[SOLVED] STRATEGY Academic year 2024-2025 Python

Syllabus STRATEGY PGE M1

Fall, 2024

STRATEGY

Academic year 2024-2025

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Formulating a sound competitive strategy and achieving growth across multiple, different business    units to sustain long-term superior performance are two of the critical tasks for general managers to   ensure the success of the firms they lead. The objective of this course is to provide students with an   opportunity to understand, through analytical approaches and critical thinking, how companies make strategic decisions to support the development of competitive advantages, corporate growth and shareholder value through the simultaneous pursuit of economic as well as social and ecological performance dimensions. We will focus on strategic issues from the viewpoint of senior management in both domestic and international corporations. Through a combination of lectures, readings, case studies, experiential exercises and a consultancy project, this course introduces students to the tools and knowledge required for critical and effective strategic analysis, thinking, and application. Mastery of these tools and knowledge has relevance to everyone seeking a career in strategy as a manager, an entrepreneur, or a consultant.

The course will help students develop a general management point of view and appreciate strategy to the firm’s overall growth and welfare. You will learn how to analyze the firm, and its environment, and then align strategies to the firm’s revenue and profitability goals.

You will work in teams on selected companies to produce a final consultancy project. This course  will require hard work and thinking, augmented by your creativity, to produce a fun and enriching experience.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

1) Demonstrate working knowledge of fundamental concepts in strategic management; strategy identification and evaluation; industry analysis; competitive challenges; and company and industry evolution.

2) Understand the impact of environmental forces and of strategic actions by the firm and its rivals on business and corporate strategy.

3) Develop data literacy skills and competencies in assessing and selecting appropriate data

sources for strategic analysis. Demonstrate and apply analytical and critical thinking in

reporting analysis, inferring conclusions effectively, and framing practical recommendations.

4) Develop skills in logical strategic thinking, responding to comments, and justifying your position in discussions with quantitative data and evidence.

LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

A willingness to attend, prepare classes in advance, and participate actively is the central ingredient for succeeding in this course. A few essential points concerning our classes:

a.  You must prepare each class (both lectures and tutorials) in advance. We plan to be

prepared for every class and we expect you to do the same. Before each class (both lecture and    tutorial formats), get informed on what you are supposed to do. Your diligent work prior to class is essential for achieving our learning objectives.

b.  Attendance is mandatory. If you must miss a class, we expect you to notify your instructor by email in advance.

c.  Classes start on time. We do arrive punctually to class, and we expect you to do the same.

d.  Electronic devices. Use of electronic devices in class is not allowed except in answering poll questions during class and taking notes.

e.  Regularly check your SKEMA emailbox for communications and updates.

f.  You must form. and organize your team for TD sessions. You are responsible for forming

your own teams by a pre-assigned deadline. Otherwise, you will be randomly assigned to a team by the instructor before the first tutorial session. The teams’ composition cannot be changed.

g.  Free riding will be sanctioned. We expect you to remain engaged and contribute to the team

assignments throughout the course. Your instructor reserves the right to apply grade penalties to sanction free riding.

PEDAGOGICAL APPROACH

We will use a combination of (a) theory and (b) a team project.

a.  Lectures (CMs) will introduce theoretical and conceptual frameworks for strategic management and showcase different real-world applications, which will help analyze strategic problems and develop solutions to deal with these situations.

•    Theory-focused sessions are designed to present and explain relevant theoretical frameworks.

•    Case-focused sessions show application cases on different industry and company situations and support your learning and understanding with a strategy

conversation of the week, i.e., a debate on the case of an industry or the strategy of a company.

b.  Tutorials (TDs) are meant to help you become familiar with the role of strategic analysts and consultants. The project will simulate a consultancy assignment. In teams of maximum five members, you will work on a company at your choice among a pre-selected set, collect, and quantitatively analyze information about the company’s strategy from available sources, and prepare and verbally present two PowerPoint consultancy presentations (mid-term and final) based on the results of your analyses, covering the following aspects: (a) the company’s external environment (i.e., industry analysis) (mid-term), (b) its business strategy (mid-term), (c) its resources and capabilities (mid-term); and (d) the company’s corporate strategy (final); and (e)   final evidence-based recommendations (final). The presentations will be worked will be worked and verbally presented during the tutorial sessions (refer to the outline below). Details about the deadlines will be announced during the course on the K2 platform.

COURSE MATERIAL

Textbook

  Rothaermel FT. 2024. Strategic Management, 6th Edition. McGraw-Hill.

The SmartBook is available on the McGraw-Hill CONNECT learning platform at the link provided.

Course Pack, Lecture Slides, Case Studies, and Assignments

The course pack (including guidelines for the consultancy presentations), lecture slides, case

study materials (including case description, data, appendices, and questions for preparing the in- class discussion) will be posted on the course page on K2.

Video Tutorials on Strategic Analysis in Excel

Pre-recorded tutorials on how to execute the strategic analyses to be included in the consultancy assignment will be made available on the K2 platform.

Additional Recommended Resources

You are expected to follow business news from a US newspaper or Journal (e.g., Wall Street

Journal). Additional information from newspapers, journals and ‘think tanks’ (e.g, McKinsey,

Deloitte, Gartner, etc.) are recommended to enhance the value you will receive from this course. These maybe available online or through SkemaLearn.

Software and Systems

This class will make use of Microsoft tools (Word, PowerPoint, Excel.) In addition, it maybe useful to use document sharing software for your teamwork for version consistency.