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Unit of study_

SMBA6002: Strategies for Growth

Intensive July, 2020 [Block mode] - Castlereagh St, Sydney

Growth remains central to the concerns of CEOs and investors alike. Yet the increasing incidence of disruptive change has created a new world in which competitive advantage is much more transient than in past decades, making consistent growth harder to achieve. In this new world strategic agility has become the cornerstone of business sustainability. This unit examines how organisations can reshape their business models in response to changes in technology and market structure and explores the circumstances in which opportunities exist to actively shape the environment through proactive business model innovation. The unit provides practical experience at applying relevant concepts, techniques, and frameworks to real-world situations in order to generate innovative strategic responses to dynamic market conditions.

Unit details and rules

Unit code SMBA6002
Academic unit Management Education
Credit points 6
Prohibitions
? 
None
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
SMBA6001
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

No

Teaching staff

Coordinator David Oliver, david.oliver@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) David Oliver, david.oliver@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Presentation group assignment Group project
Oral presentation
30% -
Due date: 26 Jul 2020 at 09:00
30 minutes
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Assignment Case study 1
Case study
35% -
Due date: 24 Jun 2020 at 16:00
1500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Assignment Case study 2
Case study
35% -
Due date: 10 Aug 2020 at 16:00
1500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
group assignment = group assignment ?

Assessment summary

  • Case Study 1: The use of case studies in this unit of study is designed to improve your ability to make strategic decisions in real-life situations. In this first report, you will prepare a strategic analysis and recommendations for an organisational case study (to be announced). Preparing this report will involve diagnosing the nature of the strategic problem in the case, analysing relevant information, and making a recommendation supported by your analysis concerning what you consider to be the best means of addressing the situation. This case analysis will require you to judiciously and effectively apply strategy concepts and frameworks discussed during the first part of the unit of study. Additional details about this assignment will be provided during on the first day of class.
  • Case Study 2: In this assignment you will prepare a professional strategic report related to a more complex strategic growth problem faced by an organisation (details on the company analysed will be announced early in the unit). The report will include recommendations supported by a short evaluation of alternatives and a concise analysis of relevant information. This report will allow you to draw on concepts from the unit of study in order to make and justify recommendations that are suitable, feasible and acceptable to key stakeholders of this organisation.
  • Group Project: An important component of this unit of study is a team simulation, which will enable you to put core strategy concepts into practice. The team simulation will be spread over several sessions of the unit of study. In the class following its conclusion, your simulation team will present a critical evaluation and analysis of its performance, including your strategic objectives, analysis of key events, explanation of any difference between your initial objectives and results achieved, and identification of key lessons learned. It will be followed by a Q&A discussion with the rest of the class. You will need to submit your PPT slides to me before this presentation. In addition to instructor assessment, your individual contribution will be peer assessed by your teammates. 
  • Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an exceptional standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school. 

Distinction

75 - 84

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a very high standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Credit

65 - 74

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a good standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Pass

50 - 64

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school. 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website  provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.  

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 1. Introduction to strategy; 2. Strategic analysis for competitive advantage (external and internal analysis) Lecture and tutorial (8 hr)  
Week 02 1. Business level strategy and rivalry 2. Corporate strategy and strategic leadership Lecture and tutorial (8 hr)  
Week 03 1. New business models 2. Blue Ocean strategy 3. Strategy simulation (1) Lecture and tutorial (8 hr)  
Week 04 1. Effective execution and strategic agility 2. Dealing with uncertainty 3. Strategy simulation (2) Lecture and tutorial (8 hr)  
Week 05 1. Combining insights: Student team presentations 2. Strategy and sustainability/CSR 3. Final wrap-up Lecture and tutorial (8 hr)  

Attendance and class requirements

Lecture recordings: Note that MBA classes held at the CBD Campus are not systematically recorded and 100% class attendance is expected for each unit of the MBA Program. If there are extenuating circumstances as to why you are not able to attend a particular class, please contact your unit coordinator as soon as possible, and also notify your group members (if the unit has a group work component). A course requirement is 80% attendance, and those who drop below this level may not pass the unit.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. apply key strategy tools to business situations
  • LO2. implement a value centric approach to strategy formulation and business model design
  • LO3. tailor organisational design to facilitate strategy execution
  • LO4. evaluate business model performance and communicate key insights effectively.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

No changes have been made since this unit was last offered.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.