Question 1

To organize the work effort around the needs of good strategy execution,management needs to

Accepted Answer

A)  make those strategy-critical activities/capabilities that are to be performed internally the main building blocks in the internal organization structure. 
B)  determine whether some value chain activities can be outsourced more efficiently or effectively than they can be performed internally. 
C)  decide how much authority to centralize at the top and how much to delegate to down-the-line managers and employees. 
D)  provide for coordination and collaboration across the various organizational units and also with outside partners. 
E)  All of these. 
A)  make those strategy-critical activities/capabilities that are to be performed internally the main building blocks in the internal organization structure. 
B)  determine whether some value chain activities can be outsourced more efficiently or effectively than they can be performed internally. 
C)  decide how much authority to centralize at the top and how much to delegate to down-the-line managers and employees. 
D)  provide for coordination and collaboration across the various organizational units and also with outside partners. 
E)  All of these. E

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. B

Question 3

Identify and discuss the basic tenets,the chief advantages,and the chief disadvantages of centralized organizational structures.

Accepted Answer

Answer will vary

Question 4

Which of the following is not among the principal managerial components of the strategy execution process?

Accepted Answer

A)  Building an organization with the competencies, capabilities, and resource strengths needed to execute strategy successfully 
B)  Instituting policies and procedures that facilitate rather than impede strategy execution 
C)  Deciding which core competencies and value chain activities to leave as is and which ones to overhaul and improve 
D)  Adopting best practices and pushing for continuous improvement in how value chain activities are performed 
E)  Tying rewards directly to the achievement of strategic and financial targets and to good strategy execution 
A)  Building an organization with the competencies, capabilities, and resource strengths needed to execute strategy successfully 
B)  Instituting policies and procedures that facilitate rather than impede strategy execution 
C)  Deciding which core competencies and value chain activities to leave as is and which ones to overhaul and improve 
D)  Adopting best practices and pushing for continuous improvement in how value chain activities are performed 
E)  Tying rewards directly to the achievement of strategic and financial targets and to good strategy execution

Question 5

Ultimate responsibility for seeing that strategy is executed successfully primarily falls upon the shoulders of

Accepted Answer

A)  a company's chief executive officer, its chief operating officer, and the heads of major units (business divisions, functional departments, and key operating units). 
B)  first-line supervisors who have day-to-day responsibility for seeing that key value chain activities are done properly. 
C)  the company's board of directors because board members are the final authority in overseeing and conducting daily operations. 
D)  a company's whole management team-each manager is responsible for attending to what needs to be done in his/her respective area of authority and thus should be held accountable for success or failure. 
E)  all company personnel because all employees are active participants in the strategy execution process and the caliber of their actions have a huge impact on the ultimate outcome. 
A)  a company's chief executive officer, its chief operating officer, and the heads of major units (business divisions, functional departments, and key operating units). 
B)  first-line supervisors who have day-to-day responsibility for seeing that key value chain activities are done properly. 
C)  the company's board of directors because board members are the final authority in overseeing and conducting daily operations. 
D)  a company's whole management team-each manager is responsible for attending to what needs to be done in his/her respective area of authority and thus should be held accountable for success or failure. 
E)  all company personnel because all employees are active participants in the strategy execution process and the caliber of their actions have a huge impact on the ultimate outcome.

Question 6

The primary building blocks within a company's organizational structure

Accepted Answer

A)  are almost always the departments performing such key administrative support functions as finance, accounting, information technology, human resource management, and R&D. 
B)  can include process departments, traditional functional departments, geographic organizational units, and divisional units performing one or more major processing steps along the value chain (components manufacture, assembly, distribution), and individual businesses (in the case of a diversified company). 
C)  typically consist of an un-empowered employee department, an empowered employee department, teams of front-line supervisors, teams of middle-level managers and administrators, and the group of top-level executives that comprise the company's "executive suite." 
D)  usually consist of supply chain management, components manufacture, assembly, distribution, and administration. 
E)  usually consist of two divisions-a division charged with performing primary value chain activities and a division charged with performing support activities. 
A)  are almost always the departments performing such key administrative support functions as finance, accounting, information technology, human resource management, and R&D. 
B)  can include process departments, traditional functional departments, geographic organizational units, and divisional units performing one or more major processing steps along the value chain (components manufacture, assembly, distribution), and individual businesses (in the case of a diversified company). 
C)  typically consist of an un-empowered employee department, an empowered employee department, teams of front-line supervisors, teams of middle-level managers and administrators, and the group of top-level executives that comprise the company's "executive suite." 
D)  usually consist of supply chain management, components manufacture, assembly, distribution, and administration. 
E)  usually consist of two divisions-a division charged with performing primary value chain activities and a division charged with performing support activities.

Question 7

Describe at least 3 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 8

Which one of the following statements about recruiting and retaining capable employees is false?

Accepted Answer

A)  The quality of an organization's people is always an essential ingredient of successful strategy execution. 
B)  Recruiting and retaining capable employees is a particularly important organization-building task in enterprises where superior intellectual capital is a key resource and also a basis for competitive advantage. 
C)  Recruiting and retaining capable employees is usually much more important to good strategy execution and the achievement of true operating excellence than is assembling a capable top management team. 
D)  It is very difficult for a company to competently execute its strategy and achieve operating excellence without a large band of capable employees who are actively engaged in the process of making ongoing operating improvements. 
E)  In many industries, adding to a company's talent base and building intellectual capital is more important to good strategy execution than additional investments in plants, equipment, and capital projects. 
A)  The quality of an organization's people is always an essential ingredient of successful strategy execution. 
B)  Recruiting and retaining capable employees is a particularly important organization-building task in enterprises where superior intellectual capital is a key resource and also a basis for competitive advantage. 
C)  Recruiting and retaining capable employees is usually much more important to good strategy execution and the achievement of true operating excellence than is assembling a capable top management team. 
D)  It is very difficult for a company to competently execute its strategy and achieve operating excellence without a large band of capable employees who are actively engaged in the process of making ongoing operating improvements. 
E)  In many industries, adding to a company's talent base and building intellectual capital is more important to good strategy execution than additional investments in plants, equipment, and capital projects.

Question 9

Which of the following is not among the principal managerial components of the strategy execution process?

Accepted Answer

A)  Exercising strong leadership to drive execution forward, keep improving on the details of execution, and achieve operating excellence as rapidly as feasible 
B)  Marshaling sufficient money and people behind the drive for strategy execution 
C)  Selecting and retaining capable employees, thereby enhancing the company's intellectual capital resources 
D)  Instituting best practices and pushing for continuous improvement in how value chain activities are performed 
E)  Instilling a corporate culture that promotes good strategy execution 
A)  Exercising strong leadership to drive execution forward, keep improving on the details of execution, and achieve operating excellence as rapidly as feasible 
B)  Marshaling sufficient money and people behind the drive for strategy execution 
C)  Selecting and retaining capable employees, thereby enhancing the company's intellectual capital resources 
D)  Instituting best practices and pushing for continuous improvement in how value chain activities are performed 
E)  Instilling a corporate culture that promotes good strategy execution

Question 10

While ultimate responsibility for implementing and executing strategy falls upon the shoulders of senior executives,

Accepted Answer

A)  top-level managers still have to rely on the active support and cooperation of middle and lower-level managers in pushing needed changes in functional areas and operating units. 
B)  the pivotal and most decisive strategy-implementing actions are carried out by front-line supervisors who have day-to-day responsibility for seeing that key activities are done properly. 
C)  it is a company's employees who most determine whether the drive for good strategy execution will succeed or fail. 
D)  the success or failure of the implementation/execution effort hinges chiefly on doing an effective job of empowering employees to make day-to-day operating decisions that support good strategy execution. 
E)  the success or failure of the implementation/execution effort hinges chiefly on a company's reward system and whether its policies and procedures are strategy-supportive. 
A)  top-level managers still have to rely on the active support and cooperation of middle and lower-level managers in pushing needed changes in functional areas and operating units. 
B)  the pivotal and most decisive strategy-implementing actions are carried out by front-line supervisors who have day-to-day responsibility for seeing that key activities are done properly. 
C)  it is a company's employees who most determine whether the drive for good strategy execution will succeed or fail. 
D)  the success or failure of the implementation/execution effort hinges chiefly on doing an effective job of empowering employees to make day-to-day operating decisions that support good strategy execution. 
E)  the success or failure of the implementation/execution effort hinges chiefly on a company's reward system and whether its policies and procedures are strategy-supportive.

Question 11

The disadvantages of a centralized organizational structure include

Accepted Answer

A)  lengthening response times and discouraging lower-level managers and rank-and-file employees from exercising initiative. 
B)  a loss of top management control. 
C)  putting too much decision making authority in the hands of lower-level company personnel. 
D)  making it hard to fix accountability when things do not go well and putting the organization at risk when bad decisions are made. 
E)  impeding cross-unit coordination and capture of strategic fits. 
A)  lengthening response times and discouraging lower-level managers and rank-and-file employees from exercising initiative. 
B)  a loss of top management control. 
C)  putting too much decision making authority in the hands of lower-level company personnel. 
D)  making it hard to fix accountability when things do not go well and putting the organization at risk when bad decisions are made. 
E)  impeding cross-unit coordination and capture of strategic fits.

Question 12

When it proves 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.  Explain.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

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)  higher productivity on the part of the work force and greater ability to become an industry low-cost leader. 
D)  enhancing cross-unit coordination and capture of strategic fits. 
E)  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)  higher productivity on the part of the work force and greater ability to become an industry low-cost leader. 
D)  enhancing cross-unit coordination and capture of strategic fits. 
E)  the emergence of a collegial, collaborative culture where teamwork is a core value and decisions are made on the basis of consensus.

Question 14

The strategic importance of deliberately trying to develop organizational competencies and capabilities is

Accepted Answer

A)  lower cost for employee training. 
B)  improved strategy execution and a potential for competitive advantage. 
C)  increased ability to reduce total operating costs. 
D)  the added ease with which strategic fit and resource fit benefits can be captured. 
E)  enhanced ability to avoid the perils of outsourcing. 
A)  lower cost for employee training. 
B)  improved strategy execution and a potential for competitive advantage. 
C)  increased ability to reduce total operating costs. 
D)  the added ease with which strategic fit and resource fit benefits can be captured. 
E)  enhanced ability to avoid the perils of outsourcing.

Question 15

A well-managed network structure typically includes one firm in a more central role,with

Accepted Answer

A)  the responsibility of ensuring that the right partners are included and the activities are coordinated. 
B)  more effective collaboration and cooperation among partners. 
C)  a hand-picked, integrated network of suppliers. 
D)  an arrangement of independent organizations involved in a common undertaking. 
E)  All of these. 
A)  the responsibility of ensuring that the right partners are included and the activities are coordinated. 
B)  more effective collaboration and cooperation among partners. 
C)  a hand-picked, integrated network of suppliers. 
D)  an arrangement of independent organizations involved in a common undertaking. 
E)  All of these.

Question 16

Putting together a capable top management team

Accepted Answer

A)  should take top priority in building competitively valuable core competencies. 
B)  is particularly important when the firm is pursuing unrelated diversification or making a number of new acquisitions in related businesses. 
C)  is important in building an organization capable of proficient strategy execution, but is nearly always less crucial than doing a superior job of training and retraining employees. 
D)  entails filling key managerial slots with smart people who are clear thinkers, good at figuring out what needs to be done, and skilled in "making it happen" and delivering good results. 
E)  is particularly essential for executing a strategy to keep a company's costs lower than rivals and become the industry's low-cost leader. 
A)  should take top priority in building competitively valuable core competencies. 
B)  is particularly important when the firm is pursuing unrelated diversification or making a number of new acquisitions in related businesses. 
C)  is important in building an organization capable of proficient strategy execution, but is nearly always less crucial than doing a superior job of training and retraining employees. 
D)  entails filling key managerial slots with smart people who are clear thinkers, good at figuring out what needs to be done, and skilled in "making it happen" and delivering good results. 
E)  is particularly essential for executing a strategy to keep a company's costs lower than rivals and become the industry's low-cost leader.

Question 17

The principal managerial components of the strategy execution process include which of the following?

Accepted Answer

A)  Deciding how much to spend on employee training 
B)  Instituting policies and procedures that facilitate strategy execution and tying rewards to the achievement of strategic and financial targets 
C)  Doing an effective job of empowering employees 
D)  Revamping the value chain in a manner calculated to maximize operating efficiency 
E)  Selecting a capable top management team 
A)  Deciding how much to spend on employee training 
B)  Instituting policies and procedures that facilitate strategy execution and tying rewards to the achievement of strategic and financial targets 
C)  Doing an effective job of empowering employees 
D)  Revamping the value chain in a manner calculated to maximize operating efficiency 
E)  Selecting a capable top management team

Question 18

The rationale for making strategy-critical value chain activities the primary building blocks in a company's organizational scheme is based on

Accepted Answer

A)  the much shorter time it takes to build core competencies and competitive capabilities. 
B)  the benefit such an organizational scheme has in reducing costs. 
C)  the benefit such an organizational scheme has in improving the productivity of geographically-scattered organizational units. 
D)  the thesis that if activities crucial to strategic success are to have the resources, decision-making influence, and organizational impact they need, they have to be centerpieces in the organizational scheme. 
E)  the benefit such an organizational scheme has in making the empowerment of employees more effective. 
A)  the much shorter time it takes to build core competencies and competitive capabilities. 
B)  the benefit such an organizational scheme has in reducing costs. 
C)  the benefit such an organizational scheme has in improving the productivity of geographically-scattered organizational units. 
D)  the thesis that if activities crucial to strategic success are to have the resources, decision-making influence, and organizational impact they need, they have to be centerpieces in the organizational scheme. 
E)  the benefit such an organizational scheme has in making the empowerment of employees more effective.

Question 19

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 less 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 less 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 20

Organizing a company's work effort to promote successful strategy execution involves

Accepted Answer

A)  deciding how much to spend on training managers and employees. 
B)  deciding which value chain activities to perform in-house and which to outsource and making internally performed strategy-critical value chain activities the main building blocks in the organization structure. 
C)  choosing an organization structure that is a tight fit with the corporate culture. 
D)  hiring a capable management team. 
E)  instituting a compensation structure that reduces employee turnover and thus stabilizes the make-up of work teams. 
A)  deciding how much to spend on training managers and employees. 
B)  deciding which value chain activities to perform in-house and which to outsource and making internally performed strategy-critical value chain activities the main building blocks in the organization structure. 
C)  choosing an organization structure that is a tight fit with the corporate culture. 
D)  hiring a capable management team. 
E)  instituting a compensation structure that reduces employee turnover and thus stabilizes the make-up of work teams.

To organize the work effort around the needs of good strategy execution,management needs to

Larger firms with more complex organizational structures are

Identify and discuss the basic tenets,the chief advantages,and the chief disadvantages of centralized organizational structures.

Which of the following is not among the principal managerial components of the strategy execution process?

Ultimate responsibility for seeing that strategy is executed successfully primarily falls upon the shoulders of

The primary building blocks within a company's organizational structure

Describe at least 3 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.

Which one of the following statements about recruiting and retaining capable employees is false?

Which of the following is not among the principal managerial components of the strategy execution process?

While ultimate responsibility for implementing and executing strategy falls upon the shoulders of senior executives,

The disadvantages of a centralized organizational structure include

When it proves 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. Explain.

The chief advantages of a decentralized organizational structure include

The strategic importance of deliberately trying to develop organizational competencies and capabilities is

A well-managed network structure typically includes one firm in a more central role,with

Putting together a capable top management team

The principal managerial components of the strategy execution process include which of the following?

The rationale for making strategy-critical value chain activities the primary building blocks in a company's organizational scheme is based on

Outsourcing value chain activities has such strategy-executing advantages as

Organizing a company's work effort to promote successful strategy execution involves

What Is Strategy and Why Is It Important

Charting a Companys Direction: Vision and 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 Operation

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

To organize the work effort around the needs of good strategy execution,management needs to

Larger firms with more complex organizational structures are

Identify and discuss the basic tenets,the chief advantages,and the chief disadvantages of centralized organizational structures.

Which of the following is not among the principal managerial components of the strategy execution process?

Ultimate responsibility for seeing that strategy is executed successfully primarily falls upon the shoulders of

The primary building blocks within a company's organizational structure

Describe at least 3 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.

Which one of the following statements about recruiting and retaining capable employees is false?

Which of the following is not among the principal managerial components of the strategy execution process?

While ultimate responsibility for implementing and executing strategy falls upon the shoulders of senior executives,

The disadvantages of a centralized organizational structure include

When it proves 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. Explain.

The chief advantages of a decentralized organizational structure include

The strategic importance of deliberately trying to develop organizational competencies and capabilities is

A well-managed network structure typically includes one firm in a more central role,with

Putting together a capable top management team

The principal managerial components of the strategy execution process include which of the following?

The rationale for making strategy-critical value chain activities the primary building blocks in a company's organizational scheme is based on

Outsourcing value chain activities has such strategy-executing advantages as

Organizing a company's work effort to promote successful strategy execution involves

What Is Strategy and Why Is It Important

Charting a Companys Direction: Vision and 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 Operation

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