Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Lecturer
Grant Foster
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Credit points |
Credit points
4
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
(Admission to MBA or MSocEntre and 32cp including MGSM850)
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
Strategic Management is a capstone unit that builds on MGSM850 Strategic Frameworks and the other core management disciplines studied in MGSM MBA units. The purpose of this unit is to help you develop your own viewpoint on the most appropriate methods for effectively executing corporate strategy in 21st Century organisations. You will learn how to think and act to help develop, achieve and maintain the competitive advantage of an organisation.
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
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Group Work | 20% | No | 8 July / 16 July |
Case Submission | 30% | No | 23 July 2018; 6pm HK Time |
In-class Quiz | 10% | No | Scattered across the sessions |
Final Examination | 40% | No | 4 August 2018 |
Due: 8 July / 16 July
Weighting: 20%
Due date further information:
There will be either four or eight syndicate groups of approximately equal size, depending on the number of people in the class. Each group will “win” (process to be discussed in class during Session 1) one of four special topics. It’s a bit of a competition but hopefully a friendly one.
The four special topics are:
There are two parts to the group work.
Part 1: in class. The major focus of the group assignment is to maximise your fellow students’ understanding of the lecturers’ Strategic Management slides and the readings on your specific special topic, in a highly interactive manner. (We will discuss the concept of “interactive” during Session 1.) The time given to each topic will be 45 minutes.
Your group will help the class’ learning of their special topic by applying it specifically to the Radiometer case.
Details of the scoring of the group work will be provided in class at Session 1.
Each group should ensure their topic fills the full amount of time. Padding with Q&A is not allowed as a means of filling time. Groups will be politely but firmly cut off at the time limit.
Part 2: learning journal. A learning journal will be submitted one week after the in-class group session, that is, by 9am Hong Kong time on Monday 16 July. This document of 400 words maximum will describe how the group’s knowledge about and understanding of their special topic changed from when they started the group assignment to the time they submitted the learning journal. One learning journal will be submitted for the entire group.
Group formation. Groups will be formed during Session 1. Topics and groups will have been paired by the end of that session.
Group member responsibilities. All group members will be expected to contribute approximately equally to the group assignment. Precise division of labour will be up to the group.
Group dynamics. Should any difficulties develop within the group regarding this assignment, the group should talk with the lecturer as soon as the issue arises. It is important to advise the lecturer sooner rather than later.
Group submissions. To assist in the marking, you will be required to submit three pieces of documentation. They are listed here.
Due: 23 July 2018; 6pm HK Time
Weighting: 30%
Length: 500 words absolute maximum. No attachments, no graphs or charts
Your individual case assignment will be an individually prepared recommendation for the case Nine Dragons Paper (NDP).
The following questions must be answered in your paper. Your paper will be a cohesive and coherent work that persuades the reader of the logic and solidness of your recommendation.
Your logic or persuasiveness will heavily affect your marks, because strategic leadership and management relies heavily on the quality of your logic and persuasiveness. This means that dot points will not be allowed, as they are lists and as such carry little persuasiveness.
Because in the Strategic Management unit we will be learning to be focused in our thinking, there is a word limit of 500 words for this paper. All words used anywhere on your submission will be counted. This includes everything: title, text, headings, even your name. There will not be a marks penalty if you use more than 500 words, but the words from 501 onward will not be read and therefore not included in the assessed material. In other words, there is no advantage to writing more than 500 words.
Please note that while there is no marks penalty for utilising more than 500 words, late assignments will attract a penalty of 5% deducted per day or part-day.
Please also note that the assignment must be submitted in Word, not in pdf.
Submission will be done in iLearn. Instructions on how to submit is available by clicking this link. (http://www.mq.edu.au/iLearn/student_info/assignments.htm)
Further details of the content of the assignment will be provided in class
Due: Scattered across the sessions
Weighting: 10%
There will be a series of short “pop” (i.e., unannounced) quizzes given in class during the term. They will be straightforward and will reflect your understanding of the read/discussed material. Your best three quizzes will each count equally towards your total grade, for a total of 10 marks. Taking only your best three allows you to have an “off” situation and still do well.
The quizzes will be discussed in Session 1.
Due: 4 August 2018
Weighting: 40%
Duration: 3 Hours plus 20 minutes reading time
Format: Open book exam
At the conclusion of the unit there will be an open book examination of 3 hours plus 20 minutes reading time. It will represent 40% of the final aggregated course mark. There will be an exam review and practice session during Session 10 of the Strategic Management unit to help you prepare for this case based exam.
Required textbook: None. We will use our readings in iLearn instead.
Recommended textbook: None.
If you feel you really want to buy a book called “Strategic Management” so you have it on your bookshelf, there are several reasonable possibilities.
Readings: A selection of readings on strategic management will be made available to you. Each article is identified with a particular class session.
Other current articles may be handed out in class.
Additional optional readings specific to the session’s topic will be listed at the end of each slide set. These are for people who want to delve deeper into a particular issue we discuss in class.
For those with an unquenched interested in the field of strategy, here are some books both classic and more contemporary you may enjoy.
Afuah, A, Strategic Innovation, Routledge, New York, 2009.
Black, R.J, Organisational Culture: Creating the Influence Needed for Strategic Success, Routledge, New York, 2003.
De Wit, B, and Meyer, R, Strategy Synthesis, South-Western Publishing, Hampshire, 2010.
Fleisher, CS, and Bensousson, BE, Business and Competitive Analysis, FT Press, New Jersey, 2009.
Gamble, JE, and Thompson, AA, Essentials of Strategic Management: The Quest for Competitive Advantage, 2nd edition, McGraw-Hill Irwin, New York, 2011.
Hamel, G, Leading the Revolution, McGraw Hill, 2000.
Luthans, F, and Doh, JP, International Management: Culture, Strategy, and Behavior, 8th edition, HarperCollins, New York, 2011.
Kotler, P, and Caslione, JA, Chaotics, Amacom, New York, 2009.
Leinwand, P, and Mainardi, C, The Essential Advantage, Harvard Press, Boston, 2011.
Mintzberg, H, The Rise and Fall of Strategic Planning, Prentice Hall, 1994.
Mintzberg, H, and Quinn, JB, The Strategy Process, Prentice-Hall International, 1991.
Osterwalder, A, and Pigneur, Y, Business Model Generation, Wiley, New Jersey, 2010.
Taylor, WC, and LaBarre, PG, Mavericks at Work, HarperCollins, New York, 2006.
Thompson, AA Jr, Peteraf, M, Gamble, J, and Strickland, AJ III, Crafting & Executing Strategy: The Quest for Competitive Advantage, 19th edition, McGraw-Hill Irwin, New York, 2013.
Zweifel, Thomas D, and Edward J Borey, Strategy-in-Action: Marrying Planning, People and Performance. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2014.
MGSM iLearn
The web page for this unit can be found at https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/MGSM/
Block class – First Block: 29-30 June, 1 July 2018. Second Block: 6-8 July 2018
Session-by-session details are as follows.
Sessions 1, 2 and 3 develop the foundation essential to good strategic management, which ultimately means efficient and effective strategy implementation. This includes connecting the concept of strategic management to other units of study from your program, as well as introducing the definition of a market from a strategic, i.e., economic, perspective; the business strategy typology (BST) and its adaptive cycle; and the advanced competitive dynamics of population ecology. This work will underpin the remainder of the sessions.
Strategic management consists of three decision areas: strategy formulation, functional strategy alignment and strategy implementation. Session 1 focuses on key elements of the internal context that impact those three decision areas. Session 2 focuses on key elements of the external context that impact strategy formulation, functional strategy alignment and strategy implementation. In particular, we shine the spotlight on analysing competitors, competitor behaviour and retaliation. Session 3 integrates the inside and outside perspectives.
Session 1: Friday 29 June, 6-10pm - Strategic management from the inside
Read in advance of Session 1:
Case preparation in advance of Session 1. There is no case to prepare for Session 1. Just make sure you have done the readings.
……………………………………
Session 2, Saturday 30 June, 2-6pm - Strategic management from the outside
Read in advance of Session 2:
Also, before Session 2, prepare this case for in-class discussion: Tennant Company: Innovating Within and Beyond the Core.
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Session 3, Saturday 30 June, 6-10pm - Integrating the inside and outside perspectives
Read in advance of Session 3:
Case preparation in advance of Session 3. We will continue the discussion of the Tennant case.
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Sessions 4 through 7 cover four special topics relating to strategic management. Each of these topics is designed to assist in all three decision areas of strategic management: strategy formulation, functional strategy alignment and strategy implementation.
Session 4, Sunday 1 July, 9am-1pm - Strategic innovation, including technology as a strategic enabler
Before Session 4, read for the topic of strategic innovation:
Before Session 4, prepare this case for in-class discussion: Huawei in Canada: Can It Become a Trusted Player? Focus on applying the material from all previous sessions plus the readings for this session.
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Session 5, Sunday 1 July, 1-5pm - Geographic expansion, particularly international and global expansion
Before Session 5, read for the topic of geographic expansion:
Case preparation in advance of Session 5. We will continue the discussion of the Huawei case
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Session 6, Friday 6 July, 6-10pm - Strategic alliances
Before Session 6, read for the topic of strategic alliances:
Before Session 6, prepare this case for in-class discussion: Beacon Group of Hong Kong: Finding Light in the Shadow Education Industry. Focus on applying the material from all previous sessions plus the readings for this session.
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Session 7, Saturday 7 July, 2-6pm - Implementing strategic change
Before Session 7, read for the topic of implementing strategic change:
Before Session 7, prepare this case for in-class discussion: Sealed Air China. Focus on applying the material from all previous sessions plus the readings for this session.
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Session 8, Saturday 7 July, 6-10pm - Integration of the previous topics, including prioritisation and the role of leadership
Before Session 8, read:
Case preparation in advance of Session 8. There is no case to prepare for Session 8. Just make sure you have done the readings.
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Session 9, Sunday 8 July, 9am-1pm - Case discussion led by student groups
This session is turned over to the student groups to bring the “Radiometer” case to life.
This is very much a learning session, but we will learn through student-designed and student-led exercises and activities. This will not just a “lecture” or “straight presentation” session. Your responsibility is to actively engage the other students in the learning process so that they lock into their brains the material about the topic.
Before class:
Prepare case for in-class discussion: “Radiometer?”.
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Session 10, Sunday 8 July, 1-5pm - Psychological biases, and review
Before Session 10, read:
Also…
We will also do exam preparation today, so bring to class all of your cases, notes and slides from the Strategic Management unit
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Final exam, Saturday 4 AUGUST
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This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in their chosen fields.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our postgraduates will be capable of utilising and reflecting on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments. A characteristic of this form of thinking is the generation of new, professionally oriented knowledge through personal or group-based critique of practice and theory.
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Changes were:
Leadership: The unit develops judgment capability as to what is effective ethical leadership within different contexts.
Global mindset: The unit required me to make decisions from different cultural positions than my own.
Citizenship: The concepts corporate social responsibility, corporate governance and ethical decision making are core components of the unit.
Creating sustainable value: The unit demonstrated how the interrelatedness of functional business decisions connect to create value within an ethical context over the short and longer-terms.
The interactive environment of the classroom is central to the MGSM experience. Students are required to attend the full duration of all classes for the units in which they are enrolled. We recognise that exceptional circumstances may occur, such as unavoidable travel on behalf of your organization or the serious illness or injury of you or a close family member.
Special consideration may be given for a maximum of 20% non-attendance for such circumstances as long as lecturers are contacted in advance, and supporting documentation provided, to request exemption from attendance. Failure to abide by these conditions may result in automatic withdrawal, with academic and/or financial penalty. The full Student Attendance Policy is published in the MGSM Student Handbook at https://students.mgsm.edu.au/handbook.
These unit materials and the content of this unit are provided for educational purposes only and no decision should be made based on the material without obtaining independent professional advice relating to the particular circumstances involved.
Date | Description |
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13/06/2018 | Typo error in the final examination description wherein it was specified that the assessment is 60% of the final mark but it should be 40%. |