Course Outline

Course Details
Academic Session

2014-15

Term

III

Course Name

Strategic Management

Name of Instructor

Prof. Saptarshi Purkayastha

Course Objectives

This is the introductory course that introduces the concept of strategy and strategic management to the
participants of the Post Graduate Programme. By the end of this course, participants are expected to
appreciate the underlying reasons for certain organisations outperforming the rest in an industry, and the
manner in which organisations develop the edge necessary for sustained competitive advantage.
To achieve the above-mentioned expected objective, we shall undertake an in-depth analysis of the manner
in which strategies are formulated and implemented. This will encompass discussion on both the
competitive and corporate strategies. Competitive strategies deal with the design and execution of strategies
at the level of an independent company (or SBU). Corporate strategy focusses on the posture adopted by a
diversified firm that entrains its different SBUs and resources in a manner that all units function within the
scope of an overarching corporate vision, often to achieve synergistic benefits. In order to appreciate the
nuances of this course, each one of us would play the role of a CEO and should act in the best interest of the
company.
Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course, students should be comfortable in the following respects,
a. Understand industry structure, its dynamics and its influence of profitability on incumbent firms
b. Examine firms resources and organizational capabilities for sustainable competitive advantage
competitive advantage
c. Understand the differences between business and corporate strategy
d. Evaluate a firms internationalization strategy
e. Key elements for successful implementation of strategy,
Pedagogy

The course objectives drive the pedagogy that we adopt. A CEO, in his/her role of the overall responsibility
of the strategy of an organisation, must appreciate the complexities and uncertainties associated with
decision-making. Consequently, this course has a strong focus primarily on case-based teaching pedagogy.
Wherever required, we shall also employ lectures, movies, and role plays as alternate tools for imparting the
necessary learning.
As the session plan indicates, there is a case and a few readings assigned for each class. It is mandatory
that all participants read and thoroughly analyse the case/reading before coming to the class. If a
trade-off has to be made for some unforeseen reasons, it has to be made in favour of the case assigned. Your

central goal should be to develop your own personal synthesis and approach for identifying and addressing
key strategic issues facing an organisation. While analysing the cases, we strongly recommend that you
discuss the cases in small study groups, and come to the class with your own specific
assessment/conclusions.

Resources Required for the Course

A. Prescribed Text Book: Strategic Management: Concepts and Cases by Fred R. David
B. Additional References if any

Robert M. Grant (2012). Contemporary Strategic Management, Blackwell, 7th Edition.

You can also refer to some of these books which are available in our library.
M.E. Porter, Competitive Strategy, 1980.
M.E. Porter, Competitive Advantage, 1985
Jim Collins & Jerry I Porras Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies, 1994
Jim Collins & Jerry I Porras Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't, 2001
Henry Mintzberg, Strategy Safari: A Guided Tour Through The Wilds of Strategic Management, 2005
Kaplan, R.S. and Norton, D.P. (2001). The Strategy-focused Organization, Harvard Business School Press,
Boston.
Richard Rumelt(2011). Good Strategy Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters.
From time to time you should also refer to various issues of some of the popular management journals such
as Academy of Management Perspective, Business Horizon, European Journal of Management, Harvard
Business Review, California Management Review and Sloan Management Review.
C. Cases to be procured (if any)

Product Number
712490-PDF-ENG

Product Title

HBS, 9-710-429
907M31-PDF-ENG
907M31-PDF-ENG

Emerging Nokia
Michelin in the Land of Maharajas (A): Note on the Tire industry in India

706447-PDF-ENG
303086-PDF-ENG

Cola Wars Continue: Coke and Pepsi in 2006

303810-VID-ENG
799158-PDF-ENG
HBS,9-300-018

Silvio Napoli at Schindler India Video

Matching Dell
BRL Hardy: Globalizing an Australian Wine
BRL Hardy: Globalizing an Australian Wine Company: Interviews with
Steve Millar and Christopher Carson, DVD
Christopher A. Bartlett
The Walt Disney Company: Entertainment King
Toys R Us Japan

300509-VID-ENG
701035-PDF-ENG
(HBS, 9-796-077)
(HBS,9-702-428)

Apple Inc. in 2012

Michelin in the Land of Maharajas (B): Note on the Tire industry in India

Silvio Napoli at Schindler India (A)

General Electric Medical Systems, 2002

General Electric Medical Systems, DVD

Tarun Khanna
Unilever in India: Hindustan Lever's Project Shakti--Marketing FMCG to
the Rural Consumers
Haier Electronics: Taking a Chinese company global
The Globalization of Cemex
Procter & Gamble Europe: Vizir Launch
Procter & Gamble Europe: Vizir Launch--Interview with Wolfgang Berndt,
DVD/Video

(703904-VID-ENG)(HBS, 9-505-056)
(HBS,9-706-401)
701017-PDF-ENG
(HBS,9-384-139)
886521-VID-ENG, HBS)

D. Software Installation Requirement for Students (if any): NIL

Evaluation Method
Course Evaluation
Component

Weightage (%)

Duration Of
Examination

Nature of Examination
(Open Book /Closed Book)

a)

End Term Examination

30%

2 hrs

Open Book

b)

Quiz

10%

c)

Project Assignments

20%

d)

Class Participation

20%

e)

Oral Examination (Class Presentation & Viva )

20%

Sr. No.

Session-wise Plan

Session No.

Topic(s) to be covered

Session-1

Introduction to Strategy-I

Session-2

Introduction to Strategy-II

Session-3

How are strategies formed in organizations?-Deliberate Strategies

Session-4

How are strategies formed in organizations? Emergent Strategies

Session-5

Industry analysis

Session-6

Industry evolution

Session-7

Sustainable competitive advantage

Session-8

Value Chain Analysis

Session-9

Corporate Strategy

Session-10

Corporate Strategy: Diversification

Session-11

Corporate Strategy: Vertical Integration

Session-12

Competitive Strategy

Session-13

Understanding strategy in emerging markets

Session-14

Tools of Strategy Implementation

Session-15

Perils of Strategy Implementation

Session-16

Understanding International Strategy

Session-17

Executing global strategy locally

Session-18

Why do strategies fail?

Session-19

Future of Strategy

Session-20

Project presentation & Feedback