RYERSON UNIVERSITY

Ted Rogers School of Business Management

BUS 800, Winter 2016
Strategic Management (an integrative course)
Section 131, Tuesday 12 3 pm, KHE129
Course Description:
Strategic management is a challenging and exciting course. It serves the function of a capstone course,
integrating much of the knowledge gained in other business courses. It is a truly different kind of
business course. Other courses are concerned with a narrower, more specialized body of knowledge, and
as a result are highly structured. Some provide quantitative techniques, while others relate to specific
skills. The problems and issues of strategy management cover the whole spectrum of business. Weighing
the pros and cons of strategy requires a total enterprise perspective and a talent for judging how all the
relevant facts add up. To keep the discussions down to earth, each week real companies will be
examined. This course is by far the most demanding course in the Business Management Degree and as
such it is recommended that students have 10 or fewer courses left to graduate before enrolling in this
course.
Course Overview:
BUS 800 is about strategic management and related concepts. This course recognizes that organizations
exist and compete in evolving dynamic environments. In order to survive and succeed in such an
environment, businesses require precise strategies. This course is intended to provide students with a
range of frameworks, concepts, and tools that can assist students in their efforts to analyze complex
business situations, reach conclusions, develop and evaluate alternatives, and recommend specific
courses of action to respond to such situations. The strategic emphasis is on the kinds of problems and
issues that affect the entire organization, usually as observed from a managers point of view. BUS 800
takes the perspective that all managers within a firm contribute to the formulation and implementation of
successful strategies.
Course Objectives:
Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:
1. Describe, explain and apply major concepts, tools and frameworks in business strategy.
2. Incorporate specific business subject knowledge acquired in prior courses.
3. Using the course framework, assess organizations operational health and business performance
and review the organizations current prospects, considering opportunities, threats, current
resources and capabilities to identify key strategic issues.
4. Identify alternatives and select and develop strategies to change or reinforce an organizations
competitive advantage.
5. Describe and explain ethical practices and CSR in business strategy.
6. To develop a deeper understanding of the strategic business environment in Canada, the US, and
the rest of the world.
7. To develop an understanding of the language of business strategy.
Prerequisite(s): FIN 401: Note that FIN 401 and BUS 800 may not be taken concurrently. Or, AFA
310: Note that AFA 310 and BUS 800 may not be taken concurrently
Teaching Methods:

Strategic Management will be taught in a three-hour format. For most classes the first half of the lecture
will be focused on knowledge which will be comprised of taking up and discussing the text and
assigned readings in order to clarify some of the more difficult theories and concepts.
The second half of the class will be comprised of an in-class workshop where students will be asked to
work on exercises/activities that reinforce learning that relates to the knowledge that was discussed in
the first half of the class. Students may be asked to work individually or in groups.
In order to get the most out of the class it is expected that students will come to class with the reading
materials completed. Students should come to class prepared to engage in class discussions.
Case/Assignment Submissions:
All assignments must be submitted to turnitin.com. Some instructors will also require you to hand in a
hard copy of the assignment in addition to the turnitin.com submission. The hard copy is due, in class,
on the due date of the assignment in the course outline. You will be advised by your instructor whether
you will be required to hand in a hard copy assignment. The assignment due dates are identified in the
course outline. The assignments must be submitted to turnitin.com no later than 11:30 PM the night
before the assignment is scheduled to be due. For example, if an assignment is due in class 5 then it
must be submitted to turnitin no later than 11:30 PM the night before class 5. You must print and
submit your turnitin receipt (submit it in class) or attach it to your hard copy if you are required to
submit one. Your assignment will not be accepted and evaluated unless a turnitin receipt is submitted. A
group peer evaluation will also have to be submitted (attach to hard copy if required to submit one) in
class for all group assignments. The group peer evaluation will be made available. Your group
assignment will not be accepted or evaluated if the peer evaluation isnt submitted. A late submission
will be penalized one letter grade per day (e.g., B+ becomes C+ in the first 24 hours after the
deadline, becomes D+ in the next 24 hours, and becomes F thereafter - late is defined as one
minute after the deadline).
Evaluation:
Individual Case Analysis: Vera Bradley in 2014: Will the Companys Strategy Reverse the Downward
Trend?, 30%. Due Week 8 (Turnitin and hard copy).
Group external/internal analysis of company selected for final project, 10%. Due Week 10 (Turnitin and
hard copy).
Group project of company selected, 20%. Due April 20, Week 13 (Turnitin and hard copy).
Final Exam in exam period, 20% (date of exam period April 18 29, 2016).
Participation, 20%.
Technology Usage & Limits:
Any communications with the instructor must be through your Ryerson mail account for privacy
reasons. The instructor will not respond to non-Ryerson emails. Do not email your instructor with
questions that are already addressed in this syllabus; you are expected to be aware of all this
information. Laptops are permitted only for taking notes; if you want to use yours for other purposes do
so outside of the classroom. You may not make recordings in the classroom or use the materials posted
on D2L for any purpose unrelated to this course without the express written permission of the instructor.
Assignments and Grading:

Case (Individual):
A full case submission includes a strategy write up and an appendix. The appendix is comprised of an
analysis that evaluates the companys external environment (chapter 2) and an internal analysis that
evaluates the companys resources, capabilities, and competitiveness (chapter 3 and supplemental
chapter). Detailed instructions regarding the structure of case submissions and the grading rubric will be
provided. You are not permitted to use any outside information for the case analysis.
Final Project (Group):
Students must form groups of 5 6 persons. All students must be in a group by the end of the second
class. If youre not in a group by the end of the third class, the instructor will assign you to one.
This is a group take-home project. The project is an analysis of the environment and the strategy of a
company that is approved by your instructor. The group must identify a company that they will analyze
and have it approved by the instructor by the fourth class. You will not be permitted to change your
company once it has been selected, so choose wisely. Analysis is based on secondary research only. You
will be required to submit the external and internal analysis of your company in class 10. It is essential
that you start to collect information once you have selected your company. You will receive feedback on
your external and internal analysis by Week 11. You will be expected to improve your external and
internal analysis for your final report submission due during the first week of exams. You will highlight
the changes you make to the external and internal analysis for your final report submission. It is these
changes that will be evaluated on your final report submission. You need to make sure that you
reference the sources you use. Your final written report is the exact same format as the individual case,
except that you will include a bibliography.

The company has to be publically traded in either Canada or the United States
The company has to be in business for at least 5 years
Your report will be focused on the most dominant business unit (if the company operates more
than one business unit)
It is highly recommended that you select a company that has non-consolidated financial
information available (if the company operates more than one business unit).
It is highly recommended that you do not wait for the last minute to start this project. You
should start your research and begin collecting information once your instructor has approved
your company selection. You should start working on the report over the study week.

Exam:
The exam will be comprised of multiple-choice questions that cover the chapters discussed from the
textbook, and the two Supplemental Chapters (in the case book). The exam will take place in Exam
Week.
Participation:
Your presence and contribution to in-class learning is vital. This means being present and prepared,
building on others ideas and being ready to disagree with others and to develop your own position.
Participation is evaluated in-class by discussion of weekly articles, questions during student presentations.
As part of being respectful to your fellow classmates and to the conduciveness of a good learning
environment, we expect you to arrive on time and to be prepared. Most importantly, we expect you to

take an active role in the discussion by asking good questions (quality, not quantity), raising interesting
points, and taking seriously your role in individual and team assignments.
20 marks are allocated for participation.
Absence from class or being unprepared to discuss current articles means that you cannot participate
effectively. A pattern of arriving late or leaving early, or remaining silent in class, may also be treated as
an absence, at the discretion of your instructor. Your participation grade will therefore be impacted, as
follows:
unprepared for 1 class, 1 mark penalty
unprepared for 2 classes, 3 mark penalty
unprepared for 3 classes, 6 mark penalty
unprepared for 4 classes, 10 mark penalty
Please note that you will be marked absent if you are not present when the instructor takes attendance.
For example, if your instructor called attendance in the last half hour of the class and you were not
present, even if you had attended the majority of the class, you would be marked absent. The instructor
reserves the right to take attendance more than once during a class.
The 20% will be allocated as a combination of participation, discussions, small tests, presentations,
article discussions. The details will be set out by your instructor in the first class.
Critical information:
Due to the nature of the course, students are expected to attend all classes.
Late assignments will be penalized as described. If you are unable to submit on the due date, arrange
for an early submission. Any absence from class does not excuse you from assignment deadlines.

Ryerson requires that any official or formal communications from students be sent from their official
Ryerson email account; email from other accounts will be ignored. Similarly, emails from the
instructor will be sent only to your Ryerson account.
It is your responsibility to clarify any ambiguities that you may find in course materials or syllabus when in doubt, ask.
Assignments submitted to Turnitin.com will only be accepted in Word format. No pictures of text
will be accepted.
It is your responsibility to check posted information on D2L News and Announcements frequently.
Course Materials:
The following two textbooks are required:

Grant, Jordan, Walsh. Strategic Management BUS 800. John Wiley & Sons, 2016. ISBN 978
1119 1819 27. (A hard cover and an ebook are available. The ebook must be ordered at the
Ryerson Bookstore. The hard cover is a custom book and is only available at the Ryerson
Bookstore.)
BUS800 Strategic Management Winter 2016 Case Book (only available at the Ryerson book
store). This custom book contains three cases and the two supplemental chapters.

BUS 800 Winter 2016 Course Outline

Instructor: Steve Tissenbaum
Office hours: Posted weekly or by appointment
Email: stissenb@ryerson.ca
Phone: 416.526.4626
Office: TRS 2-103
Sections: 131, Tuesday 12 3 pm, KHE129

Class/Topic

Breakdown/Assignment

Learning Outcomes

1) January 19
The Concept of Strategy
Chapter 1

Introduction
The Role of Strategy
Discussion of concepts

An understanding of strategy and

its contribution
Terminology
Identifying strategy
Comprehending the process

2) January 26
3) February 2
Industry Analysis
Chapter 2
Read Whole Foods case
and prepare industry
analysis for discussion.

Analytical Tools
Application to Whole Foods
Group discussion
Finalize groups, Week 2
Discuss company selection
Hand in names of group
members

Understanding analytical tools:

Pestel; Porters 5 F; industry
economic structure; dynamic
competition; KSF; positioning
(maps); drivers

4) February 9
5) February 23
Internal Analysis:
Resources and Capabilities
Chapter 3
Prepare internal analysis
for class discussion of
Whole Foods

Tools for internal analysis

Discuss application for Whole
Foods
Week 4 Hand in
company selection

Understand the role of

resources and capabilities in
formulating strategy
Understand competitive advantage
Identify SWOT in a company

FEB. 15 19

STUDY WEEK

NO CLASSES

6) March 1
Financial Analysis
Chapter 3 and
Supplemental Chapter 2
Prepare financial
Analysis for Whole Foods

Identify key metrics

Ratio analysis
Vocabulary of finance
Other financial tools

Be able to perform a financial

analysis
Identify key performance metrics
Conclude the state of a companys
financial health

7) March 8
Competitive Advantage
Chapter 4
What is Whole Foods
Competitive advantage?

A discussion around competitive

advantage
Applying Porters framework

Understanding
competitive advantage and how
its created by a company
Types of competitive advantage
Porters generic framework

8) March 15
Industry Change
Chapter 5

Discussion on industry change

Recognize change and the
and how to manage in a changing evolution of industry
environment
Managing change
Evaluate the retail cycle
SUBMIT VERA BRADLEY CASE

9) March 22
Corporate Strategy
Chapter 7

Discuss corporate strategy and

how the firm competes
Illustrate strategic manoeuvring

10) March 29
Realizing Strategy
Chapter 8
Read Robin Hood Case

Set the scene for implementing

Understand strategy formulation
strategy and discuss the
and implementation
variables that must be in place
Discuss Robin Hood
SUBMIT INTERNAL/EXTERNAL
ANALYSIS FOR FINAL PROJECT

Be familiar with economies

of scope, transaction cost, and
complexity
Understand diversification and
integration
Be familiar with portfolio analysis

11) April 5
Corporate Responsibility
Chapter 10

Discuss, with illustrations, the

responsibility of business
Does it go beyond profits?

Be aware of the latest thinking in

corporate responsibility

12) April 11
WEEK 13

COURSE REVIEW AND DISCUSSION OF FINAL PROJECT

FINAL PROJECT DUE, WEDNESDAY, APR. 20, 1 PM

WEEK 14

FINAL EXAM TO BE SCHEDULED BETWEEN APR. 18 APR. 29

POLICIES AND COURSE PRACTICES

Course Management
Every effort will be made to manage the course as stated. However, adjustments may be necessary
during the term at the discretion of the instructor. If so, students will be advised, and alterations will
be discussed prior to implementation, in class and through an announcement on Blackboard.
Students are encouraged to review the Ryerson Senate Course Management Policy, which provides a
framework of common understanding for students, faculty and staff concerning the structures,
processes, objectives, and requirements that pertain to Ryerson undergraduate courses. For more
detailed information refer to Policy #145: Course Management Policy at
www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies/.
All communication about the course or material related to the course will be posted on the
Blackboard course site. In addition, all student study resources can be accessed through Blackboard.
Students are expected to check the site regularly for updates.
Academic Consideration
Students must submit assignments on time and write all tests and exams as scheduled.
Assignments submitted for grading will be handed back within two weeks except for the final exam.
There will be no penalty for work missed for a justifiable reason. Students need to inform the
instructor of any situation that arises during the semester that may have an adverse effect on
their academic performance, and request any necessary considerations according to the
policies and well in advance. Failure to do so will jeopardize any academic appeals.
Except in cases of accommodations for disabilities, where documentation is handled directly by the
Access Centre, students must fill out an Academic Consideration form and submit it to their own
program office:
http://www.ryerson.ca/content/dam/senate/forms/academic_consideration_document_submission.pdf

In addition, the following procedures must be followed:

o
Medical certificates If a student is going to miss a deadline for an assignment, a test or an
examination because of illness, he/she must submit a medical certificate (see
www.ryerson.ca/senate/forms/medical.pdf for the certificate) to their program office within 3
7

working days of the missed assignment deadline, test or examination. The program office will
notify the instructor that the documents have been received. It is the students responsibility to
make arrangements with instructor for a make-up exam.
o
Religious observance While it is strongly encouraged that students make requests within
the first two weeks of class, requests for accommodation of specific religious or spiritual
observance must be presented to their program office no later than two weeks prior to the
conflict in question (in the case of final examinations, within two weeks of the release of the
examination schedule). The student must submit a Request for Accommodation form
(http://www.ryerson.ca/senate/forms/relobservforminstr.pdf) to their program office. The office
will notify the instructor when they have received the request form.
o
Other requests for Academic Consideration which are not related to medical or religious
observation must be submitted in writing together with the Academic Consideration form to the
students program office. The letter must clearly state the reasons for the request and describe
the events or circumstances that seriously impair the students ability to meet their academic
obligations, and that were beyond the students control. When possible, supporting
documentation must be attached to the letter. The office will notify the instructor when they have
received the request.
Students with disabilities - In order to facilitate the academic success and access of students
with disabilities, these students should register with the Access Centre
www.ryerson.ca/accesscentre/. Before the first graded work is due, students should also inform
their instructor through an Accommodation Form for Professors that they are registered with
the Access Centre and what accommodations are required.
o
Regrading or recalculation These requests must be made to the instructor within 10
working days of the return of the graded assignment to the class. These are not grounds for
appeal, but are matters for discussion between the student and the instructor.
Submission of the Academic Consideration form and all supporting documentation to your program
office does not relieve you of the responsibility to NOTIFY YOUR INSTRUCTOR of the problem
as soon as it arises, and to contact with the instructor again after the documents have been submitted
in order to make the appropriate arrangements.
If you do not have a justifiable reason for an absence and/or have not followed the procedure
described above, you will not be given credit or marks for the work missed during that
absence.
For more detailed information on these issues, please refer to Senate Policy 134 (Undergraduate
Academic Consideration and Appeals) and Senate Policy 150 (Accommodation of Student Religious
Observance Obligations). Both can be found at www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies/.
o

Academic Integrity
Plagiarism is a serious academic offence and penalties range from zero in an assignment to expulsion
from the University. Plagiarism is defined in the Student Code of Academic Conduct as claiming the
words, ideas, artistry, drawings, images or data of another person as if they were your own. Also,
knowingly assisting someone to commit any form of academic misconduct is itself academic
misconduct.
It is assumed that all examinations and work submitted for evaluation and course credit will be the
product of individual effort, except in the case of team projects arranged for and approved by the

course instructor. Submitting the same work to more than one course, without instructors approval,
is also considered plagiarism.
Students are strongly encouraged to visit the Academic Integrity Website at
www.ryerson.ca/academicintegrity for more detail and to refer to Policy #60: Student Code of
Academic Conduct at www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies/.

Standard for Written Work

Students are expected to use an acceptable standard of business communication for all assignments.
Students are encouraged to obtain assistance from the Writing Centre
(www.ryerson.ca/writingcentre) for help with written communications as needed.
For proper citation and style guides visit the Ryerson Library website at
http://library.ryerson.ca/guides/toolbox/style/
Maintaining a Professional Learning Environment
Students shall not behave in disruptive ways that obstruct the learning, teaching and work
environment.
See Policy #61: Student Code of Non-Academic Conduct at www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies/
Examinations
All students must display a valid and relevant student photo-identification card during the course of
an examination. Students are expected to refrain from bringing cellular phones, personal audio
equipment, and other electronic devices into the examination room unless specifically permitted by
the course instructor. Students are also not permitted to wear hats or to have food during the exam
unless medically required (you may bring water into the exam room provided it is in a transparent
plastic bottle without labels).
For more detailed information on examination policies, refer to Pol#135: Examination Policy at
www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies/.
Academic Grading Policy
Evaluation of student performance will follow the established academic grading policy outlined in
Policy #46: Policy on Undergraduate Grading, Promotion, and Academic Standing (the the GPA
Policy) at www.ryerson.ca/senate/policies/. The grading system is summarized below:

Definition

Letter Grade

Grade Point

Percentage Range

Excellent

A+

4.33

90-100

4.00

85-89

Good

Satisfactory

Marginal

Unsatisfactory

A-

3.67

80-84

B+

3.33

77-79

3.00

73-76

B-

2.67

70-72

C+

2.33

67-69

2.00

63-66

C-

1.67

60-62

D+

1.33

57-59

1.00

53-56

D-

0.67

50-52

0.00

0-49

10

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