MBA4634
Business Strategy
Module Handbook
Version: 1
Department: Business and Management
Module Leader: Dr. Stephane Bignoux
Campus: Distance Learning
Academic Year: 2013 – 2014
Dates: 7th October 2013 – 15th December 2013
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MBA 4634 Business Strategy
Table of Contents
General Information ............................................................................................................................... 3
Level .................................................................................................................................................... 3
Module Leader .................................................................................................................................... 3
Catalogue entry ................................................................................................................................... 3
Aims .................................................................................................................................................... 3
Learning outcomes.............................................................................................................................. 4
Knowledge....................................................................................................................................... 4
Skills................................................................................................................................................. 4
Syllabus ............................................................................................................................................... 4
Programme Learning Outcomes Addressed in This Module .......................................................... 5
Teaching and learning strategies ........................................................................................................ 6
Assessment of Module Learning Outcomes ....................................................................................... 6
Assessment scheme ............................................................................................................................ 7
Coursework 1: Case Study (40%) .................................................................................................... 7
Coursework 2: Integrating Planning Approaches (50%) ................................................................. 8
Virtual Learning Environment Participation (10%) ......................................................................... 9
Plagiarism ............................................................................................................................................ 9
Communication and Contact Information ............................................................................................ 10
Staff Contact ..................................................................................................................................... 10
Contact Details .................................................................................................................................. 10
Learning materials ................................................................................................................................ 11
Core Text ........................................................................................................................................... 11
Other Texts........................................................................................................................................ 11
Journals ............................................................................................................................................. 11
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MBA 4634 Business Strategy
General Information
Level
This is a level 4 (postgraduate) module carrying 20 credits and taking place over 10 weeks.
Module Leader
The module leader for this module is Dr. Stephane Bignoux, Senior Lecturer in Management
at Middlesex University Business School. Dr. Bignoux has a Ph.D. in Business from
Macquarie University, Sydney. He has an MBA in Marketing Management from the
University of Western Sydney and he has an MA in Knowledge Management from the
University of Technology, Sydney. His research focuses on Power, Control and Influence in
inter-firm relationships, as well as strategy and organisational theory more generally.
Catalogue entry
This is an integrating module. The module discusses key concepts of strategy and provides a
range of analytical models that enable students to make sense of the complexity of the
environment in which organisations operate. It builds upon students' prior knowledge of the
functional areas of organisations and relates such knowledge to issues of strategic
development.
Aims
This module aims to:
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Inform students of the key developments in, and thinking derived from, the study of
strategy
Explore models and theories of strategy and their application by practicing managers
Critically appraise where and when such models are useful
Provide interesting and engaging examples and exercises that illustrate these concepts
with the intent of building students’ capability in strategic thinking and practice.
MBA 4634 Business Strategy
Learning outcomes
Knowledge
On completion of this module the successful student will be able to demonstrate the ability to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Critically analyse the concepts, theoretical ideas and empirical research findings which
underpin the study and management practice of strategy;
Evaluate and apply these concepts, theoretical ideas and empirical findings to develop
their own views on strategic decision making in organisations;
Explain the notion of sustainable competitive advantage and the implications of
strategy-making within a dynamic environment;
Demonstrate an advanced understanding of international strategic management
Demonstrate an advanced understanding of the complexity in implementing and
managing change.
Skills
This module will call for the successful student to demonstrate:
6.
7.
8.
Strategic thinking through reflection on organisational practice and applied work on
case studies;
The ability to apply concepts, frameworks and techniques pertaining to the strategic
analysis process;
The ability to generate strategy options for an enterprise and evaluate strategic choice
and organisational fit.
Syllabus
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
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What is Strategy? An appreciation of strategy
Making a Start. Purpose, goals and where to start in a messy process
External Analysis:
PESTEL and Future Thinking
Industry lifecycle, competitiveness and profitability
SBU Strategy: From a market/customer perspective
Internal Audit: Resources and capabilities
Generic strategies and value chain analysis
Organisational Culture:
Influence on strategy formulation and implementation
Managing strategic change
Making Strategy Happen: Measuring performance
International Strategy
Putting it all together
MBA 4634 Business Strategy
Programme Learning Outcomes Addressed in This Module
Knowledge and understanding
Cognitive skills
Practical skills
A1
The core business of firms and its relationship to B2
strategic management
Apply and critically evaluate the impact of
C2
management models, concepts and theories in
organisational environments
Undertake research to address strategic and
other management issues within
organisations
A5
The theory and practice of business in
international contexts
B3
Evaluate options using appropriate decisionmaking criteria including the use of financial
tools.
Conduct strategic organisational analysis to
identify key strategic problems and develop
solutions
A6
The role of entrepreneurship, enterprise and
consultancy in the business environment
B6
Analyse and develop diverse investigative
C5
methodologies to apply to solve organisational
management problems
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MBA 4634 Business Strategy
C4
Undertake critical analyses to develop, plan
and recommend implementation of strategic
decisions.
Teaching and learning strategies
Learning on this module will involve a mix of the following activities:
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Reading from the set text
Reading recommended additional readings and papers
Case study analysis
Applying your own experience and knowledge to theories and concepts
Group activities
Watching selected video clips and presentations
Completing assignments
The learning strategy will develop the capability of students to understand theoretical
frameworks and apply them to the industry to develop a deeper understanding of its operation.
Concepts will be developed in a generic context and then applied to industry, in combination
with knowledge gained in other modules.
It is important to stress that the module will provide broad frameworks for understanding comprehensive coverage is neither intended nor appropriate at this level.
Assessment of Module Learning Outcomes
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Outcome
Coursework 1
Coursework 2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
MBA 4634 Business Strategy
Online
Participation
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Assessment scheme
Coursework 1: Case Study (40%)
RED sometimes referred to as (Product) RED, was created in 2006 as a form of creative
capitalism: an organisation that collaborates with some of the world’s best known corporate
brands but for a charitable purpose. (RED) is global organisation that administers and
promotes an umbrella brand ((RED) that member corporations may use for their products and
then pay back into the Global Fund to fight Aids, tuberculosis and malaria in Africa.
Now read the case study about (product) RED, a global organisation set up for a charitable
purpose, found on page 152-154 of the core text Johnson G., Scholes K. & Whittington, R.,
2011, Exploring Strategy, Text & Cases, FT Prentice Hall, 9th edition (also available online in
Unit 2). After this reflect on the following questions about the case, and write your answers in
a short report (using the template below).
You should feel free to discuss the questions in your syndicate, but the work you submit must
be your own individual work! (If the work resembles too much that of your colleagues it will
be deemed to be plagiarised).
1. Drawing on the three perspectives in the Key Debate or the four stances in Table 4.2
(4.4 for the 8th edition) of the core reference text, what is the rationale of:
a) The founders of (product) RED?
b) The Director of Social Responsibility for GAP?
c) The author of the article in The Times?
2. What views might shareholders of GAP have on (product) RED?
3. In your view is (product) RED an appropriate corporate activity?
4. How can (product) RED contribute to the competitive advantage of a firm?
You should submit your work online by Sunday 10th November 2013. Please ensure that the
total word count is no more than 2500 words. You will not be penalised if the word count is
less – quality matters more than quantity. You will be penalised though if your work is
substantially bigger than 2500 words.
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MBA 4634 Business Strategy
Coursework 2: Integrating Planning Approaches (50%)
The deadline by which the assessment must be presented to the University is Sunday 8th
December 2013.
This task is about demonstrating your understanding of the models we have discussed over
the last weeks and, exploring uncertainty further. We ask you to do the following:
1.
Define your (chosen) industry (be sure to identify your specific industry segment
within this broadly defined industry).
2.
Conduct a PESTEL analysis of your (chosen) industry, using this to identify the key
drivers for change over the next 5-10 years.
3.
Use an impact-uncertainty matrix to identify two critical uncertainties, and use these
in turn to identify four scenarios (as in the 2x2 diagram found in Illustration 2, p. 53 in
Johnson, Scholes & Whittington (2011) or the 2x2 diagram found in Illustration 2, p. 58 in
Johnson, Scholes & Whittington (2008)).
4.
Answer the question: What strategic issues do these scenarios raise for your (chosen)
company or organisation? Do this by conducting a 5 forces analysis of your (chosen) industry
today, and predicting how each of the five forces would be influenced in your 4 scenarios.
Then comment on strategic issues for your (chosen) company.
The assessment is asking you to bring the three types of analyses (PESTEL, Scenarios, 5
forces) together such that you analyse the effects of your chosen scenarios on your (chosen)
organisation, using the five forces model.
You will need to ask yourself questions like: Will any changes in regulations affect entry
barriers (as deregulation has in the short haul airline business) for example? What impact
might the economic environment have on buyer or supplier power? What strategic issues are
raised for your (chosen) business?
To ensure maximum marks it is important that you argue your choices, backing these up with
clear data or other sources. We would like to see evidence of research on the subject going
beyond "what you simply know". The word limit is 2,500 words, and any word count more
than 10% above this will result in lower marks.
Appendices are allowed as extra words [for diagrams and illustrations].
Mark allocation
[1] Choice of drivers for change (including quality of research behind this)
20%
[2] Impact/Uncertainty matrix and correct identification of 4 scenarios
20%
[3] Five forces model today completed correctly
20%
[4] Five forces model changes under 4 scenarios
20%
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MBA 4634 Business Strategy
[5] Consideration of issues for your chosen company and future strategy
20%
Virtual Learning Environment Participation (10%)
Participation in online discussions and activities is mandatory. Participation will be assessed
at the end of the module.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is not accepted in any coursework. If you are uncertain as to what constitutes
plagiarism, please refer to the Middlesex University plagiarism policy (usually available on
MyUniHub) as well as the guidelines on the Library Services web pages:
http://unihub.mdx.ac.uk/study/library/index.aspx
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MBA 4634 Business Strategy
Communication and Contact Information
Announcements regarding this module will normally be made by email and online
announcement on MyUniHub. Please ensure that you regularly read your university e-mail
and are thus kept informed of any changes / developments.
Staff Contact
The module leader is Dr. Stephane Bignoux who is available to deal with any queries
regarding the teaching and assessment of this module. However, most queries can be dealt
with by the tutors in the syndicate area. If you wish to contact the module leader or your
tutors please use one of the following methods:
a) Send an email to your tutor or the module leader.
b) Phone your module tutor or module leader.
c) Post any questions you have on your syndicate's discussion board, or in the general
module discussion area. If you feel your question has not been noticed by the tutor,
please follow up with an email.
Contact Details
Module Leader:
Office:
Office Location:
Phone Number:
Email address:
Dr. Stephane Bignoux
Room W111
Williams Building
+44(0) 20 8411 5841
s.bignoux@mdx.ac.uk
Module Tutor:
Tutor:
Office:
Office Location:
Phone Number:
Email address:
Dr. Efthimios Poulis
W139
Williams Building
+30-6934-674542
epoulis@hotmail.co.uk / E.Poulis@mdx.ac.uk
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MBA 4634 Business Strategy
Learning materials
Core Text
Johnson G., Scholes K. & Whittington, R., 2011, Exploring Strategy, Text & Cases, FT
Prentice Hall, 9th edition.
Or
Johnson G., Scholes K. & Whittington, R., 2008, Exploring Corporate Strategy, FT
Prentice Hall, 8th edition.
It is essential for you to have access to the 9thor 8th edition in order to interact effectively with
the online materials. Both editions are available as electronic books through either the
VitalSource Bookshelf (9th edition) or Middlesex University Library Resources (8th edition).
Other Texts
Other texts which will help you to understand concepts better:
Grant., R.M., (2008) Contemporary Strategy Analysis (6th edition), Blackwell, Oxford
Lynch, R, (2009) Strategic Management (5th edition), FT Prentice Hall, Harlow
(NB: the 4th edition is available as an e-book through the library)
Frynas, J.G. & Mellahi, K, (2011), Global Strategic Management, OUP, Oxford
Journals
You may find it helpful to regularly consult some more academic journals, to become aware
of the theoretical basis of the models and frameworks discussed in class. Such publications
can be put into three categories:
a) Publications for professional managers and consultants written by academics – e.g.
Harvard Business Review, California Management Review, Sloan Management Review,
Long-Range Planning, etc. Some of these are found in the library or even in high street
kiosks.
b) Publications for professional managers written by consultants – e.g. McKinsey Quarterly
c) Publications for academics and consultants written by academics – e.g. Administrative
Science Quarterly, Strategic Management Journal, Academy of Management Review,
Journal of Management Studies, Journal of Management, etc. You may find these more
challenging to read and assimilate.
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MBA 4634 Business Strategy