Deck 10: Organizational Alignment: Managing the Total Enterprise

Question 1

Which of the following is an optimistic view from which information technology serves to equalize power relationships at work by bridging time and space, thereby improving both productivity and work life?

A) Dystopian view
B) Utopian view
C) Contingent view
D) Neutral view

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Employees who are recruited, selected, and hired through which of the following processes are usually immediately capable of making a contribution to the company's performance?

A) Competitive selection
B) Targeted selection
C) Strategic positioning
D) Mindful communication

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Extremist supporters of the dystopian view of technology are sometimes referred to as

A) laggards.
B) "Luddites."
C) traditionalists.
D) purists.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Descriptors such as cheapest, fastest, and most reliable are typically used in the expression of a company's

A) competitive strategy.
B) advertisement.
C) identity.
D) alignment.

Question 5

An example of an asynchronous form of communication would be a(n)

A) chat room.
B) telephone call.
C) instant message.
D) answering machine.

Question 6

Which of the following best describes how Chapter 10 views change?

A) Competitive analysis
B) Strategic thinking
C) Positioning
D) Producing

Question 7

By which of the following processes do companies communicate to customers how their product or service is unique in the industry?

A) Diversification
B) Differentiation
C) Competition
D) Alignment

Question 8

The phrase "I never knew I needed that until I saw it" is a reflection of which of the following practices?

A) Strategic thinking
B) Branding
C) Developing a niche
D) Differentiation

Question 9

Selecting a strategy or purpose that distinguishes the organization from its competitors is called

A) alignment.
B) strategic planning.
C) strategic positioning.
D) branding.

Question 10

Which of the following is a concern in the analysis of communication technology?

A) Understanding is partial.
B) Technology is politically ambiguous.
C) Humans are agents.
D) All of the options are correct.

Question 11

Communication technology that allows for two-way, real-time communication is referred to as

A) rich.
B) asynchronous.
C) dialogic.
D) synchronous.

Question 12

Developing a competitive strategy means paying close attention to

A) message design.
B) dialogue.
C) focus group feedback.
D) alignment.

Question 13

If a person wants to use the "richest" medium to communicate a message, which of the following is the best choice?

A) Telephone
B) E-mail
C) Face-to-face meeting
D) Letter

Question 14

In one recent study, medical residents on patient rounds were observed missing important clinical information 34 percent of the time because they were distracted by their smartphones. This is an example of which view of communication technology?

A) Dystopian view
B) Utopian view
C) Contingent view
D) Neutral view

Question 15

A person who believes that technology benefits the economic elite is

A) utopian.
B) contingent.
C) partial.
D) dystopian.

Question 16

What is one negative effect of social media on an organization?

A) The creation of an urgent "update culture"
B) Instant feedback on products and services
C) Development of smartphone apps
D) Increased productivity

Question 17

Companies such as Mary Kay and Tupperware, which specialize in unconventional ways to reach customers through door-to-door selling and home-sale "parties," use which of the following competitive strategies?

A) Product- or service-driven
B) Market-driven
C) Distribution-driven
D) Sales- and marketing-driven

Question 18

Which of the following subfields of organizational communication focuses on the purposeful facilitation of strategic systems change?

A) Training
B) Employee empowerment
C) Organizational development
D) Competitive analysis

Question 19

According to the text, how long should it take you to explain what you do and why your business is worthy of attention?

A) About thirty seconds
B) About one minute
C) More than one minute, but no more than five minutes
D) As long as you can keep the listener's attention

Question 20

Organizations need to engage in a competitor analysis as a part of their strategic positioning. Competitor analysis involves all of the following practices EXCEPT

A) identifying whether or not a similar product or service exists.
B) learning if a similar product or service has been released in the past.
C) finding out if a similar product or service has ever failed.
D) identifying the vendors or other stakeholders that support a competitor.

Question 21

Competitive strategies are easily transferable between products and services, as long as you have a skilled manager to lead the process.

Question 22

A business cannot accomplish its strategy or communicate its desired image without which of the following elements?

A) Differentiation
B) Competitive advantage
C) Strategic alignment
D) An advertising budget

Question 23

When FedEx claims that it can get your package delivered overnight, it is proving that it is a distribution-driven company.

Question 24

The ability to think, reason, and make decisions is identified as which of the following basic skills that employees are expected to possess?

A) A foundational ability
B) A learning area
C) A primary ability
D) A secondary ability

Question 25

Developing a competitive strategy is always a complex process.

Question 26

The 7-S model is also referred to as the "anti-strategy" strategy.

Question 27

Managers are rarely involved in the training and development process. If they are involved, it is usually only during the initial training of an employee.

Question 28

Even with a formal system in place, most managers go with their "gut feeling" and play favorites during performance reviews.

Question 29

The "birth" of an organization is concerned mainly with developing a strategy and finding a niche.

Question 30

During which of the following stages of an organization's life cycle do companies face the important process of letting go of old business practices in favor of new ones?

A) Birth
B) Childhood
C) Adolescence
D) Maturity

Question 31

The most progressive companies make sure that there are clear links between training and development programs and performance reviews.

Question 32

Crafting a competitive strategy from a communication perspective involves attention to message design.

Question 33

Strategic alignment is most successful when management keeps it secretive, especially among lower-level employees in the organization.

Question 34

Organizations that treat people as their most important asset are also the most profitable.

Question 35

The strategic-alignment process is best approached by thinking of the organization as a total communication system.

Question 36

Strategic alignment is usually a gradual process.

Question 37

Positioning involves selecting a strategy or purpose that distinguishes the organization from its competitors.

Question 38

The successful implementation of any communication technology will consider both the social and the political environments of the organization before attempting any sort of technological change.

Question 39

According to the text, the competitive strategy of McDonald's focuses the least on which of the following items?

A) Food
B) Security
C) Predictability
D) Comfort

Question 40

According to the text, which of the following concepts is NOT considered to be a progressive human resource practice of organizations that seek talented employees?

A) Self-managed teams
B) Employee empowerment
C) Extensive training
D) Job security

Question 41

What language might an organization use to communicate a differentiation strategy?

Question 42

What language might an organization use to communicate a lowest-cost strategy?

Question 43

The textbook offers several examples of organizations that have performed effective competitor analyses. Describe one of these organizations, and explain why their strategy works.

Question 44

The 7-S model has been used as a successful model to promote strategic alignment. Outline the parts of the model, and provide an integrated example that illustrates the seven parts of the process.

Question 45

What does it mean to think strategically? Provide an example from your own experience in organizations in which you had to think strategically.

Question 46

How might a total quality management strategy proceed?

Question 47

The text highlights some strategies for training and development as a way to promote strategic alignment and quality management. What are some employee development strategies that have been particularly useful?

Question 48

How does the process of targeted selection ensure that individuals are being hired into positions where they can be immediately useful?

Question 49

Distinguish between the utopian and dystopian views of communication technology.

Question 50

Define superordinate goals, and offer an example that illustrates this concept.

Question 51

How does strategic change proceed according to an organizational development perspective?

Question 52

Consider the relationship between new communication technologies and the need for secrecy and privacy. How has this relationship changed in recent years? Take a position on which is more important: the benefits of using technology or the preservation of privacy. Offer examples to support your point.

Question 53

Identify an organization that you believe has developed a compelling strategic position. What makes its message so compelling? What lessons can be taken from the organization that you can identify and apply to other organizations?