MGT 4337: Business Policy and Decision Making

Decision Log Journal Guidelines and Rubric

Overview After completing each simulation with your team, you will individually document in a decision log the reasoning behind your company’s strategy by explaining why you and your co-manager(s) chose to make the decisions and changes that you did in this module’s simulations. You will submit a journal entry for each simulation (two per module, in Modules 2–6), totalling ten entries. However, individual entries will not be graded in each module. Instead, the Decision Log Journal will be assessed as a whole after the completion of all the required simulations in Module 6. Note: ​If your company scores poorly in the industry, an exemplary Decision Log may replace your Business Strategy Game Industry Score up to a maximum of 90%. Prompt For each Decision Log Journal Entry, be sure to complete the following:

1. First, for each journal entry, reflect on how you think the decisions for the year went in about one or two paragraphs. Specifically, address the following:

a. Describe the major changes your company made b. Explain why your company chose to make the decisions it did c. Describe the outcomes of the changes or decisions your company made

2. Then download and save a copy of this document for each entry so you can edit the Strategy Decision Tracking Table on page 2 to track

your decisions for each round and explain how each decision fits with your company’s strategy. Be sure to include a detailed description of the decisions you track and a thorough explanation of how they fit into your overall strategy. For Example:​ One bullet point under a given region and market segment might read as follows: “Increased the percentage of superior materials used to 70%. A differentiation strategy means having higher-quality shoes, so we believed increasing the percentage of superior materials would be the best route to take.” This example identifies a major decision made during the simulation round and explains how it fits in this company’s differentiation strategy. To complete your journal entry for each decision year, you must attach a saved, completed copy of the Strategy Decisions Tracking Table for that year’s decisions. It is recommended that you keep a personal copy of each year’s saved table under original file names as a backup.

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MGT 4337: Business Policy and Decision Making

Strategy Decision Tracking Table *You must attach a copy of this completed table for each Decision Year Log Entry

Region Wholesale Internet Private Label

North America

Europe-Africa

Asia-Pacific

Latin America

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MGT 4337: Business Policy and Decision Making

Rubric Guidelines for Submission:​ Each journal entry should be about one or two paragraphs in length and include an attached copy of the completed Strategy Decisions Tracking Table. Instructor Feedback:​ This activity uses an integrated rubric in Blackboard. Students can view instructor feedback in the Grade Center.

Critical Elements

Exemplary ​(100%) Proficient (85%) Needs Improvement (55%) Not Evident (0%) Value %

Decision Year 11

Demonstrates a sophisticated knowledge of business policy and decision making through the explanation of the outcomes of specific major business changes or decisions, and through the explanation of how each decision aligned with company strategies. Submission is also free of errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, and organization and is presented in a professional and easy-to-read format.

Clearly identifies major business changes or decisions, explaining why each decision was made and what the outcomes were. Also explains how each decision fits into the company's strategy. Submission has no major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization.

Identifies changes or decisions but may not clearly explain why they were made, what the outcomes were, or why each decision fits into the company's strategy. Submission may have major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that negatively impact readability and articulation of main ideas.

Did not submit journal entry.

10

Decision Year 12

Demonstrates a sophisticated knowledge of business policy and decision making through the explanation of the outcomes of specific major business changes or decisions, and through the explanation of how each decision aligned with company strategies. Submission is also free of errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, and organization and is presented in a professional and easy-to-read format.

Clearly identifies major business changes or decisions, explaining why each decision was made and what the outcomes were. Also explains how each decision fits into the company's strategy. Submission has no major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization.

Identifies changes or decisions but may not clearly explain why they were made, what the outcomes were, or why each decision fits into the company's strategy. Submission may have major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that negatively impact readability and articulation of main ideas.

Did not submit journal entry.

10

3

MGT 4337: Business Policy and Decision Making

Decision Year 13

Demonstrates a sophisticated knowledge of business policy and decision making through the explanation of the outcomes of specific major business changes or decisions, and through the explanation of how each decision aligned with company strategies. Submission is also free of errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, and organization and is presented in a professional and easy-to-read format.

Clearly identifies major business changes or decisions, explaining why each decision was made and what the outcomes were. Also explains how each decision fits into the company's strategy. Submission has no major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization.

Identifies changes or decisions but may not clearly explain why they were made, what the outcomes were, or why each decision fits into the company's strategy. Submission may have major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that negatively impact readability and articulation of main ideas.

Did not submit journal entry.

10

Decision Year 14

Demonstrates a sophisticated knowledge of business policy and decision making through the explanation of the outcomes of specific major business changes or decisions, and through the explanation of how each decision aligned with company strategies. Submission is also free of errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, and organization and is presented in a professional and easy-to-read format.

Clearly identifies major business changes or decisions, explaining why each decision was made and what the outcomes were. Also explains how each decision fits into the company's strategy. Submission has no major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization.

Identifies changes or decisions but may not clearly explain why they were made, what the outcomes were, or why each decision fits into the company's strategy. Submission may have major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that negatively impact readability and articulation of main ideas.

Did not submit journal entry.

10

Decision Year 15

Demonstrates a sophisticated knowledge of business policy and decision making through the explanation of the outcomes of specific major business changes or decisions, and through the explanation of how each decision aligned with company strategies. Submission is also free of errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, and organization and is presented in a professional and easy-to-read format.

Clearly identifies major business changes or decisions, explaining why each decision was made and what the outcomes were. Also explains how each decision fits into the company's strategy. Submission has no major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization.

Identifies changes or decisions but may not clearly explain why they were made, what the outcomes were, or why each decision fits into the company's strategy. Submission may have major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that negatively impact readability and articulation of main ideas.

Did not submit journal entry.

10

4

MGT 4337: Business Policy and Decision Making

Decision Year 16

Demonstrates a sophisticated knowledge of business policy and decision making through the explanation of the outcomes of specific major business changes or decisions, and through the explanation of how each decision aligned with company strategies. Submission is also free of errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, and organization and is presented in a professional and easy-to-read format.

Clearly identifies major business changes or decisions, explaining why each decision was made and what the outcomes were. Also explains how each decision fits into the company's strategy. Submission has no major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization.

Identifies changes or decisions but may not clearly explain why they were made, what the outcomes were, or why each decision fits into the company's strategy. Submission may have major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that negatively impact readability and articulation of main ideas.

Did not submit journal entry.

10

Decision Year 17

Demonstrates a sophisticated knowledge of business policy and decision making through the explanation of the outcomes of specific major business changes or decisions, and through the explanation of how each decision aligned with company strategies. Submission is also free of errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, and organization and is presented in a professional and easy-to-read format.

Clearly identifies major business changes or decisions, explaining why each decision was made and what the outcomes were. Also explains how each decision fits into the company's strategy. Submission has no major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization.

Identifies changes or decisions but may not clearly explain why they were made, what the outcomes were, or why each decision fits into the company's strategy. Submission may have major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that negatively impact readability and articulation of main ideas.

Did not submit journal entry.

10

Decision Year 18

Demonstrates a sophisticated knowledge of business policy and decision making through the explanation of the outcomes of specific major business changes or decisions, and through the explanation of how each decision aligned with company strategies. Submission is also free of errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, and organization and is presented in a professional and easy-to-read format.

Clearly identifies major business changes or decisions, explaining why each decision was made and what the outcomes were. Also explains how each decision fits into the company's strategy. Submission has no major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization.

Identifies changes or decisions but may not clearly explain why they were made, what the outcomes were, or why each decision fits into the company's strategy. Submission may have major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that negatively impact readability and articulation of main ideas.

Did not submit journal entry.

10

5

MGT 4337: Business Policy and Decision Making

Decision Year 19

Demonstrates a sophisticated knowledge of business policy and decision making through the explanation of the outcomes of specific major business changes or decisions, and through the explanation of how each decision aligned with company strategies. Submission is also free of errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, and organization and is presented in a professional and easy-to-read format.

Clearly identifies major business changes or decisions, explaining why each decision was made and what the outcomes were. Also explains how each decision fits into the company's strategy. Submission has no major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization.

Identifies changes or decisions but may not clearly explain why they were made, what the outcomes were, or why each decision fits into the company's strategy. Submission may have major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that negatively impact readability and articulation of main ideas.

Did not submit journal entry.

10

Decision Year 20

Demonstrates a sophisticated knowledge of business policy and decision making through the explanation of the outcomes of specific major business changes or decisions, and through the explanation of how each decision aligned with company strategies. Submission is also free of errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, and organization and is presented in a professional and easy-to-read format.

Clearly identifies major business changes or decisions, explaining why each decision was made and what the outcomes were. Also explains how each decision fits into the company's strategy. Submission has no major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization.

Identifies changes or decisions but may not clearly explain why they were made, what the outcomes were, or why each decision fits into the company's strategy. Submission may have major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that negatively impact readability and articulation of main ideas.

Did not submit journal entry.

10

Total

100 %

6