MBA 2340 Strategy Project

APPLIES TO ACADEMIC YEAR 2012/2013

MBA 2340 Strategy Project

Responsible for the course
Randi Lunnan

Department
Department of Strategy and Logistics

Term
According to study plan

ECTS Credits
4,8

Language of instruction
English

Introduction
In this module we will integrate the knowledge of all the modules into making a coherent strategy project. The topic of the project is strategic change management, and the students must write a project proposal from analysis to implementation using models and insights from several of the MBA modules. When a strategic change is needed, it is rarely enough to only consider strategic analysis or for example finance or HRM, but the implications from all of these areas must be taken together and discussed coherently. The project proposals will be presented to a panel consisting of academics as well as business managers.
This module will challenge analytical and creative abilities as well as the capacity to integrate a range of different subjects. In addition we will focus strongly on making clear the implications of a strategic choice for all activities in the organization, and how these implications can be managed to make the strategic change happen. In this session students also will present their thesis projects, and this will give them an opportunity to get some corrections to work on for the final stages of their thesis process.

    Learning outcome
    The main objective of this module is to provide some summary and closure to their MBA experience. The students have been through 14 independent modules, and in this module we want to show that when the firm makes a strategic change, they cannot think of these areas independently, but must look for implications and interrelations between areas like finance and HRM before the strategy can be realized. The module will start out with some theory and models particularly related to international strategy process and implementation. The main part of the module will, however, be to use the insight from previous modules to write a coherent, interesting strategy project, where the goal is clear, the type of change needed is understood, and the implications for areas like finance, HRM, organization, supply chain and operations etc are well documented, and there is a clear indication for how these implications can be managed. It is also an objective of this module to connect what we started in the first module in terms of presentation and team skills to this final module in the sense that students will be working in groups, and they will present their work. Reflections drawn back to initial lectures and experiences along the way are therefore also a core part of this module. Finally, the module constitutes an important step in the thesis sequence, and the students are expected to finalize their project proposals and present them. This will give the thesis groups a chance to get final feedback before they finalize their work.

    Prerequisites
    Bachelor degree or equivalent, 4 years work experience, managerial experience and good written and oral knowledge of the English language. Please confirm our Student regulations.

    Compulsory reading
    Books:
    Bryman, Alan, Emma Bell. 2011. Business research methods. 3rd ed. Oxford University Press. 517
    Thompson, Arthur A., A.J. Strickland, John E. Gamble. 2011. Crafting and executing strategy : the quest for competitive advantage: concepts and cases. 18th ed. McGraw-Hill/Irwin. 449. Nyere utgave ventes august 2011
    Weissman, Jerry. 2008. Presenting to win : the art of telling your story. Updated and expanded ed. FT Press. 235

    Recommended reading

    Course outline
    The first day will consist of a mixture of lecture and start-up sessions. The second and third day will be mostly project work as well as presentations. The final day we will spend mostly on the thesis.

    Computer-based tools


    Learning process and workload
    The course is conducted as a teaching module, where students have classes all day for four subsequent days, a total of 32 hours.


    Examination
    The students are evaluated through presentations (50%) and project description (50%), in groups accounting for 4,8 ECTS. Evaluations are finished in class.

    Examination code(s)
    MBA 23401 - Process evaluation counting for 4,8 credits.
    The course is part of a full MBA and all evaluations must be passed in order to obtain a certificate for the degree.

    Examination support materials
    All aids permitted.

    Re-sit examination
    At the next ordinary exam.

    Additional information

    Semester

    Oversettelser