Students
BBA 350 – Strategic Management
2015 – MQC2 Evening
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Lecturer-in-Charge
Terry Standen
Contact via By Email
Please email Terry and an appointment will be arranged.
Edward Wray-Bliss
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|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
3
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| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
(Admission to BBA and MKTG101 and 6cp at 200 level including (ACCG200 or ACCG253 or AFIN253)) or (BBA220 and FOBE202)
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| Corequisites |
Corequisites
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| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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| Unit description |
Unit description
The purpose of this unit is to equip students with the ability to approach complex business problems from the cross-functional and multidimensional perspective of the general manager. The process of formulating and implementing competitive strategy at the business level requires the systematic analysis of a firm's internal resources and capabilities in conjunction with a structured examination of the various dimensions of its (external) macro and industry environments. Once this is achieved, management can develop appropriate strategies with which to pursue sustainable competitive advantage in domestic and international markets. Students learn how to use several diagnostic models to evaluate a firm's relative strengths and weaknesses, the threats and opportunities in its external environment, and the key issues that influence how the firm should compete. Case analysis is used extensively to link concepts and frameworks to real-world examples. Group work engages students in the challenges of interpersonal communication, task allocation, coordination and control.
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Important Academic Dates
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- Critically assess the nature and origins of strategic management
- Identify and analyse strategic issues in a management context
- Demonstrate awareness of the major conceptualisations of strategic management
- Demonstrate awareness of contemporary challenges for and critiques of Strategic Management
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Due | Groupwork/Individual | Short Extension | AI assisted? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assignment One | 30% | Week 5 | No | ||
| Assignment Two | 30% | Week 12 (Final Report ) | No | ||
| Final Examination | 40% | University Examination Period | No |
Assignment One
Due: Week 5
Weighting: 30%
Groupwork/Individual:
Short extension 3: No
AI assisted?:
Essay questions and guidance will be made available on ilearn in Week 2. The essay will require you to discuss the history of strategy in management.
Submission.
Hard Copy in class in Week 5. Soft Copy On-Line, via Turnitin, on the unit ilearn site by 11.30pm on the day of class.
Extensions and Penalties:
Extension:
Extensions will only be granted with an approved "Disruption to Studies" application lodged with ask.mq.edu.au prior to the due date.
Penalties:
Late submissions will be penalised at 10% per day late up to five working days. After which zero (0) marks will be recorded.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Critically assess the nature and origins of strategic management
Assignment Two
Due: Week 12 (Final Report )
Weighting: 30%
Groupwork/Individual:
Short extension 3: No
AI assisted?:
Groups of (3 to 4 students) prepare a case study written report and oral presentation on a chosen organisation. This will require a comprehensive analysis of the strategic successes and failures of the organisation drawing upon ideas and concepts learned in class. Details will be available on ilearn from Week 5.
Submission.
Group presentations will take place in tutorials in Weeks 12. The final written report will be submitted in class in Week 12, and will be uploaded online, via Turnitin, on the unit ilearn site by 11.30pm on the day of class.
Extensions and Penalties:
Extension:
Extensions will only be granted with an approved "Disruption to Studies" application lodged with ask.mq.edu.au prior to the due date.
Penalties:
Late submissions will be penalised at 10% per day late up to five working days. After which zero (0) marks will be recorded.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Identify and analyse strategic issues in a management context
- Demonstrate awareness of contemporary challenges for and critiques of Strategic Management
Final Examination
Due: University Examination Period
Weighting: 40%
Groupwork/Individual:
Short extension 3: No
AI assisted?:
A three (3) hour final examination under closed book conditions and within the University formal examination period.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Demonstrate awareness of the major conceptualisations of strategic management
- Demonstrate awareness of contemporary challenges for and critiques of Strategic Management
Delivery and Resources
Classes
There are 3 hours of face-to-face teaching per week, consisting of 1 x 2 hour lecture and 1 x 1 hour tutorial.
Timetables for classes can be found on the MQC Portal
Required and Recommended reading
The required reading for this unit consists of a collection of 8 academic articles on strategy and management that will be uploaded for you on the unit ilearn site. You will need to download and read the designated article before your tutorials in weeks 2 through to 9 and to bring the article and your notes on it to the tutorial. Your understanding of each of these articles is examined in the final exam.
In addition, there will be a number of further articles uploaded on ilearn under each week's topic area. You will need to read a selection of these and use them in your assignments.
Unit web Page
The web (ilearn) page for this unit can be found at htp://ilearn.mq.edu.au
Technology
Access to a personal computer is required for downloading resources from ilearn.
Unit Schedule
| Week | Topic | Tutorial (All articles are on ilearn and need to be downloaded, read and brought to your tutorial) |
| 1 | Introduction 1 : Undoing Strategy | GTKY Exercises. |
| 2 | Introduction 2: Histories of Strategy | Mintzberg, H. (1987) ‘The Strategy Concept I: Five Ps For Strategy’ California Management Review 30 (1): 11-24. |
| 3 |
Understanding Strategy 1: Technical understandings of Strategy Part I |
Knights, D. and Morgan, G. (1990) ‘The concept of strategy in sociology’ Sociology 24(3): 475-483. |
| 4 |
Understanding Strategy 2: Technical understandings of Strategy Part II |
Grant, Butler et al. 'Contemporary Strategic Management'. (2nd Ed) (2014) Wiley Ch.4 |
| 5 |
Understanding Strategy 3: Ethical understandings of Strategy |
Grant, Butler et al. 'Contemporary Strategic Management'. (2nd Ed) (2014) Wiley Ch.5 & 7 |
| 6 |
Understanding Strategy 4: Cultural Understandings of Strategy |
Stansbury, J. and Barry, B. (2007) ‘Ethics Programs and the Paradox of Control’ Business Ethics Quarterly 17(2): 239-261. First Assignment Due |
| 7 |
Understanding Strategy 5: Global understandings of Strategy |
Jackall, R. 1988. Moral mazes: the world of corporate managers Oxford: Oxford University Press, Chapter 4 |
| 8 |
Strategic Challenges 1: Strategic success and failure: Part I |
Klein, N. (2000) No Logo. London, Flamingo. Ch. 9. |
| 9 |
Strategic Challenges 2: Strategic success and failure: Part II |
McLean, B. and Elkind, P. (2003) The Smartest Guys in the Room, Portfolio/ Penguin, New York. (Chapter 15, ‘Everybody loves Enron’) |
| 10 |
Strategic Challenges 3: The environment as strategic challenge, Part I |
Jacques, Butler et al. (2008) The Organisation of Denial. Conservative think tanks and environmental scepticism, Environmental Politics, 17:3, 349-385 |
| 11 |
Strategic Challenges 4: The environment as strategic challenge, Part II |
Report and Presentation Preparation |
| 12 | The Future of Strategy | Final Report Due, Student Group Presentations |
| 13 | Revision |
Policies and Procedures
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html
Assessment Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html
Grading Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html
Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html
Grievance Management Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grievance_management/policy.html
Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.
In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.
Student Code of Conduct
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/
Results
Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.
Student Support
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Student Support at Macquarie City Campus
Students who require assistance are encouraged to contact the Student Services Manager at Macquarie City Campus. Please see reception to book an appointment.
Macquarie University provides a range of Academic Student Support Services. Details of these services can be accessed at http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
At any time students (or groups of students) can book our Student Advising rooms on Level 6 by emailing info@city.mq.edu.au with a day and time and nominated contact person. There are additional student study spaces available on Level 1.
Macquarie University Campus Wellbeing also has a presence on the City Campus each week. If you would like to make an appointment, please email info@city.mq.edu.au or visit their website at: http://www.campuslife.mq.edu.au/campuswellbeing
StudyWISE provides:
· Online learning resources and academic skills workshops http://www.mq.edu.au/learning_skills
· Personal assistance with your learning & study related questions
Student Services and Support
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
Student Enquiries
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
IT Help
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://informatics.mq.edu.au/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
IT Help at Macquarie City Campus
If you wish to receive IT help, we would be glad to assist you at http://informatics.mq.edu.au/help/ or call 02 9850-4357.
When using the university's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students and it outlines what can be done.
Students must use their Macquarie University email addresses to communicate with staff as it is University policy that the University issued email account is used for official University communication.
Students are expected to act responsibly when utilising Macquarie City Campus IT facilities. The following regulations apply to the use of computing facilities and online services:
· Accessing inappropriate web sites or downloading inappropriate material is not permitted.
· Material that is not related to coursework for approved unit is deemed inappropriate.
· Downloading copyright material without permission from the copyright owner is illegal, and strictly prohibited. Students detected undertaking such activities will face disciplinary action, which may result in criminal proceedings.
Non-compliance with these conditions may result in disciplinary action without further notice.
If you would like to borrow headphones for use in the Macquarie City Campus computer labs (210, 307, 311, 608) at any point, please ask at Level 2 Reception. You will be required to provide your MQC Student ID card. This will be held as a deposit while using the equipment.
For assistance in the computer labs, please see a Lab Demonstrator (usually they can be found in Lab 311, otherwise ask at Level 2 Reception).
Graduate Capabilities
Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills
Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- Critically assess the nature and origins of strategic management
- Identify and analyse strategic issues in a management context
- Demonstrate awareness of the major conceptualisations of strategic management
- Demonstrate awareness of contemporary challenges for and critiques of Strategic Management
Assessment tasks
- Assignment One
- Final Examination
Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking
We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Assessment tasks
- Assignment Two
- Final Examination
Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens
As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcome
- Demonstrate awareness of contemporary challenges for and critiques of Strategic Management
Assessment task
- Assignment Two
Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible
We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcome
- Demonstrate awareness of contemporary challenges for and critiques of Strategic Management
Changes from Previous Offering
The unit has been changed to better encompass the range of academic perspectives and analyses of strategy. In the current structure and content students will be better able to assess the social, ethical, political and technical nature of strategy and to understand the complex and ambiguous function of strategy in managerial work.
Research and Practice
This unit requires students to engage with contemporary and classic research texts on strategy, drawn from the leading managemnet and strategy journals. As such, the unit fosters student's abilities to read and understand published academic research on the subject area. In addition, students will conduct their own independent research into the strategies and performance of real organisations - drawing upon the academic material to develop a research-informed analysis of contemporary business practice.