Question 1

Good strategy execution

Accepted Answer

A)  requires a team effort with managers who have strategy-executing responsibility and making all employees active participants in the execution process. 
B)  requires getting things done effectively and efficiently. 
C)  allows companywide performance measures to be met. 
D)  requires middle and lower-level managers to ensure strategy-critical activities are successfully implemented. 
E)  All of these choices are correct. 
A)  requires a team effort with managers who have strategy-executing responsibility and making all employees active participants in the execution process. 
B)  requires getting things done effectively and efficiently. 
C)  allows companywide performance measures to be met. 
D)  requires middle and lower-level managers to ensure strategy-critical activities are successfully implemented. 
E)  All of these choices are correct. E

Question 2

The single most visible factor that distinguishes successful culture-change efforts from failed attempts is

Accepted Answer

A)  forceful management actions to empower employees to adopt new operating practices. 
B)  competent leadership at the top. 
C)  delayering the management hierarchy. 
D)  developing a new values statement that inspires company personnel to put forth their best efforts to achieve performance targets. 
E)  convincing employees that top management is genuinely committed to high ethical standards and the exercise of corporate social responsibility. 
A)  forceful management actions to empower employees to adopt new operating practices. 
B)  competent leadership at the top. 
C)  delayering the management hierarchy. 
D)  developing a new values statement that inspires company personnel to put forth their best efforts to achieve performance targets. 
E)  convincing employees that top management is genuinely committed to high ethical standards and the exercise of corporate social responsibility. B

Question 3

The principal managerial actions and initiatives undertaken in 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 rather than impede effective strategy execution 
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 rather than impede effective strategy execution 
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 B

Question 4

Give two examples of "symbolic" culture-changing actions and two examples of "substantive" culture-changing actions.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Give two examples of "symbolic" culture-changing actions...

Question 5

Some of the most important nonmonetary approaches to enhancing motivation and helping drive successful strategy execution include

Accepted Answer

A)  adopting promotion-from-within policies and acting on suggestions from employees. 
B)  providing attractive perks and fringe benefits. 
C)  creating a work atmosphere in which there is genuine sincerity,caring,and mutual respect among employees and management. 
D)  using frequent words of praise to recognize employees for commendable performance. 
E)  All of these choices are correct. 
A)  adopting promotion-from-within policies and acting on suggestions from employees. 
B)  providing attractive perks and fringe benefits. 
C)  creating a work atmosphere in which there is genuine sincerity,caring,and mutual respect among employees and management. 
D)  using frequent words of praise to recognize employees for commendable performance. 
E)  All of these choices are correct.

Question 6

The statistical thinking underlying Six Sigma is based on the following three principles:

Accepted Answer

A)  all activities can be controlled,employee empowerment is the best control tool,and 100 percent control is possible. 
B)  all work is a process,all processes have variability,and all processes create data that explain variability. 
C)  all work activities can be done accurately most of the time,empowered employees are necessary for effective control,and good statistical data are an empowered employee's best control tool. 
D)  all work is a statistically controllable process,100 percent control is possible,and every well-controlled process is defect-free. 
E)  most business processes are subject to control,Six Sigma can remove variability in how processes are performed,and most defects can be eliminated. 
A)  all activities can be controlled,employee empowerment is the best control tool,and 100 percent control is possible. 
B)  all work is a process,all processes have variability,and all processes create data that explain variability. 
C)  all work activities can be done accurately most of the time,empowered employees are necessary for effective control,and good statistical data are an empowered employee's best control tool. 
D)  all work is a statistically controllable process,100 percent control is possible,and every well-controlled process is defect-free. 
E)  most business processes are subject to control,Six Sigma can remove variability in how processes are performed,and most defects can be eliminated.

Question 7

Which one of the following is not a substantive culture-changing action that a company's managers can undertake to alter a problem culture?

Accepted Answer

A)  promoting individuals who have stepped forward to advocate the shift to a different culture and who can serve as role models for the desired cultural behavior 
B)  revising policies and procedures in ways that will help drive cultural change 
C)  screening all candidates for new positions carefully and hiring only those who appear to fit in with the new culture 
D)  urging company personnel to search outside the company for work practices and operating approaches that may be an improvement over what the company is presently doing 
E)  designing compensation incentives that boost the pay of teams and individuals who display the desired cultural behaviors and hit change-resisters in the pocketbook 
A)  promoting individuals who have stepped forward to advocate the shift to a different culture and who can serve as role models for the desired cultural behavior 
B)  revising policies and procedures in ways that will help drive cultural change 
C)  screening all candidates for new positions carefully and hiring only those who appear to fit in with the new culture 
D)  urging company personnel to search outside the company for work practices and operating approaches that may be an improvement over what the company is presently doing 
E)  designing compensation incentives that boost the pay of teams and individuals who display the desired cultural behaviors and hit change-resisters in the pocketbook

Question 8

The big difference between business process reengineering and continuous improvement programs such as TQM or Six Sigma is that

Accepted Answer

A)  reengineering is a tool for installing process organization,whereas TQM and Six Sigma concern defect-free production methods and delivering world-class customer service. 
B)  reengineering helps create core competencies,whereas TQM and Six Sigma are tools for making a core competence stronger and more efficient. 
C)  reengineering is a tool for achieving one-time quantum improvements,whereas TQM and Six Sigma programs aim at incremental progress improvement (striving for inch-by-inch gains again and again in a never-ending stream). 
D)  business process reengineering requires benchmarking,whereas TQM and Six Sigma do not. 
E)  reengineering represents an effort to totally revamp a firm's value chain,whereas TQM looks at incrementally improving the performance of two or three targeted value chain activities. 
A)  reengineering is a tool for installing process organization,whereas TQM and Six Sigma concern defect-free production methods and delivering world-class customer service. 
B)  reengineering helps create core competencies,whereas TQM and Six Sigma are tools for making a core competence stronger and more efficient. 
C)  reengineering is a tool for achieving one-time quantum improvements,whereas TQM and Six Sigma programs aim at incremental progress improvement (striving for inch-by-inch gains again and again in a never-ending stream). 
D)  business process reengineering requires benchmarking,whereas TQM and Six Sigma do not. 
E)  reengineering represents an effort to totally revamp a firm's value chain,whereas TQM looks at incrementally improving the performance of two or three targeted value chain activities.

Question 9

Which of the following is not a sound guideline for designing a reward and incentive system that helps promote good strategy execution?

Accepted Answer

A)  The reward system must be administered with scrupulous objectivity and fairness. 
B)  The payoff for meeting or beating performance targets must be a major,not minor,piece of the total compensation package. 
C)  Any incentive plan should extend to all managers and all employees,not just top management. 
D)  Ways must be found to reward deserving nonperformers who,for some reason,do not fare well under the incentive system. 
E)  Make sure that the performance targets each individual or team is expected to achieve involve outcomes that the individual or team can personally affect. 
A)  The reward system must be administered with scrupulous objectivity and fairness. 
B)  The payoff for meeting or beating performance targets must be a major,not minor,piece of the total compensation package. 
C)  Any incentive plan should extend to all managers and all employees,not just top management. 
D)  Ways must be found to reward deserving nonperformers who,for some reason,do not fare well under the incentive system. 
E)  Make sure that the performance targets each individual or team is expected to achieve involve outcomes that the individual or team can personally affect.

Question 10

Which one of the following is not a fundamental part of a company's culture?

Accepted Answer

A)  work practices and behaviors that define "how we do things around here" 
B)  "Chemistry" that permeates its work environment 
C)  the company's core values and business principles 
D)  the company's strategic vision,strategic intent,and strategy 
E)  the company's style of operating and ingrained behaviors and attitudes 
A)  work practices and behaviors that define "how we do things around here" 
B)  "Chemistry" that permeates its work environment 
C)  the company's core values and business principles 
D)  the company's strategic vision,strategic intent,and strategy 
E)  the company's style of operating and ingrained behaviors and attitudes

Question 11

Which of the following is not an example of an unhealthy company culture?

Accepted Answer

A)  insular,inwardly focused culture 
B)  change-resistant culture 
C)  unethical and greed-driven culture 
D)  politicized culture 
E)  hyper-adaptive culture 
A)  insular,inwardly focused culture 
B)  change-resistant culture 
C)  unethical and greed-driven culture 
D)  politicized culture 
E)  hyper-adaptive culture

Question 12

Which one of the following is not a means of building and strengthening competitively valuable resources and capabilities?

Accepted Answer

A)  engaging in experience-building activities such as collaborative efforts in R&D engineering and design 
B)  shifting from decentralized to centralized decision-making so as to give senior executives more authority and control in driving cultural change 
C)  acquiring capabilities through mergers and acquisitions 
D)  entering into collaborative partnerships with suppliers,competitors,or other companies that possess needed expertise 
E)  None of these choices is correct. 
A)  engaging in experience-building activities such as collaborative efforts in R&D engineering and design 
B)  shifting from decentralized to centralized decision-making so as to give senior executives more authority and control in driving cultural change 
C)  acquiring capabilities through mergers and acquisitions 
D)  entering into collaborative partnerships with suppliers,competitors,or other companies that possess needed expertise 
E)  None of these choices is correct.

Question 13

For decentralized decision making to be successful,it should be predicated on a belief that

Accepted Answer

A)  top executives should establish a collegial,collaborative culture in which decisions are made by general consensus on what to do and when. 
B)  strict enforcement of detailed procedures backed by rigorous managerial oversight is necessary because company personnel cannot be counted on to act wisely or keep costs to a bare-bones level. 
C)  decision-making authority should be pushed down to the lowest organizational level capable of making timely,informed,competent decisions. 
D)  most company personnel have neither the time nor the inclination to direct and properly control the work they are performing and that they lack the knowledge and judgment to make wise decisions about how best to do their work. 
E)  lower-level managers and employees should go up the ladder of command for approval on most all strategic and operating issues of much importance. 
A)  top executives should establish a collegial,collaborative culture in which decisions are made by general consensus on what to do and when. 
B)  strict enforcement of detailed procedures backed by rigorous managerial oversight is necessary because company personnel cannot be counted on to act wisely or keep costs to a bare-bones level. 
C)  decision-making authority should be pushed down to the lowest organizational level capable of making timely,informed,competent decisions. 
D)  most company personnel have neither the time nor the inclination to direct and properly control the work they are performing and that they lack the knowledge and judgment to make wise decisions about how best to do their work. 
E)  lower-level managers and employees should go up the ladder of command for approval on most all strategic and operating issues of much importance.

Question 14

Briefly identify three types of unhealthy corporate cultures.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Briefly identify three types of unhealthy corporate...

Question 15

Identify types of support systems that a company can install to support the execution of its strategy.How important are these systems to the strategy implementation process?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Identify types of support systems that a...

Question 16

Recruiting and retaining capable employees

Accepted Answer

A)  is usually much more important to good strategy execution than is assembling a capable top management team. 
B)  is important because the quality of an organization's people is always an essential ingredient of successful strategy execution-knowledgeable,engaged employees are a company's best source of creative ideas for the nuts-and-bolts operating improvements that lead to operating excellence. 
C)  is more important during periods of rapid growth than during periods of crisis and attempted turnarounds. 
D)  is an important organization-building element,particularly when it comes to transforming a competence into a core competence or distinctive competence. 
E)  is easily the most critical aspect in building competitively valuable core competencies and capabilities. 
A)  is usually much more important to good strategy execution than is assembling a capable top management team. 
B)  is important because the quality of an organization's people is always an essential ingredient of successful strategy execution-knowledgeable,engaged employees are a company's best source of creative ideas for the nuts-and-bolts operating improvements that lead to operating excellence. 
C)  is more important during periods of rapid growth than during periods of crisis and attempted turnarounds. 
D)  is an important organization-building element,particularly when it comes to transforming a competence into a core competence or distinctive competence. 
E)  is easily the most critical aspect in building competitively valuable core competencies and capabilities.

Question 17

MBWA refers to

Accepted Answer

A)  modifying businesses with action. 
B)  a mission,balanced scorecard,and weighted assessment. 
C)  the managerial practice of making regular visits to field operations and talking with many people at many different levels. 
D)  the balanced scorecard perspectives of a company's strategy map. 
E)  managing businesses with authority. 
A)  modifying businesses with action. 
B)  a mission,balanced scorecard,and weighted assessment. 
C)  the managerial practice of making regular visits to field operations and talking with many people at many different levels. 
D)  the balanced scorecard perspectives of a company's strategy map. 
E)  managing businesses with authority.

Question 18

Why does a company's budget need to be closely linked to the needs of good strategy execution? Why might a change in strategy call for budget reallocations?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Why does a company's budget need to...

Question 19

How do well-conceived policies and procedures aid the task of implementing and executing strategy? Explain how well-conceived policies and procedures facilitate organizational change and good strategy execution.

Accepted Answer

The answer of How do well-conceived policies and procedures aid...

Question 20

Companies with change-resistant cultures

Accepted Answer

A)  are typically opposed to performance-based incentive compensation and employee empowerment. 
B)  are prone to be preoccupied with avoiding risks,are unlikely to pursue bold actions to capture emerging opportunities,have a widespread aversion to continuous improvement in performing value chain activities,and prefer following rather than leading market change. 
C)  are often overly gung ho about looking outside the company for best practices,new managerial approaches,and innovative ideas. 
D)  tend to be preoccupied with making sure the company has a safe,follow-the-industry-leader type of strategic vision and to avoid risky business strategies. 
E)  are typically run by amoral managers who have little regard for high ethical standards. 
A)  are typically opposed to performance-based incentive compensation and employee empowerment. 
B)  are prone to be preoccupied with avoiding risks,are unlikely to pursue bold actions to capture emerging opportunities,have a widespread aversion to continuous improvement in performing value chain activities,and prefer following rather than leading market change. 
C)  are often overly gung ho about looking outside the company for best practices,new managerial approaches,and innovative ideas. 
D)  tend to be preoccupied with making sure the company has a safe,follow-the-industry-leader type of strategic vision and to avoid risky business strategies. 
E)  are typically run by amoral managers who have little regard for high ethical standards.

Good strategy execution

The single most visible factor that distinguishes successful culture-change efforts from failed attempts is

The principal managerial actions and initiatives undertaken in the strategy execution process include which of the following?

Give two examples of "symbolic" culture-changing actions and two examples of "substantive" culture-changing actions.

Some of the most important nonmonetary approaches to enhancing motivation and helping drive successful strategy execution include

The statistical thinking underlying Six Sigma is based on the following three principles:

Which one of the following is not a substantive culture-changing action that a company's managers can undertake to alter a problem culture?

The big difference between business process reengineering and continuous improvement programs such as TQM or Six Sigma is that

Which of the following is not a sound guideline for designing a reward and incentive system that helps promote good strategy execution?

Which one of the following is not a fundamental part of a company's culture?

Which of the following is not an example of an unhealthy company culture?

Which one of the following is not a means of building and strengthening competitively valuable resources and capabilities?

For decentralized decision making to be successful,it should be predicated on a belief that

Briefly identify three types of unhealthy corporate cultures.

Identify types of support systems that a company can install to support the execution of its strategy.How important are these systems to the strategy implementation process?

Recruiting and retaining capable employees

MBWA refers to

Why does a company's budget need to be closely linked to the needs of good strategy execution? Why might a change in strategy call for budget reallocations?

How do well-conceived policies and procedures aid the task of implementing and executing strategy? Explain how well-conceived policies and procedures facilitate organizational change and good strategy execution.

Companies with change-resistant cultures

Strategy,Business Models, and Competitive Advantage

Strategy Formulation, Execution, and Governance

Evaluating a Companys External Environment

Evaluating a Company Resources, Capabilities, and Competitiveness

The Five Generic Competitive Strategies

Strength-Ending a Company Competitive Position: Strategic Moves, Timing, and Scope of Operations

Strategies for Competing in International Markets

Corporate Strategy: Diversification and the Multi-Business Company

Ethics,Corporate Social Responsibility,Environmental Sustainability, and Strategy

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Exam 10: Super Strategy Execution-Another Path to Competitive Advantage

Good strategy execution

The single most visible factor that distinguishes successful culture-change efforts from failed attempts is

The principal managerial actions and initiatives undertaken in the strategy execution process include which of the following?

Give two examples of "symbolic" culture-changing actions and two examples of "substantive" culture-changing actions.

Some of the most important nonmonetary approaches to enhancing motivation and helping drive successful strategy execution include

The statistical thinking underlying Six Sigma is based on the following three principles:

Which one of the following is not a substantive culture-changing action that a company's managers can undertake to alter a problem culture?

The big difference between business process reengineering and continuous improvement programs such as TQM or Six Sigma is that

Which of the following is not a sound guideline for designing a reward and incentive system that helps promote good strategy execution?

Which one of the following is not a fundamental part of a company's culture?

Which of the following is not an example of an unhealthy company culture?

Which one of the following is not a means of building and strengthening competitively valuable resources and capabilities?

For decentralized decision making to be successful,it should be predicated on a belief that

Briefly identify three types of unhealthy corporate cultures.

Identify types of support systems that a company can install to support the execution of its strategy.How important are these systems to the strategy implementation process?

Recruiting and retaining capable employees

MBWA refers to

Why does a company's budget need to be closely linked to the needs of good strategy execution? Why might a change in strategy call for budget reallocations?

How do well-conceived policies and procedures aid the task of implementing and executing strategy? Explain how well-conceived policies and procedures facilitate organizational change and good strategy execution.

Companies with change-resistant cultures

Strategy,Business Models, and Competitive Advantage

Strategy Formulation, Execution, and Governance

Evaluating a Companys External Environment

Evaluating a Company Resources, Capabilities, and Competitiveness

The Five Generic Competitive Strategies

Strength-Ending a Company Competitive Position: Strategic Moves, Timing, and Scope of Operations

Strategies for Competing in International Markets

Corporate Strategy: Diversification and the Multi-Business Company

Ethics,Corporate Social Responsibility,Environmental Sustainability, and Strategy

Filters