MBC 645 Graduate

Strategic Management

Frederick Vona, Assistant Professor, Management Department,

Whitman School of Management, Syracuse University
Office: Room 533
Phone: 315-443-3589
Email: fjvona@syr.edu

Course Overview
What makes some firms more successful than others? How do firms create competitive
advantage as well as sustain it? How can strategy contribute to the creation and capture
of economic value? How are strategies managed? How can multiple businesses be
combined to create value? These are some of the questions that we will address in this
course as we study how firms compete and address the fundamental question “Why are
some companies successful while others fail?”

While strategy has been defined in several ways, the fundamental principles of strategy
formulation are usually the same: problem identification and problem solving. In this
course, you will learn to think about the two most important strategic choices facing a
firm: how to establish competitive advantage in a market or industry, and how a firm
should sustain competitive advantage. Both choices require the integration and
application of relevant analytical tools, models, and frameworks, giving us the basis to
examine firms through a variety of cases in the synchronous sessions.

Materials
• Required:
o Textbook
▪▪ Contemporary Strategy Analysis (10th ed.) by Robert M. Grant
(ISBN 978-1-119-49567-3)
Available at Wiley.com or Amazon. Syracuse Bookstore may also
have copies. Older editions are not acceptable.
o Cases and articles available at:
https://hbsp.harvard.edu/import/895258
• Recommended:
1. The Wall Street Journal
2. Businessweek

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Learning Objectives
By the end of the course, you should be able to:

1. Develop an analytic toolkit of concepts, frameworks, and techniques you can use for
identifying, assessing, and understanding competitive strategies.
2. Approach the analysis of unstructured strategic problems and ambiguous situations.
3. Understand and apply the integrative, multifunctional perspective of the strategist.
4. Evaluate elements of successful and unsuccessful competitive strategies.
5. Analyze relationships among external conditions, internal resources, and strategic choices.
6. Interpret current business events using course concepts and frameworks.
7. Formulate recommendations based on analysis of unstructured problems and incomplete
information.
8. Communicate analyses of firms’ strategies in verbal and written form.

Learning Philosophy
The learning philosophy in this course relies heavily on participant discussion, debate,
and analysis in classroom sessions. Much of the learning in this course occurs in the
classroom. You are expected to come to class having completed any assigned
readings, case analyses, or other assignments. This course emphasizes active group
learning which requires that everyone does their part in terms of both preparations
before class and contributions to discussions in class.

ASSESSMENT- 400 point scale

Your course grade will be based on the following components:

1. Final Exam 25%

2. Mid-Term 20%
3. Participation 15% -
4. Group Pres. 15% case
5. Industry Analysis 10%
6. Case Analysis 15%

A. Final Exam (25%)

• The Final Exam will cover all course material.
• The Final Exam will be a closed-­ book
• You may bring one 8 ½” x 11” page of notes to the exam.
• The exam may also contain questions about the cases discussed in class.
• Any additional guidelines regarding the exam will be provided at a later date.

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 B. Mid Term Exam (20%)

• The Mid Term Exam will cover all course material.

• The Mid Term Exam will be a closed-­­book
• You may bring one 8 ½” x 11” page of notes to the exam.
• The exam may also contain questions about the cases discussed in class.
• Any additional guidelines regarding the exam will be provided at a later date.

C. Participation (15%)
These are detailed as follows:

In-­­class participation. (15%) This is a discussion-­ based course. Hence, it is absolutely

essential that you participate in the in sessions during the semester. The quality of
participation will be evaluated primarily on the quality of content, not the volume. Be
respectful of others’ viewpoints, thoughtful, evidence-­­based, and analytical. It is very
valuable to link aspects of a case or discussion to elements of other cases we may have
discussed or to some concepts in the textbook. Above all, do not be afraid to be wrong!
We do not penalize “wrong” comments (or views that run against the dominant view in
the class) as long as they are backed up by logical arguments and concrete evidence. A
“wrong” comment that leads to substantive discussion and learning will be considered a
valuable contribution. However, we will penalize any egregious or offensive comments.

Class Contributions

Your individual contributions to discussions will be evaluated on an ongoing basis. In an interactive

class such as this one, everyone is expected to contribute to class discussions. You all play a part in
each other’s learning so coming to class and just listening is not sufficient. That is why a significant
portion of your grade is based on class contribution.

Remember, participation and contribution are not the same.

• Quality of insights and value to group learning are more important than quantity.
• The strongest contributions are evidence-based and logically consistent.
• You can make a “wrong point” and still earn contribution credit if it is the result of solid
analysis, stimulates discussion, and/or highlights an important issue. So, please do not let
fear of making a mistake stop you from speaking up.

Evaluation: The following guidelines to evaluate contribution to each discussion:

SUPERIOR CONTRIBUTION: A student’s comments reflect thorough preparation. They demonstrate

she/he has thought about the readings and assignments and can generate insights that add to the
learning of fellow students.

GOOD CONTRIBUTION: A student’s comments reflect satisfactory preparation. They demonstrate

that she/he has thought about the readings and assignments and is able to add to the class
discussion of an important issue.
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NO CONTRIBUTION: A student makes few or no comments. She/he does not provide sufficient
evidence to demonstrate that he/she has performed the assigned work or learned the assigned
material.

POOR CONTRIBUTION: A student’s comments demonstrate that she/he has not prepared adequately
for class and/or detract from the discussion.

For calibration purposes consider that in general, a student who regularly and consistently makes
Superior Contributions will earn most or all of the available contribution points. A student who
addends all classes but makes No Contribution throughout the course can earn no more than 50% of
the points available. Poor Contribution to a discussion will deduct from the student’s cumulative
contribution score.

• Of note class contribution also includes in class work as well as quizzes. Each will go
towards your participation grade.

D. Group Case Presentation (15%)

The case discussions hold many opportunities for you to think about the course content and apply
examples or circumstances that resonate with you. The questions posed in case discussions will be
developed and by classmates and discussed during class sessions. The quality of your questions and
leading of case discussions will form the basis of the 15% grade.

Some things to keep in mind as you prepare:

• Put yourself in the time frame of the case and do not try to find out what happened or
incorporate updated information. Teaching cases are written for the purpose of
illustrating particular course concepts. Although they may report “old” events, the
underlying issues are current and relevant.
• Use the content of the case and material from the textbook/readings to do your analysis.
• You may want to conduct additional research to provide a current view of the case.

E. Industry Analysis Project (10%) Word documents only!

You will also be asked to carry out an industry analysis for a given industry. Each group of
students will be given a different industry (through a random selection).

The final deliverable for this project is a 2 page document (template) excluding
appendices, visuals, and bibliography, which should thoroughly analyze the industry
structure of your given industry context. This includes the NAICS code and industry trends.

F. Written Submission of Case Analysis (15%) Word documents only!

You will be asked to complete a written case analysis. This will involve answering questions on the
topic of competitive strategy: Case and Questions to be announced during class.

The final deliverable for this project is a 4-page document (1 ½ spaced, Palatino Linotype Font,
Font size 12, 1-inch margins) excluding appendices and bibliography.
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G. Attendance
Attendance in classes is expected in all courses at Syracuse University. It is a federal requirement that
faculty promptly notify the university of students who do not attend or cease to attend any class.
Faculty will use Early-Semester Progress Reports and Mid-Semester Progress Reports in Orange
SUccess to alert the Registrar and Financial Aid Office on non-attendance. For more information visit:

Students: Information for Students: Non-attendance or Stopped Attending

If a student is unable to participate in-person or virtually for an extended period of time (48 hours or
more), the student may request an absence notification from their home school/college Dean’s Office
or the Dean of Students Office. Instructors will be notified via the “Absence Notification” flag in Orange
Success.

Barnes Center at the Arch (Health, Counseling, etc.) staff will not provide medical excuse notes for
students. When Barnes Center staff determine it is medically necessary to remove a student from
classes, they will coordinate with the Dean of Students Office case management staff to provide
appropriate notification to faculty through Orange Success. For absences lasting less than 48 hours,
students are encouraged to discuss academic arrangements directly with their faculty. Additional
information may be found at Dean of Students Office: Absence Notifications.

Except in the case of an emergency, it is the student’s responsibility to notify the instructor that he
or she will be absent before class in person, by phone, or via e-mail. Documentation in support of
absence must also be provided within fourteen days of the missed class. Extend any scheduled break
(holiday breaks, etc.) by leaving campus prior to the official break date or returning after the official
start date will count as unexcused absences. No excuses for missing these classes, other than those
specified above will be accepted.

Electronic Devices Use of electronic devices (e.g., laptops, tablets, phones) during class sessions
can be disruptive, especially given the class format and discussion style. However, I recognize that
some of you use devices to take notes. Therefore, we will begin the term with the following device
policy listed below. If this policy does not effectively prevent disruption, use of all devices will be
prohibited.
• Notebook computers and tablets may be used during class for note taking.
• Notebooks and tablets may be used occasionally to refer to assigned readings or to
homework assignments stored in electronic form, but not to cases. You are expected
to bring paper copies of cases to class on the days they are scheduled to be
discussed.
• Use of devices for non-class purposes, such as checking e-mail or social media,
texting, web browsing, etc. is not permitted.
• Students violating the policy may be asked to leave and will be recorded as absent
(unexcused).

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 Grading

Component Group or Individual % of Overall Grade

A. Final Exam Individual 25% 100 Points
B. Mid Term Individual 20 % 80 Points
C. Participation Individual 15% 60 Points
D. Group Presentation-Case Group 15% 60 Points
E. Industry Analysis Project Individual 10% 40 Points
F. Written Submission of case Individual 15% 60 Points

TOTAL 100% = 400 points

Grading Scale

The grading scale used in this course is as follows:

A 376–400 C+ 308-319
A-­­ 365-375 C 292-307
B+ 348-364 C-­­ 268-291
B 332-347 F 239.99 or below
B-­­ 320-331

• Grades will not be rounded up.

• For the sake of fairness, no opportunities for extra credit will be offered.
• The final letter grade will be based on the sum of the scores on all individual
components. Letter grades will not be assigned for individual components.

Grading Policy
The faculty at the Whitman School of Management developed and approved a uniform grading policy
for our undergraduate program. The policy has three goals:
- To ensure that grading is fair and consistent across courses;
- To encourage students to take their coursework seriously
- To ensure faculty deliver a challenging academic experience
All instructors who teach undergraduate courses are required to follow this grading policy.
For all undergraduate courses taken at the Whitman School of Management with 25 or more students
enrolled, the mean grade shall be no higher than 3.30 and the maximum percentage of A/A-s is 33%.

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Late Assignments
Students are required to submit assignments by the due deadline, using the submission procedure
specified for that assignment. If an assignment is not submitted on time, then the student will receive
0% for that assignment. If the assignment requires electronic submission, and a technical issue occurs
or is suspected during submission, students should email the instructor a copy of their assignment
as soon as the technical issue occurs. The instructor will use the time stamp on the assignment and
the time stamp on the email, along with help from the Information Technology department, if needed,
to judge the time of submission.
For any group assignments it is the responsibility of ALL GROUP MEMBERS to ensure that submission
of the work is not late.

Extra Help
There is a good chance that some of you will need help with your assignments. Please plan ahead in
completing the assignments so that you can come to my office hours for help. If you have a class at
that time, you can schedule another time to meet. I am more than willing to help you but I cannot do
so if you wait until the last minute to complete your assignment.
Other Course Policies

Late Assignments
Students are required to submit assignments by the deadline, using the submission
procedure specified for that assignment. If an assignment is not submitted on time, then
the student will receive 0 percent for that assignment.

Use of Student Work

Copies of student written work may be used for pedagogical purposes. An example of this
would be using student answers to an exam question to illustrate what strong answers
look like. Any student work so used will be rendered anonymous through the removal of
the name and other identifiers. Student work may also be used for teaching evaluation
and assessment.

Use of Class Materials and Recordings

Original class materials (handouts, assignments, tests, etc.) and recordings of class sessions are the
intellectual property of the course instructor. You may download these materials for your use in
this class. However, you may not provide these materials to other parties (e.g., web sites, social
media, other students) without permission. Doing so is a violation of intellectual property law and
of the student code of conduct.
Syracuse University Policies
Students should review the University’s policies regarding: Diversity and Disability
https://www.syracuse.edu/life/accessibilitydiversity/ ; the Religious Observances Notification and
Policy- http://supolicies.syr.edu/studs/religious_observance.htm ; and Orange SUccess -
http://orangesuccess.syr.edu/getting-started-2/

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Diversity and Collegiality
This course draws students from a variety of backgrounds. This diversity of academic experience,
assumptions regarding learning, and ways of approaching problems is one of the most enriching
aspects of the course. In addition, every class is influenced by the fact that students come from
widely diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds and hold different values. Because a key to optimal
learning and successful teaching is to hear, analyze, and draw from a diversity of views, the
instructor expects collegial and respectful dialogue across disciplinary, cultural, and personal
boundaries.
Policy on Academic Integrity
Syracuse University’s Academic Integrity Policy reflects the high value that we, as a university
community, place on honesty in academic work. You can read what students need to know here:
https://class.syr.edu/academic-integrity/policy/

The policy defines our expectations for academic honesty and holds students accountable for the
integrity of all work they submit. Students should understand that it is their responsibility to learn
about course-specific expectations, as well as about university-wide academic integrity expectations.
The policy governs appropriate citation and use of sources, the integrity of work submitted in exams
and assignments, and the veracity of signatures on attendance sheets and other verification of
participation in class activities. The policy also prohibits students from submitting the same work in
more than one class without receiving written authorization in advance from both instructors. Under
the policy, students found in violation are subject to grade sanctions determined by the course
instructor and non-grade sanctions determined by the School or College where the course is offered
as described in the Violation and Sanction Classification Rubric. SU students are required to read an
online summary of the University’s academic integrity expectations and provide an electronic
signature agreeing to abide by them twice a year during pre-term check-in on MySlice.

The Violation and Sanction Classification Rubric establishes recommended guidelines for the
determination of grade penalties by faculty and instructors, while also giving them discretion to select
the grade penalty they believe most suitable, including course failure, regardless of violation level.
Any established violation in this course may result in course failure regardless of the violation level.
All academic integrity expectations that apply to in-person quizzes and exams also apply to online
quizzes and exams. In this course, all work submitted for quizzes and exams must be yours alone.
Discussing quiz or exam questions with anyone during the quiz or exam period violates academic
integrity expectations for this course.

Using websites that charge fees or require uploading of course material (e.g., Chegg, Course Hero)
to obtain exam solutions or assignments completed by others and present the work as your own
violates academic integrity expectations in this course.

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Some examples of violations of academic integrity relevant to this course include:
• using the work of others to help you complete assignments including referring to notes from
current or previous offerings of this and other similar courses at Whitman or elsewhere
• copying from others during exams, copying assignments, working on someone else’s
assignment, or collaborating with others on assignments when not expressly permitted
• obtaining prior knowledge of exam questions (including attempts to obtain questions)
• discussing questions or other content with other people taking an exam or participating in a
class discussion at a different time
• not citing referenced material completely or accurately in your written work

Turnitin
This class may use Turnitin, a plagiarism prevention system. The ease of using the Internet has made
it very easy for students to “cut and paste” material into papers that they are writing without proper
citation. I will submit all/some/ papers that you write in this class to Turnitin, a service that identifies
“matched text.” I will then interpret the originality report, based on your writing capability and writing
style. In this class, you will also be given the opportunity to submit your own papers to Turnitin to
check that all sources you have used are properly acknowledged and cited. Note that all submitted
papers will be included as source documents in the Turnitin.com reference database, solely for the
purpose of detecting plagiarism of such papers.

Faith Tradition Observances

Syracuse University’s religious observances policy, found at
http://supolicies.syr.edu/emp_ben/religious_observance.htm, recognizes the diversity
of faiths represented among the campus community and protects the rights of students,
faculty, and staff to observe religious holy days according to their tradition. Under the
policy, students are provided an opportunity to make up any examination, study, or work
requirements that may be missed due to a religious observance, provided they notify their
instructors before the end of the second week of classes.
Disability-Related Accommodations
If you believe that you need accommodations for a disability, please contact the Office of
Disability Services (ODS), http://disabilityservices.syr.edu, or call (315) 443-­­4498 for an
appointment to discuss your needs and the process for requesting accommodations. ODS
is responsible for coordinating disability-­ related accommodations and will issue
students with documented Disabilities Accommodation Authorization Letters, as
appropriate. Since accommodations may require early planning and generally are not
provided retroactively, please contact ODS as soon as possible.

Syracuse University and I are committed to your success and to supporting Section 504 of
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This means that, in general, no individual who is otherwise
qualified shall be excluded from participation in, be denied benefits of, or be subjected to
discrimination under any program or activity solely by reason of disability.

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 You are also welcome to contact me privately to discuss your academic needs, although
I cannot arrange for disability-­ related accommodations.

Discrimination or Harassment
Federal and state law, and University policy prohibit discrimination and harassment based on sex or
gender (including sexual harassment, sexual assault, domestic/dating violence, stalking, sexual
exploitation, and retaliation). If a student has been harassed or assaulted, they can obtain confidential
counseling support, 24-hours a day, 7 days a week, from the Sexual and Relationship Violence
Response Team at the Counseling Center (315-443-8000, Barnes Center at The Arch, 150 Sims Drive,
Syracuse, New York 13244). Incidents of sexual violence or harassment can be reported non-
confidentially to the University’s Title IX Officer (Sheila Johnson Willis, 315-443-0211, titleix@syr.edu,
005 Steele Hall). Reports to law enforcement can be made to the University’s Department of Public
Safety (315-443-2224, 005 Sims Hall), the Syracuse Police Department (511 South State Street,
Syracuse, New York, 911 in case of emergency or 315-435-3016 to speak with the Abused Persons
Unit), or the State Police (844-845-7269). I will seek to keep information you share with me private to
the greatest extent possible, but as a professor I have mandatory reporting responsibilities to share
information regarding sexual misconduct, harassment, and crimes I learn about with the University’s
Title IX Officer to help make our campus a safer place for all.

Policy on Faculty Use of Student Work

Academic work completed during a semester may be used by professors for educational purposes in
courses during the semester. Students’ registration and continued enrollment constitute consent for
this purpose. Before using students’ work for educational purposes in subsequent semesters,
professors will either request students’ permission in writing and render the work anonymous by
removing all personal identification.

Orange Alert
ORANGE ALERT, Syracuse University’s crisis notification system, uses text messages, phone, and email
alerts to provide rapid notification and instructions to members of the University community in the
event of a crisis in progress. For complete details on emergency procedures, visit Syracuse University’s
Emergency Guide.

Pronouns/Names
Syracuse University encourages, but does not require, community members to share the pronouns
they use for themselves. In My Slice “My Profile,” all students may choose from a list of pronouns or
designate “no pronouns” if they prefer only the use of their names. Students may also share a
preferred name there. For information on designating personal pronouns and preferred names, go
to answers.syr.edu/PronounFAQ or answers.syr.edu/PreferredNameFAQ

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 Schedule
# Session/Unit Topic Core Reading/Case
1/24 Class Introduction Expectations and Deliverables

Textbook: Chapter 1
1/24 Mon Introduction to Class Introduction-
Strategic Overview of Course
Management What Is Strategy?

1/26 Wed The Concept of Strategy?
Strategy in Different Disciplines
The Common Elements in Strategies
Strategic Fit (Internal and External)
Vision, Mission, and Values
HBR Article: Can you say what
your
strategy is? Class Assignment

1/31 Mon Charting a Vision, Mission, Values Textbook: Chapter 2

Company's Value Creation (Skip 39-48, 55-56)
Direction Shareholder and Stakeholder Perspectives
Corporate Social Responsibility
Carroll’s Pyramid
2/2 Wed
Case Presentation Group 1 Case Study: Warby Parker:
Vision of a “Good” Fashion
Brand 1/29 Group 1

Mini Case: Kering SA

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2/7 Mon The External What Is the Organizational Environment? And Textbook: Chapter 3
Environment Why Is It Important?
(Part I) The 3 Levels of the External
Environment (Macro, Industry, and
Direct Competitors)
PESTEL Analysis (Macro Env.)
Porter's Five Forces

2/9 Wed Case Study: Spotify in

Case Presentation Group 2
2019: Face the Music
Update 2/5 Group 2

Mini Case: Pot of Gold

2/14 Mon The External Five Forces(cont.) Textbook: Chapter 3 and 4

Environment Complements-6th
(Part II) Criticism of the Five
Assign Industry Forces
Analysis Strategic Group Maps
Segmentation
Blind Spots in External Environmental Analysis

Case Presentation Group 3

2/16 Wed Case Study: Walmart Inc.
takes on Amazon.com
Group 3

Mini Case: Lithium - ion

2/21 Mon Analyzing The Importance of the Internal Environment Textbook: Chapter 5
Resources and The Role of Resources and Capabilities in
Capabilities Strategy Formulation
Resources: Tangible, Intangible
Human
Value Chain
Core Competencies

2/23 Wed
Case Presentation: Group 4 Case Study: Sandlands
Vineyards Group 4

Mini Case: Harley Davidson

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2/28 Mon
Mid Term Exam

What Is Competitive Advantage?

3/2 Wed Sources of Textbook: Chapter 7
Strategic Position and Generic
Competitive
Strategies: Cost, Differentiation, and
Advantage Industry Analysis Due
Focus
(Part I)
The Generic Strategy Matrix
Cost as a Basis of Competitive
Advantage
Cost Drivers

3/7 Mon Sources of Differentiation: basis of Textbook: Chapter 7

Competitive Competitive Advantage
Advantage Drivers of Differentiation: Tangible and
(Part II) Intangible
When Differentiation Strategies Work Best
When Focus Strategies
Work Best
Pitfalls of Focus Strategies
Integration: Combining Cost
Leadership and Differentiation
Dangers of Being “Stuck
in the Middle”

Case Presentation: Group 5 Case Study: Aldi—The Dark

3/9 Wed
Horse Retailer Group 5

Case Presentation: Group 6 Case Study: Lululemon: Stay

Private Or Go Public Group 6

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3/21 Mon Vertical The Scope of the Textbook: Chapters 10
Integration and Firm Vertical and 12
Scope of the Firm integration
Firms, Markets, and Transaction
Costs Benefits and Costs of
Vertical Integration Types of
Vertical Integration Diversification

3/23 Wed Case Presentation: Group 7 Case Study: Champagne

Cattier: The Diversification
Challenge Group 7

Mini Case: Starbucks

3/28 Mon Vertical Discussion Surrounding Motives for Case Study: Disney
Integration and Diversification Levels of Diversification Delivering More Content in
Diversification Diversification And Shareholder Value: Class
Porter’s Three Essential Tests
The BCG and Ansoff Matrices

3/30 Wed Case Presentation Group 8 Case Study: The Walt

Disney Company Group 8

Mini Case: Google is Now

Alphabet-But What is the Corporate
Strategy?

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4/4 Mon Mergers Recent Trends in M&A’s Textbook: Chapter 14
and Motivations for M&A’s
Acquisitions Benefits of M&A’s
Disadvantages of M&A’s
Selection of Targets
Key Considerations and Consequences
Managing the M&A Process
Post-Merger Integration

Case Presentation Group 9

4/6 Wed Case Study: Beam
Suntory:
Striving For Optimal Post
Acquisition Integration 4/8
Group 9
Mini Case: Walt Disney,
21st Century Fox, and the
Challenge of New Media

4/11 Mon Global Doing Business in Foreign Textbook: Chapter 11

Strategy Markets
Drivers of Globalization
Cage Framework
Porter’s National Diamond

4/13 Wed Case Presentation Group 10 Case Study: Unilever’s New

Global Strategy: Competing
through Sustainability 4/15
Group 10

Mini Case: Manchester City:

Building A Multinational Soccer
Enterprise

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 CASE/PROJECT - ASSIGNMENT DUE

Current New Environment Business Textbook: Chapter 15

4/18 Mon
Trends New Directions in Strategic Thinking
Strategic Redesigning Organizations
Mang.

Case Study: Blurring the

4/20 Wed Case Presentation Group 11
Lines Between Business and
Government: Salesforce and
CEO Activism Group 11

Mini Case: W.L. Gore & Associates:

Rethinking Management

4/25 Mon Technology Implementing Technology Based Strategies Textbook: Chapter 9

Based Does Technology help create Competitive Advantage
Technology Based Industries and Fostering
Industries
Innovation
and
Innovation

Case Study: Disney

4/27 Wed Case Presentation Group 12 Delivering More Content in
Group 12

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5/2 Mon Case Discussion Class Case Study: Amazon
Marketplace: Sustaining
Strategic Innovation
Class

5/4 Wed Course Course Review Focus on last half.

Review

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