Course Description: Functions over a given domain
normally behave in predictable fashion. However once you begin to approach
a border, or an obstacle, prediction of behavior becomes much less
certain. Figuring out what will happen at such boundaries often requires
solving complicated differential or partial differential equations.
Businesses and their functional groups also generally behave in
predictable fashion when the environment or "domain" is stable. But when
forced to operate beyond their comfortable boundaries, forecasting
outcomes for these entities becomes a risky business. Businesses can
minimize the risks of unexpected outcomes through the use of successful
formulas for strategic thinking, decision making and negotiation. This
course is designed to provide engineers and technical professionals with
an understanding of the theory, concepts, and assumptions of strategy,
decision making, and negotiation, Students will be introduced to the
fundamentals of strategy at the corporate level to provide a context for
strategic thinking at various levels within the enterprise, enabling
technical managers to gain insight into how their roles improve the
organization's capabilities for value creation and distribution. Strategic
thinking and decision-making that supports the execution of corporate
strategy will be explored. Effective managers in today's fast-paced and
ever-changing business and technical environments must also develop the
capability to negotiate both externally and internally. The second part of
this course focuses on theory and implementation strategies of
negotiation, examination of the causes of conflict and conflict management
techniques. These skills will be examined in the context of achieving
goals and strategy.
Course Objectives: Students will: understand how
corporate strategy is developed and managed; become aware of and
understand methods to systematically analyze the environment and the
strategic functions of an organization; become aware and understand the
responsibilities and strategic issues facing executives in manufacturing
and operations; become aware and understand the various opportunities,
environmental constraints, and adverse pressures under which decisions are
made; understand how business units and middle managers affect and support
corporate strategy; understand how to execute strategy in a changing
environment; understand the elements of risk and uncertainty involved in
making decisions about the commitment of resources; develop skills for
strategic thinking and management; discover ways to achieve positive
results and solutions where goals and resources compete; understand the
essential role communication plays in negotiation; learn to ask the right
questions; learn how effective negotiation can contribute to improved
problem solving and conflict resolution.
Course Outline by Topical Areas:
| Introduction: The General Manager and the
Role of Strategy |
|
Course Overview and Administration
|
|
Identifying the Strategy of a Business
|
|
The General Manager and the Role of
Strategy |
| Business Strategy and Sources of
Competitive Advantages |
|
Finding New Markets for Disruptive
Technologies |
| Corporate Strategy and the Scope of the
Firm |
|
Managing for Value in a Multi-Business
Firm |
|
Diversification and Leveraging Corporate
Advantage |
|
Vertical Integration and the Value Chain
|
|
Corporate Venture Capital
|
|
Creating Value Through Globalization
|
| Internal Context and Organizational
Capabilities |
|
Organization Design and Organizational
Capabilities |
|
Organization and Competitive Advantage
|
|
Linking Strategy and Organization Learning
|
|
Understanding and Building Orgs'
Capabilities to Innovate |
| External Context and Competitive Dynamics
|
|
Value-Based Business Strategy
|
|
The Spectrum of Competition and Niche
Markets |
|
Strategic Groups and Competitive
Positioning |
|
Competition in Concentrated Markets -
Dominant Firm |
|
Complementarity and Coopetition
|
|
Entry and Advantage of Incumbency
|
| Business Strategy in Changing Markets
|
|
Strategic Management in a Changing
Environment |
|
Critical Fixities and Disadvantages of
Incumbency |
|
Strategy in Markets with Demand-Side
Increasing Returns |
|
Entry in Rapidly Evolving Markets
|
|
Conclusions/ Lessons/ What's next?
|
