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 NUC412_N20A
授業形態 Class Type 講義 Regular course
授業形式 Class Format
単位 Credits 2
言語 Language EN
科目区分 Course Category
学位 Degree BBA
開講情報 Terms / Location 2020 UG Nisshin Term2

授業の概要 Course Overview

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

授業の目的(意義) / Importance of this course

“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

到達目標 / Achievement Goal


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

受講後得られる具体的スキルや知識 Learning Outcomes


The course will provide a special integrated toolbox of great foundation skills that are essential for
today’s globalizing managers. The key element will be an understanding of how to view and assess
business situations and contemplate the actions necessary to deal with change.

By the end of the course, you will be able to understand - basics of strategic theory, and you will learn logical/critical thinking, strategic thinking and ideas, and how to use frameworks. 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.

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

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.

Focus by Day and cases –

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
Day 3 - Case3: Bharti Airtel in Africa

STEP 2: Inside the minds of the business strategists
Looking back – View from the “inside”
Day 4 - 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
Day 5 - Case5: Michelin 2018 - On the road to Transformation
Day 6 - Case6: Is Sony turning around?
Day 7 - Case7: Apple Inc. in 2018

How to proceed –

This course will be comprised of three parts
Interactive lecture: The lecturer will give you some basic examples
Class case discussions: This will be the main part of this course.
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.

7 days focused 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 day spends 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 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: Mid-term written report - case to be decided in the class from the Day 2-4 cases
- Report 3: Post course written report on the "Apple Inc. in 2018" case in Day 7 *
You will find the specific report questions in the "Case and written report assignments for days 1-7".

Written output submission deadline –
Report 1: Pre-course written case report - Due before the class on Day 1 *10% of the final grade
Report 2: Mid-term written case report - Due before the class on Day 4 *20% of the final grade
Report 3: Post-course written case report - Due about a week after Day 7 *35% of the final grade

授業スケジュール Course Schedule

第1日(Day1)

Developing capabilities for strategic thinking – Looking back/Looking forward
*View from the “outside”
DAY 1

第2日(Day2)

Developing capabilities for strategic thinking – Looking back/Looking forward
*View from the “outside”
DAY 2

●使用するケース
Grupo Bimbo

第3日(Day3)

Developing capabilities for strategic thinking – Looking back/Looking forward
*View from the “outside”
DAY 3

●使用するケース
Bharti Airtel in Africa

第4日(Day4)

Inside the minds of the business strategists
*View from the “inside”
DAY 4


●使用するケース
Language and globalization: Englishnization at Rakuten (A)

第5日(Day5)

Looking forward–Strategic Thinking for designing a better future
*Strategic thinking, change, governance and strategy
DAY 5

●使用するケース
Michelin 2018 - On the Road to Transformation *NUCB case study

第6日(Day6)

Looking forward–Strategic Thinking for designing a better future
*Strategic thinking, change, governance and strategy
DAY 6

●使用するケース
Is Sony turning around?

第7日(Day7)

Looking forward–Strategic Thinking for designing a better future
*Strategic thinking, change, governance and strategy
DAY 7

●使用するケース
Apple Inc. in 2018

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 35 %
クラス貢献度合計 Class Contribution Total 35 %
予習レポート Preparation Report 30 %
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

Balance will be important in the grading and students must make an effort to do well in the two
categories; class/breakout group participation and written case reports

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」Harvard Business School Publishing(2011)978-1633694491

参考文献・資料 Additional Readings and Resource

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

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

To be 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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