MST-31306 Case Studies Management/Advanced Business Strategy

Course

Credits 6.00

Language of instruction:

English

Assumed knowledge on:

MST-24306 Introduction Business Management and Marketing; MST-21306 Advanced Management and Marketing

Contents:

Case Studies Management aims at executing a systematic description and study of a strategic issue/problem for a specific organization. The study should be systematic as a result of the theory-driven structure, the teamwork, and the group feedback during the research trajectory. In contrast to preceding courses you will focus on a real-life company and its complex managerial issues/problems. In principle your team will have to find its case study company, e.g. in your own social environment, before the course starts. It may be a large or local company, or even a company abroad. The focus should be on complex issues, i.e. a set of intertwined and multi-facetted, i.e. managerial, questions.

Learning outcomes:

By the end of the course the student is expected to be able to:
- understand the unique complexity of research projects in management studies;
- formulate an adequate research proposal tailored to a managerial issue;
- select from the variety of possible sources the relevant management-literature;
- design the methodology for the empirical research and execute the empirical research;
- be able to conclude on the basis of the evidence and the literature.

Activities:

First, CSM starts with preparatory activities. During the last weeks of advanced business and marketing you are asked to look around for a team and a case studies company. After the first two 2 weeks of CSM the company-issue and your research proposal should be clear. Introductory lectures are provided on designing managerial research projects, chain- and network management, writing skills and managerial research methods. Next there is a series of various meetings with a supervisor, presentations, discussions and when necessary additional lectures. A progress report has to be handed in.
You are stimulated to partake in the open exchange of comments, suggestions and ideas. The structure here accords the triad of the book by Johnson & Scholes (1999; 2001). Each team should present twice and assess others. We end with a series of closing ceremonies. You will have to submit you final and integral team-report at a certain moment. This also counts for the individual report. The individual report should relate the good in the teamwork, the lesser elements in the research, and the learning during this course. In principal during the week for exams mixed-teams will discuss the output of each other's work.

Examination:

CSM comprises of several forms of assessment. The reason for this is that we want to get as complete as possible a view of your skills and capabilities: With regard to the research plan, and the presentation no marks are given, although a positive go/no-go decision is requisite and feedback is provided. If the staff agrees on your SCM-company and the issue at hand, then the team is awarded a credit. Absence is discounted for. We will score (1) the final case-report; (2) your individual report; and (3) your contribution in the final mixed group discussion.

Literature:

Johnson & Scholes (1999, 2002) Exploring corporate strategy, Prentice-Hall;
R. Kumar (2005), Research Methodology. A step-by-step guide for beginners. Sage, 2nd Edition.