Teacher(s)
Language
French
Main themes
This course is organized around a strategic business game, in which groups of students (4 or 5 students on average - each group managing a virtual company), compete on one or two competitive markets (Markstrat environment). The course underlines strategic marketing aspects of company management. The business game is far from being an end in itself: it helps as an exploration field, in order to go deeper in theoretical concepts linked to strategy, and put them in perspective with the situation of their virtual company.
Learning outcomes
At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to : | |
| 1 | Competencies Given the « competencies referential » linked to the LSM Master 120 in Sciences de Gestion et in Ingéniorat de Gestion, this course mainly develops the following competencies:
At the end of the class, students will be able to:
|
Content
After a session devoted to an introduction to the business game Markstrat, each group acts as a company active in a specific industry, in order to maximize the value of products for customers and the value of the company for shareholders.
During each session, students present the evolution of the strategy of their company, argue for their choice (depending on the changing competitive environment), and state their strategy on an operational level.
Students interact with the professor and/or a teaching assistant during each session, about their strategic analysis of the market and the situation of their company.
Feedback is given during each session on the decisions made during previous sessions, and on the theoretical concepts used by students. Theoretical points are underlined by the teacher at the beginning of sessions, and also after sessions, through a system of inverted classes (videos, tutorials, etc).
During each session, students present the evolution of the strategy of their company, argue for their choice (depending on the changing competitive environment), and state their strategy on an operational level.
Students interact with the professor and/or a teaching assistant during each session, about their strategic analysis of the market and the situation of their company.
Feedback is given during each session on the decisions made during previous sessions, and on the theoretical concepts used by students. Theoretical points are underlined by the teacher at the beginning of sessions, and also after sessions, through a system of inverted classes (videos, tutorials, etc).
Teaching methods
This course alternates verbal interactions between the professor and each group of students (discussions), carrying out written reports (with “challenges” to fulfil), a system of inverted class (short tutorials/videos on some theoretical concepts, to be viewed between sessions), feedback provided to groups and global theoretical deepening. So, students have to make preparation work, individually, before some of the sessions, and have systematically to carry out group work after each session (intermediate reports and final report).
The course is organized around 4-hour sessions, in rooms whose design is appropriate for group thinking and interactions.
The course is organized around 4-hour sessions, in rooms whose design is appropriate for group thinking and interactions.
Evaluation methods
Student evaluation will be determined by:
(1) a group on-going evaluation (60% of the final grade). More specifically, the evolution of the following elements will be assessed:
More information on team work and individual report instructions will be provided during the first class session.
This system of on-going evaluation requires student's participation to each session.
In case a student does not get a sufficient grade to get credited for this class, and if s/he wants to be able to improve his/her grade for the current academic year, s/he will be asked to elaborate an extra individual written report, whose grade will replace the grades obtained in (2) and (3) - individual on-going evaluation and written final report. S/he won't be able to improve the grade obtained for the group on-going evaluation.
Note: In the group/team work assigned in this course, information sources must systematically be cited, according to the academic references standards. In case the student has used a generative AI, s/he must systematically mention the parts of his/her work in which s/he used this tool, by adding a bottom page note indicating if the generative AI tool has been used and the purpose of this use (information search, text writing and/or text revising). The student remains responsible for the content of its production, independently of the references used. Thus, by submitting a team/group or individual work report for evaluation, the student asserts that: (i) it accurately reflects the phenomenon studied, and to do so, s/he must have verified the facts; (ii) s/he has respected all specific requirements of the work assigned to her/him, in particular requirements for transparency and documentation of the scientific approach implemented. If any of these assertions are not true, whether by intent or by negligence, the student has violated his/her commitment to truth with respect to the piece of knowledge produced in the context of his/her work, and possibly to other aspects of academic integrity, which constitutes academic misconduct and will be considered as such.
(1) a group on-going evaluation (60% of the final grade). More specifically, the evolution of the following elements will be assessed:
- Progression in terms of results (company performance)
- Thorough understanding and application of the theoretical concepts
- Strategic reasoning (consistence in decisions, relevance in the positioning of brands in the different markets, attitude towards risk, learning from mistakes);
- Group dynamics;
- Challenges and intermediate reports.
- An individual on-going evaluation (20% of the final grade), based on oral interactions.
- A written final report (20% of the final grade - to be handed in before the exam session).
More information on team work and individual report instructions will be provided during the first class session.
This system of on-going evaluation requires student's participation to each session.
In case a student does not get a sufficient grade to get credited for this class, and if s/he wants to be able to improve his/her grade for the current academic year, s/he will be asked to elaborate an extra individual written report, whose grade will replace the grades obtained in (2) and (3) - individual on-going evaluation and written final report. S/he won't be able to improve the grade obtained for the group on-going evaluation.
Note: In the group/team work assigned in this course, information sources must systematically be cited, according to the academic references standards. In case the student has used a generative AI, s/he must systematically mention the parts of his/her work in which s/he used this tool, by adding a bottom page note indicating if the generative AI tool has been used and the purpose of this use (information search, text writing and/or text revising). The student remains responsible for the content of its production, independently of the references used. Thus, by submitting a team/group or individual work report for evaluation, the student asserts that: (i) it accurately reflects the phenomenon studied, and to do so, s/he must have verified the facts; (ii) s/he has respected all specific requirements of the work assigned to her/him, in particular requirements for transparency and documentation of the scientific approach implemented. If any of these assertions are not true, whether by intent or by negligence, the student has violated his/her commitment to truth with respect to the piece of knowledge produced in the context of his/her work, and possibly to other aspects of academic integrity, which constitutes academic misconduct and will be considered as such.
Bibliography
La liste qui suit est loin d’être exhaustive. Les sources citées peuvent s’avérer intéressantes pour tout étudiant désireux d’en savoir davantage sur les sujets abordés.
Attention : il est demandé aux étudiants de lire, en préparation du cours, les chapitres 7 et 8 de « Stratégique » (auteurs : G. Johnson and K. Scholes, 13ème édition ou édition précédente – notez que le nombre d’auteurs varie selon l’édition), portant sur « Les Stratégies par domaine d’activité » et « La stratégie au niveau de l’entreprise ». Ce livre est disponible à la Bibliothèque de l’UCL-Mons.
Attention : il est demandé aux étudiants de lire, en préparation du cours, les chapitres 7 et 8 de « Stratégique » (auteurs : G. Johnson and K. Scholes, 13ème édition ou édition précédente – notez que le nombre d’auteurs varie selon l’édition), portant sur « Les Stratégies par domaine d’activité » et « La stratégie au niveau de l’entreprise ». Ce livre est disponible à la Bibliothèque de l’UCL-Mons.
[1] D. A. AAKER, C. MOORMAN (2021), Strategic Market Management, Eleventh Edition, John Wiley & Sons.
[2] G.G. DESS, G.T. LUMPKIN, M.L. TAYLOR (2005), Strategic Management: Creating Competitive Advantages, Second Edition, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
[3] J.-P. HELFER, M. KALIKA, J. ORSONI (2016), Management Stratégique, 10ème Edition, Librairie Vuibert – Gestion.
[4] G. HOOLEY, J. SAUNDERS, N. PIERCY (2004), Marketing Strategy and Competitive Positioning, 3rd Edition, Pearson Education Limited.
[5] G. JOHNSON, H. SCHOLES, F. FRERY, D. ANGWIN, P. REGNER (2023 or former edition), Stratégique, 13ème Edition, Pearson Educ. France.
[6] J.J. LAMBIN, C. de MOERLOOSE (2021), Marketing Stratégique et Opérationnel: la démarche Marketing dans une perspective responsable, Dunod, Paris.
[7] M. E. PORTER (2004), The Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analysing Industries and Competitors, Second Edition, The Free Press; Export Edition.
Interesting business journal:
McKinsey Quarterly - www.mckinsey.com/quarterly/overview
[2] G.G. DESS, G.T. LUMPKIN, M.L. TAYLOR (2005), Strategic Management: Creating Competitive Advantages, Second Edition, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
[3] J.-P. HELFER, M. KALIKA, J. ORSONI (2016), Management Stratégique, 10ème Edition, Librairie Vuibert – Gestion.
[4] G. HOOLEY, J. SAUNDERS, N. PIERCY (2004), Marketing Strategy and Competitive Positioning, 3rd Edition, Pearson Education Limited.
[5] G. JOHNSON, H. SCHOLES, F. FRERY, D. ANGWIN, P. REGNER (2023 or former edition), Stratégique, 13ème Edition, Pearson Educ. France.
[6] J.J. LAMBIN, C. de MOERLOOSE (2021), Marketing Stratégique et Opérationnel: la démarche Marketing dans une perspective responsable, Dunod, Paris.
[7] M. E. PORTER (2004), The Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analysing Industries and Competitors, Second Edition, The Free Press; Export Edition.
Interesting business journal:
McKinsey Quarterly - www.mckinsey.com/quarterly/overview
Faculty or entity
