Robert Morris University - The School of Business - MBA

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MBAD7913 Strategic Management

Offered: Classroom & Online

General Description of the Course:

In the RMU School of Business MBA curriculum Strategic Management is the capstone course which requires graduate business students to integrate and build on the knowledge and skills acquired in the MBA core courses. It emphasizes the use of strategic thinking and business skills in the formulation and implementation of strategy through processes such as stakeholder audits, industry and competitive analysis, value chain analysis, identification of capabilities and core competences, and business and corporate strategy selection in both the domestic and international contexts. Cutting edge topics like e-commerce, corporate entrepreneurship and innovation, collaborative advantage, outsourcing, governance and business ethics will also be covered.

Prerequisites:

Completion of a minimum of 21 credit hours in the MBA Program. It is highly recommended that students have taken foundation courses in marketing, accounting, finance, operations management, and organizational behavior.

The CAPSTONE^TM Simulation:

Overview:

• The focus of this exercise is on managing a "real" company that is competing in a "real" industry. You will be part of a management team that will be in charge of a specific company. Your team will be constantly analyzing the external competitive environment, monitoring internal factors and making decisions for your company.
• Just as in the real world, your performance will be measured by how well your company performs. The company that finishes the simulation in first place will earn an "A" for "company standing." Companies below first place will be graded accordingly.

Teams:

• Management Teams will consist of four students when possible. Each team will work together all semester.
• Each team member is expected to contribute his (or her) fair share. At the end of the semester, each team member will evaluate the work of the other team members. Individual grades on the team assignments will be weighted by these evaluations. All evaluations will be strictly confidential. The simulation provides team development and peer evaluation processes.

Making Decisions:

• Company decisions must uploaded to the CAPSTONE^TM Business Simulation web site no later than midnight on the dates given below and highlighted in the Course Schedule. There will be two practice rounds and eight 'real' rounds of the simulation. Each round represents one year.
• The CAPSTONE Business Simulation web site is set to enable team members to post messages and exchange information. Use of the web site will be monitored. This serves as a good indication of the team member's level of participation.

Getting Results:

• To see how well your company did after your decisions were implemented you must download your results reported in the Capstone Courier from the web site. Results will be available any time after 12:10 a.m. on the day after the upload deadline.

Assignments:

• Initial Situation Analysis - (Team)
• Mid-Term Strategic Plan - (Individual)
• Final Executive Summary - (Team)
• Company Standing - (Team)
• Oral Presentation - (Team)

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