Question 1

The classic way to coordinate the work efforts of internal organization units is to:

Accepted Answer

A)  establish a corporate culture where teamwork is a core value and decisions are made by general consensus among team leaders in the affected work units. 
B)  have closely related activities report to a single executive who has the authority and organizational clout to coordinate,integrate,and arrange for the cooperation of units under their supervision. 
C)  have the heads of support activities report to the heads of primary,strategy-critical activities. 
D)  establish monetary incentives that reward people for being cooperative team players. 
E)  have frequent meetings among the heads of closely related activities and work units to establish mutually agreeable deadlines. 
A)  establish a corporate culture where teamwork is a core value and decisions are made by general consensus among team leaders in the affected work units. 
B)  have closely related activities report to a single executive who has the authority and organizational clout to coordinate,integrate,and arrange for the cooperation of units under their supervision. 
C)  have the heads of support activities report to the heads of primary,strategy-critical activities. 
D)  establish monetary incentives that reward people for being cooperative team players. 
E)  have frequent meetings among the heads of closely related activities and work units to establish mutually agreeable deadlines.

Question 2

Larger firms with more complex organizational structures are:

Accepted Answer

A)  less decentralized in their decision making than smaller firms. 
B)  more decentralized in their decision making than smaller firms. 
C)  less decentralized in their decision making than larger firms. 
D)  more decentralized in their decision making than larger firms. 
E)  do not decentralize due to their operating size. 
A)  less decentralized in their decision making than smaller firms. 
B)  more decentralized in their decision making than smaller firms. 
C)  less decentralized in their decision making than larger firms. 
D)  more decentralized in their decision making than larger firms. 
E)  do not decentralize due to their operating size.

Question 3

Which one of the following falsely characterizes a centralized organizational structure?

Accepted Answer

A)  Top-level managers should retain accountability over most strategic and operating decisions and keep a tight rein on business-unit heads,department heads,and the managers of key operating units. 
B)  Strict enforcement of detailed procedures backed by rigorous managerial oversight is the most reliable way to keep the daily execution of strategy on track. 
C)  Tight control by the manager in charge makes it easy to fix accountability when things do not go well. 
D)  Most company personnel have neither the time nor the inclination to direct and properly control the work they are performing and they lack the knowledge and judgment to make wise decisions about how best to do their work. 
E)  A company that draws on the combined intellectual capital of its people can outperform a company that relies on command-and-control hierarchal structure. 
A)  Top-level managers should retain accountability over most strategic and operating decisions and keep a tight rein on business-unit heads,department heads,and the managers of key operating units. 
B)  Strict enforcement of detailed procedures backed by rigorous managerial oversight is the most reliable way to keep the daily execution of strategy on track. 
C)  Tight control by the manager in charge makes it easy to fix accountability when things do not go well. 
D)  Most company personnel have neither the time nor the inclination to direct and properly control the work they are performing and they lack the knowledge and judgment to make wise decisions about how best to do their work. 
E)  A company that draws on the combined intellectual capital of its people can outperform a company that relies on command-and-control hierarchal structure.

Question 4

A functional structure or unitary structure (or U-forms as they are sometimes called)are organized:

Accepted Answer

A)  with a central executive handling all major decisions. 
B)  to lighten the load of senior executives so they can concentrate on value chain action agendas. 
C)  specifically to manage unrelated diversification opportunities. 
D)  into functional departments,with departmental managers who report to the CEO and small corporate staff. 
E)  are top heavy,with senior executives forming a central office of the chairman. 
A)  with a central executive handling all major decisions. 
B)  to lighten the load of senior executives so they can concentrate on value chain action agendas. 
C)  specifically to manage unrelated diversification opportunities. 
D)  into functional departments,with departmental managers who report to the CEO and small corporate staff. 
E)  are top heavy,with senior executives forming a central office of the chairman.

Question 5

Identify and briefly discuss four of the recommended practices companies have used to recruit and retain the best employees to make the rank-and-file employees a genuine competitive asset.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Identify and briefly discuss four of the...

Question 6

Accessing capabilities through an external source can be accomplished through:

Accepted Answer

A)  outsourcing,but depends on what can safely be delegated to outside suppliers. 
B)  joint ventures,which depend on how well the partners will work together. 
C)  strategic alliances,which should be selected as much for management style,culture,and goals as for their resources and capabilities. 
D)  learning-based collaborative partnerships for the purpose of learning how the partner does things,internalizing its methods,and thereby acquiring its capabilities. 
E)  All of these. 
A)  outsourcing,but depends on what can safely be delegated to outside suppliers. 
B)  joint ventures,which depend on how well the partners will work together. 
C)  strategic alliances,which should be selected as much for management style,culture,and goals as for their resources and capabilities. 
D)  learning-based collaborative partnerships for the purpose of learning how the partner does things,internalizing its methods,and thereby acquiring its capabilities. 
E)  All of these.

Question 7

Identify and briefly discuss the three facets of building an organization capable of proficient strategy execution.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Identify and briefly discuss the three facets...

Question 8

In order to coordinate and control the complex set of activities,managers must ensure:

Accepted Answer

A)  the organizational structure enables bureaucratic waste and strives for eliminating imposed capacity limitations of the strategy. 
B)  the various parts of the organizational structure are aligned with one another and also matched to the requirements of the strategy. 
C)  they have enough employees dedicated to the various functions to ensure economies of scale benefits. 
D)  they can orchestrate the process with forceful administration and political maneuvering. 
E)  All of these. 
A)  the organizational structure enables bureaucratic waste and strives for eliminating imposed capacity limitations of the strategy. 
B)  the various parts of the organizational structure are aligned with one another and also matched to the requirements of the strategy. 
C)  they have enough employees dedicated to the various functions to ensure economies of scale benefits. 
D)  they can orchestrate the process with forceful administration and political maneuvering. 
E)  All of these.

Question 9

What is the rule for organizing the work effort to support good strategy execution?

Accepted Answer

A)  A firm's organizational structure should be matched to its unique strategy. 
B)  Decide on how much to spend on training managers and employees. 
C)  Choose an organization structure that is a tight fit with the corporate culture. 
D)  Ensure the firm hires a capable management team. 
E)  All of these. 
A)  A firm's organizational structure should be matched to its unique strategy. 
B)  Decide on how much to spend on training managers and employees. 
C)  Choose an organization structure that is a tight fit with the corporate culture. 
D)  Ensure the firm hires a capable management team. 
E)  All of these.

Question 10

The chief advantages of a decentralized organizational structure include:

Accepted Answer

A)  reducing the layers of management and encouraging lower-level managers and rank-and-file employees to exercise initiative and act responsibly. 
B)  making it easy to fix accountability when company performance targets are not met. 
C)  generating higher productivity on the part of the workforce and a greater ability to become an industry low-cost leader. 
D)  enhancing cross-unit coordination and the capture of strategic fits. 
E)  establishing the emergence of a collegial,collaborative culture where teamwork is a core value and decisions are made on the basis of consensus. 
A)  reducing the layers of management and encouraging lower-level managers and rank-and-file employees to exercise initiative and act responsibly. 
B)  making it easy to fix accountability when company performance targets are not met. 
C)  generating higher productivity on the part of the workforce and a greater ability to become an industry low-cost leader. 
D)  enhancing cross-unit coordination and the capture of strategic fits. 
E)  establishing the emergence of a collegial,collaborative culture where teamwork is a core value and decisions are made on the basis of consensus.

Question 11

Outsourcing value chain activities has such strategy executing advantages as:

Accepted Answer

A)  less internal bureaucracy,speedier decision making,quicker responses to changing market conditions,and heightened focus on performing a select few value chain activities (which can improve performance of those activities). 
B)  facilitating the empowerment of employees (because there are fewer things to do internally). 
C)  promoting a total quality management culture. 
D)  reducing the need to establish a strongly implanted corporate culture. 
E)  reducing the strategic importance of building valuable core competencies. 
A)  less internal bureaucracy,speedier decision making,quicker responses to changing market conditions,and heightened focus on performing a select few value chain activities (which can improve performance of those activities). 
B)  facilitating the empowerment of employees (because there are fewer things to do internally). 
C)  promoting a total quality management culture. 
D)  reducing the need to establish a strongly implanted corporate culture. 
E)  reducing the strategic importance of building valuable core competencies.

Question 12

In companies where intellectual capital is crucial to good strategy execution,which of the following is generally NOT among the practices companies use to establish a talented knowledge base?

Accepted Answer

A)  Providing promising employees with challenging,interesting,and skill-stretching assignments and also rotating them through jobs that not only have great content but also span functional and geographic boundaries. 
B)  Providing employees promotions,salary increases,performance bonuses,stock options,and other perks. 
C)  Coaching average performers to improve their skills and capabilities,while weeding out underperformers and benchwarmers. 
D)  Encouraging employees to challenge existing ways of doing things,to be creative and innovative in proposing better ways of operating,and to push their ideas for new products or businesses. 
E)  Fostering a stimulating and engaging work environment such that employees will consider the company a great place to work. 
A)  Providing promising employees with challenging,interesting,and skill-stretching assignments and also rotating them through jobs that not only have great content but also span functional and geographic boundaries. 
B)  Providing employees promotions,salary increases,performance bonuses,stock options,and other perks. 
C)  Coaching average performers to improve their skills and capabilities,while weeding out underperformers and benchwarmers. 
D)  Encouraging employees to challenge existing ways of doing things,to be creative and innovative in proposing better ways of operating,and to push their ideas for new products or businesses. 
E)  Fostering a stimulating and engaging work environment such that employees will consider the company a great place to work.

Question 13

What makes the managerial task of executing strategy so challenging and demanding is:

Accepted Answer

A)  the trial-and-error experimentation that is required to come up with a workable organizational structure. 
B)  the demanding people-management skills required,the resistance to change that has to be overcome,and the perseverance necessary to get a variety of initiatives launched and kept moving along. 
C)  the time and effort it takes to build core competencies. 
D)  the time,training,and creative effort it takes to empower employees and teach them responsible decision making. 
E)  the supervisory requirements associated with getting company personnel to do things the right way. 
A)  the trial-and-error experimentation that is required to come up with a workable organizational structure. 
B)  the demanding people-management skills required,the resistance to change that has to be overcome,and the perseverance necessary to get a variety of initiatives launched and kept moving along. 
C)  the time and effort it takes to build core competencies. 
D)  the time,training,and creative effort it takes to empower employees and teach them responsible decision making. 
E)  the supervisory requirements associated with getting company personnel to do things the right way.

Question 14

Who has strategy execution responsibility and who is ultimately responsible for making sure that the task of implementing and executing the strategy goes well?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Who has strategy execution responsibility and who...

Question 15

What are the advantages of outsourcing non-critical and sometimes even critical value chain activities?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are the advantages of outsourcing non-critical...

Question 16

When it proves to be infeasible to outcompete rivals by crafting a superior strategy,the next best avenue to beating them out for industry leadership is to out execute them-that is,beat them with superior strategy execution.True or false? Explain.

Accepted Answer

True. When it becomes infeasible to outc

Question 17

In a highly centralized organizational structure:

Accepted Answer

A)  top-level managers retain decision authority for most strategic and operating activities. 
B)  strict control and enforcement of detailed procedures backed by rigorous managerial accountability is the most reliable way to keep the daily execution of strategy on track. 
C)  tight control from the top is a more effective means for coordinating company actions and makes it easy to fix accountability when things do not go well. 
D)  one of the basic tenets is that most company personnel have neither the time nor the inclination to direct and properly control the work they are performing and,further,they lack the knowledge and judgment to make wise decisions about how best to do their work. 
E)  All of these. 
A)  top-level managers retain decision authority for most strategic and operating activities. 
B)  strict control and enforcement of detailed procedures backed by rigorous managerial accountability is the most reliable way to keep the daily execution of strategy on track. 
C)  tight control from the top is a more effective means for coordinating company actions and makes it easy to fix accountability when things do not go well. 
D)  one of the basic tenets is that most company personnel have neither the time nor the inclination to direct and properly control the work they are performing and,further,they lack the knowledge and judgment to make wise decisions about how best to do their work. 
E)  All of these.

Question 18

Implementing and executing a company's strategy:

Accepted Answer

A)  is primarily the job of the company's board of directors since they direct the actions and policies of the top senior executives in executing the strategy. 
B)  is a task for every manager and the whole management team,but ultimate responsibility for success or failure falls upon the top senior executives,especially the chief executive officer of the company. 
C)  is primarily a responsibility of all company personnel because all personnel are active participants in the strategy execution process and their actions have a huge impact on the ultimate outcome. 
D)  should be delegated to a chief strategy implementer appointed by the chief executive officer. 
E)  is primarily a task for middle and lower-level managers because it is they who have responsibility for pushing the needed changes all the way down to the lowest levels of the organization. 
A)  is primarily the job of the company's board of directors since they direct the actions and policies of the top senior executives in executing the strategy. 
B)  is a task for every manager and the whole management team,but ultimate responsibility for success or failure falls upon the top senior executives,especially the chief executive officer of the company. 
C)  is primarily a responsibility of all company personnel because all personnel are active participants in the strategy execution process and their actions have a huge impact on the ultimate outcome. 
D)  should be delegated to a chief strategy implementer appointed by the chief executive officer. 
E)  is primarily a task for middle and lower-level managers because it is they who have responsibility for pushing the needed changes all the way down to the lowest levels of the organization.

Question 19

Describe at least three traits or characteristics of a core competence.Where in an organization can a core competence be found and what is involved in building and strengthening a core competence? Give three examples of a core competence.

Accepted Answer

Core competencies are the unique strengt

Question 20

How do firms leverage the expertise of their talent pool in building capabilities?

Accepted Answer

A)  Generally by updating existing capabilities. 
B)  Generally by establishing a new arsenal of resource capabilities by phasing-out existing capabilities. 
C)  Generally by refreshing existing capabilities. 
D)  Generally by augmenting or recombining well-established capabilities with existing resources. 
E)  None of these,it is easier and less time-consuming to start from scratch in building resource capabilities. 
A)  Generally by updating existing capabilities. 
B)  Generally by establishing a new arsenal of resource capabilities by phasing-out existing capabilities. 
C)  Generally by refreshing existing capabilities. 
D)  Generally by augmenting or recombining well-established capabilities with existing resources. 
E)  None of these,it is easier and less time-consuming to start from scratch in building resource capabilities.

The classic way to coordinate the work efforts of internal organization units is to:

Larger firms with more complex organizational structures are:

Which one of the following falsely characterizes a centralized organizational structure?

A functional structure or unitary structure (or U-forms as they are sometimes called)are organized:

Identify and briefly discuss four of the recommended practices companies have used to recruit and retain the best employees to make the rank-and-file employees a genuine competitive asset.

Accessing capabilities through an external source can be accomplished through:

Identify and briefly discuss the three facets of building an organization capable of proficient strategy execution.

In order to coordinate and control the complex set of activities,managers must ensure:

What is the rule for organizing the work effort to support good strategy execution?

The chief advantages of a decentralized organizational structure include:

Outsourcing value chain activities has such strategy executing advantages as:

In companies where intellectual capital is crucial to good strategy execution,which of the following is generally NOT among the practices companies use to establish a talented knowledge base?

What makes the managerial task of executing strategy so challenging and demanding is:

Who has strategy execution responsibility and who is ultimately responsible for making sure that the task of implementing and executing the strategy goes well?

What are the advantages of outsourcing non-critical and sometimes even critical value chain activities?

When it proves to be infeasible to outcompete rivals by crafting a superior strategy,the next best avenue to beating them out for industry leadership is to out execute them-that is,beat them with superior strategy execution.True or false? Explain.

In a highly centralized organizational structure:

Implementing and executing a company's strategy:

Describe at least three traits or characteristics of a core competence.Where in an organization can a core competence be found and what is involved in building and strengthening a core competence? Give three examples of a core competence.

How do firms leverage the expertise of their talent pool in building capabilities?

What Is Strategy and Why Is It Important

Charting a Companys Direction: Its Vision, Mission, Objectives, and Strategy

Evaluating a Companys External Environment

Evaluating a Companys Resources, Capabilities, and Competitiveness

The Five Generic Competitive Strategies: Which One to Employ

Strengthening a Companys Competitive Position: Strategic Moves, Timing, and Scope of Operations

Strategies for Competing in International Markets

Corporate Strategy: Diversification and the Multibusiness Company

Ethics, corporate Social Responsibility, Environmental Sustainability, and Strategy

Managing Internal Operations: Actions That Promote Good Strategy Execution

Corporate Culture and Leadership: Keys to Good Strategy Execution

Filters

Exam 10: Building an Organization Capable of Good Strategy Execution: People, Capabilities, and Structure

The classic way to coordinate the work efforts of internal organization units is to:

Larger firms with more complex organizational structures are:

Which one of the following falsely characterizes a centralized organizational structure?

A functional structure or unitary structure (or U-forms as they are sometimes called)are organized:

Identify and briefly discuss four of the recommended practices companies have used to recruit and retain the best employees to make the rank-and-file employees a genuine competitive asset.

Accessing capabilities through an external source can be accomplished through:

Identify and briefly discuss the three facets of building an organization capable of proficient strategy execution.

In order to coordinate and control the complex set of activities,managers must ensure:

What is the rule for organizing the work effort to support good strategy execution?

The chief advantages of a decentralized organizational structure include:

Outsourcing value chain activities has such strategy executing advantages as:

In companies where intellectual capital is crucial to good strategy execution,which of the following is generally NOT among the practices companies use to establish a talented knowledge base?

What makes the managerial task of executing strategy so challenging and demanding is:

Who has strategy execution responsibility and who is ultimately responsible for making sure that the task of implementing and executing the strategy goes well?

What are the advantages of outsourcing non-critical and sometimes even critical value chain activities?

When it proves to be infeasible to outcompete rivals by crafting a superior strategy,the next best avenue to beating them out for industry leadership is to out execute them-that is,beat them with superior strategy execution.True or false? Explain.

In a highly centralized organizational structure:

Implementing and executing a company's strategy:

Describe at least three traits or characteristics of a core competence.Where in an organization can a core competence be found and what is involved in building and strengthening a core competence? Give three examples of a core competence.

How do firms leverage the expertise of their talent pool in building capabilities?

What Is Strategy and Why Is It Important

Charting a Companys Direction: Its Vision, Mission, Objectives, and Strategy

Evaluating a Companys External Environment

Evaluating a Companys Resources, Capabilities, and Competitiveness

The Five Generic Competitive Strategies: Which One to Employ

Strengthening a Companys Competitive Position: Strategic Moves, Timing, and Scope of Operations

Strategies for Competing in International Markets

Corporate Strategy: Diversification and the Multibusiness Company

Ethics, corporate Social Responsibility, Environmental Sustainability, and Strategy

Managing Internal Operations: Actions That Promote Good Strategy Execution

Corporate Culture and Leadership: Keys to Good Strategy Execution

Filters