Question 1

A company that has greater success in managing its strategic alliance can credit all of the following, except

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Creating organizational learning barriers across boundaries would hinder the success of managing strategic alliances by limiting the flow of information and knowledge exchange between partners. The other options (A, B, C, and D) are all factors that contribute to successful management of strategic alliances.

Question 2

The principal advantages of strategic alliances over vertical integration or horizontal mergers/acquisitions are

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Strategic alliances allow companies to pool resources and share risks, which can lead to more adaptive response capabilities and greater speed of deployment. This is particularly advantageous in dynamic and uncertain business environments where vertical integration or horizontal mergers/acquisitions may be too rigid or slow to respond. Additionally, strategic alliances can bring together complementary strengths or expertise that individually, the companies may not possess, which could boost their overall competitiveness in the market.

Question 3

What are the strategic advantages of a backward vertical integration strategy?

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Question 4

Identify and briefly discuss two "best targets" for offensive attacks by companies.

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Question 5

What are mergers and/or acquisitions? How do they contribute to enhancing a company's position?

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Question 6

What are the general strategic objectives of merger and acquisition strategies?

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Question 7

A company that fails to manage its strategic alliance probably has

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A company that fails in managing its strategic alliances likely has not established strong commitments or trust with its partners, as indicated by refraining from making commitments and ensuring partners do the same. This lack of commitment can lead to a failure in managing alliances effectively.

Question 8

Samsung Group, which includes Samsung Electronics, successfully manages an ecosystem of over 1,300 partnerships that enable productive activities from global procurement to local marketing to collaborative R&D. Samsung Group's alliance management capability can be said to have

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The passage states that Samsung has successfully managed an ecosystem of over 1,300 partnerships, which implies that their alliance management capability has developed over time through effort and learning.

Question 9

Imagine that you are the manager of a housekeeping service. Specifically describe how you would use the concepts of (1)scope of the firm, (2)horizontal integration, and (3)vertical integration to build and achieve a competitive advantage over rival housekeeping services.

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Question 10

What are the strategic advantages of being a first-mover? Are there any strategic advantages of being a follower or late-mover?

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Question 11

What are the strategic advantages of a forward vertical integration strategy?

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Question 12

What is a blue-ocean strategy, what is its appeal, and what is its drawback?

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Question 13

Discuss why timing of strategic moves is important.

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Question 14

What are the purposes of defensive strategies? Give at least two examples of defensive moves.

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Question 15

There are a number of offensive strategy options for improving market positions using cost-based and blue-ocean type strategies. Define the terms and suggest ways in which the strategies could be operationalized.

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Question 16

The Achilles' heel (or biggest disadvantage/pitfall)of relying heavily on alliances and cooperative strategies is

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Relying heavily on alliances and cooperative strategies may lead to a company becoming too dependent on its partners for essential expertise and capabilities. This can be a major disadvantage and risk for the company, as they may become vulnerable if their partners decide to end the collaboration or if the alliance experiences difficulties.

Question 17

Identify and briefly explain five types of offensive strategies.

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Question 18

What are the strategic disadvantages of a backward vertical integration strategy?

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Question 19

Strategic offensives should, as a general rule, be grounded in a company's strategic assets and employ a company's strengths to attack rivals. Define and discuss the term strategic assets and its significance in gaining a competitive advantage.

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Question 20

Under what circumstances are mergers with or acquisitions of other companies a better solution than entering into partnerships or alliances with these companies? How do mergers and/or acquisitions contribute to enhancing a company's position?

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Quiz 6: Strengthening a Companys Competitive Position