Prepared by Chris Odindo, Lecturer in Strategic Management @ Leicester Business School Feedback for #CORP2463 students on the module: 'Management and Strategy' Good practice for increasing participation and engagement in a large a diverse module

1. JANUARY 2011
ManStrat Newsletter
Contact: Chris Odindo
WHAT KIND OF ACCOUNTING PROFESSIONAL DO YOU WANT TO BE?
CORP2463: ManStrat
Contents – THINKING BEYOND NUMBERS
CORP 2463 MANSTRAT The more astute students have by now figured Employers are also certainly getting in on the
What type of accounting
out that there is need to go beyond traditional act as they increasingly look for ways to
T Eprofessional do youVwant to be
RM 1 201O RE IEW
understandings of the accounting and finance separate the ‘wheat from the chaff’ especially
– thinking beyond numbers.….1
Top five (5) tips for tutorials profession i.e. beyond numbers. This should not in a highly competitive job market place. For
……………………………………..1 be a surprise given Dr Miles Weaver’s focus on students about to venture into this job
Top tips – examinations: a five locating the module within the accounting market, the ability to have more skills or
(5) point plan……………………2 profession earlier in term 1. understanding that go beyond numbers can
The 1588 Battle of Gravelines.2
mean the difference between getting your
True or False – Man United,
Charles Tilley, the CIMA CEO in an interview ideal job earning over 70K or working for
Motivation and Maslow……….2
Some cheesy puns……………..2 for insight magazine in June 2010, has in fact minimum wages in the fast food industry. And
Tutorials: what kind of student also argued that modern day accountants even then, career progressions in blue chip
are you…………………….........3
should learn to think beyond numbers and companies are often dependant on how well
Tutorials: getting the best out you understand the micro and macro
towards impacting more directly on the
of them………………………….3
strategic directions of their companies. environmental issues that affect your
True or False – Cricket Ashes
Charles’ is certainly not a lone voice in this. organisation and clients. It therefore pays to
2010, Centuries, Corram Balls
and CORP 2463………………..3 Academic papers from the 2010 issues of get the basics of management and strategy
Separating fact from fiction…3 Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal – right this early on. But really the choice –
Getting the best out of your
still available for download on Blackboard – good salary and career progression or a life of
lectures – decoding the merely scraping through – is yours to make.
lectures……….….……………..4
which explore the notion of Accounting as
integral to framing strategy as well as the
discipline and practice of Accounting in relation In making that choice, do consider one thing
to organisational strategy also increasing add though: more than four out of ten of the UK's
Engage more with the
module on Twitter voice to the notion of thinking beyond largest PLCs are now run by individuals with
numbers. The papers highlight the idea that accountancy or finance or numbers
To find Dr Miles accounting and finance should not simply be background, almost double the number
Weaver Search twitter mechanisms for implementing and monitoring in1996. Of course they got to those positions
for strategy but should also be used to actively not only through their love for accounting,
@DrMilesWeaver
shape how strategic matters are formulated and numbers and fine appreciation of weighted-
decided in organisations. Some also review the average accumulated expenditures on self-
40 year literature of the linkages between constructed assets but also to large extents
Accounting and Strategy. keen understandings of their organisation’s
competitive environment. They also
Strategy is undoubtedly everywhere and part of understood quite early in their careers that
most things that you do. Even the completion modern accounting and finance professionals
of your degree requires significant elements of need to think beyond numbers.
strategic planning, management and usage of
available resources. Have no doubt too that Top five (5) tips for tutorials
the elements you learn during the module will These may seem like common sense but are
be crucial as you progress in your career. surprisingly not often followed by students
Concepts like leadership, influence, motivation, 1. Take responsibility for your own learning
teamwork, the tools necessary for - you are no longer in year 1
understanding your internal organisational 2. Prepare in advance of the session
resources and external environments etc are
3. Take notes...lots of notes
going to be critical success factors in the
4. Take an interest in what others are
fulfilment of your career ambitions. If that is not
saying, participate and ask questions
clear by now, then you need a good rethink of
your career aspirations. 5. Always relate the tutorial topic to your
coursework
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2. No self respecting newsletter should be
Top tips – examination: a five (5) point plan without some cheesy puns, so…
1. A sign on the lawn at a drug rehab center
1. Have you understood the question?
said: 'Keep off the Grass.'
Make sure you do, and highlight the key words e.g. Porter’s 5 Forces, teams,
2. Gates leaves Microsoft, is it curtains for
motivation, strategy, leadership etc and bear these in mind as you complete
Windows?
your answer.
3. The fattest knight at King Arthur's round
2. Have you defined the key words?
table was Sir Cumference. He acquired his size
Defining some of the terminologies can often gain you extra marks as long as
from too much pi.
you use well recognised and reputable authors or sources.
4. A rubber band pistol was confiscated from
3. Have you used the relevant model or models?
algebra class, because it was a weapon of
Better students are usually quick to recognise and work the relevant model (s)
math disruption.
into their answers, something that inevitably results in more marks.
5. No matter how much you push the
4. Have you incorporated a real world or recent example in your
envelope, it'll still be stationery.
answer?
6. A dog gave birth to puppies near the road
This is usually the best way to illustrate your understanding of the question
and was cited for littering.
and issues. Here you can use your chosen organisation, i.e., the one you have
7. Two silk worms had a race. They ended up
been researching the whole year and any current ones in good quality press.
in a tie
5. Have you demonstrated high order thinking and analysis in your
8. Two hats were hanging on a hat rack in the
answer?
hallway. One hat said to the other: 'You stay
It is one thing to restate definitions, models etc and another to apply them in a
here; I'll go on a head.'
show of an excellent analytical mind. So instead of simply stating that one of
9. Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly,
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is love and belonging, why not relate this to the
so they lit a fire in the craft. Unsurprisingly it
increasing use of teams in many current organisations like Google and Royal
sank, proving once again that you can't have
Band of Scotland. It is the high order analysis that gains the most marks.
your kayak and heat it too.
10. The midget fortune-teller who escaped
True or False: from prison was a small medium at large.
11. In a democracy it's your vote that counts.
Motivation, Manchester United FC and Maslow In feudalism it's your count that votes.
12. A vulture boards an airplane, carrying two
The 1588 Battle of Gravelines: Football clubs have for the last few decades been dead raccoons. The stewardess looks at him
CORP2463, Sir Francis Drake focusing on finding new ways of fulfilling people’s and says, 'I'm sorry, sir, only one carrion
and the Spanish Armada psychological needs. As a service provider, allowed per passenger.'
Manchester United FC continues to seek ways to 13. Two fish swim into a concrete wall. One
Is it possible that Sir Francis turns to the other and says 'Dam!'
met several of the unmet needs. These include:
Drake used the concept of 14. There was the person who sent ten puns
competitive advantage to to friends, with the hope that at least one of
defeat the Spanish Armada as Satisfying consumers’ psychological needs to
belong and to achieve identity through supporting a the puns would make them laugh.
well as a SWOT analysis No pun in ten did.
before the fighting at team with others. In this case the basic product is
not consumed, although other non-football …and yes, we will not quit our day jobs as
Gravelines? OK, let’s consider
products (jerseys etc) are. tutors.
some of the evidence.
English ships had considerable Football fans and their associates seeking to
advantage being smaller, faster, satisfy leisure pursuits, including entertainment,
and more manoeuvrable than excitement (through the game or gambling),
the Spanish galleons. The socialisation, engagement with families etc.
English also utilized the
weather gauge and long-range Secondary needs are various and include food,
gunnery to hammer the drink, memorabilia, paraphernalia etc.
Spanish. This approach worked
to their advantage as the The 1588 Battle of Gravelines: CORP2463,
preferred Spanish tactic and Sir Francis Drake and the Spanish Armada
expertise called for one
broadside and then an attempt
to board.
The Spanish were furthermore
hampered by a lack of gunnery
training and correct
ammunition for their guns. In
addition, the English chose to
fight on familiar grounds near
their naval ports.
Interesting…
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3. Tutorials: what kind of student are you? Tutorials: getting the best out of them
1. Do you attend tutorials regularly?
2. Do you turn up prepared to discuss the case study or your It should be clear to most of you by now that things are
chosen organisation? different for second years. There is a high expectation that you
3. Do you participate in the wider discussions and ask your will take much greater responsibilities with regards to your
tutor questions? learning especially during the tutorials.
4. Do you take notes and ask questions to clarify your
understanding of the issues?
5. Are you never bothered to regularly turn up for tutorials? Some students still expect tutors to spoon feed them during
6. When you turn up, do you sit there silently with little or tutorials which by now you should have figured out are really
no interest but expect to be spoon fed the answers? much more about self study. University is indeed about lots of
7. Do you also walk in and walk out rarely taking any notes, if independent self study. It really is that straight forward.
any at all?
8. Do you know your tutor’s office number?
We want the best for you and are going to push you hard to
It should not surprise you that people who answer mostly yes understand the concepts and ideas which will stand you in very
to the first 4 questions will have got good grades in the good stead as you career progresses. However, tutorials are
recent assignment, whereas those that mostly answered yes ultimately opportunities for you to challenge yourself and take
to the last 4 will not have done so well. charge of your own learning…so, don’t waste them.
True or False:
Cricket Ashes 2010, Centuries, Corram Balls and Corp 2463
Andy Flower is a fan of the Resource Based View Theory …
True or False?
In the last couple or so decades, resource based view
“What’s the definition theorists have contended that superior performance can
only be determined by an approach which radically differs
of an accountant? from formulating strategy off the back of external
environments – as argued for by positioning school
Someone who solves a proponents. These theorists, including Jay Barney and
problem you did not Biger Wannerfelt, have argued that the superiority of
performance is dependant on internal resources and
know you had in a way competences hence the term resource based view. The
you don’t understand” resource based view ‘inside-out’ is often taken as a
contrast to positioning school and especially Porter’s 5
forces ‘outside-in’ perspective. Winning strategies are
therefore about having a set of resources which can be
Separating fact from fiction…
configured in ways that make your performance much The exam will contain material not
more different – and superior – to others, i.e., the notion covered in the lectures.
that competitive strategy is about being different or doing False, no module team would do that as it
things differently. is simply illogical.
Wiki and blogs are compulsory
This belief in resource based view has resulted in Andy’s False, they are extra resources for groups
overall vision, strategy, man-management and and individuals to use as and when they
maximisation of the resources available to him. This was like, and are not assessed.
certainly evident in the 2010 fielding – perhaps the Material covered in class is not the
same as in the module handbook
greatest evidence of excellent team unity –, which resulted False, see blackboard and handbook.
in England taking 66 wickets in the series as compared to Groups should not be more than 5
57 in the last series and 63 in 2002-3. True, ask your tutor to change that.
Miles buys chocolate for all tweeters
So, Andy Flower a fan of the Resource Based View Theory… Find him on twitter to get an answer.
True or False? You decide.
BLOGOFF DEAL
ANY CORP 2463 BLOG NOT RESPONDED TO BY THE MODULE TEAM WITHIN FIVE BUSINESS DAYS WILL GET
……A MYSTERY PRIZE*
*genuine deal and the prize is guaranteed not to be a rubbish one
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4. Getting the best out of your lectures – decoding the lectures
‘Abandon hope all ye who enter here’:
From Dante's la Divina Commedia or Divine Comedy (circa) 1308 - 1321
Unlike many accounting and finance modules, ManStrat does not have nice black and white
numbers to tuck into, but it does not always have to be a case of ‘Abandon all hope, all ye
that enter here’ each time you approach HU0.10. This small piece is about dispelling any
‘Danteresque’ feelings each time you come to class.
Lecture styles will of course vary depending on the lecturer, but there are however three
things to bear in mind and watch out for. These are:
 Theory from core texts, theorists and academic journals
 Real life examples to illustrate theory
 Links to coursework or other assessments
Take the first term 2 lectures on strategy:
 Started with Boddy on strategy as something concerned with deciding what
business an organisation should be in and providing a road map to getting there. Also,
Porter on strategy as choosing to perform activities differently from rivals or
performing similar activities differently, and Johnson, Scholes and Whittington on
W I N T E
strategy as something that shapes the scope and direction of the organisation’s
activities towards achieving a competitive advantage over others.
 Links to lots of real life examples in the academic papers including Neutrogena,
Southwest Airlines, J C Penny, Honda Motor, Toyota and more.
 Links to coursework: the notion of environmental scanning – Hunger and
Wheelen – based on the ideas of Mintzberg and Porter. E.g. Porter’s 5 Forces
as key in any understanding of an organisation’s environment and thus strategy
development and implementation. This links to the term 2 coursework which
expects your group report to have an element of environmental scanning. Indeed, the
first tutorial exercise this term is designed to get you started on your assignment with
BP as an example.
As another example, take the week 8 organisational structure and culture lecture:
 Started with the theory (in this case forms of organisational structure, relation between
structure and strategy and business life cycle – all from the Boddy core text – then went
on to look at real life examples – Tesco, RBS, Microsoft, Google, Twitter, Facebook etc.
Then links to organisational culture theory – Schein and Mintzberg – followed by case
studies – The NHS, Canon and Xerox, 3M and BP Oil spill)
 Links were also made between the content and coursework (in this case the BP Oil spill
– a management issue and possible management theories that could be used to
analyse the issue – organisational structure and (safety) culture)
 Students were also sign pointed to other resources e.g. a BBC money programme on BP
that was on the week of that lecture, the DVD copy of the programme specifically
ordered for students and a US Senate report on BP oil’s safety culture.
 Further links to coursework: in other lectures, current examples and multimedia tools
were used e.g. a case study on Cisco systems using social networks and IT systems to
create professional networks and sign posts to a video blog interview the CEO John
Chambers did for Harvard Business Review. Again this was to link a key management
issue (problems of central command and control) to theory and concepts being learnt
in class (teamwork and collaboration, and managing people). Other examples used in
lectures and signposted to students include a Radio4 podcast discussing Robert
Murdoch as the most powerful leader in business and his characteristics (leadership
traits theory) and a then management issue at Manchester United with Rooney who
was apparently dissatisfied and wanted to leave (motivation theory).
So there you go….the lecturer’s code decoded.
Try watch out for the three key things during the remaining lectures.
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