AØKK08081U Seminar: Strategic Management

Volume 2018/2019
Education

MSc programme in Economics

The seminar is primarily for students at the MSc of Economics

Content

The purpose is to train students in applying classical and new models, approaches, and perspectives in Strategic Management on industries and organizations in order to come up with suggestions for top managers concerning actions for the long term development of the organization. In order to construct a budget or to evaluate the economic value of a company or to make investment decision regarding a company it is normally necessary to understand the corporate strategy of the corporation.

 

Specific examples of seminar assignments include:

  • An analysis of an industry and a firm (business unit) and, based on this, a development of one or more strategies for the company, for example a competition strategy, a growth strategy, a strategy for internationalization and/or a strategy for innovation.
  • An industry analysis which lead to the identification of trends within the industry and further an analysis of how these trends will affect different groups of companies within the industry.
  • An analysis of a specific company, or a specific business united of the firm that identifies relevant activities, resources and competencies as well as an evaluation of these in order to propose a development of these activities, resources and competencies.
  • An analysis of the role of a corporate center, and of the corporation’s portfolio of subsidiaries (business areas). Furthermore, a suggestion for an adjustment of the corporate centers role, and for an adjustment of the portfolio of business units. This could be followed by a suggestion for an appropriate overall organizational structure for the corporate group.
  • An evaluation of an existing strategy for a business (business area).
  • An analysis of the situation and context of a company and, on the basis of this, provide suggestions on how the strategy development can take place or how a strategy can be implemented.
Learning Outcome

Additional for the learning outcome specified in the Curriculum , the learning outcome of the seminar are

  • Identifies and argues for a relevant issue that the strategy models can be used to analyze and provide solutions to.
  • Formulate a clear overall strategic problem for the seminar and, if necessary, deduce relevant logical sub-problems for the seminar.
  • Argue for a relevant delimitation of the seminar's problem area. Argue for choice of models and for application of methods and selection of data.
  • Carry out relevant analyzes that are empirically driven and which make use strategy models in a systematic manner and that lead to a clear conclusion after each analysis (model applied).
  • Develop logical model based strategies that build on the previous conduced strategy analyzes.
  • For seminars with an industry focus, identify future trends for the industry and analyzes how these will affect different groups of companies within the industry.
  • For seminars with a corporate focus, identify existing activities, resources and competencies as well as gabs in these areas, and provide a model-based proposal for the development of activities, resources and competencies for the future.
  • The obtained insight into and understanding of the industry and the company under investigation in the seminar.
  • Demonstrate a logical progressive sequence from problem formulation, model selection, collection of empirical data over strategy analysis and strategy development to proposals and conclusion.

“Exploring Strategy - Text and Cases – Eleventh Edition”, by Johnson, Whittington,  Scholes, Angwin & Regnér published by Pearson Education 2017. ISBN 978-1-292-14517-4

BSc in Economics or similar
It is recommended to have followed the course Strategic Management before or in parallel to the seminar.
Kick-off meeting, research and writing process of the seminar project paper, presentation of own project, constructive feedback to another student´s project and actively participating in discussions at class.

The aim of the presentations is, that the student, who presents, uses the presentation as an opportunity to practice oral presentations skills and to receive feedback improving the seminar project.

Process:
It is strongly recommended that you start your search for a topic before the semester begins, as there is only a limited amount of weeks from the kick-off meeting to the first submission.

Before the presentations, your largely finished version of the seminar project paper must be uploaded in Absalon, as the opponents and the other seminar participants have to read and comment on the paper. It is important that you upload a nearly finished project due to the fact that the value of feedback and comments at the presentation is strongly associated with the skill of the seminar project paper.

After the presentations, you can make a light correction of the seminar project to include the feedback and comments emerged during the presentations. It is NOT intended that you rewrite or begin the writing of the full project AFTER the presentation has taken place.

The seminar project paper must be uploaded in the Digital Exam portal for assessment with in the deadline announced under Exam.
Schedule: Suggestions of dates in the seminar:

Autumn 2018:
• Kick-off meeting: 3th of September 2018 from 14.15 – 15.00
• Commitment paper: Not later than 17th of September
• Individual supervision: 19th of September between 09:00 and 16:00
• Deadline pre-paper: Monday the 29th of October before 10 AM
• Presentations: Thursday the 8th of November and Thursday the 15th of November


Spring 2019:
• Kick off meeting: The 4th of February 2019 from 14.15 – 15.00
• Commitment paper. Monday the 18 of February
• Iindividual supervision: 20, 21 and 22 of February
• Upload of nearly finished paper at Absalon no later than the 23th of April
• Presentations and critics: Full day the 6th, 7th and 8th of May

All information from the lecturer regarding the seminar is communicated through Absalon including venue.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Project work
  • 186
  • Seminar
  • 20
  • Total
  • 206
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written examination
- a seminar paper in English that meets the formal requirements for written papers stated in the curriculum and at KUNet for seminars.
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Exam registration requirements

Attendance in all  activities at the seminar as stated in the formal requrements in the Curriculum  and at the KUnet for Seminars (UK)  and  Seminars (DK)  is required to participate in the exam.

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Aid
All aids allowed

for the project paper.

The supervisor defines the aids that must be used for the presentations.

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Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
External censorship
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Exam period

Autumn 2018:

Deadline for submitting the final seminar paper: November 30, 2018 before 10 AM

 

Spring 2019:

Deadline for uploading the final seminar paper: June 3, 2019 before 10 AM

 

Exam information:

For enrolled students more information about examination, rules, exam schedule etc. is available at the intranet for Master (UK) and Master (DK ).

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Re-exam

Reexam information:

The reexam is a written seminar paper as stated in the Curriculum.

Deadline and more information is available at Seminars (UK) and Seminars (DK).

More information about reexam etc is available at Master (UK)andMaster (DK).

 

Criteria for exam assesment

Students are assessed on the extent to which they master the learning outcome for the seminar and can make use of the knowledge, skills and competencies listed in the learning outcomes in the Curriculum of the Master programme.

 

To receive the top grade, the student must with no or only a few minor weaknesses be able to demonstrate an excellent performance displaying a high level of command of all aspects of the relevant material.