Program Overview

MGMT 310: Competitive Advantage

Course Description

This course examines strategies and sources of competitive and cooperative advantage, including their values and resources, business models, coopetition, multi-point competition, and the sustainability of advantages. It also considers the evolution of competitive capabilities over time, particularly in the Aotearoa New Zealand context, and implications for stakeholder relationships.

Course Details

• Dates: 24 February 2025 to 22 June 2025
• Starts: Trimester 1
• Fees:
  • Domestic students: NZ$962.40
  • International students: NZ$4,427.55
• Lecture Start Times: Tuesday, 10:30 am
• Campus: Pipitea
• Estimated Workload: Approximately 150 hours or 8.8 hours per week for 17 weeks
• Points: 15

Entry Restrictions

• Prerequisites: MGMT 205 or IBUS 205 or IBUS 212
• Corequisites: None
• Restrictions: None

Taught By

The School of Management — Wellington School of Business and Government

Disclaimer

This course outline may be subject to change.

About This Course

MGMT 310 provides participants with an understanding of the theories relating to competitive and cooperative advantage. It addresses the range of advantages available to an organisation, sources of any advantages, and how particular strategies can leverage these. The course also covers the likely impact and effectiveness of competitive moves and responses and how the business environment affects the types and sustainability of advantages pursued for local, regional, and global success.

Course Learning Objectives

Students who pass this course will be able to:

1. Apply the various theories of strategic management to real-life case study situations.
2. Analyse 'strategic tensions' and paradoxes in business situations.
3. Apply critical thinking to strategy-making and implementation situations to identify competitive and cooperative pressures.
4. Recognise and evaluate the dynamic nature of strategies and advantages.

How This Course Is Taught

Teaching and learning for this course will take place via a combination of online video material available asynchronously each week and interactive 1-hour sessions. The interactive sessions will occur both in person and then be repeated online/recorded.

Assessment

• Individual Assignment 1 (Case analysis, 1000 words): 20%
• Group Assignment (initial strategic plan for Mike's Bikes, up to 8 pages): 10%
• Individual Assignment 2 (analysis of Mike's Bikes strategy and implementation, 2000 words): 40%
• Online Managed Test (2 hours within a 36-hour period during assessment period): 30%

Mandatory Requirements

To pass this course, students must:

1. Achieve an overall pass mark of at least 50%.
2. Obtain at least 40 per cent of the marks available for the final assessment.
3. Equitably contribute to the preparation and implementation of the group assessment and groupwork.

Lecture Times and Rooms

• 24 February 2025 to 13 April 2025
• 28 April 2025 to 1 June 2025

What You'll Need to Get

You do not need to get any texts or equipment for this course.