Deck 4: Culture and Strategy

Question 1

Senses of humour vary and do not always travel well into different cultures,this can affect how creativity and innovation are practised.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Female managers can be found in all cultures.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

However strong an organization's culture,it can never be considered a strategic asset.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

In some cultures it is considered acceptable and normal to conduct business discussions during leisure activities,while in others this would not be accepted.

Question 5

An organizational culture can be quite easily changed to reflect a strategic change.

Question 6

Organizational culture refers to the core values shared by the firm's top-level managers,but not necessarily accepted by lower-level employees who are often transitory and not committed to the organization.

Question 7

Hofstede's studies were based on surveys from 1968-1972 and might not capture the cultural changes that have occurred throughout the world in the past thirty years.

Question 8

As organizational cultures become stronger and more ingrained they open out the possibility for multiple interpretations to flourish.

Question 9

Although organizational cultures vary considerably,one cannot make an objective judgment that some organizational cultures are more or less functional than others.

Question 10

Culture can act as a strong integration mechanism,controlling and coordinating people's behaviour.

Question 11

An organization culture is constituted by a shared belief system that is emotionally charged as it encompasses the values and norms of its members and offers them an interpretive filter through which they make sense of what is around them.

Question 12

Some managerial cultures support a competitive outlook at an organizational level,while others encourage competition at an individual manager vs.manager level.

Question 13

A culture of internal co-operation and customer orientation,together with a willingness to learn,adapt and change is ideal for an organization to experience strategic success.

Question 14

Having an organizational culture means that sub-cultures do not arise.

Question 15

In all countries managers prefers to negotiate in teams not on a one-to-one basis.

Question 16

Culture is closely associated with power and can be such a strong force that overlooked,strategy implementation may not happen.

Question 17

The culture of an organization is related to its people,their behavior and the operation of the structure.

Question 18

The appropriate way of doing business varies across countries as some cultures prefer a watertight contractual approach while others are more comfortable with trust and a handshake.

Question 19

Culture change requires all staff to change their fundamental beliefs,customs and values.

Question 20

To a great extent the culture of an organization is dictated by its strategic leader.

Question 21

National cultures are acquired during childhood and reinforced simply by living one's life in a particular society.

Question 22

Changing an organizational culture is more difficult when:

A) The existing culture is fully understood.
B) The personality and beliefs of the strategic leader support change.
C) The extent of the strategic need is not understood.
D) The history of the is one of continual change and adaptation.

Question 23

In regards to individualism vs.collectivism:

A) Collectivists never discriminate against out-group members and may be more opportunistic when dealing with in-group members
B) Individualists make more distinction between in-group and out-group membership
C) Individualists are more opportunistic when dealing with in-group members
D) Collectivists may view social interactions/activities as unessential and wasteful of resources

Question 24

The potential for culture change is unaffected by the strength and history of the existing culture.

Question 25

Which tends to be true of masculine cultures?

A) May have a relative advantage in small-scale, customized manufacturing.
B) May be at a disadvantage in making products efficiently, well and fast.
C) Stereotypical manager is decisive.
D) Stereotypical manager is accustomed to seeking consensus.

Question 26

Which of the following is/are true regarding cultures and strategic choices?

A) Managers in high power distance countries have a greater penchant for centralized authority
B) Solicitation of subordinate feedback and participation is a sign of weak leadership in high power distance countries
C) Managers in low uncertainty avoidance countries rely more on experience and training
D) All of the above

Question 27

Which of the following is not a dimension used to describe national cultures?

A) The degree to which members of the society accept or expect uneven power distributions in society
B) The degree to which the focus of society is on individuals or the group
C) The degree to which members of the society reflect established ethical norms
D) The degree to which members of society are tolerant of uncertainty and ambiguity

Question 28

Individualism is best defined as:

A) The degree of social inequality.
B) The identity of an individual is not based on the identity of his or her collective group.
C) Sex role differentiation.
D) The extent to which people accept ambiguous situations.

Question 29

Strong cultures:

A) Are an important strategic asset
B) Protect an organization from long-term human resource management problems
C) Are always associated with creative and innovative capability
D) Enforce good manager/staff relations

Question 30

Long-term orientation is best defined as:

A) The degree of social inequality
B) Sex role differentiation
C) The extent to which people accept ambiguous situations
D) Emphasis on perseverance and savings

Question 31

National cultures can be classified on their levels of Confucian dynamics.This meANSWER:

A) The degree to which decisions are focused on the long term or short term
B) The degree to which society draws strong distinctions between gender roles
C) The degree to which members of society accept uneven power distribution
D) The degree to which the focus of society is on the individual or the group

Question 32

Power distance is best defined as:

A) The degree of social inequality
B) The identity of an individual is not based on the identity of his or her collective group
C) Sex role differentiation
D) The extent to which people accept ambiguous situations

Question 33

Culture and power:

A) Do not affect long-term competitive advantage
B) Affect the choice, incidence and application of the modes of strategy creation
C) Do not influence how relationships with customers and suppliers are maintained
D) Affect key performance indicators

Question 34

Organizational culture is:

A) Amorphous and changeable
B) Not easily imitable
C) So difficult to analyze that most firms should choose to ignore it
D) Typically fragile in the face of changes in the external environment

Question 35

The norms,principles and standards of conduct that govern behaviour:

A) Are an important part of national culture but not organizational culture.
B) Are private matters and not issues for formal institutions.
C) Have a substantial overlap with what is illegal.
D) Are sometimes ignored in the case of downsizing.

Question 36

One challenge facing large multinational companies is to manage the cultural differences that inevitably exist through the promotion of strong values they feel are universal.

Question 37

Culture is so fundamental to strategy because it:

A) Affects behaviour unconsciously
B) Is a capability that can influence competitive advantage
C) Is integral to market analyses
D) Identifies how barriers to entry will be assessed

Question 38

Most successful companies have multiple cultures with none particularly dominant.

Question 39

The firm's system of shared values that guides employees is called:

A) Organizational energy
B) Organizational culture
C) Organizational synergy
D) Organizational power

Question 40

What an organization states as its values are always the values that underpin its activities.

Question 41

Culture is often transmitted through:

A) Newsletters and communiqués
B) Annual reports
C) Stories of past events, glories and heroes
D) Company websites

Question 42

What are the three people aspects of culture that shape how it materializes in organizations?

Question 43

How might MNCs benefit from cultural differences within their organizations?

Question 44

A growth-orientated organization is likely not to:

A) Take a long-term perspective
B) Be risk averse
C) Be resourceful
D) Be good and dealing with rapid change

Question 45

A market-driven organization is likely not to be:

A) Consistent and disciplined in what it does
B) Adhere to systems and procedures
C) Strong on teamworking
D) All of the above

Question 46

Explain the characteristics of the role culture.

Question 47

An organization with a fragmented culture could suggest what?

Question 48

Analyser type organizations:

A) Have explorative beliefs
B) Search for new opportunities
C) Seek to combine stability and change
D) All of the above

Question 49

Reactor type organizations:

A) Are positive organizations
B) Must ultimately adopt a defender, prospector or analyser approach
C) Have strong reward-based internal HRM processes
D) Change easily and willingly

Question 50

When managing multi-cultural MNCs,managers are said to follow four options for engendering cultural fit,or not,within their organizations,what are they?

Question 51

What are the potential strengths and weaknesses of an efficient operations-driven business?

Question 52

What are the four most important manifestations of culture?

Question 53

Identify the characteristics associated with organizations with multiple cultures.

Question 54

What are the three power aspects of organizational culture?

Question 55

Rites and rituals are:

A) Formalized in procedures and policies
B) Important in determining how the organization will compete
C) The behaviour patterns in which culture is manifest
D) Prevalent in entrepreneurial organizations

Question 56

A growth-orientated organization is likely to be:

A) Strong on teamworking
B) Competitive
C) Efficient
D) Good at executing plans

Question 57

A market-driven organization is likely to be:

A) Resourceful and entrepreneurial
B) Risk oriented
C) Pragmatic in terms of getting things done
D) All of the above

Question 58

Prospector type organizations:

A) Look to break new ground
B) Prefer high-risk strategies
C) Are externally rather than internally focused
D) All of the above

Question 59

Defender type organizations:

A) Prefer high-risk strategies
B) Amend strategies as promising ideas emerge
C) Are creative and innovative
D) Prefer low-risk strategies

Question 60

Deal and Kennedy (1982)have isolated five key elements of culture,what are they?

Question 61

Culture and power are important interrelated elements. Power is related to the potential or ability to do something. How power is used reflects the dominant culture of the organization. Define the seven levers of power.

Question 62

Miles and Snow (1978)produced a typology of organizations which can be looked at in relation to culture and strategy formation. Identify these and discuss their characteristics.