Prerequisite
15.902, Strategic Management I
Broad Description of the Course
This course is intended to be an extension of course 15.902, Strategic Management I, with the purpose of allowing the students to experience an in-depth application of the concepts and frameworks of strategic management. Throughout the course, Professor Hax will discuss the appropriate methodologies, concepts, and tools pertinent to strategic analyses and will illustrate their use by discussing many applications in real-life settings, drawn from his own personal experiences.
Teaching Methodology
This course will use a combination of readings, case studies, lectures, and group research projects conducted by the students. The primary focus of the course will be on students working in teams to develop the strategic analysis of a business of their choice.
Required Textbooks
Hax, and Majluf. The Strategy Concept and Process: A Pragmatic Approach. 2nd ed. Prentice Hall, 1996.
Hax, and Wilde. The Delta Project: Discovering New Sources Of Profitability. Palgrave, 2001.
Readings from these books will be reassigned to allow for further more in-depth reflection on each relevant topic.
Package of additional readings might be distributed as the course progresses.
Requirements
The requirements are two-fold:
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Group assignment for the development of a business strategy. The students will select their own groups, limited to at most 4 people per group, to develop a full business strategy. The students will present a written report. The report should address the following issues:
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Executive Summary
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Strategic Positioning of the Business
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Customer Segmentation and Customer Value Proposition
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Mission of the Business
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Environmental Scan at the Business Level (Opportunities and Threats)
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Internal Scrutiny at the Business Level (Strengths and Weaknesses)
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Strategic Agenda of the Business
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Customer Targeting
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Operational Effectiveness
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Innovation
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Aggregate and Granular Metrics
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Economic Evaluation of the Business Strategy
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Conclusions
The final deadline for project report is October 17.
- Class participation. Your active participation in the discussion in class is considered very important in this course. Prior preparation of the cases and assigned readings are essential. By making 30% of your grade dependent on your participation in class we hope to encourage you to feel responsible in making this course work. It is expected the students will make oral presentations throughout the course. Class attendance is required.