Career Development and Lifestyle Planning



Corporate Strategy2 CreditsBU.151.720.XX[NOTE: Each section must have a separate syllabus.][Day & Time / ex: Monday, 6pm-9pm][Start & End Date / ex: 3/24/15-5/12/15][Semester / ex: Fall 2016][Location / ex: Washington, DC]Instructor[Full Name]Contact Information[Phone Number, (###) ###-####][Email Address]Office Hours[Day(s)/Times]Required Texts & Learning MaterialsTextbookBesanko, D.; Dranove, D.; Shanley, M.; Schaefer, S. Economics of Strategy (6e), John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2012. (EOS)Note: The 5th Edition (2009) is also acceptable. Here are a few potentially useful links for this purpose: ; ; ; ; . Which alternative purchasing option to choose is entirely up to the student; they are all perfectly good for the purposes of this course. I recommend you search for the book through a website that allows you to price-compare, e.g., ReadingsGertner, Robert and M. Knez, Vertical Integration: Make or Buy Decisions, Financial Times Mastering Strategy Series, 1999.Ghemawat, Pankaj and Rivkin, Jan W., Creating Competitive Advantage (HBS 9-798-062)Montgomery, C., Corporate Diversification, Journal of Economic Perspectives, 1994, pp.163-178.Prahalad, C.K., and G. Hamel, The Core Competence of the Corporation, Harvard Business Review, 1990Porter, Michael, Note on the Structural Analysis of Industries (HBS 9-376-054)Porter, Michael, What is Strategy, Harvard Business Review, 1996CasesWeek 2: Cola Wars Continue: Coke and Pepsi in the Twenty-First Century, (HBS 9-702-442)Week 3: Airborne Express (A) (HBS 9-798-070)Week 4: Enterprise Rent-a-car (the following articles posted online)Jacobson, Gianna, Enterprise’s Unconventional Path, New York Times (Late edition- Final), Sec. D; p. 1; Column 2; Business/Financial Desk, January 23, 1997O'Reilly, Brian, The rent-a-car jocks who made Enterprise #1. Fortune, October 28, 1996, Vol. 134, Issue 8, p125 Week 5: Home Depot & Trygar’s (the following articles posted online)Bond, Patti, Home Depot forges 'Villager's Hardware', The Atlanta Journal and Constitution (Saturday, All edition), BUSINESS; Pg. 02D, December 5, 1998 James R. Hagerty, Tough as Nails: Home Depot Raises The Ante, Targeting Mom-and-Pop Rivals --- New Jersey Hardware Shop Braces for Battle, Counting On Neighbors and Service --- Keys That Please, Cheap PCs, Wall Street Journal (Eastern edition). New York, N.Y. pg. A.1: Jan. 25, 1999. Week 6: Arauco (A): Forward Integration or Horizontal Expansions? (HBS 9-705-474)Week 7: Newell Company: Corporate Strategy (HBS 9-799-139)Course Description This course is concerned with the formulation and analysis of corporate strategy. Corporate strategy asks the question, ‘In what industries should a firm compete?’ These are the objectives and policies that collectively determine how a business positions itself to increase its returns and create economic value for its owners and stakeholders. In this course, students learn analytical techniques for diagnosing the industrial landscape of a business, a firm’s overall portfolio, and identifying and analyzing specific business options. These concepts and frameworks will help you to learn to put structure on complex and unstructured problems in corporate strategy to provide a solid foundation for managerial decision making.Prerequisite(s)NoneLearning Objectives By the end of this course, students will be able to: Size up, quickly and accurately, complex and unstructured situations by identifying the core problems and issues.Analyze quantitative and descriptive data to identify strategies which are appropriate to each situation, evaluate alternatives, and recommend specific courses of action for creative solutions to problems/issues.Link theory and practice, and develop understanding of when and how to use what "tools" in particular problem solving situations.Learn about strategy concepts, synthesized and integrated, in a pragmatic context.Present recommendations in concise, framework-driven, and convincing manner with the appropriate research and arguments.To view the complete list of Carey Business School’s general learning goals and objectives, visit the Teaching & Learning@Carey website. Attendance Attendance and class participation are part of each student’s course grade. Students are expected to attend all scheduled class sessions. Each class will include opportunities for teams to work together. Failure to attend class will result in an inability to achieve the objectives of the course. Excessive absence will result in loss of points for team participation. Regular attendance and active participation are required for students to successfully complete the course.Assignments & RubricsAssignmentCourse Learning Objective(s)WeightClass participation and class contributions to learning1, 2, 3, 4, 520%Individual case analysis1, 2, 3, 4, 530%Industry Analysis Project (adjusted by a peer evaluation at the end of the semester)1, 2, 3, 4, 550%Total100%Individual contributions to learning:Students are expected to have read the cases before attending class. Students are expected to take a proactive stance with respect to class contributions. While the instructor may sometimes use cold calling, students should not expect this to be sufficient for opportunities to make substantive contributions. Discussions are to be directed to the class rather than the instructor.Students will be evaluated after each class on their contributions to discussions. Contributions are defined as: observations that advance the discussion or change the direction of the class discussion, insightful commentaries that raise learning points, probing questions that challenge the extant discussion and yield new directions, and analyses that clarify and amplify case facts. Class attendance is a pre-requisite for class contribution; therefore, students will earn a 0 on days they do not attend class. A minimal grade is assigned for attendance without active participation. Class participation and contribution will be graded 0-5 according to the following subjective criteria: 5 = able to answer or ask questions with good examples from the readings and makes several excellent points that reveals deep thought about the issue(s), and understanding of the readings and cases. Raises the level of discourse. This score is rare.4 = raises a number of good points from the cases and readings, less inspired than a 5, but reveals a clear understanding of the material, with the ability to apply it.3 = raises one or two good points, and shows a rudimentary grasp of the readings and cases. Essentially, attempts to draw some linkage with the concepts used in the class.2 = makes one or two points but does not attempt to apply what is learned in the readings or lectures, i.e., superficial common sense-type answers to questions that required more insight.1 = shows up for class but does not participate0 = did not attend classIndividual case analysis:You are required to submit a 5-page individual write-up on one of the cases. You may submit cases for practice but must decide which case you wish to have graded, before handing in the case. There are no resubmissions once a case has been graded. Please hand in before class meets on the day the case is discussed. Late submissions will not be graded or commented upon. The case write-up should provide an analysis of the critical issues with recommendations. Summaries (no analyses or recommendations) will not earn a passing grade. Format should be a maximum of 5 pages, double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font, with 1” margins around. For help in analyzing the cases see the questions in the class schedule below. Merely answering the questions will not be sufficient for a complete answer. Every case has one or several decision points. Identify the decision point(s), state the criteria you will use to make the decision(s), present a cogent analysis of the facts and state your position on the decision point(s). Do not introduce facts from outside of the cases as this will cause confusion in your analyses.Industry Analysis ReportThe most effective way to accomplish this course's objectives is through an industry analysis report using the tools taught in the classroom. Class will be divided into study teams of between 4 to 6 students. Teams are expected to meet outside class hours to conduct research for the industry report, write the report and discuss the case assignments for the following week. Each group will select a global industry and a company in that industry. It will conduct library research of the industry using the frameworks and tools discussed in class. It will provide a brief presentation of the findings at the end of the semester. These presentations should be designed as briefings to a Company's Board of Directors. Thus, although the investigation is not about the company but the industry, the company anchors the analysis. The presentation should communicate the group's assessment of the current state and predictions about future developments in the industry that will have an impact on the company. The analysis and support for the group's conclusions should be presented in a 15-20 page document, due at the last week of classes. The final report should be formatted in the following way: 1” margins, double-spaced, Times New Roman font, with appropriate citations for the use of data and analyses from secondary research. The contents of the report are as follows:1. Executive summary2. Description of the Company2. Description and Analysis of the Industry4. Recommendations to the Company5. AppendicesAssessment Rubric for Case Analyses and Industry ReportThe scale is 1 to 5 (with 1 being poor): Analysis (70%): 1. Does the paper contain analyses of the major issues?2. Does the analysis properly incorporate the relevant tools?3. Does the analysis show the relationships among important factors in the situation?4. Are assumptions made in the analysis stated explicitly?5. Does the analysis isolate the fundamental causes of problems in the case?Recommended Actions (30%):1. Are the criteria for selecting recommendations stated?2. Is the plan of action integrated in a logical way and linked to the analysis?3. Does the action plan recognize the importance of timing (short-term and long-term)?4. Is the action plan specific and complete?5. Is the action plan practical (i.e., something that can be done reasonably)?A word about teaming Recognize the dynamics of group interaction and accept the fact that they can lead to frustration and conflict. These situations are no different from what you will certainly encounter operating in any organizational environment. This course can be an excellent opportunity for experiential learning on managing group situations and acquiring some of the most critical managerial skills. Throughout your career, managing such situations by applying strong interpersonal skills, developing an ability to resolve conflict and working out compromises will determine if the next promotion will come to you or the person in the next cubicle.GradingThe grade of A is reserved for those who demonstrate extraordinarily excellent performance. The grade of A- is awarded only for excellent performance. The grade for good performance in this course is a B+/B. The grades of D+, D, and D- are not awarded at the graduate level. Please refer to the Carey Business School’s Student Handbook for grade appeal information. Tentative Course CalendarThe instructors reserve the right to alter course content and/or adjust the pace to accommodate class progress. Students are responsible for keeping up with all adjustments to the course calendar.Note: (EOS) refers to Economics of Strategy textbook.WeekContentReadingsHomework Due1IntroductionConcept of Strategy. Economic Costs. Profitability. Demand and Revenues. Game Theory.Logistics, team formation, and assignment of consulting projectDiscussion of class requirements and performance standards.Introduction: Strategy and Economics: (EOS), Economic Costs and Profitability, Demand and Revenues, Perfect Competition: (EOS pp.9-31 in 6th ed, pp.11-17, 21-34 in 5th ed) Form teams, caucus and decide on global industry and team for Industry Project2Industry AnalysisMarket Structure. Five forcesCaseCola Wars Continue: Coke and Pepsi in the Twenty-First Century (HBS 9-702-442)Industry Analysis (EOS Ch.8 in 6th ed, Ch.12 in 5th ed)Porter, Michael, Note on the Structural Analysis of Industries (HBS 9-376-054)Case Preparation:Has the industry that Coke and Pepsi compete in generated high profits historically relative to other industries?How intense is pricing rivalry among firms in the industry? Why?What are the barriers to entry in this industry and how important is each?How should Coke and Pepsi respond to the growth of non-carbonated beverages? 3Business-Level Strategy I: Creating Competitive AdvantageValue Creation. Cost Advantage. Benefit Advantage. Segmentation and Targeting StrategiesCase Airborne Express (A) (HBS 9-798-070)EOS Ch.9 in 6th ed, Ch.13 in 5th ed)Ghemawat, Pankaj and Rivkin, Jan W., Creating Competitive Advantage (HBS 9-798-062)Progress Report of Industry Analysis Case Preparation:What is the five-forces analysis of the express mail industry?Analyze Airborne Express’ cost advantage What could Robert Brazier, Airborne's President and COO, do to strengthen the company’s position?4Business-Level Strategy II : Sustaining Competitive AdvantageResource-based Theory. Barriers to Imitation. First-mover AdvantagesCaseEnterprise Rent-a-Car (articles posted online)1. Sustaining Competitive Advantage (EOS Ch.11 in 6th ed, Ch.14 in 5th ed)2. Porter, Michael, What is Strategy 3. Prahalad, C.K., and Hamel, Gary, The Core Competence of the Corporation. Case Preparation:Perform a five forces analysis of Enterprise’s industryHow does Enterprise differ from other rental car agencies? Describe and evaluate Enterprise’s strategy for competing in this industryWhat strategic moves should Enterprise make in order to strengthen its position?5Corporate-Level Strategy I: Horizontal IntegrationEconomies of Scale and ScopeCaseHome Depot & Trygar’s (articles posted online)Integration and Its Alternatives (EOS Ch.4 in 6th ed, Ch.6 in 5th ed) Case Preparation:What has been Home Depot’s traditional market and strategy?What has been Trygar’s traditional market and strategy?What is the difference between the segment Trygars serves and that Home Depot serves?What is the key asset that sustains Trygars?What would you do if you were Ed Trygar?6Corporate-Level Strategy II: Vertical IntegrationMake versus Buy. Technical Efficiency versus Agency EfficiencyCaseArauco (A): Forward Integration or Horizontal Expansions? (HBS 9-705-474)1. The Vertical Boundaries of the Firm (EOS Ch.3 in 6th ed, Ch.5 in 5th ed)2. Gertner, Robert; Knez, Marc, Vertical Integration: Make or Buy Decisions, Financial Times Mastering Strategy Series, 1999　Case Preparation:Should Arauco build the Nueva Aldea project?Should Arauco own both forests and pulp production facilities? Does the Alto Parana project help you answer this question?Do you think there is a better alternative to investing in a pulp plant?7Corporate-Level Strategy III: DiversificationEfficiency-Based and Managerial Reasons for DiversificationCaseNewell Company: Corporate Strategy (HBS 9-799-139)1. EOS Ch.2 in 6th ed, Ch.7 in 5th ed2. Montgomery, C., Corporate Diversification Case Preparation:Does Newell have a successful corporate-level strategy?What are Newell’s distinctive resources?What challenges faced the company in the late 1990s?In this context, does the acquisition of Calphalon make sense? Rubbermaid?8Final Presentation Submit Final Industry ReportSubmit Peer EvaluationCarey Business SchoolPolicies and General InformationBlackboard SiteA Blackboard course site is set up for this course. Each student is expected to check the site throughout the semester as Blackboard will be the primary venue for outside classroom communications between the instructors and the students. Students can access the course site at . Support for Blackboard is available at 1-866-669-6138.Course EvaluationAs a research and learning community, the Carey Business School is committed to continuous improvement. The faculty strongly encourages students to provide complete and honest feedback for this course. Please take this activity seriously; we depend on your feedback to help us improve. Information on how to complete the evaluation will be provided toward the end of the course.Disability ServicesJohns Hopkins University and the Carey Business School are committed to making all academic programs, support services, and facilities accessible. To determine eligibility for accommodations, please contact the Disability Services Office at time of admission and allow at least four weeks prior to the beginning of the first class meeting. Students should contact Priscilla Mint in the Disability Services Office by phone at 410-234-9243, by fax at 443-529-1552, or by email. Honor Code/Code of ConductAll students are expected to view the Carey Business School Honor Code/Code of Conduct tutorial and submit their pledge online.?Students who fail to complete and submit the pledge will have a registrar’s hold on their account. Please contact the student services office via email if you have any questions.Students are not allowed to use any electronic devices during in-class tests. Calculators will be provided if the instructor requires them for test taking. Students must seek permission from the instructor to leave the classroom during an in-class test. Test scripts must not be removed from the classroom during the test.Other Important Academic Policies and ServicesStudents are strongly encouraged to consult the Carey Business School’s Student Handbook and Academic Catalog and Student Resources for information regarding the following items:Statement of Diversity and InclusionStudent Success CenterInclement Weather PolicyCopyright StatementUnless explicitly allowed by the instructor, course materials, class discussions, and examinations are created for and expected to be used by class participants only.?The recording and rebroadcasting of such material, by any means, is forbidden. Violations are subject to sanctions under the Honor Code. ................
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