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Course Information
Course Number/Section BA4305-503
Course Title Strategic Management
Term Spring 2008
Days & Times Thursdays 7-9:45
Course Description
This is a capstone-level course requiring integration of all fields of business. Students will draw
on their broadened awareness of various environmental influences (social and political) to solve
business problems. Management alternatives will be examined with an ethical perspective
relating policy trends to the strategic planning mode.
The Strategic Management course has been designated a capstone course in business at the
University of Texas at Dallas. The purpose of a capstone course is to integrate the learning
achieved in individual business courses taken to earn a business degree. The knowledge acquired
in finance, accounting, operations, MIS, marketing, and organizational behavior classes will be
utilized to study the strategic management of the firm as well as the responsibilities of the general
manager. Group and individual assignments will be graded on content and written and oral
presentation skills. Students will participate in a simulation that requires taking into account
multiple decision-making factors while balancing all sectors of the firm’s environment.
This is an extremely intense course, which requires a substantial time commitment. The
university has mandated as part of this course a requirement of at least 15 double spaces pages of
writing per individual student that will be evaluated on grammar, punctuation, and writing style.
A writing tutor will assess the written assignments, provide detailed feedback, and determine
whether a revision is necessary. Because of this requirement, please submit 2 copies of all written
assignments and upload them to WebCT.
Required Materials
Required Simulation:
Capstone Foundation and Comp-XM
www.capsim.com
Group Assignments
Capstone paper 15%
Individual Assignments
Case papers* 30%
Exams 30%
Comp-XM 10%
BW Case preps 15%
100%
*10% of this portion of the grade will be the average of your writing scores
Group Assignments
Capstone Simulation
The Capstone simulation will be conducted with students organized into groups that will
represent separate firms within an industry. Every firm begins from the same starting point, but
will compete based on various decisions made within your group. We will begin with some
practice rounds first against the computer, then against the other groups to learn to play the game,
and hopefully identify some fatal strategies. After that point, the simulation results count toward
your final grade. As the simulation continues, each group will keep a record of decisions made,
and the specific strategic reasons for those decisions. Simulations are fun, but take the
competition seriously – there are winners and losers in this game!
When the simulation ends, each group will prepare a final report (to be approximately 10 double-
spaced, typed pages) that outlines actions taken throughout the life of the simulation. The report
should include at a minimum (see rubric):
1. The firm’s mission statement.
2. Original strategic plan.
3. An environmental analysis – compare the status at the beginning and the end of the
semester.
4. An internal analysis of strengths and weaknesses – compare the position of the firm at the
beginning and the end of the semester.
5. Deviations/alterations to the strategic plan throughout the simulation.
6. A listing and description of all decisions made, including assumptions made and
justifications for the decisions.
Each firm group will then make a final presentation to the class regarding their final firm report.
Assume that you are top management making this presentation to the board of directors at the
annual shareholders meeting. Be able to defend your decisions and assumptions.
Finally, you will individually and confidentially grade each member of your team on participation
and level of contributions. The peer evaluations will affect the individual’s group grades.
Grading for the simulation will be as follows:
15% Final report
Mission Statement 10 8 6 0
Graphic
Directional
Flexible
Focused
External Analysis
Stakeholder Analysis 10 8 6 0
Competitive Analysis 10 8 6 0
Internal Analysis
Value Chain Analysis 10 8 6 0
Financial Analysis 10 8 6 0
Generic Strategy
Generic strategy fit 10 8 6 0
Explanation of variance from strategy 10 8 6 0
Culture 5 4 3 0
Leadership 5 4 3 0
Implementation 10 8 6 0
Exams
Comp-XM
In the final week of the course, you will participate in Comp-XM, an individualized version of
Capstone. This simulation consists of 4 rounds of play – you against the computer. There are no
round deadlines, but there is a final deadline, so that this will be self-paced. Comp-XM will ask
you questions specific to your individual simulation, and calculate a grade based on your
responses. Be sure that you fully participate in your group Capstone simulation so that you are
prepared for the individual version.
Each week you will submit a 1 page case prep for the Business Week case assigned. This prep
will aid in getting your thoughts organized for class discussions. Follow the outline below:
Case Papers
You are assigned 4 of the comprehensive cases from the text. Each paper must be a minimum of
3 pages of text PLUS exhibits. Each case will have its own specific content requirements. You
will be graded both for content and for writing. You must submit 2 copies of each case paper
PLUS upload it to WebCT.
1. Students will write a firm case analysis draft, using appropriate organization,
mechanics, & style.
a. Grading will utilize the below rubric:
Criteria 0 1 2 Total
Grammar Several grammar One or two No mistakes
errors errors
Spelling Multiple spelling One or two No spelling
errors errors errors
Word Choice Below average Good word Excellent word
word choices choices choices
Paragraph/Sentence Poor organization Good Very well
Organization and Flow organization organized
Professional Style Poor Acceptable Excellent
Total Points 10
2. Students will write a firm case analysis draft, gathering, incorporating and
interpreting source material in their writing.
a. Grading will utilize the below rubric:
B. The second copies will be graded for content as you submit them.
Complete a financial analysis of Best Buy and determine the competitive advantage.
4. Case 36 Target
Due 4/3
Class Attendance
You are required to attend class. This course is your course – your input will determine your
outcomes. Therefore, exclusive of the participation grade, you are allowed 2 excused absences.
After that, each absence results in a reduction of 5 points from your total grade.
Classroom Citizenship
Respect your fellow students – turn off cell phones, no talking amongst yourselves, try to be on
time. It is easiest to contact me outside of class via e-mail. If necessary, we can make
appointments if before class or after class meetings are not sufficient. Please be sure that I have a
way to contact you (e-mail address, phone number). In the past I have had reasons to contact
students (for example, I have received papers missing pages). Unclaimed papers will be retained
for one year.
Group Rules
All groups have hiring and firing capabilities. Individuals have the ability to resign a group.
However, every student must belong to a group. If you have conflicts with your group, you may
resign – but you must interview and find a position with another group. Conversely, groups may
discharge members, but the students fired from a group must find another group. I have found this
method greatly reduces social loafing. You will be evaluated by your peers – no slackers
allowed! At the end of the semester, each student will rate the performance of their fellow team
members. This rating will be used to determine for individual student grades for group
assignments.
Student groups may choose a field trip for their group presentations – please discuss with me.
The University of Texas System and The University of Texas at Dallas have rules and
regulations for the orderly and efficient conduct of their business. It is the responsibility
of each student and each student organization to be knowledgeable about the rules and
regulations which govern student conduct and activities. General information on student
conduct and discipline is contained in the UTD publication, A to Z Guide, which is
provided to all registered students each academic year.
The University of Texas at Dallas administers student discipline within the procedures of
recognized and established due process. Procedures are defined and described in the
Rules and Regulations, Board of Regents, The University of Texas System, Part 1,
Chapter VI, Section 3, and in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities of the
A student at the university neither loses the rights nor escapes the responsibilities of
citizenship. He or she is expected to obey federal, state, and local laws as well as the
Regents’ Rules, university regulations, and administrative rules. Students are subject to
discipline for violating the standards of conduct whether such conduct takes place on or
off campus, or whether civil or criminal penalties are also imposed for such conduct.
Academic Integrity
The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and academic honesty.
Because the value of an academic degree depends upon the absolute integrity of the work
done by the student for that degree, it is imperative that a student demonstrate a high
standard of individual honor in his or her scholastic work.
Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts or omissions related
to applications for enrollment or the award of a degree, and/or the submission as one’s
own work or material that is not one’s own. As a general rule, scholastic dishonesty
involves one of the following acts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion and/or falsifying
academic records. Students suspected of academic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary
proceedings.
Plagiarism, especially from the web, from portions of papers for other classes, and from
any other source is unacceptable and will be dealt with under the university’s policy on
plagiarism (see general catalog for details). This course will use the resources of
turnitin.com, which searches the web for possible plagiarism and is over 90% effective.
Email Use
The University of Texas at Dallas recognizes the value and efficiency of communication
between faculty/staff and students through electronic mail. At the same time, email raises
some issues concerning security and the identity of each individual in an email exchange.
The university encourages all official student email correspondence be sent only to a
student’s U.T. Dallas email address and that faculty and staff consider email from
students official only if it originates from a UTD student account. This allows the
university to maintain a high degree of confidence in the identity of all individual
corresponding and the security of the transmitted information. UTD furnishes each
student with a free email account that is to be used in all communication with university
personnel. The Department of Information Resources at U.T. Dallas provides a method
for students to have their U.T. Dallas mail forwarded to other accounts.
The administration of this institution has set deadlines for withdrawal of any college-level
courses. These dates and times are published in that semester's course catalog.
Administration procedures must be followed. It is the student's responsibility to handle
Procedures for student grievances are found in Title V, Rules on Student Services and
Activities, of the university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures.
Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of
Students, where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and
regulations.
As per university policy, incomplete grades will be granted only for work unavoidably
missed at the semester’s end and only if 70% of the course work has been completed. An
incomplete grade must be resolved within eight (8) weeks from the first day of the
subsequent long semester. If the required work to complete the course and to remove the
incomplete grade is not submitted by the specified deadline, the incomplete grade is
changed automatically to a grade of F.
Disability Services
It is the student’s responsibility to notify his or her professors of the need for such an
accommodation. Disability Services provides students with letters to present to faculty
members to verify that the student has a disability and needs accommodations.
Individuals requiring special accommodation should contact the professor after class or
during office hours.
The University of Texas at Dallas will excuse a student from class or other required
activities for the travel to and observance of a religious holy day for a religion whose
places of worship are exempt from property tax under Section 11.20, Tax Code, Texas
Code Annotated.
The student is encouraged to notify the instructor or activity sponsor as soon as possible
regarding the absence, preferably in advance of the assignment. The student, so excused,
will be allowed to take the exam or complete the assignment within a reasonable time
after the absence: a period equal to the length of the absence, up to a maximum of one
week. A student who notifies the instructor and completes any missed exam or
assignment may not be penalized for the absence. A student who fails to complete the
exam or assignment within the prescribed period may receive a failing grade for that
exam or assignment.
If a student or an instructor disagrees about the nature of the absence [i.e., for the purpose
of observing a religious holy day] or if there is similar disagreement about whether the
student has been given a reasonable time to complete any missed assignments or
examinations, either the student or the instructor may request a ruling from the chief
executive officer of the institution, or his or her designee. The chief executive officer or
designee must take into account the legislative intent of TEC 51.911(b), and the student
and instructor will abide by the decision of the chief executive officer or designee.
Off-campus, out-of-state, and foreign instruction and activities are subject to state law
and University policies and procedures regarding travel and risk-related activities.
Information regarding these rules and regulations may be found at the website address
given below. Additional information is available from the office of the school dean.
(http://www.utdallas.edu/Business Affairs/Travel_Risk_Activities.htm)
These descriptions and timelines are subject to change at the discretion of the Professor.