Deck 13: Creating Vision and Strategic Direction

Question 1

Discovery can serve as a noble purpose, as it does at 3M, where researchers explore ideas and work on their own projects.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

A vision statement is appropriate for top management but not for divisions, departments, and individuals.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Leaders conduct rational analysis, but successful visions also reflect their personal experiences.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Self-reference means that:

A) each individual is working in his own direction.
B) each element in a system will serve the mission of the whole system.
C) every department can develop its own vision, independent of the company vision.
D) people who do not have a clear vision of the future have little chance of success.

Question 5

An effective vision:

A) provides a link between today and tomorrow.
B) serves to motivate and energize employees.
C) both provides a link between today and tomorrow and serves to motivate and energize employees.
D) provides a snapshot of the present.

Question 6

Martin Luther King Jr.'s speech, "I Have a Dream" is a good example of transactional leadership.

Question 7

L.L. Bean provides excellent customer service and a quality guarantee. This is an example of core competence.

Question 8

The levels of the Domain of Strategic Leadership include all EXCEPT:

A) strategy.
B) vision.
C) mission.
D) core competence.

Question 9

A vision is an attractive, ideal future that is credible, yet not readily attainable.

Question 10

A mission statement has two critical parts: the core purpose and the reason for existence.

Question 11

The complex environment can overwhelm executives, and many tend to focus on internal organizational issues.

Question 12

For leaders to make a difference, they have to link vision to strategic action.

Question 13

Core competence can be defined as the combination of benefits received and costs paid by the customer.

Question 14

Disneyland is a place where people can find happiness. This example shows how vision sets a standard of excellence.

Question 15

The common themes of vision include:

A) a broad appeal.
B) high ideals.
C) an internal communication plan.
D) both a broad appeal and high ideals.

Question 16

Salespeople at Nordstrom have a clear picture of superior customer service so they can serve customers better. This example best shows that:

A) vision establishes a standard of excellence.
B) Nordstrom has a good human resources department.
C) the company is mainly focused on internal organizational issues.
D) Nordstrom concentrates on short-term results rather than taking the long-view.

Question 17

Vision gives meaning to work because people want to feel pride in their jobs.

Question 18

Strategy execution is the most important part of strategic management.

Question 19

Leaders are responsible for framing a noble purpose that inspires followers to high performance and helps maintain a competitive advantage.

Question 20

A vision is always about the present, but it begins in the future.

Question 21

Employees believe the company's mission makes:

A) them more engaged with their work.
B) more productive.
C) their job important.
D) all of the choices

Question 22

At Pottery Barn, a thick $24 bath towel is icon of the company's aspiration--- design, quality, and price. This is an example of:

A) vision.
B) synergy.
C) value.
D) discovery.

Question 23

One way companies gain________ is through alliances and partnerships.

A) vision
B) synergy
C) referent power
D) mission

Question 24

Situation analysis includes a search for SWOT which includes all EXCEPT:

A) strategy.
B) threats.
C) strengths.
D) opportunities.

Question 25

Samsung Electronics reenergized the company by focusing on innovation rather than imitation. This example shows that ____________can serve as a noble purpose

A) excellence
B) discovery
C) atruism
D) heroism

Question 26

Whereas vision continues to grow and change, mission:

A) also continues to grow and change.
B) persists in the face of changing technologies.
C) changes with economic conditions.
D) reflects environmental shifts.

Question 27

Mission answers the question:

A) Where are we headed?
B) Who are we as an organization?
C) What are our weaknesses?
D) What is our situation?

Question 28

Leaders in nonprofit organizations _______________ so people know where the organization wants to go.

A) use expert power
B) maintain the status quo
C) do not create visions
D) create visions

Question 29

Strategy is executed through all EXCEPT:

A) pay or reward systems.
B) ethnocentrism.
C) structural design.
D) rules, policies, or procedures.

Question 30

Henri Ford's original vision for Ford Motor Company stated, "I will build a motor for the great multitude...so low in price that no man making a good salary will be unable to own one...." This example shows how vision:

A) links the present to the future.
B) defines the destination and the journey.
C) reflects high ideals.
D) all of these choices

Question 31

The tools of strategy execution include all EXCEPT:

A) strong leadership.
B) developing a vision for the future.
C) follower support.
D) pay or reward systems.

Question 32

For the New York City Transit, "no graffiti" is the company's:

A) vision statement.
B) core values.
C) core purpose.
D) view of the future.

Question 33

______________is the general plan of action that describes resource allocation and other activities for dealing with the environment and helping the organization attain its goals.

A) Charismatic leadership
B) Strategy
C) Vision
D) Mission

Question 34

When John F. Kennedy had the vision to send a man to the moon, NASA had only a small amount of the knowledge. This example shows that:

A) vision reflects high ideals.
B) every organization needs a mission statement.
C) strong missions give people purpose.
D) Kennedy used the principle of self-reference.

Question 35

Progressive Insurance was the first to offer rate quotes online. This example shows that developing effective strategy requires:

A) examining trends.
B) actively listening to people.
C) relationship building.
D) synergy.

Question 36

Leaders take approaches in framing an organizational purpose that helps people feel that their work is worthwhile. These approaches do NOT include:

A) core values.
B) heroism.
C) excellence.
D) altruism.

Question 37

According to the model showing four possibilities of leadership, the Effective Leader:

A) dreams big and transforms those dreams into strategic action.
B) is good at providing a big idea with meaning for self and others.
C) is all action and little vision.
D) is low both on vision and stimulating action.

Question 38

To determine strategic direction for the future, leaders do all EXCEPT:

A) use SWOT analysis.
B) consider trends in technology.
C) develop industry foresight.
D) use the Hersey and Blanchard Situational Theory model.

Question 39

To improve the chances for success, leaders develop strategies that focus on:

A) core competencies.
B) developing synergy.
C) creating value.
D) all of these choices

Question 40

_____________means the ability to anticipate and envision the future and maintain flexibility.

A) Mission
B) Transactional leadership
C) Strategic leadership
D) Vision

Question 41

____________________ is the combination of benefits received and costs paid by the customer.

Question 42

Many nonprofit organizations are based on a noble purpose of ____________________ but businesses can use this approach as well.

Question 43

One element of a framework for a noble purpose is heroism. Discuss.

Question 44

How does vision energize people and create commitment?

Question 45

____________________ is an attractive ideal future that is credible yet not readily attainable.

Question 46

____________________ is the set of decisions and actions used to formulate and implement specific strategies that will achieve a competitively superior fit between the organization and its environment so as to achieve organizational goals.

Question 47

A vision deals with:

A) tranactional leadership.
B) coercive power.
C) change.
D) the status quo.

Question 48

____________________ is the interaction of organizational parts to produce a joint effect that is greater than the sum of the parts.

Question 49

____________________ is the organization's core broad purpose and reason for existence.

Question 50

Too much rationality:

A) is part of tranformational leadership.
B) can get in the way of creating a compelling vision.
C) can keep a leader from using experience and understanding.
D) both can get in the way of creating a compelling vision and can keep a leader from using experience and understanding.

Question 51

The person who is low both on providing vision and stimulating action is a(n):

A) effective leader.
B) doer.
C) dreamer.
D) univolved.

Question 52

____________________ is integrating knowledge of the environment and with the core competence in such a way as to achieve synergy and create customer value.

Question 53

How do leaders formulate strategy?

Question 54

When making strategic decision, the leader considers:

A) whether a particular choice will have a high or low strategic impact on the business.
B) whether execution of the decision will be easy or difficult.
C) both whether a particular choice will have a high or low strategic impact on the businessa and whether execution of the decision will be easy or difficult.
D) how the choice fits into the heirarchy of needs.

Question 55

____________________ is the general plan of acting that describes resource allocation and other activities for dealing with the environment and helping the organization attain its goals.

Question 56

The manager of a successful mailorder clothing company decided to implement teams. The idea failed. According to the model for making strategic decisions, this decision that was:

A) High Impact, Hard to Execute.
B) Low Impact, Easy to Execute.
C) Low Impact, Hard to Execute.
D) High Impact, Easy to Execute.

Question 57

How do leaders decide?

Question 58

____________________ is a principle stating that each element in a system will serve the goals of the whole system when the elements are imprinted with an understanding of the whole.

Question 59

Describe strategic leadership.

Question 60

____________________ is something that the organization does extremely well in comparison to others.

Question 61

What is meant by core competence and how does the concept fit into strategy formulation?

Question 62

A leader's greatest discretion is often over strategic vision and strategic action. Explain.

Question 63

What is the difference between a vision and a mission?