Faculty
Torben J. Andersen, Professor (Center for Strategic Management and Globalization, CBS), Richard A. Bettis, Professor (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA), Nicolai J. Foss, Professor (Center for Strategic Management and Globalization, CBS) and Richard M. Langlois, Professor (University of Connecticut, USA)

Course Coordinator
Torben J. Andersen

The course is organised around nine half-day sessions (two x three hours per day) over the week followed by a final reflective session on the last afternoon, where participants can relate the course topics to their own individual research agendas (see below for a tentative schedule).

Monday 18.08.2008
Introduction: Content versus process – Torben J. Andersen (09:00-12:00)
Synopsis:
What do we mean by the term ‘strategy’ and how does the strategic management field relate to management research in general? A conventional strategy perspective is structured according to level of analysis and analytical content versus execution and control ordered as sequential process elements. We cover different aspects of strategy-making and discuss, whether these can be reconciled.
References:

Adaptation and strategic renewal – Torben J. Andersen (13:30-16:30)
Synopsis:
Strategic management is in search of effective responses to the challenges posed by increasingly dynamic and complex environmental conditions in the contemporary global economies. What are the appropriate answers to this challenge and what outcomes are associated with this? We will introduce various perspectives to these issues and discuss possible solutions.
References:

Tuesday 19.08.2008
The corporate strategy process – Richard A. Bettis (09:00-12:00)
Synopsis:
Corporate strategy is an area where strategic management has developed many valuable insights, but where it also remains somewhat controversial in its normative contribution. What is the appropriate balance between business relatedness that may gain economic efficiencies and resource diversity that may drive new business development? We will take a closer look at some of these challenges.
References:

Strategy in transition – Richard A. Bettis (13:30-16:00)
Synopsis:
The competitive landscape is changing and imposes new demands of effective strategy-making processes dealing with new technologies, ongoing innovation, research and development etc. In this session, we will discuss these challenges and uncover alternative responsive approaches.
References:

Wednesday 20.08.2008
Transaction Cost Perspectives – Nicolai J. Foss (09:00-12:00)
Synopsis:
Transaction cost economics has been a controversial theory in strategy research. Thus, it has been argued that it builds on an overly cynical assumption about human nature, and focus on cost minimisation at the expense of value creation. Here we develop the arguments that transaction costs are crucial for the understanding of value creation, and in particular, the impediments to value creation.
References:

The modularity theory of the company – Richard N. Langlois (13:30-16:30)

Synopsis:
The modularity theory of the company is a perspective on organisation that is complementary to both the transaction-cost approach and the capabilities or resource-based view of the company. It provides insights into the ways, in which organisational design can be a tool of strategy.

References:

Thursday 21.08.2008

Modularity, organisation, and innovation – Richard N. Langlois (09:00-12:00)

Synopsis:
Which kinds of organisations are best at generating and using innovations? Under what circumstances can a compnay profit from “open innovation” and when is a proprietary strategy more desirable? What are the effects on innovation of outsourcing – and what are the organisational alternatives?

References:

Knowledge and resources – Nicolai J. Foss (13:30-16:30)

Synopsis:
Over the past decade or so, the resource-based view (RBV) has become a prominent approach to strategy content research. In particular, it has become important in the analysis of sustained competitive advantage. Here we provide an overview of the main contributions of this stream of resource-based research and discuss some of the criticisms of it.

References:

Friday 22.08.2008 – Torben J. Andersen & Nicolai J. Foss (09:00-12:00)

Issues in strategy research

Synopsis:
To some, strategy research may appear to move in circles, i.e., first one perspective predominates as it emerges from the critique of a former perspective, but once this perspective has dominated the field for some time, the pendulum moves back and the prior perspective comes back into the fore. Is this a sensible and productive research mode?

References:

Status and reflection – Torben J. Andersen & Nicolai J. Foss (13:00-15:00)

Synopsis:
The strategy field is confronted with the challenges of a changing managerial reality. What are the greatest challenges to corporate executives? How should we respond to these challenges? Where do you want to drive your future research efforts?

While the course is organised around a series of formal presentations with assigned readings, class sessions encourage discussion, where participants are expected to comment on and critique the topics assigned for each session. The course will furnish discussions about recent developments and trends in the strategy field and provide an opportunity to outline important research agendas for the future.

No later than 01.05.2008