Business Strategy

MG-480
School of Business and Economics

Program BBA
Semester Fall 2019 (15 weeks – 3 Cr Hours)
Pre requisites (if any) Foundation Courses of all business desciplines
Resource Person Sami Ullah Bajwa, Assitant Professor
Contact information Room No. 5, Department of Management, SBE
Email: [email protected]
Faculty Profile Link: http://sbe.umt.edu.pk/dom1/Academics/Faculty/Sami-Ullah-
Bajwa.aspx
Counselling Hours Monday 1:00PM to 6:00 PM
Tuesday 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Wednessday On appointment
Thursday 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Friday 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM

Program Objectives
1. Critical Thinking and Decision Making: Graduates must be able to use analytical and reflective thinking
techniques to identify and analyze problems, develop viable alternatives, make effective decisions and apply
appropriate quantitative and qualitative techniques in solving business problems.
2. Effective Communication Skills: Graduates must be able to draft effective business documents and prepare and
deliver effective oral business presentations using a variety of appropriate technologies.
3. Ethics and Sustainability: Graduates must be able to identify and analyze ethical conflicts and sustainability
issues involving different stakeholders in order to develop viable alternatives and make effective decisions
relating to business ethics and sustainability.
4. Core Business Knowledge and Competence: Graduates must be able to demonstrate competency in the
underlying concepts, theory and tools taught in the core undergraduate curriculum.
5. Effective Teamwork and Leadership Skills: Graduates must be able to work effectively in teams and understand
group processes, leadership, conflict, power and culture in organizations.
6. Industry Focus: Graduates must be able to understand the dynamics of local industry and understand business
as an integrated system and apply strategic planning tools to coordinate among the functional areas. 
7. Global Perspective (Internationalization): Graduates must be able to identify and analyze relevant global factors
that influence decision-making and develop viable alternatives and make effective decisions in an international
business setting.

Course Discription and Objectives

The world we live in is constantly changing. The turbulent business environments are so fickle, that what happens
today was never seen in the past, and what will happen tomorrow, is totally unpredictable. Organizations today are
meeting diversified challenges including competitive pressures, technological sophistication, diversity, environmental
and social dynamism etc. Moreover, while world is getting globalized at an unprecedented rate, recent happening like
Brexit and rise of nationalist political agenda in leading countries pose paradoxical veracities to the contomorary
businesses around the world. For Pakistan business, this internationalization mileu has further enriched in the wake
of China Pak Economic Cooridor (CPEC), which present unique opportunities and challenges for our businesses and
vis-à-vis require cutting edge solutions and strategies. Accordingly, the greatest challenge faced by organizations
today is how to strategically manage themselves by understanding the dynamics of environmental change and
organizational capabilities and their interaction with appropriate business strategies and policies.

The objectives of this course are to:

1. Enable participants to understand how the pivotal links are created in managing an overall organization through
external adaptation and internal integration.
2. Bring to light the Industry dynamics and international/global forces
3. Help participants in understanding strategic choises for fostering growth and gaining Sustain Competitive
Advantage by aligning resources and external forces in a coordinated, synergistic and integrated manner.
4. Enabling participants to steer an organization in Pakistani and international environment by making strategies,
implementing them and their preodic undertaking review

Learning Outcomes
With successful completion of the course, participants will be able to

1. Analyze, formulate and implement strategies at the corporate level, Business Unit level and Functional level to
manage business portfolios using appropriate strategic frameworks incorporating judgemental thinking, scenario
analysis and critical reasoning.
2. Comprehend various analytical tools and matrices to assess the macro and industry environment by
understanding various theories of competitive advantage, RBV, IO theory etc and integrating cross functional
strategies of marketing, finance, management, MIS, operationtions and supply chain etc.
3. Develop a thorough understanding of the Strategic Management Frameworks by studying various models,
identifying problems and providing solutions in real world scenarios. Understand the nature & philosophy of
corporate intent (Vision, Mission, Policy, Goals & objectives) and learn the art of strategy formulation,
implementation and control procedures at the corporate, business unit and functional levels.
4. Evaluate and anticipate the impact of environmental variables (Macro, Industry and global) and extract pertinent
opportunities or threats from it by using case studies method. Students will be able to identify challenges and
emerging opportunities in the face of increasing globalization, and regional partnerships like European Union
and One-Belt-One-Road initiatives.
5. Analyse and synthesize interplay of various competing forces pertaining to organizational success, while keepin
gin view international context, global ethics, and cultural competencies.

Teaching Methodology
Case Studies 30%
Lectures 20%
Project 20%
In class activities 10%
Simulation 10%
Industry Assignment 10%

Evaluation Criteria
WAC and Discussion 20 Marks
Quizzes 15 Marks
Class Participation 10 Marks
Project + Presentations 10 Marks
Simulation 05 Marks
Mid Term 15 Marks
End Term 25 Marks

Recommended Textbooks & Supplies

1. Strategic Management: Concepts & Cases (13th Edition). Fred R. David, Pearson Prentice Hall 2012
2. Articles and handouts (Please refer to “Moodle”)
3. Strategic Management and Business Policy by Thomas L. Wheelen, J. David Hunger & KrishRangarajan. 9th
Edition. Pearson Education
4. Business Recorder Daily
5. Harvard Business Review

Calendar of Activities

Teaching Assessment
SR TOPIC’S to be covered in the course Learning objective of this topic
Methods Criteria
 Expectation of students from the Knowing more about each other
course Understanding main contours of the
 Scope of Scope course
1
 Resource Persons’ profile
 Sumarry Course outline

PART 1: Introduction to Business Strategy  Understand three stages of SMP

 Strategies for International  Differentiate between Corporate,
Lecture
businesses Business Unit and Functional Levels In class
2 Video Clip
 The Business Vision & Mission of a Organization evaluation
Handouts
 Introduction to strategy process  Understand why and how companies
go international or global
 The Nature Of Strategic Management  Distinguish between Strategy and
 Defining Strategic Management the strategic management process
 Key Terms& The Strategic  Derive the benefits of Strategic Lecture
3 Management Framework Management Handouts WAC1
 Benefits of Strategic Management  Comprehend the SMP Process Video Clip
 The Nature of Global Competition
 PART 2: STRATEGY FORMULATION  Construct a Vision and a Mission Group
 The Business Vision & Mission Statement activity
 Mission and Vision  Understand the components of
 Importance of Vision and Mission Mission Statement
Case (Cola
Statements  Differentiate a strong vs. a weak Video Clip
War going
 Characteristics of a Mission mission statement Handouts
global) &
4 Statement  Identify the role of Vision & Mission
Assignment 1
 Components of Mission Statement and correlate it with strategic Intent.
Case Analysis
 Comparing Vision of 3 national and  Comprehend the importance of
Discussion
multinational companies Corporate Governance and social
 Solving case studies responsibility.
o WAC-PPT  Comprehend what a case study is
o Case Analysis and how to attack a case study
 Learning through cases
 External Environmental Analysis  Distinguishdifferent variables of
 The External Audit (Nature and Macro Environment (PEST) &
Process) understand their impact on strategic
 Social, Cultural, Demographic, alignment of a firm Handout
Political, Governmental, Legal,  Understand the nature and dynamics Video
Technological, and Competitive of an Industry. WAC1
Competitor
5 Forces  Clarify the factors that are present in Assignment 1
Analysis
 Impact of International the Micro environment vs. the factors Mid Term
worksheet
factors/forces and forces that drive an Industry. Framework
 Competitive Analysis: Porters 5  Use Template of 5-Forces model
Forces Model  Construct an EFE Matrix and CPM
 Industry Analysis: EFE and CPM

 Case Analysis: TBA  Addressing major Issues of the case Case

6  Analyzing strategic options available Discussion WAC
Selection of strategy
 Internal Environmental Analysis  Perform an Internal Audit Article
 The Internal Audit (Nature and  Construct a Value Chain for the firm Discussion
Process-Business Functions) in question. Lecture WAC2
7  RBV  Understand the importance of Framework Assignment 2
 Internal Functions of business resources by applying the VRIN Video clip: Mid Term
 Value Chain Analysis framework RBV & CA
 IFE Matrix  Construct an IFE Matrix
 Strategies In Action  Differentiate and Develop long term Lecture
 Long Term Objectives objectives (Strategic and Financial) Template
 Balanced Score Card  Application of Balanced Score Card Video
 Types of Strategies (Levels)  Analyzing and comprehend
o Integration Strategies corporate and business unit level WAC2
o Intensive Strategies strategies (Integration, Intensive, Assignment 2
8 End Term
o Diversification Strategies Diversification, Defensive,
International) Exam
o Defensive Strategies
o International strategies  Understand Porters Generic
strategies
o Porters Generic Strategies
 Means of Achieving Strategies
9 Mid Term Exam
  Strategy Analysis and Choice  Develop & Match strategies using
 Nature and Process business frameworks and models
 Comprehensive Strategy-  Use Strategic planning Matrix for
decision & selection of final strategy WAC2
10 Formulation Framework Templates
 Use the related frameworks which lead Assignment 2
 Input Stage Lecture
to choices of strategies Final Project
 Matching Stage Handout
 Construct a QSPM (Quantitative End Term
 SWOT Matrix, SPACE Work Sheet
Strategic Planning Matrix)framework for Class Activity
Matrix, BCG Matrix, IE
Matrix, Grand Strategy strategic choice

 Case Analysis: TBA  Addressing major Issues of the case

 Analyzing strategic options available Case
11 WAC
Selection of strategy Discussion

PART 3: STRATEGY  Developing implementation plan. Lecture

IMPLEMENTATION  Relating implementation issues with Video Clip WAC 3
 Implementation Strategies: organizational structure. Final Project
Management & Operations Issues  Match the requirements of structures End Term
12  The Nature of Strategy with various levels of strategy at the Class
Implementation corporate, business unit and functional Discussion
 Annual Objectives & Policies levels Class Activity
 Matching Structure with  Correlating Business Unit strategies with
strategy functional strategies.

 Strategy Review, Evaluation and  Evaluation implemented strategies by Activity:

Control using revised Matrices. Control
 Strategy-Evaluation  Identify strategic gap’s model WAC3
13 Framework  Comprehend the use of balanced Framework Simulation
 Contingency Planning scorecard.
 Developing plans for corrective actions Simulation
 Construct contingency plans.
FINAL PROJECT PRESENTATIONS-DAY 1  Practically and comprehensively apply
14 all the frameworks, tools, concepts, and Present. Defense-Viva
strategies learnt
FINAL PROJECT PRESENTATIONS-DAY 1  Practically and comprehensively apply
15 all the frameworks, tools, concepts, and Present. Defense-Viva
strategies learnt
End Term Exam (As Per Date Sheet)
Participant Responsibilities
Students are required to read and understand all items outlined in the participant handbook
 Class Policy
 You need to be at class at the assigned time. After 10 minutes past the assigned time, you will be marked
absent.
 Turn off your mobile phone! It is unprofessional to be texting or otherwise.
 Read your emails! You are responsible if you miss a deadline because you did not read your email.
Participants should regularly check their university emails accounts regularly and respond accordingly.

 Class Attendance Policy

 A minimum of 80% attendance is required for a participant to be eligible to sit in the final examination. Being sick
and going to weddings are absences and will not be counted as present. You have the opportunity to use 6
absences out of 30 classes. Participants with less than 80% of attendance in a course will be given grade ‘F’
(Fail) and will not be allowed to take end term exams. International students who will be leaving for visa during
semester should not use any days off except for visa trip. Otherwise they could reach short attendance.

 Moodle
Participants should regularly visit the course website on MOODLE Course Management system, and fully benefit
from its capabilities. If you are facing any problem using moodle, visit http://oit.umt.edu.pk/moodle. For further
query send your queries to [email protected]

 Harassment Policy
Sexual or any other harassment is prohibited and is constituted as punishable offence. Sexual or any other
harassment of any participant will not be tolerated. All actions categorized as sexual or any other harassment
when done physically or verbally would also be considered as sexual harassment when done using electronic
media such as computers, mobiles, internet, emails etc.

 Use of Unfair Means/Honesty Policy

Any participant found using unfair means or assisting another participant during a class test/quiz, assignments or
examination would be liable to disciplinary action.

 Plagiarism Policy
All students are required to attach a “Turnitin” report on every assignment, big or small. Any student who
attempts to bypass “TurnItin” will receive “F” grade which will count towards the CGPA. The participants submit
the plagiarism report to the resource person with every assignment, report, project, thesis etc. If student attempts
to cheat Turnitin, he/she will receive a second “F” that will count towards the CGPA. There are special rules on
plagiarism for final reports etc. all outlined in your handbook.

 Withdraw Policy
Students may withdraw from a course till the end of the 12th week of the semester. Consequently, grade W will
be awarded to the student which shall have no impact on the calculation of the GPA of the student.A Student
withdrawing after the 12th week shall be automatically awarded “F” grade which shall count in the GPA.

 Communication of Results
The results of quizzes, midterms and assignments are communicated to the participants during the semester and
answer books are returned to them. It is the responsibility of the course instructor to keep the participants
informed about his/her progress during the semester. The course instructor will inform a participant at least one
week before the final examination related to his or her performance in the course.