BPOL5000 - BUSINESS POLICY

COURSE OBJECTIVES

- This course serves as a capstone course for senior undergraduate students in business school. A profound objective of this course is to integrate the knowledge learned from the functional areas, i.e., finance, accounting, marketing, operations management, strategic analysis, decision making, and human resource management, for business decision-making and operations.

- The second objective is to let the students to be familiar with the literature of strategic management, learn how to use certain techniques for strategic analysis, and learn how to formulate and implement a strategy. The students will be required to formulate a strategic plan for their own company and implement it.

- The third objective is to provide opportunities for students to work in a team. Team work is a major part of an individual's final evaluation. The students are required to cooperate with their team members in running a "company" and fulfil business duties.

- The fourth objective is to interject the use of computers in decision analysis through a management simulation --- Micromatic. The students will have the opportunities to learn, through practice, the application of quantitative decision-making techniques, including present-value analysis, information system, linear programming, and some other sophisticated techniques to resolve real business problems. The students are required to develop their own management information systems for the Micromatic simulation and to keep records and reports conscientiously.

- The fourth one is to understand that business environment at the turn of the 21st century is undoubtedly shifting toward globalization. This course provides opportunities for students, the business leaders of the future, to develop a global view (not "the backyard view") of business competition. Students are required to analyze the international business environment and formulate strategies to compete in the global markets. Journal articles and cases on global industry and multinational business strategy will be discussed in the class.

- Finally, students are expected to understand the concept and importance of business ethics and social responsibilities and to be able to identify the ethical issues in their business conducts.

- Library and field research are among the basic skills required for the accomplishment of the assignments for this course.

 

TEXT (Required)

1. John A. Pearce II and Richard B. Robinson, Jr. Strategic Management: Formulation, Implementation and Control (6th Edition), Irwin, 1997 (designated below as P&R)
2. Scott/Strickland/Hofmeister/Thompson: Micromatic: A Strategic Management Simulation (2nd Edition). Houghton Mifflin, 1992 (designated below as MICRO).

 

SUPPLEMENTARY READINGS

Students are required to read at least one of the following periodicals on a regular basis:

1. The Wall Street Journal
2. Business Week
3. Fortune

Additional reading materials will be handed out in the class.

GRADING POLICY

Performance on Simulation

1. Annual Reports - 20
2. Strategic Plans - 20
3. Final Standing in the Game - 10

Quiz on Game - 10

Examination I, II, III - 40

Class attendance and team work participation are required. Missing one class is excusable; starting from the second absence, each will result in 5% deduction from the final grade. Grade for each team member will be adjusted from the team base-line grade according to the participation and contribution to the team work.