Sept 23
Sept 25
Sept 30
Oct 2
Oct 7
Oct 9
Oct 14
Oct 16
Aug 28
Sept 2
Sept 4
Sept 9
Sept 11
Sept 16
Sept 18
(Topics and Assignments Subject to Change)
Fall 2013
Class organization
Introduction: Strategy and Economics
Discuss role and procedure of case studies
Application and use of case studies using Nest Fresh Eggs
Labor Day
Unit 1: Applying Microeconomics to the Firm*
Review Besenko Ch 1, Basic Microeconomic Principles & summary p.38-39
Horizontal Boundaries: Economies of Scale and Scope (Chapter 2)
Guidelines for Agribusiness Markets and Competition Analysis
Preliminary memo due on Nest Fresh Eggs
In-class discussion of Nest Fresh Eggs case
Horizontal Boundaries (continued)*
Exercise 1 due
Vertical Boundaries (Chapter 5)*
Vertical Boundaries (continued)*
Chapter 5 plus Value Chain Analysis
Exercise 2 due
Competitors and Competition (Chapter 8)*
Competitors and Competition (continued)*
Exercise 3 due
Case Study: Dean Foods
Preliminary memo due on Dean Foods
Unit 2: Financial Decision Making*
Handouts on financial decision making
Final memo due on Dean Foods
Financial Decision Making (continued)*
Financial Decision Making (continued) *
Case Study: Monforte Dairy
Preliminary memo due on Monforte Dairy
Unit 3: Industry Analysis
Industry Analysis (Chapter 12)*
Exercise 4 due
Industry Analysis (Ch 12)*
Final memo due on Monforte Dairy

Oct 21
Oct 23
Oct 28
Oct 30
Case Study: Global Wine Wars
Preliminary memo due on Global Wine Wars
Unit 4: Value Chains and Competition
Strategic Positioning for Competitive Advantage (Chapter 13)*
Final memo due on Global Wine Wars
Strategic Positioning for Competitive Advantage (continued)*
Case Study : Whole Foods Market, Inc.
Preliminary memo due on Whole Foods
Nov 4
Nov 6
Nov 11
Nov 13
Nov 18
Nov 20
Nov 25
Nov 27
Dec 2
Dec 4
Dec 9
Dec 11
Dec 19
Unit 5: Building and Sustaining Competitive Advantage
Sustaining Competitive Advantage (Chapter 14)*
The Origins of Competitive Advantage: Innovation, Evolution, Environment
(Chapter 15)*
Final memo due on Whole Foods
Building and Sustaining Competitive Advantage (continued)*
Building and Sustaining Competitive Advantage (continued)*
Exercise 5 due
Case Study: Monsanto: Leadership in a New Environment
Preliminary memo due on Monsanto
Unit 6: Special Topics in Agribusiness
Multinational Agribusinesses and Sustainability*
Final memo due on Monsanto
Case Study: McDonald’s Corporation: Managing a Sustainable Supply Chain
Preliminary memo only for McDonalds case
Thanksgiving Break
Project Consultation Day
Team project oral reports (two teams)
Team Agribusiness Project Analysis written reports due from all teams
Class evaluations
Team project oral reports (three teams)
Team project oral reports (three teams)
Wrap-up discussion on team projects and reports
No final exam – Reserve option to have oral reports at this time (1.00-3.00)
*- likely QUOD