Question 1

In overseeing the worldwide distribution of key assets and resources,the global business manager is responsible for all of the following,except

Accepted Answer

While seeking the input of geographic and functional managers,leveraging existing resources and capabilities,and linking assets and resources are most often the responsibilities of the global business manager,efforts to comply with the wishes of local municipal governments falls outside the domain of activities assigned to global business managers and are more often the responsibility of geographic country managers.

Question 2

Which of the following is not considered a key management category in the modern transnational company

Accepted Answer

We focus on the distinctly different roles and responsibilities of three specific groups in the transnational company: the global business manager,the worldwide functional manager,and the country subsidiary manager.In the modern transnational company,the "integrated services manager" role is not a management category discussed in Chapter 7.

Question 3

You are employed at the headquarters of a large MNE.While visiting one of the firm's foreign operations,you overhear the following comment,"Top-level corporate management has become an increasingly burdensome cost centre in the modern transnational.Our company employs well-trained and highly skilled individuals as global business managers,worldwide functional managers and geographic (country)managers.To enhance performance,our firm should thin the ranks at the corporate executive level and allow the business,functional and geographic managers more liberty to coordinate their own activities." Upon returning to headquarters,you are advised that you are being promoted to a country manager position within the MNE.However,you have been asked to prepare a report on your observations from your recent trip before you leave to start your new role.Use this report as an opportunity to discuss your position in support of,or against,this perspective regarding top-level management.

Accepted Answer

The answer of You are employed at the headquarters of...

Question 4

An effective approach by a transnational manager to the first sign of difficulty at a subsidiary is to

Accepted Answer

The most successful transnational top managers resist the temptation to send in the "headquarters experts" to take charge at the first sign of difficulty.Far more effective is an approach of delegating clear responsibilities,backing those responsibilities with rewards that align them with the corporate goals,then supporting the relevant management group with the resources,specialized expertise,and other forms of support necessary to succeed.

Question 5

The characteristics that distinguish an effective and energizing global strategic vision do not include

Accepted Answer

There are a few key characteristics of a strategic vision that distinguish it from a catchy but ineffective public relations slogan.First,the vision must be clear - and here simplicity,relevance,and continuous reinforcement are the key.Second,continuity of a vision can provide direction and purpose.Third,in communicating the vision and strategic direction,it is critical that top management establish consistency across organizational units - in other words,to ensure that the vision is shared by all..

Question 6

To overcome the not-invented-here (NIH)syndrome that often prevails in international firms,which of the following techniques are not employed by the worldwide functional manager when facilitating the transfer of new ideas and innovations throughout the MNE

Accepted Answer

As a cross-pollinator of "best practices",the worldwide functional manager plays a vital role in facilitating the transfer of new ideas,developments and innovations throughout the MNE.As such,the worldwide functional manager concentrates on activities that expose individuals in the MNE to new ideas.This responsibility does not contemplate replacing geographic country managers that initially resist the adoption of best practices.

Question 7

The role of geographic (country)manager is often considered the acid test of general management potential and a necessary qualification on the resume of any candidate for a top management position.Discuss the critical role of the geographic (country)manager as a bicultural interpreter and detail some of the reasons for failure in both upward communication and downward communication between the subsidiary and headquarters.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The role of geographic (country)manager is often...

Question 8

Worldwide functional managers would not occupy the following executive role in the MNE

Accepted Answer

Worldwide functional management refers to individuals with the specialist responsibility for activities such as R&D,manufacturing and marketing,as well as support activities such as the CFO.Geographic country managers typically assume executive roles associated with countries or geographic regions

Question 9

The challenges facing a geographic (country)manager's who must convert corporate strategy into actionable plans for the subsidiary do not include

Accepted Answer

The implementation of corporate strategy by the geographic country manager does not contemplate efforts to identify and communicate worldwide best practices.Instead,the identification and communication of worldwide best practices is typically the responsibility of the worldwide functional manager.

Question 10

Worldwide functional managers are frequently promoted into their positions after having demonstrated functional knowledge that is highly specialized,such as technological capability,marketing expertise or manufacturing know-how,to name a few.This promotion requires that functional managers evolve from secondary staff roles to take active roles in transnational management.While the tasks facing worldwide functional managers will vary widely by specific function,the core roles and responsibilities that all worldwide functional managers should be expected to fulfill are more predictable.Discuss the three core roles and responsibilities,explaining why they are integral to the success of the modern transnational organization.Provide examples to illustrate these roles and responsibilities.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Worldwide functional managers are frequently promoted into...

Question 11

In executing responsibilities for cross-border coordination,the global business manager will not typically

Accepted Answer

While the global business manager does make decisions with respect to sourcing patterns and cross-border transfer policies,pricing between global business units is established through a variety of mechanisms e.g.,direct control versus internal market mechanisms which typically vary with the nature of the product e.g.,commodity-like versus products of high strategic importance,rather than strictly enforcing fair market value transaction pricing between global business units.

Question 12

In their role as worldwide intelligence scanners,worldwide functional managers lead efforts to diffuse innovations throughout the MNE by engaging in all of the following activities,except

Accepted Answer

As worldwide intelligence scanners,worldwide functional managers are tasked with the role of capturing and transmitting information across national boundaries to enhance the communication of strategically important information among subsidiaries in different countries.This strategically important information is not always transmitted effectively by geographic country managers and global business managers primarily because the information is usually of a specialist nature.After sensing the existence of strategically important information within the MNE,worldwide functional managers leverage informal networks and global contacts to rapidly transmit information throughout the MNE.

Question 13

Top-level management teams strive to pursue continual renewal within the transnational by engaging in all of the following activities,except

Accepted Answer

There are several important ways that the organization can sees its challenge as continually renewing itself.First,top management must ensure the organization's external orientation by constantly reinforcing the need to focus on customers and to benchmark against the best competitors.An equally important top management role is to constantly question,challenge,and change things in a way that forces adaptation and learning.Third,top management can ensure renewal by defining the corporate mission and values so that they provide some strategic stretch and maneuverability while simultaneously legitimizing innovative new initiatives.Top-level managers who permit successful strategies to become elevated to the status of unquestioned wisdom and who watch effective organizational processes become institutionalized as routines risk ossification- management loses its flexibility and eventually the organization sees its role as protecting its past heritage.Questioning and challenging all business groups,forcing adaptation and learning and reducing internal bureaucracy are three means by which top-level managers can pursue continual renewal with respect to its strategies and processes.

Question 14

In the geographic (country)manager's role as an information broker,the individual must engage in all of the following activities,except

Accepted Answer

Formulating and implementing cross-border transfer policies to be used when coordinating the flow of materials,components and finished products from the host country to related business units situated in other host countries is not typically the responsibility of the geographic country manager.Instead,it is the responsibility of the global business manager.

Question 15

Which of the following expressions is used to describe one class of transnational innovation developed by worldwide functional managers

Accepted Answer

The two types of transnational innovation developed by worldwide functional manager include locally leveraged innovations and globally linked innovations.

Question 16

The top-level management team should balance all of the following processes in order to fully exploit the MNE's assets and resources and greatly leverage its performance,except

Accepted Answer

Formalization of goods flow,centralization of scarce resources,and socialization of information and knowledge through managing personal contacts are the lifeblood of the MNE.The stronger the top management's ability to develop a rich portfolio of coordinative mechanisms,the more efficient and effective these processes are.

Question 17

Which of the following do not constitute part of the strategic tension facing the geographic (country)manager

Accepted Answer

Initiating the worldwide diffusion of best practices and innovations developed within the host country is not typically the responsibility of the geographic country manager.Instead,it is the responsibility of the worldwide functional manager.

Question 18

While the role of the geographic (country)subsidiary manager has traditionally concentrated on responsibilities such as identifying sales and profit opportunities,accessing local factors of production and leveraging parent company assets and resources,the modern geographic subsidiary manager's role has evolved to include an expanded set of responsibilities.Discuss the tasks executed by the country manager and propose an associated set of skills that you think would be required by a country manager.Be sure to link these skills to the list of tasks.

Accepted Answer

The answer of While the role of the geographic (country)subsidiary...

Quiz 7: Implementing the Strategy: Building Multidimensional Capabilities