WELCOME TO THIS SESSION

Master of Business
Course
APMG 8099

Presented by Dr Andries du Plessis
A thought to begin with
Education is not what the teacher does; it is a process
spontaneously experienced by learners.
It is not acquired by listening to words; but by
experiencing a relevant environment.
The teachers task is to prepare activities located in
that environment; then refrain from interfering in the
process.
(Maria Montessori, n.d.)
The postgraduate philosophy
We do not set out to teach you anything no facts,
figures, rules, or other answers
Instead we try to create an environment where you
can choose to learn to the extent that you want to
So very few answers, but plenty of questions
You can therefore :
- respond with minimal enthusiasm and focus on a
passing grade
- respond with maximum application and focus on
improved capability
Your choice !!!
Objectives for the first session
Describe the structure and process of the course
Explain the meaning of business strategy in the
contemporary business environment
Present a useful strategy framework model
Learn a little about each other
Key points from the course schedule
Attend all classes, email me in advance if you are
unavoidably detained
Pre-break what class based on assigned reading:
absolute necessity to have read the material
Post-break how class based on personal
development for improved capability
What class assessment is 70% of total grade,
assessed through written business strategy
How class assessment is 30% of total grade,
assessed through on-line participation
What assessment may need extra information it
is your responsibility to ask, not mine.
Some hard facts about the New Zealand
economy
We are self-sufficient in food items, but import
dependent for non-food items
We generate large quantities of primary produce,
which are sold as commodities and not as value
added products
New Zealanders are legendary at thinking up new
ideas, weak at making money from those ideas
Paradoxically, our competitive efforts are far too
heavily based on imitation rather than innovation
The result is a conservative and less than ideally
efficient economy
Some hard facts about New Zealand
businesses
New Zealanders are very keen on self-employment,
thus almost every business is over-shopped
The average New Zealand business is classified as
small, and often as micro
Technical skills are quite strong, generic management
skills are very weak
The planning horizon is measured in weeks, months if
we are lucky, and those plans are seldom written down
A common approach is open the doors and see what
happens
Good news or bad news?
If you are the New Zealand government, desperately
bad news
These characteristics dont make for international
competitiveness
Especially with a high wage and low productivity
labour market
For a new business start-up though ....
- the playing field is crowded
- but most of the players arent very good!
- smart new businesses have a slight advantage
So how do we become a smart business?
A chain of logic
In 5, 10, 15 years time, your life will be one of three
things better, the same, or worse than today
So you can (a) plan for the future or (b) do nothing and
wait and see what happens
To do (a) means to better understand the world you
live in geographic, industrial/commercial, personal
Understanding leads to identifying opportunities and
anticipating problems
Identified opportunities and predicted problems mean
improved future.
Grants case studies
A solid appreciation of their own strengths and
weaknesses
An uncanny ability to understand the world in which
they lived
An ability to develop a set of long-term goals that
are realistic, achievable and will contribute to long-
term success
An ability to successfully combine all of these
elements in an implementation plan that will lead to
goal achievement.
The strategy ladder 1-5
1. Know the factors that make you behave the way that
you do
2. Develop a workable understanding of the world you
live in
3. Develop an intimate understanding of the industry you
work in
4. Know exactly what it is you want to build as a future
personally and professionally
5. Know your current and potential skills, talents,
capabilities
The strategy ladder 6-10
6. Know what are the key things you have to get right in
order to succeed
7. Combine all of those elements into a formal future
planning document
8. List the specific things you need to start (and keep)
doing, as of tomorrow!
9. Understand and prepare for what could possibly go
wrong
10. Measure your progress regularly


sls
FOR THE NEXT SESSION .



Go into Moodle and insert your photo and biography
(optional but it would be great if you do it)

Read Chapter 1 of Grants textbook please