TROY UNIVERSITY
MASTER SYLLABUS
SORRELL COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
MGT 6685
Management Strategy
Prerequisites
Admission into the MSM program and successful completion of at least 18 semester hours with a
grade of C or higher in required or elective courses, not to include guided-research or
independent-study courses.
Description
Study of the integrative functions of senior management in long-range strategic planning and
decision making to support implementation. This is a capstone course which utilizes all the skills
and knowledge developed earlier in the program. It focuses on policy problems and planning
beyond the boundaries of the firm. It emphasizes advanced case analysis and computer
simulation. Prerequisite: Must have completed 18 semester hours with a grade of “C” or higher
in required or elective courses, not to include guided research or independent study courses.
Objectives
On completion of the course, the student should be able to:
1. Describe the strategic-management process, citing appropriate theories and research, and
specifically including strategy formulation, implementation, and evaluation.
2. Identify and critically evaluate mission statements, strategic objectives, and organizationlevel strategies.
3. Identify and justify company strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
4. List and describe the major competitive challenges facing organizations today.
5. Apply industry competitive analysis and company situational analysis to a manufacturing or
service industry case study scenario to craft a strategic plan that optimizes the conditions for
sustainable competitive advantage, correctly using quantitative tools, matrices, and models.
6. Apply management, marketing, finance, and information strategies to business objectives in
an apt scenario, effectively bridging the gap between theory and practice.
Master Syllabi are developed by the senior faculty in each business discipline. This Master Syllabus must be used as the basis for developing the
instructor syllabus for this course, which must also comply with the content specifications outlined in the Troy University Faculty Handbook.
The objectives included on this Master Syllabus must be included among the objectives on the instructor’s syllabus, which may expand upon the
same as the instructor sees fit. The statement of purpose seeks to position the course properly within the curriculum and should be consulted by
faculty as a source of advisement guidance. Specific choice of text and other details are further subject to Program Coordinator guidance.
1 August 2005
Master Syllabus: MGT 6685
2
Purpose
To examine how and why a well conceived and well executed strategy enhances a company’s
long-term performance, to integrate the knowledge gained in the core curriculum, and to enable
the application of the strategic-management process in actual business settings. Implicit within
the purpose is the exploitation and enhancement of skills acquired in the workplace. The course
centers on the theme that a company achieves sustained success if and only if its leadership can
implement proficiently an astute, time-strategic game plan for running the company. MSM
capstone, adheres to Capstone Examination Preparation Guidelines.
Approved Texts
Textbooks for this course are standardized by major unit (by campus in Alabama, by region in
UC, and within TROY eCampus). Instructors are directed to ascertain with their major-unit
Department or Program Chairs which of the following materials have been approved for their
major unit.
David, F. R. (2005 or current). Strategic management: Concepts and cases (10th ed.). Upper
Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Harrison, J. S., & St. John, C. H. (2005 or current). Foundations of strategic management (3rd ed.).
Mason, OH: Thomson/South-Western.
Rothaermel, F. (2012 or current). Strategic Management: Concepts and Cases. (1st ed.). Boston,
MA: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. [eVersions available in numerous formats. Connect Plus
available with 1st and subsequent editions, LearnSmart available for 2nd and subsequent
editions.]
Thompson, A. A., Strickland, A. J., & Gamble, J. E. (2005 or current). Crafting and executing
strategy: The quest for competitive advantage: Concepts and cases [with online content
and premium content card] (14th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.
Wheelen, T. L., & Hunger, J. D. (2004 or current). Strategic management and business policy (9th
ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Supplements
Bartlett, C. A., & McLean, A. N. (2005 or latest revision). GE’s talent machine: The making of a
CEO [Case #9-304-049]. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Business School.
Eisenmann, T., Bakshi, S., Briens, S., & Singh, S. (2005 or latest revision). Google, Inc. [Case
#9-804-141]. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Business School.
Troy University Faculty Handbook (2010): Section 3.9.2.8 [extract] — essential elements of the syllabus (somewhat modified for space):
1. Course title
2. Course number +
section
3. Term
4. Instructor
5. Prerequisites
6. Office hours
7. Class days, times
8. Classroom
location
9. Office location +
e-mail address
10. Office telephone
11. Course
description,
objectives
12. Text(s)
13. Other materials
14. Grading methods, 16. General supports
criterion weights,
(computer works,
make-up policy,
writing center)
mid-term grade
17. Daily assignments,
reports
holidays, add/drop
15. Procedure, course
& open dates, dead
requirements
day, final exam
18. ADA statement
19. Electronic device
statement
20. Additional
services,
statements
21. Absence policy
22. Incomplete-work
policy
23. Cheating policy
24. Specialization
requirements
(certification,
licensure, teacher
competencies)
Master Syllabus: MGT 6685
3
Ghemawat, P., Bradley, S. P., & Mark, K. (2004 or latest revision). Wal-Mart stores in 2003
[Case #9-704-430]. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Business School.
Thompson, A. A., Stappenbeck, G. J. (2002 or current). Business strategy game player’s
package V7.20 [manual, download code sticker, CD] (7th ed.). Boston, MA: McGrawHill.
Troy University Faculty Handbook (2010): Section 3.9.2.8 [extract] — essential elements of the syllabus (somewhat modified for space):
1. Course title
2. Course number +
section
3. Term
4. Instructor
5. Prerequisites
6. Office hours
7. Class days, times
8. Classroom
location
9. Office location +
e-mail address
10. Office telephone
11. Course
description,
objectives
12. Text(s)
13. Other materials
14. Grading methods, 16. General supports
criterion weights,
(computer works,
make-up policy,
writing center)
mid-term grade
17. Daily assignments,
reports
holidays, add/drop
15. Procedure, course
& open dates, dead
requirements
day, final exam
18. ADA statement
19. Electronic device
statement
20. Additional
services,
statements
21. Absence policy
22. Incomplete-work
policy
23. Cheating policy
24. Specialization
requirements
(certification,
licensure, teacher
competencies)