GRA 6716 Managing in Business Networks

APPLIES TO ACADEMIC YEAR 2013/2014

GRA 6716 Managing in Business Networks


Responsible for the course
Debbie Harrison, Lena Bygballe

Department
Department of Strategy and Logistics

Term
According to study plan

ECTS Credits
6

Language of instruction
English

Introduction
Managing in business networks is a complex and challenging task. The objective of the course is to develop an understanding of this complexity by focusing on key issues, challenges and opportunities involved in managing in business networks. The students will learn some of the basic frameworks and concepts used by the Industrial Marketing and Purchasing (IMP) Group. The IMP group focuses on interaction between and across companies and how management is concerned with the creation of actor bonds, activity links and resource ties in business relationships. The frameworks, concepts and key themes will be illustrated using examples from European companies. The course is offered to all MSc in Business and Economics students and it is particularly relevant for students specialising in Logistics, Strategy or Marketing.

Learning outcome
Acquired knowledge
(i) To understand how companies can manage in business networks.
(ii) To gain knowledge of concepts and tools to analyse and manage in business networks; e.g. Interaction model, ARA-model, 4-Resource model.
(iii) To understand and appreciate the differences in the relationship and network levels on both the supplier and customer sides.

Acquired skills
(i) To be able to explain the substance, function, role and position of relationships and networks.
(ii) To be able to compare and critique key business network models.
(iii) To be able to identify and analyse network connections.

Reflection
(i) To understand and appreciate how business networks influence and are influenced by political, scientific, and environmental issues.
(ii) To be able to be a reflexive manager in business networks.


    Prerequisites
    A bachelor degree qualifying for admission to the MSc Programme

    Compulsory reading

    Articles:
    The articles to be used on the course will be taken from journals such as Industrial Marketing Management, Journal of Business Research and Research Policy. Further detailed information will be provided in the course outline

    Other:
    During the course there may be hand-outs and other material on additional topics relevant for the course and the examination.


    Recommended reading
    Books:
    Håkansson, Håkan ... [et al.]. 2009. Business in networks. Wiley. All. Recommended literature

    Course outline
    The themes to be covered include:
    * Managing in Business Networks and limits to managing in business networks
    * Life cycles: Initiating, developing and ending business relationships
    * Network dynamics
    * Managing in supplier networks
    * Managing in customer networks
    * Managing change and development
    * Resourcing logistics in networks
    * Managing in project-based networks

      Computer-based tools
      It's learning

      Learning process and workload
      A course of 6 ECTS credits corresponds to a workload of 160-180 hours. Students are expected to participate actively during the lectures.

      Please note that while attendance is not compulsory in all courses, it is the student’s own responsibility to obtain any information provided in class that is not included on the course homepage/It's learning or text book



      Examination
      (a) A 3 -hour written exam (individual) - 70% of the final grade.
      (b) Class participation - 30% of the final grade.
      The requirements for the class participation grade will be explained in the course outline

      Specific information regarding student evaluation beyond the information given in the course description will be provided in class. This information may be relevant for requirements for termpapers or other hand-ins, and/or where class participation can be one of several elements of the overall evaluation.

      This is a course with continuous assessment (several exam elements) and one final exam code. Each exam element will be graded using points on a scale (e.g. 0-100). The elements will be weighted together according to the information in the course description in order to calculate the final letter grade for the course. You will find detailed information about the point system and the cut off points with reference to the letter grades on the course site in It’s learning.


      Examination code(s)
      GRA 67161 continuous assessment accounts for 100% of the final grade in GRA 6716

      Examination support materials
      A bilingual dictionary.Exam aids at written examiniations are explained under exam information in the student portal @bi. Please note use of calculator and dictionary in the section on examaids

      Re-sit examination
      It is only possible to retake an examination when the course is next taught.
      The assessment in some courses is based on more than one exam code.
      Where this is the case, you may retake only the assessed components of one of these exam codes.
      Where this is not the case, all of the assessed components of the course must be retaken.
      All retaken examinations will incur an additional fee.


      Additional information
      Honour Code
      Academic honesty and trust are important to all of us as individuals, and represent values that are encouraged and promoted by the honour code system. This is a most significant university tradition. Students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with the ideals of the honour code system, to which the faculty are also deeply committed.

      Any violation of the honour code will be dealt with in accordance with BI’s procedures for cheating. These issues are a serious matter to everyone associated with the programs at BI and are at the heart of the honour code and academic integrity. If you have any questions about your responsibilities under the honour code, please ask.