Schedule

The University of West Florida MAN 4720 - Policy Analysis & Formulation FALL 2003 - SCHEDULE


Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12 Week 13 Week 14 Week 15
** "Bold" statements indicate what is due (readings & assignment turn in) that day.



*Week 1 August 25/27: M/W/FWB (Class Period 1&2)*
Lecture: Class Intros, The Strategic Management Process, Read T&S Chapter 1
Course Introduction - Syllabus Review
Bio data form - Fill-in
Team Formation
Handouts/Course Info
	Syllabus/Schedule
	Capstone Simulation (Capsim) Guide (Library Course Reserve-LCR): MAN4720 Hornyak)
	Case Analysis Guide (LCR-MAN4720 Hornyak)
	Syllabus understanding & Team Contract
Case Analysis: Read pp. 362-375 (Text) Capstone Simulation (Capsim)
	Handout Capsim Manual (Read)
	NOTE:	The major objectives for next class (week of 1 Sept) are to: (1) Thoroughly prepare for the Capsim simulation, and (2) Refresh your financial analysis of firms.
It is imperative to prepare and read the Capsim and review financial analysis material from previous courses (e.g. FIN 3403, etc.) prior to our next class (week of September 1). This class begins with the belief you have studied and understand materials from previous courses. You should also meet with your team before the class to discuss the Capsim simulation and work with the various screens and decision variables. There will be quizzes on the Capsim.


*Week 2 Sept 1: Holiday and Sept 3: W/FWB (Class Period 3&4)*
Collect Syllabus Understanding and Team Contract
Capstone Simulation (Capsim)
	Read: Capsim Player's Manual (Read thoroughly several times before this class - memorize key points). Each team must spend time making practice decisions; Become familiar with Capsim screens.
Capsim & Syllabus Quiz 1 - General questions on the Capsim Simulation Manual, MAN 4720 Syllabus, and Capsim Simulation Guide

*Week 3 Sept 8/10: M/W/FWB (Class Period 5&6)*
Lecture: Setting Direction, Read T&S Chapter 2
Capsim Practice Round 1 due NLT 8:00 a.m.
NOTICE: All game decisions are run AUTOMATICALLY by Capsim at 9:00 EST/8:00 CST
Capsim & Syllabus Quiz 2
	Application Homework (relates to Chap 1&2): Find an example of an organization that ran into trouble when it failed to take into account the rights of a stakeholder group when making important decisions. (Teams 1 & 2)

Case Quiz 1 - B&J's Homemade Ice Cream (LCR-MAN4720 Hornyak)
CASE 1: Class discussion of Ben & Jerry's Homemade, Inc (LCR).
NOTE:	NOTE: You may work as a team on case analysis. However, each team member must be knowledgeable about how to do financial ratio analysis and be prepared to discuss financial results. Team members may discuss assignment questions with each other, but the case question write-up must be prepared individually and turned in when assigned.
Assignment Questions
1.	What is your assessment of the job Ben Cohen has done as the CEO of Ben & Jerry's Homemade?
2.	2. Is the company's mission statement sound and well conceived? Are shareholders well served by such a strong emphasis on "caring capitalism?" Has the mission statement worked well for Ben & Jerry's so far?
3.	What is the company's strategy? How has it evolved over the year - what new features have been added?
4.	Does the present strategy seem to fit industry and competitive conditions? Has it resulted in a competitive advantage for Ben & Jerry's? Has it produced good bottom-line performance?
5.	Given the generous employee benefits package and the progressive HR practices, how do you account for so much dissatisfaction among employees?
6.	What should Ben & Jerry's do now? Changes? Actions
7.	What does your financial analysis for B&J indicate?

*Week 4 Sept 15/17: M/W/FWB (Class Period 7&8)*
Capsim Mission & Objectives Due Beginning of Class
Lecture: Industry & Competitive Analysis; T&S, Chapter 3
Capsim Practice Round 2 due Monday, Sept 15, NLT 8:00 a.m.
Chapter 3 Application Homework (Relates to Chapter 3): Find examples of an industry or two that have become more competitive in recent years. Identify the reasons for the increasing competitive pressures. (Team 3 & 4)
Case Write-up 1/Q5
Case Discussion - Chinese Fireworks
Assignment Questions:
	1.	What are the defining business and economic characteristics of the Chinese fireworks industry?
	2.	What is the competition like in the Chinese fireworks industry? Which of the five competitive forces is strongest? Which is weakest? What competitive forces seem to have the greatest effect on industry attractiveness?
	3.	What does your strategic group map of the Chinese fireworks industry look like? Which strategic groups are in the best and worst positions?
	4.	What key factors determine success of fireworks manufacturers?
	5.	How is the Chinese fireworks industry changing? What are the drivers of change in the industry? How do these affect Jerry's decision?
	6.	What recommendations would you make to Jerry Yu concerning investment in a Liuyang fireworks factory? Are conditions in this industry such that a new entrant has good profit prospects?

*Week 5 Sept 22/24: M/W/FWB (Class Period 9&10)*
Industry & Competitive Analysis (I&CA) DUE beginning of class
Lecture: Company Situation Analysis - Read: T&S, Chapter 4
Capsim Practice Decision 3 DUE Monday Sept 22 NLT 8:00 a.m.
Chapter 4 Application Homework (Relates to Chapter 4): Find example(s) of one or two companies that have sustained competitive advantage for more than ten years. Identify the source of the competitive advantage and describe why it has lasted so long. (Team 5&6)
Case Quiz 2 - Giuseppe's Sausage Company

Assignment Questions:
	1.	What is Giuseppe Sausage Company strategy?
	2.	What is the nature and strength of competitive forces confronting Giuseppe in the Memphis area? Is Memphis an attractive market area from a profit prospects standpoint?
	3.	What do you see as Giuseppe Sausage Company's competitive strengths and weaknesses?
	4.	What problems do you see at this company? Should Mr. Cotrone be pleased with their progress? Why has it taken 7 years to get this far?
	5.	What must Giuseppe's do to be successful in the specialty sausage industry?

*Week 6 Sept 29/Oct 1: M/W/FWB (Class Period 11&12)*
Company Situation Analysis (CSA) DUE beginning of class
Lecture: Strategy and Competitive Advantage, Read T&S - Chapter 5
Capsim Practice Decision 4 DUE Monday Sept 29 NLT 8:00 a.m.
Chapter 5 Application Homework (Relates to Chapter 5): Find an example of companies pursuing one or more of the generic business-level strategies. What strategy is it? Upon what product/market/distinctive competency is it based? Advantages? Disadvantages? (Team 7&8)
Case Write-up 2/Q2 - Callaway Golf
Assignment Questions:
	1.	What are distinguishing features of the golf equipment (GE) industry? What economic characteristics stand out?
	2.	What does five forces analysis reveal about the competition/industry attractiveness? Forces are strong/ weak?
	3.	What are the underlying drivers of change in the GE industry? How do they change the industry?
	4.	What is the strategic group map for Calloway? Their closet rivals? Who are in the best/worst map positions?
	5.	What factors are critical to competing successfully in the GE industry?
	6.	What is Calloway's strategy? Has the competitive advantage yielded sustainable competitive advantage and translated in financial/market performance? Assess Calloway's financial performance; key financial ratios.
	7.	What are resource strengths, competencies/capabilities chief rivals don't have, new market opportunities/threats? How does Calloway structure its value chain to better implement strategy? How does it differ from rivals?
	8.	Compare Donald Dye's leadership versus Ely Calloway's.
	9.	How does the entry into the golf ball market make good strategic sense? What recommendations would you make to Chuck Yash as Calloway's incoming CEO?

Week 7 Oct 6-8: M/W/FWB (Class Period 11&12)

Capsim Business & Functional Strategies DUE beginning of class

EXAM: Lecture/Chapter 1-5 (Test Administered at Beginning of Class)

Capsim Decision 1 due Monday, Oct 6 due NLT 8:00 a.m.

No Case Today

Practice Capsim Peer Evaluations sent in by Class Time

*Week 8 Oct 13/15: M/W/FWB (Class Period 13&14)*
Lecture: Tailoring Strategy to Fit Specific Industry/Company Situations, Chapter 8
Capsim Decision 2 Due Monday Oct 13; NLT 8:00 a.m.
Chapter 8 Application homework: Find an example of a company in a turbulent, high velocity market. Describe how its strategy is managing change. (Team 9&10)
Case Discussion: Cannondale Mountain Bikes Case
Case questions:
	1.	What are the dominant characteristics of the mountain bike industry?
	2.	What is the competition like? Which of the five competitive forces are strongest? Weakest?
	3.	What driving forces are acting to change the pattern of competition in the mountain bike industry?
	4.	What does a strategic group map reveal about market position and key rivals? Who are closest? Best position?
	5.	What are the key factors for success in mountain bike industry? What are key elements of Cannondale's strategy? Does the strategy match with key factors?
	6.	What does a SWOT analysis reveal about Cannondale's position in the industry?
	7.	What do we learn about Cannondale's financial performance from Exhibit 1?
	8.	What do you think about the new MX400 product? What actions would you recommend that Joe Montgomery initiate to improve Cannondale's strategy?

*Week 9 Oct 20/22: M/W/FWB (Class Period 15&16)*
Lecture: Strategy and Competitive Advantage in Diversified Companies - Read
Capsim Decision 3 Due NLT Monday June 2; 8:00 a.m.
Chapter 8 Application Homework: Find example(s) of companies that have made an acquisition that apparently failed to create any value. Identify and evaluate the rationale used by top management to justify the acquisition at that time. Explain why it failed. (Team 11/12)
Case Quiz 3 - Unilever's Acquisitions of SlimFast, Ben & Jerry's, & Bestfoods (LCR)
Case Discussion: Unilever (LCR)
Assignment Questions:
	1.	What are the chief elements of Unilever's diversification strategy? What grade would you give Fitzgerald and Burgsmans for their strategizing effort?
	2.	Did Unilever pay too much for SlimFast? Is there reason to believe that SlimFast might be a better performer as part of Unilever than it would be as a stand alone enterprise? Is Slimfast a good fit? Why/why not?
	3.	Did Unilever pay too much for Ben and Jerry's? Is there reason to believe that Ben & Jerry's might be a better performer as part of Unilever than it would be as a stand alone enterprise? What problems will Unilever face with Ben & Jerry's culture?
	4.	What issues does Unilever management need to be concerned about? What problems do you see as of early 2001?
	5.	What will Unilever need to do to achieve its Path to Growth targets of 5-6% revenue growth and 16% profit margin? Does it need to revise parts of its Path to Growth strategic initiative?

*Week 10 Oct 27/29: M/W/FWB (Class Period 17&18)*
Consolidated Capsim Plan & Report DUE (M&O, I&CA, CSA, CS) - One Document
Capsim Decision 4 Due Monday Oct 27 NLT 8:00 a.m.
Chapter 9 Application Homework: Find an example of a company's vertical integration, diversification, or acquisition strategy that failed to create value. What was the rationale behind the move? Why did it fail? (Team 13/14)
Case Write-up 3/Q5 - Peapod, Inc. & the Online Grocery Industry
Case Discussion: (T&S Case 8 - Peapod)
Assignment Questions:
	1.	What is competition like in the on-line grocery business? What does a 5 forces analysis reveal about which forces are strongest/weakest?
	2.	What does a strategic group map (on-line grocery industry) look like? Well positioned?
	3.	What are key success factors in the online grocery industry? Is it an attractive industry?
	4.	What is Peapod's strategy?
	5.	What is your evaluation of Peapod's financial condition? Give details.
	6.	What are the issues and problems Peapod faces? What recommendations can you make to top management to resolve these?

*Week 11 Nov 3/5: M/W/FWB (Class Period 19&20)*
Lecture: Strategy Implementation - Read: T&S, Chapter 11 - Building Resource Strengths
Capsim Decision 5 Due Monday Nov 3; 8:00 a.m.
Case Write-up 3/Q5 - Perdue Chicken (LCR)
Case Discussion: Perdue Chicken (LCR)
Assignment Questions:
	1.	What the three things impress you most about this company?
	2.	What is the company's strategy? How did it evolve over the 1990s?
	3.	What are the primary components of Perdue Farms approach to strategy implementation? Explain
	4.	How would you characterize the culture?
	5.	What challenges and problems confront Jim Perdue in his role as Perdue CEO? What should he be spending time on?

*Week 12 Nov 10/12: M/W/FWB (Class Period 21&22)*
Individual written case is due at the beginning of class. See MAN4720 syllabus for general grading requirements.
Plan ahead so as not to have last minute printer problems. Late papers will receive grade reductions as described in the syllabus.
Lecture: Strategy Implementation - Read: T&S, Chapter 12
Capsim Decision 6 Due Monday Nov 10; 8:00 a.m.
Case Quiz 4: Continental Air Lines (LCR)
Case Discussion: Continental Air Lines (LCR)
Assignment Questions:
	1.	What accounts for the success that Gordon Bethune has in turning Continental around from one of the worst performing airlines in 1994 to one of the best as of 2001? How did he do it? What 3 to 4 things provide the best explanation?
	2.	What grade would you give Gordon Bethune for the job he has done in crafting the Go Forward Plan at Continental? What do you like/dislike of the Go Forward Plan?
	3.	What are the key policies and operating practices underlying the implementation and execution of Bethune's Go Forward Plan?
	4.	How would you characterize Continental's corporate culture as of 2001? What are the key elements?
	5.	What culture problems do you foresee arising at Continental given Bethune's actions and the crisis following 9/11?

Week 13 Nov 17/19: M/W/FWB (Class Period 23&24)

Lecture: Strategy Implementation - Read: T&S, Chapter 13

Capsim Decision 7 Due Monday Nov 17; 8:00 a.m.

EBI Assessment

Week 14 Nov 24/26: M/FWB (Class Period 25&26)

EXAM: Lecture/Chapters 8, 9, 11, 12, and 13

Capsim Decision 8 Due Monday Nov 24; 8:00 a.m.

*Week 15 Dec 1/3: M/W/FWB (Class Period 27&28)*
Dead Week
Case Discussion: Robin Hood - Text
Assignment Questions:
	1.	What problems does Robin Hood have? What issues need to be addressed?
	2.	What strategic options does Robin Hood have? Is continuing with the present mission, objectives and strategy an option or is one or more obsolete?
	3.	Should he kill the sheriff or accept the offer of the barons to assist in securing King Richard's release from prison? Why/why not on both strategies?
	4.	What strategy/plans would you recommend to Robin Hood to deal with the problems/issues he confronts?
	5.	How should Robin implement the recommended plan? What action steps will need to be taken to initiate and to make the recommended strategy work successfully?

Top two Capsim groups! Briefing on their success! How they did it? What they saw in the industry? Questions by top teams to the industry and "from the floor" to the top teams!

Final Capsim Planning Report (M&O, I&CA, CSA, CS and your TEAM'S LESSONS LEARNED report) DUE at beginning of class DEC 3.

E-mail to instructor Final Peer Evaluations DUE NOON DEC 5.

Finals Week DEC 8: M/W/FWB

Final Exam - Wednesday, December 10, 11:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m. if required.

FWB - Wednesday, December 10, 5:30 - 8:00 p.m. if required.