Skip to main content
Unit outline_

MMGT6001: Strategy

Semester 1a, 2024 [Block mode] - Castlereagh St, Sydney

How can managers understand their environment, industry, resources and capabilities to achieve business success? This unit explores different levels of strategy, including corporate and business-level strategy. Strategy is, fundamentally, about making choices and deliberately choosing to be different. Strategic management seeks to understand how these choices and differences can (and sometimes cannot) create sustainable and exceptional value for shareholders, customers, employees and other related stakeholders. Questions addressed include: How can market opportunities be reviewed and understood? How can creativity be harnessed to generate strategic options? How does a firm build and develop resources and capabilities in a global and local competitive environment? When is collaboration preferable to competition? The unit highlights the challenges of strategic decision making as well as implementation. Insights from innovation theory and practice are integrated throughout the unit.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Management Education
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

No

Teaching staff

Coordinator Yeonji Seo, yeonji.seo@sydney.edu.au
The census date for this unit availability is 8 March 2024
Type Description Weight Due Length
Tutorial quiz In class quizzes
n/a
10% Week 03 15 min x 2
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO3 LO2
Presentation group assignment Group assessment
N/a
20% Week 05 15 minutes
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3
Assignment Individual assessment
n/a
35% Week 06
Due date: 31 Mar 2024 at 23:59
2000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3
Assignment Final assessment
Take-home final assessment
35% Week 07
Due date: 16 Apr 2024 at 17:00
24 hours
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO3 LO2
group assignment = group assignment ?

Assessment summary

  • In class quizzes:Ā There will be two quizzes of 15 minutes each, one in week 3 and one in week 4. Each quiz will include all the material discussed up to the week before, meaning that the week 3 test will assess your understanding of the content in weeks 1 and 2, and the week 4 test will assess your understanding of the content from weeks 1, 2 and 3.Ā The quizzes could be multiple choice questions and/or short answer questions.
  • Individual assessment:Ā The individual assessment is your reflection on the business management simulation undertaken in week 4.Ā After the simulation, you will prepare and submit an essay based on your reflection about the simulation experience, your individual results, and your strategic analysis of the simulation using course relevant strategic frameworks. In the report, you should briefly outline the strategic decisions you made during the business management simulation. The most important task is to do a strategic analysis of the firmā€™s success and failures using relevant strategic frameworks, explaining what and why strategic decisions were correct, and what you could have done differently. You willĀ need to use the theories and frameworks we have discussed in the unit as analytical tools and to support your arguments.
  • Group assessment:Ā You will be allocated to a group and your task will be to prepare and record a 15 minute presentationĀ on your analysis of the strategy of a company of your choiceĀ and then prepare Ā a recommended strategy forĀ the path forward for the company based on your analysis. A list of suggested companies will be provided.
  • Final assessment:Ā The final assessment will be a take-home assessment in which each student must individually complete and then upload to Canvas. You will be required to analyse a case by utilising and discussing theories, models and frameworks that have been discussed in class.

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.Ā 

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.Ā 

Fail

0 - 49

When you donā€™t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

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.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

This unit of study outline MUST be read in conjunction with The Business School Unit of Study Common Policy and implementation information that applies to every unit of study offered by the Business School (http://sydney.edu.au/business/currentstudents/policy). All assessment rules, such as standards used, penalties etc, are covered.

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.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hubā€™s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

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 aĀ simple extension.ā€Æ 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 canā€™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 forĀ special consideration or special arrangements.

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

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students,Ā AI in EducationĀ 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.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy 2023 reflects the Universityā€™s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy 2023. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Introduction to strategy, strategic leadership Lecture and tutorial (7 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3
Week 02 Competitive advantage, business models, and design thinking Lecture and tutorial (7 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3
Week 03 Business and corporate level strategies Lecture and tutorial (7 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3
Week 04 Innovation Lecture and tutorial (7 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3
Week 05 Group presentation discussion and unit debrief Lecture and tutorial (7 hr)  

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance is mandatory for this unit as we will not provide recordings, in consideration of the confidentiality of our guest lecturers.

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.

Required readings

Please see Canvas Reading List for the assigned readings for each class.

The following sources are particularly useful for up to date, practically orientedĀ information and analysis of issues relevant to strategy: Harvard Business Review, California Management Review, Sloan Management Review, McKinsey Quarterly, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Australian Financial Review.

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 relevant concepts and frameworks in order to make sense of the strategic challenges facing executives operating in different contexts.
  • LO2. Critically apply a system perspective to generate strategic options and inform strategic decisions so that they are integrated effectively across business functions to produce optimal results.
  • LO3. Apply appropriate analytical tools and techniques to the relevant evidence bases in order to generate practically useful solutions to strategic challenges across various business settings.

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 oneā€™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.