busad stb 501 strategy and planning outline

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BUSAD/STB 501

Strategy and Planning

Fall 2009

Instructor: Dr. Brad Shrader

University ProfessorRalph and Jean Eucher faculty fellow in business ethics

Office Hours: by appointment

3185 Gerdin Business Building294-3050 (office)

[email protected]

http://www.bus.iastate.edu/cshrader/

Required Readings and Cases:

Bunge: Food, Fuel, and World Markets, by Khanna, Mingo and West, Harvard BusinessSchool case, 2007.

Cargill (A), by Goldberg and Porraz, Harvard Business School case, 2007.

ConAgra Foods: The Next Chapter, by Goldberg and Shelman, Harvard Business School

case, 2007.

Core Competence of the Corporation, by Prahalad and Hamel, Harvard Business Review

article, 1990.

Monsanto: Realizing Biotech Value in Brazil, by Bell and Shelman, Harvard BusinessSchool case, 2007.

South Dakota Wheat Growers, by Bell and Shelman, Harvard Business School Case,

2008.

Strategic Planning at United Parcel Service, by Garvin and Levesque, HBS, 2006

The Five Competitive Forces that Shape Strategy, by Porter, Harvard Business Reviewarticle, 2008.

The Global Farmer and the Future of Soybean Production, by Goldberg, HarvardBusiness School case, 2004.

Course Description:

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The purpose of this course is to introduce the MBA student to the principles of strategy

formation and evaluation and to the fundamental concepts of corporate and competitive

strategy. Specifically, this includes the following:

1. Examining how firm managers form strategy through strategic plans (mission,

objectives, and strategies), scenarios, balanced scorecards, and corporate cultures.2. Analyzing the firms competitive strategy within its industry context; and assessing

firm strengths and weaknesses in context of environmental opportunities and threats.

3. Identifying and forming competitive strategies (cost leadership, differentiation, andfocus).

4. Assessing the firms core competencies.

5. Identifying and forming corporate strategies (growth, stability, and retrenchment).

6. Evaluation of the firms corporate strategy using portfolio analysis.

NOTE:

Please address any special needs or special accommodations with me at the beginning of

the semester or as soon as you become aware of your needs.

Performance Evaluation Criteria:

Class participation online case discussions - individual 20%Short written project part 1 10%

Short written project part 2 20%

Short written project part 3 10%

Final integrative case project 40%Total 100%

Class participation in online case discussions

Each individual will be graded on class participation, which means the contribution made

to online case discussion. The instructor will keep a journal of daily class proceedings.Each student is expected to make a substantive online contribution for each case. The

objective of this requirement is to present examples of strategy formation in practice and

help create a forum for the exchange of ideas.

Required case readings are identified in the course outline. There are short PowerPoint

presentations describing and orienting each class member to each case. It is expected that

each student will make a major substantive contribution to class discussion at least once

for each case during each sessionfor each part of the course. Post your comments for

case discussions to WebCT.

How online contribution is assessed:

20 % - Participation with high interest and enthusiasm in all discussions.

Consistent substantive contributions.

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15 % Engaged in most discussions. Responded with high quality comments and

contributions.

10 % Engaged in most of discussions and responded with good input whenprompted.

5 % Responded infrequently with substantive contributions.

0 % No comments.

Short written assignments:

Each major section of the course has a short assignment with which it is associated. The

goal is to test understanding of the conceptual material for particular sections of the

course. Responses to the questions should be submitted electronically. The written

responses for parts 1 and 3 should not exceed three pages. The written project for part 2should not be more than five pages. Answer the questions completely using as much

course material as possible and to not re-hash the case.

Final integrative project:

Each class member is required to address the final integrative questions indicated at theend of this outline. The final project is worth a total of 40 points or 40% of the final

grade. The final project is to be no more than ten pages in length (double-spaced with

standard margins). Do not include a title page. Answer the questions using as much

course material as possible (including readings, other cases/chapters, and lectures) inorder to provide answers to the questions. Please submit the final project via email.

Full points will be awarded to those that address all the questions thoroughly using asmuch course content material as possible. It is critical that you refer to content material

from lecture, notes, texts, and discussion in forming responses.

40 points answered questions thoroughly using course material accurately

35 points addressed most of the questions, used some course material

30 points addressed questions, lacked content

25 points and below did not fully address questions with course content

ASSIGNMENT AND SESSION SCHEDULE

Part One Formulating Strategy through Formal Strategic Planning

Goal of part one is to create an understanding of the components of strategicplanning and develop an understanding of other methods of formal planning- such

as scenarios and balanced scorecards.

Reading Assignment for Part One

Course outline

Strategic planning at United Parcel Service case

Cargill (A) case

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Monsanto: Realizing Biotech Value in Brazil case

South Dakota Wheat Growers Case

PowerPoint files and presentations for Part One

Formal Strategic Planning

SWOT Scenario Planning

Balanced Scorecard

Corporate Culture

Formal planning and competitive strategy examples

PowerPoint files with case questions for online discussion:

UPS case

Cargill (A)

Monsanto

South Dakota Wheat Growers

Short written assignment (select one):

Describe strategic planning at both Cargill and UPS. In your view, which

firm has the stronger and more useful process? Why?

Or Do a SWOT analysis for Monsanto. What are the major SO

outcomes of your analysis? Should Monsanto increase it breeding and

biotechnology investment in Brazil based on your analysis? ShouldMonsanto apply their POD system to other countries?

Or Do a SWOT analysis for South Dakota Wheat Growers. What arethe major SO outcomes of your analysis? What are the major

opportunities for cooperatives? Are there any threats? Based on your

analysis, how do you suggest SDWG develop its brand?

Please email your assignment to: [email protected]

Due by September 14

Part Two Forming Competitive Strategy

Goal of part two is to understand the various competitive battlefields (industry,

product, future, time, etc.) and to become able to analyze the attractiveness of

industries and the competitive advantages of firms/products.

Reading Assignment for part two

The Global Farmer and the Future of Soybean Production

ConAgra Foods: The Next Chapter

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Monsanto: Realizing Biotech Value in Brazil

The Five Competitive Forces that Shape Strategy

Core Competence of the Corporation

PowerPoint files and presentations for part two

Battle of Trafalgar /What is competitive strategy? Competitive strategy (and industry analysis/ Porters model of five

industry forces/ Generic competitive strategies, competitive

advantage)

Advantage of Nations

Syngenta- Iowa State University Handout

Syngenta examplesCore Competencies and Resources

Competing against Time

Hyper-competition (new)

7S framework

Judo Strategy Innovators Dilemma

The Five Competitive Forces that Shape Strategy

Core Competence of the Corporation

Formal planning and competitive strategy examples

Online case discussion questions in PowerPoint files:

The Global Farmer and the Future of Soybean Production


Monsanto

Short written assignments (select one):

Develop an industry analysis for the global soybean industry.

Is the soybean industry attractive?

Or- What is El Tejars generic competitive strategy?

What is Grupo Maggis generic strategy?What is the generic strategy of Halderman Companies in the soybean

business?

Which of the three soybean companies has the best competitive position?

Please email your assignment to: [email protected] by November 2

Part Three Forming corporate-level strategy and analyzing strategy using

portfolio analysis

Reading Assignment

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Bunge: Food, Fuel, and World Markets


PowerPoint files and presentations for part two

Corporate-level strategy PowerPoint

Strategy evaluation using portfolio analysis ( BCG matrix, GEbusiness Screen, PMEP Matrix, PIMS, etc.)

PowerPoint files with online case discussion questions:

Bunge

ConAgra

Short written assignment:Do a very brief and general portfolio analysis for Bunge. Is its portfolio

balanced? Describe Bunges corporate growth strategy.

Please email your assignment to: [email protected]

Due by November 30

Final integrative project:

Step 1 Select one of the following firms to analyze (cases):

Bunge

Cargill

ConAgra

Monsanto

South Dakota Wheat Growers

Step 2 Analyze the business environment and formal planning activities for the

firm you selected in step one (10 points). What is its mission? What do you think of the mission statement?

Does it engage in formal strategic planning? How?

If it does plan- evaluate its planning activities. Are they providing

corporate direction?

If not- what substitutes for planning are there? Culture? BSC?

Describe the corporate culture of your firm.

What are the major objectives set forth by the firm (either explicit

or implicit)?

Do a brief SWOT analysis for your firm. What are the SOopportunities?

Step 3 Analyze the focal industry and competitive advantage (if any) for the firmyou selected (20 points).

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Describe the five forces.

Is the industry attractive? Why?

What is/are the major generic strategies for the major products?

How is your firm doing in terms of international competitive

advantage and the four factors of Porters diamond?

Describe your firms core competency (or competencies). Is your firm a Judo Strategist and/or Hyper-competitor?

Is it engaging in any form of disruptive technology or is it being

affected by the innovators dilemma in any way?

Based on your analysis, what is your firms major competitive

advantage?

Step 4 Analyze the corporate-level strategy for your firm (10 points).

What business is your firm in?

Describe your firms portfolio (using the BCG, GE Business

Screen and/or PMEPM). Is it balanced?

How might your firm grow in the future?

Use the class case as your source of data there is no need to update the case or go with

outside sources. Go with what it provides. If you feel you need more data- make

educated estimates.

Final project is ten pages max. Please submit electronically to: [email protected]

Due by December 14

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busad stb 501 strategy and planning outline

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