ROBERT H. SMITHSCHOOL OF BUSINESS BMGT 495 Business Policies
Spring 2014
Sections: 1101, 1401, 1501Instructor: Rafael CorredoiraOffice:
VMH 4558Phone: 301 405 9712 Email: [email protected]
Hours: MW 2:00-3:00
Required Materials:
Cases All cases can be obtained from the Harvard website:
https://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cbmp/access/23386209
Recommended Text:
Strategic Management, Concepts by Frank T. Rothaermel, 1st
edition (Textbook)ISBN: 9780077324452
Students can purchase the book from the University Book Store or
online.
Suggested Readings:
It is strongly recommended, but not required, that you read and
subscribe to at least one business publication. The following
business publications are available at the University libraries or
via short-term subscription (see your instructor): The Wall Street
JournalBusiness WeekFortuneForbesThe New York TimesThe
Economist
Course Overview:
Welcome to the capstone course of the undergraduate curriculum!
The Business Policies course culminates your learning experience
before graduation. The objective of this course is to introduce you
to the role of the strategic manager, someone (like a CEO) who is
concerned with the problems of and/or responsible for the overall
and long-term well-being of the organization, including both
business and not-for-profit. Implicitly or explicitly, every firm
must define the scope of its business operations and, within the
chosen scope, how the firm will compete against rivals. Decisions
about the scope of business (i.e. in what markets or industries a
firm wants to compete) constitute the firms corporate strategy.
Decisions about how to compete (e.g. cost leadership or
differentiation) within the chosen market(s) reflect the firms
business-level strategy. This course focuses on how a firm can both
formulate and implement effective business-level and
corporate-level strategies to achieve competitive advantage and
earn above average profits. If business can be seen as a game then
strategy is about making choices that increase your firms chance of
winning. In essence, strategy is about making consistently better
decisions than your competitors and taking the necessary actions to
implement them effectively.
The course is also about top management and the total
organization. As such, it is an integrative course emphasizing a
general management or total organizational perspective as opposed
to a functional viewpoint (accounting, finance, marketing, etc.). A
general management perspective is necessary because the formulation
and implementation of effective strategies requires a precise
understanding of the interrelationships among the different
functions of the organization and the relationships of these
functions to the business environment.
While this course takes a broader perspective than other
classes, it is critical that you understand and be able to apply
the knowledge you have developed throughout your core classes. An
effective top executive or general manager must understand and be
able to use analytic tools from a wide variety of business
disciplines. Integration of information from different functional
areas is critical to business success. If your grasp of basic
concepts from other areas (e.g. accounting, finance, marketing,
etc.) is rusty you will need to refresh your understanding of these
in order to excel in this class.
Course Purpose and Objectives:
The course is designed to: Provide you with the critical
thinking skills necessary to function as a strategic manager and/or
to perform the tasks comprising the strategic management process
this is the primary objective of the course Help you to integrate
and apply the knowledge accumulated in various functional areas,
such as marketing, human resource management, operations,
accounting and finance Prepare you for management careers by
providing in-class opportunities for you to enhance your ability to
communicate orally and in written formats, as well as to lead and
to work with others in realistic work settings Expose you to the
ethical and societal issues raised in operating an enterprise
Provide you with experience in dealing with real strategic decision
issues facing managers in all types of organizations: business and
not-for-profit; large and small; and domestic and multinational,
primarily through the use of the case method Prepare you for the
"real world of work" in all its settings
What is critical thinking? (Source:
www.criticalthinking.org)When thinking about a problem and arriving
at a solution, you must check the quality of your reasoning. The
following standards may help you improve your reasoning: Clarity:
Could you elaborate further on that point? Could you express that
point in another way? Could you give me an illustration? Accuracy:
Is that really true? How could we check that? How could we find out
if that is true? Precision: Could you give more details? Could you
be more specific? Relevance: How is that connected to the question?
How does that bear on the issue? Depth: How does your answer
address the complexities in the question? How are you taking into
account the problems in the question? Is that dealing with the most
significant factors? Breadth: Do we need to consider another point
of view? Is there another way to look at this question? What would
this look like from a conservative standpoint? What would this look
like from the point of view of . . .? Logic: Does this really make
sense? Does that follow from what you said? How does that follow?
But before you implied this, and now you are saying that; how can
both be true? Fairness: Do I have a vested interest in this issue?
Am I sympathetically representing the viewpoints of others?
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the semester, you should be able answer the
following questions concerning any firm:1. Based on the facts
presented in a case and independent research, how well is the firm
doing over time and relative to its peers?2. Describe the firms
strategy. Based on the analysis of the firm and its industry, is
the strategy appropriate? Explain the answer in detail.3. Using
specific analytic tools or frameworks useful for organizing,
understanding and presenting data what changes to the strategy and
changes to the implementation of the strategy would you recommend
to enhance, maintain or turnaround the performance of the firm?By
the end of the semester, you should be able to:1. Critically think
and analyze a problem including the critical evaluation of data;
testing of assumptions; and the synthesis of multiple perspectives
and data points2. Transform research and analysis into strategy and
strategy into detailed plans for implementation 3. Build and
present business cases, including organizing the case, writingthe
case, and organizing and making the presentation.
Grading:
Individual Components (52.5% of final grade):
Class Contribution and Homework Assignments 225 points Midterm
Exam 30 pointsIntegrative Case Based Exam 150 points
Extra Credit Cupid Cup 8 pointsResearch Study 15 points
Team Component (47.5% of final grade)Case Presentations and
Memo220 pointsReal World Project Analysis **160 points
** Details about this project will be announced in class.
The Robert H. Smith School of Business is a top 25 institution.
As such a grade of A should reflect work that could be described as
outstanding, exceptional, or excellent. Good work will receive a
grade of B. Work that is considered adequate or average will
receive a C. While we believe that no student in this college
should do work that is below that level, if your performance is not
up to standard your class grade will reflect that (i.e. you can
fail this class).
Smith School target GPA average for this course = 3.25
Note: Students need a C- or better in this course in order to
graduate.
Many things in life are open to negotiationhowever; the course
grading policies are not among them. Although I recognize that
contract renegotiation is part of business life and believe is an
important skill you have to develop, I cannot open this courses
policies to negotiation with individual students. It would be
unfair to other students and would violate the syllabuss
contractual nature. If you feel that your grade on an assignment
was unfair, you may contest it using the procedures outlined
below.
Course Grievance Procedures. If you feel you have been graded
unfairly on an assignment, you may use the following procedure to
voice your complaint:
Within five days of receiving the grade, provide me with a
written appeal. After five days, I will consider the grade to be
final.
To file an appeal, prepare a written statement detailing why you
think the grade is unfair. Be sure to document your reasons by
referring to inconsistency in grading standards, misinterpreted
meaning, etc. Stating simply that you feel you deserve a higher
grade because you worked hard is not sufficient grounds for an
appeal. Performance is a combination of hard work and ability.
Submit the written statement and (if available) the graded
assignment. I will consider your complaint and make a decision. You
will be notified in writing of my decision.
If you are not satisfied with my decision, you may use
university procedures as your appeal. Note that I will document
fully my rationale for all grades.
Class Attendance
Attendance at all class sessions is expected. Absences, late
arrivals, and early departures necessarily limit your class
contribution - hence may influence your grade.
If you are even mildly sick with flu-like symptoms, please stay
home and seek medical attention. You should return to class only
after your fever and symptoms have abated for 24 hours. You will be
responsible for the materials and topics cover in class, but as
stated below, I am setting up mechanisms so you can get credit for
class participation, assignment and quizzes even when you are
absent for medical reasons.
Class Contribution:
This is not a traditional lecture-based course. Conceptual
material will be illustrated and applied to the real world through
rigorous class discussion of current business events and current
reading assignments. Students can contribute to the collective
learning in many ways. Your classmates and I expect all students to
attend and be well prepared for each class and team meeting, having
read the required materials and analyzed any assigned articles or
cases before class. We also expect all class members to play an
active role in class discussion and in your teams. If all class
members prepare for and actively participate in each class
discussion, we will all learn more from each other and enjoy the
course more.
Those that make consistent, meaningful contributions to class
discussions will receive higher class contribution grades. Other
activities that may be assigned (depends upon the instructor), such
as questionnaires or surveys through Canvas, other case
assignments, readings, articles or current event research, etc.,
will also be considered in determining final contribution
grades.
We realize that people become ill, have job interviews and other
obligations that may require a student to miss a class session or a
team meeting from time to time. It is the obligation of every
student to act as a professional in these cases and take the
necessary actions (e.g. inform others of your need to miss, arrange
for a classmate to take notes in your absence and to bring you up
to date on any materials or decisions you missed; take on
additional responsibilities to substitute for the missed
obligations, etc) to fulfill your responsibilities in the class. An
excessive number of missed classes or extreme tardiness will
ultimately affect your contribution grade adversely as you cannot
contribute to the class when you are not present. Regular
attendance is necessary but not sufficient for a good or excellent
grade on this component. Regular attendance without meaningful
contributions to the class discussions and/or team assignments will
merit a grade of D at best.
Homework assignments:
As a way to help you understand the challenges and rewards of
being on a top management team, there will be several individual
homework assignments. These are designed to help you understand
what makes for an effective top management team as well as to
advance the important research goals of the college and the
university. These assignments will be completed in electronic form
and the due dates are provided in the proposed class schedule.
Integrative Case-Based Assessment and Midterm Exam:
There will be a multiple choice Midterm Exam in Week 9 for all
sections of 495. The exam will assess your understanding of the
basic concepts of strategy as presented in the PowerPoint slides
posted in Canvas and discussed in class. This will test your
critical thinking skills rather than memorization skills.
There will be an integrative case-based exam in Week 13. This
exam will be cumulative. There will be a similar case-based exam
for all sections of BMGT495 and the case will be announced in Week
11. The exam will be administered in class and no make-ups will be
considered. There will be no final exam during Finals Week.
Cases (Team assignments):
Teams of 5-6 students will be formed with the objective of
achieving diversity among team members in disciplines, race,
gender, and ethnicity as might be expected in the workplace. Broad
guidelines for case presentations can be found in Attachment A in
this syllabus. Your instructor will provide further guidelines in
this regard.
Each team will analyze two cases and present the analyses in
class presentations on the days when the cases are scheduled for
discussion. It is important to note that it is assumed that these
presentations are to be given to the case companys top management,
not to a college class. Each presentation will be approximately
15-20 minutes, followed by a question and answer period, with the
class playing the role of the companys top management.
Each team presenting the case will also hand in a written memo
on one case as indicated in the schedule. Broad guidelines for case
memos are presented in Attachment B in this syllabus. Please make
sure that your entire memo including the cover page, body, and
appendices are included in one document. Universitys plagiarism
policies will apply to the submission. You may be given additional
instructions in this regard.
Your instructor will assign the cases to your team. Also, please
note that your grade on the cases, in part, will depend on the
evaluation of your contribution by other members of your team.
Further guidelines for team self-evaluation are provided below.
Good teamwork is essential if your team is to perform
effectively. Since it is inevitable that sooner or later you will
have to participate in a team project while on the job, this is a
great opportunity to practice your interpersonal skills before the
consequences of your actions can affect you professionally.
All teams will be responsible for reading and discussing the
case in advance of the class discussion. This analysis will include
answering a set of questions that will be provided by your
instructor.
Peer Evaluations:
Students will have the opportunity to complete two peer
evaluations during the semester to identify both high and low
contributors and to give low performers an opportunity to correct
their behavior. The peer evaluation will be evaluative in that it
will affect each team members grade. If your peer evaluations are
not satisfactory, a penalty will be assessed on all the team
elements of the grade.
Research Study:During the Spring 2014 semester, you will have
the opportunity to earn 2% of credit for participating in two hours
of research offered by the Management and Organization department
for BMGT 495.Faculty in the Management and Organization department
conduct experimental research that is aimed at exploring different
organizational dynamics and phenomena that relate to effective
leadership, employee motivation, team competition and coordination,
team performance and effective decision making at the workplace, to
name just a few. Through participation in those studies you will be
able to experience firsthand and to learn about the kind of
research conducted at Smith, and to reflect upon ideas you
discussed in your business and management classes during your
undergraduate studies at Smith. In addition,the research conducted
in the behavioral lab is published in top academic journals and
plays a crucial role in enhancing the reputation of the Smith
School of Business as a leading research school worldwide. So this
is a great opportunity for you to contribute to this research
endeavor and to enhance the reputation of your school!To earn the 2
percent of credit, you must participate in two hours (Round 1 for
one hour in the beginning of the semester and Round 2 for one hour
in the middle of the semester) of research offered for BMGT 495.
Please note that if you participate in fewer than 2 hours of
research, you will not earn the 2% (extra) of your course grade no
partial credit. You should therefore complete both Rounds. The
studies offered may involve work online and/or at a site in Van
Munching Hall.If you are unwilling to participate in any of the
available studies but wish to earn the credit, you will be given an
alternate assignment of comparable duration by the research team in
charge of the studies and you will never be forced to participate
in any specific research study.Information about the available
studies and procedures for enrolling in them will be sent to you
via email by the Influence in Teams Research Group running the
studies within the Management and Organization Department. If you
have at any point any question about research participation please
email directly:[email protected] Credit - Cupids
Cup:During the Spring 2014 semester, you will have the opportunity
to earn 1% of extra credit for attending the Cupids Cup Competition
organized by the Dingman Center. Cupid's Cup is a national business
competition chaired by Under Armour Founder & CEO Kevin Plank.
On April 4, five finalists from across the country will pitch their
businesses to Plank and a panel of judges in front over 1000
attendees. The audience will text-to-vote for their favorite
company to award them a $5,000 audience choice award.Showcase &
Competition: Friday, April 4 from noon to 4 p.m at the Clarice
Smith Performing Arts Center, University of Maryland
Academic Integrity:
Assignments and presentations must be your own work, in your own
words. Using outside materials is generally acceptable as long as
you clearly identify the source. The key point is to make clear
which ideas and text were developed by you or your team members,
and which came from others. False or fabricated information is
unacceptable. The integrity of your reports and presentations
should meet the highest standards, whether as a student,
consultant, or manager. Singular and isolated lapses of ethics,
integrity, or professionalism are unacceptable and as recent events
have demonstrated can have devastating consequences on careers.
Students are encouraged to discuss cases, exchange ideas,
collaborate and cooperate with others in the class where
appropriate. New ideas often arise from such interactions. While
collaboration and brainstorming are thus encouraged, you need to
always keep clear what value you have added, separate from the
ideas of others. Academic dishonesty, as defined by university
policy, will not be tolerated in any form. Activities that
constitute academic dishonesty in this course include: (1) copying
text passages verbatim or paraphrasing those passages in your paper
without referencing the original source (including from the
Internet); (2) consulting those who have already taken BMGT 495
about assignments before they are due; and (3) working with others
on individual assignments or working with non-team members on team
assignments. You are not allowed to share written or electronic
notes, outlines or "key points" in anticipation of completing
written assignments. Papers that are judged to be substantially
similar in content will be submitted to University procedures.
The Robert H. Smith School of Business fosters an environment of
academic integrity and development of thoughtful and sound
analysis. Faculty and students will hold each other accountable to
meeting intellectual standards including demonstrating clarity of
thought, articulating statements based on evidence, presenting
relevant arguments, and engaging in logical reasoning. By adhering
to these standards, students will develop essential critical
thinking skills to be demonstrated in both their oral and written
work.
The University's Code of Academic Integrityis designed to ensure
that the principles of academic honesty and integrity are upheld.
All students are expected to adhere to this Code. The Smith School
does not tolerate academic dishonesty. All acts of academic
dishonesty will be dealt with in accordance with the provisions of
this code. Please visit the following website for more information
on the University's Code of Academic Integrity:
http://www.inform.umd.edu/CampusInfo/Departments/JPO/AcInteg/code_acinteg2a.html
You will be asked to certify compliance with the Code of
Academic Integrity by signing and turning in the first day of class
the following pledge:
I pledge on my honor that I will not give or receive any
unauthorized assistance on any exam or assignment during this
course.
And by signing and turning in with your midterm and final exams
the following pledge:
I pledge on my honor that I have not given or received any
unauthorized assistance on any exam or assignment during this
course.
Specific activities that constitute academic dishonesty in this
course include:
Copying text passages verbatim from other sources (whether
written by you in a prior paper or by someone else) or paraphrasing
those passages in your paper without referencing the original
source. All non-original material cited in written papers must
include references to the original source.
Using unauthorized materials on quizzes.
Providing false information to an instructor, for example giving
a false excuse for missing a deadline or falsely claiming to have
submitted work.
Cheating (forbidden sharing of information between students
regarding an exam or exercise) or deliberate negligence towards
cheating or assistance in cheating.
Plagiarism (see code above for definition) is not condoned or
allowed in any way.
All sources used must be properly referenced using Smith School
approved citation style. See link below for citation style guidance
and examples. Click on the links to Business and the NetLibrary
e-version of the AMA Style manual.
http://www.lib.umd.edu/guides/style_manuals.html
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities:
The University has a legal obligation to provide appropriate
accommodations for students with documented disabilities. In order
to ascertain what accommodations may need to be provided, I ask
that students with disabilities inform me of their needs within two
weeks of the start of the semester.
Inclement Weather Policy or National/State/City Emergencies
In the event of inclement weather (snow, ice, tornadoes) or
other emergencies (security), you should check the campus web site
http://www.umd.edu to learn whether the campus is open or closed.
You can also listen to the radio or TV for University of Maryland
at College Park closing announcements. Classes will always be held
unless the university has cancelled classes. Check the course
Canvas website for any announcements about inclement weather and
class cancellations. If you feel the weather poses too much of a
threat for you to attend class, use your best and safest judgment.
If you are unable to attend class, please inform the professor (by
email) that you will not be in class. Similarly, in the event of a
city/state/national emergency, please follow the same
instructions.
Student Evaluations of the Instructor and Course:In addition to
the required in-class written evaluation, you are encouraged to
complete the online version as well. The following information is
provided by the Provost office:
CourseEvalUM Spring 2014
Your participation in the evaluation of courses through
CourseEvalUM is a responsibility you hold as a student member of
our academic community. Your feedback is confidential and important
to the improvement of teaching and learning at the University as
well as to the tenure and promotion process. CourseEvalUM will be
open for you to complete your evaluations for the Spring term near
the end of the semester. As soon as we know the specific dates we
will inform you in class. Once the evaluation process opens, please
go directly to the website (www.courseevalum.umd.edu) to complete
your evaluations. By completing all of your evaluations each
semester, you will have the privilege of accessing online, at
Testudo, the evaluation reports for the thousands of courses for
which 70% or more students submitted their evaluations.
PROPOSED CLASS SCHEDULE (Tentative may change):
SessionTopicAssignment
Week 11/27 & 1/29
Introduction/What is Strategy/Strategic Management Process
(SMP)
Readings:Slides on Canvas
Week 22/3 & 2/5External Analysis
Individual homework assignment on Progressive due on
Monday/TuesdayReadings:1) Case from case pack: Progressive2) Slides
on Canvas
Progressive Case Homework Assignment (max 2 pages): Analyze the
industry using the Porters five forces model and make
recommendations based on your analysis
Week 32/10 & 2/12Internal Analysis (Resource-based View)
Individual homework assignment on the Disney Case due on
MondayReadings:1) Case from case pack: Disney2) Slides on
Canvas
Disney Case Homework Assignment (max 2 pages): Analyze Disneys
resources and capabilities (Value Chain Analysis) and make
recommendations based on your analysis
Week 42/17 & 2/19How to Present?How to write a memo for
management?
Pitch Yourself/Career Strategies
Week 52/24 & 2/26Project: Best Buy AnalysisAnalyze the
external environment for the company: Industry (P5F)
Macro-environment (PEST)Bring your preliminary analysis to class
and we will work on the project together.
Week 63/3 & 3/5Business-Level Strategy Cost Leadership
Case Evaluation/Discussion lead by Teams 1 & 2 your
instructor will provide further instructions about the
presentation
Teams 1&2 will submit memos on the case. All presentation
slides and memos are due on Monday/Tuesday. Please provide a hard
copy of your slides for the instructor. Detailed instructions about
the memo are provided at the end of this syllabus.
Readings:1. Case from case pack: Walmart2. Slides on Canvas
Walmart Case Questions (to help you get started):1. What is
Walmarts strategy?2. What are the sources of Walmarts competitive
advantage and how is it related to their strategy?3. How
sustainable is their position in discount retailing?4. Do you think
that the diversification into the food industry will be
effective?
Week 73/10 & 3/12Project: Best Buy Analysis
First Peer Evaluation Due!!
Analyze the internal environment for the company: Value Chain
FinancialsBring your preliminary analysis to class and we will work
on the project together.
3/16-3/22SPRING BREAK
Week 83/24 & 3/26Business-Level Strategy Differentiation
Case Evaluation/Discussion lead by Teams 3 & 4 your
instructor will provide further instructions about the
presentation
Teams 3&4 will submit memos on the case. All presentation
slides and memos are due on Monday. Please provide a hard copy of
your slides for the instructor. Detailed instructions about the
memo are provided at the end of this syllabus.
Readings:1) Case from case pack: Samsung Electronics2) Slides on
Canvas
Samsung Case Questions (to help you get started):1. What is
Samsungs strategy? 2. Use financial analysis to support your answer
to the previous question3. What is your recommendation to deal with
the Chinese threat?
Week 93/31 & 4/2Project: Best Buy Analysis
MIDTERM EXAM (multiple choice)Analyze the internal &
external environment for the company: Value Proposition
Competitors/Competitive advantageBring your preliminary analysis to
class and we will work on the project together.
Week 104/7 & 4/9Corporate Strategy: M&A
Case Evaluation/Discussion lead by Teams 5 & 6 your
instructor will provide further instructions about the
presentation
Teams 5&6 will submit memos on the case. All presentation
slides and memos are due on Monday. Please provide a hard copy of
your slides for the instructor. Detailed instructions about the
memo are provided at the end of this syllabus.
Readings:1. Case from case pack: HNA2. Slides on Canvas
HNA Case Questions (to help you get started):1. What is H&As
role in the Chinese airline industry?2. What are the key elements
of its strategy?3. What are your recommendations for Chairman
Feng?
Week 114/14 & 4/16Cooperative Strategy:
AlliancesInternational Strategy and Mode of Entry
Case Evaluation/Discussion lead by Teams 1,2 & 3 your
instructor will provide further instructions about the
presentation
All presentation slides are due on Monday. Please provide a hard
copy of your slides for the instructor.
DETAILS ABOUT THE INTEGRATIVE CASE-BASED EXAM WILL BE
RELEASED!!
Readings:1) Case from case pack: EBAY2) Slides on Canvas
EBAY Case Questions (to help you get started):1. Critically
assess EBAYs strategy for entry into the Chinese market2. Assess
the potential risks of its joint venture with Tom Online3. What are
the advantages/disadvantages for EBAY and the
advantages/disadvantages for Tom Online.
Week 124/21 & 4/23Innovation and Competitive Dynamics
Case Evaluation/Discussion lead by Teams 4,5 & 6 your
instructor will provide further instructions about the
presentation
Readings:1) Case from case pack: Wii Encore2) Slides on
Canvas
Wii Encore Case Questions (to help you get started):1. What are
some possible factors that could explain why the leader in one
generation did not become the leader in the next generation? Why
Sony was an exception? 2. Do you think the launch strategy of Wii
was adequate? During the product life cycle, what would you have
done to minimize the effects of potential responses from
competitors? Given the current pressures from competitors and
substitutes, what should Nintendo do?
Week 134/28 & 4/30Integrative Case-based Exam on Monday Exam
will be cumulative.
Project Analysis
Week 145/5 & 5/7Project: Best Buy Analysis
Final peer evaluations due!!
Final project slides and memos are due on 5/7 by midnight.
The class will select the top 2 teams based on presentation
slides. Voting will occur between 5/8 and 5/10. Students are not
allowed to vote for their own team.
Analyze the options available to the company, the pros and cons
of each option and your final recommendation.
Bring your preliminary analysis to class and we will work on the
project together.
Week 155/12. Project: Best Buy Analysis
Top 2 project teams chosen by the class will present.
Note: As we progress through the course, it may prove necessary
to make adjustments to the schedule. You will be notified in
advance of any changes.
YOUR INSTRUCTOR WILL COLLECT THIS ATTESTATION BY THE THIRD CLASS
SESSION. HOWEVER, DO NOT SUBMIT THIS SIGNED FORM UNLESS YOU ARE
FULLY IN ACCORD WITH THE STATEMENTS BELOW. IF YOU NEED MORE TIME
BEFORE YOU CAN HONESTLY SIGN THE FORM, YOUR INSTRUCTOR WILL GLADLY
PROVIDE IT.
I acknowledge that I have read and fully comprehend the
foregoing course description. I understand the course requirements,
my obligations and work responsibilities for the course and towards
my project team. Any questions that I have had concerning the
Business Policies course objectives, course administration,
required attendance, student performance expectations, UMs
plagiarism policy and grading policies either have been fully
answered by the material provided to me or by my instructor.
__________________________ (Signature)
__________________________ (Printed name)
__________________________ (Date)
BMGT 495 Spring 2014 (Class)
ATTACHMENT A:Guidelines for Presentation of the Case Situation
in a Professional Manner
The group should make the assumption that it is a strategic
analysis team that has been assembled by the case companys top
management to confront the situation presented in the case. When
youve completed your strategic assessment, you will present your
results to the companys top management (in effect, the class
listening to your presentation or the reader of your report) is the
company top management. Think of the case as material/data given to
you by the top management to kick off your assignment. Students
therefore should assume that the audience, the listeners or reader,
is thoroughly familiar with the case organization in question and
the specific data presented in the case (remember, it is the
company management that provided you with the case material). As
such, do not simply rehash case material; only cite or repeat such
material in support of an argument or position.
Interpret the facts according to the theoretical framework
covered in class, and take a position on whether the company's
actions will lead to positive results or not; vague generalizations
that no one would disagree with are worthless. You have been
exposed to a series of strategic analysis tools and techniques. Use
these in your analysis!!!
Even if the firm is performing well and there is general
agreement with management's strategy, you must evaluate this in
relation of alternative courses of action (there are always
alternatives, some of which likely are being followed by the
companys competitors). There are few business strategies that do
not present some risks or obstacles for management. Remember, this
presentation (or report) is going to the organization's top
management, not to the course instructor.
Outside research on the case situation may be conducted, but
within certain parameters: (1) you should not investigate any
aspect of the case company subsequent to the date at which the case
takes place (this date should be evident from a reading of the
case); (2) any changes in the case companys external environment a
new competitive situation, technological advances, government
regulations, upturn or downturn in the economy, etc. that occurred
between the date of the case and the current date (that is, the
date during the Spring 2014 semester when you are conducting your
analysis) may be considered as part of your external environmental
assessment forecasts. Instructors will provide additional guidance
on the sources and approaches that might be used in data
collection. The analyses should be treated as a major strategic
document for the organization in question.
Specifically, instructors will be looking at the following
factors in evaluating both the presentations and written
assignments: o Depth and soundness of the analysis, including
financial analysis; o Proper grammar, sentence structure and
overall usage of English; o Conciseness and clarity; o Use of
strategic management tools and techniques of analysis; o Creativity
and originality; and o Professional use of visual aids
Every member of the group must take part in the presentation.
Presenters are required to use visual aids (i.e., Power Point or a
similar package) for the in-class presentations.
The class, acting as a company executive committee, will
question the group immediately after the presentation. One or more
groups from the class may be assigned the primary responsibility
for leading the questioning of each presentation; their
effectiveness in critically questioning the presenters will also be
evaluated [and constitute a significant proportion of their class
work grade]. Your instructor may organize the discussion
differently.
The presenting group's ability to respond to questions is an
important part of the presentation experience. It provides students
with an opportunity to develop skills in "thinking-on-your-feet,"
to defend ideas and to articulate ones position extemporaneously --
skills necessary in any management situation! The rest of the
class, therefore, must come prepared to question critically the
presenting groups.
Students should be able to discern the logic and responsiveness
of the presented material to the issues raised by the case -- and
the weaknesses as well. The questions that the students raise will
form the basis of the ensuing discussion.
ATTACHMENT B: Guidelines for Case Memo
The page limit for this paper is 6-8 double-spaced pages (not
including cover page, exhibits, and bibliography) using Times New
Roman 12 point font. Do not add another double space between
paragraphs. The cover page near the top should provide
DATE/TO/FROM/RE on separate lines appropriately spaced. A few lines
below include an Executive Summary (ES), single-spaced of 150 words
or less. The ES essentially is a synopsis of the most important
elements of your report. Think of it as something to be read by
someone that doesnt have time to (or wont) read your entire memo.
Hence, the ES should definitely include (but not necessarily
limited to) your key results, conclusions, recommendations and
expectations of results derived from implementation. Remember, you
are writing a report to the companys management! Its not supposed
to be an academic exercise prepared for a course instructor. In
other words, dont regurgitate case material unless it is in support
and relevant for some point that you are trying to make. Dont
recopy a case exhibit verbatim into your report (or presentation).
Of course, you can introduce such material if it has been
reinterpreted or employed in further analyses or computations. A
suggested general outline for an appropriate case analysis is
provided below (your instructor may give you additional
instructions). However, remember that these are only guidelines.
There is no "one best way" to analyze cases or real world business
situations. The case memos should have the following
components:
o The introduction section should provide the reader with a
clear sense of the purpose and content of the memo (or report).
Present a clear and concise statement of the problems that suggest
themselves by the case material provided. Describe briefly what the
reader is going to find in the memo. o Based on the analysis, what
are major findings of the external environment and internal
condition of the firm? What is the firm strategy? Present a concise
and relevant analysis of the internal and external environments of
the firm, including financial and economic analyses, graphs and
spreadsheets of relevant data and trends. Internal and external
analysis should not be limited to a SWOT analysis. It includes
Industry, competitor, Porters 5 forces, financial ratios, value
chain, PEST and SWOT analysis. It is important that you attempt to
identify as explicitly as possible the relevance (or implications)
of these current and prospective environmental findings for your
subject company. Your position in time (i.e., when you are
conducting your analysis) is when the case material ends (this is
evident for all cases that you will be assigned). You are
encouraged to use the extensive library resources offered at the
University of Maryland in the conduct of your environmental
assessment. Actual events, trends, economic activity, etc. all
relevant matters external to the subject company that have taken
place from the end of the case up to the present time may be taken
as forecasts that youve made as part of your environmental
assessment. o What are the possible options for the firm? Identify
clear, concise and appropriate alternatives to resolve the problems
(if this is appropriate for the case in question). Once youve
identified alternative options, you must comparatively evaluate
these. You cant just pick one and say thats the best. o What are
the recommendations? Include your recommendations to the
management. If you havent laid the ground work (i.e., rationale)
for your recommendations as yet, you should return to your analysis
and do so before you state your conclusions and recommendations.
Once the recommendations are stated you should consider the
feasibility of implementing them. Your implementation plan is the
best justification and defense of your recommendations. o What are
the suggestions for implementing the recommendations? Present a
clear, concise and appropriate analysis of relevant implementation,
evaluation and control issues (the extent to which this step is
necessary will vary from one case situation to the next). o Include
an appropriate bibliography. References/bibliography should be
included at the end of the memo. Citations of references should be
included within the body of the memo.
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