Question 1

What is an executive type? What is their significance to strategy?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is an executive type? What is...

Question 2

Which one of the following was NOT one of the cultural dimensions that Hofstede found which could explain the success or failure of certain management practices?

Accepted Answer

Cultural diversity was not one of the cultural dimensions found by Hofstede. The four dimensions that he identified were power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism-collectivism, and masculinity-femininity.

Question 3

According to Hofstede's cultural dimensions, which country scored among the highest on individualism?

Accepted Answer

According to Hofstede's cultural dimensions, the United States scored 91 on individualism, which is one of the highest scores in the world. This means that Americans tend to prioritize their own individual goals and values over those of the larger group or society.

Question 4

"TQM" refers to

Accepted Answer

TQM stands for Total Quality Management. It is a management approach aimed at continuously improving the quality of products, services, and processes within an organization.

Question 5

Which one of the following is NOT part of the process of MBO?

Accepted Answer

Reinforcing rules and regulations is not a part of the process of Management by objectives (MBO). MBO focuses on goal-setting, planning, and performance review processes to align individual and organizational objectives.

Question 6

Hofstede's work on national culture was extended to nine cultural dimensions by

Accepted Answer

Hofstede's work on national culture was extended to nine cultural dimensions by Project GLOBE.

Question 7

What are some of the approaches a company can take to identify and prepare its people for important positions?

Accepted Answer

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Question 8

Nations like Greece and Japan whose people want career stability, formal rules, and clear-cut measures of performance would score high on which of Hofstede's cultural dimensions?

Accepted Answer

Hofstede's cultural dimension of uncertainty avoidance refers to the extent to which a society feels threatened by ambiguity and uncertainty, and seeks to avoid them by creating formal rules and guidelines. Greece and Japan both have high levels of uncertainty avoidance, as seeking stability, clear rules, and measures of performance are highly valued in these cultures.

Question 9

One research study of TQM successes and failures concluded that a key ingredient in TQM programs is

Accepted Answer

The research study concluded that top management is a key ingredient in TQM programs. This is because TQM requires strong leadership and commitment from top management to implement and sustain the practices throughout the organization. Effective communication, customer satisfaction, and respected lower level employees are also important factors, but they are not as critical as top management commitment. Formidable manufacturing practices may contribute to TQM success, but they are not a key ingredient on their own.

Question 10

Which of the following is NOT one of TQM's objectives?

Accepted Answer

Increased alignment of employee goals with management's objectives is not one of the core objectives of TQM. The core objectives of TQM are better quality, increased flexibility, decreased costs, and quicker response times to customer needs.

Question 11

According to Hofstede, which cultural dimension describes the extent to which society is oriented toward money and things or towards people?

Accepted Answer

According to Hofstede, masculinity-femininity refers to the extent to which a society values competitiveness, assertiveness, and materialism (masculine) versus values such as nurturing, quality of life, and relationships (feminine). Therefore, this dimension is related to the extent to which society is oriented towards money and things (masculine) versus people (feminine).

Question 12

According to Hofstede, which cultural dimension describes the extent to which a society values individual freedom and independence of action compared with a tight social framework and loyalty to the group?

Accepted Answer

The cultural dimension that describes the extent to which a society values individual freedom and independence of action compared with a tight social framework and loyalty to the group is individualism-collectivism. Hofstede's research shows that cultures can vary from individualistic to collectivistic in their values and behaviors. Individualistic cultures prioritize independence, autonomy, and individual achievement, while collectivistic cultures prioritize cooperation, harmony, and the needs of the group over the needs of the individual.

Question 13

According to Hofstede's cultural dimensions, which country scored among the lowest on uncertainty avoidance?

Accepted Answer

The United States scored among the lowest on uncertainty avoidance in Hofstede's cultural dimensions. This means that Americans tend to be more tolerant of ambiguity, uncertainty, and diversity in comparison to countries that scored higher on this dimension such as Austria, Malaysia, and Mexico. Great Britain also scored relatively low on this dimension, but not as low as the United States.

Question 14

According to Hofstede, which cultural dimension describes the extent to which a society accepts an unequal distribution of power in organizations?

Accepted Answer

Power distance is the cultural dimension that describes the extent to which a society accepts an unequal distribution of power in organizations. High power distance cultures accept and expect a hierarchical and centralized structure with clear lines of authority, while low power distance cultures promote a more decentralized and participative approach.

Question 15

According to Hofstede's cultural dimensions, which country scored lowest on power distance?

Accepted Answer

Germany scored the lowest on power distance with a score of 35, indicating that the society values equality and rejects traditional hierarchies in favor of a more democratic society. Malaysia (104) and Mexico (81) scored high on power distance, while the United States (40) and Great Britain (35) scored similar to Germany but slightly higher.

Question 16

Which of the following is NOT an essential ingredient of TQM?

Accepted Answer

Action planning is not typically considered an essential ingredient of Total Quality Management (TQM), which focuses more on customer satisfaction, continuous improvement, and accurate measurement.

Question 17

Which of the following is NOT descriptive of the purpose of MBO?

Accepted Answer

MBO does not operate independently and actually requires significant supervision and administration. It is a participatory process that involves communication and collaboration between managers and employees, as well as ongoing monitoring and evaluation.

Question 18

According to Hofstede, which cultural dimension describes the extent to which a society emphasizes the importance of hard work, education, and persistence as well as the importance of thrift?

Accepted Answer

This cultural dimension is called "long-term orientation" and is one of the six dimensions proposed by Hofstede. It describes the extent to which a society values traits such as persistence, hard work, education, and thrift, as well as possessing a long-term perspective rather than a short-term one.

Question 19

What is executive succession? Discuss the hiring of insiders versus outsiders.

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is executive succession? Discuss the hiring...

Question 20

Approximately what percent of manufacturing companies have implemented some form of quality management practices?

Accepted Answer

Quality management practices are widely adopted in the manufacturing sector, with approximately 92% of companies implementing some form of these practices to improve efficiency and product quality.

Quiz 10: Strategy Implementation: Staffing and Directing