Program Description and Syllabus
STRATEGIC BUSINESS POLICIES FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
Fall, Winter, Spring 1998-99 Coordinated Study
Faculty Introduction and
Learning Objectives
Selected Workshop Topics Papers
Schedule Weekly Program Schedule Credit equivalencies Fall Syllabus
Bookmarks Winter Quarter Readings Glossaries StudentFeedback Fall 98
TEAMWORK!

Faculty:
Cynthia Kennedy (X5009) (kennedyc@evergreen.edu) SE3164
Marge Mohoric (X6757) (mohoricm@evergreen.edu) SE 3125
Dean Olson (X6433) (olsond@evergreen.edu) SE3152

Bookmarks!

Glossaries

GLOSSARY OF BALANCE SHEET TERMS
GLOSSARY OF INCOME STATEMENT TERMS
FINANCE FORMULAS [SMALLER VERSION]
FINANCE FORMULAS [LARGE VERSION]
Introduction and Learning Objectives

This program is shaped by the belief that liberal arts graduates bring a special kind of talent to the study and practice of business management. Liberal arts graduates are big picture thinkers. They are skilled at framing the larger issues that drive strategic thinking in public and private organizations. Liberal arts graduates, and Evergreen graduates in particular, learn how to use collaborative processes to span and build upon differences between theory and application, race, ethnicity, gender, and discipline. They do this by becoming strong critical thinkers and active listeners. They do this by communicating ideas clearly in written format and oral forum and by reasoning about ethical principles and moral outcomes. Liberal arts graduates will know enough about finance, marketing, organizational development, and production to know when this expertise is needed and how to get it but will not devote the bulk of their educational resources to any given area of specialized knowing. Their special skill is in putting these and other elements together into a comprehensive strategic plan which will be competitively successful and ethically consistent with their sense of what is right, just and fair.

The Strategic Business Policy program aims to make meaningful progress toward these learning objectives:

(1) Writing clear and well-structured essays and reports;

(2) Listening actively and reading effectively;

(3) Expressing ideas clearly and supporting argumentation effectively;

(4) Developing strategic planning skills;

(5) Strengthening small group interaction skills;

(6) Defining ethical parameters for business policy makers.

This is a full time year long coordinated study program. The program seeks to identify the larger social, political, economic and environmental issues impacting business policy makers as we enter the 21st century and to equip students with planning and thinking skills to be effective as policy makers.

Fall quarter seminar discussions and lectures are devoted to identifying and learning more about domestic issues. Our objective is to begin to identify critical factors that frame the work of strategic planning. Readings invite us to think about changes within the United States regarding class structure, gender roles, family and work life issues, government policies which impact business planning, and environmental issues. Skill workshops explore quantitative tools and the dynamics of small groups in task oriented environments. Research papers and presentations complement, refine and further our understanding of these issues.

Winter quarter readings will broaden the inquiry to the international context. Readings will examine environmental and workplace issues in less developed countries, the role of international financial institutions, regional trade agreements, the importance of international trade to the domestic economy, and so on. Lectures, discussion forum and paper topics will complement and broaden our understanding of these issues. Workshops will continue, as will strategic management case studies. Students will write two-page seminar papers and team case reports in selected weeks. Their final project will be to write a business case study–topic to be chosen by their team (maximum 20 pages with exhibits).

Spring quarter is devoted in part to computerized business simulation. Student teams will make the full range of decisions required to operate a business successfully in a global economy. Simulation will intensify the small group learning opportunity. We will learn what it is like to design and implement a strategic plan in a competitive industry. Workshop time will be devoted to the simulation. Final team retrospective reports, individual journals and periodic discussions will glean insights from the simulation. Students are encouraged to blend internships with the spring academic program.

Weekly Program Schedule

Monday Lecture and Discussion (1-3 PM)

Tuesday Seminar (9-11 AM)

Workshop (1230-230 PM) Wednesday Faculty Conferences (by appointment)

Thursday Seminar (9-11 AM)

Workshop (1230-230 PM) Selected Workshop Topics

Writing for effectiveness Designing and delivering presentations

Working in small groups/team dynamics Leadership

Total quality management Web Page Construction

Interpreting financial data High involvement work teams

Understanding organizational behavior Business Simulations

Comparative Advantage Bridging the Cultural Gap

Exchange Rates

Credit equivalencies

Business policy, international trade, business ethics, strategic planning, financial management, organizational behavior, business simulation, group dynamics, leadership, total quality management, regional trade agreements.

Papers

WINTER 1999 WEEKLY SCHEDULE



 
 
 
 
Monday
Tuesday
Thursday
Remarks
Lecture & Discussion

1-3pm

Lab I 1047 
 
 

 

Seminar 9-11am (Lib.1505 Olson; L1507 Kennedy; L1509 Mohoric)

Workshop 12:30-2:30

Lib.1612
Seminar 9-11am (same)
 
 

Workshop 12:30-2:30

Lab I 1050
 
 
Week 1
Jan 4-7
Introduction to winter and new students Seminar: Kanter

Workshop: Team

Formation

 

Seminar: Kanter

Workshop: Web Page Construction Part 1 

 
Week 2

Jan 11-14

Trade Liberalization (CK/DO) Seminar: Mander & Goldsmith 2,8,9,23

Workshop: Web Page Part 2

 

Seminar: Mander & Goldsmith 24,25,30,39

Workshop: Comparative Advantage / Accounting

Seminar paper due Thursday morning on Web CT
Week 3

Jan 18-21

MLK Day No Classes Seminar: Krugman

Workshop: Corporate Finance

 

Seminar: Team Time

Workshop: BARNGA / Quaker Oats Case

Case report due Thursday morning on Web CT
Week 4

Jan 25-28

Cross-Cultural Communication in Business (CK) Seminar: Marquez

Workshop: Bridging the Cultural Gap

 

Seminar: Marquez

Workshop: Managing Conflict in Teams

Seminar paper due

Thursday morning on Web CT

Week 5

Feb 1-4

International Human Resources Management (MM) Seminar: Nair handouts

Workshop: Corporate Finance

Seminar: Team Time

Workshop: Lincoln Electric Case

Case report due Thursday morning on Web CT
Week 6

Feb 8-11

Trade and the Environment (DO) Seminar: Powers

Workshop: The Debt and Development Crisis

Seminar: Powers

Workshop: (Guest Speaker)

 

Seminar paper due Thursday morning on Web CT 
Week 7

Feb 15-18

President’s Day 

No Classes

Seminar: Emecheta

Workshop: Business in the New Russia

 

Seminar: Team Time 

Workshop: Whirlpool Case

Case report due Thursday morning on Web CT
Week 8

Feb 22-25

Washington State Trade Issues (Guest Speaker) Seminar: Mander & Goldsmith TBA

Workshop: Film

 

Seminar: Film Discussion

Workshop: Intro. to Business Simulation

Prepare for Case Study Presentations due Week 10
Week 9

Mar 1-4

 

International Monetary Issues (CK/DO)
BS #1 Decision Due
 
Seminar: Handouts

Workshop: Team Time

BS #1 Results (pick up and discuss)

Seminar: Handouts 
 
 

Workshop: BS #2 Decision due

Final Team Case Studies are due Thursday morning on Web CT
Week 10
Mar 8-11
Case Study Presentations

BS #2 Results (pick up and discuss)

 

Seminar: Summative discussions

Workshop: Case Study Presentations

 


 
 

Workshop: Potluck!

 

 
Week 11 EVALUATIONS

 

EVALUATIONS EVALUATIONS  

 

Winter Quarter Readings

  1. Required Text: Strategic Management Concepts and Cases, Tenth Edition, Thompson & Strickland, (1998) Irwin McGraw-Hill
  2. World Class:Thriving in the Global Economy, Rosabeth Moss Kanter, (1995) S&S Trade
  3. The Case Against the Global Economy: and for a turn toward the local, Edited by Jerry Mander and Edward Goldsmith, Sierra Club Books, San Francisco ((1996)
  4. Pop Internationalism, Krugman, MIT Press (1996)
  5. 100 Years of Solitude, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Avon Books (1971 or most recent)
  6. Gain, Richard Powers (1998)
  7. The Bride Price, Buchi Emecheta, NY: G. Braziller, (1976)
  8. Player’s Manual: The Business Strategy Game, 5th Edition, Arthur Thompson and Gregory Stoppenbeck, (1997), Irwin McGraw Hill

 
 
 
 
 
 

FINAL 12-16-98/mm
minor web alterations 12/17/98-rae