Question 1

The use of incentives and rewards is the single most powerful tool at management's disposal to win strong employee commitment to carrying out the strategic plan.True or false? Explain.

Accepted Answer

A properly designed reward structure is management's most powerful tool for gaining employee commitment to superior strategy execution and excellent operating results.The more a manager understands what motivates subordinates and is able to use appropriate motivational incentives,the greater will be employees' commitment to good day-in,day-out strategy execution and achievement of performance targets.

Question 2

Identify four tactics that are common among companies dedicated to staffing jobs with the best people they can find.

Accepted Answer

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Question 3

A decentralized organization structure is more likely to further the cause of good strategy execution than is a centralized organization structure.True or false? Justify your answer.

Accepted Answer

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Question 4

When management is leading the drive for good strategy execution and operating excellence,it calls for all of the following actions on their part except
A)establishing a must-be-invented-here mindset.
B)staying on top of what is happening.
C)empowering rank-and-file employees to act on their own initiative.
D)putting constructive pressure on the organization to execute the strategy with excellence.
E)monitoring progress closely.

Accepted Answer

Establishing a "must-be-invented-here" mindset is not a necessary action for management when leading the drive for good strategy execution and operating excellence. It can actually hinder progress by limiting the adoption of best practices and innovative ideas from outside the organization. The other actions listed are all central to effective leadership in this context.

Question 5

Explain the difference between a centralized and a decentralized organization structure.Which one is more likely to further the cause of good strategy execution? Why?

Accepted Answer

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Question 6

Putting constructive pressure on the organization to achieve good results and operating excellence entails
A)postponing implementation of policies and procedures that foster continuous improvement.
B)utilizing the full range of disincentives that serve to punish unacceptable levels of performance.
C)treating employees with dignity and respect.
D)discouraging employees from using initiative and creativity in performing their work.
E)isolating individuals and groups that do not sustain initiative and creativity in their work.

Accepted Answer

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Question 7

Identify at least four guidelines for creating incentive compensation systems that link employee behavior to organizational objectives.

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Question 8

How do well-conceived policies and procedures aid the task of implementing and executing strategy? Explain how well-conceived policies and procedures facilitate organizational change and good strategy execution.

Accepted Answer

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Question 9

MBWA,or ________,refers to a technique that can be utilized by leaders to stay informed on how well the strategy execution process is progressing.
A)modifying businesses with action
B)managers being well-advised
C)managing by walking around
D)multibusiness warning approaches
E)make better waking actions

Accepted Answer

MBWA stands for "Managing By Walking Around". This approach encourages leaders to interact with employees and gather information about how the organization is functioning, how the employees are feeling, and what areas need improvement. It is a useful technique for staying informed on strategy execution progress. A, B, D, and E are not accurate representations of MBWA.

Question 10

The purpose of managing by walking around,or MBWA,is to
A)learn more about company operations and see how activities are really being done.
B)gather information about what is happening from people at different organizational levels and learn firsthand how well the strategy execution process is proceeding.
C)give employees a chance to make suggestions for improvement.
D)gather information about what strategy to follow and to learn what competitors are doing.
E)be visible and accessible to employees.

Accepted Answer

Managing by walking around (MBWA) is a management practice that involves walking around a workplace, engaging with employees at all levels, and collecting information to keep managers informed and involved in the workings of their organization. The purpose of MBWA is to gather information about what is happening from people at different organizational levels and learn firsthand how well the strategy execution process is proceeding. This allows managers to address issues in real-time and make changes as needed. While being visible and accessible to employees is important, it is not the primary purpose of MBWA.

Question 11

Why does a company's budget need to be closely linked to the needs of good strategy execution? Why might a change in strategy call for budget reallocations?

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Question 12

Successfully leading the effort to foster a results-oriented,high-performance culture generally requires simple leadership practices,such as
A)treating employees with dignity and respect.
B)encouraging employees to use initiatives and creativity in performing their work to continually make changes to operating practices.
C)setting strain objectives to push the envelope on sales efforts.
D)focusing attention on motivational techniques that instill self-interest,which is the cornerstone of the free enterprise system.
E)celebrating management's success with high incentives and loyalty trips.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Successfully leading the effort to foster a...

Question 13

Success in making corrective actions does not depend on
A)a thorough analysis of the situation,the exercise of good business judgment in deciding what actions to take. ,and good implementation of the corrective actions that are initiated.
B)good implementation of the corrective actions that are initiated.
C)getting an organization back on track rather quickly.
D)the exercise of good business judgment in deciding what actions to take.
E)a failure to show measurable progress in implementing corrective actions in a timely fashion.

Accepted Answer

The statement that "success in making corrective actions does not depend on a failure to show measurable progress in implementing corrective actions in a timely fashion" is incorrect. In fact, it is crucial to show measurable progress and implement corrective actions in a timely fashion in order to be successful in making corrective actions. Therefore, option E is the best choice.

Question 14

What is the value of total quality management (TQM)? How does? TQM differ from business process reengineering?

Accepted Answer

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Question 15

What three principles underlie the statistical thinking of Six Sigma quality control programs?

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Question 16

Give at least three examples of nonmonetary motivation and rewards practices that have the capability to foster good strategy execution,and explain how they act to produce such a result.

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Question 17

Which of the following is not one of the leadership roles that senior managers have to play in pushing for good strategy execution and operating excellence?
A)Being out front personally,leading the execution process,and driving the pace of progress
B)Being out in the field,seeing how well operations are going
C)Weeding out managers who are consistently in the ranks of the lowest performers (the bottom 10 percent)and who are not enthusiastic about the strategy or how it is being executed
D)Delegating authority to middle- and lower-level managers and creating a sense of empowerment among employees to move the implementation process forward
E)Being out front personally,leading the execution process and driving the pace of progress

Accepted Answer

C) Weeding out managers who are consistently in the ranks of the lowest performers (the bottom 10 percent) and who are not enthusiastic about the strategy or how it is being executed is not typically highlighted as a leadership role in strategy execution literature. Leadership roles often focus on positive actions such as leading by example, empowering employees, and ensuring operations align with strategic goals, rather than on punitive measures like systematically removing the bottom performers.

Question 18

Identify types of support systems that a company can install to support the execution of its strategy.How important are these systems to the strategy implementation process?

Accepted Answer

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Question 19

What is meant by empowerment of employees? How does it differ from delegation of authority? In what ways can empowerment of employees aid the cause of good strategy execution?

Accepted Answer

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Question 20

The process of making corrective adjustments in strategy execution
A)varies according to the situation.
B)enables companies to indoctrinate new hires rapidly into widely shared and strongly held values,principles,and behavioral norms.
C)exemplifies a results-oriented work climate where people go the extra mile to meet or beat stretch objectives.
D)features a ceremony honoring individuals who believe so strongly in their ideas that they take it on themselves to hurdle the bureaucracy,maneuver their projects through the system,and turn them into improved services,new products,or even new businesses.
E)is a typical cultural mechanism for aligning,constraining,and regulating the actions,decisions,and behaviors of company personnel.

Accepted Answer

The process of making corrective adjustments in strategy execution can vary depending on the situation, as each strategy and its implementation may encounter unique challenges that require specific solutions.

Quiz 10: Superior Strategy Executionanother Path to Competitive Advantage

The use of incentives and rewards is the single most powerful tool at management's disposal to win strong employee commitment to carrying out the strategic plan.True or false? Explain.

Identify four tactics that are common among companies dedicated to staffing jobs with the best people they can find.

A decentralized organization structure is more likely to further the cause of good strategy execution than is a centralized organization structure.True or false? Justify your answer.

When management is leading the drive for good strategy execution and operating excellence,it calls for all of the following actions on their part except

Explain the difference between a centralized and a decentralized organization structure.Which one is more likely to further the cause of good strategy execution? Why?

Putting constructive pressure on the organization to achieve good results and operating excellence entails

Identify at least four guidelines for creating incentive compensation systems that link employee behavior to organizational objectives.

How do well-conceived policies and procedures aid the task of implementing and executing strategy? Explain how well-conceived policies and procedures facilitate organizational change and good strategy execution.

MBWA,or ________,refers to a technique that can be utilized by leaders to stay informed on how well the strategy execution process is progressing.

The purpose of managing by walking around,or MBWA,is to

Why does a company's budget need to be closely linked to the needs of good strategy execution? Why might a change in strategy call for budget reallocations?

Successfully leading the effort to foster a results-oriented,high-performance culture generally requires simple leadership practices,such as

Success in making corrective actions does not depend on

What is the value of total quality management (TQM)? How does? TQM differ from business process reengineering?

What three principles underlie the statistical thinking of Six Sigma quality control programs?

Give at least three examples of nonmonetary motivation and rewards practices that have the capability to foster good strategy execution,and explain how they act to produce such a result.

Which of the following is not one of the leadership roles that senior managers have to play in pushing for good strategy execution and operating excellence?

Identify types of support systems that a company can install to support the execution of its strategy.How important are these systems to the strategy implementation process?

What is meant by empowerment of employees? How does it differ from delegation of authority? In what ways can empowerment of employees aid the cause of good strategy execution?

The process of making corrective adjustments in strategy execution