Tel-Aviv University



Tel-Aviv University

Faculty of Management

The Leon Recanati School of Business Administration

Strategic Management - 1231.3045.05

Spring Semester 2003

|Lecturer: |Dr. Tamar Almor |

|Class schedule: |Mondays 9:45-11:00 room 407 |

|Office: |Tel: 03-9634270 (you can leave a message if I am not in) |

| |E-mail: talmor@colman.ac.il |

|Office hours: |According to appointment |

|Teaching Assistant: |Mr. Shlomo Tarba |

|Telephone: |052 436675 |

| |E-mail: tarba@agri.huji.ac.il or shlomo_tarba@ |

Course objectives

The objective of this advanced course is to extend your knowledge in strategic management. The course is based on the introductory "Principles of strategy" and will touch upon issues such as business strategies and models for firms operating in various types of industries and knowledge-intensive firms. It will also discuss models for corporate strategies and global strategies. The course will further develop the relationship between strategic thinking and strategy implementation and will integrate knowledge gathered in other courses regarding functional strategies and management. The course will be based on case studies and recently published articles.

Course structure

The course is based on lectures, class discussions, reading material, preparation of case studies as well as a project. The course is based largely on in-class learning experiences, therefore it is recommended strongly to participate in class discussions and oral presentations.

Reading material:

Grant, R.M. Contemporary Strategy Analysis. Blackwell, 1998.

Almor, T. and Hashai, N. FDI, International Trade and the Economics of Peace Making. Academic Studies Division, Rishon LeZion, 2000.

Besanko, D., Dranove, D. and Shanley, M. The Economics of Strategy. John Wiley and Sons, 1996.

Requirements

All students are required to hand in a term paper as well as two case-study analyses. In addition each group presents an analysis of one of the case studies in class. Your grade is established as follows:

Final project - term paper (group) 40%

Case study - two in total (individual grade) 20% each – 40 % total

Case study presentation (group) 20%

The case study questions should be answered individually or at most in pairs. The term paper (final project) can be prepared by a group of four people at most. All written assignments may be handed in either in Hebrew or English. The case study presentation should be different from the ones handed in, so each student will be analyzing at least three cases during the semester.

Class attendance and participation

Students are expected to participate actively. This means that you have to attend at least 75% of all classes. In addition you must contribute significantly to in-class analysis of cases. Each student is expected to be an active participant and to make meaningful comments on cases being discussed. Merely attending class is not sufficient, attendance is not the same as participation. Bonus points will be rewarded to active, smart participants.

Case study preparation

You have to hand in answers to the question(s) regarding the case study, make sure to hand in answers to two case studies. Answers to the case studies should be prepared individually or in pairs. Written answers to case studies are due the week the case is discussed in class and should address the specific question(s) posed in the syllabus only. Analysis of financial and other data should be presented in appendices. The assignments should be based on analysis, not present summaries and ungrounded opinions of the author(s).

All written analyses are to be typed and to follow correct form, spelling and grammar.

The paper should include a cover page, the name of the author, the name of the case study, the date and the name of the instructor.

The paper should not exceed 1500 words (not including appendices). Short, accurate papers are preferred. Papers can be written in English or in Hebrew.

Term paper

Each student (group) has to hand in a term paper at the end of the semester. You are requested to choose a topic for your term paper by the seventh meeting. Present the instructor with a short description of the project of your choice. Make sure that the instructor agrees with your topic before you start working.

The paper has to be typed (double space) and should not exceed 8000 words. The term paper has to be handed in two weeks after the last class meeting. Students who cannot meet this deadline have to contact the instructor or the assistant prior to that date. Papers that are handed in late without prior consent will not be graded.

The term paper should present an in-depth analysis of the strategic position of a firm, the basis for the firm’s SCAs, the firm’s competitive position and presentation of a strategic plan for the next five years based on the topics discussed in class during the semester.

Class Schedule

|Meeting No. |Topics |Reading |

|1 |Strategic management – formulation and implementation. The resource based |Grant ch. 7 |

|17.2.03 |approach. | |

| |Movie: Castro | |

|2 |The industry life cycle and its matching strategies |Grant ch. 10 |

|24.2.03 | | |

|4 |Case study: The home video game industry | |

|10.3.03 | | |

|3 |Strategies of cost leadership |Grant ch. 8 |

|3.3.03 |Case study: Amazon | |

|5 |Strategies of differentiation |Grant ch. 9 |

|17.3.03 |British Airways (movie) | |

|6 |Case study: Cooper Tire and Rubber Company | |

|24.3.03 | | |

|7 |Building competitive advantages for knowledge – intensive firms |Grant ch. 11 |

|31.3.03 | | |

|8 |Knowledge-intensive firms in Israel: empirical findings |Almor |

|7.4.03 | | |

|9 |Case study: Tecnomatix | |

|28.4.03 |Case study: Aladdin | |

|10 |Business models and the implementation of strategy: Dell (movie) |Grant ch. 13 |

|5.5.03 | | |

|11 |Strategies of growth: diversification |Grant ch. 15, 16 |

|12.5.03 | | |

|12 |Case study: Rafael Development Corporation | |

|19.5.03 | | |

|13 |Strategies of growth: internationalization |Grant ch. 14 |

|26.5.03 | | |

|14 |Strategic alliances, M&As and integration | |

|2.6.03 | | |

Assignment questions

The Home Video Game Industry (Hill and Jones 16)

1. Evaluate the competitive strategy of 3DO. Why did 3DO fail?

2. Why did the Sony PlayStation succeed, while 3DO failed?

3. What general principles about strategy can be gleaned from the history of the video game industry?

Amazon (Hill and Jones 10)

1. Compare with a traditional bookstore

2. Do a SWOT analysis for .

3. What should Jeff Bezos do in light of intensifying competition on the Web?

Cooper Tire and Rubber Company (Hill and Jones 15)

1. What has allowed Cooper to implement its strategy with such effectiveness?

2. How well has Cooper performed over the past five years?

3. Should Cooper continue with the present strategy or make some changes? What new moves would you recommend?

Tecnomatix - A global entrepreneurial company - Almor, 1998

1. Analyze Tecnomatix’ current strategic situation, including a financial analysis and an analysis of its SCAs.

2. Present two likely scenarios for the company for the next five years, both involving growth, but according to different parameters. Base your scenarios on your findings regarding the company’s financial position and its SCAs.

3. Visit the company’s internet site and analyze what the company did in reality; did the develop according to the scenarios that you proposed?

Aladdin Knowledge Systems (AKS) HBS N9-598-018, 1997

1. Analyze Aladdin’s strategic situation during the mid 1990s employing the Industry Life Cycle Model. Identify the major threats and opportunities that existed in the environment at that time.

2. Identify Aladdin’s major strengths and weaknesses during the same period.

3. What strategic choices did the company have at the time and why did it choose the option of an acquisition. Using hind sight, what is your opinion of this acquisition?

4. Go to Aladdin’s internet site and look up its current situation in order to form your opinion.

Rafael Development Corporation HBS 9-602-011

1. Analyze R.D.C.’s portfolio using one of the models you have learned. What are your conclusions?

2. What should Ruben Krupnik do?

3. What should the company do? Develop a scenario for the future.

Course assignments - Strategic Management

Dr. Tamar Almor

This form should be handed in before the fourth meeting. Hand in one form per group; keep a copy for your own records.

Group members (name & student no.)

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Oral presentation:

❑ Case study: ______________________________

Describe the project you would like to work on:

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Sources of information: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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