Question 1

Changing a problem culture to create better alignment with strategy generally does NOT involve

Accepted Answer

A)  replacing old-culture managers with new-breed managers. 
B)  designing compensation incentives that boost the pay of teams and individuals who display the desired cultural behaviors and hit change-resisters in the pocketbook. 
C)  altering the company's financial objectives. 
D)  using company gatherings and ceremonial occasions to praise individuals and groups that display the desired new cultural traits and behaviors. 
E)  both symbolic and substantive actions by executives to implant new cultural behaviors. 
A)  replacing old-culture managers with new-breed managers. 
B)  designing compensation incentives that boost the pay of teams and individuals who display the desired cultural behaviors and hit change-resisters in the pocketbook. 
C)  altering the company's financial objectives. 
D)  using company gatherings and ceremonial occasions to praise individuals and groups that display the desired new cultural traits and behaviors. 
E)  both symbolic and substantive actions by executives to implant new cultural behaviors. C

Question 2

The place for management to begin in trying to change a problem culture is

Accepted Answer

A)  identifying facets of the present culture that are obstacles to executing the company's strategy and meeting performance targets. 
B)  spending heavily on programs to train employees in the ways and beliefs of the new culture to be implanted. 
C)  visibly praising and rewarding people who exhibit traits and behaviors that undermine the existing culture. 
D)  writing a new value statement and describing in highly motivating terms the kind of culture that is needed. 
E)  instituting incentive compensation programs that generously reward employees for adopting best practices. 
A)  identifying facets of the present culture that are obstacles to executing the company's strategy and meeting performance targets. 
B)  spending heavily on programs to train employees in the ways and beliefs of the new culture to be implanted. 
C)  visibly praising and rewarding people who exhibit traits and behaviors that undermine the existing culture. 
D)  writing a new value statement and describing in highly motivating terms the kind of culture that is needed. 
E)  instituting incentive compensation programs that generously reward employees for adopting best practices. A

Question 3

A company's culture is in part defined and identified by

Accepted Answer

A)  its internal work climate and personality-as shaped by its shared values, work practices, traditions, and ingrained attitudes and behaviors that define "how we do things around here." 
B)  whether it employs a low-cost provider, best-cost provider, differentiation, or focused strategy. 
C)  whether decision making is centralized or decentralized and whether it is a single-business company or a diversified company. 
D)  how strongly its strategic vision is linked to its core values. 
E)  whether it is a well-known industry leader, an up-and-coming company that is gaining market share, a middle-of-the-pack company unlikely to move up in the industry ranks, or an industry also-ran that may or may not survive. 
A)  its internal work climate and personality-as shaped by its shared values, work practices, traditions, and ingrained attitudes and behaviors that define "how we do things around here." 
B)  whether it employs a low-cost provider, best-cost provider, differentiation, or focused strategy. 
C)  whether decision making is centralized or decentralized and whether it is a single-business company or a diversified company. 
D)  how strongly its strategic vision is linked to its core values. 
E)  whether it is a well-known industry leader, an up-and-coming company that is gaining market share, a middle-of-the-pack company unlikely to move up in the industry ranks, or an industry also-ran that may or may not survive. A

Question 4

Which of the following actions would NOT help to rectify a company's unethical and greed-driven culture?

Accepted Answer

A)  Require all company personnel to attend culture-training programs to better understand the new culture-related actions and behaviors that are expected. 
B)  Promote individuals who have stepped forward to spearhead the shift to a different culture and who can serve as role models for the desired cultural behavior. 
C)  Dismiss executives that exude an "ends-justify-the-means" mentality in pursuing overambitious operating and financial targets. 
D)  Adopt accounting principles that make the company's financial performance appear better than it really is. 
E)  Hire frontline employees display high-performance behaviors and a passion for making the company successful. 
A)  Require all company personnel to attend culture-training programs to better understand the new culture-related actions and behaviors that are expected. 
B)  Promote individuals who have stepped forward to spearhead the shift to a different culture and who can serve as role models for the desired cultural behavior. 
C)  Dismiss executives that exude an "ends-justify-the-means" mentality in pursuing overambitious operating and financial targets. 
D)  Adopt accounting principles that make the company's financial performance appear better than it really is. 
E)  Hire frontline employees display high-performance behaviors and a passion for making the company successful.

Question 5

After a company's corporate culture is established, what are four approaches that can be used to perpetuate the culture?

Accepted Answer

After a company's corporate culture is e

Question 6

In adaptive corporate cultures

Accepted Answer

A)  the prevailing view is that the best way to look out for the interests of employees is to change core values and cultural norms in whatever ways are needed to fit the changing requirements of an evolving strategy. 
B)  company personnel are amenable to changing policies and operating practices as long as the core elements of the company's strategic vision and strategy remain intact. 
C)  members are willing to embrace a proactive approach to trying new ideas, altering operating practices, and changing pieces of the strategy provided it doesn't imperil their job security, entail cuts in compensation, or require different work practices. 
D)  there's a spirit of doing what's necessary to ensure long-term organizational success provided that core values and business principles are not compromised and provided top management undertakes the changes in a manner that exhibits genuine concern for the legitimate interests of stakeholders. 
E)  there is little need for policies and procedures because group members willingly accept experimentation and innovation. 
A)  the prevailing view is that the best way to look out for the interests of employees is to change core values and cultural norms in whatever ways are needed to fit the changing requirements of an evolving strategy. 
B)  company personnel are amenable to changing policies and operating practices as long as the core elements of the company's strategic vision and strategy remain intact. 
C)  members are willing to embrace a proactive approach to trying new ideas, altering operating practices, and changing pieces of the strategy provided it doesn't imperil their job security, entail cuts in compensation, or require different work practices. 
D)  there's a spirit of doing what's necessary to ensure long-term organizational success provided that core values and business principles are not compromised and provided top management undertakes the changes in a manner that exhibits genuine concern for the legitimate interests of stakeholders. 
E)  there is little need for policies and procedures because group members willingly accept experimentation and innovation.

Question 7

What actions, behaviors, and work practices that are conducive to good strategy implementation support the strategy execution effort?

Accepted Answer

A)  using peer pressure to company personnel to perform, enhancing worker productivity and buy-in, and focusing the attention of employees on what is most important 
B)  energizing the workforce, ensuring that personnel memorize the company values statement and code of ethics, and achieving competitive advantage 
C)  providing for greater strategic flexibility, using peer pressure to company personnel to perform, and energizing the workforce 
D)  enhancing worker productivity and buy-in, focusing the attention of employees on what is most important, and ensuring adherence to the company culture 
E)  focusing the attention of employees on what is most important, insisting that official policies and procedures be followed religiously, and using peer pressure to company personnel to perform 
A)  using peer pressure to company personnel to perform, enhancing worker productivity and buy-in, and focusing the attention of employees on what is most important 
B)  energizing the workforce, ensuring that personnel memorize the company values statement and code of ethics, and achieving competitive advantage 
C)  providing for greater strategic flexibility, using peer pressure to company personnel to perform, and energizing the workforce 
D)  enhancing worker productivity and buy-in, focusing the attention of employees on what is most important, and ensuring adherence to the company culture 
E)  focusing the attention of employees on what is most important, insisting that official policies and procedures be followed religiously, and using peer pressure to company personnel to perform

Question 8

Companies with change-resistant cultures are

Accepted Answer

A)  typically opposed to performance-based incentive compensation and employee empowerment. 
B)  prone to be preoccupied with avoiding risks and are unlikely to pursue actions to capture emerging opportunities. 
C)  often overly gung ho about looking outside the company for best practices, new managerial approaches, and innovative ideas. 
D)  often preoccupied with making sure the company has an aggressive strategic vision that embraces risky business strategies. 
E)  typically run by amoral managers who have little regard for high ethical standards. 
A)  typically opposed to performance-based incentive compensation and employee empowerment. 
B)  prone to be preoccupied with avoiding risks and are unlikely to pursue actions to capture emerging opportunities. 
C)  often overly gung ho about looking outside the company for best practices, new managerial approaches, and innovative ideas. 
D)  often preoccupied with making sure the company has an aggressive strategic vision that embraces risky business strategies. 
E)  typically run by amoral managers who have little regard for high ethical standards.

Question 9

In moving to alter a problem culture, management should do all of the following EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

A)  identify which aspects of the present culture are supportive of good strategy execution and which ones are not. 
B)  specify what new actions, behaviors, and work practices should be prominent in the "new" culture. 
C)  talk openly about the problems of the present culture and how new behaviors will improve performance. 
D)  employ visible, forceful actions-both substantive and symbolic-to ingrain a new set of behaviors, practices, and cultural norms. 
E)  avoid cross-unit cooperation. 
A)  identify which aspects of the present culture are supportive of good strategy execution and which ones are not. 
B)  specify what new actions, behaviors, and work practices should be prominent in the "new" culture. 
C)  talk openly about the problems of the present culture and how new behaviors will improve performance. 
D)  employ visible, forceful actions-both substantive and symbolic-to ingrain a new set of behaviors, practices, and cultural norms. 
E)  avoid cross-unit cooperation.

Question 10

Identify and discuss the purpose and benefits of closely aligning corporate culture with the requirements for proficient strategy execution.

Accepted Answer

When a company's culture is grounded in

Question 11

Which of the following is NOT one of the positive impacts that a company's stated values and ethical standards have on its corporate culture?

Accepted Answer

A)  communicating the company's good intentions 
B)  validating the integrity and above-board nature of the company's business principles and operating methods 
C)  steering company personnel toward both doing things right and doing the right thing 
D)  establishing a corporate conscience 
E)  identifying how best to adapt to changing market conditions 
A)  communicating the company's good intentions 
B)  validating the integrity and above-board nature of the company's business principles and operating methods 
C)  steering company personnel toward both doing things right and doing the right thing 
D)  establishing a corporate conscience 
E)  identifying how best to adapt to changing market conditions

Question 12

The purpose of managing by walking around or MBWA is to

Accepted Answer

A)  learn more about company operations and see how activities are really being done. 
B)  be visible and accessible to employees. 
C)  give employees a chance to make suggestions for improvement. 
D)  gather information about what strategy to follow and to learn what competitors are doing. 
E)  gather information about what is happening from people at different organizational levels and learn firsthand how well the strategy execution process is proceeding. 
A)  learn more about company operations and see how activities are really being done. 
B)  be visible and accessible to employees. 
C)  give employees a chance to make suggestions for improvement. 
D)  gather information about what strategy to follow and to learn what competitors are doing. 
E)  gather information about what is happening from people at different organizational levels and learn firsthand how well the strategy execution process is proceeding.

Question 13

Which of the following is a substantive culture-changing action that a company's managers can undertake to alter a problem culture?

Accepted Answer

A)  Identify aspects of the present culture that pose problems. 
B)  Revise policies and procedures in ways that will help drive cultural change and replace senior executives who are resisting and obstructing needed organizational and cultural changes. 
C)  Empower employees to adopt whatever new work practices they believe will be an improvement. 
D)  Make a concerted effort to turn the company's core competencies into distinctive competencies. 
E)  Shift from decentralized to centralized decision-making so as to give senior executives more authority and control in driving cultural change. 
A)  Identify aspects of the present culture that pose problems. 
B)  Revise policies and procedures in ways that will help drive cultural change and replace senior executives who are resisting and obstructing needed organizational and cultural changes. 
C)  Empower employees to adopt whatever new work practices they believe will be an improvement. 
D)  Make a concerted effort to turn the company's core competencies into distinctive competencies. 
E)  Shift from decentralized to centralized decision-making so as to give senior executives more authority and control in driving cultural change.

Question 14

Leading the drive for good strategy execution and operating excellence calls upon senior executives to

Accepted Answer

A)  be very personable, effective communicators, and skilled in the empowerment of company personnel. 
B)  personally lead the implementation process and drive the pace of progress. 
C)  delegate little to subordinates and, instead, personally exert a strong, highly visible influence on the company's approaches to strategy execution. 
D)  be creative in establishing policies and procedures that will instill high standards of operating excellence. 
E)  be charismatic, decisive decision-makers, and make inspiring speeches at company events. 
A)  be very personable, effective communicators, and skilled in the empowerment of company personnel. 
B)  personally lead the implementation process and drive the pace of progress. 
C)  delegate little to subordinates and, instead, personally exert a strong, highly visible influence on the company's approaches to strategy execution. 
D)  be creative in establishing policies and procedures that will instill high standards of operating excellence. 
E)  be charismatic, decisive decision-makers, and make inspiring speeches at company events.

Question 15

Unhealthy company cultures typically have such characteristics as

Accepted Answer

A)  tight budget controls, overly strict enforcement of long-standing policies and procedures, and high ethical standards. 
B)  a preference for conservative strategies, an aversion to incentive compensation, and excessive emphasis on profitability. 
C)  a politicized internal environment, hostility to change and an aversion to looking outside the company for best practices, new managerial approaches, and innovative ideas. 
D)  overemphasis on employee empowerment, a complacent approach to building competencies and capabilities, no coherent business philosophy, and excessively bureaucratic policies and procedures. 
E)  an emphasis on innovation, a strong preference for hiring managers from outside the company, and few core values and traditions. 
A)  tight budget controls, overly strict enforcement of long-standing policies and procedures, and high ethical standards. 
B)  a preference for conservative strategies, an aversion to incentive compensation, and excessive emphasis on profitability. 
C)  a politicized internal environment, hostility to change and an aversion to looking outside the company for best practices, new managerial approaches, and innovative ideas. 
D)  overemphasis on employee empowerment, a complacent approach to building competencies and capabilities, no coherent business philosophy, and excessively bureaucratic policies and procedures. 
E)  an emphasis on innovation, a strong preference for hiring managers from outside the company, and few core values and traditions.

Question 16

Once established, company cultures can be perpetuated by

Accepted Answer

A)  relying on word-of-mouth indoctrination and the power of tradition to instill the culture's fundamentals, as well as frequent reiteration of core values by senior managers and group members, and regular ceremonies honoring members who display desired cultural behaviors. 
B)  avoiding frequent or dramatic reorganizations that could disturb existing relationships and networking among departments and company personnel. 
C)  making adherence to cultural beliefs and cultural norms the defining features of the company's strategic vision. 
D)  rewarding departments that observe cultural norms with above-average budget increases and penalizing those who don't with budget cuts. 
E)  making cultural values and beliefs the centerpiece of the company's competitive strategy. 
A)  relying on word-of-mouth indoctrination and the power of tradition to instill the culture's fundamentals, as well as frequent reiteration of core values by senior managers and group members, and regular ceremonies honoring members who display desired cultural behaviors. 
B)  avoiding frequent or dramatic reorganizations that could disturb existing relationships and networking among departments and company personnel. 
C)  making adherence to cultural beliefs and cultural norms the defining features of the company's strategic vision. 
D)  rewarding departments that observe cultural norms with above-average budget increases and penalizing those who don't with budget cuts. 
E)  making cultural values and beliefs the centerpiece of the company's competitive strategy.

Question 17

The character of a company's corporate culture is a product of all of the following EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

A)  the shared values and core business principles and beliefs that management preaches and practices. 
B)  its standards of what is ethically acceptable and what is not and the stories that get told over and over to illustrate and reinforce the company's shared values, business practices, and traditions. 
C)  the company's approach to people management and the "chemistry" and "personality" that permeates its work environment. 
D)  the work practices and behaviors that define "how we do things around here". 
E)  its lack of mechanisms for aligning, constraining, and regulating the actions, decisions, and behaviors of company personnel. 
A)  the shared values and core business principles and beliefs that management preaches and practices. 
B)  its standards of what is ethically acceptable and what is not and the stories that get told over and over to illustrate and reinforce the company's shared values, business practices, and traditions. 
C)  the company's approach to people management and the "chemistry" and "personality" that permeates its work environment. 
D)  the work practices and behaviors that define "how we do things around here". 
E)  its lack of mechanisms for aligning, constraining, and regulating the actions, decisions, and behaviors of company personnel.

Question 18

The characteristics of a strong-culture company include all of the following EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

A)  deeply rooted values and operating approaches that "regulate" the conduct of a company's business and the climate of its workplace. 
B)  strong managerial commitment to display company values and principles in their own actions and behavior. 
C)  dedicated efforts on the part of management to communicating values and business principles to organization members and explaining how they relate to the company's business environment. 
D)  ingrained shared values and business principles guide management in making decisions. 
E)  co-worker peer pressure to challenge cultural norms. 
A)  deeply rooted values and operating approaches that "regulate" the conduct of a company's business and the climate of its workplace. 
B)  strong managerial commitment to display company values and principles in their own actions and behavior. 
C)  dedicated efforts on the part of management to communicating values and business principles to organization members and explaining how they relate to the company's business environment. 
D)  ingrained shared values and business principles guide management in making decisions. 
E)  co-worker peer pressure to challenge cultural norms.

Question 19

A work environment where the culture is in sync with the chosen strategy and is conducive to good strategy execution is considered a valuable managerial ally because

Accepted Answer

A)  there is much less risk of embarrassing ethical violations. 
B)  it provides company personnel with clear guidance regarding "how we do things around here" and produces significant peer pressure from co-workers to conform to culturally acceptable norms. 
C)  there is reduced need to incorporate negative motivational practices and punitive-type incentives into the reward structure and in the company's approach to people management. 
D)  there is reduced need to employ benchmarking, best practice programs, reengineering, Six Sigma, and TQM to achieve competitive advantage. 
E)  the culture can be readily incorporated into the company's strategic vision and facilitate the achievement of stretch objectives. 
A)  there is much less risk of embarrassing ethical violations. 
B)  it provides company personnel with clear guidance regarding "how we do things around here" and produces significant peer pressure from co-workers to conform to culturally acceptable norms. 
C)  there is reduced need to incorporate negative motivational practices and punitive-type incentives into the reward structure and in the company's approach to people management. 
D)  there is reduced need to employ benchmarking, best practice programs, reengineering, Six Sigma, and TQM to achieve competitive advantage. 
E)  the culture can be readily incorporated into the company's strategic vision and facilitate the achievement of stretch objectives.

Question 20

Many executives want the work climate at their companies to mirror certain values and ethical standards because they

Accepted Answer

A)  desire validation of the company's formal values statement and code of ethics. 
B)  want to impress outsiders and create a positive company image. 
C)  want to increase the likelihood that the public will ignore any future lapses in approved behavior. 
D)  are committed to improving the company's strategy execution, performance, and reputation. 
E)  are certain that their company's strategic intent and strategy execution efforts will come to naught without those values and standards. 
A)  desire validation of the company's formal values statement and code of ethics. 
B)  want to impress outsiders and create a positive company image. 
C)  want to increase the likelihood that the public will ignore any future lapses in approved behavior. 
D)  are committed to improving the company's strategy execution, performance, and reputation. 
E)  are certain that their company's strategic intent and strategy execution efforts will come to naught without those values and standards.

Changing a problem culture to create better alignment with strategy generally does NOT involve

The place for management to begin in trying to change a problem culture is

A company's culture is in part defined and identified by

Which of the following actions would NOT help to rectify a company's unethical and greed-driven culture?

After a company's corporate culture is established, what are four approaches that can be used to perpetuate the culture?

In adaptive corporate cultures

What actions, behaviors, and work practices that are conducive to good strategy implementation support the strategy execution effort?

Companies with change-resistant cultures are

In moving to alter a problem culture, management should do all of the following EXCEPT

Identify and discuss the purpose and benefits of closely aligning corporate culture with the requirements for proficient strategy execution.

Which of the following is NOT one of the positive impacts that a company's stated values and ethical standards have on its corporate culture?

The purpose of managing by walking around or MBWA is to

Which of the following is a substantive culture-changing action that a company's managers can undertake to alter a problem culture?

Leading the drive for good strategy execution and operating excellence calls upon senior executives to

Unhealthy company cultures typically have such characteristics as

Once established, company cultures can be perpetuated by

The character of a company's corporate culture is a product of all of the following EXCEPT

The characteristics of a strong-culture company include all of the following EXCEPT

A work environment where the culture is in sync with the chosen strategy and is conducive to good strategy execution is considered a valuable managerial ally because

Many executives want the work climate at their companies to mirror certain values and ethical standards because they

What Is Strategy and Why Is It Important

Leading the Process of Crafting and Executing Strategy

Evaluating a Companys External Environment

Evaluating a Companys Resources and Competitive Position

The Five Generic Competitive Strategies: Which One to Employ

Supplementing the Chosen Competitive Strategy: Other Important Business Strategy Choices

Strategies for Competing in Foreign Markets

Diversification: Strategies for Managing a Group of Businesses

Ethical Business Strategies, Social Responsibility, and Environmental Sustainabil ITY

Building an Organization Capable of Good Strategy Execution

Managing Internal Operations: Actions That Promote Good Strategy Execution

Filters

Exam 12: Corporate Culture and Leadership: Keys to Good Strategy Execution

Changing a problem culture to create better alignment with strategy generally does NOT involve

The place for management to begin in trying to change a problem culture is

A company's culture is in part defined and identified by

Which of the following actions would NOT help to rectify a company's unethical and greed-driven culture?

After a company's corporate culture is established, what are four approaches that can be used to perpetuate the culture?

In adaptive corporate cultures

What actions, behaviors, and work practices that are conducive to good strategy implementation support the strategy execution effort?

Companies with change-resistant cultures are

In moving to alter a problem culture, management should do all of the following EXCEPT

Identify and discuss the purpose and benefits of closely aligning corporate culture with the requirements for proficient strategy execution.

Which of the following is NOT one of the positive impacts that a company's stated values and ethical standards have on its corporate culture?

The purpose of managing by walking around or MBWA is to

Which of the following is a substantive culture-changing action that a company's managers can undertake to alter a problem culture?

Leading the drive for good strategy execution and operating excellence calls upon senior executives to

Unhealthy company cultures typically have such characteristics as

Once established, company cultures can be perpetuated by

The character of a company's corporate culture is a product of all of the following EXCEPT

The characteristics of a strong-culture company include all of the following EXCEPT

A work environment where the culture is in sync with the chosen strategy and is conducive to good strategy execution is considered a valuable managerial ally because

Many executives want the work climate at their companies to mirror certain values and ethical standards because they

What Is Strategy and Why Is It Important

Leading the Process of Crafting and Executing Strategy

Evaluating a Companys External Environment

Evaluating a Companys Resources and Competitive Position

The Five Generic Competitive Strategies: Which One to Employ

Supplementing the Chosen Competitive Strategy: Other Important Business Strategy Choices

Strategies for Competing in Foreign Markets

Diversification: Strategies for Managing a Group of Businesses

Ethical Business Strategies, Social Responsibility, and Environmental Sustainabil ITY

Building an Organization Capable of Good Strategy Execution

Managing Internal Operations: Actions That Promote Good Strategy Execution

Filters