Syllabus

Title
0571 Fundamentals of Strategic Management
Instructors
Univ.Prof. Dr. Werner H. Hoffmann, Sebastian Priestersberger, MSc (WU)
Type
PI
Weekly hours
3
Language of instruction
Englisch
Registration
09/11/20 to 09/24/20
Registration via LPIS
Notes to the course
Subject(s) Master Programs
Dates
Day Date Time Room
Thursday 10/01/20 01:00 PM - 06:00 PM LC.0.100 Festsaal 1
Friday 10/02/20 09:00 AM - 06:00 PM Online-Einheit
Tuesday 10/06/20 01:30 PM - 06:00 PM Online-Einheit
Tuesday 10/13/20 02:00 PM - 06:30 PM Online-Einheit
Tuesday 10/20/20 02:00 PM - 06:30 PM Online-Einheit
Wednesday 10/28/20 09:00 AM - 10:30 AM Online-Einheit
Tuesday 11/03/20 01:00 PM - 03:30 PM Online-Einheit
Tuesday 11/03/20 04:00 PM - 06:00 PM Online-Einheit
Tuesday 11/10/20 01:00 PM - 04:00 PM Online-Einheit
Tuesday 11/10/20 04:00 PM - 06:00 PM Online-Einheit
Tuesday 11/17/20 12:30 PM - 04:00 PM Online-Einheit
Tuesday 11/24/20 06:00 PM - 09:00 PM Online-Einheit
Procedure for the course when limited activity on campus

Except for the kick-off, sessions will be held online, as they can not take place at the WU campus under the usual circumstances.

Students will be provided with lecturecast videos covering a large part of the theoretical input and are expected to have completed the respective lecturecast videos before each of the 6 sessions after the kick-off. The videos take about 1 1/2h and are published well in advance one week before the live discussion session.

Except for the kick-off event on Oct 1st and Oct 2nd, which will take place on the WU Campus physically, students are required to be virtually present during the following Microsoft Teams live sessions, during which

- questions about the lecturecast content can be asked,

- the theoretical content will be actively discussed, and

- assignments will be presented by the groups of students:

image:Afternoon_class_timetable_live_sessions1.jpg

Except for the kick-off, all the tasks relevant for grading can be completed during online sessions (without physical presence): The exams will be held as take-home exams via Learn@WU (under time-constrained conditions and video recorded). Presentations will be held online. The simulation can be prepared during individual group video calls online and the simulation decisions can be handed in online as well. In-class participation will be evaluated during the online discussion sessions. Therefore, the grading scheme will not change compared to the offline scenario.

Students will be provided with the MS-Teams link before the live sessions.

 

Contents

This course provides students with an in-depth understanding of how firms develop corporate and business strategies (strategy development) and how they can translate their strategies into employee action (strategy implementation).

Strategic management deals with the basic question why and how firms can achieve sustained competitive advantage and how they can translate competitive advantage into superior financial performance. In principle, there exist twolines of reasoning to explain the origins and sources of competitive advantageand superior firm performance: the market-based view and the resource-based view.

Very recently, these two schools of thought are complemented by more dynamic theories of strategic management (e.g., dynamic capabilities). In this course the students will receive a broad and thorough understanding of the theoretical foundations of strategic management and how they can be used to craft and implement winning strategies in today´s challenging business world.

Topics covered by the course:

  • Theoretical foundations of strategic management
  • Competitive strategy analysis and design
  • State of the art strategy topics
  • Business model innovation
  • Ecosystem and Institutional Strategies
  • Disruptive Innovation
  • Strategy process / practice
  • Alliances and M&As

Learning outcomes

After completing this course students will have the ability to:

  • apply state-of-the-field theories of strategy to solve problems of strategic management in the business world
  • carry out strategy analysis in a systematic and thorough way
  • design winning strategies at both the business and the corporate level
  • explain and analyze the relationship between competitive advantage and strategic performance
  • efficiently work and communicate in a team
  • work on solutions for challenging and complex practical problems
  • improve their oral and written communication and presentation skills
  • engage in active discussions
  • translate insights from class discussion to practical problems
Attendance requirements

Attendance of 80% is required. Please inform the instructor about any absence prior to the session. Unexcused absence results in failing the class. The last session is the final exam.

 

Teaching/learning method(s)

The course will combine various learning methods to deliver the different topics to the students. These will include readings, lectures, open class discussions, student presentations in class, a strategy simulation game and case studies. Guest speakers will add additional perspectives to the class.

Assessment

Grading scale:

Excellent (1)      

87.5%-100.0%

Good (2)          

75.0% -<87.5%

Satisfactory (3)  

62.5% -<75.0%

Sufficient (4)   

50.0% -<62.5%

Fail (5)            

<50.0%

 

The final grade of the course will depend on:

5% entry exam (individual assessment)

20% midterm exam (individual assessment)

35% final exam (individual assessment)

10% case study preparation and presentation (group assessment)

20% performance in the simulation (group assessment)

10% participation in class (individual assessment)

Readings
1 Author: Frank T. Rothaermel
Title:

Strategic Management: Concepts and Cases


Publisher: Mcgraw-Hill Higher Education (2012)
Edition: 2012
Remarks: MHID: 0071317910; ISBN: 978-0-07-131791-7
Year: 2012
Content relevant for class examination: Yes
Recommendation: Essential reading for all students
Type: Book
Availability of lecturer(s)

by e-mail

Last edited: 2020-09-09



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