Topic 4 Business-Level Strategy (1)

MGT4001

BUSINESS POLICY AND STRATEGY

2016-2017 Semester 1

Group Project Presentation Guideline

At the end of the semester, you will form a group of 4-6 members to conduct a group project. In the presentation, your team is expected to introduce one key strategic issue of a firm in Hong Kong, Asia, or across the globe. Then your team is to analyze and evaluate the issue identified, and provide strategic recommendation(s) for the issue. Most importantly, the recommendation(s) should add value to the firm and lead to sustainable competitive advantage of the firm in your analysis.

Time: 25-minute presentations plus 5-minute Q&A

The presentation consists of five parts:

1. Prior the oral presentation, submit hard copy of presentation slides (double-sided, 30 slides at maximum and no more than 4 slides per page).

1. Introduce the background and one key strategic issue of the focal firm. Ideally it should be interesting, and more importantly, reveal a themed strategic topic or issue discussed in this course.

1. Apply what we have discussed in the course to comprehensively and critically analyse the strategic issue.

1. Evaluate the current strategic choice and preference, and recommend better solution(s) (if any). The strategic solution(s) should be based on strategic analysishah and thorough logical reasoning. And most importantly, the solution(s) should add value to the company and lead to sustainable competitive position of the firm in the industry.

1. A 5-minute Q&A session

The Grading criteria include:

1. Focus: clear introduction of the case and the theme of your presentation;
2. Accuracy of understanding and application of strategic management theories and concepts:
3. Critical thinking in the analysis of the case;
4. Feasibility and creativity of recommendations;
5. Adequacy and appropriateness of evidence and references provided;
6. Ability to respond to enquiries;
7. Coherent and cohesiveness of presentation (including timing);
8. Demonstration of team effort during presentation.

Marks will be deducted if the time limit is exceeded. While content of the analysis and quality of the strategic recommendation will represent the major portion of the criteria, overall presentation quality and style will be evaluated as well.

Important Dates:

• Week 11: Submission of your group membership list and the firm name chosen for the project.
• Week 12: Announcement of the presentation sequence. A tutorial session will be arranged for the project at the second half of the class.
• At least one day before the presentation: Email your PPT file with the email subject of “L0_ - GroupName” to the lecturer.
• Weeks 13 and 14: Presentations (whole session of Week 13 and first half session of Week 14)

Important Remarks:

• You are free to choose any strategic issues. The focal firm can be a Hong Kong-based firm, an Asian firm, or an MNE. However, to avoid duplication among groups, your group needs to submit the proposed firm to study to the lecturer on or before Week 11. Should there be any duplication, a first-come-first-served approach will be adopted in co-ordination. The lecturer’s approval is required to change the focal firm afterwards.

• In addition to the required textbook and teaching materials, you are strongly recommended to explore other references and materials, including but not limiting to other textbooks, academic journals, books, news articles, video clips, and company websites.

• No dress code is required. All members need to show up during presentation, but not each of you have to speak up in the presentation, all depending on your group’s decisions. The presentation style is free. You are welcomed to conduct a formal presentation, dialogue, multimedia, role-playing, etc. English is the language of presentation and Q&A.

• APA-style citation is necessary at the end of the hard copy of presentation slide.

Peer evaluation

In general, all group members would receive the same score, unless any of you fails to attend the presentation, or is reported by the majority of the group as a free-rider. By one week after your presentation, you can submit a written request signed by at least the majority of the group members to the lecturer at any time if there is a severe free rider problem. If any students fail to pull his or her weight in the project, those individuals’ final group project grades will be adjusted downward appropriately, by up to one letter grade. If any students contribute nothing to the group, a zero mark will be given to the individual’s group project portion of the course grade.