Teaching Strategy - Doctoral Course Proposed for 2013 at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore

1. Indian Institute of Management Bangalore
Fellow Program in Management
Elective Course for Term VI; Year: 2013-14
Teaching Strategy
Faculty: Ganesh N Prabhu
Credits: Three; Twelve sessions of 2.5 hours each
Introduction:
This course enables doctoral students to build their understanding of the major models and frameworks
as used in teaching and consulting in the area of strategy. It requires doctoral students to apply strategy
models and frameworks to business cases and to use cases to add to and enrich the existing models and
frameworks in use. It then requires students to plan and take case based MBA sessions in strategy and
to develop detailed teaching notes on the cases used on the basis of their classroom experience. The
course helps builds business acumen and enables students to be more effective in teaching strategy.
Pedagogy:
This course will first focus on critical evaluation, application and development on the major models and
frameworks used in teaching strategy. Readings on each major theme are limited to the advanced level
textbooks where the theme and analytical framework are well presented. Students will apply the
analytical framework to the given business case and critically discuss its applicability in class with
suggestions on how the models and frameworks could be enhanced on the basis of the business case.
Students will then teach two cases in an MBA program course in strategy and use their classroom
experience to develop comprehensive teaching notes on the two cases they used. The submissions are
designed to enable students to build their understanding of case teaching and to write more effectively.
Assessment:
Strategy Practice Note (30%): Students will develop a strategy practice note that presents a better
or more advanced framework for strategy analysis in practice on any chosen theme. It has to be written
such that it can be given to an MBA class to be read before class along with the case to be discussed. It
should review, build on and advance existing analysis in that theme and present a more effective and
comprehensive way to do strategy analysis in practice that is of value to practitioners and consultants.
The strategy practice note should be within 2500 words excluding references, charts and tables if any.
New Case Teaching Note (20%): Students will write a comprehensive teaching note on a new case
that they have taught in class. The teaching note will cover the teaching objectives, the position of the
case in the course, analytical frameworks used in meeting the teaching objectives, the analysis to be
used in class, additional readings, class assignments, board plan and suggestions on teaching resources.
Old Case Teaching Note Update (20%): Students will write a teaching note update on an older
case that they have taught in class. The note will not repeat but only update and build on an existing
teaching note available. The update will cover additional teaching objectives, new ways to use the case,
new analytical frameworks that can be used in meeting the teaching objectives, new analysis used in
class, additional readings, new class assignments and suggestions on new teaching resources.
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2. Class Contribution (30%): Students are expected to study and apply the models and frameworks to
the case before the class and discuss it in class. Contribution to the class process, the case discussion
and suggestions on how the strategy models and frameworks could be enhanced on the basis of the case
discussed will be evaluated. This grading will be only for the ten classroom sessions in the course. The
teaching sessions will not be evaluated but feedback will be given. Each student will be expected to
attend at least two sessions taught by any other students in the course and participate in feedback.
Session Coverage:
No Topic
1 Course Structure, Course Level, Case Evaluation, Choice of Cases, Class Process, Teaching Notes
2 Models of Vision, Mission, Strategy, Program, Tactic, Emergence, Action, Implementation
3 Structure, Conduct, Performance and Five Forces Framework – Application & Limitation
4 Models of Competitor Analysis – Strategic Groups – Competition within and across groups
5 Models of Competitive Advantage, Disadvantage and Performance Measurement
6 Generic Business Level strategies – identification, continuance and triggers for change
7 Resource Based View – resources, capabilities, competence and applicability to practice
8 Teaching an MBA session in strategy (new or old case) – 90 min session followed by feedback
9 Teaching an MBA session in strategy (new or old case) – 90 min session followed by feedback
10 Vertical Integration and Diversification Strategies – resource acquisition versus alliances
11 Models of Multi-business Firms – portfolio, synergy, domestic and international linkages
12 Course Structure, Course Level, Case Evaluation, Choice of Cases, Class Process, Teaching Notes
Reference Readings:
Chapters from the following textbooks will be used as the reference readings for the sessions.
PG – Pankaj Ghemawat “Strategy and the Business Landscape” (Second Edition Pearson)
RG – Robert Grant “Contemporary Strategic Management” (Sixth Edition - Wiley)
JB – Jay Barney “Gaining and Sustaining Competitive Advantage” (Third Edition - PHI)
DB – David Besanko “Economics of Strategy” (Third Edition – Wiley)
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3. Session Readings and Cases
1. Course Structure, Course Level, Case Evaluation, Choice of Cases, Class Process, Teaching Notes
Reading: PGP course outline of Competition and Strategy – current year and previous year.
2. Models of Vision, Mission, Strategy, Program, Tactic, Emergence, Action, Implementation.
Readings – JB (Chap 1) + RG (Chap 1 and 2) + PG (Chap 1)
Case – PaGaLGuY – IIMB case – 2011
3. Structure – Conduct – Performance & Five Forces Framework – Application & Limitation.
Reading – JB (Chap 2 and 3) + RG (Chap 3) + PG (Chap 2) + DB (Chap 10)
Cases – Japanese Beer Industry and Asahi Breweries – book case
4. Models of Competitor Analysis – Strategic Groups – Competition within and across Groups.
Reading – JB (Chap 4) + RG (Chap 4) + PG (Chap 2) + DB (Chap 6)
Case – TI Cycles: New Product Strategy (A) – Vikalpa case
5. Models of Competitive Advantage, Competitive Disadvantage and Performance Measures.
Reading – JB (Chap 4) + RG (Chap 7) + PG (Chap 3 and 4) + DB (Chap 11)
Case – Amar Chitra Katha – IIMB case 2011
6. Generic Business Level Strategies – Identification, Continuance, Triggers for Change.
Reading – JB (Chap 6 and 7) + RG (Chap 8 and 9) + PG (Chap 3) + DB (Chap 12)
Case – Passion for Learning – HBS case 9-796-057
7. Resource Based View – Resources, Capabilities, Competence and Applicability to Practice.
Reading – JB (Chap 5) + RG (Chap 5) + PG (Chap 5)
Case – Pradesh Milk Federation – IIMB case 2004
8. Teaching an MBA session in strategy – teaching case, assigned readings and teaching note
9. Teaching an MBA session in strategy – teaching case, assigned readings and teaching note
10. Vertical Integration and Diversification Strategies – Resource Acquisition versus Alliances.
Reading – JB (Chap 10 and 11) + RG (Chap 13 and 15) + PG (Chap 6) + DB (chap 4 and 5)
Case – IKEA in China – ACRJ case
11. Models of Multi-Business Firms – Portfolio, Synergy, Domestic and International linkages.
Reading – JB (Chap 12, 13 and 14) + RG (Chap 16) + PG (Chap 6)
Case – CavinKare Private Limited – IIMB case 2008
12. Course Structure, Course Level, Case Evaluation, Choice of Cases, Class Process, Teaching Notes
Reading: PGP course outline of Competition and Strategy – current year and previous year.
Reading: EPGP course outline of Competition and Strategy – current year and previous year.
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