GBA 490 -- Course Syllabus Strategic Management Spring 2013

INSTRUCTOR Ronald Dulek rdulek@cba.ua.edu Office: 151 Alston Office Hrs: T-TH 8:30-9:30 and by Appt. Phone: 348-8930 Office 454-3705 Cell 339-2651 -- Home REQUIRED TEXTS AND MATERIALS

STRATEGY GAME ADMINISTRATOR Ben Thurber bwthurber@gmail.com Office: 134 Alston Office Hrs: Monday/Wednesday 9-12:00 Tuesday/Thursday 3:30-4:30 Friday 9-11:00 Phone: 348-9436

1. Thompson, A., Strickland, A., & Gamble, J. Crafting and Executing Strategy, The Quest for Competitive Advantage, Concepts & Cases, 18th Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill. The textbook Online Learning Center can be found at the publishers Web site: www.mhhe.com/thompson/. General content includes a Guide to Case Analysis, chapter outlines, practice quizzes, and PowerPoint slides. 2. Thompson, A., Stappenbeck, G., & Reidenbach, M., Thrasher, I., & Harms, C. The Business Strategy Game. Register to participate at www.bsg-online.com after the in-class demonstration. The BSG-Online can be purchased using a credit card. PREREQUISITES Senior standing and completion of or enrollment in all 300-level C&BA functional field courses. Students must be admitted to the upper division of C&BA before enrolling in 300 or 400 level courses, and they must have earned 61 or more semester credit hours. Any exceptions to these requirements must be approved by the Director of Undergraduate Programs. COURSE DESCRIPTION GBA 490 is intended to be a challenging and exciting capstone course for the undergraduate business school curriculum. It is first and foremost a course about strategy and about managing for success. The course centers on the theme that a company achieves sustained success if and only if its managers (1) formulate an astute game plan and (2) implement and execute the game plan with some proficiency. We shall try to prove how and why doing a good job of strategy formulation and strategy implementation nearly always produces good business performance.

In studying the tasks of strategic management we shall also tackle another important function: trying to integrate much of the knowledge you have gained in the core business curriculum. GBA 490 is a big picture course, a trait that makes it a truly different kind of course from other C&BA courses. Virtually all of the other required and elective courses you have taken were concerned with a specific functional area (production, marketing, finance, accounting) and/or a well-defined body of knowledge (economics, statistics, legal environment). More than a few of your previous courses have been highly structured and related closely to a well-developed body of theory. Some provided quantitative techniques for you to sink your teeth into and to master. Others related to information and to specific skills the faculty believed you needed to acquire. This course shares few of these traits. The problems and issues of strategy formulation and implementation cover the whole spectrum of business and management. Strategic management requires dealing with many variables and situational factors at once. Weighing the pros and cons of strategy entails a total enterprise perspective and a talent for judging just how all of the relevant factors add up to shape what actions need to be taken. In a real sense, GBA 490 is about the essence of leadership. The C&BA faculty at UA (as well as at all other good business schools) have seen fit to require you to take this course in order to drive home what the role and tasks of the strategy manager are, to introduce you to what strategy means, to lead you through the ins and outs of formulating and implementing a strategic plan, to teach you to use the tools and techniques of situation analysis, and to give you practice in making strategic decisions. Our objective is to sharpen your abilities to think strategically and to weigh things from the perspective of the total enterprise operating in an increasingly global market environment. Accomplishing this objective means giving you an appreciation for the importance of building a competitive advantage. It means drilling you thoroughly in the tools of strategy analysis and exercising you in the managerial task of sizing up a company's strategic position. It means systematically exposing you to the rigors of industry and competitive analysis, to the ingredients of an attractive strategic plan, and to the varied administrative tasks associated with implementing and executing the chosen strategy as well as circumstances permit. And it means instilling a strong sense of ethical principles and values into the process and tasks of managing. The course content is all but guaranteed to keep your interest and attention. In our minds, the glamour and the grand sweep of strategizing and managing an enterprise down the road of success make the course go and make it fun to teach. We sincerely hope this course will be the very best course you have ever had--that it will be instrumental in making you: (1) competitively superior (in comparison to graduates from other business schools), (2) successful in your career, and (3) much wiser about the secrets of first-rate management. GBA 490 COURSE OBJECTIVES To develop your capacity to think strategically about a company, its business position, and how it can gain sustainable competitive advantage. To build your skills in conducting strategic analysis in a variety of industries and competitive situations. To give you hands-on experience in crafting business strategy, reasoning carefully about strategic options, using what-if analysis to evaluate action alternatives, and initiating the changes necessary to keep the strategy responsive to newly emerging market conditions. To improve your ability to manage the organization process by which strategies get formed and executed. To integrate the knowledge gained in earlier C&BA courses. 2

To develop your powers of managerial judgment, help you learn how to assess business risk, and provide you with a stronger understanding of the competitive challenges of a global market environment. To make you more conscious about the importance of ethical principles, personal and company values, and socially responsible management practices. COURSE REQUIREMENTS Your course grade will be based on the following components and point distribution: Company performance on simulation, quizzes, and peer evaluations. Exam #1 February 7 Exam #2 March 7 Exam #3 April 16 Participation in class discussion of cases Written Case #1 February 28 Written Case #2 April 4 In-class written case, 4 hours, Friday, April 19 2:00-6:00 p.m., Alston 10/20/30/40 TOTAL 15.0 % 10.0 10.0 10.0 15.0 10.0 10.0 20.0 100%

POLICY ON ACADEMIC CONDUCT All acts of dishonesty in any work constitute academic misconduct. The Academic Misconduct Disciplinary Policy will be followed in the event of academic misconduct. DISABILITY ACCOMMODATIONS To request disability accommodations, please contact Disability Services (348-4285). After initial arrangements are made with Disability Services, please contact your instructor. POLICIES REGARDING WRITTEN CASES Written case assignments are due on the day the case is scheduled for class discussion (see the Schedule of Class Activities) and should be turned in to your instructor at the beginning of the class period. All written case assignments are to be prepared individually; group work (including casual discussion of case material) is "out of bounds." It is suggested that you print two copies: one to hand in and one to use for reference for the class discussion. Cases turned in after the scheduled class period are eligible for a grade no higher than a C (and that only if the paper is otherwise an A or B+ paper). No late cases will be accepted after 4:30 PM the following day without the written consent of Dr. Dulek. If Dr. Dulek is not in his office you may ask one of the secretaries in Alston 105 to put the case in Dr. Duleks mailbox.

All written cases are to be printed (double spaced) using 12 point type with a business font and should follow correct form, spelling, grammar, etc. The body of the paper should be no more than four pages including your specific recommendations supported with your strategic interpretation of your industry and competitive analysis. In addition, the paper should include appendices, tables, and/or graphs containing your industry and competitive analysis. The appropriate and preferred organization and style of writing is as follows: Bottom-Line Organization -- with contract sentences, high impact, with a forceful, impersonal, and colorless style. Hand-drawn or hand-colored charts or tables are unacceptable. All cases that you would like to have re-graded, due only to possible grading errors, must be submitted within two class days from the day the case is returned. The case must be the original case along with the grading sheet and a written explanation of what you view as the grade discrepancy. The grade can be raised or lowered based on this review. Papers which, in the opinion of the instructor, employ disproportionately poor grammar and poor quality written communication skills will be assigned a grade that is one-letter lower than would otherwise be assigned; such papers may also result in your being sent to the remedial writing skills lab conducted by the English Department.

POLICIES REGARDING CLASS PARTICIPATION, PROFESSIONALISM AND ATTENDANCE

GBA 490 is a case-oriented class. As such, you are expected to be prepared for class each day by having read and analyzed the assigned case. Fifteen percent of your final grade depends upon class participationhence, you are well advised to participate fully in each class discussion. While class attendance has never been a problem in GBA 490 you should be reminded that we make every effort to follow norms in class that are common in all major corporations. Each student is expected to be an active participant and to make meaningful comments on cases being discussed. Your grade on class participation is something to be earned via consistent, daily contribution to class discussions. You should, therefore, make a conscientious effort to attend class discussions of cases and to be sufficiently prepared to contribute to the case discussions. Merely coming to class is not sufficient; attendance is not participation. GBA 490 is your job; you cannot simply elect not to go to work. During the term events may conspire to keep you from missing class (job interviews, illness, etc.) but in our experience events never conspire in such a fashion as to prevent you from contacting your instructor before missing a day of work. Such actions are a matter of courtesynot excuse. Failure to contact the instructor will be treated as absenteeism and is the equivalent of being unprepared when called on to participate. It is the organizational equivalent of being unprepared for a major meeting and thus even a single absence is a serious matter. The following procedures will be used to determine your class participation grade:

Students begin the course with a class participation grade of 70. Students lose five points from this grade every time they miss a class--both case discussion and regular lecture days. There are no excused absencesyou are either here or you are not! Students have an opportunity to accumulate points through case discussions. Students who participate fully in class discussions and make meaningful, highly insightful comments to the discussion will have five points added to their class participation grade for that day. Others who are found to be ill or unprepared will have five points deducted from their class participation grade. Because of the class size and the difficulty of always getting involved in the discussion, students have a second option for gaining class discussion points. In essence, students can submit typed analyses for each case. These analyses are either detailed answers to the case preparation questions or answers to questions posed by your instructor. If completed appropriately, these analyses will receive five class participation points. A few points of clarification. 1stThese analyses are optional. You do not have to turn in typed comments for any case unless you desire to do so. 2ndThese analyses are not a substitute for missing class. You may not turn in a typed analysis if you miss the class discussion on that day. 3rdThese analyses must be turned in at the end of classno late and no email versions are accepted. These papers will be reviewed but not graded thoroughly. If the answers are appropriate and well-reasoned, you will receive five participation points for your efforts. Since you begin the participation portion with a 65, and since we plan to do 9 cases in the course, you can actually accumulate more than 100 participation points. However, the total number of participation points in the class will not exceed 100 points. If, in the judgment of the professor, the student is not making satisfactory progress in the course, the student will be invited to drop GBA 490 and try again at a later date.

THE GBA 490 APPROACH TO TEACHING/LEARNING Lectures by instructor Practicing the task of managerial analysis and decisionmaking via use of actual case studies. Analysis/discussion by the class (students do most of the talking). Practicing the task of managing via use of the management 25% of in-class hrs. 70% of in-class hrs.

Out-of-class team meetings

simulation. Teams of students must run their own company under conditions of a vigorously competitive industry environment (grade based on results achieved and degree of company success). On rare occasions an individuals consistent poor performance or lack of preparation may raise questions concerning team assignment. Exams 5% of in-class hrs.

TIME REQUIREMENTS Anyway you look at it, the workload in this course is above average (this part of the local folklore about the course is accurate!). * Expect to spend 2-3 hours weekly playing The Business Strategy Game and doing all the analysis and calculations needed to win the competitive battle. A few more hours will be needed the first week to get over the start-up hump. * Expect to spend 1 1/2 to 3 hours preparing a case for class discussion (you will need 2-3 pages of notes/answers to the assignment questions in front of you each day to sparkle and shine in the class discussions!). Trying to wing it is ill advised! Some case preparation time will usually be spent on the personal computer, using a software package called Case-TUTOR. * Expect to spend 8 to 15 hours (this varies according to your own personal efficiency and skills) doing the written cases. * Then there are 12 chapters of text material (about 410 pages) to master. * And there are assorted quizzes and exams. But don't let the hours/time intimidate you. We sincerely believe the workout will be well worth it in terms of what you learn that you can take with you out into the real world. You will find very little busywork involved; we have earnestly striven to make each assignment productive and worthwhile.

THE SIMULATION The Business Strategy Game provides an opportunity for student teams to formulate and implement a strategy for a simulated athletic shoe company. Teams must decide the companys primary competitive weapon(s) (e.g., low cost, advertising, or quality) as well as its product line (broad or narrow) and geographic (one or multiple countries) scope. Decisions will be made weekly, and the quality of these decisions will be gauged based on their efficacy relative to those

by other teams. Teams that understand class concepts AND read the Players Guide invariably do better than those teams that just wing it. Specific grading criteria will be explained during the in-class demonstration.

PREPARATION OF WRITTEN CASES You will have to write two industry/company analyses as part of the requirements for this class. These analyses should summarize your analyses and recommendations; thus, the opening section should be no more than four pages. The remainder of the paper presents detailed analyses and can be as long as ten or twenty pages depending upon the case assigned. You will find the Guide to Case Analysis, found in the Online Learning Center of your textbook, useful in preparing cases for submission. The written assignments will be judged according to standards of effective business communication. They should be clear and cogent. Papers will be judged on the basis of organization, mechanics, impact, and style. Instructors will be responsible for evaluating and assigning the final grade to each paper. Written case assignments #1 and #2 are to be prepared as assigned. It is expected that the content of your written case reflects your thoughts and analysis rather than the work of others. The nature of each written assignment is indicated on the Schedule of Class Activities. The criteria for grading written case presentations include: Evidence of ability to size-up the organization's situation and to identify key problems/issues. Use of appropriate analytical techniques, sound logic, and well-supported arguments in evaluating the organization's present condition and future prospects (including the use of Case-TUTOR when appropriate). Evidence of ability to formulate realistic and workable recommendations for action. Thoroughness -- both (a) scope and coverage and (b) depth of analysis. Evidence of ability to use good communication skills (including the use of charts, tables, graphs, and figures). Evidence of adequate preparation, pride of workmanship, and display of professional attitude and approach.

ELECTRONIC MAIL

The primary method of communication with the class outside of our classroom time will be through electronic mail. Electronic mail will also be used to announce any change in the Schedule of Class Activities. For example, from time to time, we might change the case that we are going to discuss.

POLICY REGARDING CELL PHONES & TEXT MESSAGING Cell phones, texts, and other forms of electronic communication may not be used at any time during examinations. If a student has a potential emergency situation, which may require being contacted during an exam, s/he should notify the professor before the exam begins. In all other cases, using such devices may be considered academic misconduct.

Schedule of Class Activities Th Jan 10 Orientation and Course Preview Lecture/Discussion: Strategic Themes

Tu

Jan

15 Chapter 1: What is Strategy and Why is it Important? Chapter 2: Charting a Companys Direction: Vision and Mission, Objectives, and Strategy

Th

Jan

17 Introduction to THE BUSINESS STRATEGY GAME In-class demonstration of the game Finalize teamsinstructions for the first decision

Tu

Jan

22 Case Discussion: Whole Foods Assignment Questions: 1. What are the chief elements of the strategy that Whole Foods Market is pursuing? 2. Is Whole Foods strategy well matched to market conditions in the food retailing industry (one of the criteria for a winning strategy discussed in Chapter 1)? 3. Do you think John Mackey has a good strategic vision for Whole Foods? Why or why not? What do you like/dislike about the companys mission/vision Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet that is set forth in case Exhibit 1? Do the mission/vision and the core values underlying it (case Exhibit 3) really matter at this company or are they just nice words and cosmetic window dressing? Explain. 4. Do Whole Foods Markets core values as presented in case Exhibit 3 really matter? Are they real or just cosmetic window dressing? What evidence can you cite to support your answer? Have Whole Foods core values contributed to the companys success? Why or why not?

5. Based on the financial statement data in case Exhibits 9, 10, and 11, how well is Whole Foods Market performing? Use the financial ratio information in Table 4.1 of Chapter 4 (pages 98-99) to assist you in calculating a revealing set of` financial ratios and interpreting them. 6. How well is Whole Foods Market performing from a strategic perspective? Does Whole Foods enjoy a competitive advantage over its 3 chief rivals Wild Oats, Fresh Market and Trader Joes? Does the company have a winning strategy? 7. What recommendations would you make to John Mackey regarding the actions that Whole Foods management needs to take to sustain the companys growth and financial performance?

Th Tu

Jan Jan

24 Chapter 3: Evaluating a Companys External Environment 29 Case Discussion: Competition in Energy Drinks, Sports Drinks, and Vitamin-Enhanced Beverages Assignment Questions: 1. What are the strategically relevant components of the global and U.S. beverage industry macro-environment? How do the economic characteristics of the alternative beverage segment of the industry differ from that of other beverage categories? Explain. 2. What is competition like in the alternative beverage industry? Which of the five competitive forces is strongest? Which is weakest? What competitive forces seem to have the greatest effect on industry attractiveness and the potential profitability of new entrants? 3. How is the market for energy drinks, sports drinks and vitamin-enhanced beverages changing? What are the underlying drivers of change and how might those forces individually or collectively make the industry more or less attractive? 4. What does your strategic group map of the energy drink, sports drink, and vitamin-enhanced beverage industry look like? Which strategic groups do you think are in the best positions? The worst positions? 5. What key factors determine the success of alternative beverage producers? 6. What recommendations would you make to Coca-Cola to improve its competitiveness in the global alternative beverage industry? to PepsiCo? to Red Bull GmbH?

Th

Jan

31 Chapter 4: Evaluating a Companys Resources, Capabilities and Competitiveness

10

Tu

Feb

Case Discussion: Competition Among the North American Warehouse Clubs: Costco Wholesale versus Sams Club versus BJs Wholesale Assignment Questions: 1. What is competition like in the North American wholesale club industry? Which of the five competitive forces is strongest and why? Use the information in Figures 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, and 3.8 (and the related chapter discussions on pp. 57-70) to do a complete five-forces analysis of competition in the North American wholesale club industry. 2. Do all three warehouse club rivalsCostco, Sams, and BJs Wholesale have highly similar strategies? What differences in their strategies are apparent? Does one rival have a better strategy than the others? Does one rival have a somewhat weaker strategy than the other two? 3. Which of the three warehouse club rivals has been the strongest financial performer in recent years? Support your answer with calculations based on the data in case Exhibits 2, 6, and 7. Use the financial ratios presented in Table 4.1 of Chapter 4 to help you with the needed number crunching. 4. Does the data in case Exhibit 5 indicate that Costcos expansion outside North America (the U.S. and Canada) is financially successful? Why or why not? 5. Five years from now, is Costcos standing as the industry leader likely to be stronger or weaker? Are the other two rivals likely to gain or lose ground on Costco? Why or why not? 6. What recommendations would you make to Jim Sinegal regarding the actions that Costco management needs to take to sustain the companys growth and improve its financial performance? 7. What actions do you think management at Sams Club should take to boost revenue growth and overall financial performance? 8. What actions do you think management at BJs Wholesale should take to boost revenue growth and overall financial performance?

Th Tu

Feb Feb

7 Test #1: Chapters 1-4 12 Chapter 5: The Five Generic Competitive Strategies: Which One to Employ? Assign Written Case #1: Due February 28 14 Case Discussion: Blue Nile Assignment Questions: 1. How strong are the competitive forces confronting Blue Nile and other

Th

Feb

11

online retail jewelers? Which one of the five competitive forces is the strongest? Do a five-forces analysis to support your answer. 2. What key factors will determine a companys success in the online jewelry business in the next 3-5 years? 3. What is Blue Niles strategy? Which of the five generic competitive strategies discussed in Chapter 5 most closely fit the competitive approach that Blue Nile is taking? What type of competitive advantage is Blue Nile trying to achieve? 4. What do you like and dislike about Blue Niles business model? 5. What does a SWOT analysis of Blue Nile reveal about the overall attractiveness of its situation? 6. What is your appraisal of Blue Niles financial performance based on the data in case Exhibit 5? How well is the company doing financially? Is there evidence that Blue Niles strategy is workingwhat is the story of the numbers in case Exhibit 4? Use the financial ratios in Table 4.1 of Chapter 4 as a guide in doing the calculations needed to arrive at an analysis-based answer to your assessment of Blue Niles recent financial performance. 7. Does Blue Nile have adequate competitive strength to go head-to-head against its rivals? Do a weighted competitive strength assessment using the methodology presented in Table 4.4 on p. 123 of Chapter 4 to support your answer. Has Blue Nile built a sustainable competitive advantage in the online retail jewelry business? Why or why not? 8. What strategic issues and problems does Blue Nile management need to address? 9. What recommendations would you make to Blue Nile management to strengthen the companys competitive position and future strategic and financial performance? Tu Feb 19 Chapter 6: Strengthening a Companys Competitive Position: Strategic Moves, Timing, and Scope of Operations Possible guest speaker in 9:30 section 21 Case Discussion: Skype vs. AT&T and the Future of Telecommunications Assignment Questions: 1. What are the dominant economic characteristics of the VoIP Industry? 2. What does the five forces analysis reveal about the chances for profitability in the VoIP industry?

Th

Feb

12

3. What are the Driving Forces of this industry? 4. What are the Key Success Factors for this industry? 5. What is Skypes current strategy and what type of corporate strategy are they employing? 6. What main issues do you think Skype must focus on short term and long term?

Tu Th Tu

Feb Feb

26 Chapter 7: Strategies for Competing in International Markets 28 Written Case #1 Due: Discuss Chapter 8: Corporate Strategy: Diversification and the Multi-business Company

March 5

Th Tu

March 7

Test #2: Chapters 5-8

March 12 Case Discussion: Sara Lee Corporation in 2011: Has Its Retrenchment Strategy Been Successful? Assignment Questions: 1. What is Sara Lees corporate strategy? How has its retrenchment strategy changed the nature of its business lineup? 2. What is your assessment of the long-term attractiveness of the industries represented in Sara Lee Corp.s business portfolio? 3. What is your assessment of the competitive strength of Sara Lee Corp.s different business units? 4. What does a 9-cell industry attractiveness/business strength matrix displaying Sara Lees business units look like? 5. Does Sara Lees portfolio exhibit good strategic fit? What value-chain match-ups do you see? What opportunities for skills transfer, cost sharing, or brand sharing do you see? 6. What is your assessment of Sara Lees financial and operating performance in fiscal years 2008-2010, the period following the divestitures that were the core of Sara Lees retrenchment strategy? 7. What is your overall evaluation of Sara Lees retrenchment plan? What evidence and/or reasons support a conclusion that Sara Lees shareholders have or have not benefitted from the companys retrenchment strategy? 8. What actions do you recommend that Sara Lee management take to improve the companys performance and boost shareholder value? Your recommended actions must be supported with convincing, analysis-based arguments.

13

Th

March 14 Chapter 9: Ethics, Corporate Social Responsibility, Environmental Sustainability, and Strategy

Tu

March 19 Return Case #1; Assign Written Case #2: Due April 4

Case Discussion: Rhino Capture in Kruger National Park Assignment Questions: 1. What is SANParks / Kruger National Parks objective and vision? Is selling rhino consistent with their objective and vision? If not, then what should it be? 2. Who are the suppliers of rhino and what was the average selling price of a rhino? 3. What is different about selling to a safari company and a hunting company? 3. How does a sale to a hunting and safari company affect the economy? 4. What are the driving forces behind poaching? 5. How would you reduce poaching? 6. How would you reduce poaching if a rhinos horn could be cut and regrown in six years? 7. Construct a five forces model for the rhino sales industry. What competitive threats are associated with the rival sellers, suppliers, buyers, substitutes, and new entrants? Th March 21 Chapter 10: Building an Organization Capable of Good Strategy Execution: People, Capabilities, and Structure Case Discussion: Starbucks Strategy and Internal Initiatives to Return to Profitable Growth Assignment Questions: 1. What was Howard Schultzs original strategic vision for Starbucks? Is his 2010 strategic vision for Starbucks different from the one he had in the 1980s? How many times has his strategic vision changed? Is his present

Tu

April

14

strategic vision likely to undergo further evolution? 2. Has Starbucks strategy evolved as the strategic vision has evolved? 3. Which one of the five generic competitive strategies discussed in Chapter 5 most closely approximates the competitive approach that Starbucks is employing? 4. What are the key policies, practices, business principles, and procedures that underlie how Howard Schultz and Starbucks management have implemented and executed the companys strategy? 5. What values does Starbucks have? How well do they connect to the strategy and to the manner in which the company conducts its business? 6. What is your evaluation of Starbucks social responsibility strategy? Is it sincere or just something the company does and talks about to create a good public image? 7. What is your assessment of Starbucks financial performance during fiscal years 2005-2009? 8. What is your evaluation of Howard Schultzs transformation agenda for Starbucks during 2008-2010 (see pages C-362 and C-363)? Has Schultz done a good job since his return as Starbucks CEO? Why or why not? 9. What issues confront the company as of mid-2010? What should Starbucks management be worried about? 10. What recommendations would you make to Howard Schultz to sustain the companys growth and support continued strong financial performance in the years ahead?

Th Tu

April April

4 9

Written Case #2 Due: Discuss Chapter 11: Managing Internal Operations: Actions That Promote Good Strategy Execution

Th

April

Chapter 12: Corporate Culture and Leadership: Keys to Good Strategy Execution 11 Case Discussion: Southwest Airlines in 2010: Culture, Values, and Operating Practices Assignment Questions: 1. Is there anything that you find particularly impressive about Southwest Airlines?

15

2. What grade would you give Southwest management for the job it has done in crafting the companys strategy? What is it that you like or dislike about the strategy? Does Southwest have a winning strategy? 3. What are the key policies, procedures, operating practices, and core values underlying Southwests efforts to implement and execute its low-cost/no frills strategy? 4. What are the key elements of Southwests culture? Is Southwest a strong culture company? Why or why not? What problems do you foresee that Gary Kelly has in sustaining the culture now that Herb Kelleher, the companys spiritual leader, has departed? 5. What grade would you give Southwest management for the job it has done in implementing and executing the companys strategy? Which of Southwests strategy execution approaches and operating practices do you believe have been most crucial in accounting for the success that Southwest has enjoyed in executing its strategy? Are the any policies, procedures, and operating approaches at Southwest that you disapprove of or that are not working well? 6. What weaknesses or problems do you see at Southwest Airlines as of mid2010? 7. Does the AirTran acquisition make good strategic sense for Southwest? 8. What strategic issues and problems do Gary Kelly and Southwest executives need to address as they proceed to close the deal with the AirTran acquisition and contemplate how best to integrate AirTrans operations and AirTrans employees into Southwest? 9. What recommendations would you make to Gary Kelly and Southwest executives as the company heads into 2011?

Tu

April

16 Test #3: Chapters 9, 10, 11 &12 Guest Speaker {Tentative} 18 Return Case #2 Prepare for 4-Hour Departmental Exam 19 4-Hour Departmental Exam: 2:00-6:00 p.m., Alston 10/20/30/40

Th

April

Fr

April

TU TH

April April

24 De-brief 4-Hour Exam 25 Final Lecture: Never Let the Bastards Get to You

16

FR

April

26 How to Make a Million Dollars

17