MGT 499.03 Business Policy
Tuesday-Thursday 8:00 am to 9:20 am
Fall 2002
INSTRUCTOR
Edward W. Rogers, Ph.D.
E-mail: rogerse@email.uah.edu
Office Hours: Tuesday & Thursday 12-2 pm
Office: 370 ASB
Phone: 256-824-2897
REQUIRED TEXTS AND MATERIALS
1. Strategic Management Concise: A Managerial Perspective by Bourgeois et. al.
2. Course Notes Packet (Includes all PowerPoint slides and any extra readings)
3. Subscription to the Wall Street Journal
Prerequisites for this course are: senior standing and ACC301, EH 300, FIN 301, MGT 301,
MSC 325, MSC 385, MGT 450. The last 4 courses may be taken concurrently with this course.
THIS COURSE IS INTENDED TO:
1. Develop your ability to think strategically about the choices facing companies in their
competitive environment.
2. Help you become proficient at analyzing and formulating recommendations regarding
strategic decisions within firms.
3. Increase your awareness of the complexities involved in managing innovation and give you a
healthy respect for the challenge of balancing cross-functional areas in the whole process.
4. Make you more conscious about the importance of ethical principles, personal and company
values, and socially responsible management practices.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Two Written Cases (100 each)
Individual
Group Project (oral 100; written 200 progress reports 100)
Selected Teams
In class quizzes
Individual
Class participation
Individual
Final Case Test
Individual
TOTAL
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200
400
100
100
200
1000 Points
Rogers: Fall 2002
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is where you are supposed to put the pieces together and apply the management and
organizational principles, examples, and wisdom you have learned thus far in your courses in the
business program. The course is intended to be challenging in a way that forces you to apply
your own reasoning and logic with the analytical tools you have learned (financial, management,
and environmental) to real life management problems.
This course is required because the faculty and administration at UAH have determined that a
solid exposure to the concepts and problems inherent in trying to integrate economics, decision
making and, leadership will help you in your jobs and careers ahead of you. This is now your
chance to practice thinking like managers. Accordingly, the course revolves around cases. We
will read and discuss them in class as a means to sharpening our reasoning and expression skills
in intellectual debate.
NOTE:
Success in this course requires a lot of reading, considerable outside of class
work and active classroom participation. You should consider your course load
and outside commitments carefully for this semester.
POLICY ON ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION
The expectation is that you have 1) read the material, 2) done the assignment 3) thought through
how the material relates to your work and 4) come ready to add value to the class discussion by
sharing or asking questions.
NOTE: To encourage active preparation and reduce freeloading, we will have unannounced
quizzes in class at any time on any day. There will be NO MAKEUPS. You will be able
to drop at least one quiz grade to allow for personal absences.
There will be an attendance sign-in sheet for each class. Each class missed deducts 5 points. I
will assign bonus points in this category for added value to the class discussion so you can make
up points for a missed class. FALSIFYING ATTENDANCE BY SIGNING IN AND LEAVING
OR SIGNING SOMEONE ELSE’S NAME WILL RESULT IN A PARTICIPATION GRADE
OF ZERO. Disruptive students who talk in class, interrupt rudely, eat food (drinks are okay) or
answer cell phone calls will be asked to leave the classroom and marked absent.
POLICY ON ACADEMIC CONDUCT
Cheating, plagiarism, fabrication, and misrepresentation will not be tolerated. Students
committing these acts will be subject to punishment as described in the Student Handbook.
DISABILITY ACCOMMODATIONS
Students with disabilities are encouraged to register with the Student Development Services
Office, room 113, University Center, voice/TDD 890-6203. Thereafter, you are invited to
schedule appointments to see me to discuss accommodations for any documented needs.
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WRITTEN CASES
There are no extra cases or make ups beyond what is in the syllabus. All missed or late cases will
receive a grade of ZERO. Handwritten work will not be accepted. The written cases are due at
the BEGINNING of class which is 8:00 am NO EXCEPTIONS. You must allow for printer
jams etc. If you are not attending, be sure your case reaches me before the beginning of class.
You will sign up to do two cases during the semester. You MAY do ONE additional case to
substitute for a low grade. You may NOT switch your case after they are assigned.
All written cases are to be printed (double-spaced) using 12-point type with a Times Roman font,
1 inch margins and should follow correct form, spelling, grammar, etc. The body of the paper
should be no more than THREE pages. Plan to put your recommendations on the FIRST page
followed by your main supporting logic. Give only enough details to show the strength of your
analysis. DO NOT GIVE EXCESSIVE BACKGROUND DETAILS OF THE CASE. You must
be concise and to the point. Assume the reader is the CEO or an otherwise well-informed insider
to the company in question. You may include up to two additional pages of exhibits (diagrams,
tables or references).
This course is about thinking and acting like a manager. Assignments that are sloppy, not spellchecked or poorly written will receive a lower grade. Looking professional is part of the
requirement. Your cases should be something you are proud of. This does not mean you need
plastic covers and color. Professional means logical, neat, proof-read, clear and to the point.
GROUP PROJECT
The project for this course requires you to perform a strategic analysis of a (preferably local)
company, formulate and justify a set of strategic options, and finally recommend the best course
of strategic direction and action based upon your analysis. You will make a presentation to the
class at the end of the term (possibly with some outside guests) and hand in a written report.
You may select your own team (up to four members) for the group project. Your group must turn
in a one page proposal of your target company by the fourth class meeting. Any remaining
students will be assigned to a group on that date. I will give you some sample reports from past
classes and more detailed instructions in class. In addition, your team must schedule meetings
weekly and invite me to visit one or two of these meetings.
The final presentations will be on Dec 3rd, the last day of class. All teams must present on this
day. Do not plan on taking the course this term if you cannot attend the Dec. 3rd final
presentation day. Each team will have 10-12 minutes to make their pitch to the rest of the class
who will grade the presentations. You must attend the entire class session to grade the other
teams as well. There will be no coming and going during this class period. All presentations must
be delivered to me by email by 5pm on Dec. 2nd . I will have them all loaded on the projector and
ready to go on the 3rd. Professional attire is expected during the final presentations.
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Class Schedule for Strategic Management 499: FALL 2002
Aug 22
#1
Course Orientation; What is Strategy?
Pre-Reading
Activity
Chapter 1: What is Strategy?
Personal info cards. Sign up for WSJ
Aug 27
Manager’s Mental Models
#2
Pre-Reading
Activity
Aug 29
#3
Pre-Reading
Activity
Sept 3
#4
Reading
DUE
TODAY
Sept 5
#5
Reading
DUE
TODAY
Sept 10
#6
Reading
Activity
Sept 12
#7
Reading
Activity
Sept 17
#8
Reading
DUE
TODAY
Sept 19
#9
Reading
Activity
Sept 24
#10
Chapter 1: A Model for Strategic Management
Pay attention to Four Dimensions of Managerial Mental Models (page 19)
Find Group Members for Team Project
Quiz 1 on Course Plan, Requirements and Expectations
Mapping Mental Models
Chapter 2: General Managers (How to Make Mental Models Explicit)
Perceptual Biases and Concept Mapping
Construct Maps in Class (Counts as quiz 2)
CASE DISCUSSION: ASTRAL RECORDS
Astral Records, Case #3 in Textbook
CASE WRITE UP
Introduction to Competitive Advantage
Chapter 3: Competitive Advantage VIDEO on SOUTHWEST AIRLINES
Project Progress Report Part A (25 points)
Team Contact List; Workplan and Company Selection (list two or three)
Value Chain Analysis
Chapter 3: Competitive Advantage
Quiz 3 on Chapter 1-3
Industry Analysis
Chapter 4: Analysis of Industry Environments SWOT and 5 Forces
Construct map for UAH (Counts as Quiz 4).
Industry Analysis: Applying the Five Forces
Chapter 4 (cont)
Project Progress Report Part B (25 Points)
History, Financial Performance and Background of Company
Value Creation Part One: AMAZON
Amazon Article from Business 2.0
Video of Jeff Bezos
Business Definition: What Business Are We In?
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Reading
Activity
Sept 26
#11
Reading
DUE
TODAY
Oct 1
#12
Reading
Activity
Oct 3
Oct 8
#13
#14
Reading
Activity
Oct 15
#15
Reading
DUE
TODAY
Oct 17
#16
Reading
Activity
Oct 22
#17
Reading
Activity
Oct 24
#18
Reading
DUE
TODAY
Oct 29
CASE DISCUSSION: GEORGIA DIGITAL REPRODUCTION, INC.
Georgia Digital Reproductions, Inc. Case # 6 in Text
Case Write Up
Competitive Strategies
Chapter 7: Business Strategy and Competitive Advantage
Quiz 6 on Competitive Strategies
NO CLASS MEETING FALL BREAK
Reading
Activity
Oct 10
Chapter 6: Business Definition
Video of Jeff Bezos
Know the definition of the business your team has selected.
Quiz 5
#19
Reading
DUE
TODAY
Competitive Strategies That Work
Chapter 7 (cont)
Guest Speaker
Competitive Industry Position
Chapter 8: Business Strategy in Different Industries
Quiz 7
CASE DISCUSSION: SOUTHWEST AIRLINES
Southwest Airlines Case # 7 in Text
Case Write up
Firm Boundaries
Read the WSJ or other Business Publication on Size of a firm
Share your reading on how big should a firm be?
Corporate Strategy
Chapter 9: Corporate Strategy Diversification
Review Group Project Progress
Corporate Strategy (cont)
Chapter 9 (cont) Diversification
Project Progress Report Part C (25 points)
Competitive Analysis, Competitive Advantage of Company
CASE DISCUSSION: ARVIN INDUSTRIES
Arvin Industries, Inc. Case # 10 in Text
Case Write Up
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Oct 31
#20
Reading
Activity
Nov 5
#21
Reading
Activity
Nov 7
#22
Reading
Activity
Nov 12
#23
Activity
Nov 14
#24
Reading
DUE
TODAY
Nov 19
#25
Reading
Activity
Nov 21
#26
Reading
Activity
Nov 26
#27
DUE
TODAY
Dec 3
Dec ?
#28
Value Creation
Review of Analysis Tools Chapter 1-9
Guest Speaker
Organizational Structure
Chapter 10: Organizational Structure
Quiz 8
Organizational Structure (cont)
Chapter 10 (cont) Implementation of Strategy
Guest Speaker
SEMCO Video Case in Class
Quiz 9
Strategic Control
Chapter 11: Organizational Responsiveness
Project Progress Report Part D (25 points)
Problem Analysis, Approach and Draft of Slides
Control Systems: Implementing Strategic Change
Chapter 11 (cont) Strategic Planning
Quiz 10
Strategic Change
Chapter 12: The Management of Strategic Change
Quiz 11
VIDEO CASE IN CLASS: EASTERN AIRLINES
FINAL WRITTEN REPORT DUE TODAY
FINAL PRESENTATIONS
FINAL EXAM
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