Syllabus
Strategy Seminar
Semester:
Summer 2008
Professor:
Daniel P. Mertens, MBA, PhD
Email:
dan.mertens@email.stvincent.edu
Class meeting time: Friday
18:30-21:30
Saturday 13:30-17:00
Course Description
This course is designed as a seminar course for master’s students. This course does not deal with a
specific functional area (marketing, finance, etc.), but instead examines the “big picture” and how to
manage for success. Throughout the course, the focus will be: “What must managers do, and do well, to
make the company a winner in the game of business?” The answer that emerges, and which becomes the
theme of the course, is that good strategy-making and good strategy-execution are the key ingredients of
company success and the most reliable signs of good management. The mission of the course is to
explore why good strategic management leads to good business performance, to present the basic
concepts and tools of strategic analysis, and to build a grand foundation regarding the methods of
crafting a well-conceived strategy and executing it competently.
You’ll be called on to probe, question, and evaluate all aspects of a company’s external and internal
situation. You’ll grapple with sizing up a company’s standing in the marketplace and its ability to go
head-to-head with rivals, learn to tell the difference between winning strategies and mediocre strategies,
and become more skilled in spotting ways to improve a company’s strategy or its execution.
The course makes extensive use of the case, in-class activity, and presentation methods of study placing
a great deal of responsibility on each student to make use of information presented in previous classes.
Work in addition to the text and lectures are EXPECTED AS NORMAL for the successful completion
of this course.
As a participant in this course, each student will have the opportunity to study and appreciate the need
for sound strategic planning and precise management of operations in a wide range of organizations. The
course demands both qualitative and quantitative policy analysis and decision making. The situations
presented for study will permit the student to demonstrate the competencies acquired during ‘real world’
and classroom study.
TEXT
Crafting and Executing Strategy, the Quest for Competitive Advantage 16th ed., Thompson
Strickland, Gamble McGraw-Hill Publishing, ISBN: 0078183286 (note that you do not need
the BSG online game, only the online materials)
We will also have assigned readings from top journals. Those will be distributed in class.
Strategy Seminar – Summer 2008
Dan Mertens, MBA, Ph.D.
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COURSE REQUIREMENTS
1. Each student is required to attend all classes. Unexcused absences are not recognized as valid.
2. Unless other wise specified, all material will be in Microsoft Word Format and be
submitted digitally via the digital drop box in Blackboard.
3. Each student will, as a member of a group, prepare and make a case presentation to the
class. Case presentations will be discussed in the first class. Oral presentations must make use of
examples and research beyond the text and it is expected that presentations will make use of
PowerPoint presentation software if possible. The presenting group should forward a copy of
their PowerPoint slides the day of the presentation to the class. ALL group members must speak
in the presentation.
4. Each student, as a member of a group, will be responsible for leading the discussion on a
case other than the one they will present. The discussion leader group is responsible for using
Case-TUTORTM software to prepare their responses to the case. A collective summary of the
group’s response to the Case-TUTORTM software is due by Monday at noon in the week the case
is presented.
5. Active and informed class participation is expected of all students. Successful completion of
this class demands a considerable amount of outside work; and it is important that the student
recognize the required effort.
6. For classes where a student is not a member of the presenting group or the group leading the
class discussion, he or she should submit a list of three typewritten questions to be asked of the
presenting group. This will be the same format for ALL students the days of assigned articles to
be read. The professor will determine which individuals are responsible for the question period
prior to each day’s presentation. Typewritten questions will submitted via Blackboard, and the
questions will be graded on how well they articulate a careful reading and application of the
strategic theory as presented by the text. (See the grading rubric later in the syllabus.)
7. Cheating/Plagiarism in any form will not be tolerated. The University’s policy on cheating as
outlined in the student handbook will be enforced. Plagiarism is defined as the act of presenting
as new or original an idea or product as one’s own. When an idea comes from another source, it
must be cited (even if it is not a direct quote).
Participation-All class members will participate in each class. The importance of class
interaction cannot be overstated. Each person’s knowledge, experiences, and beliefs can only
further and strengthen the education of fellow classmates. All students should be prepared to
cope with lively and provocative discussion.
Strategy Seminar – Summer 2008
Dan Mertens, MBA, Ph.D.
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Grading
The following is a breakdown of how the student's final grade will be computed:
Component
% of Total Grade
- Participation
5
- Submitted Questions
10
- Exam/Online quizzes
25
- Oral Case (Group)
20
- Readings/summaries
15
- Strategic Audit
25
_________________________________________
Total
100
All material submitted for evaluation shall be clean typed copy without typos or misspellings (pen
or pencil corrections are not acceptable). Students should avoid unnecessary jargon, awkward usage
and incorrect grammar and misspellings
Strategic Audit
You are required to perform a strategic audit on a company of your choice. In performing your analysis,
you should put yourself in the position of a consultant for the company. You have hired by the Board of
Directors to conduct this strategic audit. You are to determine whether the organization's strategy is
effective, and to provide specific advice and implementation ideas on how to improve the firm's strategy.
There is no one right way to conduct a strategic audit. How you conduct the audit depends largely upon
the company, the industry, and the level of analysis. You should tailor your audit to your specific
firm. At a minimum your audit should mirror the theories and concepts we cover. You will be required
to present an updated analysis of your company as we progress through the semester. Here are some
questions to help guide you during the class:
1. What has been the firm’s primary strategy, how well has it been working, and why has it
been performing such? Can you determine any proactive strategies? Can you determine and
reactive strategies? Analyze the ethics of your company’s strategy.
2. Analyze the company’s strategy vision? How well is it communicated? What objectives have
been set? Are objectives noticeable at each managerial level? What is the company’s
mission? Is it well conceived? Is it effective?
3. Analyze the external environment of the company, utilizing tools/theories we have learned in
class. Your conclusion should include how attractive is the primary industry this firm
operates in? Has this industry generated above average returns in the past and is it likely to
generate above average returns in the future? Please provide specific data to answer these
questions. You need industry profitability and cost of capital measures to draw these
conclusions.
Strategy Seminar – Summer 2008
Dan Mertens, MBA, Ph.D.
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4. Analyze the internal environment of the company, utilizing tools/theories we have learned in
class. Your conclusion should include what issues merit immediate attention and the effects
this would have on the company’s current strategy
5. Analyze the generic strategy of the company and discuss whether the firm adheres to the
theory. Discuss where you company deviates and why that is important.
6. How does your company go about executing their strategy? Identify staffing, recruiting, and
retaining policies. Follow their core competence to Competitive Advantage paths. Make sure
to determine specifics for the company at each step in the process from competence to
competitive advantage .
7. Based upon your analyses of the industry and the company, develop conclusions and offer
specific recommendations and an action plan concerning what this firm should do over
the next 2-5 year time period. The conclusions and recommendations you make should be
backed up by logical arguments supported by rigorous quantitative and qualitative
arguments. You will be expected to utilize the tools you have been taught to strengthen your
argument. Continually ask yourself, “does this argument make sense,” and, “if this were my
money would I follow this advice?” If possible, estimate the financial implications of your
recommendations on the profitability and capital structure.
Specifics
It is important that you pick a firm for which you can gather detailed financial and strategic
information. If you do not have access to all the relevant information your analysis will suffer. I
would recommend you pick a company that is primarily focused in one business segment. The
library has some very useful resources such as Standard and Poor’s Industry Surveys, Moody’s
and various data bases. Please utilize the resources of the library and do not assume that a
Google search will get you everything you need.
Restrictions
You cannot select any of the firms whose cases are discussed in class. No two people can do the
same firm (allocated on a first come/first serve basis).
ORAL CASE PRESENTATIONS
During your presentation, you have two overall objectives. First you should inform your
audience of the results of your case analysis. The second objective is to convince the
audience that your particular approach and action plan are the best. Here you will be
marketing and selling your ideas to others. You need to note other action plans you
considered, and suggest why yours is better and will help the organization obtain its goals and
objectives while solving its inherent problems. Because you are the management responsible
for the firm's success, you will want to be as persuasive as possible. This means that you
should be prepared to support your decisions with evidence and logical reasoning and defend
your decisions with thoughtful analysis of costs and benefits of various alternatives. Avoid
vague generalizations, unsupported assumptions, opinions and beliefs. Evaluations will focus
Strategy Seminar – Summer 2008
Dan Mertens, MBA, Ph.D.
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on how well you use the evidence in the case, the quality of your reasoning from the evidence,
the appropriate use of strategic management theory, and overall presentation. The evaluation
will not be concerned with "right" or "wrong" answers.
Grading Rubric for Questions
Team Name _______________________
Team Members _____________
_____________
Date _________________
_____________
Delivery of Presentation

____________
Needs
Improvement
Satisfactory
Outstanding
Physical Characteristics: Appropriate posture, movement,
gestures, etc. No distracting rocking or swaying.
F
+/-
D
+/-
C
+/-
B
+/-
A

Diction: Appropriate choice and use of words.
F
+/-
D
+/-
C
+/-
B
+/-
A

Non-Words: No excessive use of um’s, aw’s, like, you know,
etc.
F
+/-
D
+/-
C
+/-
B
+/-
A
Presence: Establishes and maintains appropriate eye contact
with entire audience. Exhibits confidence in front of audience
and commands presence.
F
+/-
D
+/-
C
+/-
B
+/-
A
Voice: Clear and distinct pronunciation and enunciation. Voice
loud enough.
F
+/-
D
+/-
C
+/-
B
+/-
A
Appearance: Professional and/or appropriate for audience and
speech.
F
+/-
D
+/-
C
+/-
B
+/-
A
Opening Statement: Captures attention and interest of
audience with engaging opening. Provides preview of speech.
F
+/-
D
+/-
C
+/-
B
+/-
A
Organization: Clear and logical development of ideas, easy for
active listener to follow. Smooth transitions between ideas.
F
+/-
D
+/-
C
+/-
B
+/-
A
Content Clearly Explained: Primary message and thesis of
presentation is easily understood. Difficult or complex ideas are
explained at a level that is consistent with audience
sophistication.
F
+/-
D
+/-
C
+/-
B
+/-
A

Creativity of Presentation: The content and delivery of
the speech is presented with originality and
expressiveness. The audience is informed and engaged.
F
+/-
D
+/-
C
+/-
B
+/-
A
Closing Statement: Provides an appropriate conclusion and
summary of presentation.
F
+/-
D
+/-
C
+/-
B
+/-
A
Quality of Visual Aids: Informative, creative, easy-to-read, and
error-free.
F
+/-
D
+/-
C
+/-
B
+/-
A



Content of Presentation




Other

Strategy Seminar – Summer 2008
Dan Mertens, MBA, Ph.D.



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Ability to Answer Questions: Provides informative and
respectful answers to queries.
F
+/-
D
+/-
C
+/-
B
+/-
A
Time Management: Presentation fits within stated or
appropriate time guidelines.
F
+/-
D
+/-
C
+/-
B
+/-
A
Quality of Handout(s): Informative, creative, easy-to-read, and
error-free.
F
+/-
D
+/-
C
+/-
B
+/-
A
F
+/-
D
+/-
C
+/-
B
+/-
A
Overall Presentation: Considering the above, how effective was the
presentation?
When making the oral presentation, you should keep a number of points in mind. Some tips:
10 Tips For Successful Public Speaking (http://www.toastmasters.org/tips.htm)
Feeling some nervousness before giving a speech is natural and healthy. It shows you care
about doing well. But, too much nervousness can be detrimental. Here's how you can control your
nervousness and make effective, memorable presentations:
-Know the room. Be familiar with the place in which you will speak. Arrive early, walk around the
speaking area and practice using the microphone and any visual aids.
-Know the audience. Greet some of the audience as they arrive. It's easier to speak to a group of friends
than to a group of strangers.
-Know your material. If you're not familiar with your material or are uncomfortable with it, your
nervousness will increase. Practice your speech and revise it if necessary.
-Relax. Ease tension by doing exercise
-Visualize yourself giving your speech. Imagine yourself speaking, your voice loud, clear, and assured.
When you visualize yourself as successful, you will be successful
-Realize that people want you to succeed. Audiences want you to be interesting, stimulating,
informative, and entertaining. They don't want you to fail.
-Don't apologize. If you mention your nervousness or apologize for any problems you think you have
with your speech, you may be calling the audience's attention to something they hadn't noticed. Keep
silent.
-Concentrate on the message -- not the medium. Focus your attention away from your own anxieties, and
outwardly toward your message and your audience. Your nervousness will dissipate.
-Turn nervousness into positive energy. Harness your nervous energy and transform it into vitality and
enthusiasm.
Strategy Seminar – Summer 2008
Dan Mertens, MBA, Ph.D.
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Other suggestions
-Dress the part (Your dress and demeanor should convey the kind of professional consideration
you wish from your audience)
-Introduce yourself and members of your group
-Make eye contact
-Avoid reading note cards or the PowerPoint slides
-Adequately prepare the case before class (practice your presentation)
-Make a list of all possible questions that may be asked and prepare answers (know who will
handle which questions)
-Keep an open mind
-Market and sell your ideas
-Incorporate outside experiences
-Use graphics when they enhance your presentation (they should be professionally done and
accurate
-When presenting graphics remember the phrase "Less is More"
-Do not talk over one another (listen to others)
-Be as brief as possible (your presentation is not a class lecture)
-Take a proactive position rather than a reactive position
-Be respectful of points of view that differ from your group's point of view
-Be courteous and constructive
-Do not repeat yourself (Do not repeat others)
-Do not overemphasize one particular idea
-Avoid changing the topic suddenly
-Avoid rushing through your presentation
-Watch the cadence and modulation of your voice
-Project your voice as if you wanted to be heard in the back of the room.
Readings and Chapter Summaries
I would like you to be familiar with the terms, examples and ideas of interest to you in the assigned
articles and the text. For each assigned paper/chapter choose 3-4 points or terms that you believe are
important/interesting. Type them out in bold statement and then describe why they are
interesting/important to you. We will utilize these documents in class to further discussion. They will be
collected before class and graded.
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Dan Mertens, MBA, Ph.D.
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Grading Rubric for assigned readings/chapters and case questions
Grading Scale
Rubric for Submitted Questions


5




3




1


0


The submitted question shows a clear understanding of the theoretical
reading material assigned.
The submitted question gives evidence that the student has spent significant
time thinking about
 How the assignment fits the general discussion of strategic management
 The specific role the assignment can play in current class discussion.
There is evidence of effective synthetic connections with
 Past class discussions
 Current events
 Other classes the person has taken
 Discussion with others outside of class
 Readings not specifically assigned to the person making the submission
The question as submitted will be very useful to the class discussion leader
and highlights significant issues for spirited dialogue.
The submitted question does not indicate a clear understanding a careful
reading material assigned.
The submitted question suggests that the student has essentially “ run his/her
eyes over the words in the material” and does not give evidence that
 He or she spent significant time thinking about the assignment
 How this assignment fits the general discussion of strategic management
 The specific role it can play in current class discussion.
There is limited evidence of effective synthetic connections with

Past class discussions

Current events

Other classes the person has taken

Discussion with others outside of class

Readings not specifically assigned to the person making the submission.
The question, as submitted will be of marginal use to the discussion leader
or to class dialogue.
The submitted question indicates a misunderstanding of the material
assigned.
The submitted question does not give evidence that the student
 Spent significant time thinking about the assigned material
 How this assignment fits the general discussion of strategic management
 The specific role it can play in current class discussion.
There is no convincing evidence of effective synthetic connections with

Past class discussions

Current events

Other classes the person has taken

Discussion with others outside of class

Readings not specifically assigned to the person making the submission.
The question, as submitted will be of no use to the discussion leader or to
class dialogue.
The question was not submitted by the posted deadline
The question was submitted in an improper format