BUS 401 BUSINESS POLICY AND STRATEGY I FOUNTAIN UNIVERSITY OSOGBO NIGERIA FIRST SEMESTER 2013/2014 ACADEMIC SESSION Lecturer-in-Charge: AWOLAJA, AyodejiMuyideen B. Sc (Hons), M.Sc (OOU), Office: COMAS Building, Department of Economics & Financial Studies Business Administration Unit Phone: 08055812732 Email: awolaja.ayodeji@fountainuniversity.edu.ng or ayhorhawolaja@gmail.com Consultation Hour: Tuesday 08 10am and Thursdays 12 01 noon or by Appointment Website: www.fountainuniversity.edu.ng Course Objective: This courseware provides a methodological approach to strategic management and business policy. It is limitedly concerned with how strategic management evolved from business policy. The main thrust of this course is the need for the students to understand and apply strategic management in the administration of organisations to enhance organisational effectiveness including the significance of strategic management as an integrative approach. Course Requirements This is a compulsory course for Accounting and Business Administration 400 level students. Students are expected to attend 75% of classes before they can sit for the examination. Assignment given must be submitted as stipulated and not by proxy. The mode of course delivering will be classroom instruction-through lectures, tutorials and so on. Class Preparation and Participation Students should prepare for classes by reading the relevant chapters from the recommended textbook in advance and come to class prepared to participate in class discussions and ask
relevant questions that can benefit the teaching and learning. Class attendance in lectures and tutorials is required since students are responsible for all materials covered. Methods of Grading S/N TYPE OF GRADING PERCENTAGE (%) 1 Attendance 5 2 Assignments 10 3 Test(s) 15 4 Examination 70 TOTAL 100 Policy guiding the course 1. Lateness of more than 10 minutes to the class is not allowed. Advice 2. Participation in assignment shall be a function of attendance in the class. 3. Late assignments will NOT be accepted and there will NOT be makeup Test(s) except on MEDICAL ground with scientific proof. 4. Equipment and/or media failure will NOT be accepted as an excuse for missed due dates. 5. Students are personally responsible for maintaining BACKUPS of their assignment files. The inability to submit an assignment because of a lost file is not an acceptable reason. 1. Students are advice to arrive to the classroom at the designated time to avoid disturbing the class after it has begun. 2. Modest/corporate/fountain dress code should be ensured 3. Keep all phones in silent while lecture is on.
Course Outline Week 1: An Overview of Strategic Management and Business Policy Objective: At the end of this lecture, students will know the meaning of policy through various definitions, the roles, functions and competencies of successful Chief Executives in policy formulation and strategy development as well as qualities of successful Chief Executives. Week 2: Business Strategic Intent and Mission Objective:To introduce students to the concepts of strategic intent, hierarchy of strategic intent (Vision, Mission, Goal, Objective and Plans), benefits accruing to an organization with good vision, process of creating vision; the essence of strategic mission: its formation and attributes. Week 3: The Concept of Strategy Objective:Students are expected to beable to define strategy, understands its benefits and critical factors for an effective strategy. Understand properly the levels of strategy and the strategic alternatives options in an organisation. Week 4: Diversification Strategies Objective: Students will be able to explain what is meant by diversification in Strategic Management, They should be able to explain the essential criteria for evaluating strategy and identified the factors that shape strategy. Week 5 and 6:Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility Objective: This topic will make the students understands values and manners of doing business and the ways of applying ethics, the system of rules that govern the ordering of
values. Various concepts such as definition of ethics, corporate social responsibility and performance will be discussed. The ethical and unethical behaviour shall be discussed. Week 7:Mid semester tests The test will be based on what has been taught since the beginning of the semester, in order to assess the level of understanding and assimilation of the student. It will also serve as feedback, so as to deploy more strategies (if need) in delivering the remaining outlines. Week 8 and 9: Strategic Management and Process: Objective: Students will learn the concept of strategic management and understand the importance of strategic management for the purpose achieving goals in organization. In addition, they should be able to understand the process in strategic management. Week 10: Organization and its environments Objective: At the end of this class, students will understand the concept of environment and its characteristics. They will be able to understand the forces within and outside the organization that impact strengths or cause weaknesses as well as provide opportunities and pose threats to the organization. Week 11: Managerial Decision Making Objective: Students at the end of the class should be able to define decision making and understand it as a process by which managers respond to opportunities and threats that confront then by analyzing the options and making determination or decisions about specific organizational goals and course of action. They should be able to identify the types of decision making and decision situations.
Week 12: An Approach to Case Analysis. Objective: The student will be able to understand, at the class, the concept of case and case studies, the steps in case studies and analysis, advantages and disadvantages of case analysis as well as guides to preparing case analysis. Week 13: Measurement of Firm Performance Objective: This class will afford the students the understanding of the classification of ratio analysis and the gains of ratio analysis. Recommended Text OLADELE, P.O (2010).Essentials of Business Policy and Strategy: A first course.lagos, Rakson Educational Publishers. OgbojaforAkpoyomare, B. E, (2007). Understanding Strategic Management.Lagos, Mukugamu& Brothers Ent. Esosa Bob Osaze, Ph.D (2004). Strategic Management in Nigeria. Lagos, Centre for Management Development. Dixon-Ogbechi, B.N (2003). Fundamentals of Business Policy and Strategy. Lagos, Philglad Nigeria Limited DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. Define Strategic Management. Explain briefly characteristics of Strategic Management. 2. Discuss the important steps involved in strategic management process. 3. What is organizational vision? Discuss its characteristics. 4. What is mission? Explain key elements in developing a mission statement. 5. What is an objective? Explain areas of objectives set for all areas and departments of an organization. 6. Define environmental analysis. Discuss components of a company s external environment. 7. Discuss porter s five force model. 8. Differentiate Horizontal Integration and Vertical Integration.
9. Discuss any four growth strategies of an organization to increase their profits. 10. Explain BCG matrix, and list out its advantages and disadvantages. 11. Briefly explain criteria for evaluating strategic alternatives. 12. Discuss any four issues in strategy implementation. 13. Define leadership? Explain any two leadership styles. 14. What do you understand about corporate social responsibility? Discuss. 15. Discuss the steps involved in process of strategic control. 16. Discuss successful maintenance of strategic control. 17. Write short notes on any four of the following: a. SWOT analysis. b. Collaborative partnership. c. Joint venture strategies. d. Conglomerate diversification. e. Restructuring and turnaround. f. Value chain analysis.