Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

MBA Capstone (Strategy) (Online)

MGMT 6400-B71

Course: MGMT 6400-B71
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: MHRH
CRN: 30315

Course Description

This course is the capstone course for the MBA, and as such, it will integrate the methods and tools developed in the curriculum to solve the strategic positioning and management issues of the organization. This course should be taken in the student's final term of the MBA program. (Fall - 1st Session, Fall - 2nd Session, Spring - 1st Session, Spring - 2nd Session, Summer - 1st Session, Summer - 2nd Session) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Prerequisite(s): MGMT 6100 and ECON 6200 and FIN 6100 and MGMT 6140 and MGMT 6150 and MKTG 6200 and ACCT 6100 Prerequisite Min. Grade: C Can be taken concurrent with FIN 6100 or MGMT 6140 or MGMT 6150 or MKTG 6200 or ACCT 6100 Registration Restriction(s): MBA majors only

Required Texts

Required: Strategic Management: Concepts and Cases, fourth edition (Dyer, Godfrey, Jensen, & Bryce). This course is an e-text integrated into the Canvas shell with accompanying supplemental material, including animated videos, etc. It is part of the Inclusive Access Program.

Learning Outcomes


By the end of this course, you will be able to:

  1. Describe a company's strategy.
  2. Diagnose threats or weaknesses of the company's strategy.
  3. Develop an appropriate business- or corporate-level strategy to achieve a sustained competitive advantage.
  4. Deploy, or successfully implement, a business-level or corporate strategy.

Course Requirements


Assignment Outline


Content Quizzes

You will have 5 content quizzes in this course. Each quiz will be worth 20 points and will consist of between 10 and 20 questions, which are usually multiple-choice. You have multiple opportunities to complete each question on the quiz. Quizzes must be submitted no later than the assigned due date. You may use your textbook, my PowerPoints, posted Videos, or your notes to complete the quiz. Content Quizzes may draw from any of the material listed as "Required Content."


Case Quizzes

You will have 5 case analysis quizzes in this course. Each quiz will be worth 20 points and will consist of between 10 and 20 questions, which may be multiple-choice, true-false, or fill-in-the-blank. After reading the case(s) for the module, you will analyze it using the corresponding Strategy Tool or Framework. I recommend that you watch the associated video with each case, in which I provide detailed instructions for performing the analysis. You will then take a quiz to demonstrate your analysis and understanding of the associated strategy tool. You have only a single opportunity to retake case quizzes; however, you may refer to the case, your notes, or your analysis while taking the quiz.


Strategy Audit (CAPSTONE PROJECT)

You will perform a strategy audit as a team on a firm of your choice. There are multiple deliverables (individual and group) throughout the semester related to this project. This project is worth a significant portion of your grade, so you should prepare to invest significant time in it. The deliverables for this project are PowerPoint slides (or a PDF-saved set of PowerPoint slides). Find your team at People >  Project Teams. Note: you must participate in the team-portion of this project. Students who do not contribute to the team portion of the project will automatically receive a failing grade in the course.


Grade Scheme


Grade percentages will be calculated based on the total number of points earned in the class.  

Course Deliverables | Points Available
Content Quizzes | 5 Quizzes X 20 points each = 100 points
Case Quizzes | 5 Quizzes X 20 points each = 100 points
Strategy Audit | 5 Weekly Submissions X 50 points each = 250 points
Peer Review = 50 points
Final Submission = 300 points
MBA Major Fields Test | Earnest Participation = 100 points
| TOTAL POINTS AVAILABLE: 900

Course Outline

Module 1: Where do we compete?
Module 2: What unique value do we offer?
Module 3: How do we deliver that value?
Module 4: How do we sustain our ability to deliver that value?
Module 5: How do we configure our portfolio of business to maximize corporate performance?
Module 6: How do we audit our strategy?
Module 7: MBA Major Field Test

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Late work policy
It is difficult to contribute to your capstone team if you are behind on the course content; thus, I encourage you to keep up with the assignments. However, in order to accommodate extenuating circumstance, I allow for all assignments except the final Strategy Audit deliverables to be submitted late, for a 25% penalty. Late is late: the penalty applies whether the submission is received one minute late or one week late. The penalty also applies regardless of the personal circumstance that resulted in a late submission.

Attendance Policy

Not applicable (online/asynchronous).

Course Fees

While there are no course fees, the textbook will be billed directly to the student's account (as part of the inclusive access program). It costs about $75.

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.