シラバス Syllabus

授業名 Strategic Thinking
Course Title Strategic Thinking
担当教員 Instructor Name Nigel Konrad Denscombe
コード Couse Code GLP151_G22N
授業形態 Class Type 講義 Regular course
授業形式 Class Format Live Virtual
単位 Credits 2
言語 Language EN
科目区分 Course Category 基礎科目100系 / Basic
学位 Degree MSc in Management
開講情報 Terms / Location 2022 GSM Nagoya Spring

授業の概要 Course Overview

Misson Statementとの関係性 / Connection to our Mission Statement

“NUCB Business School’s mission is to educate innovative and ethical leaders who possess a ‘Frontier Spirit’ and to create knowledge that advances business and society. Our students will have the ability to bridge the gap between New Asia and the rest of the world.”

Given this context, Strategic Thinking will enable participants to put strategic thinking into play through an active learning environment that will promote leadership traits focused on innovation and ethical decision-making in a SDG-oriented world by cultivating NUCB's core learning idea about having a "frontier spirit" in the era of sustainability.

Strategic thinking might be the most important management skill that, in a globalizing business world where just about everything is changing and the “status quo” is change itself, is a key requirement that provides the boundaries for other business actions. Understanding strategic thinking and doing it well will be a competitive advantage in your careers and in business itself, but ignoring it may be a sure recipe for professional and business failure.

授業の目的(意義) / Importance of this course

Strategic thinking -

“Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably why so few people engage in it”
Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company

Strategic thinking might be the most important management skill that, in a globalizing business world where just about everything is changing and the “status quo” is change itself, is a key requirement that provides the boundaries for other business actions. Understanding strategic thinking and doing it well will be a competitive advantage in your careers and in business itself, but ignoring it may be a sure recipe for professional and business failure.

Strategic thinking – Commonly defined as a thinking process applied in the context of achieving success in a game or other goal-oriented endeavor. When applied in a business organizational strategic management process, strategic thinking involves generation and application of unique business insights and opportunities intended to positively alter an organization’s future and create a competitive advantage for a firm. Strategic thinking includes finding/developing a strategic foresight for a business organization by exploring all possible organizational futures, and challenging conventional thinking to foster decision-making today. The critical strategic question is not so much “What?” but more “Why?” or “How?”

Strategic Thinking – Here, we will provide a case-based learning environment that will systematically expand the layers of strategic thinking for a holistic and synergistic learning experience. The first step is grounded on learning about logical and critical thinking, which form the base of all decision-making and communication – Logical thinking being process oriented, critical thinking being decision-oriented “inside the box”, and then move “outside the box” to understand creative thinking
– “Creativity is a great legal way of gaining an unfair advantage over the competition”

We will then bring logical, critical, creative thinking into play through frameworks like the SWOT analysis and then build on that with strategic ideas. Why start with SWOT – SWOT is one of the most useful/versatile frameworks in business and life. It helps you understand “where you and now” and gives hint of “where to go in the future”

Strategy and Strategic Thinking – There are various definitions/ideas of strategy, but the overall course focus here will be on understanding of how to develop strategic ideas through analyzing core strategy development/implementation pillars:

1. Defining opportunities/problems: Situation Analysis
2. Defining what to achieve: Goals and Objectives
3. Defining how to proceed: Strategy Setting
Overall, the course will provide a special integrated toolbox of great foundation skills that are essential for today’s globalizing managers.

One key element will be an understanding of how to view and assess business situations and contemplate the actions necessary to deal with change. A secondary theme will be understanding how strategy development has recently been impacted by sustainability and new approaches to capitalism that consider all stakeholders in the value chain, including society and the planet. A third and final theme will be built around how the era of digital transformation (DX) is impacting strategic choices and new value creation.

到達目標 / Achievement Goal


Strategic thinking - By the end of the course, you will be able to use strategic thinking to analyze business situations, priorities goals and objectives, and come up with relevant conclusions and strategy recommendations

本授業の該当ラーニングゴール Learning Goals

*本学の教育ミッションを具現化する形で設定されています。

LG1 Critical Thinking
LG2 Diversity Awareness
LG3 Ethical Decision Making
LG4 Effective Communication
LG6 Innovative Leadership (MBA)

受講後得られる具体的スキルや知識 Learning Outcomes


By the end of Strategic Thinking course, you will be able to understand the basics of strategic theory, and you will learn logical/critical thinking, strategic thinking and ideas, and how to use frameworks in real world business situations. In addition, you will be specifically able to implement elements of strategy such as environmental analysis, internal analysis, typical strategy, strategic planning, and implementing some strategic frameworks. This will lead to effective decision-making in challenging business circumstances, and will unlock innovative leadership possibilities, especially in the era of sustainability and digital transformation.

Strategic thinking frameworks –
To gain a competitive advantage and beat the competitors, you need to know the market, know the competitor and know “yourself”, and then create appropriate strategies and implement them – Internal/External Analyses. This will require understanding various strategic logic frameworks – SWOT matrix, 3Cs/5Cs, PEST analysis, Porter’s 5-Forces industry analysis, value chain analysis, business model and strategic positioning, TOWS analysis.

SDGsとの関連性 Relevance to Sustainable Development Goals

Goal 4 質の高い教育をみんなに(Quality Education)

教育手法 Teaching Method

教育手法 Teaching Method % of Course Time
インプット型 Traditional 0 %
参加者中心型 Participant-Centered Learning ケースメソッド Case Method 100 %
フィールドメソッド Field Method 0 %
合計 Total 100 %

事前学修と事後学修の内容、レポート、課題に対するフィードバック方法 Pre- and Post-Course Learning, Report, Feedback methods

Learning flow –
STEP 1: Looking back – Developing capabilities for strategic thinking
STEP 2: Looking back – Inside the minds of the business strategists
STEP 3: Looking forward – Strategic thinking for designing better future

What you will learn –
From this course, you will learn logical/critical thinking, strategic thinking and ideas, and how to use
frameworks that put these ideas into play.
You will also learn some basics of strategic theory, especially basic elements of strategy such as
environmental analysis, internal analysis, typical strategy, strategic planning, and implementing
some strategic frameworks.

Session focus and cases/articles –

STEP 1: Developing capabilities for strategic thinking
Looking Back – View from the “outside”
Case1: Wal-Mart in Japan: Survival and future of its Japanese business
Case2: Grupo Bimbo
Case3: Bharti Airtel in Africa

STEP 2: Inside the minds of the business strategists
Looking back – View from the “inside”
Case4: Language and globalization: Englishnization at Rakuten (A)

STEP 3: Strategic thinking, change, governance and strategy
Looking forward–Strategic Thinking for designing a better future
Session 5: Case5: BoP Strategy of Essilor in India *BoP: Base of the Pyramid
Session 6: Case6: Michelin 2018 - On the road to Transformation
Session 7: Case7: Tesla Inc. Growing Pains, 2020
Session 8: Case8: Apple Inc. in 2020


Optional Articles (Not required)
A1: What is Strategy? *Professor Michael Porter, HBS
A2. Creating shared value: How to reinvent capitalism and unleash a wave of innovation and growth *Professor Michael Porter, HBS
A3. How to develop a great digital strategy *Paul Michelman, MIT Sloan Management Review

How to proceed –

This course will be comprised of three parts
1. Interactive lecture: The lecturer will give you some basic examples
2. Class case discussions: This will be the main part of this course.
3. Group discussions: the class will be divided into groups to discuss topics designated by the lecturer,
including “what to do next” in the case. The group may discuss the results in front of the class and
take questions.

Eight sessions focus on case discussions –
1. Focuses on practical strategic ideas, not so much technical perspective
2. Minimum lecture and spend most time on class discussion of the cases
3. Each session spend lot of time on one case study to analyze and discuss
4. Each case will consider the whole but focuses on specific learning topics
Important thing in case discussions is there are no right/wrong answers, but only the processes to
find answers. So there is no perfect answer, but a perfect process, which outputs a “perfect answer
for that process”. Think about case assignments carefully, and be prepared to present ideas in class
to get feedback from others.

Cases –
Read each case thoroughly. You may have to read at least three times, otherwise, you will not be
able to write a report or prepare for class discussions. Probably you will need to spend at least three
hours per case. The more you spend your time for preparation, the more your learning efficiencies
will increase in class. You only have limited time in evenings and must prepare before the course
begins. 

Case written summary reports –
There will be two written reports required for this course,
1. Pre-course written report on the "Wal-Mart in Japan" case in Session 1
2. Post course written report on the "Apple Inc. in 2020" case in Session 8
You will find the specifics report questions in the "Case and written report assignments for sessions 1-8".

Written output submission deadlines –
Case reports: submitted (email) to instructor: denscombe@nucba.ac.jp
1. Pre-course written case report - Before Session 1 *15% of the final grade
2. Post-course written case report - due about a week after Session 8 *35% of the final grade

授業スケジュール Course Schedule

第1日(Day1)

Day 1 *April 12/Tuesday
STEP 1: Developing capabilities for strategic thinking – Looking back *Sessions 1-3
Session 1
Session 2

●使用するケース
C1.「Wal-Mart in Japan: Survival and future of its Japanese business」*IBS, Hyderabad
C2.「Grupo Bimbo」*HBS Publishing

第2日(Day2)

Day 2 *April 13/Wednesday
STEP 1: Developing capabilities for strategic thinking – Looking back
Session 3
STEP 2: Looking back – Inside the minds of the business strategists
Session 4

●使用するケース
C3.「Bharti Airtel in Africa」*HBS Publishing
C4.「Language and globalization: Englishnization at Rakuten (A)」*HBS Publishing

第3日(Day3)

Day 3 *April 14/Thursday

STEP 3: Looking forward – Strategic thinking for designing better future *Sessions 5-8
Session 5
Session 6

●使用するケース
C5. 「BoP Strategy of Essilor in India」*NUCB
C6.「Michelin 2018 - On the Road to Transformation」*NUCB

Optional reference -
「A2. Creating shared value: How to reinvent capitalism and unleash a wave of innovation and growth」

第4日(Day4)

Day 4 *April 15/Friday

STEP 3: Looking forward – Strategic thinking for designing better future *Sessions 7-8
Session 7
Session 8

●使用するケース
C7.「Tesla Inc.: Growing Pains, 2020」*NUCB
C8. 「Apple Inc. in 2020」*HBS Publishing

第5日(Day5)



第6日(Day6)



第7日(Day7)



成績評価方法 Evaluation Criteria

*成績は下記該当項目を基に決定されます。
*クラス貢献度合計はコールドコールと授業内での挙手発言の合算値です。
講師用内規準拠 Method of Assessment Weights
コールドコール Cold Call 0 %
授業内での挙手発言 Class Contribution 50 %
クラス貢献度合計 Class Contribution Total 50 %
予習レポート Preparation Report 15 %
小テスト Quizzes / Tests 0 %
シミュレーション成績 Simulation 0 %
ケース試験 Case Exam 0 %
最終レポート Final Report 35 %
期末試験 Final Exam 0 %
参加者による相互評価 Peer Assessment 0 %
合計 Total 100 %

評価の留意事項 Notes on Evaluation Criteria

使用ケース一覧 List of Cases

    ケースは使用しません。

教科書 Textbook

  • Michael Porter et al「"On Strategy" *Optional Reference」Havard Business School Publishing(2011)978-1633694491
  • Joan Margretta「"Understanding Michael Porter: The Essential Guide to Competition and Strategy" *Optional Reference」Harvard Business School Publishing(2011)978-1422160596
  • Dr. Kenichi Ohmae「"The Mind of the Strategist - The Art of Japanese Business" *optional Reference」McGraw-Hill(1982)978-0070479043
  • Sunil Gupta「Driving Digital Strategy」HBR Press(2018)978-1633692688

参考文献・資料 Additional Readings and Resource

Optional Articles (Not required)

A1: What is Strategy?
*Professor Michael Porter, HBS
A2. Creating shared value: How to reinvent capitalism and unleash a wave of innovation and growth *Professor Michael Porter, HBS
A3: How to develop a great digital strategy
*MIT Sloan Management Review

授業調査に対するコメント Comment on Course Evaluation

To new added later

担当教員のプロフィール About the Instructor 


Prof. NIGEL DENSCOMBE

OVERVIEW

Nigel is a “hybrid” businessperson standing at the intersection of two key roles: global manager/owner and business educator. This is why in 2001 he created a Tokyo/New York firm, Denscombe Corporation (www.denscombe.co.jp), to “bridge” business and education by providing strategic management solutions for repositioning/creating sustainable value propositions for corporate clients and business schools, and also by providing management education solutions for them as well.

On one side, he is a truly globalized Tokyo-based British-American high value added management professional with a successful track record of leading positive industry change and finding new value propositions.
At the same time, he is also an accomplished management educator who has created new business schools/repositioned existing ones and who also has taught a wide range of high valueadded management courses for Asian university business schools and corporate clients. In business education, as a management practitioner in the real world, his mission is to put “ business” back into business school and to
foster the global leadership required to take practical advantage of the great changes going on for sustainable corporate value propositions.

Everything Nigel teaches, he does (or has done) in the real world. This gives him a unique learning value proposition because, with his global management track record and wide business education teaching experience, he offers an unparalleled learning experience for all those participating in his management classes.
Before shifting his focus to Asia, Nigel had extensive management/owner experience in North America and Europe, focused on financial services, new business development, innovating markets and new market entry, and strategic planning - corporate strategy, especially restructuring and new value propositions.

Specialized Fields

Strategic management, business plan/new business startups/entrepreneurship, sustainability, corporate governance and business ethics - plus strategic thinking and negotiations

Academic Background

UCLA, Business and Management of Entertainment Media, Extension Program
Harvard Business School, MBA in General Management
Harvard College, AB

(実務経験 Work experience)


BUSINESS BACKGROUND (Significant Current/Recent)

Denscombe Corporation (http://www.denscombe.co.jp)
President/CEO, Capital Markets, Strategic Management Consulting, Business Education (Tokyo/NY)

CICOM Brains, Inc. *Tokyo
Cofounding team member/former director

Denscombe & Co, Inc. *NY/USA
President/CEO, merchant banking/strategic consulting firm

Bank of America NT & SA
Managing Director/Vice President, (New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Mexico City)

Deutsche Bank *NY Branch
Vice President/Assistant Vice President/Assistant Treasurer (New York City, Mexico City, London/UK)

Harvard University, Real Estate Investment
Financial Analyst (Massachusetts/USA)

Avon Corporation *NY/USA
Marketing Specialist – French market-entry team (London/UK, Paris/France)

Avesta Jernverks AB, Steelworker (Avesta/Sweden)


BUSINESS EDUCATOR BACKGROUND (Current/Recent)

Denscombe Corporation (Tokyo/NY)
Strategic Management Solutions: Capital Markets, Strategic Management Consulting, Corporate Education Solutions
*Core Lecturer, business education outsourcing business – Turnkey solutions for business schools and corporate in-house management training

International University of Japan, Graduate School of International Management (Niigata, Japan)
*Specially Invited Professor: Strategic Management, Global Marketing, Corporate Governance, International Management, Competing in Emerging Markets, New Frontier of Capitalism - ASEAN

Business BreakThrough University (Tokyo, Japan)
*Professor: Case-based integrated business skill program in logical/critical/creative thinking, marketing, strategy and business planning

Waseda Graduate School of Commerce, ETP Japan (Tokyo)
*Lecturer: Business Plan, Financial Management, Japan MarketEntry Business Plan Mentor

GLOBIS University, Part-Time MBA Program (Tokyo)
*Lecturer : Marketing Foundations






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