COURSE INTRODUCTION

Title, Code, Credit Points and Contact Hours Course Description and Learning objectives Course Contents Required Readings Course Evaluation Training schedules

0.1 Title, Code, Semester, Credit Points and Contact Hours Per Week
COURSE CODE AND TITLE SEMESTER CREDIT POINTS
BUS 5021: STRATEGIC BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

1 4

CONTACT HOURS PER 28 WEEK

0.2 Course Description

This course is designed for practising managers. It is a course that presents a comprehensive and holistic approach to business management; focuses on the interface between a firm and its environment. The course presents key conceptual, and methodological strategic management issues that are associated with modern corporate management.

0.3 Learning Objectives

Explain and evaluate a range of theories and concepts of strategy and the strategy process Critically review the strategy of an organization, with respect to environmental and organizational fits Critically review functional policies and priorities from a strategic perspective

Contd

Synthesize theory and practice to assess the efficacy of strategic models and frameworks Critically evaluate implementation and control mechanisms that minimize problems in strategic change Produce creative solutions to strategic problems for organizations facing diverse environmental and organizational constraints, where there is incomplete information and ambiguity

0.4 Course Contents

1. Introduction to Strategic Business Management: Scope, meaning, challenges, the need of strategic knowledge in business, strategic management models. 2. Setting the Organisational Direction: Vision, Mission, Objectives, strategies, tactics, performance control and evaluation, necessary corrective measures. 3. Strategic Situation analysis: SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, risks and threats), environmental scanning (PESTEL).

Contd

4. Developing Strategies: Hierarchy of strategy corporate, business and functional; Porters generic strategies, Ansoffs strategies, reactive versus proactive situation of a strategy. 5. Strategy Implementation: Business Plan, strategy and structural design, the fits of a strategy (organisation structure, budget, culture, etc). 6. Strategy Control: types of control, control process, measuring performance, management control system, MIS.

Contd

7. Managing a competitive Business Environment: nature of competition, application of Porters Five Forces Framework, Generic competitive strategies.

0.5 Delivery Modality

Lecture Presentation through slides Class Discussion/Group Discussion Case Studies

0.6 Required Readings

1.

2.

3.

The expected excel text books Johnson, Gerry and Kevan Scholes (2003), Exploring Corporate Strategy, Fifth edition, Prentice-Hall International, London. Ndunguru P.C., (1999), Strategic Business Planning & Policy, MU Press.

0.7 Recommended Readings

1.

2. 3.

Arthur, A. Thompson and A.J. Strickland (1993), Strategic Management: Concepts and Cases, Fifth edition, Business Publications Inc./Irwin, Homewood Cliffs, Illinois Ansoff, H. I. (1995), The New Corporate Strategy, Revised ed, John Wiley and Sons. Journals on the substantive subject: Harvard Business Review; Journal of business Strategy; LongRange Planning; Strategic Management Journal; Planning Review,; SAM Advanced Management Journal. Ghemawat. P. Strategy and Business landscape: Harvard Business review

0.8 Course Evaluation

Group Assignment Tests Term Paper Course Work 10 Marks 20 Marks 20 Marks 50 Marks

0.9 Course Facilitators

1.

2.

3.

Lecturer: Mnzava, J.A. (0659116666); jamnzava@yahoo.com Class Representative: To be selected by the participants, Lets select him/her now. There should be an assistant. Even other participants

0.10 Block One Training Schedule: 2nd Week (1)

DATE Monday 3rd Oct 2011 TIME TOPIC

19.30-21.30 Nature and Importance of Strategic Management

Tuesday 4th 17.00-19.00 Environmental Analysis Oct 2011 Wednesday 19.30-21.30 Environmental Analysis 5th Oct 11

2nd week (1)

Thursday 6th Oct 11 Friday 7th Oct 2011 Sat 8th Oct 2011 Sat 8th Oct 2011 17.00-19.00 Environmental Analysis Providing Group Assigt & Term Paper Questions Setting the organizational Direction Strategy Formulation: Corporate Strategies Participants Working on Group Assignment

19.30-21.30

10.30-12.30 16.00-18.00

3rd Week (2)

DATE Monday 10th Oct 2011 Tuesday 11th Oct 2011 Wednesday 12th Oct 11 TIME 19.30-21.30 17.00-19.00 19.30-21.30 TOPIC Dr Tundui: Managerial Economics Dr Tundui: Managerial Economics Strategy Formulation: Corporate Strategies

3rd Week (2)

Thursday 13th 17.00-19.00 Oct 2011 Friday 14th Oct 2011 Sat 15th Oct 2011 Sat 15th Oct 2011 19.30-21.30 8.00-10.00 10.30-12.30 Corporate Strategies Competitive Strategies Competitive Strategies Market Strategies THE END OF THE 1ST BLOCK

0.11 Block Three Training Schedule: 9th Week (3)

DATE Monday 21st Nov 2011 Tuesday 22nd Nov 2011 Wednesday 23rd Nov 11 TIME 19.30-21.30 17.00-19.00 TOPIC Functional Strategies Strategic Management Models Strategic Managt Models

19.30-21.30

9th Week (3)

Thursday 24th Nov 2011 Friday 25th Nov 2011 17.00-19.00

Test (20 marks) Submission of Assignments& Term Papers Strategy Implementation

19.30-21.30

Saturday 10.30-12.30 26th Nov 11

Saturday 16.00-18.00 26th Nov 11

Strategy Implementation
Self Preparation

10th Week (4)

DATE Monday 28th Nov 2011 Tuesday 29th Nov 2011 Wednesday 30th Nov 11 TIME 19.30-21.30 17.00-19.00 19.30-21,30 TOPIC Strategy Implementation Strategy Evaluation and Control Strategy Evaluation and Control

10th Week (4)

Thursday 1st Dec 2011 17.00-19.00 Management of Competitive Environment Review and Course Evaluation

Friday 2nd Dec 19.30-21.30 2011

Saturday 3rd Dec 2011

Saturday 4th Dec 2011

10.30-12.30
16.00-18.00

Review
Closing and Best Wishes

0.12 Block 6: Preparation and Final Examinations

DATE ACTIVITY

21st Week: From 13th to 17th February 2012

-Preparation for End of Semester One Examinations -Receiving the Coursework from prospective lecturers 22nd Week: From 20th to Attending and Doing End of 24th February 2012 Semester One Examinations

LECTURE ONE: NATURE AND IMPORTANCE OF STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT

1.
2. 3. 4.

Definition of SBM Levels of Strategic Management Strategic Management Process Importance of Strategic Management

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT DEFINED

Strategic management is a set of managerial decisions and actions that determine the long-run performance of a corporation. It includes strategy formulation, strategy implementation, and evaluation and control. Strategic management is concerned with monitoring and evaluating environmental opportunities and constraints in light of a corporations strengths and weaknesses.

LEVELS OF STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT

Corporate Strategy Business Strategy Functional Strategy

CORPORATE STRATEGY
Corporate Strategy explores the ways in which a business can develop its activities favorably. It establishes an approach of making decisions about the type of business in which a firm should be involved, the flow of financial and other resources to and from its activities, the relationship of the corporation to key groups in its environment and the ways in which a corporation can increase its return on investment.

BUSINESS STRATEGY
Business strategy occurs at the divisional level and emphasizes on the improvement of the competitive position of a corporations products/ services in the specific industry or markets segment served by the division.

BUSINESS STRATEGY CONTINUED

A division may be organized as a Strategic Business Unit (SBU) around a group of similar products. Top management usually treats an SBU as a semi-autonomous unit with the authority to develop its own strategies also integrate various functional activities so that divisional objectives are achieved. A business strategy which is sometimes called competitive strategy may be one of overall cost leadership, differentiation or focus.

FUNCTIONAL STRATEGY
Functional strategy focuses on the maximization of resource productivity. Functional departments develop strategies in which their various activities and competencies are pulled together for the improvement of performance.

STRATEGIC MGT LEVELS: THE CASE OF MZUMBE UNIVERSITY

Corporate Level: VC, Council, DVCs, Senate Divisional Level: Mbeya Campus, Dar Campus, Directorates, Faculties Functional Levels: Departments

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT PROCESS

Environmental Scanning Strategy Formulation Strategy Implementation Evaluation and Control

ENVIRONMENTAL SCANNING
The top management scans both the external environment for opportunities and threats, and the internal environment for strengths and weaknesses. Those factors which are most important to the corporations future are referred to as strategic factors.

STRATEGY FORMULATION
Strategy formulation is the development of long-range plans for the effective management of environmental opportunities and threats in light of the corporate strengths and weaknesses. It includes defining the corporate mission, specifying achievable objectives, developing strategies and setting policy guidelines.

CORPORATE MISSION
The corporate mission is the purpose or reason for the corporations existence. A mission may be narrow or broad in scope. A narrow mission clearly limits the scope of the corporations activities in terms of product or service offered, the technology used, and the market served. A broad mission widens the scope of the corporations activities to include many types of products or services, markets and technologies.

OBJECTIVES
The corporate mission determines the parameters of the specific objectives to be defined by top management. The objectives state what is to be accomplished and when. The term goal is often confused with objective. A goal is an open-ended statement of what one wishes to accomplish without being very specific and with no time criteria for completion.

STRATEGIES
A strategy of an organization is a comprehensive master plan stating how the corporation will achieve its mission and objectives. It maximizes competitive advantage and minimizes competitive disadvantage.

STRATEGY CONTINUED

Dictionary definitions tend to emphasize strategy in terms of a military context, such as the science of forming and carrying out projects of military operations. In management terms Koontz and O Donnell describe strategy as a decision about how to use available resources to secure a major objective in the face of possible obstructions such as competitors, public opinion, legal status, taboos and similar forces.

POLICIES
A policy provides guidelines for decision making throughout an organization. It is a broad guidelines which links the formulation of strategy with its implementation.

STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION
Strategy implementation is the process by which strategies and policies are put into action through the development of programs, budgets, and procedures. The implementation of strategy is carried out by middle and lower-level managers but it is reviewed by top management. It involves the day-to day decisions in the allocation of resources.

PROGRAMS, BUDGETS AND PROCEDURES

A program is a statement of the activities needed to accomplish a single-use plan. A budget is a statement of a corporations programs in monetary terms. For planning and control purposes, it lists in details the cost of each program. A procedure details the various activities that must be carried out for the completion of the organizations program.

EVALUATION AND CONTROL

Evaluation and control is the process in which organizations activities and performance results are monitored. It involves comparing actual performance with set/established standards. The results are used to take corrective measures where there is a deviation.

IMPORTANCE OF STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT

ASSIGNMENT Discuss the importance of Strategic Management in any Tanzanian business organization.

Importance of SM: Evening

Group A: Zain Definition Identification of Opportunities through Environmental Scanning Strategy Formulation: Towers, Zones, Staffs, Structure for communication Implementation: budgets etc Controlling: Integration Conclusion

Importance of SM: Evening

Group B: TRA Definitions by Cole and others Environmental Scanning was beneficial to TRA-They learned why people do not pay tax Strategy formulation: effective ways to collect revenue, well organized Implementation: there are models, depts have transactional roles to play, Tax charter Controlling: Performance measurements and corrective measures, Suggestion boxes Conclusion

LECTURE 2: ENVIRONMENTAL SCANNING

External:

Societal Environment External: Task Environment Internal environment Portfolio Analysis

2.1 SOCIETAL ENVIRONMENT

The societal environment includes the more general forces that do not directly touch on the short-run activities of the organization but which often influences its long-run decisions.

MAIN SOCIETAL FACTORS

Economic, which regulate the exchange of materials, money, energy and information. Socio-cultural, which regulate the values, morals and customs of society. You can not sell pork in Zanzibar. Tz society value education Technological, which generate problem-solving inventions. E.g. internets, the use of LCDs facilitate training Political-legal, which allocate/give power and provide constraining and protection laws and regulations. If you support CCM you will be favored

OPPORTUNITIES AND THREATS

For a thorough external environmental analysis, one must be aware of the strategic factors. An organizations strategic factors are those environmental strategic issues that are judged to have a high probability of impact on the organization. These factors are categorized as opportunities and threats and are included in strategy formulation. MU is a threat to UDSM, EAC is an opportunity to some organizations. It is a threat to others

2.2 THE TASK ENVIRONMENT

The task environment of a particular organization is referred to as its industry. This is why analysis of the task environment is called industry analysis. An industry is a group of firms producing a similar product or providing a similar service.

MAIN COMPONENTS OF THE TASK ENVIRONMENT

Suppliers Competitors Distributors Cost Structure Customers Interest groups

COMPETITORS ANALYSIS
Threats of New Entrants Rivalry among Existing Firms Threat of Substitute Products Bargaining Power of Buyers Bargaining Power of Suppliers Relative Power of other Stakeholders

2.3 INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT

Structure Culture Resources

2.3.1 STRUCTURE
Simple Functional Divisional Matrix Conglomerate

2.3.2 ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE

An organizations culture is the collection of beliefs, expectations, and values that are shared by its members and are passed from one generation of employees to another. The result is norms which are rules or codes of conduct that define what behavior is acceptable from top management to the rank and file.

2.3.3 RESOURCES
A corporations resources are considered in terms of financial, physical, human, organizational systems and technological capabilities. These resources are normally dealt with under functional areas of marketing, finance, research and development, operations, human resources and information.

STRENGHS AND WEAKNESSES

Good Financial Position Access to Raw Materials Credibility: e.g. MU Good Public relations Technological Capability etc. These are strengths. Lack of any of them is a weakness.

Assessing Competitive Advantages

Cost-based advantage Differentiation advantage First mover advantage Time-based advantage Technology-based advantage Corporate advantage

The SWOT diagram summarise the results of environmental Analysis

Strengths

Weaknesses

Internal Analyses

Threats

Opportunities

External Analyses

2.4 PORTFOLIO ANALYSIS

We will refer to the BCG model which categorises business units in four types based on relative market share and market growth. The four types of business units are stars, cash cow, question marks and dogs. Each type of business calls for an appropriate strategic decision.

BCG Model
Market Share
High Low

High

Market Growth Rate

Low

Source: Originally Boston Consulting Group. In Widespread use

2.5 Tools for Internal Analysis

Single Businesses
Resource Audit Analysis of cost and profit Benchmarking Value Chain Analysis Supply Chain Analysis

Both Single and Multiple Businesses

Core Competencies Shareholder Value Analysis Distinctive Organisational Capabilities

Multiple Businesses
Assessing Parenting Advantage Portfolio Analysis

RESERVED QUESTION: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ENTERPRISE AND A COMPANY?

An enterprise is any entity engaged in economic activity irrespective of its legal form. The word encompasses corporations, small businesses, non profit institutions, government bodies etc. Venture, Operation, Project, Adventure, Undertaking, Programme, Pursuit and Endeavour Readiness to embark on bold new ventures Thus a company is an enterprise and not all enterprises are companies.

QUESTIONS FOR GROUP ASSIGNMENT

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. There are Eleven (11) questions in total. 2. One question should be attempted by each group 3. There should be eleven groups. Each group should consists of at most five members. 4. Submission Date: 24th November 2011.

GROUP ONE AND TWO

GROUP ONE Discuss the nature and determinants of the evolution and effectiveness of strategic management in Tanzania. GROUP TWO Explain the intricacies of organizational strategies and how they impact organizational performance.

GROUP THREE
What is a strategic plan? Is it the same as corporate plan? If not the same explain the similarities and differences. Discuss the main components of a good strategic plan.

GROUP FOUR AND FIVE

GROUP FOUR Assess the efficacy of strategic models and frameworks in Tanzanian business Organizations GROUP FIVE a.) Identify four stages of the life cycle matrix b.) Use the life cycle matrix to recommend organizational strategies for any three Tanzanian organizations which differ in terms of their competitive positions as well as their life stages.

GROUP SIX

Critically evaluate the effectiveness of strategy implementation and control mechanisms in any Tanzanian business organization

GROUP SEVEN

Produce creative solutions to strategic problems for organizations facing diverse environmental and organizational constraints, where there is incomplete information and ambiguity

GROUP EIGHT
a.) Differentiate between natural and strategic competition based on comparative analysis of Japan and U.S. b.) What are the prerequisites of strategic competition? c.) Briefly discuss the contributions of economists, industrial organization and business people in understanding the theory of competition?

GROUP NINE
The study of competition, current strategic perspectives, past performance, management excellence, and organizational environment provides insights into information necessary for designating strengths and weaknesses of an organization in a particular product/market. a) Define strengths and weaknesses b.) Why assessment of strengths and weaknesses is considered to be an essential task in the strategic management process? c.) Identify areas of strength for an organization.

GROUP TEN
New challenges presented by economic, competitive, socio-cultural and global environments calls for effective strategic management decisions and market driven business philosophies. Briefly describe the nature and scope of strategic management. Identify and briefly discuss eight priorities implied by the adoption of a market driven strategic business philosophy

GROUP ELEVEN
Identify any case study on strategic management field. Critically analyze the case and consequently suggest some strategic measures.

THE END

LECTURE 3: STRATEGY FORMULATION

The major concern in strategy formulation is the development of alternative courses of action that specify the means by which the corporate mission and objectives are to be accomplished. This is followed by the selection of the best strategy. Once the best strategy is selected, appropriate policies must be established to define the rules for implementation.

3.1 CORPORATE STRATEGIES

A corporate level strategy is concerned with the entire firm and specifies the firms mission and objectives. It is composed of three grand strategies stability, growth and retrenchment. Each of these strategies is composed of substrategies.

3.1.1 STABILITY STRATEGIES

No

change Stability Profit Strategy Pause Strategy Proceed with caution Strategy

3.1.2 GROWTH STRATEGIES

Growth is the most frequently used corporate strategy. Growth means increasing sales and a chance to take advantage of the experience curve to reduce the per unit cost of products sold and thereby increase profits.

Types of Growth Strategies

Market Penetration Product Development Market Development Diversification Horizontal growth Vertical growth Merger and Acquisition

3.1.3 RETRENCHMENT STRATEGIES

Retrenchment is a temporary retreat and trimming back in the face of adverse conditions. It is a common short-run defensive strategy for responding to conditions of general economic recession and periods of economic uncertainty.

Types of Retrenchment Strategies

Turnaround Strategy Divestment Strategy Captive Company Strategy Liquidation Strategy

Turn Around Strategy

It emphasizes the improvement of operations efficiency. It can be appropriate when a corporation is in a highly attractive industry and when the corporations are pervasive but not yet critical. A turnaround strategy has two phases:

Contraction Phase this involves reducing size and costs which is a general cutback in personnel and all non critical expenditures Consolidation it is the development of a program to stabilize the trimmed corporation.

Divestment Strategy
It is appropriate when corporate problems can be traced to the poor performance of an SBU or product line, or when a division or SBU is a misfit, unable to synchronize itself with the rest of the corporation. Dive stature is used to generate cash in the sale which can be used to reduce debt and buy time.

Captive Strategy
It is similar to divestment, but instead of selling off divisions or product lines, the firm reduces the scope of some of its functional activities and becomes captive to another firm. This reduces expenses and achieves some security through its relationship with the stronger firm. An agreement is reached with a key customer that in return for a large number of long-run purchases, the captive firm will guarantee delivery at a favorable price.

Liquidation Strategy
It is used when other retrenchment strategy have failed. It is the most unpleasant and painful strategy, especially for a single-business firm because it means terminating the firms existence.

3.2 BUSINESS STRATEGIES

A business strategy focuses on improving the competitive position of a corporations products or services within the specific industry or market segment that the division serves. It is commonly referred to as division strategy. It is a strategy that a division develops to complement the overall corporation strategy.

3.3 COMPETITIVE STRATEGIES

Competitive strategies are three generic strategies used to outperform other firms in a particular industry, namely, overall cost leadership, differentiation and focus.

3.3.1 Overall Cost Leadership

Overall Cost Leadership requires aggressive construction of efficient-scale facilities, vigorous pursuit of cost reductions, tight cost and overhead control, avoidance of marginal customer accounts, and cost minimization in areas like R & D, services, sales force, and advertising. Lower costs allow a firm to earn profits during times of heavy competition.

3.3.2 Differentiation
Differentiation involves the creation of a product/service that is perceived throughout its industry as being unique. The uniqueness can be accomplished through design or brand image, technology, features, dealers, network or customer service.

3.3.3 Focus
Focus is similar to corporate strategy of concentration. It focuses on a particular buyer group, product line segment or geographic market. There is a trade-off between profitability and overall market share.

3.4 FUNCTIONAL STRATEGIES

The major aim is to maximize corporate and divisional resource productivity. It is developed to full competencies of each function so that performance improves.

3.5 DEVELOPING POLICIES

After selecting the best strategic alternatives, policies to define the ground rules for implementation must be established. Corporate policies are broad guidelines for divisions to follow in compliance with corporate strategy. The policies are interpreted and implemented through each divisions own objectives and strategies. The divisions may then develop their own policies for their functional areas to follow.

DISCUSSION QUESTION

Explain the intricacies of organizational strategies and how they impact organizational performance.

Approach
Definition: Complications, hindrances, barriers, environmental determinants Identification of intricacies Intricacies from external environment Intricacies from internal environment Each stage of the strategic management process has got its intricacies Relevant examples are to be provided

LECTURE 4 STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION

Strategy implementation is putting the strategy into effect and getting the organization moving in the direction of strategy accomplishment. Implementation primarily focuses on the administrative process. It depends on the skills of working through others, motivating, culture-building and creating stronger fits between strategy and how the organization operates.

IMPORTANCE OF STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION

According to Macmillan (2001): Approximately 70% of chief executives lose their jobs due to bad execution of good strategy (charan & Colvin 1999) 80% of directors believe they have good strategies only 14% believe they implement them well (Quest WW survey)

FIVE ASPECTS OF STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION

1. Building an Organization Capable of Carrying out the Strategic Plan 2. Allocating and Focusing Resources on Strategic Objectives 3. Galvanizing Organizational wide Commitments to the Strategic Plan 4. Installing internal administrative support systems 5. Exerting Strategic Leadership

BUILDING AN ORGANISATION CAPABLE OF CARRYING OUT THE STRATEGIC PLAN

Developing an internal organization structure that is responsible to the needs of strategy. Developing the skills and distinctive competencies in which the strategy is grounded and seeing that the organization has the managerial talents, technical know-how and competitive capacities it needs.

ALLOCATING AND FOCUSING RESOURCES ON STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

Seeing that each organizational unit has the budget and programs to carry out its part of the strategic plan. Getting individuals and organization units to gear their efforts closely to achieving the target strategic objectives.

GALVANIZING ORGANIZATIONAL WIDE COMMITMENTS TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN

Motivating organizational units and individuals to accomplish strategy. Creating a strategy-supportive work environment and corporate culture. Promoting a results orientation and a spirit of high performance. Keeping the reward structure tightly linked to strategic performance and the achievement of target objectives.

Helping staff improve performance

Uncertainty of the future cause staff to focus more on themselves than the job they have to do This results in a drop in productivity Helping staff maintain high performance increases self-worth and sense of security and drives motivated effort

INSTALLING INTERNAL ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SYSTEMS

Establishing strategy-facilitating policies and procedures. Generating the right strategic information on a timely basis Instructing internal controls to keep the organization on its strategic course. Creating fits between strategy and the various internal ways of doing things.

EXERTING LEADERSHIP

Leading the process of shaping values, molding culture, and energizing strategy accomplishment. Keeping the organization innovative, responsive, and opportunistic. Dealing with power struggles, and building consensus. Initiating corrective actions to improve strategy execution.

DISCUSSION QUESTION
Discuss the main problems of strategy implementation in Tanzanian business organizations.

LECTURE 5 STRATEGY EVALUATION AND CONTROL OBJECTIVES define strategic management evaluation; identify suitable types of control systems to use; describe the phases of control cycle; explain how an effective control system can be developed.

DEFINITION
The strategy evaluation system is meant to inform top management of how the system is performing, by relaying what has occurred or what may occur if action is not taken. An evaluation system monitors performance to detect departures from expected performance when it first occurs, rather than waiting until undesirable results have piled up.

TYPES OF CONTROL SYSTEM

In monitoring an organizations progress one can use either steering, yes/no, or post action control systems. Steering controls involve making predictions of expected results in the form of a set of standards and then comparing performance as it occurs, with standards to detect deviations. Yes/no controls are tests a piece of work must pass to go to the next process. Post action controls consist of tests conducted on completed processes to determine whether or not results meet a standard.

PHASES OF CONTROL CYCLE

Select key variables that will become the major evaluative criteria for determining whether goals have been achieved and strategies appropriately carried out. Set standard for key variables that represent levels of satisfactory performance. Measure performance against standards to detect deviations. Take action either to reinforce correct performance or to correct substandard performance.

DEVELOPMENT OF A CONTROL SYSTEM

Enlist top management support. A clear organizational structure. Establish clear control responsibility. Do not permit control to become an end in itself. The control system should be simple with few controls in number. Communicate the purpose and limitations of control. Encourage employees to participate in the standardsetting process Make controls meaningful, and Customize the control system.

QUESTIONS FOR TERM PAPER

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. There are Twelve (12) questions in total. 2. Attempt any One(1) Question as a term paper. 3. Submission Date: 24th November 2011.

QUESTIONS ONE AND TWO

1. What are the main considerations in development of an effective Strategic Management Control System? Discuss the main phases of control cycle in Strategic Management. 2. Explain the major patterns and drivers of strategy development within Tanzanian organizations.
[For non Tanzanian candidates they may consider organizations in their own country]

QUESTION THREE
A strategic plan is considered by many business experts as a foundation upon which the organizational success hinges. The plan further serves as a source of reference, a guide and a bargaining tool. Examine the major components of a strategic plan, and explain the importance of each component to the success of a business.

QUESTION FOUR
The current competition in the telecommunication industry has prompted the management of Tanzania Telecommunication Service Ltd to consult you as an expert in strategic management to assist in carrying out competitor and market analyses and then recommend some strategic alternatives. Discuss your work modalities, the main issues and possible strategic alternatives for attainment of sustainable competitive advantage.

QUESTION FIVE
Use the internet to find any current article or paper on Strategic Management. Discuss the paper or the article critically with reference to its contribution to knowledge on strategic business management as well as its usefulness in current Tanzanian business environment. [For non Tanzanian candidates they may refer to their own country]

QUESTION SIX
a. Identify any three authors on Strategic Management. b. Compare and contrast the three identified authors on how they approach the main strategic management issues

QUESTIONS SEVEN AND EIGHT

Question 7 With relevant Tanzanian examples discuss how the life cycle matrix can be used in identifying and selection of organizational strategies. Question 8 What is Value Chain Analysis? Discuss the relevance of Value Chain Analysis in Strategic Management. (Use relevant Tanzanian examples)

QUESTION NINE
Total quality management, Service Quality and Quality Assurance are now days emphasized as important strategic issues. The experience of the Japanese shows that high product quality creates a sustainable competitive advantage. What are the differences between traditional and Total Quality Management views of quality? Identify three requirements for quality improvement strategy.

QUESTION TEN AND ELEVEN

Question 10 Explain the major patterns and drivers of strategy development within Tanzanian organizations. Question 11 With relevant examples discuss the role and applicability of strategic management models in developing and selecting organizational strategies.

QUESTION TWELVE

Write on any strategic management aspect in which you are interested.