BA469: Introduction

[Syllabus for Dave Gobeli’s sections]

[Lectures for Dave Gobeli’s sections]

Professor Dave Gobeli, Spring 2008

Bexell 430, 737-3692, gobeli@bus.orst.edu

Office Hours: Tu 12:00; Wed 9:00; Th 1:00

Strategic Management (4 credits) examines strategic position, performance, situation analysis, strategy formulation and implementation issues from a general manager’s viewpoint. This Strategic Management Process provides an integrative framework for managing the organizational entity and its functional components. Those pursuing careers in general management, entrepreneurship, or functional specialties will find this course valuable for understanding and enhancing organizational performance.

Learning Outcomes

The primary learning outcome of this course is to (1) know, understand, and apply the strategic management process to analyze and improve organizational performance. The complementary learning outcomes are to be able to (2) describe an organization's strategic position; (3) conduct and draw conclusions from external analyzes of an organization's environment; (4) and conduct and draw conclusions from internal analyzes of an organization's capabilities; (5) formulate realistic strategies; and (6) develop implementation plans to execute those strategies. Since BA 469 is designated as a Writing Intensive Course (WIC) you must also develop professional business communication skills.

Learning Activities

Activities include readings, lectures, class discussions, case presentations, written case summaries, quizzes, exams, and an individual project report. Lectures will not repeat the assigned readings, but rather will highlight and build upon them, so you must review basic concepts before class. Case analyses build upon and hence require application of relevant concepts from the text and supplemental topics, as well as from previous specialty courses (e.g., finance, marketing, operations, MIS). The mandatory prerequisites include BA 340, BA 350, BA 352, BA 357, BA 390, and senior standing.

Grading

The grading will be based on the following assignments and possible points. A grade of A (clearly outstanding and original work) requires 90% of the possible points, B (solid and substantive work) requires 80%, C (just following instructions with little initiative) requires 70%, and so on. Plus and minus grades are +/- 3% from the base grades (e.g., B+ is 83% and C- is 67%). Note that relevant assignments are graded on a curve.

Group case presentation 50

Individual case memos (4 @ 50, drop lowest) 150

Quizzes (5 @ 25; drop lowest) 100

Exam (cumulative to day of exam) 100

Contributions (class discussion 80, group 20) 100

Individual project report 100

Total 600

Required Course Materials (Available in OSU Bookstore.)

Thompson, Strickland and Gamble, Crafting & Executing Strategy: Concepts and Cases (Hardbound, 15th Edition only; do not buy softbound text with concepts and readings.