Corporate Strategy in a Globalizing World

Corporate Strategy in a Globalizing World - Executive, Modular, Dubai MBA

JOINT course teachers: Prof. Charles Baden-Fuller and Dr Santi Furnari

PLEASE NOTE THE ASSIGNMENT REQUIRES YOU TO START TO WORK NOW IF POSSIBLE IN A TEAM OF TWO OR THREE.

Aims

This module Corporate Strategy in a Globalizing World aims to increase your understanding what organisations are doing and what you need to be an effective senior manager. We draw on some of the latest developments in conceptual thinking in the field of management (broadly drawn) and couple this with highly practical exercises that look at what organisations are doing to deepen your understanding of what is Corporate Strategy.

We will provide you with a set of perspectives (and associated tools) that contain some well articulated academic thinking on corporate strategy and the top management agenda in a globalizing environment.

* Cognitive Processes and the Mind of the Chief Executive: How do chief executives see the world? What frameworks are currently available to identify and analyse this issue? How does the mind of the Top Management Team influence decision making and resource allocation in organisations? What can and should other executives do about this?

* The Logic of Complementarity and Differentiation: How does an organisation exploit its current capabilities, and when is differentiation risky? What happens when the organisation gets "out of fit" with its environment? How does it get back into fit?

* Social Networks and Corporate Strategy: What does it mean to network efficiently at the individual and organizational level? What are the insights from prior research about how to structure individual networks? And how can organisations structure their boundaries? Central to these perspectives are not just the interactions between the centre and the periphery of the organisation in terms of flows of goods, services and ideas, but also the flows between peripheral elements.

Managerial Action, Politics and Strategy Implementation: How do executives and middle managers move from ideas to action (and back)? We look at the practicalities of making things happen.

Each of these perspectives will be examined in the context of a globalizing world, where the ways of doing business differ by locality; and from the perspectives of (a) the organisation as a whole and (b) those working in the organisation, especially at, or near, the apex, as well as (c) a broader social awareness.

Instruction Methods

Prior to coming to the class, participants will be expected to read some important thought pieces that outline concepts, and these are likely to be drawn from leading academic sources (rather than text books).

There will be a number of cases that are used for class discussion. It is important that you read the case carefully, and consider the accompanying questions.

TWO one page case write ups (10% each total 20%):

You must write-up individually a ONE PAGE SUMMARY of TWO cases one from each of Friday-Saturday (Kodak or Edwards High Vacuum) and Sunday-Monday (ARM Holdings or Xerox). Each write-up counts for 10%. Your write up should be analytical, that is you should state your view and justify the view with logic and argument. Each write up must be submitted in BEFORE the class begins (use Moodle please and hand in hardcopy in class). Late hand-in scores zero. In writing your individual case write-up,you are advised to follow the questions assigned for guideline for each case.

Essay (70%) Teams of TWO or THREE are best. Solo teams will be difficult and will get lower mark.

Write an essay that looks at how the executive process works in ONE of your organisations, and assess its effectiveness. This is best done in a small team, as you can get the benefit of debating among two or three people. To do this, we suggest you follow a particular decision that has been made in one of your organisations, and interview the participants in the decision making process. When structuring the answer we suggest that you do the following (and note the approximate weighting of the mark for the elements).

THE ESSAY SHOULD IF POSSIBLE BE DONE IN TEAMS OF TWO (5 mark penalty for individual work without prior permission only given with justification). BUT NOTE THAT PART (d) MUST BE AN INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTION

a) A description of the organisational context (Size, market position, history, your role in the organisation) and of the decision you chose to follow (it MUST have happened). The decision could be something like a merger, a decision to build a controversial new plant, a decision to close a division, or enter a new market. (1 pages) - approx 20%

b) A description of the process that the "decision" actually followed (where did it start, who assessed it, what did each actor think was happening, how and why did it get approved) - approx 20%

c) KEY ELEMENT: An assessment of the quality of the process: how did the process improve or impair the quality of the decision and its implementation, in making this assessment, look at both the process and the content. In making this assessment please explain the frameworks and concepts learned in the course that you are using - approx 40%

d) (WHERE PROJECT IS DONE IN TEAM, THIS ELEMENT IS INDIVIDUAL) Explain what you learned that was surprising from studying this decision, and address in what way the course helped (or did not help) you in this learning - approx 20%

NOTE: You must post on Moodle and let us know in an email when you have completed the identification of your team and your company and the likely decision you will follow. PLEASE do this before the course starts!

Class attendance and participation (10%)

(Note if you do not attend regularly and participate you cannot pass the course.)

DETAILED OUTLINE

Friday 25 May AM, Session One: Cognitive Processes and the Mind of the Executive

This session will explore how executives think about strategy. We will pay particular attention to the "power of analogy", and how this influences the thinking processes that can either help or trap executives.

Readings

** Gavetti G., Rivkin JW. 2005. "How Strategists Really Think: Tapping the Power of Analogy". Harvard Business Review.83,