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The classroom environment will be very interactive, so prepare to get involved. Students come from a variety of backgrounds with a large and diverse base of knowledge and experience. Therefore, the primary role of the professor will be to facilitate discussions that bring out pertinent issues and o better frame the analyses of these issues. Required materials Case Packet: The case packet is available through www”. Study. Net. Instructions to get materials from study-net are included in the last page of this syllabus, before the course schedule.
Pricing Simulation – Universal Rental Car – Harvard Business School: Sign up instructions will be provided to you in early October. It will cost $12. 50. There will be a practice round available from Novo. 4-9. The official round will run from Novo. 10-15. Other Readings: A number of readings for this class are available in full text (usually PDF) from Business Source Complete. For these articles, go to http:// www. Lib. Texas. Du/, then to Research Tools.
Databases & Indexes to Articles -o Databases by Subject-В» Business-В» Business Source Complete, and search on the title of the article (unless otherwise directed in the schedule). It works best if you put the title of the article in quotes. If you get a yellow box that says “Find it at UT”, click on the box and follow the links that have full text. Other Materials: Other materials, such as study questions for case studies, grading sheets, and lecture slides are available on Blackboard.
Paperless Assignments: All assignments are to be submitted electronically ether than in hard copy and no later than 5 minutes prior to the start of class. Please send them directly to Dry. Mackey through Outlook as e-mail attachments using the following file name convention on the attachments themselves: File Name Convention [Class time]_[Your Last Name and First Initial_Assignment name] Example: set Example: 930_Smiths_Brief_Case name Example: Assignment Grading Blind Grading: MBA-student teaching assistants do the first round’ of grading on many assignments.
Therefore all papers in this course are ‘blind graded’. Therefore: (a) Please do not submit assignments directly to the TA; and b) Place your name *only* in the file name of the attachment. When sending your papers to the TA, change your name in the file name convention to a number. Please do *NOT* put your names maneuvered on your submissions. For Team Assignments, include only your team name.
Each student will be evaluated on the following basis: Contribution in class, including speaker preparation questions, B contribution, and quizzes (Individual) 20% Store Check Assignment (Individual) Routes-to-Market Team Assignment (Team) 30% Homework Exercises: Financial Analysis problems, Demand Estimation Exercise each) (Individual) Case Briefs: 2 @ each (Individual) universal Car Rental Simulation Performance and Write Up (Individual)1 0% 1 00. 00% In Class contribution and Quizzes (20%) (Individual Work) All students are expected to be present, punctual, and prepared to contribute to all class sessions.
Because of the commitment to class discussion, learning hinges on your constructive in-class contribution. Constructive contribution does not mean “air time,” but rather comments and questions that help advance everyone’s learning. Your contribution will also be important on those days when we have speakers. The speakers talk to topics that were introduced in the readings for hat day or in prior classes. Therefore, you are expected to prepare and ask thoughtful questions, and generally engage with the speaker.
Specifically, the elements considered in grading class contribution are: Do your comments indicate that you prepared the materials for the day? In a case discussion, do you go beyond repetition of case facts to analysis and recommendations? Do your comments and questions show evidence of assimilating and integrating what has been covered in the course so far? Are you a good listener – do you listen to what others are saying and contribute constructively to enhancing the discussion? Do you make insightful comments or ask thought-provoking questions? Have you contributed to the learning in the room?
Remember, constructive contribution requires that you attend class and thoroughly prepare the materials assigned for the day. I will cold-call. If you do not feel adequately prepared to participate in the discussion and do not want to be called upon, please let me know at the beginning of the class. Contribution Scoring: At the end of each class, I will score each students contribution on the following scale and post the scores on Blackboard. The emphasis on scoring will be on quality over quantity. In other words, with one “1 0” comment, you would receive a 10 for the day. With five “8” comments, you would receive an 8 for the day.
The scale is: O = absent 7 = present, but no contribution 1 or more average contributions, I. E. , participation 9= 1 or more insightful contributions 10 = 1 or more outstanding contributions Discussion Board Contribution: Occasionally (maximum two times) you may need to miss a class because of interviewing or other obligations. While full credit cannot be given for in-class contribution on those days, you can earn up to 6 points for the day by discussing the lecture, readings, and/or related epics on the Discussion Board in Blackboard. In addition, you may feel that you had an important comment that you were not able to bring up in class.
On those days, you can earn up to an additional 3 points (for 10 Max. ) by sharing your ideas/discussing the topic on the Discussion Board. The thread for this discussion will be titled “Session # Additional Discussion”. The instructions in the thread are: This discussion thread has two purposes: 1) it can be used by students who must Occasionally (maximum two times) miss a class. If you miss class, you can receive up to 6 contribution points for he day by discussing, in some depth, what you saw as key concepts from the lecture/readings/case discussion that you missed.
The way to get a 6 here is to discuss the topic in depth and perhaps bring in additional material from another article you have found that addresses similar content. 2) it can be used by students who were in class but would like to add to the discussion. For example, you may feel tattoo had an important comment that you were not able to bring up in class. In this case, you can earn up to an additional 3 points (for 10 Max. ) for the session discussed. Note that in order to receive reedit, your contributions must be completed before the start of the following class.
Quizzes: There will typically be 1-3 quizzes over the course of the semester. There will definitely be a quiz on the Socially Responsible Pricing article and others will be pop quizzes related to the reading. Each quiz is worth 10 points. Store Check Assignment (10%) On a periodic basis, companies that sell products through retail channels conduct store checks. These are usually done by sales personnel. It is common, however, that brand/product managers either do store checks on their own or accompany a sales person who is doing it. Usually this entails visiting one store after another for several days, often up to 6-8 stores per day.
The objective is to determine the real state of the business at retail. Things that are checked and documented include shelf placement, facings, price, share of shelf, merchandising activity such as price reductions, shelf talkers, point-of-purchase display materials, end cap displays, larger displays, and other types of promotional activity. This also includes gathering similar information for key competitors. This assignment gives students the opportunity to visit two stores to complete and write up the results of the tore checks to understand the impact of marketing mix decisions at the retail level.
The details of the assignment will be provided in class. Routes-to-Market Team Assignment (30%) The “Routes-to-Market” puzzle is one of the most challenging tasks in marketing. It represents a myriad of decision points and choices. Part of the challenge arises from the fact that a company is frequently ‘handing off major responsibilities for the success of the business to third parties. These responsibilities include generating and/or fulfilling demand, managing after sales service and returns, disseminating information and gathering feedback bout the state of the market.
The decisions that go into designing and managing routes to market have enormous financial implications. This assignment permits students to experience the full range of decisions that are involved in designing and/or managing routes to market. Students will work in teams and will do one of the following: 1. Map the routes to market for one product/service for an existing company. Discuss the elements of the map in terms of demand generation, demand fulfillment, after sales service, and information feedback. In addition, examine options and recommend a possible improvement to the system.
One example of this would be to recommend a route to market for expansion to a new geographic region or market segment. It will include examining/ comparing at least two possible intermediaries. 2. Recommend a route-to-market strategy for a new product/service for an existing company or start up. Discuss the elements of the strategy in terms of demand generation, demand fulfillment, after sales service, and information feedback. This will include examining/comparing at least two possible intermediaries. Most teams will present their findings to the class.
The details of the assignment will be provided in class and are posted in B. Course Documents RTFM Assignment. Homework Exercises (5% each) 1. Financial Analysis for Pricing ? problem Set- Complete/submit the Financial Analysis problem set and discussion question posted in Obscure Documents. 2. Demand Estimation Exercise – Complete/submit the Demand Estimation data set analysis and discussion question posted in B Course Documents. Case Briefs (2 @ each) To insure high quality discussion on case days, it is critical that all students be well prepared to discuss each case.
Therefore, this assignment requires that you write and submit a 2 page brief, with attachments including your analysis, or the two cases to be discussed this semester (excluding Beauregard). The format for the brief is included in Appendix 1 and a form is posted in B Course Documents Case Materials. There is also a sample brief (Case Brief Mechanics) posted there. The briefs must be exclusively your own work. Therefore, do not discuss the case with others prior to class, examine briefs completed by others, and do not do outside research.
All case briefs are due via e-mail attachment, using the correct file name convention by the beginning of the class session when the case is discussed. Late cases will not be accepted – no exceptions. These will be scored as per the Brief Grading Criteria included later in the syllabus. Universal Rental Car – Pricing Simulation (1 Official Round plus write up @ 10%) We will run two rounds of a web-based pricing simulation developed by Harvard Business School. One will be a practice round for you to get a sense of the simulation.
You are not required to participate in this round, but it is strongly recommended. (You may also want to check the discussion questions posted in B at that time. ) The dates of the rounds are listed in the schedule. Note that you can run each round five times prior to the cut-off date. Each round will require 12 ‘monthly decisions (it will take you 2-3 hours to complete the round) and the submission of answers to several discussion questions. These are posted in B in Course Documents-. Universal Rental Car. High scores will be recorded and compared in class.
For the “Official Round” a minimum cumulative profit score of $30,000,000 is required to get a B for the assignment, and will be evaluated separately from your answers to the study questions. A minimum cumulative profit score of $55,000,000 is required to get an A. Re-grade requests f you believe that you received too little credit for your work, you may quest a re-grade under the following restrictions. (1) All re-grade requests must be submitted with a clear, written statement that explains why you believe the original grade was incorrect. 2) All requests for re-grades must be submitted within 1 calendar week of receiving the grade. (3) The assignment will be completely re-graded; if we were overly generous we will deduct points. Thus, your grade can go up or down on a re-grade. Final Grades Final grades will be established by rank in class as well as by points. There is no predetermined letter-grade distribution and the class’s overall reference will be used to set cut-offs for the letter grades. Macomb’s Classroom Professionalism Policy The highest professional standards are expected of all members of the Macomb’s community.
The collective class reputation and the value of the Texas MBA experience hinges on this. You should treat the Texas MBA classroom as you would a corporate boardroom. Faculty are expected to be professional and prepared to deliver value for each and every class session. Students are expected to be professional in all respects. The Texas MBA classroom experience is enhanced when: Students arrive on time. On time arrival ensures that classes are able to start and finish at the scheduled time. On time arrival shows respect for both fellow students and faculty and it enhances learning by reducing avoidable distractions. Students display their name cards. This permits fellow students and faculty to learn names, enhancing opportunities for community building and evaluation of in-class contributions. Students do not confuse the classroom for the cafeteria. The classroom (boardroom) is not the place to eat your breakfast tacos, wraps, sweet potato fries, or otherwise set up for a picnic. Please plan accordingly. Recognizing that back-to-back classes sometimes take place over the lunch hour, energy bars and similar snacks are permitted. Please be respectful of your fellow students and faculty in your choices. Students minimize unscheduled personal breaks. The learning environment improves when disruptions are limited. Students are fully prepared for each class. Much of the learning in the Texas MBA program takes place during classroom discussions. When students are not prepared they cannot contribute to the overall learning process. This affects not only the individual, but their peers who count on them, as well. Students attend the class section to which they are registered. Learning is enhanced when class sizes are optimized. Limits are set to ensure a quality experience.
When section hopping takes place some classes become too large and it becomes difficult to contribute. When they are too small, the breadth of experience and opinion suffers. Students respect the views and opinions of their colleagues. Disagreement and debate are encouraged. Intolerance for the views of others is unacceptable. Laptops are closed and put away. When students are surfing the web, responding to e-mail, instant messaging each there, and otherwise not devoting their full attention to the topic at hand they are doing themselves and their peers a major disservice.
Those around them face additional distraction. Fellow students cannot benefit from the insights of the students who are not engaged. Faculty office hours are spent going over class material with students who chose not to pay attention, rather than truly adding value by helping students who want a better understanding of the material or want to explore the issues in more depth. Students with real needs may not be able to obtain adequate help if faculty time is spent petting what was said in class.
There are often cases where learning is enhanced by the use of laptops in class. Faculty will let you know when it is appropriate to use them. In such cases, professional behavior is exhibited when misuse does not take place. Phones and wireless devices are turned off. W©eve all heard the annoying ringing in the middle of a meeting. Not only is it not professional, it cuts off the flow of discussion when the search for the offender begins. When a true need to communicate with someone outside of class exists (e. G. For some medical need) please inform the professor prior to lass. Remember, you are competing for the best faculty Macomb’s has to offer. Your professionalism and activity in class contributes to your success in attracting the best faculty to this program. Academic Dishonesty have no tolerance for acts of academic dishonesty. Such acts damage the reputation of the school and the degree and demean the honest efforts of the majority of students. The minimum penalty for an act of academic dishonesty will be a zero for that assignment or exam.
The responsibilities for both students and faculty with regard to the Honor System are described on on the final pages of this syllabus. As the instructor for this course, agree to observe all the faculty responsibilities described therein. As a Texas MBA student, you agree to observe all of the student responsibilities of the Honor Code. If the application of the Honor System to this class and its assignments is unclear in any way, it is your responsibility to ask me for clarification. For specific guidance for this course, see the section titled Description of Requirements above.
Specific guidance is provided for each assignment. Students with Disabilities upon request, the University of Texas at Austin provides appropriate academic accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. Services for Students with Disabilities (SD) is housed in the Office of the Dean of Students, located on the fourth floor of the Student Services Building. Information on how to register, downloaded forms, including guidelines for documentation, accommodation request letters, and releases of information are available online at http://denouncements. Texas. Du/SD/index. PH. Please do not hesitate to contact SD at (512) 471-6259, UP: (512) 232-2937 or via e-mail if you have any questions. Schedule: The schedule is attached at he end of this document. Honor Code Purpose Academic honor, trust and integrity are fundamental to The University Of Texas at Austin Macomb’s School of Business community. They contribute directly to the quality of your education and reach far beyond the campus to your overall standing within the business community.
The University of Texas at Austin Macomb’s School of Business Honor System promotes academic honor, trust and integrity throughout the Graduate School of Business. The Honor System relies upon The university of Texas Student Standards of Conduct (Chapter 1 1 of the Institutional Rules on Student Service and Activities) for enforcement, but promotes ideals that are higher than merely enforceable standards. Every student is responsible for understanding and abiding by the provisions of the Honor System and the University of Texas Student Standards of Conduct.
The University expects all students to obey the law, show respect for other members of the university community, perform contractual obligations, maintain absolute integrity and the highest standard of individual honor in scholastic work, and observe the highest standards of conduct. Ignorance of the Honor System or The University of Texas Student Standards of Conduct is not an acceptable excuse for violations under any circumstances. The effectiveness of the Honor System results solely from the wholehearted and uncompromising support of each member of the Macomb’s School of Business community.
Each member must abide by the Honor System and must be intolerant of any violations. The system is only as effective as you make it. Faculty Involvement in the Honor System The University of Texas at Austin Macomb’s School of Business Faculty’s commitment to the Honor System is critical to its success. It is imperative that faculty make their expectations clear to all students. They must also respond to accusations of cheating or other misconduct by students in a timely, discrete and fair manner. We urge faculty members to promote awareness of the importance of integrity through in-class discussions and assignments throughout the semester.
Expectations under the Honor System Standards If a student is uncertain about the standards of conduct in a particular setting, he or she should ask the relevant faculty member for clarification to ensure his or her conduct falls within the expected scope of honor, trust and integrity as promoted by the Honor System. This applies to all tests, papers and group ND individual work. Questions about appropriate behavior during the job search should be addressed to a professional member of the Career Management Office. Below are some of the specific examples of violations of the Honor System.
Lying Lying is any deliberate attempt to deceive another by stating an untruth, or by any direct form of communication to include the telling of a partial truth. Lying includes the use or omission of any information with the intent to deceive or mislead. Examples of lying include, but are not limited to, providing a false excuse for why a test was missed or presenting false information to a critter. Stealing Stealing is wrongfully taking, obtaining withholding, defacing or destroying any person’s money, personal property, article or service, under any circumstances.
Examples of stealing include, but are not limited to, removing course material from the library or hiding it from others, removing material from another person’s mail folder, securing for one’s self unattended items such as calculators, books, book bags or other personal property. Another form of stealing is the duplication of copyrighted material beyond the reasonable bounds of “fair use. ” Defacing (e. G. , “marking up” or highlighting) Barry books is also considered stealing, because, through a willful act, the value of another’s property is decreased. See the appendix for a detailed explanation of “fair use”) Cheating Cheating is wrongfully and unfairly acting out of self-interest for personal gain by seeking or accepting an unauthorized advantage over one’s peers. Examples include, but are not limited to, obtaining questions or answers to tests or quizzes, and getting assistance on case write-ups or other projects beyond what is authorized by the assigning instructor. It is also cheating to accept the benefit(s) of another person’s theft(s) even if not actively sought.