BPL-5100 Fall-2018-Syllabus-Version-B-8-22 (2) (1)(1) PDF

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BARUCH COLLEGE Zicklin School of Business – Loomba Department of Management Syllabus BPL 5100– Business Policy – Fall 2018 – Section PTRA

Office: Email:

NVC 9 [email protected]

Office Hours : By Appointment

Course Description Why do some organizations succeed and others fail? We will try to find answers to this important question throughout the term. A principal concern of BPL 5100 is the relationship between the organization, its strategy, and its environment. This relationship is complex, uncertain, and always changing. Managers seek to shape this relationship through strategic decisions that change their organizations’ capabilities, shift their competitive positions, or lead these firms into new businesses. This course has been designed to introduce students to these different aspects of strategic decisionmaking. Students will have ample opportunity to understand how to craft and implement effective strategies, and to recognize when changes are needed in existing strategies of companies. Until now, most of your coursework has emphasized a specialized, functional approach to help you understand how each of the functional disciplines such as marketing, operations, and human resources, play an important role in determining the success of a company. This course will help you recognize how organizational success is determined by how different functions fit together. Therefore, this course highlights the perspective of the general manager who has to decide, articulate and monitor the overall direction of the firm and, the building and sustaining of a competitive advantage.

BBA Learning Goals Addressed in This Course The faculty of the Zicklin School of Business has adopted seven (7) “Learning Goals” for BBA students. The purpose of these goals is to create a common understanding between students, faculty and potential employers of the core objectives for a business education. The following Zicklin Learning Goals will be addressed in this course: Analytical Skills Technological Skills Communication Skills: Oral Communication Skills: Written

Civic Awareness and Ethical Decision-Making

Global Awareness

BPL 5100 Course Learning Goals

Students will possess the analytical and critical thinking skills to evaluate issues faced in business and professional careers. Students will possess the necessary technological skills to analyze problems, develop solutions, and convey information. Students will have the necessary oral communication skills to convey ideas and information effectively and persuasively. Students will have the necessary written communication skills to convey ideas and information effectively and persuasively. Students will have the knowledge base and analytical skills to guide them when faced with ethical dilemmas in business. Students will have an awareness of political, civic and public policy issues affecting business. Students will know how differences in perspectives and cultures affect business practices around the world.

As an outcome of completing this course, students will be able to:  Identify and diagnose issues related to interactions among the organization, its strategy, and its environment  Apply strategic management techniques to generate recommendations for strategic issues  Synthesize recommendations in persuasive oral and written communications

Required Course Materials Dess-McNamara-Eisner, Strategic Management: Text and Cases, 9/E, Value Edition. (Referred to as DME). The customized value edition is available in the Baruch bookstore and online via the link: http://www.mheducation.com/highered/platforms/connect/access.html. Because earlier editions of the textbook do not have all the information covered in the 9th edition and some of the cases are not up-to-date, it is recommended that you do not use other editions. Students also are required to purchase a license for the Global Business Simulation: https://new.globus.com/. (Referred to as GLO-BUS) Additional materials available on Blackboard. (Referred to as BB)

Expectations The workload in this course is above average at a minimum and at a maximum unbounded. Few CEOs or top managers will suggest that every possible option was considered or that the decision made could not have been improved had additional analyses (time) been available. Accordingly, this course should be among the most mentally taxing, interesting, and best courses of your undergraduate experience. If you do it right, the course will be among the most demanding and most enjoyable courses you will take. If you do it wrong, you may get by, even score well, but you will have forfeited an opportunity to develop a perspective that will enhance your opportunities for advancement (promotion and/or income). It is important that each of us work consistently and diligently to complete the objectives of the course. My pledge is to work as hard as anyone else in this course to make it a success for you.

Blackboard We will make extensive use of Blackboard this term as a means of communicating with one another about a variety of issues. The syllabus, and any necessary updates, will be available on Blackboard. Lecture notes will be posted on Blackboard, before class for sessions covering new concepts and after class for sessions covering application of concepts. Supplementary readings will be posted on Blackboard as well. Moreover, we will use Blackboard to keep track of and communicate about grades throughout the semester. Consequently, you should become familiar with how Blackboard operates and visit our Blackboard site often.

Academic Integrity Students are expected to know and adhere to the Baruch College Academic Honesty Policy, found at http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/academic/academic_honesty.html. It states that Academic dishonesty is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Cheating, forgery, plagiarism and collusion in dishonest acts undermine the college's educational mission and the students' personal and intellectual growth. Baruch students are expected to bear individual responsibility for their work, to learn the rules and definitions that underlie the practice of academic integrity, and to uphold its ideals. Ignorance of the rules is not an acceptable excuse for disobeying them. Any student who attempts to compromise or devalue the academic process will be sanctioned [possibly by failing an assignment or the entire course]. Academic sanctions in this class will range from an F on the assignment to an F in this course. A report

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of suspected academic dishonesty will be sent to the Office of the Dean of Students. Additional information and definitions can be found at http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/academic/academic_honesty.html

Students with Disabilities Baruch College provides reasonable accommodations and modifications for students with disabilities to ensure that no student with a disability is denied the benefits of, is excluded from participation in, or otherwise is subjected to discrimination under the education program or activity operated by the College because of the absence of educational auxiliary aids for students with disabilities. Arrangements for adapting class procedures without compromising course content and standards may take time. Therefore, students who require accommodations or modifications should speak with me as soon as possible. I am available for you to talk with me before or after this class or during my office hours described above. In order to receive services, you must register with the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities. Documentation is necessary for every disability. For more information concerning services for students with disabilities, please contact the Director of the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities, Vertical Campus Building, One Bernard Baruch Way, 2nd floor, Room 2-270, phone number: 646-3124590.

Some Guidelines for Classroom Behavior 1. Arriving late interferes with other students' learning and is not acceptable. Subway delays and other problems are unavoidable on occasion, but it is each student's responsibility to plan carefully to arrive on time. 2. Leaving early is disruptive and unfair to other students' opportunity to learn. Please minimize this. 3. It is not appropriate to leave and return during a class meeting. Plan ahead. Anyone with a medical problem that affects his or her presence in class should discuss the matter privately with the instructor in advance. 4. Please turn off cell phones and computers before class (unless otherwise directed). Class directed use of computers is appropriate and encouraged; unrelated browsing is not tolerated. 5. Course assignments and performance expectations are well documented in this syllabus and will be discussed in depth during the first few class sessions. Consequently, it should not be necessary to request extra credit assignments to raise grades at or near the end of the semester. Manage your performance throughout the semester while you have the opportunity to do so.

Grading Scheme Grades will be assigned as follows: A A-

3

= 93.0 – 100 = 90.0 – 92.9

B+ B B-

= 87.0 - 89.9 = 83.0 - 86.9 = 80.0 - 82.9

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C+ C C-

= 77.0 - 79.9 = 73.0 - 76.9 = 70.0 - 72.9

D+ D D-

= 67.0 - 69.9 = 63.0 - 66.9 = 60-62.9

F = Below 60

Summary of Assignments Description Contribution Case write-ups Midterm Final exam Case Analysis Written Report and Oral Presentation GLO-BUS Simulation Performance GLO-BUS De-brief Peer Appraisal Total

% of grade Individual Individual Individual Individual Team Team Team Individual

10 10 20 20 25 10 5 0 100

Contribution accounts for 10% of the final grade. Contribution is a vital aspect of student learning in this course. For effective contribution, you should review the assigned material prior to coming to class and be prepared to discuss the major themes. Here is a guide for how contribution will be graded: Outstanding contributor (A). In-class contributions reflect exceptional preparation, thoughtfulness, and insight. Integration and higher-order thinking are often evident. Arguments are well-supported, persuasively presented, and reveal that this person is an excellent learner. If this person were not a member of the class, the quality of discussions would be greatly diminished. Good contributor (B). In-class contributions reflect thorough preparation, good thoughts, and some insight. Integration and higher-order thinking is sometimes evident. Arguments are supported, persuasively presented, and reveal that this person is learning. If this person were not a member of the class, the quality of discussions would be diminished. Adequate contributor (C). Contributions reflect satisfactory preparation. Ideas offered sometimes provide useful insight, but seldom offer a major contribution or useful direction for discussion. Arguments display only basic support, are minimally persuasive, and reveal that this person is keeping up with the material. If this person were not a member of the class, the quality of discussions would diminish only slightly. Unsatisfactory contributor (D). Contributions in class reflect inadequate preparation. Ideas offered are seldom important, are often irrelevant, and do not provide insight or a constructive direction for the class. Integration and higher-order thinking are absent. This person does little to further the thinking and potential contributions of others. Non-contributor (F). This person has said little or nothing in class. The person has appeared uninterested or disengaged. The quality of discussions would be improved if a different student occupied the seat. Manage your expectations about contribution grades throughout the semester; do not claim afterwards that you were present in class when it was not documented or that you contributed more than you believe you are being given credit for. Contribution grades will not be negotiated after the completion of the semester. Individual Case Write-Ups account for 10% of the final grade. Each student will submit case-writeups for three cases that their team is not analyzing. The lowest case grade will be dropped. Each writeup will count for 5% of your final grade. For each of these cases, you must submit a write-up no longer

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than 2 pages single-spaced through the Assignments section on BB before the beginning of class on the scheduled date. An assignment will not be accepted after it has been discussed in class. A complete case exercise should include the responses to the set of directions for a selected case, as below: Casino Industry  Using insights from Chapter 2 and my lecture, discuss how industry forces are influencing the profitability of the U.S. casino industry. Evaluate the rationale for some of the initiatives that these firms are undertaking in terms of reducing industry forces and suggest one or two actions their managers should take in future. General Motors  Using insights from Chapter 3 and my lecture, discuss how General Motors’ core competencies enabled it to gain a competitive advantage in the global automobile industry and why this has weakened in the last decade or so. Evaluate the rationale for some of the changes implemented by recent CEOs and suggest one or two actions that Barra should take. McDonalds  Using insights from Chapter 5 and my lecture 4, discuss key elements of McDonalds’ original competitive strategy and its implementation that helped it become a global leader in fast food. Evaluate the rationale for some of the changes implemented by recent CEOs and suggest one or two actions that Easterbrook should take. WWE  Using insights from Chapter 6 and my lectures, discuss aspects of WWE’s corporate strategy, especially relating to diversification, and how it has benefited or hurt the company. Suggest one or two ways an unsuccessful venture may have been implemented differently and provide an idea for a new venture for this firm. Heineken  Using insights from Chapter 7 and my lecture, discuss the combination of global strategies adopted by Heineken for its diverse portfolio of brands. Explain how van Boxmeer’s recent actions will help the firm deal with recent global challenges and suggest one or two other actions he could consider. Jet Blue  Using insights from Chapter 9 and my lecture, discuss how early leadership molded Jet Blue’s culture and how this enabled the firm to provide high-quality services at low prices. Identify some ways in which Jet Blue has departed from his initial vision and discuss one or two actions that the firm must take to deal with recent challenges. Johnson & Johnson  Using insights from Chapter 10 and my lecture, discuss aspects of Johnson & Johnson’s historical structure and how this structure has benefitted the firm. Explain the rationale for some of Weldon’s changes and suggest one or two actions that Gorsky must take to overcome recent quality issues. Here is a guide for how individual case write-ups will be graded: Outstanding writer (A). Written analysis reflects exceptional organization, thoughtfulness and insight. The work shows that the student can use the substantive material covered in class to produce optimal business outcomes. Explanations are well supported, persuasively presented, and reveal that this person is an excellent communicator. All writing is fully edited, and is stylistically and grammatically correct;. 5

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Good writer (B). Written analysis reflects organization, thoughtfulness and insight. The work shows that the student can use the substantive material covered in class to produce good business outcomes. Explanations are supported, somewhat persuasively presented, and reveal that this person is a good communicator. Writing shows signs of having been edited, and is, for the most part, stylistically and grammatically correct. Adequate writer (C). Written analysis reflects only basic organization, thoughtfulness and insight. The work shows that the student understands the substantive material covered in class. Explanations are minimally supported, mildly persuasive and reveal that this person can communicate. Writing is barely edited, and is stylistically and grammatically passable. Unsatisfactory writer (D). Written analysis is disorganized, unthoughtful and reflects inadequate or a complete lack of preparation. Little or no understanding is reflected. Explanations are unsupported or non-existent. Writing is unedited, or is stylistically or grammatically defective. Non-writer/presenter (F). Written analysis is not submitted and does not make any effort to address the assigned tasks. Case Analysis Written Report and Oral Presentation accounts for 25% of the final grade. Each team will be responsible for preparing a written report and making a formal oral presentation of their analysis and recommendations for one case. Students are expected to identify the strategic issues and problems in the case, use whichever tools and techniques of analysis are called for, and develop an appropriate action plan and set of recommendations. In particular, the case analysis should address: • Statement and description of central issue (1 page; 2 minutes) • Identification/description of alternatives (2 pages; 4 minutes) • Rationale for selection of best alternative (3 pages; 6 minutes) • Description of implementation plan (1 page; 2 minutes) • Conclusion (1/2 page; 1 minute) Each team will address the strategic management issues described above in a written paper that must be no more than 8 pages of text. Case Analysis Written Reports are due at the start of the session during which the respective cases are scheduled and should be submitted through the Assignments section of Blackboard. Late papers will be graded down 5% for each day they are late. All papers should be thoroughly proofread; write a rough draft, and then edit and polish this draft. The papers must be typed (12-point font), double spaced, with one inch margins. Put your names, date, and company name or number on a separate title page. Do not put your names on the remaining pages. Case Analysis Oral Presentations will be conducted according to the schedule below. Each team will have approximately 20 minutes to present its analyses and recommendations to be followed by Q&A. Each team is required to schedule a meeting with a Communication Fellow outside of the regularly scheduled class time to plan and practice the presentation. Scheduling should occur as early as possible to facilitate getting access to meeting times/spaces. These meetings should occur approximately one week prior to the scheduled Case Analysis Oral Presentation. All members of a team are required to participate in the Case Analysis Oral Presentation. Prepare your presentation carefully. Pay careful attention to the flow and clarity of the presentation. Practice and time the presentation before you present to the class. You are encouraged to make creative use of your presentation time. For example, you could use transparencies, videos, slides, posters, product samples, and audience participation to generate and sustain interest in your topic. 6

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Prepare the presentation as if you were presenting to a management team in a firm. Thus, you should be concerned about keeping their interest and communicating clearly and effectively. Although it is perfectly appropriate to refer to prepared notes during your presentation, do not read your presentation directly from a prewritten script. At the start of class, the team should submit to the instructor a copy of visual aids to be used for the presentation. Please number the pages clearly on the bottom of the page and staple all pages together. DO NOT enclose the pages in a plastic cover or binder. Those students not participating in a presentation on any given day are responsible for reading the case and coming to class prepared to participate in case analysis discussions. To encourage attendance and active parti...