Deck 2: Strategic Operations Management

Question 1

Operations should not be seen as a 'strategic' factor in a firm's overall strategy

Answer 1

False
Explanation:The very idea that operations should be seen as a strategic factor is still a problem for some firms whose overall strategy may be governed ha a few people at the top of the hierarchy of the firm who might know very little ab out production and operations management.

Question 2

It is more important to manage operations on a month to month basis than a day to day basis.

Answer 2

False
Explanation:The very idea that operations should be seen as a strategic factor is still a problem for some firms whose overall strategy may be governed ha a few people at the top of the hierarchy of the firm who might know very little ab out production and operations management.

Question 3

The mission of the company is about stating what the firm is about.

Answer 3

True
Explanation:The how of Strategy

Question 4

The strategy of the company is about how the firm will achieve the mission

Question 5

For a plan to be strategic its formulation most involve senior management

Question 6

For a plan to be strategic it must create a competitive advantage

Question 7

Strategy formulation necessitates awareness and vision outside of the firm.

Question 8

A good strategic plan involves the destruction of competitors

Question 9

Strategic decisions can profoundly alter the organization.

Question 10

Only flawed strategic decisions have major consequences for the firm.

Question 11

Manufacturing strategy consists of a sequence of decisions that, over time, enables a business unit to achieve a desired manufacturing structure, infrastructure and set of specific capabilities.

Question 12

Operations strategy does not need to align with other functional-level strategies, particularly marketing and human resource strategies.

Question 13

Operations strategy must support the goals of the strategic business unit.

Question 14

Failure to understand your core competences and the source of competitive advantage, often leads to the loss of knowledge, skills, and infrastructure necessary for the development of innovative products.

Question 15

Which of the following focuses on the tactical portion of the business instead of strategic decision making?

A) Senior management
B) Creating of a competitive advantage
C) Day to day operations
D) Long-term decision making
E) None of the above

Question 16

The definition of strategy is:

A) Encompassing facets of leadership, direction, and purpose
B) Concerned with meeting market needs as well as exploiting opportunities in potential market segments
C) Senior management responsibilities within the firm
D) Developing capabilities within the firm's operations that are superior to competitors that are difficult to copied
E) All of the above

Question 17

Success of operations strategy has to do with which of the following?

A) How long the planning process takes
B) How well the strategy is presented to the firm's employees
C) The extent to which operations can integrate a set of capabilities.
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Question 18

All of the following are the aspects of strategy except:

A) What business is the firm really in?
B) What does the firm do best?
C) Should it outsource some of its activities; and if so why, where, and how?
D) How can opportunities become quickly exploited?
E) How the firm's capabilities help ward off internal threads from new and existing process and capabilities?

Question 19

The strategic process consists of the following steps:
I) External Audit
Ii) Assessment of the Political, Economic, Social, and Technical environment
Iii. Internal Audit
iv. Development of Strategic optios
V) Selection of Strategic Options
Vi) Allocating Operational Capabilities
Vii. Deployment of Strategic Options
Viii. Assessment of Implementation

A) All steps except for ii, vi and viii
B) All steps except for vi and viii
C) All steps except for vi, vii, and viii
D) All steps except for ii and vii
E) All of the above steps

Question 20

Areas of operations that are both tactical and strategic include:
i. Inventory management
Ii) Procurement
Iii. Capacity management
Iv) Process management
V) Supply Chain management
Vi) Quality management

A) All except for ii and v
B) All except for iii and v
C) All except for ii, iv, and v
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Question 21

The content of strategy should include which of the following?
I) Process choice
Ii) Invocation
Iii. Rate of new product introduction.
Iv) Control of resources
V) Production control
Vi) Work organization
Vii. Level of technology investment

A) All except for iv and vi
B) All except for iii and vii
C) All except for iv, v, and vii
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Question 22

The content of strategy should include which of the following?
i. Process choice
Ii) Invocation
Iii) Supplier relationship management.
Iv) Control of resources
V) Production control
Vi) Work organization
Vii. Customer relationship management

A) All except for iv and vi
B) All except for iii and vii
C) All except for iv, v, and vii
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Question 23

The elements of an operational strategy must include which of the following?
I) Amounts of capacity
Ii) Range of facilities.
Iii. Location of facilities.
Iv) Supply chain management
V) Plan for buyer-supplier relationships
Vi) Organizational structure
Vii) Customer satisfaction
Viii. Implementation Timeline

A) All except for v and vii
B) All except for iv and v
C) All except for iv, vii, and viii
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Question 24

Which of the following doesn't describe manufacturing's focus in the four stage model of operations contributions to the planning process:

A) Achieving parity with competitors
B) Capabilities support business strategies
C) Proactive involvement with business strategies
D) Reactive to business strategies
E) All of the above describe manufacturing roles

Question 25

Which of the following best describe the relationship between strategic process and content?

A) Manufacturing should not disrupt existing strategies
B) Manufacturing should proactively to customer demands
C) Manufacturing should be neutral to the role of strategy
D) Manufacturing should not be impactful on business strategy
E) None of the above

Question 26

Which of the following best describe the Internally Neutral stage?

A) Manufacturing should be proactively involved with strategy
B) Manufacturing should be reactive to existing strategies
C) Manufacturing should be supportive of business strategy
D) Manufacturing should seek parity with competitors
E) None of the above

Question 27

Which of the following best describe the Externally Neutral stage?

A) Manufacturing should be proactively involved with strategy
B) Manufacturing should be reactive to existing strategies
C) Manufacturing should be supportive of business strategy
D) Manufacturing should seek parity with competitors
E) None of the above

Question 28

Which of the following best describe the Internally Supportive stage?

A) Manufacturing should be proactively involved with strategy
B) Manufacturing should be reactive to existing strategies
C) Manufacturing should be supportive of business strategy
D) Manufacturing should seek parity with competitors
E) None of the above

Question 29

Which of the following best describe the Externally Supportive stage?

A) Manufacturing should be proactively involved with strategy
B) Manufacturing should be reactive to existing strategies
C) Manufacturing should be supportive of business strategy
D) Manufacturing should seek parity with competitors
E) None of the above

Question 30

Strategic resonance ensures a continuous linkage between:

A) Market requirements and operational capabilities
B) Operational capabilities product strategies
C) Market requirements and operations strategies
D) None of the above
E) All of the above

Question 31

Strategic resonance ensures a continuous linkage between:

A) Market requirements and operational capabilities
B) Operational capabilities the firm's strategies
C) Functional activities and all levels across the firm
D) None of the above
E) All of the above

Question 32

Strategic resonance addresses both the process and content of strategy in which of the following ways:

A) Ensures resonance between the firm and its existing customers
B) Operational capabilities and market segments
C) Both a and b
D) None of the above

Question 33

Why is strategic resonance important to meeting market demands?

A) Because it is an ongoing, dynamic strategy to meet customer needs and look for market segments to envelope.
B) It helps identify the "fit" between a firm's capabilities and the market's needs
C) If done correctly, it involves senior level strategists and plant level tactical operators
D) It increasingly involves adapting to the rapid changes in technology
E) All of the above

Question 34

Strategic resonance addresses process and strategy in the following way:

A) Ensures resonance between the firm and its existing customers
B) Operational capabilities and market segments
C) Both a and b
D) None of the above

Question 35

Operations strategy can help gain competitive advantage in which of the following ways:

A) Providing a strategic fit
B) Providing a proactive approach
C) Providing inconsistency with the current business strategy
D) None of the above

Question 36

Overall strategies can be achieved by improving capabilities through all of the following except:

A) Enhancing quality
B) Enhancing dependability of the production system
C) Enhancing production flexibility
D) Enhancing cost efficiency
E) Enhancing employee involvement

Question 37

The Resource-based strategy relies upon all of the following except:

A) Developing superior capabilities
B) Developing difficult to duplicate capabilities
C) Developing specific knowledge
D) Leveraging firm-specific resources both within the firm and with partners
E) All of these options are part of a resource-based strategy

Question 38

The capabilities and competences strategy relies upon all of the following except:

A) Develop complex harmonization individual technologies and production capabilities
B) Identify, cultivate, and exploit core competencies
C) Develop processes that create opportunities instead of limitations
D) Coordination of diverse production skills and multiple stream of technologies
E) All of these options are part of the capabilities and competences strategy

Question 39

Dynamic capabilities include which of the following:

A) Sensing
B) Seizing
C) Transforming
D) All of these options are part of dynamic capabilities
E) None of these options are part of dynamic capabilities

Question 40

Why do organizations to develop operational strategies?

Question 41

Explain how operations strategies developed over time.

Question 42

Explain why organizations struggle with devising and implementing operations strategy.

Question 43

Explain strategic resonance.

Question 44

Explain how strategic failures can affect trade and national competitiveness.

Question 45

What are the links between operations strategy and business strategy?

Question 46

Why have operations and business strategies diverged in some firms?

Question 47

Describe the Hill framework for developing operations strategy.

Question 48

Describe the Brown and Blackmon approach to developing operations strategy.

Question 49

Explain the Platts-Gregory procedure for developing operations strategy.

Question 50

Contrast the Hill framework versus the Brown and Blackmon approach.

Question 51

Contrast the Brown and Blackmon approach versus the Platts-Gregory procedure.

Question 52

Contrast the Hill framework versus the Platts-Gregory procedure.

Question 53

Describe resource-based strategy.

Question 54

Explain capabilities and competences strategy.

Question 55

Describe dynamic capabilities.