2013 course outline sem2 mgt734

Upload: debbiewalker87

Post on 04-Jun-2018

219 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

TRANSCRIPT

  • 8/13/2019 2013 Course Outline Sem2 Mgt734

    1/29

    BACHELOR OF COMMERCE

    Strategic Management (Mgt734)

    SEMESTER TWO, 2013

    COURSE OUTLINE

    Lecturer/Facilitator Office Telephone e-mail

    John Inglis K220 5469175 ext801 [email protected]

    Applied Business

    mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]
  • 8/13/2019 2013 Course Outline Sem2 Mgt734

    2/29

    Page 1of 29

    Strategic Management MGT734 Semester 2 Course Outline 2013 1

    K-Block, Alton Street, Nelson

  • 8/13/2019 2013 Course Outline Sem2 Mgt734

    3/29

    Page 2of 29

    Strategic Management MGT734 Semester 2 Course Outline 2013 2

    Table of ContentsPAGE

    Welcome ...................................................................................................................................................... 3

    Course Purpose ......................................................................................................................................... 5

    Timetable of classes ................................ ............................... ................................. ................................ . 5

    Pre-requisites ............................................................................................................................................. 5

    Programme Regulations ........................................................................................................................ 6

    Withdrawals / Refunds............................................................................................................................ 6

    Late Assignment Policy .............................. ................................. ................................ ............................ 6

    Plagiarism .................................................................................................................................................... 7

    Complaints Procedure ............................................................................................................................ 7

    Special Assessment Circumstances ............................. ................................ ................................. ...... 8

    Use of dictionaries ............................. ................................ ................................ ................................. ...... 8

    Course Requirements ............................. ............................... ................................. ................................. 8

    Student Resources ...................... ............................... ................................. ................................. ........... 8

    Assessment Details................................................................................................................................. 10

    Course Time Budget ............................................................................................................................121

    Learning Outcomes ................................ ................................ ................................. ............................... 12

    Course Timetable ............................... ................................ ................................ ................................. .... 14

    Assessments for Semester Two ..15

  • 8/13/2019 2013 Course Outline Sem2 Mgt734

    4/29

    Page 3of 29

    Strategic Management MGT734 Semester 2 Course Outline 2013 3

    WelcomeThe most strategic action you can take is to think and not to do

    Jerry Rhodes

    Where absolute superiority is not attainable, you must produce a relative one at

    the decisive point by making skilful use of what you haveKarl von Clausewitz, On War 1832

    No business in the real world operates according to the clear-cut, on-off, black-

    or-white principle of the binary system, in its responses to environmental

    change, as well as the effects it is able to achieve through its own strategic

    initiatives, every company is subject to the analogue principle exhibited in all

    organic processes: the principle of infinite variability

    Kenichi Ohmae

    Plans are nothing planning is everything

    Dwight D Eisenhower

    All men can see the tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the

    strategy out of which great victory is evolved

    Sun-Tzu, Chinese military strategist (around 500BC)

    Welcome to Strategic Management 734. A key management subject where we look

    at the big pictureof creatinga future for the businesses we become involved with at

    both industry and business level.

    Essentially we look at the subject in two connected but conflicting ways: as a process

    which gives us the structure, around which we can construct a plan for the enterprise

    but more importantly as a way of thinking, unconstrained by processes and

    procedures, so that we can be truly innovative - at heart the essence of competitive

    advantage.

    The previous management subjects Principles of Management and Operations

    Management cover important aspects of managing people and enterprises. Strategic

    Management does not in any way build on these subjects but sits above them and

    provides the overarching framework by which these subjects and the operational

    areas they illustrate are guided and in which they sit and play their part.

    This course outline is just that an outline; it provides a structure. The textbook is the

    more detailed guide to what we will do. However it is hoped that neither will be a

    constraint from following interesting byways as the semester progresses so thatcorporate strategy may be explored in ways that are relevant and stimulating.

    Strategic management is an area of interest and enjoyment to me and it is hoped

    that the ideas and practice of this subject engender similar enjoyment for you. I am

    looking forward to the semester and to working with you.

    John nglis17 July 2013

  • 8/13/2019 2013 Course Outline Sem2 Mgt734

    5/29

    Page 4of 29

    Strategic Management MGT734 Semester 2 Course Outline 2013 4

  • 8/13/2019 2013 Course Outline Sem2 Mgt734

    6/29

    Page 5of 29

    Strategic Management MGT734 Semester 2 Course Outline 2013 5

    Course Purpose

    To develop the ability to think and act strategically in order to improve the

    performance, and so attain the goals, of both profit and non-profit orientedorganisations.

    To develop a clear understanding of the strategic management process,

    including the generation of functional, business, corporate and global strategies from

    the integration and analysis of information from internal sources and the external

    environment.

    To develop the ability to apply strategic management principles and ideas to

    simulated and actual practical business situations, including an appreciation of business

    governance and ethics.

    Timetable of classes

    Day Class Type Time Room

    Monday Lecture/Discussion 10am 11.55am K104

    Thursday Lecture/Discussion 1pm 2.55pm K104

    Pre-requisites

    The pre-requisite for this course is: Principles of Management (MGT530)

    If you have not yet passed/gained this pre-requisite, and if you wish to proceed with this

    course, you must obtain my written approval. Please note that exemption from this pre-

    requisite does not constitute a credit (or cross-credit) for that course.

    It is expected that you will set aside sufficient time every week to devote to the

    demanding reading, research and tutorial preparation required for this course. In

    addition you must have a fluent grasp of written and spoken English and general word

    processing skills.

  • 8/13/2019 2013 Course Outline Sem2 Mgt734

    7/29

    Page 6of 29

    Strategic Management MGT734 Semester 2 Course Outline 2013 6

    Programme Regulations

    Your attention is drawn to the current Programme Regulations, particularly those

    relating to assignments, exams and special assessment. The Regulations can be found

    on the School of Business and Computer Technology Homepage accessed through theNMIT Online on the NMIT website or from K Block reception. By enrolling in this

    course, you are deemed to have read, understood, and accepted all the provisions and

    regulations relating to this programme/course.

    Information in this course outline attempts to explain the application of some of the

    programme regulations in plain English. Where there is any inconsistency between the

    two documents, the Programme Regulations apply.

    Withdrawals / Refunds

    The current withdrawal/refund policy is contained in the NMIT booklet Guide to

    Applications & Enrolments, latest version. This is available either from K Block

    reception, or from Customer Relations (enrolments area) in A Block or on the NMIT

    website.

    Students, who wish to obtain a refund, must submit a withdrawal form within 3 weeks

    of the start date of the course. Administration costs may be deducted from the

    refund. No refunds are available after 3 weeks from the start of the course.

    You may withdraw from a course at any time prior to completion of 60% of the

    duration of the course. After this time non-completion of a course is recorded on your

    academic record.

    The current NMIT Schedule of Charges is posted on the K Block notice boards and also

    available from Customer Relations in A Block.

    Late Assignment Policy

    A) All assignments must be handed in by the due date. An assignment handed in afterthe due date will incur a penalty unless:

    (i) Your performance has been affected by factors beyond your control, such asillness, injury, childbirth or bereavement; and

    (ii) The tutor has agreed in writing to extend the time for completion of theassignment.

    B) An assignment handed in after the due date, where an extension of time has not

    been granted by the tutor, will incur a penalty of 20% of your total marks for that

    assignment for the first day and 10% for each subsequent working day after the due

    date.

  • 8/13/2019 2013 Course Outline Sem2 Mgt734

    8/29

    Page 7of 29

    Strategic Management MGT734 Semester 2 Course Outline 2013 7

    Plagiarism

    Students should take care to avoid plagiarism

    What is plagiarism?Plagiarism is the inclusion in your assignment of material copied or closely paraphrased

    from someone elses writings (including textbooks and assignments by other students)

    without an explicit indication of the source of the material. It is considered to be

    cheating. Although the School encourages discussion amongst students, students who

    collaborate should be careful not to plagiarise.

    Penalties for plagiarism

    NMIT takes a serious view of plagiarism. Even when you are not intending to cheat, it is

    clear that submitting someone elses work or ideas is not evidence of your own

    understanding of the material and cannot earn you marks. Penalties for plagiarism canextend from a zero grade for the assignment plagiarised to imposing an overall

    coursework grade of zero in the course concerned.

    How to avoid plagiarism

    The work and ideas of other people must be acknowledged in your Bibliography in APA

    style. Information on this can be found in Emerson, L. (Ed.). (2009). Writing guidelines

    for business students (4th ed.). Cengage Learning Australia Pty Limiited. Refer to

    guidelines on NMIT website.

    TurnitinThis service is designed to identify unreferenced work copied directly from another

    source. You may be required to submit assignments or other summative assessments

    electronically to facilitate this service.

    Complaints Procedure

    Direct communication is the best way to resolve a problem with a course or between

    a student and a tutor. In the first instance you should approach your tutor. If you are

    unable to resolve the problem you should discuss the matter with the Programme

    Leader.

    If the issue cannot be resolved by direct communication, a formal complaints

    procedure is available.

    Complaint Forms are located at: School offices, Customer Relations, the Student

    Centre, at SANITI and on the NMIT website.

    Please refer to NMIT Policy Problem Resolution: Complaint Procedure

  • 8/13/2019 2013 Course Outline Sem2 Mgt734

    9/29

    Page 8of 29

    Strategic Management MGT734 Semester 2 Course Outline 2013 8

    Special Assessment Circumstances

    If a students performance in a summative assessment is affected by factors beyond

    the control of the student, the student may apply to the Programme Leader for

    consideration for special assessment. Examples include sickness, injury orbereavement. You are required to complete the application form available from K

    Block reception and provide supporting evidence of the reason for your application

    within 7 days of the assessment.

    You may apply for aegrotat assessment if you are unable to complete a summative

    assessment or for impaired performance if you are able to complete the assessment

    but believe your performance has been adversely affected by factors beyond your

    control.

    Special assessment is available for up to 60% of the course orfor the final

    examination. The Academic Committee reserves the right to accept or decline any

    application for assessment in special circumstances.

    Students are advised to refer to the NMIT Academic Statute for further details,

    available in the School office and from the NMIT web-site.

    Use of dictionaries

    The only dictionary allowed in controlled assessments and examinations, if permitted

    by the Course Coordinator, is an Oxford or Collins pocket English dictionary. Electronic

    dictionaries/translators or palmtop units etc are prohibited.

    Course Requirements

    Class attendance is voluntary. However it is strongly advised you attend all the necessary class

    sessions.

    Only 60 hours out of the 150 hours timetabled for this course is class contact time (lectures,

    tutorials, exercises). You are expected to complete at least 90 hours of study outside the

    classroom. For success on this course and to set you up for the future it is vital that you meet

    the required time input for this course.

    Strategic Management is a 700-Level level degree programme. As such and to a very great

    extent your learning is in your hands. My style is definitely not to lecture but to work to

    develop an interactive environment and teaching process in which we all learn from eachother with plenty of self-directed learning to back it up. Often the topics we shall be

    looking at will be open to debate, so usually there are no categorically right or wrong

    interpretations or approaches this makes the dialogue more interesting and the taking of

    positions in the debate is encouraged as this adds to all our learning.

    The first class of each week will normally feature a structured talk covering that weeks

    topic. The second class in the week will be taken up with both a structured talk and a tutorial

    discussion of an assigned reading or case study. All of you may be cold called to lead off

    discussion of a tutorial subject or a leading topic under review. Thorough preparation of

    tutorial material and keeping up with textbook and other readings is expected.

  • 8/13/2019 2013 Course Outline Sem2 Mgt734

    10/29

    Page 9of 29

    Strategic Management MGT734 Semester 2 Course Outline 2013 9

    Active class participation is expected from everyone at all times in an atmosphere of

    constructive dialogue and criticism. I will do my best to include everyone in the class actively

    in the process of all of us learning but ultimately your participation is up to you.

    The textbook Wheelen and Hunger 12th (International Edition) should be purchased by all

    students, and brought to all lectures/tutorials.

    Student Resources

    Prescribed Text: Wheelen, Thomas. L., & Hunger, J. David. (2010). Strategic Management and Business

    Policy.(Twelfth International Edition). New Jersey U.S.A. Pearson Education

    The textbook publishers maintain a web page for student use, with additional learning

    resources; please see the text for details.

    You will also be required to read Winningwritten by Jack and Susie Welch. Copies of this are

    available in the library on three day restricted loan.Writing Guidelines: Emerson, L. (Ed.) (2005). Writing guidelines for business students. 3rdEdition, Palmerston

    North: The Dunmore Press.

    AND/OR

    Hunter, Ian. (2008). Write that Essay. North Ryde NSW. McGraw Hill Education.Supplementary Readings / Resources:You are encouraged to read widely to help your understanding of strategic management and

    other related areas. The following list of suggested readings is a starting point:

    Barney, J.B., (1997). Gaining and Sustaining Competitive Advantage, USA, AddisonWestley.

    Doorley, T.L., & Donovan, J., (1999). Value-creating Growth - How to Lift Your CompanyTo The Next Level Of Performance, USA, Jossey-Bass.

    Gilson,C., (2000). Peak Performance: Business Lessons from the Worlds Top SportsOrganization, London, Harper Collins.

    Hunger, J.D., & Wheelan, T.L., (1996). Strategic Management, USA, Addison-Wesley. Johnson, G., Scholes, K., Whittington, R., (2005), Exploring Corporate Strategy, (7thed.),

    Harlow: Pearson Education Ltd.

    Lewis, G., Morkel, A.T., & Hubbard, G., (1993). Australian Strategic Management:Concepts, Context & Cases, Australia, Prentice Hall.

    Lipton, M., (2003), Guiding Growth: how vision keeps companies on course, Boston,Harvard Business School Press.

    Mintzberg, H., (1994), The Rise and Fall of Strategic Planning, New York, Prentice Hall. Ohmae, K., (1982), The Mind of the Strategist, Harmondsworth, Penguin Group. Porter, M., (1980), Competitive Strategy, New York, The Free Press. Stacey, R.D., (1993), Strategic Management and Organisational Dynamics, London,

    Pitman.

    Viljoen, J., (1991), Strategic management: How to Analyse, Choose and ImplementCorporate Strategies, Australia, Longman Professional.

    Useful Journals include:

    Academy of Management Review Business Quarterly

  • 8/13/2019 2013 Course Outline Sem2 Mgt734

    11/29

    Page 10of 29

    Strategic Management MGT734 Semester 2 Course Outline 2013 10

    Californian Management Review European Management Review Harvard Business Review Journal of Business Strategy Journal of General Management Journal of Management Journal of the Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management New Zealand Business NZ Society of Strategic Management Journal Sloan Management Review Strategic Management Journal Unlimited Magazine

    A number of the above journals are available in the NMITs Library Learning Centre. Check the

    Web site for the other journals where you may either view and/or download the magazine or

    the main articles.

    Students should also review international and national business periodicals (e.g. The Economist,

    Forbes magazine, National Business Review) for topical examples of strategic management in

    action and to gain an environmental awareness of the field of strategy.

    The internet is an important asset in fact finding and developing a broad view of strategy. It is

    vital you have the skills to conduct research through the use of this medium. Contact library

    staff for any assistance you may require.

    Other Student Resources:

    Lecture notes, weekly announcements, articles, websites links, previous test/exams,and other information will be available for students using the NMIT Online facility

    on NMITs website at http:/www.nmit.ac.nz/llc. NMIT Online can be accessed from

    the campus computer network, or from work/home (using the Internet).

    Useful websites for this course are:http://www.startupjournal.com/

    http://www.quickmba.com/strategy/

    http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com

    Any others you come across that you feel would be useful to the class please let me know

    TurnItIn:

    This software is to be used by students when submitting assessments for this paper.

    Assessment Details

    All individual assessments and courses are graded. Grades awarded for the courses on

    the BCom programmes are:

    %

    MARKGRADE

    85-100 A+

    PASS WITH DISTINCTION80-84 A

    http://www.startupjournal.com/http://www.startupjournal.com/http://www.quickmba.com/strategy/http://www.quickmba.com/strategy/http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/http://www.quickmba.com/strategy/http://www.startupjournal.com/
  • 8/13/2019 2013 Course Outline Sem2 Mgt734

    12/29

    Page 11of 29

    Strategic Management MGT734 Semester 2 Course Outline 2013 11

    75-79 A-

    70-74 B+

    PASS WITH MERIT65-69 B

    60-64 B-

    55-59 C+ PASS50-54 C

    40-49 DFAIL

    0-39 E

    W Withdrawn from course

    CC Cross Credit from another qualification

    Grade (Aeg) Aegrotat pass

    P (RPL) Pass with recognition of prior learning

    Assessment requirements for this course are:

    Assessment Type Course Percentage

    Test 10%

    Case Study Report 20%

    Emerging Issues Report 30%

    Final Examination 40%

    Computer Test: Topics 1, 2 & 3 10Per cent

    A computer test will be conducted on Thursday August 29 thduring class times. This test can

    be conducted in computer labs or in a place of your choosing will have a course value of

    10%.

    You MUST participate in this test.

    Written Case Study: To be advised 20Per cent

    Prepare a written analysis of the subject case. Your analysis must address the questions

    linked to the case. This is a solo assignment.

    Due date Friday 27th

    September

    You MUST submit this assignment.

    Emerging Issues Report: 30Per cent

    Prepare a written analysis based on your investigative research. Your analysis must be

    practically orientated and as realistic as possible given that you will be looking into the

    future. It is suggested that you utilise the various frameworks provided in the texts to

    provide a structure for this work. This is a solo assignment.

    Due date Friday 1st

    November

    You MUST submit this assignment.

    Assignments will only be accepted if handed in on or before the due date unless there

  • 8/13/2019 2013 Course Outline Sem2 Mgt734

    13/29

    Page 12of 29

    Strategic Management MGT734 Semester 2 Course Outline 2013 12

    are specialcircumstances that are discussed with the course co-ordinator priorto the

    due date.

    Final Examination Monday 25th

    November 2pm: 40 Per cent

    The topics covered in the final examination will be advised prior to the exam. The questions will

    be of a discussion and case study type. The examination will be designed to test the students'

    ability to apply the knowledge they have acquired during the semester and the students will be

    required to demonstrate their ability to address specific problems.

    To pass Strategic Management you must:

    (a) Achieve a minimum aggregate mark of 50 per cent overall.(b) Have met the course requirements by submitting the major written assignments(c) Achieve a minimum of 40 per cent in the final examinationAssessment Requirements:

    To pass Strategic Management (Mgt734) you must:

    1. Have achieved a cumulative mark of 50 percent or more, and2. Have met the course requirements by submitting the major written

    assignments and

    3. Achieved a mark of 40 percent or more in the FINAL EXAM,IRRESPECTIVEof the cumulative mark you may have.

    Course Time Budget

    WEEKS HOURS TOTAL

    Timetabled Tutor Contact (including tutorials) 15 4 60

    Self-managed Learning 15 6 90

    TOTAL HOURS 150

  • 8/13/2019 2013 Course Outline Sem2 Mgt734

    14/29

    Page 13of 29

    Strategic Management MGT734 Semester 2 Course Outline 2013 13

    Learning Outcomes

    On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

    1. Understand the strategic management process as a whole, including the roles andresponsibilities of strategic managers at different levels within organizations, therelationships between performance, profitability and competitive advantage, the pros and

    cons of formal strategic planning processes, and key attributes of strategic leadership.

    2. Undertake analyses of external opportunities and threats, by appropriate use of Portersfive forces, strategic group and industry life cycle models, and based on an understanding

    of the importance and dynamic nature of various macro-environmental forces operating

    in firms external environment, including those relevant to globalisation trends (and their

    implications for competition).

    3. Undertake analyses of a firms internal strengths and weaknesses, based on anunderstanding of the internal causes of success (competitive advantage and higher

    profitability) and failure, how effective strategies create distinctive competencies, the

    process of value creation (value chain concept) and how distinctive competencies allow acompany to differentiate its products and lower its costs.

    4. Identify the optimal functional level strategy to build competitive advantage, by improvinga firms efficiency, product quality, ability to innovate and customer responsiveness.

    5. Identify the optimal business-level strategy to build competitive advantage throughapplication of Porters generic strategies of cost leadership, differentiation, focus (etc) and

    the tools of competitive positioning: strategic analysis, game theory, and investment

    analysis.

    6. Understand the strategies that firms use to overcome competitive problems that exist infragmented, embryonic/growth, mature and declining industry environments.

    7. Understand the strategies for success in a global environment, including the mainstrategies for competing globally (international, multi-domestic, global and transnational),their advantages and disadvantages, and how global corporations make decisions about

    which markets to enter, on what scale, and in which mode.

    8. Understand the benefits and potential pitfalls of building global strategic alliances withcompetitors, and ways of improving the probability of success for global strategic

    alliances.

    9. Understand the different options for strategy implementation horizontal and verticalintegration, strategic and strategic outsourcing, diversification, organisational

    restructuring, reengineering and exit strategiestheir benefits and limitations.

    10. Understand key determinants of corporate performance, the relationships betweenorganisational structure, control systems and culture and their use to build functional

    competencies and to implement a generic business strategy.11. Identify the different to stakeholder groups and their contributions to the organization,

    the benefits they receive, and their effect on profitability.

    12. Understand agency theory and its relevance to performance, corporate governancemechanisms and the definition of business ethics and the different mechanisms employed

    to improve ethical performance.

  • 8/13/2019 2013 Course Outline Sem2 Mgt734

    15/29

    Page 14of 29

    Strategic Management MGT734 Semester 2 Course Outline 2013 14

    Course Timetable

    WEEK TOPIC REFERENCES

    Week 1 22 July Introduction to Strategic Management andBusiness Policy

    Wheelen & HungerChapter 1

    Week 2 29 July Corporate GovernanceWheelen & Hunger

    Chapter 2

    Week 3 05 JulySocial Responsibility and Ethics in Strategic

    Management

    Wheelen & Hunger

    Chapter 3

    Week 4 12 August Environmental Scanning and Industry AnalysisWheelen & Hunger

    Chapter 4

    Week 5 19 August Internal Scanning: Organisational AnalysisWheelen & Hunger

    Chapter 5

    Week 6 26 August

    Strategy Formulation Overview

    Test Thursday 29thAugust

    Wheelen & Hunger

    Chapter 6, 7,8

    Week 7 02 September

    Strategy Formulation: Situation Analysis and

    Business StrategyWheelen & Hunger

    Chapter 6,7,8

    Week 8 09 SeptemberStrategy Formulation: Corporate Strategy Wheelen & Hunger

    Chapter 6,7,8

    Week 9 16 September

    Strategy Formulation: Functional Strategy and

    Strategic ChoiceWheelen & Hunger

    Chapter 6,7,8

    Week 10 23

    September

    Strategy Implementation Overview

    Case Study Due Friday 27thSeptember

    Wheelen & Hunger

    Chapter 9,10,11

    MID-SEMESTER STUDENT BREAK 30 September to 11 October 2013

    Week 11 14 October Strategy Implementation: Organising for ActionWheelen & Hunger

    Chapter 9

    Week 12 21 October

    Strategy Implementation: Staffing and

    DirectingWheelen & Hunger

    Chapter 10

    Week 13 28 October

    Evaluation and Control

    Emerging Issues Report Due Friday 1st

    November

    Wheelen & Hunger

    Chapter 11Week 14 04 November Winning Winning

    Week 15 11 November Revision Week

    Week 1618 November Exam Week

    Week 17 25 November Exam week

    EXAM 25 November 2pm 2013

  • 8/13/2019 2013 Course Outline Sem2 Mgt734

    16/29

    Page 15of 29

    Strategic Management MGT734 Semester 2 Course Outline 2013 15

    Assessments:

    Test: Additional details of the test will be provided during the semester.

    Case Study: Southern Breeze Wines

    (NB: This is a fictitious case study and therefore no need to contact Nelson

    wineries to complete the assessment successfully.)

    Background:

    Southern Breeze Wines (SBW) was started at the top of the South Island of New Zealand

    (NZ) in the year 2005. SBW is a family owned and operated business and has been structured

    as a limited liability company.

    SBW grows its own grapes and currently contracts a wine making organisation to produce

    and bottle their wines. The sales and distribution of the wine then goes back to the SBW

    owners and staff to complete.

    The Bow family own SBW and have been growing/farming in the region for generations.

    Originally growing crops such as apples, pears, kiwifruit, some vegetables for the frozen food

    market and other stock food crops they saw the strategic possibility of wine during the early

    2000s. At that time the main crop was apples and the pipfruit industry was going through a

    period of dramatic upheaval, where the legislative protection of single desk selling has been

    removed.

    The pipfruit industry had protective legislation in NZ since 1948 where the government of

    the day introduced the NZ Apple & Pear Marketing Act. This legislation enabled the pipfruit

    growers to sell all their fruit through a single desk i.e. the NZ Apple & Pear Marketing

    Board, thereby minimising potential price cutting competition from multiple exporters

    selling fruit in the same market e.g. ten exporters trying to sell the same quality NZ fruit to

    Sainsburys in the United Kingdom.

    The Bowss looked at what they could do with the land that they owned and also the

    possibilities of other nearby land. In times of upheaval in the horticultural industries there

    are often bargain prices for land available when trading banks force farmers to sell off blocksto retire debt. After months of analysis and discussion the one crop that continued to look

    attractive was grapes for wine production.

    The Bows Family & Southern Breeze Wines:

    The Family

    Ron Bows is the current patriarch of the Bows family and SBW. Along with his with Carol

    they have run the farm in various guises for over 30 years. Ron was part of a large family of

    boys who all grew up on the family farm growing mainly apples. Many years and many

    changes later he is now in charge of his own family farm that is, in reality Southern Breeze

    Wines.

  • 8/13/2019 2013 Course Outline Sem2 Mgt734

    17/29

    Page 16of 29

    Strategic Management MGT734 Semester 2 Course Outline 2013 16

    Ron and Carol have three children; Greg, Wendy and Sam. Greg is the oldest and has a

    Diploma in Horticulture from Lincoln University. He left secondary school, completed a one

    year diploma and then moved back to the family farm, carrying on the tradition of other

    generations of Bowss. In his early 40s, married (to Sally who works in town as a manager),

    with three children, he considers himself to have expert knowledge of horticultural practices

    and is well respected within the industry by peers.

    Wendy (age 38 years) has taken a different route to the family farm. Wendy left school and

    had a variety of jobs in retail and hospitality before meeting and marrying a local engineer

    called Stuart. Together they have two children and love the rural lifestyle. Prior to the down

    turn in the late 1990s the pipfruit industry was on a high, with strong pro fits and

    consequently high growth. Ron and family also took advantage of these good times and

    purchased extra land. Because of the large expansion controlling/running the operation took

    on a new dimension.

    In the early 2000s Ron sat down with Greg, Sally, Wendy and Stuart to discuss the future.

    Ron knew that Greg, Carol and he would not be able to run the operation on their own. Theyasked Sally if she was interested in helping with the administration but she said no. Ron also

    asked Wendy and Stuart what their plans were. They all agreed that Wendys skills would be

    useful in administration and also in managing the quality in the fruit packing plant during the

    harvest season. They also agreed that Stuarts engineering skills would be of immense value

    to a quickly growing, rapidly mechanising operation. It was therefore decided that Wendy

    and Stuart would leave their respective jobs and begin also to work on the farm.

    Whilst this was going on young Sam was still at school. Younger than the other two siblings

    he cruised on studying and occasionally helping out during the weekend. Sam left school in

    2003 and because the horticultural industry did not look too bright at that time he began to

    work for a local accountant and studied accountancy part time at the local Institute ofTechnology.

    When the decision was made to plant grapes the Bows family decided to do so on land other

    than the land that they already owned. There were two main of reasons for this:

    1. The existing land was growing apples and kiwifruit. Although not making largeprofits these crops were not losing money therefore they were a source of cash flow

    whilst the grapes were developed.

    2. The land that the apples and kiwifruit was growing on was very fertile. Grapesproduce better tasting wine when the soil is poorer.

    The Bows therefore looked and found some land with poor stony soil, and plenty of water

    for irrigation if needed, ideal land for growing grapes. Grapes take at least three years to be

    of size to harvest, with many vineyards waiting four years before the first harvest. The

    Bowss planted their first block in the spring of 2006 and got their first harvest in April 2009.

    This was a small harvest and although the grapes were made into wine most was sold to

    other established wineries with some kept for family and friends to enjoy.

    Grape harvests grow exponentially until full production at approximately year six, so the

    2010 harvest was many times larger than the previous year. This was due to the obvious

    expertise of Greg and also of Stuart (who had learnt fast about horticulture although spent

    most of his time in the apples and kiwifruit allowing Greg to ensure the grapes grew well in

    the first years). The large crop meant a large amount of wine being produced, which also

    meant the wine had to be sold.

  • 8/13/2019 2013 Course Outline Sem2 Mgt734

    18/29

    Page 17of 29

    Strategic Management MGT734 Semester 2 Course Outline 2013 17

    The Bows had a problem: they could either sell all of the wine to the established wineries at

    a very low price or they could make and sell the wine themselves. However they did not

    have enough wine to employ a full time salesperson. Sam was spoken to and asked how

    serious he was about becoming an accountant. The reply was not really and so in late 2009

    after the main clients accounts at the accountancy firm were completed Sam managed tonegotiate a package where he would work as an accountant three days a week and sell wine

    for the other days. He also managed to build in some flexibility so if he had to work more for

    one business one week he could alternate in the next week. The ideal solution?

    However, Greg turned out to be very good at growing and in 2011 the crop was huge. The

    amount of wine that had to be sold had increased eight-fold and someone had to sell it.

    Again Sam was called on and inevitably (because he enjoyed selling and appeared very good

    at it) he left the accounting position and began selling SBW wine full time. Sams real issue

    was that in 2010/11 the wine prices feel substantially, so SBW has been in what businesses

    could describe as a perfect storm, high capital outlay, exponentially growing production and

    falling demand and prices.

    Southern Breeze Wines:

    The growth of SBW has been due to a number of crucial factors.

    The variety mix: SBW started with a mix of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling (white

    wines) and Pinot Noir and Merlot (red wine). The Sauvignon Blanc and the Pinot Noir proved

    to be very popular and although the respective yields are lower than Chardonnay the profit

    is considerably higher overall. The Chardonnay gave SBW wines volume and allowed them to

    sell to the established wineries, as the big wineries were not interested in buying small

    amounts of various varieties.

    Different wine makers have differing approaches to making wines each year depending on

    the inherent strengths of the grapes harvested e.g. sugar content etc. Greg discovered early

    2008/2009 that the Riesling variety was useful to have in the vineyard as some wine makers

    liked to use it to blend with Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay to alter the flavour spectrum.

    This meant that almost all of their initial plantings were showing promise.

    The one variety that was not showing promise was Merlot, a strong heavy red wine with

    what appeared to be limited appeal in the NZ market. The NZ market was very much in

    favour of the Pinot Noir (lighter style) red wines and SBW did not have enough Merlot to

    warrant exporting. Even at full production their Merlot crop would not be large enough toexport. Compounding this, the local bird life had taken a liking to the variety and ate a large

    percentage of the crop. Greg did not want to take the risk of the birds moving into the other

    varieties so at the end of the 2010 harvest the Merlot vines were removed.

    The variety called Pinot Gris replaced the Merlot. Pinot Gris is another white wine that has

    become a particularly trendy wine, especially in the affluent city markets. Currently there is

    a shortfall between production and demand making this a very desirable variety to plant.

    The original planting of 20 hectares meant that they had some initial economies of scale and

    placed the vineyard above niche players in terms of size but smaller than the big wineries

    such as Waimea and Siefried Estates in Nelson and definitely smaller than Montana and

    Wither Hills etc in Marlborough. Anecdotally the Bows family had heard that if all NZs wine

  • 8/13/2019 2013 Course Outline Sem2 Mgt734

    19/29

    Page 18of 29

    Strategic Management MGT734 Semester 2 Course Outline 2013 18

    areas were put together it would be the equivalent of the fifth biggest vineyard in

    Australasia, placing the size in some perspective.

    In 2009 an additional block of land became available at a good price. It had been used to

    grow apples however it was hard clay soil with limited fertility and therefore ideal for

    grapes. The Bowss purchased this 17 hectare block and planted m ore Sauvignon Blanc,Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris.

    There was an indication that things were going well when the first two years of production

    sold out earlier than expected. One of the identified reasons for this was the wine maker

    selected to make the wines. Josh LeBlanc is a thirty something NZ wine maker with plenty

    international experience and a palate that seems in tune with the market for mid-priced

    wines. His expertise and complete passion for wine comes through in the finished product.

    He has the ability to blend varieties to bring out the subtleties of the varieties flavours

    making SBWs wines seem very good value for money. During 2009 and 2010 the SBW

    Sauvignon Blanc and the Pinot Noir won minor medals at wine tasting events; a sign that the

    brand was likely to be seen in the marketplace as a strong contender.

    Another endearing factor about Josh is that he, Greg, Wendy and Sam get along very well,

    making for very good business relationships. Josh currently works for SBW under contract

    from his employer Top of the South Wines Cooperative (TSWC). SBW pays the cooperative

    to produce and bottle the wine. Josh is one of five winemakers making wine for over 30

    other small and medium sized vineyards.

    The NZ Wine Industry:

    The NZ wine industry has been through plenty of interesting times over recent decades.

    Currently the industry is going through a period of some growth although some wineries arenot very profitable.

    The small wineries are a mix of those making real profits and those who are financially

    treading water. Many people went into the wine industry as a lifestyle option, moving out of

    the city onto lifestyle blocks in the hope of finding peace and tranquillity in rural NZ.

    Leighton Smith, Newstalk ZB radio journalist and small vineyard owner, often laments the

    lack of profitability of his small vineyard on his radio show. He believes that he has the best

    varieties planted and being close to Auckland (the largest market in NZ); he should be very

    profitable however he is not. He laments the power of the large winery distribution channels

    and the duopoly of the two major NZ supermarket chains.

    The small operators who have managed to develop powerful brands have been able to be

    very profitable. Where many sell their wines at $10-$20 per bottle retail, those with

    powerful brands can often extract between $40-80 per bottle.

    The retailers usually pay around 66% of the retail price per bottle e.g. a bottle retailing at

    $18 then the retailer paid around $12 per bottle, aiming for a 33% profit margin. The cost of

    production (growing and bottling) for the wineries is approximately $5-6 per bottle including

    government duty. This cost does not include marketing, reinvestment, and other costs such

    as financing etc.

    The medium sized wineries are similar to the small operators in terms of finances and brand

    strengths. Often the difference is that the medium sized operators gain from some

  • 8/13/2019 2013 Course Outline Sem2 Mgt734

    20/29

    Page 19of 29

    Strategic Management MGT734 Semester 2 Course Outline 2013 19

    economies of scale through production volumes however they have higher marketing and

    financing costs. Often both the small and the medium sized wineries could be seen to be

    asset rich but cash poor.

    The large wineries usually have strength of brand and economies of scale. This combined

    with the extra power they have in terms of distribution strength places them in a betterposition; although this can often be undone when a large harvest year occurs.

    The extra volumes to sell places the power with the large resellers such as the supermarket

    chains who negotiate discounts and force the payment for shelf space. An example of the

    larger operators is Montana, which is owned by the French multi-national company, Pernod

    Ricard. Just some of the brands, which Pernod Ricard controls, are:

    Montana Stoneleigh Corbans Church Road

    Lindauer Gibbston Valley Timara

    Pernod Ricard has managed to obtain a portfolio of brands that cover the prices ranges of

    the NZ market. They also import French and Italian brands. This has the effect of making

    them a one stop shop for the major sellers. It is easier to do business with Pernod Rica rd as

    one account can provide most of the wine needs for the seller.

    As with many rural industries, wine tends to have a cyclical nature and moving from highs to

    lows and back again based on yields and sales prices. Presently the wine industry is in a

    phase of some consolidation as the large companies are still planting, especially in areassuch as Marlborough, and are buying existing smaller operators.

    The local market is a real mix, where the two supermarket chains have power in the area of

    retail selling although there are numerous restaurants selling good quantities of wine. The

    biggest issue is that the NZ population is only 4 million and although there has been a

    healthy growth in the amount of wine drunk this appears to be slowing. Therefore for most

    wineries that get into the medium size exporting may be the only option to remain

    profitable.

    One of the most profitable areas for wineries is a gate sale where the wine is sold through a

    tasting room of an onsite premise. This is because they obtain all of the revenue from thesale. A bottle sold at $18 in town may be sold for $16 onsite however the vineyard gains $4

    over the town return.

    There is also the often-unrecognised cost to wineries of keeping up with the variety trends.

    There are a number of varieties growing in popularity such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir

    and Pinot Gris. If a vineyard plants the wrong variety for the market it can take years to

    remove, replant and get to full production. This can mean that the vineyard once again

    misses the window of opportunity if they pick a variety that has peaked to plant.

    The Global Wine Industry:

    The worlds wine industry is constantly changing. The old world wine countries such as

    France, Spain and Italy have been experiencing some stagnation in sales and in some cases

  • 8/13/2019 2013 Course Outline Sem2 Mgt734

    21/29

    Page 20of 29

    Strategic Management MGT734 Semester 2 Course Outline 2013 20

    falling demand whereas the new world wine countries such as Australia, Chile and NZ have

    been experiencing growth. The new varieties being sold by the new world countries appear

    to have massive appeal. The Australians and Chileans are producing hearty red wines such as

    Shiraz, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignons and Merlot. Whilst NZ has been selling whites such as

    Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling and lighter reds such as Pinot Noir. All three countries

    have leveraged their unique climatic conditions to produce award winning wines.

    The wine market is also evolving. Europeans still drink large amounts of wine although it is

    difficult for new world wines to sell in Europe. The main markets in that region are the

    United Kingdom with Scandinavia growing slowly. The UK is similar to NZ with a small group

    of supermarkets controlling over 80% of the retail market although there are still a number

    of independent alcohol sellers they are expensive to service. The restaurant industry is a

    profitable area for new world wines as long as the wineries have a reliable agent.

    The USA is a profitable, but difficult market, especially for NZ wineries. The USA has strong

    legislative protections in place where a wine must be sold through licensed importers,

    licensed wholesalers and licensed retailers, all adding cost. Also there are a number ofChilean wineries that are owned, either wholly or partially, by American interests. This often

    means that the Chilean wine gets preference over other wines.

    The global financial crisis which has affected Europe and USA may have had a detrimental

    impact on global wine sales.

    Areas of real growth include China and India. Both countries are becoming economic global

    powerhouses with massive growth in disposable income, which is translating into large

    growth of wine consumption. Although limited to certain areas of the respective countries at

    present the trend is expected to grow and widen e.g. Chinas main areas for wine

    consumption are Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing. China may also have a different tastespectrum/palate to other countries and therefore may require different varieties.

    Another area that is experiencing massive economic growth and consequently growth of

    wine consumption is Eastern Europe and the ex-USSR states such as the Ukraine and Estonia.

    The new rich in these countries are now beginning to experience wines from around the

    world although this market is still a little wild west in that it has become (in some cases) the

    dumping ground for French, Italian and Spanish wines that have not sold in the rest of

    Europe.

    The Australian market is the easiest for NZ wines to enter as there is no governmental

    interference and there are regular shipping routes available to ship containers to mostAustralian ports. Australia is also easy for moving funds in and out as most trading banks

    operating in NZ are Australian banks e.g. BNZ, Westpac etc. In the Australian market the NZ

    Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir sell particularly well. The Australian growers produce

    reasonably good Chardonnay wine so this variety is difficult to sell. The massive levels of

    production in Australia can often negatively affect the price that NZ sellers achieve for their

    wines however those with good brand reputation and those who have won wine tasting

    medals still make money.

    The Southern Breeze Wines Problem:

    In 2011 Ron Bows and his accountant had been discussing the strategic direction of SBW and

    are becoming concerned about the rationalisation starting to appear and what could be seen

  • 8/13/2019 2013 Course Outline Sem2 Mgt734

    22/29

    Page 21of 29

    Strategic Management MGT734 Semester 2 Course Outline 2013 21

    to be a wine lake developing i.e. over production occurring. They noted that last year many

    Western Australian red wines were selling at below Aus$2/bottle. They were unsure if this

    was purely an issue of poor quality or an increase in competition.

    They were also aware that the NZ market was becoming saturated and therefore trading

    conditions looked like they could become more difficult. SBW had tried to sell to a localsupermarket however to enter they would have to pay $5000/year for shelf space. They

    decided that this was uneconomic.

    Currently SBW has been concentrating on the restaurant and independent liquor store

    market and although sales are solid they are becoming concerned about their increased

    production coming in the next few years. It is predicted, that given average growing

    conditions, the SBW production will double in 2012 (this occurred), double again in 2013 and

    then increase a further 25% in 2014. Note this does not take into account possible variety

    changes if required therefore of current planting only the aforementioned will likely take

    place.

    The SBW team currently looks to have strengths and weaknesses. They have the growing of

    grapes well covered however any expansionary plans will need to consider organisational

    development strategies e.g. exporting will require skills not obviously inherent within the

    organisation.

    The SBW team decide to call a meeting followed by a planning day with all the working

    members of the family attending plus Josh the winemaker, the accountant and they have

    invited you to take part. Your inclusion is to offer advice on strategic management decisions.

    At the end of the day you will be asked to go away and prepare a report for the organisation

    to appraise. The report is to be read by all members of the organisation and reviewed. Once

    read it is intended that a further planning day takes place where your recommendations areto be accepted, rejected or accepted in a modified form.

    The current staffing levels at SBW are as follows:

    RonCEO GregHead of Orchard and Vineyard Operations WendyHead of Administration StuartEngineer and Maintenance SamSales Josh Winemaker Greg has a team of one Foreman and five other permanent staff

    The Planning Day:

    At the initial planning day the SBW team discusses some issues that they would like you to

    report on:

    Shop/Tasting Facility

    On one of the properties they have an ideal location for a shop/tasting facility, enabling

    them to sell directly to the tourism market. The property is beside a busy state highway and

    the district council will allow consent for this type of facility. There are already buildings at

    the site which could be modified for a reasonable price and therefore additional capital

    spending would be minimal. The buildings also offer room for offices so that the

    organisation has a headquarters; currently the office work is done in either Rons house or in

  • 8/13/2019 2013 Course Outline Sem2 Mgt734

    23/29

    Page 22of 29

    Strategic Management MGT734 Semester 2 Course Outline 2013 22

    a small office in the apple packing plant. There will be a need to place a manager at this new

    facility.

    Winery/Bottling Plant

    Another medium sized grape grower (Kia Orana Wines: KOW) has approached SBW about

    the possibility of investing in a winery/bottling plant. Currently SBW wines are produced atTSWC. The cooperative produces wines for over thirty vineyards, making Joshs job often

    complex. Josh has indicated that if SBW were to move into a wine making facility he would

    be interested in leaving his current employer and committing fulltime to SBW. The other

    vineyard also uses TSWC to produce their wine and the relationship with SBW has always

    been positive.

    Neither SBW nor KOW have a financial stake in TSWC, they both are on annual contracts.

    Grape growers who do not have a financial stake in TSWC have to provide the stainless steel

    tanks for their grapes to be fermented into and pay a fee for the wine production and

    bottling. There has been a recent rumour in the industry that TSWC has reached capacityand will soon only be able to make wines for the grape growers who have a financial stake in

    the cooperative.

    It has been suggested that if SBW removes all of its other crops then there will be no need

    for their packing facility for pipfruit and kiwifruit. These large buildings could then be used to

    house the wine production and bottling plant. There are many advantages in this such as

    minimal capital outlay (do not have to build a new building), the facility is in a central

    location with respect to the grape fields and there is a large sealed yard and cool store

    already on site. Additionally it is beside Rons house and there is also a three bedroom house

    (owned by SBW on another adjoining boundary) ideal to house a wine maker/manager of

    the facility.

    If the decision is made to invite KOW into a joint venture for this facility then the following is

    envisaged:

    That this would be a separate accounting entity where SBW still owns the land and buildings

    and the new company leases the facility from SBW.

    Both SBW and KOW provide stainless steel tanks and finances to set up the plant and both

    SBW and KOW pay market rates for the wine production and bottling with any profit either

    dispersed to the shareholders or reinvested back into the facility. This would be decided at

    an Annual General Meeting with an independent person called in if required.

    SBW has already been trialling exporting on a small scale by sending pallets of wine to aretailer in Melbourne Australia, but they are not sure about this as they do not have

    experience in this area and would like some advice. The retailer has been selling their

    Exporting

    It is apparent that SBW may not remain sustainable if they do not look to export. If in your

    report exporting is considered an option outline which country/s you would recommend and

    why.

    As SBW currently does not have high debt levels they could easily decide to go ahead with

    the wine production facility.

    In terms of staffing levels the following has been decided if all goes ahead:

  • 8/13/2019 2013 Course Outline Sem2 Mgt734

    24/29

    Page 23of 29

    Strategic Management MGT734 Semester 2 Course Outline 2013 23

    Ron will remain as CEO. Carol will oversee the shop/tasting facility and will require two part-time staff to

    assist

    Greg will continue to grow the crops but will need an additional forepersonmanaging two teams of three staff.

    Stuart will oversee the transition of the old packing facility into a wine productionfacility with the assistance of one staff member. At this stage Wendy will continue to manage the administration and will require one

    part-time staff member to help.

    Sam will manage sales and oversee an investigation of export possibilities. Josh will be employed as a full-time wine maker and will answer directly to Ron. Greg, Carol, Wendy, Stuart and Sam will all be treated as having the same level of

    power in the organisation.

    Also if they do go ahead there is the option to not bottle for export but instead pump wine

    into a 22,000 litre bladder placed inside a 20 foot container. This would then be exported

    and bottled and labelled in the country where the wine is to be sold.

    Additional Student Information: What would you do?

    This case has been developed for topics 4, 5 and 6 of the Wheelen and Hunger text.

    Topic 4: Environmental Scanning and Industry Analysis Topic 5: Internal Scanning and Industry Analysis

    Topic 6: Strategy Selection

    Students are required to use the information in the case above, combined with the

    relevant text topics to develop a plan for the winery looking ahead.

    You will need to investigate and briefly outline the wine industry and market/s

    You will also need to take a closer look at the internal organisational structure then

    decide on a viable strategy.

    Your report should make use of bullet points and/or tables such as the tables in your

    text. You could justifiably make use of tools such as Five-Forces, SWOT and PESTLE

    analysis to place your thoughts into context. You could also use the table in Wheelen

    and Hunger and it is suggested that you utilise chapter 12 of the text to assist with

    the completion of this task.

    The readers of this report are busy farmers and do not want a verbose piece of work,

    rather they want to see that the analysis is done, is logical and that the selected

    strategy is doable and feasible they do not want to bet the farm on some big

    scheme which would cost them their business if it fails.

    NB: there is no serious mention of SBW brands in this case study. The rationale for

    this is that this is NOT a marketing report. Whilst some mention of marketing may be

    required, a report which focuses on marketing will be frowned upon.

  • 8/13/2019 2013 Course Outline Sem2 Mgt734

    25/29

    Page 24of 29

    Strategic Management MGT734 Semester 2 Course Outline 2013 24

    Word Limit: 2500 words (absolute maximum).

  • 8/13/2019 2013 Course Outline Sem2 Mgt734

    26/29

    Page 25of 29

    Strategic Management MGT734 Semester 2 Course Outline 2013 25

    Assessment #3:

    EMERGING ISSUES IN NEW ZEALAND MANAGEMENT

    Due date: Friday 1st

    November

    30 Per cent Weighting

    As a Management Strategist, you should always be looking some years out into the future to

    identify and prepare yourself for Emerging Issues that will probably influence your

    industry, market, or other dimensions of your operating environment. Emerging Issues are

    presently unimportant, not yet urgent, and (self-evidently) are fraught with

    uncertainty.

    A Model for the ProjectThis project invites you to explore Emerging Issues in Management Strategy. Consider the

    following diagram:

    Well Understood and Predictable(Low Uncertainty)

    IMPLEMENTTACTICS

    (CHANGE THE PAST)

    HighImportance OPERATIONALISE

    MAINTAINROUTINES

    (KEEP THE FOCUS)

    LowImportance

    FORMULATESTRATEGIES

    (PUZZLE SOLVING)

    EMERGINGISSUES

    (AWARENESS)

    PoorlyUnderstood and Unpredictable

    (High Uncertainty)

    The diagram shows four broad clusters identified as Emerging Issues, Formulate Strategies,

    Implement Tactics, and Maintain Routines; each denoted by the level of Importance and the

  • 8/13/2019 2013 Course Outline Sem2 Mgt734

    27/29

    Page 26of 29

    Strategic Management MGT734 Semester 2 Course Outline 2013 26

    level of Uncertainty present.

    Emerging Issues are normally external to the enterprise; they are highly uncertain and atpresent are of low importance to management. (These are the issues that your research

    will be looking at.) The significance of this category lies in the fact that issues here have

    the potential to become Highly Important to the firm in the future. Consequently it isthe (Management) strategists job to raise Awareness of them so that they can be

    monitored and, when the moment is right, proper responses can be made. (Ignoring

    Emerging Issues until the last minute is tantamount to putting ones head in the sand

    and then suddenly (years too late perhaps) having either to make crisis responses to

    what is now a very serious problem indeed or kicking oneself with regret that a great

    opportunity was missed. As an example, an Emerging Issue for some NZ firms might be

    the progressively closer economic dependencies between this country and Australiaso

    where might this lead?

    As time passes some Emerging Issues become so real for the firm that a decision is madeto Do something about this. The firm is now in Strategy-mode and the hunt is on to

    make sense of the issue. Detailed analysis, discussion, research and consideration ofsuch things as opportunity costs, options and how to implement them run to the front of

    the stage at this point. Note that the firm is now dealing with real issues that

    whatever is decided will have a long-term impact on the firm and which are difficult

    and costly to reverse, but which remain Highly Uncertain.

    Agreed strategy around an issue then moves towards Operationalisation orImplementation. Internal process factors now become very importantall the more so

    if the new strategy to address the issue requires significant organisational change. (Of

    course it to be expected that the Strategy phase and the Implementation phase are

    going to be tightly merged in practice and so the line that divides them is more of

    sounding board than a solid boundary.)

    Finally, the circle is complete when the organisation gets into a settled and routine wayof dealing with what is now a relatively unimportant and highly familiar way of doing

    things. Issues running around in this area are predominantly internal.

    What are some typical relationships?

    Internal issues tend to be found in the Implementation and Maintenance clusters. Top management should be alert to Emerging and Strategic Issues, whilst lower-level

    staff are focused on Implementation and Maintenance Issues.

    Volatile issues appear to progress from the Emerging cluster to the Strategic, toImplementation to Maintenance.

    Stable issues tend to remain in wherever cluster they happen to be first identified. Issues in the Uncertain bottom half tend to be more open-ended and ambiguous. They

    are complex, difficult to define, and often controversial so requiring the application of a

    complex, cognitive mind to understand them. More surprises rather than trends would

    emerge from this half of the picture.

    Some issues will be short-term whilst others are long term. Whilst the picture createdby management will say a lot about the time and strategic orientation of a firm, it is

    fundamental that emerging issues are often the cause of new trends or surprises. (What

    this may mean is that if a business manager reveals a heavy preoccupation with a day-

    to-day business picture, such a time orientation may mean that strategically the

    business would be more reactive and aware only of general issues that are already

    commonplace and widely recognised.)

    Short-term issues tend to be symptomatic rather than causal. For example, problems or

  • 8/13/2019 2013 Course Outline Sem2 Mgt734

    28/29

    Page 27of 29

    Strategic Management MGT734 Semester 2 Course Outline 2013 27

    opportunities thrown up by a shift in the foreign exchange rate (a short term issue) are

    acute symptoms of the firms situation. On the other hand, market power shifts due to

    the progressive concentration of national retail chains or agri-business corporations are

    long-term and so translate into deep-rooted, causal results.

    Some issues are very close to the individual firms own activities and decisions andothers exist at a distance. Those far removed tend to be external and long-term.Watching them and projecting possible future patterns and surprises (scenarios) would

    give management a better basis for understanding (if not predicting) the future.

    Some issues will be easy to describe verbally and to measure empirically (e.g. using astructured questionnaire) whilst others will be quite the reverse.

    Qualitative issues (e.g. the post-election economic policy changes) tend to be moreuncertain than hard issues (e.g. increasing energy prices).

    What do I need to do?

    You should decide on the scope of your research project. You can either look at aparticular Industry (e.g. domestic airlines, tourism, and Internet service) or you can

    consider a particular Management Area (e.g. leadership, human resources, motivation,planning, controlling). NB: You will require clearance from your lecturer to continue.

    Your work must be personally original (e.g.) it cannot recycle 772 Strategic MarketingManagement research.

    Your project scale must be pegged at the macro level. This means that you must focuson the national or global arena and avoid the specific issues experienced by individual

    enterprises.

    Your projects tone must be practical and pragmatic. This means that it must not strayoff into excessively philosophical perspectives. It must be grounded in hard data that

    has been synthesised into information that is practically useful for Strategic planning.

    Your time-scale will comprise two periods: the Short-Term (2013/14) and the Long-Term(2013-2018/19).

    You must submit an individual report and no two individuals can research identical orvery similar industries or functions.

    Because this project can be completed using secondary data, there is no requirement foryou to conduct personal interviews. However if you wish to perform any primary

    research, you must justify this to me and obtain my prior approval. This application must

    be lodged well beforehand.

    Your report must be presented as a Conference Paper to an association of internationalmanagement professionals and academics. Expected length is 8-10 full pages of text.

    Appendices and citations will not count within this limit.

    Please do not leave this project to the Eleventh Hour!

    Both written assessments are to be presented through TurnItIn, in Word Document format

    (NOT PDF), in Times New Roman, Arial orCalibri font size 12.. Make your case clearly, in an

    organised manner in a formal report format.

    NB: this will take some time to achieve so do not leave this assignment to the last minute.

    It is advisable to utilise the tools you will be provided with throughout the Strategic

    Management course.

    Plus a final examination valued at 40% of the course work.

  • 8/13/2019 2013 Course Outline Sem2 Mgt734

    29/29

    Page 28of 29

    Assignment Marking Guide

    Grades will be assigned according to the following schedule:

    A-/A-A+ (Outstanding/Excellent)

    A comprehensive exploration of the topic, with sound critical comment and a clearsynthesis of the issues. Original and/or scholarly content and depth of theoreticalanalysis.

    A lucid and logically structured argument with systematic and critical evaluation ofthe main points.

    Detailed support from literature with references appropriately integrated. High quality sources identified, interpreted and evaluated Virtually flawless presentation. Clear, concise and logically presented argument

    and/or discussion.

    B/B+ (Very Good)

    A systematic exploration of the assignment topic which may include some criticalcomment and appraisal. Substantive content.

    Clear introduction, conclusion and thematic sequence, with main points elaborated. Regular support provided from the literature. Use of quotes where appropriate, with

    some interpretive comment.

    Clear expression, well-constructed sentences and paragraphs with few presentationflaws

    C+/B- (Competent)

    A reasonably balanced summary of the issues as reflected in course study materials.Adequate content but lacking theoretical depth.

    Clear introduction, with some organization of main points but lacking clear linksand/or thematic sequence

    The text of the assignment shows that the course materials have been read andacknowledged. An accurate bibliography is attached

    Most presentation details met e.g. spacing, fonts, margin, legibility, citations,grammar, and spelling.

    C (Acceptable)

    Assignment requirements/topic not fully covered. Material is insufficientlyelaborated.

    Overuse of quotations with little explanation. Acceptable but flawed content Adequate introduction, with structure barely discernible and/or somewhat confused

    and some major points missed.

    Reference material is not well integrated into text of the assignment. Little evidencethat quality of sources has been considered.

    Limited acknowledgement and light bibliography Minor presentation flaws

    D (Flawed)

    Unacceptable and flawed content, unreflective personal comment, incoherentargument

    Structure very confused, not discernible, not explained. Little or no evidence of critical reading in the text of the assignment Inadequate acknowledgements and/or bibliography Major presentation flaws.