Master Syllabus
EMBA 513 – Creating Competitive Advantage I– Spring 2013
Sec. 001 – January - February
Course Integrators: Nancy Napier, Pat Delana and Keith Harvey
Phone:
426.1314 & 426.3310
Email:
nnapier@boisestate.edu & pdelana@boisestate.edu
Principal Faculty Contact Information:
Name
Phone Number
Nancy Napier
208.426.1314
Keith Harvey
208.426.2391
Pat Shannon
208.426.3786
Kirk Smith
208.426.3180
Keith Allred
208.939.3046
Paul Bahnson
208.426.2190
Michael Bixby
208.426.3675
Roy Glen
208.342.5393
Linda Clark-Santos
208.367.1700
Email
nnapier@boisestate.edu
kharvey@boisestae.edu
pshannon@boisestate.edu
ksmith@boisestate.edu
keith@allredsolutions.com
pbahnson@boisestate.edu
mbixby@boisestate.edu
rhglen@gmail.com
lindaclark-santos@msn.com
Learning Objectives Met In This Course:
Build Student Skills in the Business Discipline-Specific Areas of:
X Accounting
X Economics
X Financial Analysis
X Global Issues
X Human Resource Management
X Information Technology
X Legal Issues
X Marketing
X Operations Management
Organizational Design
X Strategy Formulation
Enhance Student Intellectual Development in:
X Corporate Social Responsibility
X Critical Thinking
Ethics
X Innovation and Creativity
X Problem Determination and Solving - Structured
X Problem Determination and Solving - Unstructured
X Quantitative Literacy
Strengthen Student Interpersonal Skills in:
Change Management
X Communication – Oral
X Communication – Written
Conflict Resolution
X Leadership
Negotiation
Sensitivity to Individual and Cultural Differences
X Team Management
Course Learning Objectives:
Managers in organizations make strategic choices as they seek to create
competitive advantages in their industries. There is no single “best set of
choices,” and in fact, within the same industry, different firms may pursue very
different approaches. In this course, we will consider a range of choices that
organizations make in mature, emerging, and transitioning industries, whether
they operate primarily in domestic or global settings. Throughout the course, you
will apply ideas regarding creating competitive advantage to your own
organizations, as well as to example firms.
Specific Course Objectives:
At the conclusion of this course, you should be able to:
I. Analyze the different approaches to creating competitive advantage available
to firms at different stages of organizational and industry development.
II. Explain how and why firms in a similar industry pursue different strategic
choices (e.g., in operations, marketing, human resources) to create competitive
advantage, and explain why some choices create competitive advantage while
other choices do not.
III. Apply financial and accounting tools to analyze and choose strategic choices
to create competitive advantage.
IV. Explain how environmental and organizational influences affect strategic
choices.
V. Analyze persuasion methods that managers use to lead their organizations in
new directions.
Assessment Plan (connection between course objectives and grade
determinants):
Graded Assignments
Assign. #
Description
1.0
2.0
4.0
5.0
OMB: One key
learning point
from EMBA 512
OMB: Apply one
element of
Hambrick in
your organization
Presentation:
how firms use
functional areas
to support comp.
adv.
OMB: Gold Mine
Specific Course Objective
I.
II.
X
X
X
X
III.
IV.
X
X
X
V.
Paper: Lean in
your workplace
Asset Valuation
Models
Presentation:
firm strategy
using Hambrick
model
Paper:
firm strategy
using Hambrick
model
OMB:
Knowledge
workers
Cash Flow
Estimation
Paper: Cities
comparison
Presentation:
Innovative
product or
service
Class
Participation
5.1
7.0
13.0
13.1
13.2
16.0
17.0
18.0
n/a
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Session Details:
Individual Session Syllabi
Each individual session has its own syllabus that outlines the learning objective,
advanced preparation, logistics about the day of the session and any assignments
(pre-session or post-session) that correspond with the lesson.
Advanced Preparation
Your preparation for sessions will vary but will include reading journal articles,
cases, books, and selected web materials. Preparation details can be found on the
individual session syllabi.
Session Locations
Sessions will meet on the BSU campus. Any additional locations indicated on the
schedule are tentative and subject to change. You will receive a detailed email
approximately one week before your session, with the final schedule and location
details.
Assignment Email Submission Instructions
When electronically submitting assignments as email attachments, use the
following document naming protocols:




Individual assignments: Assignment # [space] instructor last name [space]
your last name
Group assignments: Assignment # [space] instructor last name [space] your
group #
As an example, here is how hypothetic student Bill Allen would name his
document for assignment 3.0: 3.0 Bahnson Allen
Please also use the same naming protocol in the subject line of your email.
Session / Assignment Numbering System
All individual sessions that are part of the Creating Competitive Advantage-I
course are numbered sequentially (see the chart below). There will be an
individual syllabus for each of the sessions. If there is no session scheduled for
that day/time it will be noted on the individual session syllabus. Assignments are
also numbered according to the same system; please include assignment numbers,
along with your contact information on all your assignments.
Session Schedule:
Session
Date
WED
January
16, 2013
WED
January
16, 2013
WED
January
16, 2013
TH
January
17, 2013
TH
January
17, 2013
TH
January
17, 2013
FRI
January
18, 2013
FRI
January
18, 2013
FRI
January
18, 2013
SAT
January
19, 2013
SAT
January
19, 2013
SAT
January
19, 2013
TH
Feb. 14,
Session
#
1
Session
Time
Session Title
Instructor(s)
Introduction to Creating Competitive Advantage I
Nancy Napier
Keith Harvey
AM
Scanning the periphery
The Hambrick Model: Creating Strategy
2
3
EVE
4
AM
Mature Industries: Comparing Approaches
(Session 4 Assignment Prep Time)
Analysis of Mature Industries: Presentations
Honda Case
Lean Operations
5
EVE
7
AM
8
PM
9
EVE
11
Nancy Napier
Pat Shannon
Kirk Smith
Nancy Napier
Pat Shannon
Kirk Smith
Pat Shannon
PM
6
10
Nancy Napier
PM
Group Dynamics Check-up
Roy Glen
Linda Clark-Santos
Asset Valuation Models
Keith Harvey
Persuasion
Keith Allred
Persuasion (continued)
Keith Allred
Competitiveness Through Marketing
Kirk Smith
Mature Industry Wrap Up
Part 1: Introduction to February weekend
(knowledge intensive / creative industries)
Nancy Napier
Nancy Napier
Leading from the Side
No Session
Linda Clark-Santos
n/a
Wrap up Mature Industries discussion /
presentations Intro to weekend
Nancy Napier
Pat Shannon
AM
PM
12
EVE
13
AM
2013
TH
Feb. 14,
2013
TH
Feb. 14,
2013
FRI
Feb. 15,
2013
FRI
Feb. 15,
2013
FRI
Feb. 15,
2013
SAT
Feb. 16,
2013
SAT
Feb. 16,
2013
SAT
Feb. 16,
2013
Assign.
#
1.0
2.0
4.0
14
Knowledge Workers
Kirk Smith
Keith Harvey
Employee Engagement & Development
Linda Clark-Santos
Creating Competitive Cities
(guest speaker)
Nancy Napier
Cash Flow Estimation
Keith Harvey
Creativity as a Competitive Advantage
Nancy Napier
Collaborative Innovation Networks
Nancy Napier
Pat Delana
Financial Reporting Strategies and Measurement
Paul Bahnson
Intellectual Property in the Knowledge and Creative
Economy
Michael Bixby
No Session
n/a
PM
15
EVE
16
AM
17
PM
18
EVE
19
AM
20
PM
21
EVE
Graded Assignments:
Description Date
Due
OMB: One key
learning point
from EMBA 512
OMB: Apply one
element of
Hambrick in
your
organization
Presentation:
how firms use
functional areas
to support comp.
adv.
Time
Due
Submittal Individual
Method
/ Group
Grading
Instructor
Points
Assign.
Weight
1-16-13
(AM)
At the
beginning
of the
session
Hard copy
Individual
Bahnson
50
n/a
1-16-13
(PM)
At the
beginning
of the
session
Hard copy
Individual
Napier
50
n/a
1-17-13
(AM)
At the
beginning
of the
session
In-person
Group
Shannon/Napier
100
n/a
Assign.
#
Description
Date
Due
Time
Due
5.0
OMB: Gold
Mine
1-17-13
(PM)
At the
beginning
of the
session
Hard Copy
5.1
Paper: Lean in
your workplace
1-28-13
5:00 PM
1-28-13
5:00 (PM)
7.0
13.0
13.1
13.2
16.0
17.0
18.0
n/a
Asset Valuation
Models
Presentation:
firm strategy
using Hambrick
model
Paper:
firm strategy
using Hambrick
model
OMB:
Knowledge
workers
Cash Flow
Estimation
Paper: Cities
comparison
Presentation:
Innovative
product or
service
Participation
Submittal Individual
Method
/ Group
Grading
Instructor
Points
Assign.
Weight
Individual
Shannon
50
n/a
Email
Group
Shannon
100
n/a
Email
Group
Harvey
100
n/a
At the
beginning
of the
session
At the
beginning
of the
session
At the
beginning
of the
session
In-person
Group
Napier
100
n/a
Hard copy
Group
Napier
100
n/a
Hard copy
Individual
Napier
50
n/a
2-25-13
5:00 (PM)
email
Group
Harvey
100
n/a
2-25-13
5:00 (PM)
Email
Individual
Napier
100
n/a
2-15-13
(EVE)
At the
beginning
of the
session
In-person
Group
Napier
100
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Individual
Napier
200
Total
1000
2-14-13
(AM)
2-14-13
(AM)
2-14-13
(AM)
Course Grade Determination:
Course grades will be determined based on your performance on a series of
assignments that are spelled out on the schedule of graded assignments. The
specific types of assessments will vary for individual sessions. They will include
cases, one-minute briefs, short papers and presentations. Some assignments will
be done by you individually and others will be done collectively in your study
groups. Assignments due on session days are due at the beginning of the
respective sessions. Post session assignments are due at 5:00pm on the dates
indicated on the schedule.
Evaluation criteria for written assignments will focus primarily on the quality of
the analysis but good mechanics (organization/structure, spelling, punctuation,
etc.) will also be considered. Tips regarding mechanics and style can be found in
the COBE Writing Styles Guide, available online at:
http://cobe.boisestate.edu/files/2009/05/writingstylesv12_0.pdf
Assignment Details:
One Minute Briefs (OMB)
One-minute” is a slight exaggeration. A “one-minute” brief will take a very short
time to write—perhaps 15 minutes—hence, the name. As you might guess, they
are quite short, limited to one-half page, single spaced 12 point font. To
accomplish the depth and precision required in such a limited amount of space,
n/a
they will typically take an hour or more of thinking about the material prior to
beginning the writing process. A sample OMB is included at the end of this
syllabus.
A specific focus for each OMB is provided on each of the individual session
syllabi. Each brief should clearly and concisely answer the question while
providing sufficient depth to demonstrate your mastery of the related material.
Focus on showing how you can USE and apply the ideas, rather than repeating
what you have learned.
We will collect hard copies of OMBs at the beginning of each session where
assigned. Briefs longer than ½ page (single-spaced, with 12 point font) will be
returned for rewriting; we will take off 10%. Please put your name, title of the
OMB and due date on the OMB.
Group Reports
The details for each assigned group report or case are on the one-page session
descriptions. All group written assignments are limited to 5 double-spaced pages,
12 point font, except where specifically noted otherwise. For both individual and
group assignments, you are expected to turn in polished documents.
Individual Assignments
You will have several individual written assignments. Instructors will provide the
details on each problem set on the one-page descriptions. If there are no specific
details use standard 1” margins, double spaced and 12 point font. Do your own
work. These are not collaborative projects.
Presentations
For presentations developed in class and then immediately presented to the group,
each will be no more than 15 minutes. Your group may (but does not have to) use
power point slides. We expect that each group member will present at some point
during the course.
For presentations developed outside of class and then presented in class, groups
will determine the best style for presenting (e.g., with or without power point,
who should present). We will be assessing content as well as professional style
during the presentation
Participation
At the end of each weekend session, instructors will evaluate you participation
based on participant contributions. They will take into account quality and
quantity of your comments.
Sample OMB