Competitive Business Environments is a case-based discussion course that examines the competitive drivers of firms, industries, regions and nations, aiming at informing development strategies at all levels. This course is offered to WU's emerging cadre of business, government and social leaders in conjunction with Prof. Michael Porter at Harvard Business School and colleagues from the Institute of Competitiveness.

U.S.-style Case Seminar

All enrolled WU students will have access to joint Harvard Business School/WU websites, research archives, downloadable readings and cases, directory of projects/other contacts with students at affiliated universities, video streaming of Porter/featured guest lectures, copies of lectures/slides, downloadable proprietary data for team projects, etc. The course is delivered using a combination of in-depth case analyses, class discussions of such cases, and lectures (mostly videotaped by Michael Porter), and (videotaped) guest speakers. The readings give a profound conceptual background to competitiveness strategies and a detailed picture of cases at firm, cluster and country levels. A course overview discussing grading and feedback, administrative matters, plagiarism, team project and key CBE dates is made available.

Group Project

Teams of 4-5 students are expected to work on a group project. They have to research and discuss the strategic challenges and recommendations to a chosen cluster and region, following a common frame of analysis. They are able to use databases which can be accessed via the HBS homepage yet they have to complement that with their own research. An outline presentation is due on the last session, and the project report four weeks later.