Strategy Formulation

College of Adult Professional Studies

Course Number: MGT 530

Online
Syllabus

Content Editor
Debra Grimm, DBA

Date
June 2010
Course Description
Students will enhance their skills in developing mission and vision for a business, setting
objectives, and formulating strategies to meet those objectives. Consideration will be
given to analysis of external and internal environments and to the formulation of a
business plan.

Course Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course you should be able to:
1. Explain the intended and emergent (dual) nature of strategic management.
2. Gain a working knowledge of the inherent nature of strategic management as an
integration of various functional perspectives.
3. Describe the relative significance of each of the relationships between the firm
and its various stakeholder groups.
4. Describe the components of Porter’s Five Forces model and its use in analyzing
the integrated nature of the industry in which a firm competes.
5. Explain the nature and sources of a firm’s competitive advantage and the degree
of sustainability for its particular advantage.
6. Describe the different types of product differentiation and market segmentation as
a business-level strategy.
7. Explain the competing pressures of efficiency and local responsiveness inherent
in international operations and the means of strategically addressing such
pressures.
8. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of vertical integration, diversification
and strategic alliances.
9. Explain the advantage of viewing the firm as a portfolio of core competencies and
focusing on the creation of value by building and leveraging these competencies.
10. Develop and present a strategic analysis of a current business enterprise.

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©2010 Indiana Wesleyan University

CONCEPT MAP

Intended Strategy
External Internal
Analysis Analysis
Five Forces Distinctive
Model Competencies

M Strategic
I Choice
S Business Strategy

S
Differentiation
Segmentation Competitive
I Global Strategy Advantage
O Corporate Strategy
Vertical Integration

N Diversification
Strategic Alliances

Emergent
Strategy

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©2010 Indiana Wesleyan University

Course Materials

Hunger, J. D. & Wheelen, T.L (2007) Essentials of

Strategic Management (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Pearson Education, Inc.

John C. Maxwell, editor, The Maxwell Leadership

Bible, 2nd edition, 2007, Thomas Nelson, Inc., ISBN:
0718020154

Course Schedule
This course is six weeks long. You will complete one workshop each week. While you
are free to browse ahead in the course, please complete the coursework during the week
allotted to each workshop. This helps insure that we all move through the course together
and that our online interactions are fresh and up-to-date.

In order to stay organized you should first read all of the pages in the Syllabus. Make sure
you understand the course structure and requirements.

When you have a basic grasp of the way the course is laid out, start working your way
through the lessons and activities in Workshop One. When you come to a discussion
assignment, post your thoughts in the discussion area and then go on to the next activity.
Initial discussion posts responding to the assigned questions must be made by day 3 of
the workshop (see the Discussion Rubric below).

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©2010 Indiana Wesleyan University

Then, every couple of days, check each discussion area in which you’ve posted to
read your classmates' thoughts and add your contributions.

While it is okay to look ahead at discussion topics, please do not post in discussion
forums until the workshop has started. This helps avoid confusion, and also encourages
better discussion among students. If all students are participating in the same forums
during the same week, discussion will be much more insightful and beneficial for all. In
addition, the reading you complete at the beginning of each workshop may influence
what you post.

It will be VERY IMPORTANT to establish a schedule. You will not do well if you leave
everything to the last minute each week.

Every discussion must be completed by the last day of the week assigned to each
workshop. For example, if Workshop One is scheduled to go from Tuesday through
Monday, your discussion would be late if it was posted on Tuesday morning. The
deadline is midnight the last night of the workshop. Late postings may be accepted but all
of the points may not be awarded. Be sure to contact your facilitator if there are any
extenuating circumstances.

Late Policy
 No credit is available for postings of any kind made in the Discussion Forums
after a given workshop week ends.
 If your facilitator approves your submission of late Assignments, (Note: An
Assignment is a paper, a project, a team presentation, etc., not a Discussion) each
Assignment score will be penalized 10% per day up to 5 days late. After Day 5,
late assignments will not be accepted.
 No late assignments will be accepted after the close of the final workshop.

Attendance Requirements
Online workshop attendance is determined by activity during a workshop, either through
discussions or submission of assignments. A student is reported absent for a workshop if
they do not make at least one submission (or posting) of an assignment or in a discussion
forum assigned during that workshop. Participating in discussions does not guarantee
full participation points. The course facilitator will determine the criteria for full
participation points.

If a student exceeds the allowed absences and does not contact the Office of Student
Services to officially withdraw before the last workshop, the facilitator is directed to issue
the grade of “F”.

Under emergency circumstances, a student may be allowed two (2) absences in courses
that are more than five workshops/weeks.

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©2010 Indiana Wesleyan University

Formatting Requirements
Individual written assignments must demonstrate clear, analytical thought processes.
Each assignment should be formatted for ease of reading, be grammatically correct,
evidence of correct spelling and syntax and present ideas in a logical, readable format for
full credit. Each individual or team assignment must also clearly identify the student(s)
submitting them.

Where required or appropriate, in-text citations of references should follow APA format.
Refer to the Prentice Hall Reference Guide as a help guide for APA format. You may
also refer to http://www.indwes.edu/ocls/APA/APAREferences6e.pdf and download the
APA Guide from IWU – based on Prentice Hall Reference Guide – as an additional in-
hand APA resource.  If you still have questions after consulting the Prentice Hall
Reference Guide and the APA Guide from IWU, contact Off Campus Library Services
(OCLS) with your specific questions. OCLS does not check References lists or papers,
but are available for questions through phone: 800-521-1848 or email:
http://www.indwes.edu/ocls/oclsform.html

See also the APA Writing Style Guide and APA Writing Style PowerPoint located in
Course Materials, APA Guides for more detailed information on APA.

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©2010 Indiana Wesleyan University

Course Assessment
Official Grading Scale

The final course grade will depend on the total number of points earned. Here is how the
points break down in terms of letter grades.

Grade Percent Points

A 95 to 100 950 to 1000
A- 92 to 94 920 to 949
B+ 89 to 91 890 to 919
B 85 to 88 850 to 889
B- 82 to 84 820 to 839
C+ 79 to 81 790 to 809
C 75 to 78 750 to 779
C- 72 to 74 720 to 739
D+ 69 to 71 690 to 709
D 65 to 68 650 to 679
F 0 to 64 0 to 649

A Clearly stands out as excellent performance. Anticipates well and writes logically
& clearly. Anticipates steps in the progression of ideas.
B Demonstrates a solid comprehension of the subject. An active listener and
participant, the student communicates well orally and in writing.
C Quality and quantity in and out of class is average. Requirements are addressed
minimally.
D Quality and quantity of work is below average. Assignments may be missing or
unsatisfactory.
F Quality and quantity of work is unacceptable for an undergraduate student, and
does not qualify the student to progress to a more advanced level of work.

Point Distribution for entire course:

Ongoing Total Points

Individual Team
WORKSHOP Discussion per
Activities Activities
Participation Workshop
Workshop 1 40(2@20) 150 20 210
Workshop 2 40(2@20) 105 0 145
Workshop 3 40(2@20) 0 105 145
Workshop 4 40(2@20) 105 0 145
Workshop 5 40(2@20) 0 75 115
Workshop 6 40(2@20) 200 0 240
TOTAL 240 560 200 1000
Note: Students will receive an additional 10 bonus points for completing the End
of Course Survey in the last workshop.

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©2010 Indiana Wesleyan University

Discussions:
In each workshop, there are two discussions which focus either on a special topic or on
general material from the workshop. You will be given instructions on which discussion
forums apply to the current workshop. Well-thought-out postings that add something
intellectually to the discussion are required for a good grade. Your initial posting should
fully answer the questions posed in the course interface. Additionally, you must reply to
at least two of the postings done by either your classmate's postings or the instructor.
Postings of the "I agree" or "Me too" variety are not acceptable for grading
purposes, but often contribute to the “flow” of conversation. Humorous comments or
personal notes can also stimulate conversation, but are not considered for discussion
grading.

At the graduate level, only postings that demonstrate scholarly analysis of the topic
and course materials will be counted for grading purposes. While spelling, grammar,
and syntax are important and should not be ignored, minor grammatical errors are not
considered in discussion grading unless they materially detract from the understandability
or persuasiveness of the posting. Reference sources for discussions may include text or
web material, or other types of resources, such as journals or articles, your experiences
etc., with appropriate citations. The discussion topics are intended to complement,
supplement and expand learning opportunities. Thus, in as many respects as possible,
online discussions are treated in the same way as classroom discussions in offline
education.

Class discussions do not have to be kept in APA format; however, if you use an outside
resource in your response, it is expected that you will reference that site in some form.

Please review the following discussion rubric. (Discussion Grading Rubric – Revised
by Bonnie J. Straight, PhD, adapted by IWU staff & faculty, 5/10).

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©2010 Indiana Wesleyan University

POINTS
CRITERIA
EARNED
Quality (8 points possible)

(7-8 points) Student’s contributions:

 Are well-developed (at least a full paragraph)
 Provide clear evidence of critical thinking (analysis, synthesis, evaluation, or application).
 Introduce new ideas

(5-6 points) Student’s contributions:

 Show some thought development
 Provide evidence of some critical thinking
 Expands on the ideas of others.

(3-4 points) Student’s contributions:

 Show nominal thought development
 Provide only the beginnings of critical thinking.
 Do not add to the discussion

(0-2 points) Student’s contributions:

 Show no thought development
 Are mostly a reiteration of the textbook or other students
 Detract from the discussion

Timeliness (6 points possible)

(5-6 points)
 Initial posting is done by day 3 of the workshop (Thursday)
 All postings are done while discussion threads are active and flowing

(3-4 points)
 Initial posting is done by day 4 of the workshop (Friday)
 Most postings are done while discussion threads are active and flowing

(2 points)
 Initial posting is done by day 5 of the workshop (Saturday)
 Most postings are done when discussion threads are not active

(0-1 point)
 Initial posting is done by day 6 (Sunday) or later
 All postings are done when discussion threads are not active

Interaction (6 points possible)

(4-6 points)
 Student makes 1 post and a minimum of 2 responses to other students and/or the facilitator

(2-3 points)
 Student makes 1 post AND 1 response to other students and/or the facilitator

(1 points)
 Student makes only 1 post OR response to other students and/or the facilitator

Total Points Available - 20 points

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©2010 Indiana Wesleyan University

Team Project/Individual Project
Team Assignments
This course includes a team assignment that spans the first five weeks of the class. Prior
to the first day of the course, the facilitator will assign each student to a team. The team’s
members will work collaboratively to complete the team assignment. All team members
are expected to contribute consistently, substantively and on time to complete each team
assignment. While the students work together to complete each assignment, the
facilitator will monitor the individual contributions of team members and may grade each
member based on the member’s contribution(s). Failure to contribute on a weekly basis,
and/or failure to contribute substantively, will result in a reduction in points awarded on
an individual basis. Consequently, not all team members may receive the same grade for
each team assignment.

Although the facilitator is able to monitor team collaborations that take place within
Blackboard, he or she is not able to monitor collaborations that occur outside of
Blackboard. Therefore, each time a team communicates outside of Blackboard (for
example via conference call or instant messaging) it is important to post a quick summary
of the teams outside meetings in Blackboard. Please post that summary in the
appropriate team forum. Note the summary as “Summary of Outside Meetings”. Please
ensure that this summary includes the full name of each participating team member as
well as the date of the “outside” meeting.

Please do NOT resort to using any outside communication tools unless all team members
agree to the method and to the schedule. Failure to secure the consent of all team
members prior to a meeting may result in a reduction of points for ALL team members –
regardless of his or her contributions during the outside meeting(s). Should you have any
questions or concerns regarding this policy, contact your facilitator immediately. Your
facilitator may, at his or her discretion, use peer evaluations in determining your final
team project grade.

As previously noted, each assignment will be graded based on the inclusion of specific
components. The team project will use the grading rubrics included in the weekly
workshops.

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©2010 Indiana Wesleyan University

Course Expectations
What Facilitators Expect of Students
1. Submit assignments on time. If there are circumstances beyond your control,
discuss possible options for completion with your facilitator.
2. Accomplish work on your own unless otherwise instructed (i.e., do not cheat or
plagiarize). See the APS Bulletin link below for "Student Honesty/Cheating"
policy.
3. Contribute substantively to discussions according to guidelines provided.
4. Contribute to discussions throughout each workshop rather than waiting until the
end of the workshop.
5. Contribute substantively to group assignments (if required in course).
6. After spending a reasonable time on it, ask your facilitator if you do not
understand content or instructions. Ask for help early while there is time to fix
problems.
7. Treat other students courteously and respectfully.
8. Every time you enter Blackboard read and abide by all Announcements and
postings in the Facilitator’s Forum. These postings are critical.
9. Attendance Policy:
Online workshop attendance is determined by activity during a workshop, either
through discussions or submission of assignments.  A student is reported absent
for a workshop if they do not make at least one submission (or posting) of an
assignment or in a discussion forum assigned during that workshop. Participating
in discussions does not guarantee full participation points. The course facilitator
will determine the criteria for full participation points.

If a student exceeds the allowed absences and does not contact the Office of
Student Services to officially withdraw before the last workshop, the facilitator is
directed to issue the grade of "F."

Under emergency circumstances, a student may be allowed one (1) absence in

courses that are five workshops/weeks or fewer.

Under emergency circumstances, a student may be allowed two (2) absences in

courses that are more than five workshops/weeks.

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©2010 Indiana Wesleyan University

What Students Expect of Facilitators

1. Set a friendly, open, and encouraging environment.

2. Guide discussions.
3. Set clear rules, standards, and expectations.
4. Provide workshop grades/feedback within 7 days of assignment submission or
due date, whichever is later. Provide final grades/feedback within 14 days after
the last date of class.
5. Ensure students treat each other respectfully.
6. Respond to student inquiries within 48 hours.

KEY DEFINITIONS:

Cheating and plagiarism are extremely serious issues. However, IWU Online serves a
diverse student population, some of whom reside in countries that neither recognize
international copyright conventions, nor understand cheating and plagiarism in the same
way. Furthermore, the ready accessibility of material on the Internet that can easily be
copy-pasted, and often bears no copyright warning has created a false impression among
many web surfers that material on the Internet is exempt from copyright protection.
Since IWU is governed by the laws and treaties of the United States of America, as well
as the academic standards of various U.S. accrediting agencies, it is essential that IWU
Online students understand the issue of plagiarism in the same way.

Cheating is defined in IWU’s APS Bulletin (see link below) as: “submitting work for
academic evaluation that is not the student’s own, copying answers from another
student during an examination, using prepared notes or materials during an
examination, or other misrepresentation of academic achievement submitted for
evaluation and a grade.”

Students must understand the difference between cheating and collaboration. There are
many instances in which students are directed or permitted to collaborate with, or assist,
one another on certain assignments. The product of these efforts is not cheating. Neither
is it cheating to ask another student for assistance in understanding how to solve a
problem or to understand a course concept, and to use that information to independently
complete and submit the required assignment. It is cheating to copy the work of another
student and to submit it under the pretext of having been independently produced.

Plagiarism is defined in the APS Bulletin (see link below) as: “the act of using another
person’s ideas or expressions in writing without acknowledging the source . . . to
repeat as your own someone else’s sentences, more or less verbatim.”

Under U.S. law and most international copyright conventions, the written or graphical
work of any person is that person’s property. It is specifically referred to as “intellectual
property,” and it is protected by copyright laws, even if the material has not been
registered with any copyright agency.

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©2010 Indiana Wesleyan University

Plagiarism is therefore considered cheating and applies to all forms of intellectual
property. According to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological
Association (2001), “Each time you paraphrase another author (i.e., summarize a passage
or rearrange the order of a sentence and change some of the words), you will need to
credit the source in the text” (p. 349). When you use other people’s thoughts or concepts
without crediting them as the source then you have stolen their intellectual work.

At IWU, you are expected to submit only your own work. You are expected to give credit
when borrowing, quoting, or paraphrasing, by using appropriate citations.

It is not plagiarism to quote material from a book, article, or web site as long as the
author or source of the material is properly cited. Similarly, it is not plagiarism to copy a
chart or a diagram from such a source, as long as the source is clearly credited. It is
plagiarism to copy verbatim or closely paraphrase a chart or illustration, or material from
any book, article, or web site without clearly identifying the source from which it was
obtained.

For further information on IWU’s Honesty/Cheating Policy, visit this site:

http://www.indwes.edu/catalog/2097.htm

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The Online Support team has created a website which students and faculty can access to
check the current status of Blackboard. The website is:
http://iwublackboard.blogspot.com/. Whenever there is a major problem with the
Blackboard Learning System at IWU, the Online Support team will update this website
with that information, including an estimate of how long Blackboard is expected to be
down.

This is part of an effort to continually improve the ways we communicate with faculty
and students.  We recommend you bookmark this website “just in case.”

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©2010 Indiana Wesleyan University