FURMAN UNIVERSITY

Department of Business and Accounting

BA 76 A - Senior Seminar

Spring 2005

Professor: Dr. Marianne M. Pierce

Office: Room 204-A Johns Hall and 201-G Hipp Hall

Office hours: I will arrange to meet with you outside of class at your convenience.

Speak with me, e-mail me, or call me to arrange a time.

Office phone: 294-3607 or 294-3342 Home phone: 244-2755

E-mail: marianne.pierce@furman.edu

Website: http://www.furman.edu/~mpierce

Textbooks: Foundations in Strategic Management, Third Edition by

Jeffery S. Harrison and Caron H. St. John, Thomson South-Western, 2004

Strategize! Experiential Exercises in Strategic Management, Second Edition by C. Gopinath and Julie Siciliano, Thomson South-Western, 2005

Capstone Business Simulation Team Member Guide 2005

Published by Management Simulations Inc. (distributed in class).

All students are required to register at the Capstone web site.

We will do this IN CLASS at the appropriate time.

The cost is $39.99, payable by credit card or check.

Course Objectives:

· To understand the process of strategic management and how firms can gain and maintain a sustainable competitive advantage.

· To understand and experience how corporate and competitive strategies lead to functional strategies (in marketing, finance, operations, and human resource management) and how these interactions affect the overall performance of a firm.

· To give you “hands-on” experience in determining business strategy, using what-if analysis to evaluate alternatives, and executing strategic and tactical level decisions in an on-going competitive environment.

· To improve your group problem-solving and interaction skills and your written and oral presentation skills.

Attendance Policy:

Students are expected to be active participants in the course, and as such, are expected to attend class and to assume responsibility for all materials discussed and distributed in class. Students are reminded that missing 25% or more of the class meetings, whether excused or unexcused, can result in a grade of “F” for the course.

Other course policies:

· Late assignments will be accepted only with prior permission and will receive a maximum grade of “C”.

· Make-up quizzes/assignments will be given only for verifiable excused absences: illness, attendance at a required extracurricular activity, official representation of Furman in a scheduled activity, and circumstances beyond one’s control that prevents class attendance. The instructor will decide both format and scheduling of make-up activities.

· Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated. Any assignments designated as “individual” are to be completed without consultation from anyone. Any incidents of cheating or plagiarism will result in a course grade of “F.”

· Students requesting an academic accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act should contact Ms. Donna Taylor, Disability Services Director.

(phone: 294-2322). Please meet with me immediately following our first class meeting to make arrangements for appropriate accommodations.

Grading: The course grade will be determined by the following components:

Quizzes and Strategy Session assignments 25%

Integrative quiz or written assignment 10%

Class Participation 10%

- Attendance throughout term (4%)

- Class discussion of readings and assignments and

overall contribution to the learning of your classmates (6%)

Capstone Simulation 55%

- Actual company performance (success report, star report,

analyst report) (15%)

- Team written assignments (15%)

- Individual quiz on Capstone (10%)

- Final team written analysis of company performance and

presentation to stockholders (15%)

100%

Note: Any team grade for the simulation is subject to adjustment based on peer review by your teammates. Failure to register at the website will result in a “0” for the Capstone Simulation grade, and therefore an “F” in the course.

BA 76 A – Senior Seminar

Schedule of Assignments

Special sessions with visiting executives:

Thursday, March 31 at 4:00 –5:30 p.m. (tentative time)

Dave Ridley, Senior Vice President, People and Leadership Development

Southwest Airlines

Wednesday, May 4 from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. (tentative time):

Jim Micali, Chairman and President, Michelin North America, and another executive TBA will discuss the role of international business in Upstate South Carolina.

- Chapter reading assignments are from the Harrison/St. John text.

- SS# refers to Strategy Sessions from the Strategize! text. BRING THIS TEXT OR A COPY OF THE ASSIGNED STRATEGY SESSION TO CLASS.

- Chapters from TMG refer to the Capstone Team Member Guide.

The schedule of assignments may be revised during the term to better meet the needs of the participants and to take advantage of alternate learning opportunities.

Date Topic Assignment (prepare before class)

Monday March 7	Introduction to the Course and to Strategic Planning	SS# 1 – do in class
Wednesday March 9	“The Strategic Management Process”	Read Chapter 1 SS# 5: Read pp. 31 – 34 and prepare pg. 34.
Friday, March 11	“The External Environment”	Read Chapter 2.

Date Topic Assignment (prepare before class)

Monday March 14	“The External Environment” continued	SS# 6: Read pp. 39-43.
Wednesday March 16	QUIZ #1 – Chapters 1, 2, 3 "The Internal Environment and Strategic Direction”	Read Chapter 3. SS# 3: Read pp. 11 – 16 and prepare pg. 16.
Friday March 18	…..continued	SS# 7: Read pp. 47 – 51 and prepare pg. 51.
Monday March 21	“Business Strategy”	Read Chapter 4. SS# 8: Read pp. 55 – 56 and pp. 133 – 138.
Wednesday March 23	QUIZ #2 – Chapters 4 and 5 “Corporate Strategy”	Read Chapter 5
Wednesday March 30	QUIZ #3 – Chapters 6 and 7 “Strategy Implementation” and “Strategic Control and Restructuring”	Read Chapter 6. SS# 14: Read pp. 101 – 105 and prepare pp. 104 – 105.
Thursday March 31	Session with Dave Ridley	Read assigned reading on Southwest Airlines
Friday April 1	Strategy Implementation” and “Strategic Control and Restructuring” continued	Read Chapter 7. SS# 18: Read pp. 125 – 130 and prepare pg. 128.