COURSE NUMBER: EWMBA 299E-1

COURSE TITLE: Competitive Strategy

UNITS OF CREDIT: 3 Units

INSTRUCTOR: Frank Schultz

E-MAIL ADDRESS: fschultz@haas.berkeley.edu

CLASS WEB PAGE LOCATION (HTTP URL): Catalyst

MEETING DAY(S)/TIME: Thursdays, 6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

PREREQUISITE(S): EWMBA Core Curriculum

CLASS FORMAT: A combination of classroom/textbook case discussions and lectures

REQUIRED READINGS: Readings and Cases

BASIS FOR FINAL GRADE: The final grade will be based on class participation, take-home midterm case analysis and a final paper.

ABSTRACT OF COURSE'S CONTENT AND OBJECTIVES:
Competitive strategy focuses on the strategic interactions among competitors in dynamic business environments.  In this course, we will assume a senior-executive perspective on the management of organizations with the intent of improving your strategic decision-making skills.  We will use basic applied economic perspectives to examine strategic decision-making in both competitive and cooperative settings.   You will learn the analytical tools used by firms to examine the ways in which companies can interpret and anticipate strategic actions among competitors. With these tools, you will be able to analyze the rational and irrational behaviors displayed in strategic interactions over time. 

The course will address questions such as:  What determines the balance of power in an industry?  Why is the timing of market entry critical?  How can companies use signaling to their competitive advantage?  How can competitive bidding situations be turned in one company's favor?  How do firms use tacit collusion to influence the profitability of their firms and of their competitors? 

This course will encourage you to develop a dynamic, interactive view of organizations – a view in which competitors do not sit idly by while you carry out your strategy (they react!). This course is relevant to any student who anticipates eventually becoming involved in the strategic decision-making of organizations either as consultants or as executives.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH:
Frank Schultz is a Full-Time Lecturer in the Economic Analysis and Policy and Organizational Behavior and Industrial Relations Groups in the Haas School of Business.  He joined the Haas School faculty from the state of Michigan where he has taught in the Executive MBA, Weekend/Evening MBA, Full-Time MBA and Undergraduate programs at the University of Michigan and Michigan State University.  His recent teaching has focused on Strategic Management and Leadership, but over the last sixteen years of teaching he has also taught Accounting, Finance, Statistics, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Marketing and Sales Force Management.  Frank’s educational background includes an undergraduate degree in Accounting (Washington), an MBA in Finance (Michigan) and a Ph.D. in Strategic Management (Minnesota).  Dr. Schultz’ research interests focus on the strategic decision-making of CEOs and senior executives, the methods of balancing stakeholder interests and the manner in which the mental models of executives influence the evolution of firms and industries. Prior to pursuing his Ph.D., Frank’s work experience included time with Fortune 500 companies such as IBM, ChevronTexaco and Pillsbury as well as two entrepreneurial ventures of his own.  He has also completed consulting assignments for companies as diverse as a major homebuilder, a Swiss multinational manufacturer and numerous healthcare systems.