Webster University and Shanghai University of Finance and Economics
BUSN 6200 Strategy and Competition
Summer, 2015 Syllabus
Professor: Rolf Hemmerling
Email: hemmerl@webster.edu
Telephone: to be determined
Catalog Description
The student examines the conceptual and practical aspects of business policies and
policy decisions making by utilizing all the concepts, theories and tools that were
presented in the previous courses. The student should be able to analyze and
recommend a comprehensive and workable approach to the situation. The course
should cover current business issues and developments.
Prerequisites
All other core MBA courses.
Course Level Learning
Outcomes
Outcome
1. Students understand the
important facts, terminology,
concepts, principles, and theories
in the area of Strategy.
2. Students can conduct industry
analysis to assess the relative
market position of a firm or
product division.
3. The student will be able to use
accounting and financial
information to assist in their
strategic analysis.
Expectation
Students can discuss the results of research
that links strategic variables to firm
performance.
Students can describe the various models
and methods used to conduct external and
internal analysis (e.g. SWOT, BCG, Porter,
etc.)
Students can prepare a written analysis of a
business situation, including market
structure, within the parameters of the
Porter Five Forces Model or standard
Economic Market Structures to assess
market conditions.
Students can determine the relative wellbeing of the firm and identify specific
performance problems (e.g. inventory
management, debt load, etc.) based on
financial statements.
4. The MBA student will be able to
use quantitative tools to assist in
the analysis of the strategy of the
firm.
Students can determine whether the
financial condition of the firm will allow the
firm to pursue a desired strategy.
Students can discuss quantitative tools that
can be used to assess competitive position
and strategy.
Students can identify situations when these
quantitative tools can be helpful in the
analysis. They can apply the tools and
interpret the results.
5. The MBA student can address
unstructured business problems
that span multiple functional
areas.
Materials
The MBA student will, when faced with an
unstructured business situation (through a
case or simulation), be able to identify the
key factors driving the problem or situation,
the additional information needed to
understand the situation, and to set
priorities for decision and action.
Strategic Management
By Fred David
15th Edition
Capstone® Business Simulation: the current Team Member
Guide (download at Capsim.com®)
Comp-XM® (download from Capstone®)
$99 lab fee (billed to your student account)
Grading
Grading
Case Presentation (Oral):
15%
Peer Evaluation:
10%
Capstone Simulation:
35%
Case Presentation(Written): 15%
Comp-XM®
15%
Final Exam:
10%
A
93 - 100
A-
90 - 92
B+
87 - 89
B
83 - 86
B-
80 - 82
C
70 - 79
F
69 - 0
The GRADUATE catalog provides these guidelines and grading options:
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A/A– Superior graduate work
B+/B/B– Satisfactory graduate work
C Work that is barely adequate as graduate-level performance
CR Work that is performed as satisfactory graduate work (B– or better). A grade of
"CR” is reserved for courses designated by a department, involving internships, a
thesis, practicum or specified courses.
F Work that is unsatisfactory
I Incomplete work
ZF An incomplete which was not completed within one year of the end of the course.
ZF is treated the same as an F or NC for all cases involving G.P.A., academic warning,
probation, and dismissal.
IP In progress
NR Not reported
W Withdrawn from the course
Policy Statements:
University Policies
University policies are provided in the current course catalog and course schedules.
They are also available on the university website. This class is governed by the
university’s published policies. The following policies are of particular interest:
Academic Honesty
The university is committed to high standards of academic honesty.
Students will be held responsible for violations of these standards. Please
refer to the university’s academic honesty policies for a definition of
academic dishonesty and potential disciplinary actions associated with it.
Drops and Withdrawals
Please be aware that, should you choose to drop or withdraw from this
course, the date on which you notify the university of your decision will
determine the amount of tuition refund you receive. Please refer to the
university policies on drops and withdrawals (published elsewhere) to find
out what the deadlines are for dropping a course with a full refund and for
withdrawing from a course with a partial refund.
Special Services
If you have registered as a student with a documented disability at the
Academic Resource Center (ARC) and are entitled to classroom or testing
accommodations, please verify with your instructor at the beginning of the
class that the instructor has received your accommodations letter from the
ARC. If you a disability and need academic accommodations but have not been
documented with the ARC, please contact Barbara Stewart at 314.968.7495 or
steart@webster.edu Contacting the ARC to complete ADA documentation is the
only way to ensure you may receive reasonable accommodations.
Weekly Schedule
Week 1- May 30, 2015
Chapter Readings: None
Capstone: Register at capsim.com, download the Team Member Guide
TEAM Practice Round 1 is to be completed Thursday, 10 p.m. China time.
Individual Assignment: Completion of Capstone® Rehearsal Tutorial and Quiz and
processing the Rehearsal Round and the fours tutorials and quizzes (the Introductory
Lesson, Human Resources, TQM and Labor Negotiations) that go with the tutorials by
Sunday night May 31st.
Week 2- June 6, 2015
Chapter Readings: Chapter 2, The Business Vision and Mission
Assignments: Complete the assigned rounds
Capstone: TEAM Practice Round 2 due Monday, 10 PM China time (CT); TEAM
Practice Round 3 due Thursday evening 10 P.M. CT
Weekly Discussions
Week 3-June 13, 2015
Chapter Readings: Chapter 3: The External Environment.
Real round 1 due Thursday, 10 P.M. CT
Week 4-June 22, 2015 (Monday)
Chapter Readings: Chapter 4: The Internal Assessment
Capstone: Real Round 2 due Thursday, 10 P.M. CT
Team Cases Assigned
Weekly Discussions
Week 5-June 27,2015
Chapter Readings: Chapter 5: Strategies in Action
Capstone: Real Round 3 due Monday, 10 PM; Real Round 4 due Thursday, 10 P.M.
CT
Weekly Discussions
Week 6- July 4, 2015
Chapter Readings: Chapter 6: Strategy Analysis and Choice and Chapter 7:
Implementing Strategies: Management and Operations Issues.
Capstone: Real Round 5 due Monday, 10 PM; Real Round 6 due Thursday, 10 P.M.
CT.
Please note: Please spend time this week preparing your Team Case Study
Weekly Discussions
Week 7- July 11, 2015
Chapter Readings: Chapter 8: Implementing Strategies: Marketing, Finance,
Accounting, R&D, and MIS Issues; Chapter 9: Strategy Review, Evaluation, and
Control.
Capstone: Round 7 due Monday 10 P.M. CT. Round 8 due Thursday, 10 P.M. CT
Assignments: Written TEAM Case Reports due.
Weekly Discussions
Week 8-July 18,2015
Comp-XM® starts (self-paced)
Assignments: Work on Comp-XM®
Oral Presentations of Cases
Week 9-July 25, 2015
Comp-XM® to be completed by 4 p.m. Tuesday of week 9. (July 21, 2015)
Final Exam