TUSCULUM COLLEGE
GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL STUDIES
MGMT 519
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
COURSE SYLLABUS
MAOM ______
Instructor Name
Phone (w)
E-mail
(h)
Course Dates:
Course Description: An integration of strategy theory and strategy action.
Ethical implications inherent in strategic decisions are discussed. Case studies of
the application of strategic management in private and public-sector
organizations are utilized. This is the capstone course for the program. (3 credit
hours)
Required Texts:
Coulter, M. (2002). Strategic management in action. Upper Saddle River,
NJ: Prentice Hall.
(Indicate any other supplemental materials here)
Course Goals:
This course will:
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Present the concepts of strategic management.
Present the importance of interpreting, understanding, and considering the
context in which an organization’s employees manage strategically.
Present the process of doing an external analysis.
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Present the process of doing an internal analysis.
Present the role of functional level strategies in managing strategically.
Present the implementation, evaluation, and modification of the various
competitive strategies.
Present the various aspects of corporate strategy.
Present what it means to manage strategically in organizations that are not
the standard business corporation.
Course Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:
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Define strategy and strategic management.
Describe the strategic management process.
Describe the three levels of organizational strategies.
Explain who’s involved with strategic management and their role in managing
strategically.
Define competitive advantage.
Describe the different perspectives on ways to achieve competitive
advantage.
Describe the driving forces of the “new” business environment.
Explain how corporate social responsibility and ethics affect strategic
management.
Describe the characteristics of a learning organization.
Differentiate between external environmental opportunities and threats.
Distinguish between the environment as information perspective and the
environment as source of resources perspective.
Explain each of the forces in Porter’s five forces model.
Explain the benefits and challenges of doing an external analysis.
Describe the relationship between organizational resources, organizational
capabilities, core competencies, and distinctive organizational capabilities.
Explain what organizational strengths and weaknesses are.
Explain the criteria that could be used to assess an organization’s strengths
and weaknesses.
Define functional strategies.
Explain high-performance work activities and why they are important.
Explain how functional strategies are implemented, evaluated, and changed.
Explain the importance of coordinating the functional strategies with the other
organizational strategies.
Explain the importance of competitive advantage.
Explain how resources, capabilities, and core competencies lead to
competitive advantage.
Explain the relationship between competitive advantage and competitive
strategies.
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Compare and contrast Miles and Snow’s adaptive strategies, Abell’s business
definition framework, and Porter’s generic competitive strategies.
Explain Mintzberg’s generic competitive strategies.
Describe how an organization’s competitive strategies are implemented,
evaluated, and changed.
Define corporate strategy.
Explain how corporate strategy is related to the other organizational
strategies.
Compare and contrast growth, stability, and renewal strategies.
Explain how corporate strategies are evaluated and changed.
Describe the three main portfolio analysis matrices.
Differentiate between a small business and an entrepreneurial venture.
Describe how the strategic management process is used in small businesses
and entrepreneurial ventures.
Define not-for-profit organization and public sector organization.
Describe how the strategic management process is used in not-for-profit and
public sector organizations.
Explain the special strategic issues facing not-for-profit and public sector
organizations.
Advanced Competencies:
The five Advanced Competencies must be addressed in the course.
The Advanced Competencies are:
1. Critical Thinking—narrowing of focus, sorting ideas generated,
identifying the most reasonable ones. This involves recognizing
opinions vs. facts, being honest with oneself, resisting manipulation,
overcoming confusion, asking questions, acknowledging complexity,
finding connections between subjects, and being intellectually
independent.
2. Synthesis of Information—taking independent bits of information,
understanding their relevance, and bringing them together into a
meaningful order.
3. Problem Solving—defining the problem, thinking about problem is both
narrowed and expanded, possibilities are generated, a plan is created
and performed.
4. Ethical Decision Making—values and plan in life are clear to the
student, information needed to make decisions is available, values are
applied to information, and action is taken.
5. Data Analysis and Interpretation—organizing qualitative and/or
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quantitative data, selecting appropriate analyses or statistical tools,
gleaning for similar content/calculating, deriving a finding, interpreting,
and practically applying it.
These competencies will be addressed in this course. You should indicate how
each is addressed in your course format. Some suggestions are listed below,
in italics.
Critical Thinking - Students will apply textbook theories to current events.
Given the various styles of management, the students must select a particular
style based on effectiveness and efficiency, and then defend their selection.
Synthesis of Information - Students will discuss managerial issues and their
implications throughout various facets of the environment. Because the issues
will have varying effects/remedies given different perspectives (i.e. company
insider, external related parties, and/or external non-related parties), the student
must take into consideration all known perspectives and formulate a solution that
suits the “big picture”.
Problem Solving - Students will apply alternative solutions to management
problems through case studies and current events.
Ethical Decision Making - Students will focus on the importance of managerial
values/ethics as they relate to organizational culture. Debates of marginal
ethical misconduct will foster a greater appreciation of the role subjectivity plays
in this arena.
Data Analysis and Interpretation - Students will compare companies and their
unique responses to similar situations. By analyzing the outcome of different
responses to similar situations, students can see the benefit/detriment of
rational/poor ethical planning and modeling.
Students With Disabilities:
Tusculum provides individuals with disabilities reasonable accommodations to
participate in educational programs, activities, and services. Students with
disabilities requiring accommodations to participate in class activities or meet
course requirements should contact Lori McCallister at (423) 636-7300,
extension 651 or 1-800-729-0256, extension 651.
Tusculum College Learning Center: If any student requires additional
academic support, they may obtain it through the Tusculum College Learning
Center. For this service, please contact Lori McCallister at (423) 636-7300,
extension 651; 1-800-729-0256, extension 651; or by email at
lmccalli@tusculum.edu. The learning center is located in Room 100 of Annie
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Hogan Byrd. The mailing address is Tusculum College Learning Center, Box
5025, Greeneville, Tennessee, 37743.
Course Schedule:
Include a description of Weekly Individual Assignments and a description of
Weekly Study Group Assignments. Include both individual and study group
assignments prior to the first class meeting.
Grading System:
Instructors must reveal their own grading system.
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The grading system should include the relative weights and percentages of
assignments, tests, etc.
Instructors should be specific on how the percentages are derived and what
assessment measures are utilized to determine the grade. Separate criteria
to measure a particular assignment should be included either here in the
syllabus or provided as an attachment to the syllabus. Grading criteria
should be aligned with the learning outcomes.
Grading for study group assignments should be included in the system (the
study group assignments should equal around 20% of the grade). Individual
performances of study group members should be evident in the grading of
study group assignments. Instructors should guard against some members
of the study group “carrying” weak students.
Grading Scale:
95 - 100
90 - 94
87 - 89
83 - 86
80 - 82
77 - 79
73 - 76
70 - 72
67 - 69
63 - 66
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A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
F
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Explanation of Assignments:
All assignments should be described. Information may include nature and
objectives of assignments, length, grading criteria, due date, and any other
relevant information. Collectively, all of the assignments, tests, and any other
activities should contribute to measuring the extent to which students are
performing on the course objectives and the Advanced Competencies. All
individual and study group assignments should be included in this section.
Library Assignment: Faculty members should ensure that there is a specific
library assignment that requires the students to utilize the Tusculum library or the
on-line library. A librarian and library assistant are available to assist students in
their research. The online resources may also be accessed from home by going
to the Tusculum Web Page and going to the library site.
Attendance Policy:
The Tusculum College Professional Studies attendance policy is found in the
college catalog. Please note that attendance is mandatory and is monitored
across the program, as well as in individual courses. Sanctions may be imposed
for excessive misses across the program. Within each course, any student
missing more than one third of any course will receive an “F”. Instructors must
adhere to Tusculum’s policy, but may specify additional policies on attendance,
lateness, and making up work.
Instructors must carefully document student attendance including late arrivals
and early departures. Any combination of missing that is greater than 1/3 of the
class time is an automatic “F” and the student is to be assigned the “F” by the
instructor. Instructors are expected to hold students accountable for class time
missed due to absences. Instructors are encouraged to require additional
assignments/activities be completed to ensure that the student has covered the
material missed. A statement to this effect and how the absence may affect the
grade should be included.
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Instructors are expected to hold students accountable for class time missed
due to absences. Instructors are encouraged to require additional
assignments/activities be completed to ensure that the student has covered
the material missed. A statement to this effect and how the absence may
affect the grade should be included.
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Academic Dishonesty:
Plagiarism is a violation of the Ethics of Social Responsibility competency. As
stated in the Undergraduate or Graduate Student Handbook, Tusculum College,
Professional Studies Program, and in the Tusculum College Catalog, plagiarism
is a form of academic dishonesty. It consists of knowingly presenting in writing or
in speech the intellectual or creative work of others as if it were one’s own. This
includes, but is not limited to:
1. Failing to identify direct or word-for-word quotations by use of appropriate
symbols and reference to the source
2. Restating in your own words the work (ideas, conclusions, words) of
another without reference to the source
3. Presenting as your own the creative work (for instance, music or
photographs) of another without proper acknowledgement.
See the Undergraduate or Graduate Student Handbook and the Tusculum
College Catalog for other forms of academic dishonesty and the sanctions for
dishonest performance.
Other Policies:
Instructors should provide students with any other policies to which they will
adhere during the course.
NOTE TO INSTRUCTORS: The following section is for your use only and
serves as a guide in establishing Study Group activities. It is not to be
included in the syllabus given to the students.
Sample Study Group Activities
(Make sure that students have meaningful assignments that fulfill the
requirement of meeting an additional four hours per week in study group. The
faculty member may want to have a weekly assignment as well as a large project
that will take several weeks of preparation.)
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Assign comprehensive case studies that require strategic analysis,
identification of strategic issues and the development of appropriate strategic
choices.
Assign building your skills exercises to allow students the chance to “practice”
the skills successful strategic mangers need.
Assign each group a company to investigate and determine the strategies of
that company with a comprehensive report to be made to the class.