B499B - Business Strategy Capstone

B499A – Business Strategy Capstone – fall 2008

Instructor Bruce C. Kusch

Email kuschb@byui.edu

Office KIM210A

Office Hours M 5:00-5:30 ROM277, TTH 4:30-5:30 via Adobe Connect

Office Phone 496-1142

Course Materials

Text Selected chapters from Crafting & Executing Strategy – Concepts & Cases, 16^th edition

Thompson-Gamble-Strickland

Other Materials Cases accessed via links on i-Learn, Weekly Modules

Course Fees $18.00 for Harvard cases and articles

$43.99 for Capsim® Simulation

Course Description

A challenging and stimulating capstone experience focusing on four primary elements: theory and principles of strategy, discussing and solving business cases, and the formation of integrated teams wherein students participate in a business simulation and execute a strategic consulting project. Teams are balanced to complement participant’s areas of expertise. The text referenced above will be a resource for principles to be learned and will contain much of the material for casework.

Course Objectives

Develop the strategic “habits of mind” of problem-framing, analysis – both quantitative and qualitative, and the evaluation of various options to solve strategic business problems. One should be prepared to develop recommended solutions to problems and challenges and to defend them in class and small group discussion.
Build your skills in conducting strategic analysis in an individual, small group, and team environment, evaluating a variety of industries, examining the unique competitive situations of each.
Acquaint you with the managerial tasks associated with implementing and executing company strategies expose you to the range of actions managers can take to promote competent strategy execution, and help you develop confidence in being able to function effectively as part of a company’s strategy-implementing team.
Integrate the knowledge gained in earlier business curriculum courses, giving you a “big picture” view of how the various pieces of an enterprise fit together, and demonstrate why all the different functions and processes of a business must be managed in strategic harmony for the enterprise to operate successfully.
Develop your written, oral, analytical and facilitation skills in a “laboratorial” professional environment.
Learn valuable lessons of ethics, leadership (with a small “l”), and cultural change.
Reinforce the importance of gospel-centered exemplary ethical principles, sound personal and company values, and socially responsible management practices.

Grading: 93% - 100% = A 80% - 82% = B- 67% - 69% = D+

90% - 93% = A- 77% - 79% = C+ 63% - 66% = D

87% - 89% = B+ 73% - 76% = C 60% - 62% = D-

83% - 86% = B 70% - 72% = C- below 60% = F

Grading Components

Grades will be based on a point system as follows:

1- Concept Exam (150 points)

There will be one 150-point Concept Exam covering chapters 1-5.

2- Class Assignments (up to 190 points possible)

Class assignments are listed in the class schedule and are described in detail on i-Learn. Assignments are always due by 11:00pm the day before class. Assignments consist of:

Two questions @ 10 points each for four text book chapters (2-5)
Industry Analysis – 25 points
Company Analysis – 25 points
One group mini-case @ 50 points
Book of Mormon and Strategy teaching outline – 25 points
Ethics, Integrity, and Leadership assignment @ 25 points

3- Case Preparation and Discussion Participation (up to 300 points possible) – In preparation for case discussions questions will be posted to guide your preparation. You should prepare written answers to these questions and bringing them with you to class. These case notes will be posted on i-Learn and are due by 11:00pm the day before the assigned case discussion. Twenty points can be earned for the case notes (there are five). Case discussion participation will be graded on a scale of 1-3. Points earned during discussions will be multiplied by 25, up to 200 points possible. Your preparation will guide your ability to participate.

4- Written Case Analysis & Team Presentation (up to 125 points possible) - Teams will prepare a written analysis of one additional case. In addition, teams will prepare a PowerPoint presentation they may be called on to present in class. Teams will be evaluated on their ability to develop a well-written case analysis, utilizing ALL (emphasis on ALL) tools of strategic analysis discussed in the course.

5- Capstone™ Online Simulation (up to 230 points possible) – Teams will participate in an online simulation, running a $100M electronic sensor company. The simulation will follow this schedule. Points will be earned as follows:

Individual Rehearsal 25 points
Team Strategy & Plan 25 points
Peer Evaluations (3) 30 points
Simulation Status Report 50 points
Overall Results 100 points (points awarded based on final standings)

5- Consulting Project (up to 400 points possible) – Student teams will have the opportunity to be involved in various consulting projects. Please refer to Project Guidelines and Consulting Project Milestones for a description of the process, requirements, grading policy, milestone dates and other documents required for the project. Specifics of the projects and clients will be provided in class.

6-Personal Journal of Lessons Learned (up to 100 points possible) – During the semester students are asked to keep a personal journal of lessons learned during the course. At the end of each week students should record important lessons learned from chapter discussions, case discussions, the simulation, and the consulting project. The journal will be submitted electronically the last week of the semester. In order to receive full credit, there must be a journal entry for each week of the course.

7- Major Field Test

As a requirement of passing the course each Business Management major is required to take a nationally-administered Major Field Test. Dates and times for the test will be provided. Students must score a minimum of 140/200 to receive credit for the test. Students scoring <140 points on the exam will receive a 50-point penalty.

Guiding Principles of Learning & Teaching

At BYU-Idaho we foster faith-building and life-changing learning. Our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the gifts of the Holy Ghost, the presence of the restored gospel and institutional efforts to build a Zion learning community motivate us to learn and teach by study and also by faith.

Please remember that EVERYONE at BYU-Idaho is both a learner and a teacher. As such, these principles below should guide our actions. We:

1. exercise faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as a principle of power;

2. understand that the Holy Ghost is the true teacher and invite the Holy Ghost to teach us;

3. act, rather than be acted upon;

4. accept responsibility for learning and teaching;

5. integrate scholarly knowledge and sacred truth; and

6. love, serve, and teach one another.

Class Policies & Important Points

I hope you will do your very best in this course. Diligent work will be rewarded with an outstanding grade. Also, please note this admonition from President Hinckley:

“This is the great day of decision for each of us. For many it is the time of beginning something that will go on for as long as you live. I plead with you: don’t be a scrub! Rise to the high ground of spiritual, mental, and physical excellence. You can do it. You may not be a genius. You may be lacking in some skills. But so many of us can do better than we are now doing. We are members of this great Church whose influence is now felt over the world. We are people with a present and with a future. Don’t muff your opportunities. Be excellent.”

One of the primary objectives and expectations of this course is that you will think and act and look like businesspeople and NOT students. Let me give you some examples of what that means:

Businesspeople are ALWAYS prepared.
Businesspeople ALWAYS arrive early to an appointment.
Businesspeople NEVER make excuses.
Businesspeople do whatever it takes to get an assignment done right and well.

Businesspeople are ALWAYS dressed and groomed appropriately.

In this class students have three primary responsibilities:

To come to every class prepared
To participate
To seek and participate in opportunities to teach one another

Please note the following:

1. Attendance in class is essential. Lack of class attendance means you will miss out on important discussions, lectures, and course information. You must attend class to receive credit for assigned work.

2. You must be an active participant during case discussions to receive participation points and every student will be given ample opportunity to earn them. There is a notebook computer “lids down” policy during case discussions. Students are expected to bring to class the printed case and case notes. Students who have neither during a case discussion will not receive participation points, even if they contribute to the discussion. Likewise, students who engage in other activities, such as reading the Scroll during class will forfeit any participation points for the day.

3. The official method of communicating is via your BYU-Idaho email account. Please check it frequently for important information. i-Learn is used for course-specific information.

4. Learning to work as members of a diverse team is essential to success in business. You have an obligation to other team members to do your part in making the team’s efforts a success. Working in a team can be challenging, demanding, and at times frustrating, the work produced by teams is almost always superior to the work of one individual. Not carrying your share of the load will negatively impact on your grade. Non-performing team members may be dismissed from a team, resulting in a grade of “F” for the course.

5. Students wishing to discuss the status of their grade or other course-related issues may do so (and are invited to do so) by making an appointment with me. As a matter of policy, the status of a student’s grade will not be discussed via email.

6. All work is due as described in the syllabus, as discussed in class, or communicated via i-Learn or email. As a general rule, NO WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED LATE. Excuses such as, “I forgot”, “I was confused”, “I have a job interview”, “I had to attend a family reunion”, etc. will not be acceptable.

Please consider this statement from Elder Richard L. Evans, a former member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles: "No matter how good an excuse may be no reason for failure or defection is ever so satisfying to ourselves or to anyone else as is actually doing what we should do, or delivering on the date that something is due. Excuses are at best a second-choice substitute. It is a surpassing quality in life to follow through, to keep commitments, to keep the commandments, and no matter how ingenious our excuses are, they don't cancel commitments, or justify our failures, or relieve us from answering before the highest bar, unless they are founded on real, valid reasons - and not merely on our comfort or convenience."

7. All written submittals and oral presentations should represent your best work. Expectations for this course are the highest of professional standards. Written work should be typed, using a 10 or 11pt font, pages single-spaced. Check for grammar and spelling errors. Some of the most valuable skills you can acquire that will benefit you in the business world are excellent written and verbal skills.

8. The Code of Honor and Dress and Grooming Standards apply.

9. In compliance with applicable disability law, qualified students with a disability may be entitled to “reasonable accommodation.” It is the student’s responsibility to disclose to the teacher any special need she/he may have before the end of the first week of class. It is further the students’ responsibility to meet with the instructor to decide on what constitutes “reasonable accommodation.”

10. Class Policy on Academic Integrity – Cheating, plagiarism, academic dishonesty, or anything like unto it is contrary to the Honor Code and principles of this university. Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary describes plagiarism as: “use (another’s production) without crediting the source; present as new and original an idea or product derived from an original source.” Any student involved in any behavior deemed academically dishonest puts credit for the course and their attendance at BYU-Idaho at serious risk, and will not be tolerated. Students will receive a “0” on assignments with no opportunity to make up for lost points, and the instructor reserves the right to drop the student from the course with a grade of “F.” Additionally, the student’s behavior may be reported to the department Chair and the College Dean. By University policy, the student’s behavior will be reported to the Honor Office. “I did not know,” or “I did not understand” will not be considered as valid excuses.

The following statement, with your written initials, should appear at the end of each assignment you submit:

“I/We certify that the work submitted is my/our own unique and original work. Any non-original works have been cited, with proper credit given to the creator/author. My/our efforts are in full compliance with the university Honor Code.”

MW Class schedule – always subject to change and modifications. All assignments are due by 11:00pm the day before class. Please check i-Learn for the assignment deadline. All assignments will be submitted via i-Learn. Late assignments cannot be accepted and must be placed in the correct assignment location. Emailed assignments cannot be accepted. For the simulation, please refer to the Simulation Schedule for due date specifics. Links to all readings, cases, and assignments can be found on i-Learn under the Weekly Modules menu, by week.

Week	Dates	Topics/Reading	Due for class or this week
1	Sept. 8	· Ch. 1 – What is Strategy…? · HBR Article – What Really Works?	· Read syllabus, Chapter 1 & HBR article
1	10	· Ch. 2 – The Managerial Process… · Ch. 3 – Evaluating a Company’s External Environment (listen to commentary)	· Four questions (two questions per chapter)
2	15	· Ch. 4 – Analyzing a Company’s Resources & Competitive Position (listen to commentary) · Ch. 5 – The Five Generic Competitive Strategies (listen to commentary)	· Industry Analysis: 5-forces model & strategic group map – bring to class Sept. 15 · Four questions
2	17	· Chapter reviews – student questions · Simulation Introduction (view i-Learn presentation)	· Company Analysis: CSA & SWOT – bring to class Sept. 17 · Concept Exam open Sept. 18-20 · Form teams (i-Learn sign-up)
3	22	· Review of case method (see “Case Method Helps” on I-Learn) · HBR – Learning by the Case Method · Group Mini case presentations - Rivals!	· Individual Simulation Rehearsal · Group Mini Case Assignment
3	24	TEAM DAY – NO CLASS
4	29	Consulting Project Assignments, Guidelines &