Business Strategy Capstone (BA5080-002)

Business Strategy Capstone (BA5080-002) Mobile: 513-260-9596 Office: Adjunct Office Room 106 - Lindner Hall EMAIL: rlmeyers@ridgegroup.net (preferred) Ronald.Meyers@uc.edu Classroom Lindner Hall 109 Class Hours nesdays 6:00-9:00pm Office Hours By appointment only Course Description 3 Credit Hours. This course is intended to be the culmination of your undergraduate curriculum. As a capstone course, it provides a framework for integrating knowledge from functional foundation courses throughout the undergraduate curriculum. You will be expected to analyze and assess internal operations of a firm and the external and competitive environment of an industry. Students will also be asked to formulate effective competitive strategies for firms under conditions of domestic and international uncertainty. Comprehensive case studies, readings and industry simulations will be used to help the student understand the difficulties and challenges of effectively implementing strategic plans. This course is designed to challenge your analytical and decision-making skills, as well as develop interpersonal skills important to your future success. Text Essentials of Strategic Management: The Quest for Competitive Advantage, 5th Edition. Authors: Gamble, Peteraf and Thompson. Publisher: McGraw-Hill. Copyright year: 2011-2017 Pages: 462. Print ISBN: 978-1- 259-54698-3. NOTE: This text is available via Blackboard as an e-book with a required application called Connect. Do not purchase at the Bookstore. Sign up here: http://connect.mheducation.com/class/r-meyersba5080-002 Capsim Simulation. To get started go to http://www.capsim.com and click Register and follow the directions. To create your student account you ll need to have an Industry ID number and a credit card. The Industry ID number is C79586. The cost is $46. Prerequisite Senior standing and the completion of all course requirements in the Junior Core. If you do not meet the course prerequisite requirements, you are responsible for dropping this class from your schedule. Course Objectives 1) To develop a managerial point of view - a capacity for analyzing and solving problems from a broad business and company-wide perspective. 2) To integrate the knowledge learned in functionally oriented classes. BA5080 Strategy Capstone Syllabus 1

3) To practice distinguishing between basic causes of business problems and attendant symptoms. 4) To demonstrate understanding of the ethical and social implications of management decisions and actions within organizations. 5) To practice conceptualizing, communicating and implementing business strategic plans. 6) To develop habits of orderly, analytical thinking and skill in reporting conclusions effectively in both written and oral forms. 7) To practice organizing and conducting tasks within a group setting. 8) Become knowledgeable of key business concepts and terms that will be important to understand in your professional career Link to PACE This course aligns with PACE, the Lindner College of Business platform for developing the total business professional. P Professionalism: Enhance oral & written communication, express ideas clearly, logically and persuasively. Develop and practice teamwork skills through group projects and exercises. Practice professional habits of punctuality, preparation, respect and participation. A Academics: Develop foundational knowledge of core business functions and their interactions within firms. Begin applying functional and cross-functional knowledge to critically analyze business problems; for example applying techniques for business plan development. C Character: Learn and apply leadership techniques for project management (plan, brief, execute, debrief). Build an understanding and initial skills of managing diversity, including understanding cultural differences, and challenges and opportunities of global business. Understand importance of ethics and social responsibility in business and personal settings. E Engagement: Build understanding of importance and practices of networking through interactions with business professionals and guest speakers. Develop awareness and appreciation of involvement in social organizations, community service, and professional group opportunities. Course Materials The material utilized in this course will not be limited exclusively to the content of the text. Additional material and tools such as computer office suite software will be required by the at various times during the semester. Links to this material will be made available on Blackboard, and it is the responsibility of the student to read and print this material. Any material from the text and lecture may be represented on exams and quizzes. McGraw-Hill Connect McGraw-Hill Connect is a digital teaching and learning environment that saves students and instructors time while improving performance over a variety of critical outcomes. Designed to maximize productivity and BA5080 Strategy Capstone Syllabus 2

efficiency in learning, LearnSmart creates high impact study sessions and is proven to improve grades. You will use Connect to access the text book, take chapter quizzes, take LearnSmart quizzes, and take case quizzes. Capsim Simulation As part of the leadership team or as CEO of your Capstone Company, you will learn the complexities of coordinating decisions across four primary functional areas. You will get the opportunity analyze market conditions to develop strategies that will make your company more successful. Then you can make tactical decisions to implement your strategies. Decisions like: what customer segments will be your focus and how will your products meet their needs? How much should you invest in your marketing and sales organizations? Will you automate your production processes and how much inventory will you produce. Not to mention how will you finance these decisions. Put your business acumen to work in one strategic, competitive, and engaging learning experience. Comp-XM for Capstone As the CEO of your company, each decision you make influences the assessment items you must answer. This combined simulation and assessment gives you the opportunity to prove your business acumen in business decisions and content knowledge. Quizzes Chapter and Case Quizzes will be administered prior to classes where relevant topics will be covered. This provides incentive for you to read the assigned material before class. Grading policy associated with these quizzes will be explained in class. In addition, completion of the LearnSmart application in Connect is required prior to chapter discussions in class. Grading policy for this will be discussed in class. Late quizzes will receive a zero. Exams Comp-XM is an integrated assessment tool that allows students to demonstrate their business skills. Comp- XM is divided into two parts: A business simulation, similar to Capstone, that each student runs as an individual; A series of quizzes, called Board Queries, that ask each student questions based on their unique simulation results. Comp-XM is familiar, yet different from your experience in Capstone. You are the CEO. You will be making decisions on your own; you will not be a member of a team. Like Capstone, Comp-XM uses a spreadsheet and a web interface. 6 Website Instructions discusses the mechanics. There are two parts to Comp-XM : A fourround simulation, and a series of web-based quizzes called Board Queries. Board Queries are questions posed by your Board of Directors. They are drawn from the unique results of your simulation. You could appear before the Board up to five times to answer their questions about your company. Comp-XM will be scheduled after the end of a Capstone simulation. Successful completion of Comp-XM requires skills developed during Capstone simulation. BA5080 Strategy Capstone Syllabus 3

Course Calendar DATE RESOURCES TOPICS ASSIGNMENTS DUE DATES 05/11/2016 05/18/2016 05/25/2016 06/01/2016 06/08/2016 06/15/2016 06/22/2016 06/29/2016 07/06/2016 07/13/2016 Introduction, Syllabus Ch.1 Quiz on Connect due on 5/18 at 6:00PM Chapter 1 What is Strategy? Ch.1 LearnSmart (LS) on Connect due on 5/18 at 6:00PM Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Capsim Registration Capsim Registration on Capsim due on 5/18 at 6:00PM Ch.2 Quiz on Connect due on 5/18 at 6:00PM Strategy Formulation Ch.2 LearnSmart (LS) on Connect due on 5/18 at 6:00PM Capsin Introduction BillCutterz.com Case + Quiz on Connect due on 5/18 at 6:00PM Capsim Pre-Launch due on 5/18 at 6:00PM Evaluating a Ch.3 Quiz on Connect due on 5/25 at 6:00PM Company's External Ch.3 LearnSmart (LS) on Connect due on 5/25 at 6:00PM Environment Capsim Practice Round 1 decisions due on 5/25 at 6:00PM Evaluating Resources, Ch.4 Quiz on Connect due on 6/1 at 6:00PM Capabilities & Ch.4 LearnSmart (LS) on Connect due on 6/1 at 6:00PM Competitiveness Capsim Practice Round 2 decisions due on 6/1 at 6:00PM Ch.5 Quiz on Connect due on 6/8 at 6:00PM Five Generic Ch.5 LearnSmart (LS) on Connect due on 6/8 at 6:00PM Competitive Robin Hood Case + Quiz on Connect due on 6/8 at 6:00PM Strategies Capsim Live Round 1 decisions due on 6/8 at 6:00PM Ch.7 Quiz on Connect due on 6/15 at 6:00PM Strategies for Ch.7 LearnSmart (LS) on Connect due on 6/15 at 6:00PM Competing in Deere & Co. Case + Quiz on Connect due on 6/15 at 6:00PM International Markets Capsim Live Round 2 decisions due on 6/15 at 6:00PM Ch.8 Quiz on Connect due on 6/22 at 6:00PM Diversification and Ch.8 LearnSmart (LS) on Connect due on 6/22 at 6:00PM the Multibusiness Panera Bread Case + Quiz on Connect due on 6/22 at 6:00PM Company Capsim Live Round 3 decisions due on 6/22 at 6:00PM Ethics, Social Ch.9 Quiz on Connect due on 6/29 at 6:00PM Responsibility, Ch.9 LearnSmart (LS) on Connect due on 6/29 at 6:00PM Environmental PepsiCo Case + Quiz on Connect due on 6/29 at 6:00PM Sustainability Capsim Live Round 4 decisions due on 6/29 at 6:00PM TOMS Shoes Case + Quiz on Connect due on 7/6 at 6:00PM Capsim Live Round 5 decisions due on 7/6 at 6:00PM NO CLASS - Video Capsim Live Round 6 decisions due on 7/6 at 6:00PM Lecture Capsim Live Round 7 decisions due on 7/6 at 6:00PM Comp-XM Exam Opens on Capsim OPENS on 7/6 at 6:00PM 4 Team Presentations - Whole Foods Case Team Presentations All Teams Written Case Paper due Due on 7/13 at 6:00PM Capsim Live Round 8 decisions due on 7/13 at 6:00PM BA5080 Strategy Capstone Syllabus 4

07/20/2016 07/27/2016 08/03/2016 Team Presentations Team Presentations Team Presentations 4 Team Presentations - Vera Bradley Case 4 Team Presentations - Tesla Motors 4 Team Presentations - Southwest Airlines Case Peer & Self Evaluations due Comp-XM Exam Closes on Capsim due on 8/3 at 6:00PM CLOSES on 8/3 at 6:00PM Teams Teams should be formed the first week of classes, and each team will be expected to complete a number of assignments during the quarter. Team size will vary depending on the class size. The instructor will announce the maximum team size the first week of classes. You may choose your own teams, subject to the approval of the instructor. If you have difficulty finding a team, please contact the instructor. Teams are expected to be self-directed and self-managed. If your team is experiencing problems, please see the instructor as soon as possible for assistance in resolving them. Each team member will evaluate team member participation at the end of the term and these evaluations will be factored into each individual s participation course grade. Important: If you do not participate with your team on the team assignments, you will not pass this class as you will receive no credit for team assignments. Team members are expected to report any free riders to the instructor before final actions are necessary. Team Assignments Each team will be assigned a case to develop an analysis and recommendations in a term paper and a brief executive presentation at the end of the term. The details of these assignments will be explained in class. Each team will also participate in an industry simulation. Details of the simulation will be provided in class. A brief description of the Capstone Simulation is provided at the end of this syllabus. Attendance & Class Participation Your participation grade will be a function of two inputs. First, you can t participate if you are not present. Therefore, attendance will be taken every class period. Make sure you sign in every class period. Buddy sign-ins will not be tolerated and will subject both parties to dismissal from the class. Second, you must come prepared to discuss assigned readings and cases. Students are expected to regularly volunteer comments relating to the assigned readings and cases. You may also be called upon at random to discuss assigned readings and cases. Because of the size of the class, I will not attempt to grade your verbal participation during the class, as this detracts from the discussion. Therefore, at the end of the quarter, each person may submit a self-assessment of their verbal participation during class. This self-assessment should include any information that substantiates your contributions. The criterion is described below. It would be helpful for you to maintain a personal log of your class comments to document your self-evaluation assessment. Participation will be graded as follows: BA5080 Strategy Capstone Syllabus 5

Outstanding: Contributions in class reflect exceptional preparation. Ideas offered are always substantive, providing major insights, and fruitful direction for the class. Arguments are well-supported with evidence, and persuasively presented. If this person were not a member of the class, the quality of the discussions would be diminished significantly. (90-100 points) Good: Contributions in class reflect thorough preparation. Ideas are usually substantive; provide good insights, and sometimes a fruitful direction for the class. Arguments, when presented, are generally well-supported and are often persuasive. If this person were not a member of the class, the quality of the discussion would be diminished. (80-89 points) Adequate: Contributions in class reflect satisfactory preparation. Ideas offered are sometimes substantive, provide generally useful insights, and occasionally offer a new direction for the class discussion. Arguments are sometimes presented and are fairly well-supported and sometimes persuasive. If this person were not a member of the class, the quality of the discussions would be a little diminished. (70-79 points) Non-participant: This person contributes little to the class. If this person were not a member of the class, the quality of the discussions would not be significantly changed. (69-0 points) Administrative Policies Topics discussed in this class will be covered through a combination of lecture, case studies, video presentations and group discussions. A case course accomplishes its objectives only when students prepare and become involved in the activities of the entire class. I understand that other demands such as interviewing and illnesses may require you to miss some class work. Note that your course grade may be reduced by a full letter grade for excessive absences, in addition to grade reductions for lack of participation. Please let me know in advance via email if you're planning to miss a class. If you do miss a class, it is your responsibility to find out what material was covered and what additional assignments, if any were made. Important: Do not attend class if you are ill or feel you are coming down with something. It is a courtesy to your fellow students not to expose them to a possible communicable disease. Some assignments will be done in a group setting and must be completed in part outside of class. If you cannot meet outside of class with your group, you should not take this class. Because of the amount of group work required, class time when appropriate will be allocated to team meetings. You are also encouraged to meet in groups for general class preparation, but this is not essential. You are expected to be prepared for every class. Quizzes will be administered prior to class for topics covered in most class periods, so lack of preparation will result in an inability to succeed on these tests. Further, case discussion is not valuable if students have not read the case before class. Given the importance of class participation, I like to use your name when calling on you. In order to do that, I ask that you use a name card for every class. Assignments may not be turned in late and you will receive a zero for the assignment if it is not completed on time. No makeup work will be assigned. Any changes to this syllabus, due dates, course requirements or grading requirements will be made as far in advance as possible. All students will be held responsible for completion of all course components. Failure to meet these requirements in a timely manner will result in a failing grade being given for that portion of the class. BA5080 Strategy Capstone Syllabus 6

Given the importance of this course, I will do all that I can to use class time effectively and ask that you do the same. Keep all copies of assignments turned in, in the unlikely event that the instructor misplaces your material. Academic Integrity Policy The University Rules, including the student Code of Conduct, and other documented policies of the department, college, and university related to academic integrity will be enforced. Any violation of these regulations, including acts of plagiarism or cheating, will be dealt with on an individual basis according to the severity of the misconduct. See the Student Handbook for further details. Extra Credit Extra credit has not been included in the grading schema for this course. Any availability for extra credit is entirely at the discretion of the professor. Please do not count on extra credit, and please do not wait to discuss your performance until the last week of class. Special Needs Policy If you have any special needs related to your participation in this course, including identified visual impairment, hearing impairment, physical impairment, communication disorder, and/or specific learning disability that may influence your performance in this course, as determined by UC Disability Services, you should meet with the instructor to arrange for reasonable provisions to ensure an equitable opportunity to meet all the requirements of this course. Accommodations require prior approval from the professor and may require coordination with Disability Services. Grading The course grade is based upon your performance on tests and group projects. Final grades will be based on the following weights: Assessment Type Individual - Participation 5% Weight Individual Chapter Quizzes 20% Individual Case Quizzes 10% Individual LearnSmart 5% Individual CompXM Final Exam 20% Team Case Paper 15% Team Case Presentation 15% Team Capsim Simulation 10% Plus Whole Letter Minus A 100 93% 92.99 90% B 89.99-87% 86.99 83% 82.99 80% C 79.99-77% 76.99 73% 72.99-70% D 69.99-67% 66.99 63% 62.99-60% TOTAL 1,000 points 100% Syllabus Modifications The instructor reserves the right to modify the course syllabus. Such modifications will be announced in class before implementation. F 59.99% & below BA5080 Strategy Capstone Syllabus 7