B A 422W: Strategic Business Planning (3 credits). Presentations and discussion of contemporary business issues by students and visiting professionals; emphasis on effective business communications.
Prerequisites:
- BA 421 - Project Management and Planning for Business;
- MGMT 301 - Basic Management Concepts;
- MKTG 301 - Principles of Marketing; AND
- FIN 301 - Corporation Finance.
Prerequisite or concurrent:
- BA 495A - Internship in Business
- BA 495B - Collaborative Project in Business
- BA 495C - Undergraduate Research in Business.
Overview:
This is the capstone course for the BSB program. As such, the course requires that you integrate what you have learned about various aspects of business to address the multiple issues and challenges that businesses face in this increasingly complex and global competitive environment. This integration of the various knowledge areas to which you have been exposed in the BSB program is provided through the framework of strategic management, which is concerned with the successful adaptation of the enterprise to its external environment. A major vehicle for helping you in this integration will be case studies. The “W” suffix of the course means that it will be writing-intensive. Student involvement is central to success in this course. Class case discussions will be a dominant learning tool, as will small group interaction to assess specific cases. Strong and timely student preparation, active participation, and effective teamwork are all required to excel in this course!
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Objectives:
Successful completion of BA 422W will enable you to:
- Develop your ability to think strategically, including determining opportunities for creating and sustaining competitive advantage.
- Build your skills in conducting strategic analyses, particularly in a globally competitive environment.
- Gain experience in developing and executing strategy, including learning how to build strategy-enabling organizations.
- Expand your confidence in functioning as part of a strategy development team.
- Integrate the knowledge gained in earlier course work, comprehend how the various pieces of the business create synergy, and demonstrate your ability coordinate various business segments in strategic harmony.
- Develop your managerial judgment skills, improve your ability to assess business risk, and provide a framework for making sound decisions and achieving effective outcomes.
- Enhance your business writing skills.
- Gain understanding of the strategic value of exemplary ethical principles, solid personal and company values, and socially responsible management practices.
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Methods of Instruction:
Web-Based Learning:
This course is designed on web-based technology; therefore, web skills are required. As you know, all course materials are on the web.
Student-Centered Approach:
The course is designed to give you an opportunity to share your experiences and knowledge with others. Therefore, in the learning process, you should continuously communicate with both me and your classmates throughout the semester. Your active participation in the ANGEL message boards will be very important. Your message board interaction will be reviewed by me and count as part of your class participation grade. Textbook readings will serve as an important course tool. Some suggestions are:
- Be enthusiastic and maintain a positive attitude towards the course and materials covered.
- Emphasize quality over quantity of materials you will be presenting.
- Be creative and innovative in case analyses and other assignments. Simply rehashing case details will not be counted as a contribution to the course.
- Answer review questions and utilize the suggested readings on a weekly basis.
Problem-Based Learning:
I strongly encourage your teams to use problem-based learning to enhance the understanding of materials. This means that each member of your team contributes to the progress in the learning process. Students should incorporate chapter materials with their prior knowledge and experience to solve case problems rather than learning passively. While I recognize the importance of reading on your own, I recommend incorporating problem-based learning and active student participation within the Web environment whenever possible.
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Course Materials:
Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.
Library
Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can
- access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
- get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
- much more.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service. The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.
Technical Requirements:
| Operating System | Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8*; Mac OS X 10.5 or higher *Windows 8 support excludes the tablet only RT version |
|---|---|
| Processor | 2 GHz or higher |
| Memory | 1 GB of RAM |
| Hard Drive Space | 20 GB free disk space |
| Browser | We recommend the latest ANGEL-supported version of Firefox or
Internet Explorer. To determine if your browser fits this criterion,
and for advice on downloading a supported version,
please refer to the following ITS knowledge base article: Supported Browsers and Recommended Computers.
Note: Cookies, Java, and JavaScript must be enabled. Pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. Due to nonstandard handling of CSS, JavaScript and caching, older versions of Internet Explorer (such as IE 6 or earlier) do not work with our courses. |
| Plug-ins | Adobe Reader [Download from Adobe]
Flash Player (v7.0 or later) [Download from Adobe] |
| Additional Software | Microsoft Office (2007 or later) |
| Internet Connection | Broadband (cable or DSL) connection required |
| Printer | Access to graphics-capable printer |
| DVD-ROM | Required |
| Sound Card, Microphone, and Speakers | Required |
| Monitor | Capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution |
If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Outreach Helpdesk.
Additionally, Elluminate Live (E-Live!) will be utilized for this course. E-Live! is a collaborative tool that allows you to communicate synchronously (real-time) with your instructor and classmates. The software package allows real-time voice, document, and whiteboard sharing, among other things.
Before you can use E-Live! you will need to download and install Sun Microsystems Java Web Start client. It is upon this client that E-Live! runs. To download this client, go to http://www.elluminate.com/support and follow the instructions for first time users in downloading and installing the client.
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Course Components:
The deliverables for the course and their weighting are detailed as follows:
Components: |
Type: |
Value: |
Individual analysis paper |
Individual |
150 points |
Group case analysis paper, including case discussion |
Team |
300 points |
Quizzes (5 – drop lowest) |
Individual |
100 points |
Participation |
Individual |
100 points |
Mid-term examination |
Individual |
150 points |
Final Examination |
Individual |
200 points |
TOTAL |
|
1,000 points |
Individual Analysis Paper:
Using the knowledge and insights you have gained in Modules 1 through 3, assess the strategy of a company of your choice. Please note that the company should be one with which you have some personal level of knowledge, ie. a company for which you currently or previously have worked, a company at which a parent, spouse, or friend is/was employed, etc.
Write a minimum 5 (full) page research paper that encompasses the following:
- Does the strategic plan explain (tacitly or explicitly) where the company is, where it wants to go, and how it will get there?
- Detail the basic components of the strategy (also known as “the hows”).
- Is the strategy complete and comprehensive, or are there gaps? Justify your stance.
- What is the company's primary strategic positioning (low-cost, differentiating features, focused on a narrow market niche, or expertise/resource strengths that rivals can't match). Is it positioned correctly in respect to its external environment and its competition?
- Does the company's vision/mission match its strategic positioning? Are the goals encompassed in the strategy attainable?
Your final product will be a well-organized research paper which provides support for your opinions regarding the company's strategic positioning. You should include your personal observations in the paper, but frame these observations in terms of strategic significance. Basically, you should review the company's plan (and provide documentation of it), assess its viability, and support your opinions with the text and your research. Do not simply respond to the questions above in a paragraph format! The paper should be double-spaced, 12-point or smaller font, with no greater than 1" margins, and written in APA format. You should cite at least 4 sources, of which two must be scholarly in nature. The text may be cited and can count as one scholarly source.
Group Case Analysis Paper and Group-led Case Discussion:
The class will divide into teams of 4 – 6 people. As a team, you will select one of the following cases for in depth analysis and presentation:
- Case 1: Whole Foods Market in 2008
- Case 6: Dell, Inc. in 2008
- Case 10: Nucor Corp.
- Case 23: Southwest Airlines in 2008
There will be two deliverables for this assignment. The first is an in-depth strategic analysis as described in Case Studies below. The second is a group-led discussion of your case with an audience of your classmates. This typically will consist of a 20-30 minute guided analysis of the case. You may use PowerPoint slides if you wish, but the main task of your group is to lead a discussion of the case, drawing out the strategic elements, rather than simply to present the material covered in the case.
Quizzes:
A total of five 25-point quizzes will be administered throughout the semester. These quizzes will consist of true/false and multiple choice questions and are designed to test your comprehension of various course concepts. I also use the quizzes as a mechanism to gauge my teaching effectiveness. Your four highest quiz scores will be summed to comprise the quiz component of your grade.
Mid-term and Final Examinations:
Since BA 422W already is very writing intense, the mid-term and final examinations will be of an objective format – true/false and multiple choice, much like the organization of the quizzes. The mid-term examination will be comprised of questions relating to the material presented in Modules 1 through 4. The final examination will be comprised of questions related to Modules 1 through 8.
Participation:
Your participation in the course will be evaluated on the following components:
- Discussion forum postings: individuals are expected to post questions and responses that contribute to the discussion topic.
- Peer evaluation: it is expected that every member of the team will contribute to the accomplishment of team goals and objectives. A peer evaluation will be completed and submitted along with your Group-case analysis and discussion to assess the contributions of each team member.
- Audience participation for group-led case discussions: each student will sign up to participate as part of the audience for two (2) case discussions. Take, for example, a team of three students: Alan, Beth, and Charles. The team might sign up to write the analysis and lead the discussion for the “Whole Foods” case. Individually, Alan might sign up for the “Dell” and “Southwest” audiences, Beth might decide to participate in “Dell” and “Nucor” and Charles could sign up for audience participation for “Nucor” and “Southwest.” Each individual can select to participate in whichever audiences appeal to them as long as each student (1) is part of a group writing and presenting one case and (2) is part of the audience for two other cases. Given the four cases we will cover during the semester, each student then is able to opt out of one case.
Each component will be graded and counted towards the final participation grade.
Case Studies:
Cases provide a pedagogical way to bring the real world into the learning environment. They enhance the concepts of the text while the text enhances the meaningfulness of cases. In addition, cases have the virtue of placing you in a decision-making role requiring you to make decisions with less than perfect information. Cases require analytical decisions and meaningful research in order to update the information. Depending upon the assignment each individual or team will produce an analysis/interpretation of each case. You will develop alternative strategies, select the best alternative (the recommended strategy), prepare a solution, and discuss how to implement it. You are expected to submit your written reports to me. Case reports should be a minimum of 5-10 pages excluding appendices, tables or charts. Please write in a clear and concise manner.
- Problem definition
- Situation assessment
- Analysis
- Recommendations
Provide logical, convincing explanations for recommended vs. dismissed strategies/solutions that need to be tied back to your alternative analyses. Your recommendations should be specific. Neither “general” nor “further research needed” recommendations are acceptable. Briefly present a cost-benefit analysis, if appropriate, to achieve your recommended strategies/solutions along with resource requirements.
First, clarify what problem(s) is/are addressed in this case. Ask yourself what are critical issues that managers in the case are confronted with and need to solve.
Analyze the case company’s SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats). As part of the SWOT analysis, identify key components of the case company’s strengths and weaknesses by reviewing its fundamental strategic positioning. Briefly discuss relevant critical factors (including opportunities and threats) of the industry environment in which a case company operates. Once the SWOT analysis is complete, assess these factors according to strength and relevance to the critical problem(s) you are trying to solve. Because of the space limitation, do not rehash case background or minor details; summarize instead the key, pertinent points in bullets.
Address the selected problem by weighing a number of relevant factors (either in or out of the SWOT analysis), focusing on defined opportunities and threats and the company’s strengths that you would exploit for your future actions. Analyze the pros and cons as well as the short- and long-term impacts of alternative solutions, and feasibility of the potential strategies/actions. Remember to consider the operational fit of internal resources including personnel, equipment, technology, and financial position; assess the cost-benefit and the attendant risk of your selected solution including potential impact on customer, suppliers and competitors. Make sure to do a full analysis of both qualitative and quantitative information given in the case. A quantitative analysis often clarifies and breaks a decision deadlock caused by qualitative pros/cons. Also make sure you weigh all the given information. Make and state assumptions if necessary and justify those assumptions. Make your analysis and decisions as of the case timeframe. Current information on the case from its Web site, for example, should have no bearing on your analysis.
Case Report and Discussion Evaluations:
Case reports will be evaluated on the following dimensions:
- A mastery of strategic theory and your ability to apply theory to real-life companies;
- The delivery of a comprehensive, structured analysis;
- The demonstration of your ability to work in a team to deliver a seamless, cohesive, integrated work product;
- The ability of your team to present and lead a strategic case discussion and to respond to questions, comments, and critique.
- The degree to which scholarly research is performed and integrated into your analysis in a meaningful manner;
- Oral and written end products that are grammatically correct, stylistically appropriate, free of errors, and of professional quality.
Case Peer Evaluation:
It is extremely important to contribute to the successful completion of the case assignments. Each case is a collaborative effort, and you will have the opportunity to evaluate the performance of the other members in your group. The following evaluative scale should be used:
9-10 |
group member did much more than his/her share |
7-8 |
group member did somewhat more than his/her share |
5-6 |
group member did exactly his/her share |
3-4 |
group member did somewhat less than his/her share |
1-2 |
group member did much less than his/her share |
The grade you receive for the case will be dependent on the grade I give the team for the case and the average number you receive on the case peer evaluation. Here is how your grade will be determined:
- Each team will receive a group grade for the case.
- Each team member will receive a score from the peer evaluation.
- If the average score from your peer evaluation is 8 or better, your grade for the case will be the group grade plus 30.
- If the average score from your peer evaluation is a 5 up to 8, your grade for the case will be the group grade.
- If the average score from your peer evaluation is a 3 up to 5, your grade for the case will be equal to the group grade minus 30 points.
- If the average score from your peer evaluation is a 1 or 2, your grade for the case will be equal to the group grade minus 50 points.
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Grading:
The deliverables for the course and their weighting are detailed as follows:
| Grade | Percent |
Point Value |
|
Grade |
Percent |
Point Value |
A |
93 – 100% |
925-1000 points |
|
C + |
77-79% |
765-794 points |
A - |
90 – 92% |
895-924 points |
|
C |
70-76% |
695-764 points |
B + |
87 – 89% |
865-894 points |
|
D |
60-69% |
595-694 points |
B |
83 – 86% |
825-864 points |
|
F |
Below 60% |
Less than 595 points |
B - |
80 – 82% |
795-824 points |
|
|
|
|
If you are prevented from completing this course for reasons beyond your control, you have the option of requesting a deferred grade from your instructor. For more information, please see "Deferred Grades" on the World Campus Student Policies Web site.
Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Undergraduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.
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Course Schedule:
The schedule below outlines the topics we will be covering in this course, along with the associated time frames and assignments. Note that assignments are due based on Eastern Time (ET). This ensures that all students have the same deadlines regardless of where they live.
Note: Each assignment is identified as individual (I), team (T), graded (G), ungraded (U), or contribution to participation grade (P).
Module 0: Getting Acquainted |
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Readings: |
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Assignments: |
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Readings: |
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Assignments: |
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Readings: |
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Assignments: |
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Module 4: Evaluating the Internal Environment |
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Readings: |
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Assignments: |
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Workshop: Writing and Presenting Effective Strategic Analyses |
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Assignments: |
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Module 5: Selecting a Generic Strategy |
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Readings: |
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Assignments: |
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Module 6: Competing in Foreign Markets and Formulating Global Strategies |
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Readings: |
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Assignments: |
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Readings: |
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Assignments: |
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Academic Integrity
Academic integrity — scholarship free of fraud and deception — is an important educational objective of Penn State. Academic dishonesty can lead to a failing grade or referral to the Office of Student Conduct.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to:
- cheating
- plagiarism
- fabrication of information or citations
- facilitating acts of academic dishonesty by others
- unauthorized prior possession of examinations
- submitting the work of another person or work previously used without informing the instructor and securing written approval
- tampering with the academic work of other students
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, procedure requires an instructor to notify a student of suspected dishonesty before filing a charge and recommended sanction with the college. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If a disciplinary sanction also is recommended, the case will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct.
All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us.
Additionally, World Campus students are expected to act with civility and personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and others, and a civil community.
For More Information on Academic Integrity at Penn State
Please see the Academic Integrity Chart for specific college contact information or visit one of the following URLs:
- Penn State Senate Policy on Academic Integrity
- iStudy for Success! — learn about plagiarism, copyright, and academic integrity through an educational module
- Turnitin a web-based plagiarism detection and prevention system
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Policies
Accommodating Disabilities
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University’s educational programs. Every Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities, including World Campus. The Disabilities and Accommodations section of the Chaiken Center for Student Success website provides World Campus students with information regarding how to request accommodations, documentation guidelines and eligibility, and appeals and complaints. For additional information, please visit the University's Student Disability Resources website.
In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
Students with disabilities participating in internship, practicum, student teaching, or other experiential learning opportunities as part of their degree requirements may also be eligible for reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access and opportunity. These accommodations are determined through an interactive process involving the student, their University supervisor, and the site supervisor. Student Disability Resources can assist students with identifying potential barriers, facilitating accommodation requests, and coordinating with University supervisors to promote inclusive learning experiences.
Additional Course Policies
For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.
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Disclaimer: Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus are subject to change, and you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. Your instructor will notify you of any changes.