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  • 1.  Strategy Projects

    Posted 01-20-2009 15:47

    Colleagues,

     

    UW-Madison has an exec-MBA strategy program that it runs for one single-industry company – that is, the two-year program is taught onsite and mirrors the general organization and delivery of our regular weekend exec-MBA program. I've taught the strategy course in our regular exec-MBA for a decade, but this single-firm context seems like it could provide opportunities that the mixed-firm class does not. If any of you has experience with a type of single-firm MBA program I'd be curious to hear what final project – for a strategy class (mostly formulation, with some mention of what might derail implementation) – you would assign.  For example, sometimes I ask students to do a strategy audit (troubleshoot the strategy and make recommendations) on their firm, but this would yield 40 papers about the same firm.  So, again, I am looking for creative alternatives.

     

    As a reminder, the BPS teaching toolkit is still up and running, and can be found at:

     

    http://research3.bus.wisc.edu/file.php/139/Toolkit/bpstools.htm

     

    Thank you!  Mason

     

    Mason A. Carpenter

    Professor and M. Keith Weikel Chair in Leadership

    (608) 262-9449 o

    mcarpenter@bus.wisc.edu e

     

     

     

     



  • 2.  Strategy Projects

    Posted 01-20-2009 16:23
    Good afternoon Mason

    One thing I'm trying in a slightly different context (regular part-time MBA strategy class) is a single- INDUSTRY, multi-FIRM project.  (I.e., Students will analyze the US airline industry but can choose among Delta, US Airways, American, and Southwest for the firm portion.)  Hopefully, that'll provide ME some variety, which is what, if I read between the lines, what you're concerned about.  I can update you on how it's working, if you'd like.

    Geoff Bell

    On Jan 20, 2009, at 2:46 PM, Mason Carpenter wrote:

    Colleagues,
     
    UW-Madison has an exec-MBA strategy program that it runs for one single-industry company – that is, the two-year program is taught onsite and mirrors the general organization and delivery of our regular weekend exec-MBA program. I've taught the strategy course in our regular exec-MBA for a decade, but this single-firm context seems like it could provide opportunities that the mixed-firm class does not. If any of you has experience with a type of single-firm MBA program I'd be curious to hear what final project – for a strategy class (mostly formulation, with some mention of what might derail implementation) – you would assign.  For example, sometimes I ask students to do a strategy audit (troubleshoot the strategy and make recommendations) on their firm, but this would yield 40 papers about the same firm.  So, again, I am looking for creative alternatives.
     
    As a reminder, the BPS teaching toolkit is still up and running, and can be found at:
     
     
    Thank you!  Mason
     
    Mason A. Carpenter
    Professor and M. Keith Weikel Chair in Leadership
    (608) 262-9449 o
     
     
     
     



    ____________________________________________
    Geoffrey G. Bell, PhD, CA
    Associate Professor of Management and Department Head
    Department of Management Studies
    University of Minnesota Duluth
    365Q Labovitz School of Business & Economics Building
    1318 Kirby Drive
    Duluth, MN 55812
    (218) 726-7640



  • 3.  Strategy Projects

    Posted 01-21-2009 05:41

    I have previously done something similar to Geoff. There were once some good industry-wide case series that made this possible [I recall examples in robotics, elevators, car hire, etc. but there must be more recent good-quality examples.]  

    Kim Warren: London Business School

     

     

    From: Business Policy and Strategy List [mailto:BPS-NET@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU] On Behalf Of Geoff Bell
    Sent: 20 January 2009 21:23
    To: BPS-NET@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU
    Subject: Re: Strategy Projects

     

    Good afternoon Mason

     

    One thing I'm trying in a slightly different context (regular part-time MBA strategy class) is a single- INDUSTRY, multi-FIRM project.  (I.e., Students will analyze the US airline industry but can choose among Delta, US Airways, American, and Southwest for the firm portion.)  Hopefully, that'll provide ME some variety, which is what, if I read between the lines, what you're concerned about.  I can update you on how it's working, if you'd like.

     

    Geoff Bell

     

    On Jan 20, 2009, at 2:46 PM, Mason Carpenter wrote:



    Colleagues,

     

    UW-Madison has an exec-MBA strategy program that it runs for one single-industry company – that is, the two-year program is taught onsite and mirrors the general organization and delivery of our regular weekend exec-MBA program. I've taught the strategy course in our regular exec-MBA for a decade, but this single-firm context seems like it could provide opportunities that the mixed-firm class does not. If any of you has experience with a type of single-firm MBA program I'd be curious to hear what final project – for a strategy class (mostly formulation, with some mention of what might derail implementation) – you would assign.  For example, sometimes I ask students to do a strategy audit (troubleshoot the strategy and make recommendations) on their firm, but this would yield 40 papers about the same firm.  So, again, I am looking for creative alternatives.

     

    As a reminder, the BPS teaching toolkit is still up and running, and can be found at:

     

     

    Thank you!  Mason

     

    Mason A. Carpenter

    Professor and M. Keith Weikel Chair in Leadership

    (608) 262-9449 o

     

     

     

     

     

     

    ____________________________________________

    Geoffrey G. Bell, PhD, CA

    Associate Professor of Management and Department Head

    Department of Management Studies

    University of Minnesota Duluth

    365Q Labovitz School of Business & Economics Building

    1318 Kirby Drive

    Duluth, MN 55812

    (218) 726-7640

     




     



  • 4.  Strategy Projects

    Posted 01-21-2009 13:27

    Mason ... I have done a number of things ....

    1.  Had teams look at intl expansion opportunities and make recommendations to the board.
    2.  Had them look at product/market rationalization and reorganization and report to the board.
    3.  Had them search for product/market and M&A opportunities. ... Some of this can be product/market development related hence more greenfield.
    4.  Had them implement across the board programs (TQM, six-sigma, etc.)

    1, 2 & 3 work well and can be used in combination and is related directly to resource allocation issues.   It also allows them to choose something that is close to what they are doing and have expertise in.

    Prof. Timothy Devinney
    AGSM Professorial Research Fellow
    Australian School of Business
    UNSW Sydney NSW 2052 Australia

    Global Numbers: +61 2 8006 0048 or +1 412 5677440

    Address After  01.05.08:
    Level 14, 2 Bulletin Place
    2000 Sydney NSW Australia

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    Email: T.Devinney@unsw.edu.au

    Web 1 (Academic): http://www.agsm.edu.au/tdevinney
    Web 2 (China Related): http://vincitveritas.spaces.live.com/
    Flickr: http://Flickr.com ... Search for the "tag" Timothy_Devinney or use http://flickr.com/search/people/?q=t.devinney


    Kim Warren <Kim@STRATEGYDYNAMICS.COM>
    Sent by: Business Policy and Strategy List <BPS-NET@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU>

    21/01/2009 09:41 PM

    Please respond to
    Business Policy and Strategy List <BPS-NET@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU>
    To
    		BPS-NET@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU
    cc
    Subject
    		Re: Strategy Projects





    I have previously done something similar to Geoff. There were once some good industry-wide case series that made this possible [I recall examples in robotics, elevators, car hire, etc. but there must be more recent good-quality examples.]  
    Kim Warren: London Business School
     
     
    From: Business Policy and Strategy List [mailto:BPS-NET@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU] On Behalf Of Geoff Bell
    Sent:     20 January 2009 21:23
    To:     BPS-NET@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU
    Subject:     Re: Strategy Projects
     
    Good afternoon Mason
     
    One thing I'm trying in a slightly different context (regular part-time MBA strategy class) is a single- INDUSTRY, multi-FIRM project.  (I.e., Students will analyze the US airline industry but can choose among Delta, US Airways, American, and Southwest for the firm portion.)  Hopefully, that'll provide ME some variety, which is what, if I read between the lines, what you're concerned about.  I can update you on how it's working, if you'd like.
     
    Geoff Bell
     
    On Jan 20, 2009, at 2:46 PM, Mason Carpenter wrote:


    Colleagues,
     
    UW-Madison has an exec-MBA strategy program that it runs for one single-industry company – that is, the two-year program is taught onsite and mirrors the general organization and delivery of our regular weekend exec-MBA program. I've taught the strategy course in our regular exec-MBA for a decade, but this single-firm context seems like it could provide opportunities that the mixed-firm class does not. If any of you has experience with a type of single-firm MBA program I'd be curious to hear what final project – for a strategy class (mostly formulation, with some mention of what might derail implementation) – you would assign.  For example, sometimes I ask students to do a strategy audit (troubleshoot the strategy and make recommendations) on their firm, but this would yield 40 papers about the same firm.  So, again, I am looking for creative alternatives.
     
    As a reminder, the BPS teaching toolkit is still up and running, and can be found at:
     
    http://research3.bus.wisc.edu/file.php/139/Toolkit/bpstools.htm
     
    Thank you!  Mason
     
    Mason A. Carpenter
    Professor and M. Keith Weikel Chair in Leadership
    (608) 262-9449 o
    mcarpenter@bus.wisc.edu e
     
     
     
     
     
     
    ____________________________________________
    Geoffrey G. Bell, PhD, CA
    Associate Professor of Management and Department Head
    Department of Management Studies
    University of Minnesota Duluth
    365Q Labovitz School of Business & Economics Building
    1318 Kirby Drive
    Duluth, MN 55812
    (218) 726-7640
    ggbell@d.umn.edu