BA 422W—Strategic Management
102 Sheetz Center
Monday & Wednesday 5:30-6:45
Contact Info:
Instructor: Maurie Caitlin Kelly, Ph.D.
Phone: 814-863-0104 Email: mck4@psu.edu
Office Hours: by appointment
COURSE OVERVIEW
This capstone course emphasizes strategic planning and implementation across a broad spectrum of
business contexts. It focuses on the managerial, multi-business, multi-industry, multicultural, and
multinational complexities of achieving and sustaining competitive advantage. The highly
interactive, seminar-style course integrates content from foundational courses such as economics,
human resource management, marketing, supply chain/operations management, accounting, and
finance with the development of analytical, communication, and teamwork skills. The overarching
goal of the course is to have students demonstrate their capacity to develop and execute
organizational strategies in actual or simulated business situations.
COURSE GOALS
•
•
•
•
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To sharpen critical thinking skills and independent problem-solving techniques relevant to
the analysis of business problems and the generation of feasible strategic solutions.
To synthesize and apply management knowledge along with the skills that enable managers
to solve problems at work autonomously.
To experience strategy development, implementation, and organizational control through
group interaction.
To gain an understanding of the impact of internal factors on business.
To gain an understanding of the impact of external factors, both local and global, on business.
To achieve these goals, the course will have the following components: cooperative group learning,
in-class discussions of organizational and strategic problems, and online learning tools such as
ANGEL and a strategy simulation game.
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LEARNING OUTCOMES
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Generate effective solutions to problems of organizational performance
2. Independently assess and/or predict business performance based on the detailed analysis of a
specific problem, case, or company
3. Correctly apply concepts and theories in Strategic Management
4. Develop a professionally written business plan
5. Evaluate organizational strategies, structures, and strategy implementation
COURSE MATERIALS
1. Course Texts
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The Strategy Book by Max McKeown, FT Press 2012, ISBN-13: 978-0273757092
Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die, Chip Heath and Dan Heath,
Random House, 2007, ISBN-13: 978-1400064281
2. Other articles and videos as assigned.
Required Online Strategy Simulation:
Marketplace-Live: http://www.marketplace-live.com
To sign up for our game simulation:
License number ordering instructions for students
1. Go to https://web.marketplace-live.com
2. Enter Game/Team ID Your Game ID: 6171-0003-0955
3. Enter your payment information as requested. (You must pay the $45 fee in order to
access the simulation).
4. The license number is sent to you by email and displayed on the screen.
Student sign up
1. Go to gm.marketplace-live.com
2. Click on the 'Sign in as student' link.
3. Within the 'Getting Started' text box, enter your student license number in the blank
space provided.
4. Enter the Game ID when prompted to locate your game, or find your game in the listings
by school, instructor, course and team.
5. Choose your team.
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6. Enter brief information about yourself and choose your password. You will need this
password each time you want to access your data.
Student game play
1. Go to gm.marketplace-live.com
2. Click on the 'Sign in as student' link
3. In the 'Continue the Game' text box, enter your email address and password. You will
need to log in here each time you access your game.
GRADING
Grades for the course will be determined as follows:
First Exam
150
Second Exam
150
Quizzes
100
Chapter Presentations 200
Participation & Business in the News
Team Business Plan
Final Presentation (group)
200
50
150
Total Points: 1000
Grades on projects, exams, and quizzes will be made available via Angel. I use Angel for all
course materials. The syllabus, PowerPoint lectures, assignments, and the course calendar are
available for viewing on Angel.
Exams (300 Points)
There will be two exams @ 150 points each. These will cover material from our readings,
discussions, videos, and MarketPlace Live.
Quizzes (100 Points)
There will be 4 short quizzes worth 25 points each.
Strategy Book Group Presentations (100 Points)
As part of a group, you will be presenting on a “strategy tool” and creating an activity for the
class related to that tool. The Strategy Book Tool Kit is located in Part 6 of the book. Groups and
tools will be assigned.
Made to Stick Group Presentation (100 Points)
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As part of a group, you will be leading a discussion of a chapter from the book “Made to Stick”.
You will also be creating an activity for the class related to the chapter. Groups and chapters will
be assigned.
Team Business Plan (50 Points)
Each team will deliver a written document that covers their business plan. More detailed guidelines
for the preparation of the business plan are available in the Assignments folder on ANGEL. There is
also an electronic textbook reading on Business Plans on the Marketplace-Live website. The
Business Plan should be submitted in Word format.
Presentation to Investors (150 Points)
Each team will deliver an oral presentation to the investors. The team will be expected to make a
professional presentation using PowerPoint. You will be graded by your peers as well so remember
that you need to work as a team. More detailed guidelines for the preparation of the presentation are
available in the Assignments folder on ANGEL.
Final Report to Investors (100 Points)
The final report to stockholders will be an executive summary of your business. This is your
assessment of your business, business plan, your successes and failures. More detailed guidelines are
available on Angel.
Strategy Simulation
1Q Feb 3
2Q Feb 17
3Q March 10
4Q March 24
5Q April 7
6Q April 23
Each team of (about) three to four students will make "quarterly" strategic and tactical decisions
in the Marketplace-Live simulation (web link: http://marketplace-live.com/ ). The awardwinning simulation Marketplace-Live lets you build an entrepreneurial firm, experiment with
strategies, and compete with other students in a virtual business world. Designed to mimic
competition in an ever-changing global marketplace, the simulation helps you gain experience in
market analysis, strategy formulation, and the management of a new business venture. You will
start up and run your own company, struggling with business fundamentals and the interplay
between marketing, distribution, manufacturing, human resources, finance, accounting, and team
management.
Teams are required to have rotating leaders. Thus, whenever the new "quarterly" decisions are
due, another team member must take over as project leader, or President of the company.
All teams are self-managing teams and, thus, take responsibility for all aspects of their
performance. Self-management entails that team members can fire free riders or unprofessional
team members, who would then be assigned to a new company. In addition, at least twice over
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the course of the simulation, team members will assess their teammates' contributions. Finally,
the simulation website records all your individual activities online and, therefore, will provide
me with a lot of feedback on your individual contributions to the team (decisions and analyses)
throughout the semester. Your online (automatic) logs and the peer ratings will be considered in
my assignment of simulation scores to individual students at the end of the term.
The exact deadlines associated with the different components of the strategy simulation are
available on the simulation website. Extensive help files (about the technology, content of the
game, etc.) are also available on the website. If you are ever "stuck," please do not hesitate to
email the game developers, who will be happy to answer your questions quickly (especially if
you cannot find the answers to your questions in the simulation Help files). Specifically, the
simulation support staff can be sent email via the "Help" button.
After the last decision round (Q6), all teams will be ranked in terms of their cumulative balanced
scorecard (CBS).
Participation & Business in the News (200 Points)
This is a 400 level discussion based course. Attendance is expected and required. Participation is
more than simply coming to class. You are expected to actively participate in the class discussions.
These discussions will be based on assigned class readings (you are expected to have read these
before class) as well as what you have read, heard, and seen related to international business via
various forms of media. Thus, it is your responsibility to come to class prepared so that you can ask
questions about the material you have read, state your opinions on the subject matter, and engage
your classmates in discussion.
You will be receiving a grade for participation based on the following:
Grade
A
Meaning
Outstanding
Contributor
B
Good
Contributor
C
Contributor
D
Non
Contributor
Description
Contributions reflect exceptional preparation and willingness to add
to the positive atmosphere of the class. Ideas offered are always
substantive and insightful. Arguments are well supported and
persuasively presented. Student is an excellent listener to other
students as well as the instructor. If this person were not a member of
this class, the quality of our class discussions would clearly suffer.
Contributions reflect good preparation, with less attention to detail
and less outside reading (for example, of current business news) than
an Outstanding Contributor. At a minimum, I expect and hope that
all students fall into this category. Ideas offered are usually
substantive and insightful.
Contributions reflect satisfactory preparation. Person is almost
always present, but does not contribute as much as Outstanding or
Good Contributors. When called on, person answers questions
adequately, but does not demonstrate integrative, independent, or
reflective thinking.
Contributions reflect inadequate preparation. Attendance record
shows many unexcused absences. Ideas generally do not provide
important insights or constructive direction for the class. Student is
inattentive, but not disruptive.
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Unprepared and often absent. Does not contribute to class and can be
disruptive. Uses cell phone or other distracting devices in class.
F
Business in the News
A key part of class will be our weekly discussions on Business in the News. Every Wednesday we
will begin class with a discussion of current events in the world related to business, strategy, and
management.
Business in the News must be submitted via an Angel drop box each Wednesday by 5:00pm
(except for the first week of class, presentation, exam, and Spring break weeks). Each Business in
the News is worth 10 points. You will not receive credit for Business in the News if you are not
in class on Wednesday. Submitting a news item is not enough to receive full credit. You must
also be willing to discuss your news item and its meaning in class.
In order to fully participate in Business in the News you should be actively acquiring knowledge
through sources such as:
 The Economist
The Economist is available for purchase in bookstores such as Barnes and Noble, as a digital, print,
or combination digital and print subscription (there is special student subscription pricing—info
can be found at https://www.economistsubscriptions.com/ecom930/global/index.php) as well as
The Economist for Droid, IPhone, and IPad. If you intend to continue in the field of International
Business, I recommend that you purchase a subscription, in some form, of The Economist. Brief
stories in the news may be found at The Economist website http://www.economist.com
For your papers and presentations you can also find The Economist and other resources via
the Penn State Libraries website as an online subscription. Example:

Go to http://www.libraries.psu.edu
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Click on E Journals and type in economist
In the search results page, select the first option: The Economist
Just click on the title or the Get It! Icon.
 New York Times Global Edition
http://www.nytimes.com/pages/business/global/index.html
Stories from the global edition of the New York Times are available online.
 The Financial Times http://www.ft.com/home/us
The Financial Times is one of the oldest newspapers (now also online) focusing on
international business and finance.
In-Class Professionalism
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This is the capstone course for business majors. Therefore students have the experience and
knowledge to act professionally in class. In particular:
CELL PHONES: A cell phone is not necessary for success in this course. The use of a cell phone
during class is distracting and unprofessional. Therefore, put your cell phone away before class
begins and do not use it again until class has ended.
DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR: Disruptive behavior including using the computers when the
instructor or other students are speaking, using your phone or computers to view Facebook or other
websites, apps, and games, or being disruptive to the learning environment will result in your being
asked to leave the classroom.
Course Schedule
NOTE: This syllabus is subject to change based on the needs of the class as well as potential
guest speakers and inclement weather conditions.
Week One January 13 & 15
Monday
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Topic: Introduction to BA 422W
o Intro to Strategy and the Five Forces
Assignments for Next Class:
o What is strategy—submit a one page, double spaced description (in your
own words) describing what strategy (in business) is and why it is important.
Include why you think some companies succeed and others fail.

Assignments for Wednesday January 22nd:
READ—The Strategy Book, Introduction, What is Strategy, and Part 1 Your
Strategic Self and The Strategy Book, Part 2, Thinking Like a Strategist
Wednesday
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Presentation by Ryan Smolko
Week Two January 20 & 22
Monday (No Class MLK Day)
Wednesday
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Topic: What is Strategy? Why do some companies succeed and some fail?
Company Focus: Walmart vs. Target (group activity)
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Video: The Office “Business School”
Topic: The Strategy Book Part 1, Your Strategic Self and he Strategy Book Part 2,
Thinking Like a Strategist
Discussion:
o Introduction to Online Strategy Simulation
Assignments for Next Class:
o
READ—The Strategy Book Part 3, Creating Your Strategy
Week Three January 27 & 29
Monday
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Topic: Mission, Goals, Leadership
Video: Face of the Franchise
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50134050nT
Group Workshop
Assignments for Next Class:
o Market Place Live Q1 Due Wednesday by 4pm
Quarter 1: Organize the firm and set up shop

Name the company.
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Sell 2,000,000 in stock.
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Assign corporate responsibilities to the team.
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Establish personal goals, team norms, and decision-making process.
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Analyze the market survey.
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Establish corporate goals and overall business strategy.
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Choose the target segments.
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Design a brand for each target segment.
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Schedule the opening of the first sales outlet.
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Build a factory.
Turn in Business in the News #1 by 4pm on Wednesday
Wednesday
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Topic: Wall Street
Discussion:
o Business in the News
Video: The Untouchables http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/untouchables/
Assignments for Next Class:
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o
READ—The Strategy Book Part 4, Winning with Strategy
Week Four February 3 & 5
Monday
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Topic: Winning with Strategy
Discussion: Competitive Advantage
Group Activity: Designing the best Candy Bar
Assignments for Next Class:
o Turn in Business in the News #2 by 5pm on Wednesday
Wednesday
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
Quiz 1
Business in the News
Group Activity: Pear Inc.
Assignments for Next Class:
o
READ—The Strategy Book Part 5, Making Your Strategy Work
Week Five February 10 & 12
Monday
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Topic: Making Your Strategy Work
Business
Assignments for Next Class:
o Turn in Business in the News #3 by 4pm on Wednesday
Wednesday
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Topic: Strategy & Technology
Discussion: Business in the News
Presentations: Business Plan Presentations
Video: Resurrecting Chrysler
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7420282n
Assignments for Next Class:
o
None
Week Six February 17 & 19
Monday
10
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Topic: Group Workshop
Assignments for Next Class:
o READ—Domino’s Pizza (on Angel)
o Turn in Business in the News #4 by 5pm Wednesday
Wednesday
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Topic: Dominos Pizza
Quiz 2
Group Workshop for Strategy Tool Kit
Assignments for Next Class:
o Strategy Tool Kit Presentation
Week Seven February 24 & 26
Monday
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Topic: Strategy Toolkit Presentations
Assignments for Next Class:
o Turn in Business in the News #5 by 5pm Wednesday
Wednesday
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Topic: Strategy Toolkit Presentations
Assignments for Next Class:
o
Work on MarketPlace Live
Week Eight March 3 & 5
Monday
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Group Workshop
Assignments for Next Class Monday March 17:
o READ—Made to Stick, Introduction, What Sticks
o
READ—Made to Stick Chapter 2 “Simple”
Wednesday
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Exam 1
Week Nine NO CLASSES SPRING BREAK
Week Ten March 17 & 19
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Monday
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Topic: Made to Stick Intro
Discussion: What Sticks?
Video: The Innovator
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50143017n
Topic: Made to Stick “Simple”
Discussion: What is “Simple”?
Video: What ideas stick
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bs9NbxJHV-w
Assignments for Next Class:
o READ—Made to Stick “Unexpected”
o READ—Zip Car (on Angel)
o Turn in Business in the News #6 by 5pm Wednesday
Wednesday
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Topic: Made to Stick “Unexpected”
Discussion: Unexpected
Video: Zip Car
http://www.ted.com/talks/robin_chase_excuse_me_may_i_rent_your_car.html
Video: Are we in control of our own decisions?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9X68dm92HVI
Assignments for Next Class:
o
READ—NetFlix
Week Eleven March 24 & 26
Monday
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Topic: Innovations & Bad Decisions
Quiz 3
Discussion: Netflix
Video: Netflix
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdYdbOQVycs
Video:
How to Design Breakthrough Ideas
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50149472n
Assignments for Next Class:
o READ—Your assigned group chapter in Made to Stick
o Turn in Business in the News #7 by 5pm Wednesday
Wednesday
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Topic: Presentation Preparation
Assignments for Next Class:
o
Upload Chapter Presentation to Angel
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Week Twelve March 31 & April 2
Monday
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Topic: Presentations & Group Workshop
Assignments for Next Class:
o Turn in Business in the News #8 by 5pm Wednesday
Wednesday
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Topic: Presentations
Assignments for Next Class:
o
READ—What Sticks “Conclusion”
Week Thirteen April 7 & 9
Monday
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Topic: What Sticks Conclusion
Discussion:
Video: Dare to Disagree
http://www.ted.com/talks/margaret_heffernan_dare_to_disagree.html
Assignments for Next Class:
o READ—American Apparel
o Turn in Business in the News #9 by 5pm Wednesday
Wednesday
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Topic: Vertical Integration
Discussion: American Apparel
Video: GE’s Jeff Immelt
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7384062n
Assignments for Next Class:
o
READ—Robots (on Angel
o
READ—Kiva (on Angel)
Week Fourteen April 14 & 16
Monday
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Topic: Future Jobs?
Discussion:
o How does technology change strategy?
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Video: Robots and Jobs
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50138922n
Group Workshop
Assignments for Next Class:
o Turn in Business in the News #10 by 5pm Wednesday
Wednesday
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Topic: TBA
Discussion: TBA
Assignments for Next Class:
o
Study for Exam 2
Week Fifteen April 21 & 23
Monday
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Topic: Exam 2
Wednesday
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Topic: Group Workshop
Week Sixteen April 28 & 30
Monday
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Topic: Group Presentations and Final Report to Stockholders
Wednesday
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Topic: Group Presentations and Final Report to Stockholders
Quiz 4
THERE IS NO FINAL EXAM IN THIS CLASS
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
According to the Penn State Principles and University Code of Conduct:
Academic integrity is a basic guiding principle for all academic activity at Penn State
University, allowing the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open, honest, and responsible
manner. According to the University’s Code of Conduct, you must neither engage in nor
tolerate academic dishonesty. This includes, but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism,
fabrication of information or citations, facilitating acts of academic dishonesty by others,
unauthorized possession of examinations, submitting work of another person, or work
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previously used in another course without informing the instructor, or tampering with
the academic work of other students.
Any violation of academic integrity will be investigated and, where warranted, corrective
academic and/or disciplinary action will be taken. For every incident where a penalty is
assessed, an Academic Integrity Incident Report form must be filed. The form can be found
on the Smeal College Intranet at this URL:
https://intranet.smeal.psu.edu/handi/undergraduate-incident-report-form-aiir/2012universal-academic-integrity-form.pdf. This form is to be used for undergraduate courses.
The report must be signed and dated by both the instructor and the student, and then
submitted to Jeff Sharp, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education, 202 Business
Building.
Smeal Honor Code:
We, the Smeal College of Business Community, aspire to the highest ethical standards
and will hold each other accountable to them. We will not engage in any action that is
improper or that creates the appearance of impropriety in our academic lives, and we
intend to hold to this standard in our future careers.
PLAGIARISM / COPYING
All work you submit for grading or academic credit is designed to reflect your knowledge
and skill related to the course subject matter. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated, all
work submitted is to be done on an individual basis. This includes but is not limited to all
exams, quizzes, homework, papers, written assignments, and presentations.
Plagiarism is claiming work as your own that you have copied from another person,
whether that other person knows about it or not. This includes copying from web sites
without proper source citation and using homework or papers prepared by current or past
students whether working as an individual or working in a group / team.
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION & SEXUAL HARASSMENT
The Pennsylvania State University is committed to a policy where all persons shall have
equal access to programs, facilities, admission, and employment without regard to personal
characteristics not related to ability, performance, or qualifications as determined by
University policy or by Commonwealth or Federal authorities. Penn State does not
discriminate against any person because of age, ancestry, color, disability or handicap,
national origin, race, religious creed, gender, sexual orientation, or veteran status. Related
inquiries should be directed to the Affirmative Action Office, 328 Boucke Building.
Students with Disabilities
Penn State and the Smeal College of Business welcome students with disabilities to all of its
classes, programs and events. The Penn State Office of Disability Services (ODS) in Room
116 Boucke Building provides a vast array of services for students with disabilities
according to mandates under Title II of the ADA amendments Act of 2008 and Section 504
of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. For more information or to meet with a service provider
from ODS, contact them at (814) 863-1807 (V/TTY) or visit their website at:
http://equity.psu.edu/ods
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In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the
Office of Disability Services, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation:
http://equity.psu.edu/ods/guidelines. If the documentation supports your request for
reasonable accommodations, ODS will provide you with an accommodation letter that you
will need to share with the instructor as early in the course as possible. Adjustments will
be made based on the recommendations in the accommodation letter. This process must
be followed each semester that accommodations are requested.