All students are required to participate in Weekly Discussion Boards in a meaningful way. The purpose of the discussion boards is to analyze management problems and issues by applying principles from the course, exchange analysis, and points of view with other students.
Discussion Boards allow students to learn from each other and take advantage of the diversity in the class. Everyone benefits if all participate. The discussions help to deepen understanding of the subject matter as well as improve analysis and communication skills.
Each student is required to post first their INITIAL RESPONSE or Analysis of the topic, issue, or case, clearly stating factual reasons to support their position. First posts must be completed before viewing and commenting on other student’s posts. After making the initial Post, each student must read a minimum of three (3) posts of other students, and offer meaningful comments for each one. Just saying that you agree or disagree is not considered a meaningful comment. Comment on agreement, disagreement, providing additional insights, and explain the reasons why.
Each student is then required to make a FINAL POST to identify what was learned from the interchange with other students and how their original position on the topic may have changed, and if so explain how, and if not, explain why not.
DISCUSSION BOARDS GRADING is based on
1. Completeness, application of course materials, logical thinking, and sound Analysis of the topic or case, and depth and accuracy of research on the subject of INITIAL POST;
2. the Quality of the COMMENTS on other posts (thoughtful, meaningful, logical, and based on course content);
3. Substance and completeness of the Final Post (meaningful comments on what was learned from other students and how it may have changed your thinking.)
Each Discussion Board is worth 60 points, and all the Discussion Boards for the semester represent about 25% of the final course grade.
WEEK 5
- Discussion Board-Business Articles
Find a business article from one of the following business publications:
The Wall Street Journal; The Economist; Blumberg Businessweek; Forbes Magazine; Fortune Magazine; The New York Times; Washington Post; The Financial Times; Harvard Business Review; MIT Technical Review; Entrepreneur; Inc.; Fast Company; or other credible business publications. Do not use just internet postings, but full articles.
The article should be on one of the following Strategic Management topics:
- Competitive Advantage
- External Environment and its impact on an industry
- Globalization and strategy
- Organization Culture and strategy
- Corporate Governance
- Complementors and their effect on an industry
- Mergers and Acquisitions
- Business Ethics
POST on Blackboard as your Initial Post on Week 5 Discussion Board the following:
- Topic Selected (from the list above)
- Title of Article and reference source with the date of publication
- A summary of key points of the article
- Conclusions from the article as it relates to the topic selected
- What you learned about Strategic Mgmt. from the article (principles or concepts)
COMMENT on the posts of a minimum of three (3) other students, commenting on their article and what you might add from your knowledge or research.
Complete your FINAL POST with some things you learned from the other students about strategic management from their articles.
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- 2. Discussion Board-The America We Live In
Read any two chapters (chapters 2-8) from the book the America We Live In-A View from 30,000 feet
Prepare a summary of each of the two chapters covering the following:
- Select one trend or condition that is discussed from each of the two chapters that you have a concern about or an interest in and define each of the two trends
- Discuss how these two trends or conditions affect you as a new college graduate entering the workforce and beginning your professional career.
- Discuss what actions you can take to deal with each of these two trends or conditions (taking advantage of the positive ones and minimizing the effect of the negative ones).
POST on Board response to the above three items.
REVIEW the posts of a minimum of three (3) other students, commenting on their Analysis and actions.
FINAL POST should include what you learned from the other students and how you might change your initial Analysis and actions.
As a closing, comment on: How has this Strategic Management course helped you to better prepare for your career.
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