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Reflections for Course Application

Activity Context

This discussion measures your progress in mastering the following course objectives:

Activity Instruction – Due: NLT 11:59 PM EST, Monday, September 7, 2015

This discussion provides you an opportunity to reflect on your course experience and to look ahead at the path in front of you.  Complete the following tasks:

Sections II Course Description:

Businesses and other organizations compete in a multifaceted and increasingly international environment of social, political, economic and legal entities and forces. MBA-700 Strategic Management is concerned with developing in the student the "general management point of view".  This means focusing the student on the job of the general manager in formulating and implementing short and long-run corporate strategy in a global marketplace, and in seeing the cross functionalimpact of any situation, problem, proposal or decision and the key short and long-term implications for the total enterprise facing increased global competition.

This course applies tools and skills learned in other required courses to define, analyze and resolve complex strategic problems faced by general managers in the global marketplace.  It develops students’ cross-functional perspective, considering the total enterprise in making and implementing both short and long-term decisions about organizational mission and values, objectives, markets, approaches to competition, and organizational culture, structures and systems.  This course prepares students to think and act strategically in the face of increasing global competition from Europe, Japan, the Pacific Rim, China, South America, Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

The overall objective of Global Strategy is immediate on-the-job usefulness.  Few of you will be general managers on graduation. All of you will work for general managers (or your managers will).  If you understand the general management viewpoint, you can see instructions flowing downward in your manager's perspective.  Similarly, you can demonstrate comprehensive understanding in your own work and suggestions for improvement. 

section III Course Objectives:

Using cases drawn from actual business situations, by the end of the semester the student will be able to:

1.Identify and analyze complex top management problems in both the classroom cases and the current events of today's business world;

2.Diagnose the overall condition of an organization, with emphasis on its financial situation;

3.Perceive and analyze evolving environmental trends, with an emphasis on seeking new opportunities for the organization, and perceiving new threats against it;

4.Identify a strategy and its components.  This refers to the strategy of an enterprise over time and involves examining the role of the general manager in the strategic process;

5.Describe those specific company skills that give the organization advantages over the competition and weaknesses, which hamper its competitive position;

6.Identify and analyze potential strategic alternatives;

7.Make strategic decisions in an atmosphere of uncertainty and risk and justifying these decisions by means of highly focused, substantive analysis;

8.Analyze the changing political, technological and social environment as it impacts on the strategic process.  This includes recognition of and respect for individual and group values.  Awareness of ethical issues and the international environment are stressed; and

As you work to answer these questions, be sure to: