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

“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.

Generally speaking, strategic thinking is 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?”

Here, in this Strategic Thinking course, 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

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.

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。

By the end of this 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.

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.

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 %

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.

Focus by day and cases –
*Some cases might change before the course starts

STEP 1: Developing capabilities for strategic thinking
Looking Back – View from the “outside”
Day 1 - Case1: Wal-Mart in Japan: Survival and future of its Japanese business
Day 2 - Case2: Grupo Bimbo

STEP 2: Inside the minds of the business strategists
Looking back – View from the “inside”
Day 3 - Case3: Language and globalization: Englishnization at Rakuten (A)

STEP 3: Strategic thinking, change, governance and strategy
Looking forward–Strategic Thinking for designing a better future
Day 4 - Case4: Base of the Pyramid Strategy of Essilor in India
Day 5 - Case5: Michelin 2018 - On the road to Transformation
Day 6 - Case6: Tesla Inc. - Growing Pains, 2020
Day 7 - Case7: Apple Inc. in 2020

How to proceed –
Each day of this 7-day course will mostly be comprised of three parts
1. Interactive lecture: The lecturer will give you some basic strategic concepts/theory
2. Class case discussions: This will be the main part of this course, with a new case every class day.
3. Group discussions: class will be divided into breakout groups to discuss topics designated by the lecturer,
including “what to do next” in the case. The group will usually discuss the results/recommendations in front of the class and take questions.

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.

Case written reports –
There will be two written reports required for this course,
- Report 1: Pre-course written report on the "Wal-Mart in Japan" case study in Day 1 *
- Report 2: Post course written report either on a case study and/or overall course learning *
You will find the specific report questions in the "Case and written report assignments" for Day 1 and Day 7.

*****
Classes will usually be on Wednesdays, Periods 3 and 4

*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	10 %
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	40 %
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

Balance will be important in the grading and students must make an effort to do well in the two
categories:
1. Class contribution (=class/breakout group participation)
2. Written case reports (Pre-course and Post-course)

• Michael Porter et al「"On Strategy" *Optional Reference」Harvard Business School Publishing（2011）978-1633694491

Optional further reference -

Joan Margretta「"Understanding Michael Porter: The Essential Guide to Competition and Strategy" *Optional Reference」Harvard Business Review Press（2011）978-1422160596

Dr. Kenichi Ohmae「"The Mind of the Strategist - The Art of Japanese Business" *optional Reference」McGraw-Hill（1982）McGraw-Hill

*****
You should be able to find a copy of the all "optional" textbook/reference books in the campus library

To be updated soon

（実務経験 Work experience）