BUS 501 High Performance Management

Spring 2002

Class Meets Thursdays 6:10-10:00 pm

Instructor: Dr. Doris Christopher

Office: ST604

vmail: 323-343-2916

Email: dchrist@calstatela.edu

office hours: Tuesdays 9-10:30, Thursdays 9-10:30 & 4-6 pm

 

Textbooks: Cohen, The New Art of the Leader (Prentice-Hall, 2000).

Whitten and Cameron, Developing Management Skills, (Harper Collins, 1998)

Objectives: Provide current and prospective managers with the personal, interpersonal, and group skills necessary to reduce ideas to practice under risk and uncertainty. Provide the CSULA graduate with personal, interpersonal, and group skills needed to perform in a superior fashion in modern organizations under risk and uncertainty.

 

Date Topic Assignment

4/4

Leadership and Teambuilding I—Introduction Chapter 1 (both texts)

Communication I—Introduction

4/11

Leadership and Teambuilding II—Building Effective Chapters 3, 9 (Whitten)

Teams; Personal Skills I—Solving Problems Creatively Chapters 2, 3 (Cohen)

Leaders Assigned—1st Leader in Charge

4/11

Communication II—Making Oral and Written Presentations Chapters 4 (both texts)

Personal Skills II—Discourse Types

4/18

Communication III—Interviews, Communicating Supportively,  RECEPTION FOR CLIENTS

Listening Skills

2nd Leader in Charge

4/25

Communication IV—Communicating Interculturally Chapter 2 (Whitten)

Communication V—Conducting meetings, Managing Stress,

Conflict Communication Chapters 5, 6 (Cohen)

4th Leader in Charge

5/2

Leadership and Teambuilding III—Empowering and

Delegating Chapter 8 (Whitten)

Chapters 7, 8 (Cohen)

5/9

Leadership and Teambuilding IV—Motivating Employees Chapters 5, 6 (Whitten)

Personal Skills IIII—Gaining Power and Influence Chapters 9-11 (Cohen)

3rd Leader in Charge

5/16

Leadership and Teambuilding V—Managing Conflict Chapter 7 (Whitten)

5/23

Communication VI—Presentation Instruction Chapters 12-14 (Cohen)

5/30

4th Leader in Charge

6/6-6/13

Presentation of Marketing Plans Preparation, Ch15 (Cohen)

  1. All students will be assigned to a consultant team of 3-4 students by the first week of class. There will be at least one person with fluent English skills (reading, writing, and speaking) on each team. Each team will be required to recruit a small business client and to complete a marketing plan for them in a manner which will be described in class. Leadership of each consulting team will rotate in accordance with the instructor’s assignment. All team members will have an opportunity to act as a team leader. The leadership performance of consultant team leaders will be evaluated by other team members and by Dr. Christopher. (Leadership evaluation form). Leadership performance will count 50% of the final grade. Each student’s leadership will be discussed in a face-to-face interview with the professor in confidential interviews. Because it is expected that leadership will develop as the course progresses, the standards for grading will be raised every week.
  2. Each team will complete 2 copies of the Marketing Plan described above. One copy will go to the client, one copy to the instructor. In addition, the plan will be presented in class, and the client will be invited to attend. The Marketing Plan Presentation will count 50%: 25% for the written plan report, and 25% for the presentation. Your portion of this grade may be significantly modified based on an evaluation by other team mates of your contribution to the team effort. (Confidential Team Project Evaluation Form). Most of you will have no prior experience in doing a marketing plan. This activity is important because it is the vehicle through which you will have an opportunity to learn and demonstrate your leadership. You will receive a minimum packet of materials which may be helpful in doing a marketing plan. You will also receive instruction on how to make your presentation. Other than that you are on your own.

 

Additional Notes:

  1. This is an applied course in high performance management. There are no written exams. You must demonstrate your knowledge by performing a tough management task under risk and uncertainty and with incomplete information, just as you do in the "real world." To actually develop your performance in leadership and communication, you must show initiative and work hard. The instructors will help you, coach you, and answer questions, but they will not "spoon feed" you. The textbook is a good resource for leadership, team building, and communication. For the marketing plan task, you must do what you can and find your own references.
  2. This course is designed to give you "hands-on" experience in the area of leadership and communication.

 

Major Responsibilities of Each Team Leader

 

1st TEAM LEADER

Organization of team

Plan for completing marketing plan

Client recruitment

Initial meeting with client

Initial research

Client contact maintenance

Team meetings

On time completion of leader evaluations

Preparation for next leader

2ND TEAM LEADER

Analysis of data for plan

Determination of competitive advantage

Selection of target market(s)

Determination of marketing plan objective(s) and goals

Continue research as required

Client contact maintenance

Team meetings

On time completion of leader evaluations

Preparation for next leader

3RD TEAM LEADER

Development of strategy to reach objective(s) and goals

Development of marketing mix

Scheduling of marketing actions

Completion of financial data

Continue research as required

Client contact maintenance

Team meetings

On time completion of leader evaluations

Preparation for next leader

4TH TEAM LEADER

Writing of plan and integration of all sections

Plan completion and publication

Preparation for marketing plan presentation

Formal presentation of marketing plan to class

Continue research as required

Client contact maintenance

Team meetings

Delivery of plan to professor and to client

On time completion of leader evaluations

 

 

An Outline for Business/Marketing Plans

Executive Summary:

This section discusses the opportunity, required investment, payback, why you will succeed, competitive advantage)

Table of Contents:

  1. Introduction
  2. Situational Analysis
      1. Situation Environment (business conditions, economic conditions, state of technology, demand trends, laws, etc.)
      2. Neutral Environment (organizations that are neutral that may help or hinder you: for example, consumer organizations, the U.S. Government, etc.)
      3. Competitor Environment (Main competitors with strengths, weaknesses, strategies, products, etc.)
      4. Company Environment (same as #3 above for company)
      5. Competitive Advantages
  1. Target Market (Demographics, psychographics, geographics, lifestyle, ay other segmentation used.)
  2. Problems, Threats, and Opportunities (Explain how you will handle each)
  3. Marketing Objectives and Goals (Including when you will reach them)
  4. Marketing Strategies (niching, positioning, entry timing, etc. Show how your strategy takes advantage of your competitive advantage.)
  5. Marketing Tactics The 4 P’s: Product, Price, Promotion, Distribution)
  6. Organization, Evaluation, Control, and Implementation
      1. Organization Chart for Project
      2. Project Development Schedules (Monthly breakdown of tasks, responsibility and funds required)
      3. Breakeven Chart
      4. Cash Flow
      5. Profit and Loss Statement
      6. Balance Sheets
      7. Other Relevant information
  1. Summary (Summarize everything and emphasize competitive advantage).
  2. Appendices
      1. Bibliography
      2. Endnotes
      3. Other material, as required