BUS 498: Capstone Course: Advanced Business Models Master Syllabus
| Section | CRN |
|---|---|
In addition: Final round of the College-wide Case Competition on April 25 (Friday) from 4:00-5:30 pm.
Course Instructor:
Office Number:
Office Hours:
Email:
Course Meeting Times:
Course Website: Canvas
Required Course Materials:
(a) Custom Bundle: This bundle includes 1) Strategic Management (6th edition) by Frank Rothaermel eBook, 2) access to McGraw-Hill Connect, and 3) access to Business Strategy Game (BSG).
There are ONLY TWO ways to purchase the above custom bundle: (a) Purchase directly from McGraw Hill, or (b) Purchase from the George Mason University Bookstore.
UNLIKE YOUR OTHER CLASSES THAT USE MCGRAW-HILL CONNECT, THE CUSTOM BUNDLE FOR THIS COURSE IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE FROM WITHIN CANVAS. USE CANVAS ONLY TO REGISTER CONNECT. IF YOU MAKE A PURCHASE THROUGH CANVAS, IT WILL NOT INCLUDE THE BSG SIMULATION GAME. ACCESS TO THE GAME IS INCLUDED IN THE CUSTOM BUNDLE. THEREFORE, DO NOT PURCHASE THE BUSINESS STRATEGY GAME SEPARATELY FROM THE BSG WEBSITE. USE THE BSG WEBSITE ONLY TO REGISTER IN BSG.
To purchase and register, please follow the detailed instructions that will be available inside the miscellaneous tab in Canvas. Please complete your McGraw-Hill Connect and BSG Simulation registrations as early as possible and no later than Feb 4.
(b) Case Packet: You will purchase the cases/readings electronically from Harvard Business School Publishing.
Please keep in mind the copyright laws and act responsibly – you are representing George Mason - as you purchase the case packet from Harvard Publishing. The publisher is easily able to know what percentage of the enrolled students in the class bought the case pack.
Course Description
This capstone strategic management course explains why some firms outperform others. The course takes an integrative, multi-functional approach to the kind of broad organizational issues confronted by top executives. We will examine critical strategic issues that require a general management approach, using all the core business functions covered in the BUS curriculum, rather than a strictly functional one. An integrative perspective is essential because the formulation and implementation of effective strategies requires a precise understanding of the interrelationships among the different functions and the relationships of these functions to the business environment. Thus, this course represents the synthesis course for the Costello College of Business.
BUS 498 is a Mason Core Apex Course
Upon completing a Mason Apex course, students will be able to:
- Integrate skills, abilities, theories, or methodologies gained across a Mason student’s undergraduate education to explore complex issues in original ways.
- Communicate effectively the results of the student’s work with awareness of audience, purpose, and context using an appropriate modality (for example written, oral, visual, material, embodied, multimodal).
Grading Scale for Your Course Grade
| Grade | Total Points | Grade | Total Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 93-100 | B- | 80-82.99 |
| A- | 90-92.99 | C+ | 77-79.99 |
| B+ | 87-89.99 | C | 70-76.99 |
| B | 83-86.99 | F | 0-69.99 |
There is no rounding up.
Course Structure
This course uses a combination of reading assignments, online class discussions, case analyses, simulation, group presentations and assignments, and online exams.
Component Weights of your Course Grade
| Evaluation Tool | % of Course Grade | |
|---|---|---|
| Class Participation | a) Chapter Reading Assignment | 0% |
| b) Chapter quizzes (Best 10 out of 12) | 2% | |
| c) Ten Discussion Boards (Online) | 8% | |
| d) Individual assignment 1 | 1% | |
| e) Individual assignment 2 | 1% | |
| f) BSG Simulation Game 2 | 8% | |
| Exam 1 (Individual) | 20% | |
| BSG Simulation Practice Game (Group) | 0% | |
| BSG Simulation Game 1 (Group) | 10% | |
| Group assignment 1 | 5% | |
| In-class Case Competition presentation (Group) | 15% | |
| Group assignment 2 | 5% | |
| Exam 2 (Individual) | 25% | |
| Total Percentage | 100% | |
Class Participation
Since this course is a discussion/case-based course, your participation is critical to the learning experience. Much of the learning that will take place in this class comes from the chance to express ideas, listen to what others have to say, and discuss these ideas to develop your critical-thinking skills. Please take advantage of this opportunity to gauge and hone your communication skills. Diversity is a core value at George Mason. Therefore, be sure to bring your unique viewpoint to class discussions and be ready to learn from the diverse perspectives offered by your classmates. Do not underestimate the value of what you and your classmates have to say. Taken together, your participation is vital to the success of the class as a whole!
The George Mason catalog states the following on attendance policies for graduate and undergraduate classes: Students are expected to attend the class periods of the courses for which they register. In-class participation is important to the individual student and to the class as a whole. Because class participation may be a factor in grading, instructors may use absence, tardiness, or early departure as de facto evidence of nonparticipation. Students who miss an exam with an acceptable excuse may be penalized according to the individual instructor's grading policy, as stated in the course syllabus.
I will measure class participation using the six components shown above. These six components are described below in the order they appear in the table above.
a) Chapter Reading Assignment: No part of the reading assignment is graded. You can use either the SmartBook feature withing McGraw-Hill Connect that allows you to check your comprehension while you read, or you could simply use the eBook without any practice questions/adaptive learning features.
b) Chapter quizzes: These single-attempt, chapter quizzes are hosted and auto graded in McGraw-Hill Connect. Access to McGraw-Hill Connect is required to complete these quizzes. When you purchase the custom bundle, you also get access to the eBook. Late submissions of chapter quizzes will receive a score of zero. You will not have access to hints and your eBook while taking the quiz; there is no time limit. Feedback and the numerical score are held back until after the due date. While calculating your overall score for this component, the two lowest quiz scores will be dropped. Therefore, missing two quizzes during the semester will not impact your overall chapter quizzes score. The two lowest scores dropped could be for both excused and/or unexcused reasons.
c) Contribution to online discussion board: As part of the online discussion board, you will:
Complete initial post on your own without discussing with anyone else
- Read/analyze the entire chapter/reading material/case.
- Answer all the discussion questions/prompts for the initial post.
- Elaborate with specifics and appropriate level of details using chapter concepts and information in the reading material/case.
- Demonstrate thoughtful understanding and analysis of issue/question.
- Organize your post appropriately (numbering, paragraph, title, bold face, transition, etc.).
Complete reply post on your own without discussing with anyone else
- Reply post may not be due for every forum. But when they are due, please wait till the initial post deadline has passed to write your reply post.
- Answer all the questions/prompts for the reply post (e.g., in some cases you might be asked to select the best initial post, in some others you might be asked to challenge an initial post or to write developmental feedback).
- I encourage you to interact with a range of your peers through your reply posts. What does this mean? First, do not send reply posts to someone who is in your own group for group projects. Second, try to select different students for each of your reply posts. This is one easy way to widen your network of connections within George Mason.
- Elaborate your post by drawing on the information in the chapter/reading material/case.
- Organize your reply post appropriately (numbering, paragraph, title, bold face, transition, etc.).
- Again, no reply post may be sent to someone who is in your own group for group projects.
Online Discussion Protocol
- Postings should be done during the discussion period in the syllabus
- You may not be able to see peer posts until you submit your initial post and/or reply post
- You may not be able to post anonymously
- You may not be able to edit or delete your own published post
- Address the questions as much as possible (do not let the discussion stray)
- Use proper etiquette (proper language, typing, etc.)
- Anything you post is visible to others
IMPORTANT: 1) All posts will be due as per the schedule shown in the column titled “Discussion board #.” 2) Abbreviations used in the column: DB1-I refers to Discussion Board 1 – Initial Post and DB1-R refers to Discussion Board 1- Reply Post. 3) Discussion board posts are individual-level assignments. Therefore, do not discuss with your group members or anyone else within/outside of your section. 4) To post, click "Discussion Board" below "My Grades" in the Course Menu on the left. Click on the appropriate forum to participate.
Some discussion boards have both initial and reply posts (e.g., “I&R”). In such cases and unless stated otherwise, initial posts will be due by 11:59 pm on Thursday and reply posts by 11:59 pm on Sunday. The earliest you may write a reply post is Friday 12:01 am. In one or two instances, the earliest you may write a reply post may be Friday 12:00 noon. Some discussion boards have initial posts only. Such initial posts will be due by 11:59 pm on Sunday. Unless stated differently, initial post is worth 80% and reply post is worth 20%. If there is no reply post due, the initial post will be worth 100%. The word limit for individual posts may vary and will be specified in the respective module. All discussion boards are 1% each except DB1 and DB10, which are 0.5% and 1.5%, respectively.
d) Individual Assignment 1: Completing ONE feedback form after watching the THREE or FOUR Group Assignment 1 peer videos assigned to you. More details will be available inside the miscellaneous tab on the Course Menu panel on the left.
e) Individual Assignment 2: Completing ONE feedback form after watching the THREE or FOUR in-class Case Competition presentation peer videos assigned to you. More details will be available inside the miscellaneous tab on the Course Menu panel on the left.
f) BSG Simulation Game 2: See the description about the simulation below.
Business Strategy Game (BSG) Simulation: Throughout most of the case analyses in this course, we will “discuss” challenging situations faced by real-life companies. In those situations, your job is to come up with a set of recommendations to improve the company’s competitive position. We will supplement this process by playing the online Business Strategy Game (BSG) Simulation. The game requires business decisions to be made as per the schedule suggested in the syllabus (team-level Practice Game, team-level Game 1, and individual-level Game 2). It is imperative that you read the Player’s Manual before we start playing the practice game.
Team-level Practice Game: We will have two trial decisions (P-Y11 and P-Y12). Your course grade does not depend on your performance at the end of this practice period. Therefore, use these opportunities to learn as much about the game as possible.
Games 1 and 2: Practice game will be followed by team-level Game 1 (G1-Y11 to G1-Y17) and individual-level Game 2 (G2-Y11 to G2-Y16). In Game 1, your team will oversee the simulation company. In Game 2, you alone will oversee the simulation company. Your company’s performance after making the last decision in each game (may change due to unforeseen problems) will determine your corresponding simulation grade. In Game 1, I will use the game-to-date weighted average score out of 100 and without the bonus points and use the following curve, if needed: Top company gets 97, bottom company gets 71, median company gets 84, and others extrapolated. However, the maximum curve is limited to 40 for any company. What is the implication of this curve limit of 40? As an example, if your company finishes at the very bottom with a score of 25 out of 100, you will only get curved up to 65 (25+40) and not 71. In Game 2, I will use the game-to-date weighted average score out of 100 and without the bonus points and use the following curve, if needed: Top company gets 97, bottom company gets 71, median company gets 84, and others extrapolated. The maximum curve in Game 2 is limited to 25 for any company. What is the implication of this curve limit of 25? If your company finishes at the very bottom with a score of 25 out of 100, you will only get curved up to 50 (25+25) and not 71. [Please note the weighted average score shown on the first page of the Footwear Industry Report is out of 110. It is first converted to out of 100. There is no practice game in Game 2. Once the scored round starts, to be fair to everyone, I do not give specific feedback until the game is over.]
Optional Zoom sessions: Before starting with the scored rounds of Game 1, three optional Zoom sessions will be offered as per the schedule in the syllabus. A recording will be available at Miscellaneous > BSG Simulation for those who cannot attend. If no one joins the optional Zoom meeting, the Zoom session may not be recorded, and a recording will not be available. Once the scored round starts, to be fair to everyone, I do not give specific feedback until the game is over. That is why Zoom sessions are offered before the scored round of Game 1 starts. Please make the best use of this opportunity.
Data reset: After the practice rounds (P-Y11 and P-Y12) are over, the game will be reset to the beginning of Year 11 for Game 1 for you to make your G1-Y11 decisions. If you would like to have access to your practice-round data while playing Game 1, be sure to take any printouts (electronic or hard copy) before the data is reset. The same thing applies when we transition from Game 1 to Game 2. Once Game 2 is set up, you will not have access to your Game 1 data. If you need access to the Game 1 data while playing Game 2, be sure to take any printouts before Game 2 is set up. These dates will typically be available on the syllabus schedule page or will be sent out as announcements.
Exams 1 and 2: Closed-book, multiple-choice exams. The exams are timed and only one attempt is allowed. Once you open the exam, it must be completed in one sitting - you cannot exit and then try again. You will be required to answer multiple-choice Question 1 before answering multiple-choice Question 2. The exams will prohibit backtracking; you will not be able to change the answer to a question that has already been submitted. Exam 1 will be for 120 minutes (80 questions), and Exam 2 will also be for 120 minutes (80 questions). Exam 2 is cumulative. More details will be available inside the miscellaneous tab on the Course Menu panel on the left.
You will need to activate the camera and the microphone on your computer for taking Exam 1 and Exam 2. More specifically, you will take Exam 1 and Exam 2 using Respondus LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor. Online proctoring programs such as Respondus record webcam audio and video of the student taking the test. You will have to download the Respondus browser to your computer ahead of time. A practice test to check your settings will be available in the appropriate module.
Learn more about Respondus LockDown Browser and Respondus Monitor.
Group Assignment 1: Each team needs to analyze the Curled Metal Inc. case and submit a 12-minute video of your group’s presentation by March 2 (Sunday). More details will be available inside the miscellaneous tab on the Course Menu panel on the left. This assignment will prepare you well for your case competition presentation; see below.
Overall Case Competition: One of the interesting aspects of BUS 498 is the college-wide Case Competition that begins with the in-class Case Competition in each section. All student teams analyze the same case, and the top team from each section has the opportunity to advance to the college-wide, single-elimination, two-round competition. The judges for the college-wide competition are primarily business professionals working in the DC Metro area. More details will be available inside the miscellaneous tab on the Course Menu panel on the left.
In-class Case Competition presentation: Each team needs to analyze the assigned case [The Financial Times (FT) and Generative AI] and submit a video of your group’s presentation by April 6 (Sunday).
First round of the college-wide Case Competition: Based on the results of the in-class Case Competition, one team from your section will have the opportunity to compete in the first round of the college-wide Case Competition that will take place from April 14-20. The finalist teams will be notified by email on April 21.
Final round of the college-wide Case Competition: The final round of the college-wide Case Competition will be held via either Zoom or Microsoft Teams on April 25 (Friday) from 4:00-5:30 pm. There is an opportunity to earn extra points by participating in this event. Be sure to mark your calendar.
Visit the Case Competition website.
Group Assignment 2: Each team needs to turn in one written group assignment. More details will be available inside the miscellaneous tab on the Course Menu panel on the left.
Group formation: A maximum of eight groups for each section and no more than five students per group (to be confirmed once the enrollment stabilizes). You will work in the same group for all group projects. The instructor will form groups based on random selection by noon on Feb 5. [Because the enrollment may fluctuate till Feb 4, the last day to drop a class with no tuition penalty, I prefer to wait till Feb 5.] While the overall group is formed randomly, I will give you a chance to select one team member of your choice. I will do my best to accommodate your preference. Please do not send a request for three students to be in the same group. How to let me know your choice? An assignment will be set up in Module 2; do not send an email. Use Discussion Board 1 to get to know your classmates. If you are not able to find a team member of your choice, do not panic: You will be part of a group I will form randomly on February 5.
Grade equity for group projects: Please take your team responsibilities seriously. The points earned by individuals in graded team assignments may be adjusted by peer evaluations. If you believe that someone in your group should receive a grade below that which the team receives, please send me an email within 24 hours of the project due date/time. The email should have “grade equity – your full name and section number” as the subject line and should describe two things: (1) Why should this person receive a lower grade? (2) What efforts were made to solve the problem while your group was working on the project? If an appropriate email is received from a member of the group within 24 hours of the project due date/time, I will ask everyone in the group to briefly describe and quantify everyone’s contribution. Based on that peer input, an individual’s grade will be calculated. For example, if recommended by peers to receive 70%, 80%, 50%, and 80% of the team grade, the team member will get 70% of the team grade. Average of 70, 80, 50, and 80 is 70. There is no need to send an email if you believe your group worked well. I hope most groups will never have to resort to these mechanisms.
If there are grade equity issues in your group for Practice Game or Game 1, please email me within 24 hours of each decision date (P-Y11, P-Y12, G1-Y11, G1-Y12, etc.). If you tell me at the end of G1-Y17 that a person never contributed to the group’s BSG decisions, nothing can be done about G1-Y11 to G1-Y16.
Each team member must demonstrate the ability to:
- Collaborate successfully and be inclusive of all members
- Support and respect other member opinions and ideas
- Distribute roles and workload fairly and equitably
- Meet all individual and team project deadlines
- Maintain accurate records of team communications and decisions
- Resolve team conflict
- Make sound and ethical decisions
- Produce professional quality work products
- Seek direction from and maintain communications with the professor as needed
Group Charter/Contract: This contract will serve as a strategy for your collective learning experience. It should outline group policies and procedures as well as a timeline for the development of your team projects. Include individual responsibilities and behaviors expected to uphold the Mason Honor Code. Everyone must participate in writing this contract. You should recognize that this contract is a dynamic and changing document that may be revisited and updated throughout the process. As part of this contract, try to quantify: When should a team member get 70% of the team grade? What behaviors will constitute a team member getting recommended to only get 50% of the team grade? Zero percent of the team grade?
Student Responsibilities
(1) regular class attendance; (2) completion of reading, and other, assignments prior to class; (3) participation in course discussions; (4) completion of all assessments; and (5) in-class conduct which respects the rights and opinions of classmates and the professor.
Online Study Sites
Some kinds of participation in online study sites violate the Mason Honor code: these include accessing exam, quiz, discussion board, or assignment questions for this class; accessing exam, quiz, discussion board, or assignment answers for this class; uploading of any of the instructor's materials or exams; and uploading any of your own answers or finished work. Always consult your syllabus and your professor before using these sites. The use of Generative-AI tools such as ChatGPT and Microsoft Co Pilot to answer discussion board prompts and/or any other assignment in this course will be a violation of the George Mason Honor Code. No grade is important enough to justify academic misconduct. Electronic means such as SafeAssign may be used to check originality of work.
Catalog
The University Catalog is the central resource for university policies affecting student, faculty, and staff conduct in university affairs.
Late Assignments
Late assignments will immediately receive a deduction of 50% of the maximum value of the assignment, with additional 50% deductions for each 24-hour period of lateness. This policy does not apply to chapter quizzes because the two lowest quiz scores are getting dropped.
Make-up Exams
No make-up exams will be given without prior permission.
Extra Credit
Extra credit opportunity is available for participating in the college-wide Case Competition even if your team is eliminated in the in-class case competition.
Miscellaneous
Electronic means such as SafeAssign may be used to check originality of work.
Tentative Schedule
(Please print this page and pin it in a conspicuous place to stay organized.)
| Module Number | Dates | Chapter/Case/Topic | Chapter Reading | Chapter Quiz | Discussion Board # | Simulation Decisions | Important deadlines (Unless stated otherwise, time due is 11:59 pm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jan 20-26 | Introduce yourself + Chapters 1&2 | 1, 2 | DB1-I&R | DB1-I due Jan 26, rest (DB1-R) due Jan 29 | ||
| 2 | Jan 27-Feb 2 | Chapters 3&4 + BSG Introduction | 3, 4 | 1-4 | DB2-I&R | DB2-I due Jan 30, rest (Quizzes 1-4, DB2-R) due Feb 2 | |
| 3 | Feb 3-9 | BSG Intro Optional Zoom session | Feb 4 (Tuesday) from 7:00-8:00 pm | ||||
| Chapters 5 & 6 | 5, 6 | 5, 6 | DB3-I | P-Y11 | DB3-I due Feb 6, rest (Quizzes 5-6, P-Y11) due Feb 9 | ||
| 4 | Feb 10-16 | BSG P-Y11 Optional Zoom session | Feb 11 (Tuesday) from 7:00-8:00 pm | ||||
| Case: Reed Supermarkets | DB4-I | P-Y12 | Everything (DB4-I and P-Y12) due Feb 16 | ||||
| Team Contract | Team contract due Feb 16 | ||||||
| 5 | Feb 17-23 | BSG P-Y12 Optional Zoom session | Feb 18 (Tuesday) from 7:00-8:00 pm | ||||
| BSG Practice industry data reset | Feb 19 (Wednesday) at 11:59 pm | ||||||
| Case: Sandlands Vineyards | DB5-I &R | G1-Y11 | DB5-I due Feb 20, rest due Feb 23 | ||||
| 6 | Feb 24-March 2 | Group Assignment 1 (Case: Curled Metal, Inc.) | G1-Y12 | Group Assignment 1 and G1-Y12 due March 2 | |||
| 7 | March 3-9 | Exam 1 using Respondus | Exam 1 available on March 9 (Sunday) from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm | ||||
| Individual Assignment 1 | G1-Y13 | Ind. Assignment 1 due March 6 and G1-Y13 due March 9 | |||||
| March 10-16 | Spring Recess | Nothing due this week | |||||
| 8 | March 17-23 | Chapters 7 & 8 | 7, 8 | 7, 8 | DB6-I&R | G1-Y14 & G1-Y15 | DB6-I and G1-Y14 due March 20, rest due March 23 |
| 9 | March 24-30 | Case: Michelin and Chapter 9 | 9 | 9 | DB7-I&R | G1-Y16 | DB7-I due March 27, rest due March 30 |
| 10 | March 31-April 6 | In-class case competition presentation [Case: The Financial Times (FT)...] |
G1-Y17 | In-class case competition presentation [The Financial Times (FT) and Generative AI] and G1-Y17 due April 6 | |||
| 11 | April 7-13 | Chapters 10 & 11 and Individual Assignment 2 | 10, 11 | 10, 11 | DB8-I&R | Individual Assignment 2 due April 9, DB8-I due April 10, and DB8-R due April 13 | |
| 12 | April 14-20 | BSG Game 2 Set Up | April 14 (Monday) beginning 8:00 am | ||||
| Case: United Cereal | DB9-I | G2-Y11 & G2-Y12 | DB9-I and G2-Y11 due April 17, rest due April 20 | ||||
| 13 | April 21-27 | Group Assignment 2 Case: Irene Rosenfeld at Mondelez.. |
G2-Y13 & G2-Y14 | G2-Y13 due April 24. G2-Y14 and Group Assignment 2 due April 27. Case competition final round: April 25. | |||
| 14 | April 28-May 4 | Chapter 12 | 12 | 12 | DB10-I | G2-Y15 & G2-Y16 | G2-Y15 due May 1, rest (Quiz 12, DB10-I, and G2-Y16) due May 4 |
| 15 | May 5-10 | Exam 2 using Respondus | Exam 2 available on May 10 (Saturday) from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm. [Exam 2 is not on a Sunday] | ||||
To print: Right-click and choose “Print,” then follow your browser’s print settings.
To download: Right-click and choose “Print,” then select “Save as PDF.”