Deck 2: Systems Model and Strategy Map

Question 1

Popular strategic management tools such as the SWOT analysis can only help to structure thoughts.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Distinguish between strategy content, strategy process and strategy context.

Answer 2

As defined by De Wit and Meyer (1999) strategy context is the 'where' of strategy i.e. the backdrop or setting for a strategy which includes the internal organizational context and the external context. Strategy content is the 'what' of strategy i.e. what are the long term goals and what strategy can fulfill these goals. Strategy process is the 'how' of strategy i.e. the decision making process and how the strategy comes about.

Question 3

Construct a hypothetical vision statement, mission statement and values statement for eBay.

Answer 3

For example;
Vision statement: "We will be the most well-known brand on the planet"
Mission statement: "We are what you want us to be"
Values statement: "The 'ebayer' is our most important resource and will continue to be"

Question 4

Why might a realized strategy be different from an intended strategy?

Question 5

Describe the characteristics of a fragmented organization in Michaud and Thoenig's (2003) typology.

Question 6

What are the advantages of conducting strategic decision making in a planned fashion?

Question 7

Which of the following statements most closely describes the scope of the business?

A) We design customized I.T solutions by combining the talents of a globally dispersed knowledge base. using cutting edge technology
B) We will grow the business to every continent by building on our talent to achieve above average profits
C) Our IT solutions provide global distribution companies with customized systems
D) We are in the business of providing IT solutions to global distribution companies

Question 8

Generally there are three distinct levels of strategy. These are

A) Small business, large business, global business
B) Single business, multi-business and multi-national.
C) Independent business, portfolio business and public sector organization
D) Single business, portfolio business and global business

Question 9

It is argued that the biggest dilemma facing multi-national organizations is

A) The extent of home country control or local control
B) The extent of global coverage or market penetration
C) The extent of global integration or national responsiveness
D) The extent of product diversity or market diversity

Question 10

The business model can also be defined as the _________________ of the business

Question 11

There is a correlation between a good mission statement and organizational performance.

Question 12

A strategic review is likely to be most effective when it breaks down the business into its component parts and looks at the strengths and weaknesses of each individual component.

Question 13

The evolutionary view of strategic management argues that

A) Organizational survival is governed by strategic managers' decisions
B) Deliberate strategies are a delusion
C) Organizations are subject to environmental determinism
D) Strategy is the outcome of micro-politics within the organization

Question 14

Which of the following statements describe the Balanced Scorecard system of Kaplan and Norton?

A) It is designed to measure organizational performance from a number of perspectives
B) It goes beyond measuring strategy on financial performance
C) It helps to determine whether strategic objectives are being met
D) It prioritizes shareholder satisfaction

Question 15

If two organizations use the same strategy models and they are in the same industry they are likely to come up with the same answers

Question 16

Porter's Five Forces model takes a systems perspective on competition

Question 17

The strategic planning process can often include a discussion of future scenarios. Which of the following statements most closely describes the activity of scenario building?

A) Conducting a PEST analysis to generate opportunities and threats
B) Constructing a SWOT analysis to generate strategic options for the future
C) Constructing pictures of possible futures often deriving from a PEST analysis
D) Developing simulations to test market behaviour

Question 18

The success of strategy implementation is very much dependent on

A) Financial resources
B) Linkages
C) Human resources
D) Top management control

Question 19

The way in which strategic managers interpret their internal and external environment draws on ideas from which academic field?

A) Cognitive science
B) Evolutionary theory
C) Politics
D) Chaos theory

Question 20

Senge has written widely about the role of _____________ in organizations.

Question 21

It is argued that in recent years managerial 'agency' has less influence on the direction of the organization than previously. This means that the external environment of organizations is becoming more

A) Predictable
B) Controllable
C) Deterministic
D) Political

Question 22

Stacey (1993) argues that organizations should be viewed as a bureaucratic system

Question 23

Which of the following are characteristics of the intellectual activity of 'strategic thinking'

A) It is a creative process
B) It is an analytical process
C) It is a top-down process
D) It is a bottom-up process

Question 24

In practice, strategies can come about in different ways. Mintzberg makes the distinction between______________ strategies and realized strategies.

Question 25

Which of the following statements most closely resembles a vision statement?

A) "Our business is to inform and entertain our viewers"
B) "Our business is to inform and entertain our viewers using the best writers and broadcasters that the industry has to offer"
C) "We aim to break free of the traditional view of broadcasting and bring the viewer the most innovative . and compelling news service in the industry"
D) "We believe that a news broadcaster should be impartial at all times and should never compromise on ethical standards"

Question 26

Another term for 'core competences' is '_______________ capabilities'

Question 27

Two firms with roughly the same set of resources and capabilities are likely to develop the same core competences.

Question 28

The systemic view of strategy draws on the work of which sociological idea?

A) Social embeddedness (Granovetter)
B) Presentation of self (Goffman)
C) The generalized other (Mead)
D) Positivism (Durkheim)

Question 29

The _________________ view of strategy is attributed to economist Edith Penrose.

Question 30

Tacit knowledge is knowledge that

A) Is easy to transfer between people
B) Is taken for granted
C) Is difficult to write down
D) Is easily captured in I.T systems

Question 31

Honda's success in the USA motorcycle market has been attributed to good strategic planning, an awareness of social systems and also an outcome of emergent processes. All of these views are partially correct. McGee proposes use of a _____________ model of strategy to deal with the complexity of strategic management.