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1. Module Description

The purpose of the capstone module in Strategic Management is:

• To integrate the learnings from the different functional modules on the MBA into a holistic and synthesised view of an organisation.
• To create strategic and operational conceptual thinking lenses for leaders to develop new insights on how to do the following key strategic tasks:
• Lead from a strategic perspective
• Develop and execute strategy formulation practices:
  • Making strategy an organisational reality for all in the firm;
  • Utilising strategic tools and practices to create strategic competitive positions that reflect strategic choices;
  • Develop multiple futures;
  • Execute and mobilise strategies; and
  • Develop entrepreneurial thinking and doing.
• To engage contemporary themes related to strategising and strategic practices.

“Strategy always involves risk because we don’t know for sure how our choices will turn out. Risks are related to uncertain customer demands, unpredictable competition and changing technology. This makes the talk about blueprints, guarantees and immutable laws a delusion – Rozenzweig, 2007.

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2. Module Learning Outcomes

After completion of the module the student will be able to:

• Construct and apply the components, logical process and content associated with an integrated and holistic approach to strategic management;
• Design and apply the concepts associated with a Strategic Architecture in organisations to understand their strategic domain and context better and to improve current performance potential;
• Demonstrate the ability to design and implement a viable business strategy utilising the different strategy tools.
• Develop and demonstrate the ability to communicate a synthesised strategic view to top management and be able to defend it.
• Recognise that the concept and principles of strategic management are applicable to any type of organisation and at all levels of management and that strategic management broadly integrates all the divisions of an organisation into an effective and efficient unit; and
• Identify and address unintended ethical, environmental and social impacts or implications of strategic choices and business models.
• Demonstrate sensitivity for the impact of present-day environmental turbulence and thus the need for the application of real-time emerging strategy approach in strategy execution and re-vitalisation practices.

The learning outcomes will be achieved by introducing the student to a variety of strategic frames/tools and/or lenses. Practical significance is created through formal lectures, class discussions, analysis of case studies, and a practical assignment on a strategic report for an organisation.

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3. Assessments

In this module, students will be assessed via a team and an individual assignment.

a. Team Assignment

The purpose of this group assignment is to develop a rich and deep perspective on the international expansion strategies of South African companies (including efforts to grow and expand their share in the rest of Africa and abroad) and to learn from both their successes and failures. The current context in SA also represents relatively limited growth options available to corporate SA.

As a minimum, the theory related to Foreign market entry options (p.97 – 102 ) as well as External- orientated growth strategies and Strategic space growth strategies (p.103-104) in the prescribed handbook for this course should be used as a theoretical baseline to inform the assignment. Also consider the material in Chapter 7 on M&A’s (p,334-352)

The key questions you want to answer in this assignment are: Why do South African companies in general struggle to expand their business internationally and/or on the rest of the African continent? Secondly, what are the key drivers of successful geographical diversification for SA companies? Thirdly, would you have pursued either of the two expansion strategies based on the cases you selected? Provide reasons for your choice.

Each group should identify one South African-based company that was successful and one SA-based company that was unsuccessful in their strategic endeavours to expand their business internationally and/or in the rest of Africa.

Examples of SA companies that have a track record on the above topic are Woolworths in Australia; Tiger Brands in Nigeria; Sasol in USA; Old Mutual in Great Britain and Europe; Sanlam in Morocco as part of Sanlam’s Pan-Africa approach; Shoprite in Rest of Africa; SAB in China; Discovery in the UK; Discovery in the Nederland etc.

A 9 to 10-slide PowerPoint presentation (rich data content with a clear integrated storyline) should cover the following:

1. The context of the two case study companies at the time of the planned geographical expansion.
2. Strategic rationale and key assumptions for their expansion intention and financial promises at the start: two case study organisations.
3. End results and consequences of strategy choices: two case study organisations. What specifically makes it difficult for a SA company to expand internationally?
4. Root drivers of successful geographical expansion for SA company used as a case study.
5. Develop an integrated conceptual model that explains both the success and failure of SA companies in geographical expansions outside SA, considering industry KSFs effects.
6. Would you have pursued either of the two expansion strategies based on the cases you selected? Provide reasons for your Also, consider alternative international growth options that could be considered.
7. Conclusions and insights for the two chosen case studies. How the failing company should have changed its strategy? What the successful one could have done better?

Please also see the team assignment rubric (Appendix A) for more guidance on developing this high- impact presentation. This project should not be “delegated” to one or two team members. All the names of the team members should be reflected on the front of the presentation with the percentage contribution shown in brackets behind each name indicating the percentage of the final mark for the assignment each team member should receive (varies between 100% to 0%) based on the quality and quantity of the contributions.

Please consult Learning Hub for submission dates.

The “best” assignments are presented in Class 15: Fifteen minutes highlighting key findings and insights. Blended team presenters need to arrange with ICT to do the presentation as part of Class 15.

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b. Individual Assignment

Schedule: This assignment is done after class 15 and the hand-in date is after completion of the module (please consult Learning Hub for submission dates).

The purpose of the scheduled individual assignment is to create an opportunity for students to apply the frameworks and tools associated with strategy development and execution in an integrated way. This assignment is a major assignment where the focus is on the practical application of the theoretical concepts of strategic management with the intent to present to executive management an insightful, validated and comprehensive view on the future strategy of an organisation. You should start working early on this assignment, starting after class 9 is a real possibility.

You have three options for this individual assignment

1. Develop a new innovative future strategy for the company you are working for. This is a good opportunity to add value and perspectives to the strategy of the firm that you are working No functional strategies are allowed – e.g. marketing strategy, HR strategy, quality strategy etc.

 

2. Develop a strategy for a new or fledgling start-up firm. It is advisable to use this opportunity to develop your start-up business idea as a fully integrated baseline. The creation of a future orientated strategic architecture view for a start-up business which you envisaged is encouraged. Apart from the key content aspects as below, also include a pivoting process to test critical assumptions and include and motivate a view on initial capital requirements, projected cash-flow and break-even point with full transparency on financial-related key (Companies in the Launchlab of Stellenbosch University can also be used here to assist these start- up enterprises to think innovatively about their future and to plan in an integrated way)

 

3. Develop a strategy for a NGO to enable them to innovate and to plan for the future. Use this opportunity to make a societal contribution.

A business-in-society perspective means you cannot be agnostic by not also considering the ethical, environmental and/or social implications, if and when applicable.

In this assignment you need to develop and motivate alternative future strategic positions and actions for a firm/organisation, using the following perspectives:

• Background/Orientation to document and motivate for choosing the firm.
• Strategy Renewal and Innovation¹ by using Strategy Innovation Tools
  • A deep customer needs analysis and market space analysis using relevant strategy innovation tools from the prescribed book and class notes should be used to develop a portfolio of innovation options.
  • Blue Ocean Strategy development by using as minimum (1) new space creation, (2) buyer-utility map (with full description of new innovation spaces, not just ticking of boxes!), (3) ERRC grid, and (4) AS-IS and TO-BE (or industry offering vs to-be) strategy canvas with a motivation for change.
  • Clearly identify, describe and prioritise (using decision criteria) from the portfolio of innovation options, key strategic innovations which will be used further in the assignment.
  • Develop a job-to-done view for new innovations prioritised which are critical new offerings using the template in class notes on the jobs-to-be done tool (please apply the theory correct!).

• Strategy Formulation alternatives as “to be” future positions for the firm:
• Generic Strategic Options and Choices
• A critical analysis/development of Organisational Identity descriptions and motivation for improvements if required to align with future positioning of the organisation
• Generic Strategy Choices – level 2 (3 frameworks of which one must be Porter’s generic strategy choices)
• Grand strategy choices (1 option only please)
  • Advance Business Model detail descriptions reflecting and clearly indicating new innovations and required adjustments to elements of business model: An extended business model canvas and a detail description. The elements as in Fig. 3.9 of the textbook should be described in detail and summarised into a one-page diagram.
  • A systemic view on the core business aspect and future growth engine motivating and arguing the re-in forcing variables and the competitive advantage of the strategy.

• Strategy execution:
• Develop a multi-horizons strategy execution plan reflecting key strategic initiatives and expected outcomes to make the envisaged future a reality over time.
• Show how you will overcome the main barriers to execute new innovative ideas.
• Develop a summary “one page view” on the strategy (this needs to fully align with the strategic choices motivated in the rest of the assignment) by answering the following questions based on the work of Rogers Martin on Playing to Win:

• What is our winning aspiration?
• Where will we play?
• How will we win?
• What capabilities must we have?
• What management systems are required?

A detailed PowerPoint slide deck should be about 40 to max 50 slides, containing all the detail and main arguments and frameworks. Remember each part needs to have a very clear interpretation based on a facts-based analysis. A clear synthesis of each part needs to create an integrated storyline that leads to logical conclusions. The aesthetic aspects and attractiveness of the way the storyline is presented is an important part to get the attention of key decision makers.

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4. References

a. Textbook

The following book is prescribed for this course:

• Ungerer, , Ungerer, G. & Herholdt, J. 2016. Navigating strategic possibilities: Strategy formulation and execution practices to flourish. Randburg: Knowres Publishing.

The following case studies are part of the prescribed material for the course:

• Norwegian Air: Revolutionizing Long Haul Travel (case 318-0191-1 from The Case Centre)
• WeBuycars: Creating a Car Supermarket
• Corporate entrepreneurship and innovation at (case 414-033-1 from The Case Centre)
• Cipla-Medpro acquisition: the pre- and post-merger story. Saxena, N. &, Ungerer, M. (2019) “Cipla- Medpro acquisition: the pre- and post-merger story”, Emerald Emerging Markets Case Studies, Vol. 9 Issue: 1, pp.1-42, https://doi.org/10.1108/EEMCS-12-2017-0260 (available on The Learning Hub – course material)
• Vorster, S., Ungerer M., & Volschenk, J. (2013). 2050 Scenarios for Long-Haul Tourism in the Evolving Global Climate Change Sustainability, 5, 1-51, doi:10.3390/su5010001.

b. Bibliography

Additional reading material – available on The Learning Hub (these are classics about Strategic Management):

• Kaplan, Robert , & David McMillan. (2021) Reimagining the Balanced Scorecard for the ESG Era.

Harvard Business Review Digital Articles, February 3.

• Adner, (2017). Ecosystem as Structure: An Actionable Construct for Strategy. Journal of Management, 43(1), 39–58, DOI: 10.1177/0149206316678451.
• Kurtz, F., & Snowden, D.J. (2003). The new dynamics of strategy: Sense-making in a complex and complicated world. IBM SYSTEMS JOURNAL, 42(3), 462-483.
• Kim, , Nam, D., & Stimpert, J.L. (2004). The Applicability of Porter’s Generic Strategies in the Digital Age: Assumptions, Conjectures, and Suggestions. Journal of Management, 30, 569, DOI: 10.1016/j.jm.2003.12.001.
• Christensen, M., & Raynor, M. (2003). Why hard-nosed executives should care about Management Theory. Harvard Business Review, 81(9), 67-74.
• Drucker, F. (1994). The theory of business. Harvard Business Review, Sept-Oct, 95-105.
• Hamel, (1996). Strategy as Revolution. Harvard Business Review, July-August, 69-82.
• Isenberg, J. (2010). How to start an entrepreneurial revolution. Harvard Business Review, June, 41-50.
• Kim, W., & Mauborgne, R. (2004). Blue Ocean Strategy. Harvard Business Review, October, 76-84.
• Porter, E. (1996). What is Strategy? Harvard Business Review, 74(6), 61-78.
• Porter, E. (2008). The five competitive forces that shape strategy. Harvard Business Review, January, 78-93.
• Prahalad, K., & Hamel, G. (1990). The Core Competence of the Corporation. Harvard Business Review, 68, 79-93.
• Rosenzweig, P. (2007). Misunderstanding the nature of company performance. California Management Review, 49(4), 6-20.

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