canvas.
COMR 493 – 101 and 102
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September 5, 2023
Syllabus
7.
September 26 (Tuesday) – Industry Analysis I
•
•
•
N. Kleinfeild, “In Manhattan Pizza War, Price of Slice Keeps Dropping,” New York Times, March 30,
2012.
D. Wakabayashi, “Apple Wins iPod Antitrust Trial,” Wall Street Journal, December 16, 2014.
D. Gallagher, “Xbox Shows Microsoft Playing the Long Game,” Wall Street Journal, June 11, 2018.
Complementary
• M. Porter, “The Five Competitive Forces that Shape Strategy,” Harvard Business Review, Reprint
#R0801E. (on Canvas)
• BDSS pp. 258-284 (5th: 336-340; 344-350).
8.
September 28 (Thursday) – Industry Analysis II
•
D. Michaels, “Airbus and Boeing Duke It Out to Win Lucrative Iberia Deal,” Wall Street Journal, March
10, 2003.
Competitive Advantage: Sources and Sustainability
9.
October 3 (Tuesday) – UBER
•
[CASE] Editorial briefing, “From zero to seventy (billion),” The Economist, September 3, 2017 (available
on Canvas)
10. October 5 (Thursday) – Competitive Advantage
In class Quiz
•
S. Clifford, “Where Wal-Mart Failed, Aldi Succeeds,” New York Times, March 29, 2011.
• N. Singer and R. Abelson, “Can Johnson & Johnson Get Its Act Together,” New York Times, January 15,
2011.
Complementary
• “How the Raptors turned hockey country into basketball nation,” CBC, January 16, 2020
• BDSS pp. 301-327 (5th: 373-397; 400-407).
11. October 10 (Tuesday) – Enterprise
•
[CASE] Enterprise Rent-A-Car – Kellogg 5-311-508 (in case packet).
12. October 12 (Thursday) – No class (Make-up Monday)
13. October 17 (Tuesday) – Sustaining a Competitive Advantage
•
•
•
M. Delio, “Loud Hogs for Easy Riders,” Salon.com, May 19, 2003.
L. Hadjiyski, “Block by Block: How LEGO came to dominate its market”, Business Today, May 20, 2019.
Audio: D. Charles, “In Haiti, Aid Groups Squabble Over Rival Peanut Butter Factories,” NPR, October 5,
2012 (available on Canvas).
Complementary
• BDSS pp. 363-394 (5th: 410-434).
14. October 19 (Thursday) – Starbucks
•
•
[CASE] Starbucks: A Story of Growth – Kellogg 5-211-259 (Study.net packet)
R. Harris, “Why Starbucks is winning at loyalty,” marketingmag.ca, July 28, 2015.
COMR 493 – 101 and 102
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September 5, 2023
Syllabus
15. October 24 (Tuesday) – No class (Midterm)
The midterm will be on Tuesday October 24th at 7:30pm (ROOM LIFE 2201)
Please be in your seat at least 5 minutes before the start time so that you and the
rest of the class can start the exam on time.
Boundaries of the Firm
16. October 26 (Thursday) – Boundaries I
•
Rodriguez, S., Horwitz, J., & Bobrowsky, M. Instagram stumbles in push to mimic tiktok, internal
documents show. The Wall Street Journal, September 13, 2022
Complementary
• BDSS pp. 61-76, 83-92 (5th: 41-61; 175-197).
17. October 31 (Tuesday) – Boundaries II
•
•
A. Rogers, “Here’s How Disney+ Will Take Over the World”, Wired Magazine, April 12, 2019.
S. Carey and A. Gonzalez, “Delta to Buy Refinery in Effort to Lower Jet-Fuel Costs,” Wall Street Journal,
April 30, 2012.
Complementary
• BDSS pp. 98-127 (5th: 73-93; 119-146; 150-171)
Topic proposal for group analysis due October 31
Submit a copy of the article you are basing your analysis on Canvas
Strategy and Organization
18. November 2 (Thursday) – Boundaries III
•
[CASE] Cola Wars Continue: Coke and Pepsi in 2010 – HBS 9-711-462 (in case packet).
19. November 7 (Tuesday) – Signaling
•
The Economist, “I've started so I'll finish,” British Edition, September 29, 2005.
20. November 9 (Thursday) – Incentives & Compensation I
•
•
•
E. Zehnder, “A Simpler Way to Pay,” Harvard Business Review, April, 2001.
S. Ng and J. Lublin, “AIG Pay Plan: Rank and Rile,” Wall Street Journal, February 11, 2010.
M. Corkery, “Wells Fargo Fined $185 Million for Fraudulently Opening Accounts,” New York Times,
September 8, 2016
Complementary
•
BDSS pp. 401-421 (5th: 119-146; 150-171).
COMR 493 – 101 and 102
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September 5, 2023
Syllabus
21. November 14 (Tuesday) – NO CLASS Remembrance Day
22. November 16 (Thursday) – Incentives & Compensation II
•
[CASE] Performance Pay at Safelite Auto Glass (HBS 9-800-291) (in case packet).
23. November 21 (Tuesday) – Antitrust
•
•
J. Wilke and S. McCartney, “American Airlines Wins a Victory As Judge Dismisses Antitrust Case,” Wall
Street Journal, April 30, 2001.
B. Chen, “Apple Wins Decade-Old Suit Over iTunes Updates,” New York Times, December 16, 2014
Complementary
•
“Judge Rules That Microsoft Violated U.S. Antitrust Laws,” Wall Street Journal, April 4, 2000
24. November 23 (Thursday) – Group Presentations I
25. November 28 (Tuesday) – Group Presentations II
26. November 30 (Thursday) – Group Presentations III
27. December 5 (Tuesday) – Catch-up/Review
28. December 7 (Thursday) – Review Lecture
COMR 493 – 101 and 102
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September 5, 2023