Identify clearly what you know and what you do not know
Strategic Management
Spring 2015
Autumn 2012
HOW TO USE THIS LEARNING GUIDE
ICON KEY
?? Activity
??
??
Checklist
Deadline
?? Handout
?? Hint
?? Important
information
?? Online
activity
?? Reading
?? Toolkit
?? Warning
This learning guide supplements the unit outline and is designed to help you
navigate through the unit. It will help you focus on what you need to do for
classes and the various assessment tasks. You should consult the relevant
section of the learning guide as you plan your study it will highlight the main
things that you should be getting out of the resources available and provide
guidance on teaching activities and class preparation.
The learning guide also offers some study tips to assist you in developing the
skills and techniques of an effective learner at university level. In addition to
acquiring information and skills relevant to this unit you should also focus on
developing the habits and tools of a successful university student. As an adult
learner you need to take control of your own learning and ensure your own
success. This learning guide is specifically designed to help you achieve this.
A standard set of icons is used throughout the learning guide to make
navigation easier. Use the icons to quickly identify important information things
you need to do and hints for doing them.
STAFF
Unit
Coordinator
and point of
first contact
Marion Cornish
Building ED.G.34 Parramatta campus
Phone: 9685 9984 Email: m.cornish@uws.edu.au
Unit
administration
School of Business Student and Academic Services Team
Building ED.G.99 Parramatta Campus
Phone: 9685 9200 Email: business.courses@uws.edu.au
Teaching team Bankstown: Dr Jim Mitchell
Telephone :(02) 9772 6795
Mobile : 0404492902
Email : j.mitchell@uws.edu.au
Campus : Bankstown
Room :20.1.14
Staff Profile :http://uws.edu.au/staff_profiles/uws_profiles/doctor_jim_mitchell
Campbelltown: John Hibberd
Email : j.hibberd@uws.edu.au
CONSULTATION ARRANGEMENTS
All campuses Marion Cornish available Tuesday and Thursday (by appointment) and Monday
Friday via email. Jim Mitchell Wednesday (by appointment) and Monday-
Wednesday by email. John Hibberd Thursday only (by appointment).
Edition: Spring 2015
Copyright: University of Western Sydney 2015. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form
or by any means electronic or mechanical including photocopying recording or by any information storage and retrieval
system without the prior written permission from the Dean of the School of Business. Copyright for acknowledged materials
reproduced herein is retained by the copyright holder. All readings in this publication are copied under licence in
accordance with Part VB of the Copyright Act 1968.
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Contents
SECTION ONE
ABOUT MANAGING PEOPLE AT
WORK 3
An introduction to this unit 3
Textbook 3
Approach to teaching 3
Learning outcomes 3
SECTION TWO
ASSESSMENT DETAILS 5
Assessment summary 3
Assessment 1: Individual case study report
(30%) 5
Overview 5
Details 5
Marking criteria and standards 8
Assessment 2: Group strategic simulation
report and presentation (40%) 10
Overview 10
Details 11
Marking criteria and standards:
Group report 15
Marking criteria and standards:
Presentation 17
Assessment 3: Final examination (40%) 20
Details 23
Marking criteria and standards 24
General assessment requirements 25
Assignment cover sheet 25
Turnitin 25
Late submission 25
After-hours submission 25
Extension of due date for submission 25
Feedback on assessment 26
SECTION THREE
TEACHING ACTIVITES 29
Schedule of activities 27
SECTION FOUR
LEARNING RESOURCES 34
Recommended reading 32
Referencing requirements 34
Other resources that might help with
university life 34
SECTION FIVE
THIS UNIT AND YOU 37
What is expected of you 35
Workload 35
Attendance 36
Student responsibilities and conduct 36
What you can expect from the teaching team 37
Changes to unit as a result of student
feedback 37
Policy and how it affects you 37
What is academic misconduct? 38
What is non-academic misconduct? 38
Raising concerns 38
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About Strategic Management
An introduction to this unit
This unit explores the nature and essence of strategy and how this is created in various
organisational industry and economic contexts. The complexity of the strategy process
content and context means that there is and never will be one clear position on strategy and
what this means to the majority of those interested in the development of strategic thinking
capability. The paradoxes and debates in the field of strategy are explored in an effort to
understand the concept of sustainable competitive advantage. Students will utilise the
theoretical knowledge presented in a dialectical enquiry framework to undertake strategic
analysis and develop a selection of strategic options for case study scenarios.
Strategic Management is a core unit in the in the broadly based multi-discipline Bachelor of
Business and Commerce. The unit develops communication and information literacies and
provides integrates theoretical and applied knowledge to analyse and solve complex and novel
problems facing organisations. This is essential for all disciplines and is the basis for students
to develop and apply comprehensive and connected knowledge in management.
As a final year unit the aims are also to address and qualify the UWS Graduate attributes
during the course of the semester. The Universitys graduate attributes related to this unit are:
?? Commands communication numeracy social interaction information literacy
technology literacy skills.
?? Demonstrates comprehensive coherent and connected knowledge.
?? Applies knowledge in professional or applied contexts.
?? Brings knowledge to life through responsible engagement and appreciation of diversity.
Textbook
De Wit B Meyer R 2014 Strategy synthesis: resolving strategy paradoxes to create
competitive advantage 4th edn South Western Cengage Learning London. [Or latest edition
Ebook]
Approach to teaching
We study at the tertiary level essentially to be capable of critical evaluation which in this
instance is about the nature and essence of strategy and how this is constructed in various
social organisational and industry contexts.
Debates about the nature of strategy are extensive in both the theoretical and real world.
Understanding strategy as a construct means that there is and never will be one clear
definition of strategy and what this means to the majority of those interested in the
development and implementation of strategy.
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Particularly in the study of organisations one definition is never possible as the constraints
and demands on management differ from context to context. Organisations under crisis will
demand different strategies from those which are under little current threat say in prosperous
economic times. Therefore as scholars interested in strategy and its societal impacts we must
constantly take an interest in and follow the debates in the field. This unit and the learning
which will take place starts that journey.
We learn best when we study what we find relevant and interesting to us as individuals. This
unit is designed to allow you the opportunity to find the relevance of what you are studying in a
theoretical framework and apply that to what you seek to learn in terms of strategy in the
practical sense.
The unit Strategic Management is one of the final units in the Management degree. This unit
therefore aims to integrate the knowledge and skills of students at the completion of their
program of study.
The introduction of a business strategy simulation into this unit aims to support both the
Universitys and School of Business requirements for student blended learning opportunities.
Business strategy simulations have a long history in management development practice.
Business simulations are some of the earliest forms of gamification now widely utilised as a
motivational learning tool. Learners undertake decision making in teams over a period of
approximately 8 weeks (competing in workshop cohorts) during the semester involving the
complex interplay of various functional requirements of the business. Decisions will be minuted
by the groups at the end of each workshop decision. Firm performance measurements based
on stakeholder perspectives such as decisions on corporate social responsibility and
shareholder returns determine current share price values of the organisations being managed
by teams of participants- in the university context by teams of students.
Overview of resources assessments and learning outcomes in this unit
ASSESSMENT
vUWS
Library resources
Learning guide
Lecture and tutorial
material
Textbook
LEARNING RESOURCES
Case analysis
(30%)
Group
strategic simulation report
and presentation
(40%)
2456
Final examination
(30%) 125
1-35
LEARNING OUTCOMES WEEK DUE
Week 8
Week 13
As per the UWS exam
schedule
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Assessment details
Learning outcomes
Strategic Management is a core unit in the in the broadly based multi -discipline Bachelor of
Business and Commerce. The unit develops communication and information literacies and
provides integrates theoretical and applied knowledge to analyse and solve complex and novel
problems facing organisations. This is essential for all disciplines and is the basis for students
to develop and apply comprehensive and connected knowledge in management. Learning
outcomes for the unit are outlined below.
1. Explain the impact of key elements of leadership people and organisational
culture in the formulation and implementation of strategy.
2. Apply contrasting theoretical approaches to strategic management.
3. Reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of various…
