STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT (M-390)

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Peter M. Markulis, Ph.D.

INTRODUCTION
The Strategic Management course is a capstone course for management students.
Capstone means that the course should be the last course the student takes since it
draws upon the knowledge and concepts from previous courses which are used to help
both analyze and plan for existing organizations. Strategic Management deals with
the overall and long-term management of the organization. The course is designed to
help the student integrate knowledge and concepts form other courses--particularly
business courses, and to use that knowledge to help guide the organization in
planning a successful future.

PREREQUISITES
MGMT311, MGMT331 & MGMT300 are required. It also is suggested that you
have taken MGMT350 and MGMT355.
COURSE LEANING OBJECTIVES
In the Strategic Management course, students will learn about the process of
strategy formulation, strategy implementation and strategy evaluation. Upon
completion of the course, students should know:
strategic management is an emerging and rapidly developing discipline, and
students should be knowledgeable about recent developments in the field;
students should be able to evaluate a firm from the perspective of top
management;
students should be able to identify and evaluate an organizations goals and
objectives as well as weigh the pros and cons of alternative organizational
strategies;
students should be able to identify the elements of the strategic management
process in actual organizations and evaluate their effectiveness;
students should be able to understand the elements of a business plan and be able
to critique actual business plans;
in making judgments about an organization's long term survival and success,
students will incorporate an ethical dimension as part of their analysis;

COURSEFORMAT

The course will be presented using three principal formats:

1. lecture/discussions,
2. case study discussions
3. student case facilitations

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT (M-390)

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Peter M. Markulis, Ph.D.

CASESTUDIES&CASEPRESENTATIONS
Case studies represent the most commonly used method for applying strategic
management concepts and techniques in different types and sizes of organizations. A
strategic management case typically describes the external and internal environment
facing a firm and presents sufficient information to develop, analyze and choose
among alternative strategies. The case is an excellent way for the student to
engage in the practice of management, while still remaining in the classroom.

WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS
During the semester, students, either individually or in teams, will be asked to do
several case write-ups.
The write-ups will focus on some topic or issue related to
strategic management and generally will be case-based. Some write-ups will require
students to do some company or industry research, while others will require students
to read and critique scholarly articles in the field of strategic management. A
third type of write-up is field based, requiring students to conduct surveys or
interviews. A compete list of all the write-ups, due dates and number required will
be handed out early in the semester.

CLASSDISCUSSIONANDCLASSPARTICIPATION
Unlike many of the other courses the student has experienced, Strategic Management
is a course oriented toward student involvement and discussion. Sitting "in" is not
an acceptable modus operandi for the student. Hence, students are expected to be
familiar with and prepared to discuss the reading material and cases and to critique
the student case presentations vigorously throughout the semester. Students will be
evaluated on their participation. Of course, if a student is not in attendance, no
evaluation can be made! A spreadsheet will appear periodically outside of the
professors office indicating your class participation score.

CEOINTERVIEW
EachteamwillberequiredtoconductaCEOinterview.Thisinterviewwillrevolve
aroundstrategicissues.CriteriaforconductingtheinterviewisontheM390
outbox.Pleasenotetheduedate.

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT (M-390)

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Peter M. Markulis, Ph.D.

ALLWRITTENASSIGNMENTS
In evaluating the written assignments, at least 25% of the evaluation will reflect
writing mechanics, i.e., spelling, grammar, style and clarity. Any form of
plagiarism (if you do not know what plagiarism means--PLEASE ASK!) will make the
student liable to receive academic as well as disciplinary penalties. Written
assignments will be assessed a penalty of 2 points per day, including weekends.
After 7 days, written assignments will NOT be accepted at all.

CLASSROOMETIQUETTE
Please refrain from engaging in side conversations while the
instructor or someone else has the floor. Please TURN-OFF cell phones
before class begins. Please do not use your portable computer in the
class unless permission is given by the instructor. If you miss a
class, do not ask the instructor to tell you what you have missed. It
will be your responsibility to obtain class notes, assignments, or
handouts from one of your peers. Most handouts are available outside
the instructor's office or on one of the shelves in the classroom
itself. Also, please do not tell the instructor that you will be
missing a class or classes.
Please honor the instructor's office hour schedule. Barging into the
instructor's office or interrupting the instructor is unacceptable.
Emails.Ifyouhaveanimportantissue,pleaseemailtheinstructor.
However,superfluousemailswillcostyoupointsandtheinstructor
willdeterminewhetheranemailissuperfluousornot!
REQUIREDTEXTS
(1)

CAPSTONE.

An on-line Business Simulation.

(2)

Harvard Business School cases (one case binder per team)

(3)

Additional readings are noted on the syllabus)

(4)

Much of the class material will be on ERes

(5) (optional) STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT for Small & growing Firms by Markulis,
Szczerbacki & Howard, Oasis Press/PSI Research, 1999.

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT (M-390)

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Peter M. Markulis, Ph.D.

EVALUATION&GRADING
Every aspect of the course is important and necessary. Therefore, neglect of ANY
aspect of the course could result in a poor grade. Unlike many other courses the
student has taken, a high value is placed on class participation. This is because
the nature and content of the course dictate that students read the cases and
related materials and be prepared to intelligently discuss them in class. Thus, it
stands to reason that students not attending class cannot participate.
Obviously,
this form of non-participation will be reflected in the final grade.
The general policy for this course is that there will be NO make-up written
assignments or exams. This policy is particularly addressed for those of you who
will schedule interviews or other appointments during the time when an
exam/presentation is scheduled. You will receive a 0" grade for missing a
scheduled exams. If you are ill, you will need an official excuse and you will need
to schedule an oral make-up exam with the instructor.
Generally, grades will be arrived at using the following criteria:
1.

Three exams (inc. final)-----------------------------------------50%

2.

Team Case Facilitation-------------------------------------------20%

3.

Class participation----------------------------------------------10%

4.

TEAM CEO Interview-----------------------------------------------10%

5.

Unannounced Quizzes ---------------------------------------------10%

EXAM ETIQUETTE
DO NOT leave the room during a test. Once the test begins, no one will be
allowed to leave until they have completed the test. If you need to use
the lavatory, please do so before starting the test. We generally do not
post grades. It is your responsibility to keep track of your standing in
the course, which is why we have taken great pains to outline the grading
system above. Finally, please do not badger the professors by constantly
asking them if they have graded the tests yet. We will grade tests, papers,
etc., as soon as we can and get the results back to you.
ORAL EXAMS. Any student may choose to take oral exams in place of the 2
exams scheduled during the regular semester. Oral exams last about 20 minutes
and can be scheduled during the week when the written exams are scheduled. Ask
4

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT (M-390)

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Peter M. Markulis, Ph.D.

the instructor for the criteria used for grading the oral exams.