Business Strategy and Planning

Code:

LGE405

Acronym:

EPE

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Business Sciences

Instance: 2006/2007 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Web Page:	http://www.fep.up.pt/disciplinas/lge405
Responsible unit:	Department of Management
Course/CS Responsible:	Business Administration

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
GES	170	Official Curricular Structure since 2004	4	3		-

Objectives

The course aims to provide the students with a consistent perspective of the main concepts and analytical tools in business strategy that will allow them: (1) to analyse the internal and external environments of the focal firm, in terms of activities, actors, capabilities, resources, and relationships; (2) to identify and characterise the nature and underpinnings of the strategies that are (have been) prescribed and/or enacted; (3) to identify and characterise the mechanisms and tools through which those strategies are (have been) designed/formulated or put in place both by the focal firm and its major counterparts. Throughout the course, the students will carry out desk research (and, possibly, field research) of real life cases, including data collection and the analysis and discussion of strategic alternatives, relying on analytical tools and frameworks, so as to improve their abilities to participate usefully in the drawing of business plans and in management control activities, related to the management and enactment of strategies.

Program

Notions and concepts of strategy.
Brief revision of the major currents of strategic thought.
Analysis and characterisation of the external environment, the markets and the major competitors, clients and suppliers.
Analysis of resources, technology, knowledge, capabilities and possibilities
Characterisation of the values and objectives system, and the governance system.
Identification and evaluation of strategic alternatives.
The normative and the emergent perspectives. Strategic co-evolution.
Organisation and assignment of resources.
Planning and control.
The Integration of strategy, planning and control.

Main Bibliography

Johnson, Gerry, K. Scholes and R. Whittington, (2005), Exploring Corporate Strategy (7th ed.), FT-Prentice Hall, Harlow (England); ISBN: 0-273-68739-5 (paperback)

- Additional materials, in pdf format, posted on the web page: http://www.fep.up.pt/disciplinas/lge405/index_lge405-05_06.htm N.B.: Students will be provided in class with passwords to access certain items posted here

Complementary Bibliography

Bennett, R. (1995), Corporate Strategy and Business Planning, Pitman Publishing, London.
Burnes, B. (1992), Managing Change, Pitman Publishing, London
De Wit, Bob and Ron Meyer (2004) Strategy - Process, Content, Context -An international Perspective (3rd ed.), West Publishing, Minneapolis/St. Paul; ISBN: 1-86152-964-3 (paperback)
Kaplan, R. S. and D. P. Norton (1992) "The Balanced Score Card - Measures that Drive Performance." Harvard Business Review(Jan-Feb): 71-79.
Kaplan, R. S. and D. P. Norton (1993) "Putting the Balanced Scorecard to Work." Harvard Business Review (Sep-Oct): 134-142
Kaplan, R. S. and D. P. Norton (1996) "Using the Balanced Score Card as a Strategic Management System" Harvard Business Review (Jan-Feb): 75-85
Kaplan, R. S. and D. P. Norton (2000) "Having Trouble with Your Strategy? Then Map it!" Harvard Business Review 78 (5) (Sep-Oct): 167-176
Lynch, Richard (2003) Corporate Strategy (3rd) edition, Prentice Hall – Financial Times, Harlow (Essex – UK); ISBN 0-273-65854-9 (paperback);
Mullins, John (2003) The New Business Road Test: What Entrepeneurs and Executives Should Do Before Writing a Business Plan, FT Prentice Hall, Harlow (Essex – UK); ISBN: 0-273-66356-9
Olve, Nils-Göran et. al (2003) Making Scorecards Actionable – Balancing Strategy and Control, Wiley, Chichester; ISBN: 0-470-84871-5
Olve, Nils-Göran et. al (1999) Performance Drivers – A practical Guide to Using the Balanced Score Card, Wiley, Chichester; ISBN: 0-471-49542-5
Parmelee, David (2000) Preparing the Marketing Plan, American Marketing Association Marketing Toolbox, NTC Business Books, Lincolnwood (Chicago); ISBN: 0-658-00134-5
Simons, Robert (1999) Performance measurement and control systems for implementing strategy, text and cases, Prentice-Hall, New Jersey; ISBN: 0130219452
Stuckenbruck, L. (ed.) (1994), The Implementation of Project Management, 11th edition, Addison-Wesley I Reading, MA.
Stutely, Richard (2001) The Definitive Business Plan: The Fast-track to Intelligent Business Planning for Executives and Entrepreneurs, Financial Times - Prentice Hall, Harlow (Essex – UK); ISBN: 0273659219
Teixeira, Sebastião (1998), Gestão das Organizações, McGraw-Hill de Portuga\, Lisboa.

Links de interesse:
* Página de apoio ao manual de Johnson & Scholes:
http://www.booksites.net/johnsonscholes
* MIT Business Plan Resources http://enterpriseforum.mit.edu/mindshare/planning/
* Bplans.com: http://www.bplans.com
* The Business Plan Guide - Miller Consulting: http://www.business-plans.co.uk
* Center for Business Planning: http://www.businessplans.org
* Strategy as Practice:
http://www.strategy-as-practice.org/
* Balanced Scorecard Institute:
http://www.balancedscorecard.org/
* IMP group:
http://www.impgroup.org/

Evaluation Type

Calculation formula of final grade

The final mark will be "M", such that:
(a) In Final assessment:
M = 0.6 x mark in theoretical test + 0.4 x mark in handwriten case discussion;
(b) In continuous assessment:
M = 0.6 x average of marks in theoretical mini-tests + 0.4 x mark in casework submited (NB: very good presentation of the casework in class may lead to the improvement of casework mark in up to 20%)