BUSINESS POLICY AND STRATEGY
BSAD 597, SPRING 2013, Dr. Little
Semester:
Spring 2013
Time:
5:30-8:15 PM, Tuesdays
Place:
LIGTHL 110
Instructor: Dr. John Little
Office Hours: 10:00-11:00, TR
1:00 – 2:00
4:30 – 5:30, T
4:30-5:30, W
Office:
LIGTHL 104A
Phone:
538-6403 Office
534-1572 Home
E-mail:
l1ttlej@yahoo.com
Catalogue Description: Study of policies designed to coordinate all functions of the
business enterprise from the viewpoint of the chief executive officer. Emphasizes
appropriate tools of analysis. A required course. This course must be taken in the last
semester or last six hours of a student’s program of study. (3)
Text: Essentials of Strategic Management, Gamble, Thompson and Peteraf, 3rd Edition,
McGraw-Hill Irwin
Course Objectives:
1) Integration of the functional areas of business at the policy level.
2) Development of strategic planning and analytical skills.
3) Development of top management perspective.
Grading:
Written case analyses
Discussion & quizzes
Written case
Exams
25%
20%
15%
40%
Written Case Analysis: Written case analyses must be turned in for 9 of the 10 assigned
cases. If you do all 10 cases, the best 9 will be counted. For some cases specific
questions will be assigned. For most cases, a standard format will be used: On one page
provide (1) a brief background of the case (one or two sentences), (2) a statement of the
main problem (one sentence), (3) your recommendation to solve your stated problem
(One or two sentences), and (4) analysis and support for your recommendation. Try to
use terminology and analytical models from the class in your analysis.
Written Case: Each student will write a case suitable for use in this class. The case
subject will be chosen by the student from a list provided by the instructor. A teaching
note (a guide to how the case should be used) must accompany the case. Directions on
how to write a case will be provided.
Discussion: Discussion is an important part of this course. Students are expected to come
to class prepared to discuss all assigned material. Quizzes will be given at times at the
beginning of class. If you are late or absent you will receive a zero for the quiz missed.
Quizzes cannot be made up, but the lowest will be dropped. . Your discussion grade will
be a combination of the instructor’s evaluation of the quality of your participation and
your quiz grades.
Exams: The midterm/final exam will be comprehensive and cover the entire text plus
lectures to that date. Students may take the final exam as a second chance. Students who
score less than 70% on the midterm must take the final exam. Exams will consist of 5 to
6 essay questions and 1 or 2 finance-related questions, and will be graded on the depth
and breadth of understanding of the topic exhibited in the answer. Use the attached study
guide to focus your study efforts.
ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE
Date
Assignment
January 15
Introduction and overview of course
Accounting and Finance Review
January 22
Chapter 1, What is Strategy?
Case #1: Robin Hood, p. 399
January 29
Chapter 2, Vision and Mission
Case #2: Mystic Monk Coffee, p. 236
February 5
Chapter 3, The External Environment
Case #3: Costco versus Sam’s Club, p. 231
February 12
Chapter 4, SWOT Analysis
Case #4: Redbox, p. 295
February 19
Chapter 5, Business Strategy
Case #5: Sift Cupcake and Dessert Bar, p. 304
February 26
Chapter 6, Other Competitive Strategies
Case #6, Blue Nile, p. 313
March 5
Spring Break
March 12
Chapter 7, International Strategies
Case #7, Norton Lilly, p. 437
March 19
Chapter 8, Corporate Strategy
Case # 8, Panera, p.329
March 26
Chapter 9, Ethics and Social Responsibility
Case # 9, Cash Connection, Payday Lender, p. 484
April 2
Chapter 10, Strategy Execution
Case #10, Southwest Airlines, p. 401
April 9
Organizational Culture, Organizational Structure
Rough draft of written case due
Exam Review
April 16
Final Exam – First Chance
April 23
Presentations of Written Cases
April 30
Presentations of Written Cases
Final Exam Review
May 7
Final Exam