Deck 5: Directional Strategies

Question 1

What are the differences between a mission statement and a vision statement?

Answer 1

The mission is developed from the needs of all the stakeholders - groups who have a vested interest in the success and survival of the organization. Vision, on the other hand, is an expression of hope. It is a description of the organization when it is fulfilling its purpose. Vision involves creating compelling images of the future and produces a map of what could be and, more important, what a leader wants the future to be.

Question 2

The board of directors should not be involved in the development of an organization's mission, vision, and value statements.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Why are mission, vision, values, and strategic goals
termed "directional strategies"?

Answer 3

The mission attempts to capture the organization's distinctive purpose or reason for being. The vision creates a mental image of what leaders want the organization to achieve when it is accomplishing its purpose or mission. It is the organization's hope for the future. Values are the principles that are held dear by members of the organization. These are guiding principles the managers and employees will not compromise while they are in the process of achieving the mission and pursuing the vision and strategic goals. Strategic goals are those overarching end results that the organization pursues to accomplish its mission and achieve its vision.

Question 4

How a leader views the organizational environment is an important determinant of vision.

Question 5

Values and beliefs are directional strategies that provide the focus and parameters for:

A)External analysis.
B)Defining internal strengths and weaknesses.
C)Product and service quality.
D)Strategic goals.

Question 6

A board process that involves both constructive and destructive debate will likely lead to a successful board.

Question 7

Which of the following are directional strategies?

A)External environment, internal environment, strengths, and weaknesses.
B)Mission, vision, values, and strategic goals.
C)Service and structure analysis, competitive analysis, service areas, and service categories.
D)Leadership, systems thinking, and strategic mapping.

Question 8

As part of managing strategic momentum, managers assess the performance of the organization and try to determine whether the mission, vision, values, and goals are appropriate.

Question 9

Which of the following questions would NOT be asked when evaluating directional strategies?

A)Do our mission, vision, and values fit the needs of our stakeholders?
B)Do our products and services meet the highest quality standards?
C)Are we doing some things now that we should not be doing?
D)Is the image of the organization what it should be?

Question 10

How do strategic goals relate to critical success factors?

Question 11

The history of an organization is its vision.

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT a role of middle management in determining the strategic direction of an organization?

A)Keeping the role of quality as a strategic goal before all employees.
B)Selecting the CEO.
C)Being involved in the redefinition of organizational vision.
D)Appealing to the economic motives important to health care employees.

Question 13

Why are values important to an organization?

Question 14

Visions are about:

A)Competitive analysis and the external environment.
B)Stakeholder needs.
C)Ideals, standards, and desired future states.
D)Executive management and leadership.

Question 15

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of an organizational mission statement?

A)Defines similarities with other health care organizations of its type.
B)Identifies the scope of operations.
C)An enduring statement of purpose.
D)Identifies the scope of products and services.

Question 16

Which of the following IS a characteristic of an effective vision?

A)Visions are permanent and do not need to be challenged or changed.
B)Visions come alive through broad generalities.
C)Visions must make sense in the relevant community, be flexible, and stand the test of time. If the vision is pragmatically irrelevant, it will not inspire high performance.
D)Visions are critical parts of control systems and determine the quality of products, services, and management practices of an organization.

Question 17

Which of the following are common purposes or missions for organizations?

A)To make money.
B)To deliver health services in as convenient a way as possible.
C)To provide health care to indigent patients.
D)All of the above.

Question 18

Critical success factors are those things that organizations must do in order for the organization to achieve high performance.

Question 19

The term "pathfinding" is:

A)The means of identifying an organization's mission.
B)The job of building a vision for an organization.
C)External environmental analysis.
D)A directional strategy.

Question 20

Health care leaders acquire vision from:

A)An appreciation of the history of the organization.
B)A perception of the opportunities present in the environment.
C)An understanding of the strategic capacity of the organization to take advantage of these opportunities.
D)All of the above.

Question 21

Strategic goals are those overarching end results that the organization pursues to accomplish its mission and achieve its vision.

Question 22

An organizational vision is a description of the organization when it is fulfilling its purpose.

Question 23

Creative tension is the means of reconciling an organization's vision with its strengths and weaknesses.

Question 24

A vision is coherent when it "fits" with other statements, including the mission and values.

Question 25

The vision creates a mental image of what leaders want the organization to achieve when it is accomplishing its purpose or mission.

Question 26

A complex environment makes it difficult to establish a clear purpose for an organization.

Question 27

Values are the fundamental principles of organizations and people.

Question 28

A vision-led organization is guided by a philosophy that is obvious in the daily life of the organization.

Question 29

Mission statements do not reference the principal services delivered or products provided by the organization.

Question 30

The mission statement is relevant only to the present and is not relevant to the future.

Question 31

Strategic leadership has traditionally focused on mid-level management positions in an organization.

Question 32

Pathfinding is the job of building a vision for an organization.

Question 33

The vision is the principles that are held dear by members of the organization.

Question 34

In organizations with a planning staff, the development of a mission statement is a task that should be assigned to the planning staff.

Question 35

An effective vision clarifies the picture of the future by stabilizing the strategic capabilities of the organization.

Question 36

It is important that managers, employees, and key stakeholders understand the values that are expected in an organization.

Question 37

An organizational mission is a broadly defined and enduring statement of purpose that distinguishes a health care organization from other organizations of its type and identifies the scope of its operations in product, service, and competitive terms.

Question 38

The mission attempts to capture the organization's distinctive purpose.

Question 39

A mission statement helps all employees focus their efforts on the most important priorities.