Non Competitive Strategies
Location: Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar
Instructor: Dr. Amar KJR Nayak
Professor of Strategic Management &
Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar, India
Email: amar@ximb.ac.in
Intercom: 706
Office Hours: By (email contact) appointment or through my Research Assistant: 738
Reading Materials:
Copies of all relevant articles, cases and book will be provided to the participating students. The students are however advised to refer to list of References provided at the end of this course outline.
Course Orientation & Objectives:
The dichotomy of competition and non-competition has existed ever since the beginning of life. However, since the beginning of industrial revolution in the 17th Century, the balance has moved towards competition and it appears to most of us today that there is only one paradigm, viz., the paradigm of competition. This belief has significantly grown especially during the last two decades after the demise of the Soviet Union, a development which appears to strongly vindicate the paradigm of competition. Further, in the current world view of competition, only the external competition as a means of efficiency is focused at; whereas internal completion as a means of efficiency and sustainability has been overlooked.
However, with the growing social, political, economic and environmental problems of the world, the leaders of large business houses are more worried today than ever before on the sustainability of their management practices. Business leaders are seriously searching for new models of business that are sustainable. Will you find these models within the Competitive Strategy framework or will you have to look beyond competition and think ‘out of the box’ to get alternative frameworks for effective and sustainable management in the future? The course has been designed to help students discern and question standard assumptions like (a) Resources are limited and hence one need to acquire as much as one can, (b) Efficiency can be achieved only through external competition, and (c) Holistic and sustainable models and practices are not practical.
Learning Outcomes:
'Non Competitive Strategy' should be able to tickle your thoughts and inspire you to develop alternative sustainable models for the future. Attending this course will help the students to:
(a) Map the historical developments in strategic thinking,
(b) Evaluate the traditional strategies, thinking and assumptions, and challenge their relevance today.
(c) Explore new and innovative strategies through alternative windows/frameworks vis-à-vis the mainstream competitive strategy framework
The participants will learn/gain the most if they have the following: (a) Have some familiarity to competitive strategies, (b) Have a broad outlook & thinking, and (c) Ability to see a case only as vehicles to understand a concept/principle and neither to highlight nor to undermine an organization or an individual. The success of our learning will depend on good collaboration of each student, the class and the instructor.
Class Process:
The approach to learning will largely be through a dialectic method of advancing the understanding of issues and topics of the subject. Articles and Cases will be used as primers to discuss the various issues and topics of this course. The cases will be used only as vehicles to understand a concept/principle and not to highlight or undermine an organization or individual.
The course shall be covered in three modules viz., Paradigms of Competitive Strategies, & Non-Competitive and Cooperative Strategies. The arguments will span from profit making for self to profit sharing with others to making profits for others. The discussions will attempt to fire the thinking of the participants by critically examining the assumptions and principles of different strategies and practices.
Assignments/Examination:
1. Articles, Cases & Manual
The participants are advised to read carefully the articles and cases prior to every class; so that the discussions in the class will help clarify and learn the various issues in the reading materials. The quality of in-class participation and mature contributions to in-class learning will be part of the evaluation.
2. Group Assignment
The group assignment will involve identifying a case/film/documentary/book that exhibit non-competitive pattern/strategy and provide a summary critical analysis of the same within 20 pages. The case can be from any part of the world. Cases such as Mondragon Cooperative, Kibutz, etc may be chosen for detailed case analysis.
· Each Group shall consist of not more than 3 participants.
· The case/film/documentary/book can be chosen by the group members. However, each group can consult the professor on the appropriateness of the choice of the group.
· The Group Assignment will carry 30% of the total weight.
Submission Timelines:
The group list to be submitted by 14th Jan.
Preliminary Draft Case/Report Submission by March 22, 2013
Final Case/Report Submission by April 5, 2013
3. Modular Test and End Term Examination
There will be short modular tests and an end term examination that would test your knowledge level and understanding of the subject.
The Modular Tests will be at the end of session 6 and end of Session 14. The end term dates are as per the programme schedule.
Evaluation & Grading:
In-class contribution to learning: 10%
Modular Tests (2): 20%
Group Assignment: 30%
End Term Exam: 30%
Self Evaluation: 10%
There is a possibility that the students of this course can organize a Panel Discussion by a multi-disciplinary expert group to respond to the issues and queries of the students on their concerns and understanding of competition, cooperation, systems view and sustainability. This can be part of the Group Assignment. If the students decide to undertake this assignment, this assignment will carry 10% and the 3 Member Group Assignment will carry 20%. The Faculty in-charge of the course will facilitate identifying the experts for the Panel discussion.
Course Schedule & Session Plan:
Session No | Topic | Articles / Cases / Exercise |
Session 1 | Introduction to the Course and
Notions & Possibilities in Strategy through Competition & Cooperation | Playing with Dough – Class Exercise
A discussion on Strategy: Competition & Cooperation
  |
Session 2 | A Discussion on the Language, Logic and Values of Competition and Cooperation | The Language, Logic and Values of Competition versus Cooperation in the light of sustainable Management, Nayak, Amar KJR, Sustainability Seminar Series Paper 3.0, XIMB
 |
Module 1:
Paradigms of Competitive Strategies |
Session 3 | Typologies of Strategy Making | Mintzberg, Henry. 1988. ‘Crafting Strategy’, The McKinsey Quarterly, Summer 1988
 |
Session 4 | Paradigms of Competitive Strategies | Dynamic Capabilities and Strategic Management, Teece, et al (1997), Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 18:7
 |
Session 5 | Competence & Governance Perspectives | Williamson, O.E. (1999). Strategy Research: Governance & Competence Perspectives, vol. 20. No. 12, pp. 1087-1108
 |
Session 6 | Inclusive Strategies | Paternalistic Strategy
Complementation Strategy
Strategic CSR
Social Entrepreneurship
 |
Module 2:
Non Competitive Sustainable Approaches |
Session 7 | Discussion on a Community Enterprise System based on cooperative principles and optimization of competitive forces. | Implementing Community Enterprise Systems for Sustainability of Agricultural Communities – A Manual
 |
Session 8 | Organizational & Institutional Design for Sustainability | Nayak, Amar K.J.R. 2010. Optimizing Asymmetries for Sustainability, Global Forum for Agricultural Research, CGIAR, Montpellier, France, March, 2010 |
Session 9 | Organizational & Institutional Design
for Sustainability | Nayak, Amar K.J.R. 2011. Notions of Efficiency, Effectiveness & Sustainability, Sustainability Seminar Series 1.0, Dec 2011, XIMB |
Session 10 | Nayak, Amar KJR, 2012. Integrated Low Cost Agriculture for Internal Consistency and External Synergy for Sustainability of Smallholder Farmers. |
Session 11 | Nayak, Amar KJR, 2012. Optimal Market Boundary with minimal Characteristic Distance between Small Producer and Customers. |
Session 12
& 13 | Schumacher E. F. 1975. ‘Small is Beautiful’, Sphere Books Limited, London.
Size, Scope & Complexity, Nayak, Amar KJR 2013. |
Session 14 | Nayak, Amar KJR, 2012. Institutional & Organizational Asymmetries: Small Producers and Sustainability of Rural Agricultural Communities |
Session 15 | Principles of Trusteeship in Ownership & Voluntarism in Management | A Discussion |
Session 16 | Principles of Cooperation | Amul: The case of Cooperative Action and
Mulukanoor Women’s Dairy Cooperative |
Session 17 | Alternative Routes to Efficiency and beyond: Missing Links to Economic Rationality | Religious Order: Case of Ramakrishna Mission |
Session 18 |  | Religious Order: Case of Mother Teresa |
Session 19 | | A Host who doesn’t wait on her Guests: Case of Discalced Carmelite Order |
Session 20 | Summary & Way Forward | Discussion and Final Feedback |
Two Guest Speakers are likely to be invited in Session 15 (Prof. Jeevan J Arakal) and in Session 16 (Prof. Debi Prasad Mishra).
Please Note:
The standard 3C MGM Program Academic Policies with regard to the code of conduct in the class and in other engagements in this course will be applicable to the course participants.
List of References:
Bornstein, David. 2005. ‘How to change the world’, ISBN 0-14-303252, Penguin Group, New Delhi.
Curry, P. & Zarate, O. 1995. ‘Machiavelli for Beginners’, ISBN 1-874166-28-5, Icon Books Limited, Cambridge
Goldratt, E.M. and Jeff Cox. 1992. The Goal: A Process of ongoing Improvement, North River Press.
Foulds, Russell J. 2000. Serving two Masters, ISBN 81-7176-397-9. Pauline Sisters, Mumbai.
Ghoshal, S. & Moran, P. 2005. Bad for Practice: a critique of the transaction cost theory, in Sumantra Ghoshal on Management: A Force for Good, (ed), Birkinshaw, J. & Piramal, G., Pearson
Kohn, Alfie, (1992), ‘No Contest: The Case Against Competition’, Houghton Miffin Company, New York. <accessed on July 15, 2008>
Kuwahara, Tetsuya. 2009. Seminar Discussions on Case History of Kanebo Cotton Spinning Company in Japan and Naigaiwata Cotton Company in China in the pre-war periods, July 2009, Kobe University, Japan
Murthy, K.R. Srinivasa. 1978. ‘Sri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad’, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.
Nayak, Amar K.J.R. 2008. ‘Cooperative Action: Case of Amul’ Working Case: NCS4/06/08
Nayak, Amar K.J.R.(2007. ‘Does direct investment in complementary business make business sense to foreign companies in an emerging economy? Case of British American Tobacco in India, 1906-2004’ Global Business Review, 8:2 (2007): 189-204
Nayak, Amar K.J.R. 2008. ‘A Host who doesn’t wait on her Guests: Case of Discalced Carmelite Order’ NCS2/06/08
Nayak, Amar K.J.R.2008. ‘Competition at its peak: Case of Australia-India Test Series 2007-08’ NCS1/06/08
Nayak, Amar K.J.R. 2008. ‘Religious Orders: Case of Ramakrishna Mission’ Working Case: NCS3/06/08
Nayak, Amar K.J.R. 2008. Multinationals in India: FDI & Complementation Strategy in a Developing Country, Palgrave Macmillan, UK & USA
North, D.C. 1993. Economic Performance through Time. Lecture to the memory of Alfred Nobel. December, 9, 1993
Rumelt, Richard P. 2003. ‘What in the world is Competitive Advantage?’ Policy Working Paper 2003-105
Schumacher E. F. 1975. ‘Small is Beautiful’, Sphere Books Limited, London.
Sethi, J.D. 1979. ‘Gandhi Today’, 2nd Edition, Vikas Publishing House Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi.
Srinivasan, S.K. 2005. Book Review. Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid: Eradicating Poverty through Profits’, Pearson Education Inc., New Jersey by Prahalad, C.K., Vikalpa, vol.30, No.2.
Ghoshal, S. & Moran, P. 2005. Bad for Practice: a critique of the transaction cost theory, in Sumantra Ghoshal on Management: A Force for Good, (ed), Birkinshaw, J. & Piramal, G., Pearson
Film: Life of Buddha, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2NLQGrbf5U
Film: Matrix I
