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It's Not Too Late to Do Something Fun in Class

Updated Strategy Teaching Tools Website

Please check out the new tools, experiential exercises and videos at:

www.CarpenterStrategyToolbox.com.

You can filter by type of tool (exercise, video, etc.) using the tabs at the top or you can filter by topic in a strategy course (5 forces, RBV, global, etc.) using the categories on the right side. There is also a search function. You should find something useful in no time at all.

Please help make the site more useful:

·       Comment on tools you have used in class (adding tips, etc.)

·       Submit new tools so the resource is always growing

·       Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions

Here are links to a few recently added exercises and resources that you might find especially useful (to give you a feel):

·       Value Chains: A flighty topic. This new exercise involves teams making production choices as they manufacture jet fighters (from paper). All materials are posted (templates, slides, instructions, etc.). You can find more materials on internal analysis by filtering on that topic.

·       A Modular Smartphone? This post offers materials for a "ripped from the headlines" case on the Google's choice to join the movement to create modular smartphones. Are they really trying to destroy profitability in the smartphone industry? You can find more mini-cases by filtering on cases.

·       Can you plan like a chipmunk. This Onion video documents how a chipmunk has a longer planning horizon than many people. Funny but also gets into a nice discussion of cognitive limitations and strategy. Other videos can be found by filtering on videos.

The FAQ shows you how to download and convert videos so they can be inserted into PowerPoint presentations.

-Russ

__________________________________________________________

Russell Coff, Wisconsin Naming Partners Professor of Strategic Management

bus.wisc.edu/faculty/Russ-Coff | Phone: 608-263-6437 | fax: 608-265-5031

It's Not Too Late to Do Something Fun in Class

Updated Strategy Teaching Tools Website

Please check out the new tools, experiential exercises and videos at:

www.CarpenterStrategyToolbox.com.

You can filter by type of tool (exercise, video, etc.) using the tabs at the top or you can filter by topic in a strategy course (5 forces, RBV, global, etc.) using the categories on the right side. There is also a search function. You should find something useful in no time at all.

Please help make the site more useful:

·       Comment on tools you have used in class (adding tips, etc.)

·       Submit new tools so the resource is always growing

·       Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions

Here are links to a few recently added exercises and resources that you might find especially useful (to give you a feel):

·       Marshmallow Challenge. This new exercise involves teams building a tower with a constrained set of inputs – often the tower falls at the last minute. The lesson focuses on the need to iterate between planning and execution. You can find more materials on strategy process by filtering on that topic.

·       Putin Game Theory in its Place? This post offers materials for a "ripped from the headlines" case on Vladimir Putin's strategy in Ukraine. Namely, in order to play chicken effectively, you need to project an image of being just a bit crazy (to get your opponent to back off). This is a nice way to explore game theory in a bigger arena. You can find more mini-cases by filtering on cases.

·       Southwest takes customer loyalty to the next level. This Onion video documents how Southwest airlines pushes that envelope by asking what customers will do for employees (like lying to the CEO's wife about where he is). Of course, it's a bit silly but there's something useful in there too ;-). Other videos can be found by filtering on videos.

The FAQ shows you how to download and convert videos so they can be inserted into PowerPoint presentations.

-Russ

__________________________________________________________

Russell Coff, Wisconsin Naming Partners Professor of Strategic Management

bus.wisc.edu/faculty/Russ-Coff | Phone: 608-263-6437 | fax: 608-265-5031

It's Not Too Late to Do Something Fun in Class

Updated Strategy Teaching Tools Website

Please check out the new tools, experiential exercises and videos at:

www.CarpenterStrategyToolbox.com.

You can filter by type of tool (exercise, video, etc.) using the tabs at the top or you can filter by topic in a strategy course (5 forces, RBV, global, etc.) using the categories on the right side. There is also a search function. You should find something useful in no time at all.

Please help make the site more useful:

·       Comment on tools you have used in class (adding tips, etc.)

·       Submit new tools so the resource is always growing

·       Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions

Be sure to check out the most popular post this week – David Kryscynski's Learn Strategy Videos! After that, here are links to a few recently added exercises and resources that you might find especially useful:

·       Coopetition: Shaping up your strategy. This new exercise sets up complementarities between teams so they can explore value creation through alliances. The twist is that competition between the teams is emphasized so you can dig into coopetition. You can find more materials on competitive dynamics by filtering on that topic.

·       Money Tree Strategy? Would a firm enjoy a competitive advantage if it owned a money tree? The two short videos show what a money tree might look like (viral videos). It raises key questions like how does a firm acquire such an asset at a bargain (luck or superior expectations). You can find more videos by filtering on videos.

·       Strategy on the High Road. The recent legalization of marijuana in Colorado and Washington State offer an unusual view of industry emergence. In anticipation of pent up demand, entrepreneurs scramble to assemble resources. Scarce resources get bid up - one example in Washington is licenses to grow and sell. Other cases can be found by filtering on cases.

The FAQ shows you how to download and convert videos so they can be inserted into PowerPoint presentations.

-Russ

__________________________________________________________

Russell Coff, Wisconsin Naming Partners Professor of Strategic Management

bus.wisc.edu/faculty/Russ-Coff | Phone: 608-263-6437 | fax: 608-265-5031

It's Not Too Late to Do Something Fun in Class

Updated Strategy Teaching Tools Website

Please check out the new tools, experiential exercises and videos at:

www.CarpenterStrategyToolbox.com.

You can filter by type of tool (exercise, video, etc.) using the tabs at the top or you can filter by topic in a strategy course (5 forces, RBV, global, etc.) using the categories on the right side. There is also a search function. You should find something useful in no time at all.

Please help make the site more useful:

·       Comment on tools you have used in class (adding tips, etc.)

·       Submit new tools so the resource is always growing

·       Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions

Be sure to check out the most popular post this week – David Kryscynski's Learn Strategy Videos! After that, here are links to a few recently added exercises and resources that you might find especially useful:

·       Strategic Management of Job Interviews. This new exercise helps you make the point to students that strategic analysis can help them get a job. For any case, have them develop questions for a recruiter that convey a deep understanding of the company and its strategy. You can find more materials on experiential exercises by filtering on that topic.

·       Secret Ingredient: Scorpion venom. The resource based view focuses on the firm's "secret sauce" – a resource that rivals would like to get but can't. This commercial focuses on rumors about what the secret ingredient might be and may be useful for seeding such a discussion. You can find more videos by filtering on videos.

·       Stuck in the Middle Blues. Samsung's profits are down by a whopping 25% and they put the blame firmly on Chinese competitors entering with cheaper smartphones. Pressure on Samsung to respond with lower prices? Perhaps but Apple continues to compete very effectively at the high end. Other cases can be found by filtering on cases.

The FAQ shows you how to download and convert videos so they can be inserted into PowerPoint presentations.

-Russ

__________________________________________________________

Russell Coff, Wisconsin Naming Partners Professor of Strategic Management

bus.wisc.edu/faculty/Russ-Coff | Phone: 608-263-6437 | fax: 608-265-5031