Question 1

Which of the following weaknesses of SWOT analysis and the TOWS matrix give rise to the strategic thinking map for matching external issues and internal competitive advantages and disadvantages?
A)The designation of external issues as opportunities or threats is often arbitrary.
B)Opportunities are often presented as strategic alternatives rather than independent external issues affecting the organization.
C)Many external issues may be both opportunities and threats.
D)All of the above.

Accepted Answer

All of the listed weaknesses of SWOT analysis and the TOWS matrix lead to the development of the strategic thinking map. The strategic thinking map helps to overcome these weaknesses by identifying the specific external issues that have an impact on the organization and then matching them with the internal competitive advantages and disadvantages of the organization. This approach allows for a more nuanced and targeted assessment of the organization's strategic position.

Question 2

Within the context of BCG portfolio analysis, how are cash cows identified?
A)Products and services that appear in the high market growth and high market share quadrant.
B)Products and services that appear in the low market growth and high market share quadrant.
C)Products and services that appear in the low market growth and low market share quadrant.
D)Products and services that appear in the high market growth and low market share quadrant.

Accepted Answer

Cash cows are identified as products or services that have a high market share in a low-growth market. They generate a lot of cash for the company because they require little investment to maintain their market position. Option B correctly identifies cash cows as being in the low market growth and high market share quadrant of the BCG matrix.

Question 3

Strategic position and action evaluation (SPACE) analysis evaluates strategic alternatives based on factors relating to four dimensions:
A)Aggressive, competitive, conservative, and defensive.
B)Numerical, qualitative, speculative, and geographical.
C)Service category strength, environmental stability, relative competitive advantage, and financial strength.
D)Elements of the external environment, internal strengths, competitive opportunities, and ability of the organization to attract venture capital.

Accepted Answer

The SPACE analysis evaluates strategic alternatives based on four dimensions: service category strength, environmental stability, relative competitive advantage, and financial strength. These factors are key in determining the strategic position of an organization and the actions they should take to achieve their goals. Therefore, Choice C is the best answer. Choices A, B, and D do not accurately reflect the factors considered in SPACE analysis.

Question 4

Q-sort is a formal method of differentiating the importance of programs through a ranking procedure that forces choices along a continuum in situations where the difference between the choices may be quite small.

Accepted Answer

Q-sort is a formal method for ranking and differentiating the importance of programs along a continuum, taking into account small differences between choices.

Question 5

Product life cycle (PLC) analysis can be useful in:
A)Developing an external/internal strategy matrix.
B)Identifying long-term competitive disadvantages.
C)Selecting strategic alternatives based on the principle that all products and services go through several distinct stages.
D)Identifying threats posed by competitors supplying or producing identical products.

Accepted Answer

The product life cycle analysis is used to select strategic alternatives based on the principle that all products and services go through several distinct stages such as introduction, growth, maturity, and decline. Therefore, it helps in identifying opportunities and threats to the product in each stage and assists in developing effective strategies to prolong and maximize the product's lifecycle. Hence, option C is the best choice. Options A, B, and D do not accurately describe how PLC analysis is useful.

Question 6

Program priority setting is significant because community needs (both the need itself and the severity of the need) are constantly changing and organizational resources, in terms of funding and organization capacity, are almost always limited.

Accepted Answer

Program priority setting helps organizations allocate limited resources to the most pressing community needs, which can change over time. This ensures that the organization is effectively addressing the most important needs in the community.

Question 7

Organizational capacity is the organization's ability to initiate, maintain, and enhance its set of adaptive strategy programs.

Accepted Answer

Organizational capacity refers to an organization's ability to identify, plan, implement, and sustain programs and initiatives that support its mission and objectives. These programs can include strategies to increase efficiency, productivity, innovation, and sustainability. A strong organizational capacity enables an organization to adapt to changing environments and challenges, and to continue to improve and grow over time.

Question 8

Summarize the evaluation of adaptive strategy alternatives.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Summarize the evaluation of adaptive strategy alternatives....

Question 9

The Q-sort method is one of the methodologies used in what process?
A)Measuring internal strengths and weaknesses.
B)Measuring profitability.
C)Measuring market and environmental stability.
D)Program priority setting.

Accepted Answer

The Q-sort method is commonly used in program priority setting, as it allows stakeholders to rank and prioritize various programs or initiatives. It is not typically used for measuring internal strengths and weaknesses, profitability, or market and environmental stability.

Question 10

What are the generic competitive strategies?
A)Acquisition, licensing, venture capital investment, merger, and alliance.
B)Internal development, internal venture, and reconfiguring the value chain.
C)Cost leadership, differentiation, and focus.
D)Re-engineering, restructuring, and quality improvement.

Accepted Answer

The generic competitive strategies are cost leadership, differentiation, and focus. These refer to the different ways a company can compete with its rivals in the market. Cost leadership involves offering products or services at a lower cost than competitors, differentiation involves offering unique products or services that are perceived as better or different than competitors, and focus involves targeting a specific segment of the market with a unique product or service. Options A, B, and D are all different business strategies, but they do not encompass the generic competitive strategies.

Question 11

What is the characteristic of health care organizations that suggests using extended portfolio matrix analysis rather than BCG portfolio analysis?
A)Health care organizations operate in a highly regulated environment.
B)Health care organizations employ the same strategies.
C)Health care organizations have larger pools of stakeholders than other organizations.
D)An underlying assumption of BCG portfolio analysis is that high market share means high profitability; however, for health care organizations it is quite possible to have a high market share and no profit.

Accepted Answer

The underlying assumption of BCG portfolio analysis is that high market share means high profitability; however, for health care organizations it is quite possible to have a high market share and no profit. Therefore, extended portfolio matrix analysis may be a more appropriate tool to use for health care organizations.

Question 12

Describe the four strategic postures associated with strategic position and action evaluation (SPACE).

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe the four strategic postures associated with...

Question 13

Which of the following questions would NOT be helpful in monitoring signals that the basic strategy for the organization needs to be changed?
A)What is the relative market share?
B)Has the strategy been tested with appropriate strategic thinking tools?
C)Have the major stakeholders, inside and outside the organization that will be most influential in ensuring the success of the strategy been identified and evaluated?
D)If the adaptive strategy is to fill a currently unfilled niche in the market, has the organization investigated whether the niche will remain open long enough to return the capital investment?

Accepted Answer

The relative market share is a measure of competitive position, not a direct indicator of whether the overall strategy needs to be changed.

Question 14

The appropriateness of a specific market entry strategy is dependent upon which of the following?
A)The strategy having been tested with appropriate strategic thinking tools.
B)The major stakeholders, inside and outside the organization that will be most influential in ensuring the success of the strategy having been identified and evaluated.
C)The external conditions, the pertinent internal strengths and weaknesses based on the organization's resources, competencies, and capabilities, and the goals of the organization. Each of these three areas should be scrupulously evaluated.
D)The strategy fills an unfilled niche in the market and the organization investigated whether the niche will remain open long enough to return the capital investment.

Accepted Answer

The appropriateness of a specific market entry strategy depends on the external conditions, the internal strengths and weaknesses of the organization, and the goals of the organization. Each of these three areas should be evaluated before choosing a market entry strategy. Testing the strategy with appropriate strategic thinking tools and identifying influential stakeholders are important steps, but they are not the only factors determining the appropriateness of a market entry strategy. Furthermore, filling an unfilled niche and investigating the potential return on investment are important considerations, but they do not address the overall appropriateness of the strategy.

Question 15

Describe the Q-sort procedure.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe the Q-sort procedure....

Question 16

Program evaluation is appropriate for organizations with which of the following sets of characteristics?
A)Organizations where market share, service category strength, and competitive advantage are not particularly important or not relevant.
B)Organizations exhibiting low market share, high growth, and low-profitability products and services.
C)Organizations that are highly regulated and well capitalized.
D)Organizations with the dominant market share, low or stagnant growth, and low profitability.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Program evaluation is appropriate for organizations with...

Question 17

The purpose of market entry strategies is to break into or capture more of a market.

Accepted Answer

Market entry strategies are designed to help companies break into or expand their share of a market. These strategies can include things like introducing a new product or service, targeting a new customer segment, or entering a new geographic market, all with the aim of increasing sales and growing the business.

Question 18

Managing strategic momentum associated with adaptive, market entry, and competitive strategies is simply a matter of keeping the organization on track.

Accepted Answer

Managing strategic momentum requires ongoing monitoring, evaluation, and adjustments to ensure that the organization is still on track with its strategies. It is not a simple matter of just keeping the organization on track.

Question 19

Identify the principal weakness of SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis and explain how the TOWS (threats, opportunities, weaknesses, strengths) matrix overcomes the
weakness of SWOT.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Identify the principal weakness of SWOT (strengths,...

Question 20

Community need is a function of (1) clear community requirements (environmental, sanitation, disease control, and so on) and personal health care (primary care) gaps, (2) the degree to which other institutions (private and public) fill the identified health care gaps, and (3) public/community
health objectives.

Accepted Answer

Community need is influenced by clear community requirements and personal health care gaps, the degree to which other institutions fill the gaps, and public/community health objectives.

Quiz 7: Evaluation of Alternatives and Strategic Choice

Which of the following weaknesses of SWOT analysis and the TOWS matrix give rise to the strategic thinking map for matching external issues and internal competitive advantages and disadvantages?

Within the context of BCG portfolio analysis, how are cash cows identified?

Strategic position and action evaluation (SPACE) analysis evaluates strategic alternatives based on factors relating to four dimensions:

Q-sort is a formal method of differentiating the importance of programs through a ranking procedure that forces choices along a continuum in situations where the difference between the choices may be quite small.

Product life cycle (PLC) analysis can be useful in:

Program priority setting is significant because community needs (both the need itself and the severity of the need) are constantly changing and organizational resources, in terms of funding and organization capacity, are almost always limited.

Organizational capacity is the organization's ability to initiate, maintain, and enhance its set of adaptive strategy programs.

Summarize the evaluation of adaptive strategy alternatives.

The Q-sort method is one of the methodologies used in what process?

What are the generic competitive strategies?

What is the characteristic of health care organizations that suggests using extended portfolio matrix analysis rather than BCG portfolio analysis?

Describe the four strategic postures associated with strategic position and action evaluation (SPACE).

Which of the following questions would NOT be helpful in monitoring signals that the basic strategy for the organization needs to be changed?

The appropriateness of a specific market entry strategy is dependent upon which of the following?

Describe the Q-sort procedure.

Program evaluation is appropriate for organizations with which of the following sets of characteristics?

The purpose of market entry strategies is to break into or capture more of a market.

Managing strategic momentum associated with adaptive, market entry, and competitive strategies is simply a matter of keeping the organization on track.

Identify the principal weakness of SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis and explain how the TOWS (threats, opportunities, weaknesses, strengths) matrix overcomes the weakness of SWOT.