Course Form (revised 5/1/12)
(Instructions: http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/documents/forms/courseform_instructionsX.aspx)
I. Summary of Proposed Changes
Dept / Program
Management Major
Prefix and Course # BMGT 426
Course Title
Strategic Management
Please check one or more
 New course  Delete course
of the following:
Course Changes
 Course Title  Description  Learning Outcomes
 Prerequisites  Cross-listing  Other
 Credits
from _________ to________
 Number / Level from _________ to________
 Repeatability
from _________ to________
Justification / explanation (required for ALL proposals) For new courses please provide rationale for why
the course is needed, how it fits with exiting curriculum and whether there are curricular adjustments.
Remove upper-division writing designation. This course was a capstone course for all business majors, now
is only a required course for management majors. All business students have our new capstone course
BMGT 486 as their upper-division writing course.
Has the Department gone through common course Review?
 Yes  No  In process
II. Syllabus/Assessment Information Required for new courses, learning outcome changes and
course change from U to UG.
Important: please spell out learning goals and learning outcomes clearly in the syllabus.
Learning Goals are a list of what students should know, understand, or be able to do at the end of
the course, including essential information and knowledge or skills relevant to the subject area.
Learning Outcomes are measures of performance or behavior that indicate, to the teacher and the
students, that students understand the material, and what criteria differentiates among different
levels of understanding. Attach syllabus at the end of the document.
III. Endorsement/Approvals
Complete the form and obtain signatures before submitting to Faculty Senate Office
Please type / print name Signature
Date
Requestor:
Nader Shooshtari
Approve
09/20/12
Phone/ email :
Program Chair(s)/Director:
Dean(s):
6701
nader.shooshtari@
business.umt.edu
Nader Shooshtari
09/20/12
09/20/12
 Yes  No
 Yes  No
09/20/12
 Yes  No
 Yes  No
Larry Gianchetta
All other affected programs:
 Yes  No
 Yes  No
Are other departments/programs affected by this
modification because of
(a) required courses incl. prerequisites or corequisites,
(b) perceived overlap in content areas
(c) cross-listing of coursework
Signatory Comments (required for disapproval):
Please obtain signature(s) from the
Chair/Director of any such department/
program (above) before submission
IV: To Add a New Course Syllabus and assessment information is required (paste syllabus into
section V or attach). Course should have internal coherence and clear focus.
Common Course Numbering Review (Department Chair Must Initial):
YES
NO
Does an equivalent course exist elsewhere in the MUS? Check all relevant disciplines if
course is interdisciplinary. (http://www.mus.edu/Qtools/CCN/ccn_default.asp)
If YES: Do the proposed abbreviation, number, title and credits align with existing course(s)? Please indicate
equivalent course/campus. 
If NO: Course may be unique, but is subject to common course review. The course number may be changed
at the system level.
Short Title (max. 26 characters incl. spaces)
Exact entry to appear in the next catalog (Specify course abbreviation, level, number, title, credits,
repeatability (if applicable), frequency of offering, prerequisites, and a brief description.) 
Complete for UG courses (UG courses should be assigned a 400 number).
Describe graduate increment - see procedure 301.30
http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/procedures/default.aspx
Complete for Co-convened courses
Companion course number, title, and description (include syllabus of companion course in section V)
See procedure 301.20 http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/procedures/default.aspx
New fees and changes to existing fees are only approved once each biennium by the
Board of Regents. The coordination of fee submission is administered by
Administration and Finance. Fees may be requested only for courses meeting specific
conditions according to Policy 940.12.1 http://mus.edu/borpol/bor900/940-12-1.pdf .
Please indicate whether this course will be considered for a fee.
If YES, what is the proposed amount of the fee?
Justification:
V. Change an Existing Course
1. Current course information at it appears in catalog
(http://www.umt.edu/catalog) 
U 426 Strategic Management 3 cr. Offered autumn
and spring. Prereq., junior standing in Business, BFIN 322,
MGMT 340, and MKTG 360. Analyzes theories and
concepts of corporate and international strategy
formulation and implementation, including industry and
firm analysis. Extensive use of cases and class
discussions.
NO
X
2. Full and exact entry (as proposed) 
U 426 (MGMT 446) Strategic
Management 3 cr. Offered autumn and
spring. Prereq., junior standing in Business,
BFIN 322 (FIN 322), BMGT 340S (MGMT 340S),
and BMKT 325 (MKTG 360). Analyzes theories
and concepts of corporate and international
strategy formulation and implementation,
including industry and firm analysis. Extensive
use of cases and class discussions.
3. If cross-listed course: secondary program & course
number
4. Is this a course with MUS Common Course Numbering?
http://www.mus.edu/Qtools/CCN/ccn_default.asp
If yes, please explain below whether the change will eliminate the common course status.
No
5. If co-convened course: companion course number, title, and description
(include syllabus of companion course in section V) See procedure 301.20
http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/procedures/default.aspx
YES
YES NO
X
6. Graduate increment if level of course is changed to UG.
Reference procedure 301.30:
http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/procedures/default.aspx
Have you reviewed the graduate
increment guidelines? Please check (X)
space provided.
(syllabus must be attached)
7. Other programs affected by the change
8. Is there a fee associated with the course?
No
VI Department Summary (Required if several forms are submitted) In a separate document list course
number, title, and proposed change for all proposals.
VII Copies and Electronic Submission. After approval, submit original, one copy, summary of
proposals and electronic file to the Faculty Senate Office, UH 221, camie.foos@mso.umt.edu.
BMGT 426: Strategic Management
- Syllabus Instructor:
Michael R. Braun
Office Hours:
Room 357, Gallagher Business Building
Tuesday and Wednesday, 15:45 – 16:45, or by appointment
Contact Information:
e-mail – michael.braun@business.umt.edu
About this Course:
Welcome! This course is about business strategy, which concerns the following questions: Why does
one company outperform its competitors? What makes one company fail while others succeed?
Over the course of the semester, we will rely on case studies, theory, real world examples, and
classroom discussion to answer these questions. The purpose of the course is to give you an introductory
overview of business strategy to understand the WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, HOW and TO WHAT EXTENT
of strategic thinking. We will kick off the semester with what is meant by STRATEGY. Subsequently, we
will discuss existing frameworks that can help you make sense of the vast amount of information needed to
identify, formulate, develop and implement strategy. Case studies of real companies will help us apply these
frameworks and make sense of strategic situations and outcomes. Lastly, you will be asked to refine your
strategic thinking by adopting the role of strategy consultant in a real-world project. Working in teams, you
will put together a strategic analysis of an assigned company. This analysis will prompt you to apply the
frameworks and models to develop a top-down and bottom-up report of a company’s industry location, core
competencies, challenges and opportunities, and competitive environment. This project will tie together the
diverse parts of the course. In addition, it will provide you with a ‘product’ to take with you when you enter
your job search.
Expectations for this Course:
I expect you to SHOW UP & PARTICIPATE (10% of your grade) since the class is only served through
an interchange. Your contributions should be thoughtful and inclusive of the frameworks and themes we
have covered. As the course progresses, I expect your written assignments and thinking to reflect the various
articles, case studies, frameworks, and class discussions.
BE ON TIME! Treat this class like you would work. By being on time, you are being respectful to
your colleagues.
COME PREPARED! That means do the reading! This class is based on an on-going, interactive
discussion. At a minimum, you need to thoroughly read ALL assigned readings. Try to think through the
main points and issues and how they play out in real-world scenarios.
It is critical that you get familiar with the course syllabus – it will help set your expectations of the workload for
the class. Keep in mind that this syllabus is a rough guide, and that changes may occur during the semester.
Class Materials
All articles and cases are available through the Mansfield Library’s Electronic Reserve. You will find a folder
entitled “BMGT 426”. The password is “porter”.
Grading & Assignments:
Quizzes
Two Individual Case Study Analyses
Consulting Project Presentations
Class Participation (incl. peer reviews)
Final Consulting Project
25%
35%
10%
10%
20%
Portfolio Extra Credit: 1st Place - ½ Grade Upgrade on Final Consulting Project
Each of the preceding components will be discussed in greater detail as the semester progresses.
Additional comments on Grading & Assignments:
 PLEASE DO NOT USE YOUR NOTEBOOK COMPUTER DURING OUR SESSION. If you
need to take notes, rely on paper and pen. The use of notebooks is distracting to your fellow
students and me.
 TURN OFF CELLPHONES – NO CALLS OR TEXTS. If it’s that important, please leave class.
 For every day a paper is late, the grade of the paper drops FULL LETTER GRADE, e.g. an “A”
paper turned in a day late will become a “B” papers, etc.
 NO E-MAILED PAPERS. I expect hard copies to be handed in on the day the paper is due. If you
cannot attend class, have someone else hand it in for you.
 TRY NOT TO MISS THE QUIZZES – Make-up quizzes are in essay form.
 Except for the Investment Portfolio there is NO EXTRA CREDIT. Please focus on the work that is
assigned.
 WEEKLY ATTENDANCE WILL BE TAKEN. If you miss MORE THAN 4 CLASSES,
EXCUSED OR UNEXCUSED, it will reflect on your participation grade.
 EMAIL: According to University policy, faculty may only communicate with students regarding
academic issues via official UM email accounts. Accordingly, students must use their GrizMail
accounts (netid@grizmail.umt.edu or fname.lname@umontana.edu).
 RESPECT THE HONOR CODE. Cheating of any form will not be tolerated in this class. All
work handed in is to be yours. All work handed in is to be yours. If you don’t know what
“cheating” means, please refer to the University Conduct Code at:

www.umt.edu/SA/documents/fromWeb/StudentConductCode1.pdf
Disability Accommodations
If you have a documented disability for which you are requesting accommodations, please see me during
the first week of class.
Team Work:
The semester-long project will be team-based…just as you fill find in the real world. You will need to
work together, discover each other’s strengths and weaknesses, plan around each other’s schedules, and
manage the process of putting together and presenting the weekly assignments. I understand the potential
difficulties in team-based projects: some people do more work than others, some teams have better dynamics
than others, etc. I recognize that at times it can be challenging and even frustrating, but in my opinion team
projects capture the complexity of getting business done in the real world. If you find that some team
members simply do not contribute, PLEASE APPROACH ME AS A GROUP. I will deal with your collective
complaints accordingly.
About your Instructor:
My industry background is in business development and mergers and acquisitions. I’ve worked with
publishers, direct marketing companies, e-commerce companies, and investment banks in New York, Los
Angeles, and Europe. While I started out in a large corporation, most of my business career was in small,
entrepreneurial companies. I’ve been a member of start-ups that have succeeded, and also some that have
failed. I’ve bought and sold businesses for publicly-traded companies as well as private equity groups. My
current research interests are family firms, corporate restructuring, and corporate governance.
I am Swiss by birth and lived throughout Europe, moving to the United States in my teens. I received
a B.A. degree from Cornell University, a Master’s Degree in Publishing from New York University, an MBA
from the University of Southern California, and a Ph.D. in strategy from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. When I’m not in the classroom, I’m fly fishing, brewing, cooking, or spending time with my family.
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION MISSION STATEMENT
The University of Montana’s School of Business Administration is a collegial learning community dedicated to
the teaching, exploration, and application of the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in a competitive
marketplace.
As part of our assessment process and assurance-of-learning standards, the School of Business Administration
has adopted five learning goals for our undergraduate students:
Learning Goal 1 – SoBA graduates will possess fundamental business knowledge and integrated business
knowledge.
Learning Goal 2 – SoBA graduates will be able to integrate business knowledge.
Learning Goal 3 – SoBA graduates will be effective communicators.
Learning Goal 4 – SoBA graduates will posses problem solving skills.
Learning Goal 5 – SoBA graduates will have an ethical awareness.
Learning Goal 6 – SoBA graduates will be proficient users of technological skills.
Learning Goal 7 – SoBA graduates will understand the global business environment in which they operate.
Week 1:
CLASS INTRODUCTION
August 27:
Introductory Session
August 29:
Team Assignment; Investment Project Handout;
Basic Strategy Concepts: SWOT & Generic Strategies
Week 2:
STRATEGY DEFINED AND CONCEPTUALIZED
Why do we need a strategy? What makes up a strategy?
September 3:
NO CLASS (Labor Day)
September 5:
“What Is Strategy?”
Michael E. Porter + Hand out Performance Metrics
Week 3:
A CLOSER LOOK AT WAL*MART’S SUCCESS
September 10:
Case: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Stephen P. Bradley, Pankaj Ghemawat, Sharon Foley
+ Hand in Write-ups of Individual Stock Picks
(Begin Portfolio Tracking!)
September 12:
When Strategies Go Bad (?): Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., cont.
Week 4:
EXTERNAL COMPETITIVE DYNAMICS
What does the competitive landscape look like out there?
What are the opportunities and obstacles?
September 17:
“How Competitive Forces Shape Strategy”
Michael E. Porter
September 19:
QUIZ #1;
Hand out Assignment No. 1, due beginning of Week 7
Consulting Project Discussion + Company Assignment
Week 5:
September 24:
Case: Robert Mondavi Wines
September 26:
Consulting Project Presentations # 1
Week 6:
INTRA-INDUSTRY COMPETITION AND COOPERATION
Within our industry, where are we protected? Where are we vulnerable?
Within our company, how do we go about our business?
October 1:
“How Information Gives You Competitive Advantage”
Value Chain & Value System
Michael Porter; Victor Millar
October 3:
Case: Shrimp Farming in Ecuador
D. Conklin
Week 7:
INTERNAL CAPABILITES AND RESOURCES
What makes us different from our competitors? What makes us unique?
Once we set off, how will we keep going? How will we get to our goal successfully?
October 8:
Hand in Assignment No. 1;
Class discussions: Personal Strategy I
October 10:
“The Core Competence of the Corporation”
C.K. Prahalad; Gary Hamel
Week 8:
October 15:
Case: eHarmony
M. Piskorski, H. Halaburda, T. Smith
October 17:
Consulting Project Presentations #2
(hand out Assignment No. 2, due end of Week 10!)
Week 9:
DIVERSIFICATION AND INTERNAITONAL EXPANSION
How do we grow? Where to we expand? When do we expand?
October 22:
QUIZ # 2
“Desperately Seeking Synergy”
Michael Goold, Andrew Campbell
October 24:
Case: Starbucks
M. Crossan; A. Kachra
Week 10:
October 29:
Consulting Project Presentations #3
October 31:
Hand in Individual Assignment No. 2
Class Discussion: Personal Strategy II.
Week 11:
INTERNATIONAL STRATEGY
November 5:
“The Competitive Advantage of Nations”
Michael E. Porter
November 7:
Ice-Fili Case
M. Rukstad, S. Mattu, A. Petinova
Week 12:
November 12:
NO CLASS (Veterans Day)
November 14:
Consulting Project Presentations #4
Week 13:
STRATEGY VERSUS BUSINESS MODELS
November 19:
“Strategy and Business Models: What’s the Difference?”
Seddon, P. & Lewis, G.
“What to do against Disruptive Business Models”
Markides, C. & Oyon, D.
November 21:
NO CLASS (Thanksgiving Break)
Week 14:
November 26:
QUIZ # 3
Case: Netflix
November 28:
** Consulting Project Presentation Support Session **
Week 15:
December 3:
Final Consulting Project Presentations – Part I
December 5:
Final Consulting Project Presentations – Part II
Wrap-up!