INTBUS 202 : Foundations of Strategy

Business and Economics

2022 Semester One (1223) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Examines how firms compete. Focuses on the frameworks and tools needed to make sense of the competitive landscape in order to formulate and implement strategies. Considers the challenges and constraints that managers face in increasingly complex environments and industries.

Course Overview

STRATEGY is a subject that integrates many academic disciplines, hence this course is popular with students taking double majors within the Business School as well as those in Conjoint Programmes across other faculties. As an introductory course, we cover concepts in strategic management and apply them to case studies. The main case study involves a business simulation in the global digital camera drone industry in which you compete against your classmates. Just as in real life, learning comes from success and failure! Team skills are among those most sought by employers and learning about strategy implementation in this course is no different. Though there is a final exam, team-based and experiential learning principles are employed in this course such that participation is rewarding but demanding.

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: 15 points from BUSINESS 102, 112, 113, MGMT 101, or 15 points from ECON 151, 152 and 30 points in International Relations and Business

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Capability 5: Independence and Integrity
Capability 6: Social and Environmental Responsibilities
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Commerce

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Explain the use and limitations of strategy concepts in a range of business contexts. (Capability 1 and 4.2)
  2. Apply strategy concepts at the macro, industry and firm level to understand the organisational environment. (Capability 1 and 6)
  3. Formulate a strategy using analytical tools in strategic management. (Capability 3, 4.2 and 4.3)
  4. Debate multiple perspectives on a strategic problem to compare alternative courses of action. (Capability 2 and 5.1)
  5. Work productively within a team to experiment with strategy implementation. (Capability 3, 4.1, 4.3 and 5.2)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Mid-Semester Test 10% Individual Test
Group Exercises 30% Group Coursework
Examination 50% Individual Examination
Quizzes / Perusall 10% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5
Mid-Semester Test
Group Exercises
Examination
Quizzes / Perusall

Workload Expectations

About 10 hours per week is expected to complete this course. On average you should spend about seven hours per week on pre-reading and learning concepts independently, with some weeks requiring a larger time commitment than others.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is required at scheduled activities, including groupwork sessions to receive credit for components of the course. Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities, including groupwork sessions, will not be available as recordings. The course will also include live online events including group discussions. Attendance on campus is required for the individual mid-term test and exam, unless University policy requires otherwise. The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

The required textbook for this course is:
Whittington, R., Regnér, P., Angwin, D., Johnson G., & Scholes, K. (2021). Fundamentals of Strategy (5th ed). Harlow, UK: FT Prentice Hall.
NOTE: Previous editions of this textbook are unsuitable because the case studies, which are used for assessments, have been updated.
Supplementary reading may be provided.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.

Published on 04/11/2021 10:21 p.m.