Unit convenor and teaching staff | Unit convenor and teaching staff |
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Credit points |
Credit points
4
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
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
This unit is concerned with the dynamics of firm and industry competition within one of the most significant regions of the world economy, the Asia-Pacific. The unit takes the perspective of firms active in the region, both as multinational companies operating businesses in the region (otherwise known as global incumbents), and as successful firms emerging from the region who are, or who aim in time to become ‘global challengers’ in the world market. The unit introduces conceptual frameworks to make sense of global approaches to strategy in emerging economies as well as to within country contexts such as national cultures, management philosophies, national competitive advantages and institutional voids.
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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 |
---|---|---|---|
Group Presentation | 30% | No | Day 5 (Final Sunday) |
Individual Participation | 10% | No | Ongoing |
Individual Written Report | 60% | No | (specific date TBD) |
Due: Day 5 (Final Sunday)
Weighting: 30%
Length & Format
The final, formal groups presentation will be 15-minutes long (depending on group size) on the final day, plus five minutes of Q&A; maximum 10 slides (no exceptions).
Please provide a hard copy of the presentation slides to me before presenting if possible (this is subject to the availability of printing capabilities, of course).
All group members must present. Your grade will be based on the presentation according to the criteria outlined below.
Each group will be assigned one of the four cases we have discussed previously in class (i.e., Levendary, Huawei, Infosys, Samsung) to use as the basis for their analysis and presentation.
This assessment task will be marked in the following ways:
Due
Final day of class
Group Weighting
30%
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA FOR GROUP CASED-BASED PRESENTATION
CRITERIA
Excellent
Very good
Good
Acceptable
Marginal
Fail
PRESENTATION PROCESS: 25%
Quality of the introduction
Clarity of the presentation
Easy to understand structure
Flowed seamlessly between sections
Eye contact
Quality of slides
Amount of reading
Effective use of time
THEORETICAL AND CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING AND EVIDENCE (45%)
You backed up arguments with appropriate frameworks and research (evidence)
You guided your audience through your logic with well-chosen facts and examples
Quality of the analysis and interpretation
CONSOLIDATION AND INTEGRATION OF SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS (20%)
Summarised key points before concluding and this was appropriate and clearly linked to your analysis
Conclusions; you discussed the potential implications of your findings for the future
Q & A (10%)
How well were you able to handle the questions from the audience (i.e., listen to and interpret the question; structure and provide a relevant response)?
Due: Ongoing
Weighting: 10%
Length & Format
I will be taking of note of your attendance and your contributions/participation in all cases, discussions and exercises. This course is designed to be an inquiry-based, action-learning course. Therefore, you must be present, and you must participant to learn as you engage with, apply, discuss and consider the application of the course concepts, models and theories.
Due
All five days of our course
Weighting
10%
Appropriate contributions will be those that move the collective conversation forward. Be sure to monitor your behaviour – do not over contribute nor under contribute. Listening and thinking are as important as speaking. We will discuss this more in class to be sure you are clear about my expectations.
Due: (specific date TBD)
Weighting: 60%
Length & Format
A 3000 word (maximum) written report, typed in Times New Roman font 12 with 1.5-line spacing. Each page of the assignment should have at least 3cm margins from the left and right edges and top and bottom of the page. The actual word length of the document, NOT including references, tables charts, the executive summary, should be clearly stated on the title page of the assignment.
This is an individual assignment.
Due
TBA
Weighting
60%
Submit electronically to iLearn (Turnitin Plagiarism submission)
Follow the steps below to submit your report -
1. Login to iLearn using your OneID at https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/MGSM
2. Select MGSM Appropriate Term, 2018 then MGSM857
3. Go to the Assessments section and follow the instructions to submit
In this assignment, you are examining (through application of referenced readings and library/on-line research) what has already happened to a firm in its industry; you are not researching a potential market entry into a foreign territory. The purpose of the assignment is to:
Prepare a Project Report on the following:
Critically examine a global industry in a country in the Asia-Pacific region. What are some of the interesting companies in the industry, and what strategies are they pursuing?
Choose TWO firms, one of which should be classified as a challenger or latecomer in the industry, and one should be classified as a leading global incumbent. Compare the differences in resource building and strategy between the two organisations using appropriate course frameworks, models and concepts.
Be sure to: (1) analyse how the global challenger firm fashioned its strategies in relation to the resources available, the competitive dynamics of the industry and its country context, and, (2) consider/discuss some of the key CAGE factors and institutional voids that the leading global incumbent firm likely had to navigate when entering the marketplace in the Asia Pacific.
The assignment should include the following:
Assessment criteria (more on the assessment criteria can be found on the next page):
Assignments that are excessively descriptive or make excessive use of point-form, will not achieve a high grade.
In your report, be sure to focus on the “how” and “why”, as this is more analytical and interpretative, rather than descriptive (i.e., do not just describe the firms to me … you must apply the course concepts, models and theories to help you make sense of, and explain, what has happened and is likely to happen). Students are required to use their initiative in what issues they address, and what issues they ignore. Likewise, you are required to use your initiative in how you structure/organise and present the issues addressed – there is no model answer or blue-print for success in this exercise.
Penalties for exceeding word count 10% per word and 20% per day late.
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA FOR THE INDIVIDUAL WRITTEN REPORT
CRITERIA
Excellent
Very good
Good
Acceptable
Marginal
Fail
CONTENT AND STRUCTURE: 15%
A business report structure
An executive summary
Logically arranged and professionally structured and presented
ANALYTICAL AND CRITICAL EVALUATION (55%)
Effective and appropriate application of unit knowledge (i.e., the theories, models, concepts and frameworks to analyse the challenger firm and the incumbent selected within a global industry
Clearly written and argued using appropriate information and relevant examples
Evidence of research; well supported with evidence from the literature and research sources, with all sources cited in the report and full acknowledgment of sources consulted, references used etc. included the reference list
Evidence of reading
You have avoided unsubstantiated personal opinion
SYNTHESIS AND INTEGRATION (30%)
Key points were summarised before concluding from your analysis
Conclusions; you synthesised the key findings from your research and analysis, and drew conclusions regarding what this might mean (i.e., your interpretation) for the future of the firm
Required Textbook
Cavusgil, S., Ghauri P. and Akcal A. (2012, 2nd Ed.) Doing Business in Emerging Markets. SAGE Publications Ltd. ISBN: 9781849201544
The following are recommended:
Khanna, T. & Palepu, K.G. (2010). Winning in Emerging Markets. HBP
Chattopadhyay, A & Batra, R. (2012). The New Emerging Market Multinationals. McGraw Hill
Bartlett, C.A., Ghoshal, S., & Beamish, P. (2008). Transnational Management: Texts, Cases and Readings in Cross-Border Management. Boston: McGraw Hill
Verbeke, A. (2013). International Business Strategy. Cambridge University Press
MGSM iLearn
The web page for this unit can be found at: https://ilearn.mq.edu.au/login/MGSM
Learning-by-doing is one of the most effective approaches to learning; consequently, this unit relies on individual preparation, syndicate group interactions, and class-dynamics to apply and integrate the unit content. Through a combination of short interactive lectures, readings, experiential exercises, current event discussions, case study discussions and presentations, video cases, and class participation, this unit provides you with the tools and vocabulary for critical and effective strategic analysis, thinking, and communication applied within the Asia Pacific region context.
The emphasis in all sessions is on participatory action learning through informed debate and discussion. For this to be successful individuals must prepare the assigned cases prior to the session. Time is provided during each session for syndicate groups to synthesise their individual preparation prior to the whole class discussions.
The cases used in the unit have been carefully selected and together they reflect the major learning objectives of the unit. All cases are relevant in terms of the key issues and key learning objectives. Each case is to be discussed through the lens of the session readings, and these too should be read prior to class.
Case study teaching promotes real learning advantages in the areas of critical thinking, argument, interpersonal communication, and decision-making through using clearly demarcated roles as below.
- The Role of the Lecturer/facilitator: is to draw out issues, analysis and recommendations from participants. The lecturer may take the role(s) of: devil's advocate, challenger, defender, facilitator, or protagonist. The lecturer/facilitator does NOT aim to provide "the correct answer", but to help you learn to think.
- The Role of the Students: To construct answers and meaning using the questions posed in the context of the readings and the session concepts. The better prepared the individual, and the syndicate group, the richer the learning experience. Having done the preparation, students will explore issues in depth; the individual’s learning experience is closely correlated with the level of the student’s preparation.
UNIT OBJECTIVES
This course will explore the experiences of firms as they internationalise from the Asia-Pacific, as well as global firms entering into the Asia Pacific, through focusing on what makes these experiences different from those typically encountered in domestic industries.
The course will move through the following major components:
This unit builds on and extends your knowledge of MGSM850 Strategic Frameworks and MGSM860 Strategic Management from the Resource Based View (RBV) of strategy; it is expected that you will be proficient in these units’ concepts. However, the emphasis will be on the frameworks and theories presented in this course in order to challenge your mental models and mindsets.
If you revel in wrestling with interconnected complexities and qualitative uncertainties and actively challenging your own mindset then this course is for you. Unlike other courses you may have studied it is not about developing forward looking market recommendations and it is not about learning “correct” answers; rather it is about thinking strategically and constructing your understanding of the multifaceted contexts of emerging market competitive determinants; it is about developing and extending your synthesising and integrating capabilities
UNIT REQUIREMENTS
Unit participants will be expected as a minimum to:
1. Complete assigned cases and apply a selection of the readings provided;
2. Actively participate in class discussions;
3. Complete all assessments on time;
CLASSES
This unit will be presented in a five-day block format.
Session |
Topic |
Textboook chapters |
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Day 1 Friday |
Introduction to the course Overview of Strategies for Emerging Markets (EMs) Global industry dynamics effecting strategy: Political, legal and cultural issues |
1 & 2 |
Day 2 Saturday |
Emerging markets: Strategic opportunities and trends The characteristics of successful EM firms Strategic issues in selected emerging markets: BRICs and the new frontier economies |
3, 4 & 5 |
Day 3 Sunday |
Entry strategies: Trade, contracts, investments Strategy as international Catch-up: Newcomers and Latecomers Global strategy: Business Process Outsourcing |
6 & 7 |
Day 4 Saturday |
Strategy in the Asia Pacific: People and organisational issues International business and negotiation, building relationships, collaboration |
8, 9 & 10 |
Day 5 Sunday |
Catch-up and review Group presentations and discussions |
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The class will be formed into 8 syndicates of 4-6 students (subject to change depending on final course numbers).
Discussions will include but not be limited to preparing the following question
Session |
Cases and discussion questions |
Day 1 Friday |
Levendary Cafe: The China Challenge HBS4357
4. What are the issues around standardization and control, what can be done to reduce the tension? 5. What if anything should Foster do about Louis Chen? 6. What would you do to secure continued growth and success in China for Levendary? (consider the capabilities required) |
Day 2 Saturday |
Huawei: Cisco’s Chinese Challenger, Asia Case Research Centre, The University of Hong Kong, Farhoomand, A., 2006, Ref: 06/300C
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Day 3 Sunday |
Infosys Technologies, HBS Case 9-801-445
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Day 4 Saturday |
Design Strategy at Samsung Electronics: Becoming a top tier company; HBS Design Management institute; DMI1021 1.What aspects in the Korean experience and culture are relevant to understanding Korean Industry structure and competition? How would this impact on a global incumbent entering Korea? 2. What does it take to become a top tier company? 3. Discuss Samsung’s design approach and whether this can create sustainable superior global capabilities. 4. What characterises the design organisation in 2006? How are the design relationships with other disciplines evolving? What are the strengths and weakness of this approach? 5. What are the issues around organisational structure, and Ethnocentric, Polycentric, Geocentric management mindsets? 6. What are the future threats and what would you do to mitigate them? |
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This graduate capability is supported by:
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This graduate capability is supported by:
Leadership: The unit developed my understanding of the role of leadership at a strategic level within organisations and its importance in achieving superior performance through incremental and transformational change.
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