Question 1

Six Sigma's DMADV process of define,measure,analyze,design,and verify is a particularly good vehicle for

Accepted Answer

A)  improving performance when there are small variations in how well an activity is performed; if there are wide variations,then the Six Sigma DMVSI process has to be used. 
B)  achieving 100 percent control over how a task is performed and eliminating 100 percent of the variability in how a task is performed. 
C)  improving performance when there are wide variations in how well an activity is performed. 
D)  developing new processes or products at Six Sigma quality levels. 
E)  improving customer satisfaction,whereas Six Sigma DMADV is used to improve manufacturing processes. 
A)  improving performance when there are small variations in how well an activity is performed; if there are wide variations,then the Six Sigma DMVSI process has to be used. 
B)  achieving 100 percent control over how a task is performed and eliminating 100 percent of the variability in how a task is performed. 
C)  improving performance when there are wide variations in how well an activity is performed. 
D)  developing new processes or products at Six Sigma quality levels. 
E)  improving customer satisfaction,whereas Six Sigma DMADV is used to improve manufacturing processes.

Question 2

The Six Sigma process of define,measure,analyze,improve,and control (DMAIC) is

Accepted Answer

A)  an improvement system for existing processes falling below specification and needing incremental improvement; the DMAIC process is a particularly good vehicle for improving performance when there are wide variations in how well an activity is performed. 
B)  an improvement system used to develop new processes or products at 100 percent defect-free levels. 
C)  a system of statistical procedures for achieving 100 percent control over how a task is performed. 
D)  an improvement system used to develop new processes or products at Six Sigma levels. 
E)  a system of statistical procedures for eliminating 100 percent of the variability in how a task is performed. 
A)  an improvement system for existing processes falling below specification and needing incremental improvement; the DMAIC process is a particularly good vehicle for improving performance when there are wide variations in how well an activity is performed. 
B)  an improvement system used to develop new processes or products at 100 percent defect-free levels. 
C)  a system of statistical procedures for achieving 100 percent control over how a task is performed. 
D)  an improvement system used to develop new processes or products at Six Sigma levels. 
E)  a system of statistical procedures for eliminating 100 percent of the variability in how a task is performed.

Question 3

Total quality management (TQM)

Accepted Answer

A)  is a philosophy of managing a set of business practices that emphasizes continuous improvement in all phases of operations,100 percent accuracy in performing tasks,involvement and empowerment of employees at all levels,team-based work design,benchmarking,and total customer satisfaction. 
B)  is a valuable tool for helping company managers identify what the best practice is for performing a particular activity. 
C)  works best when used in conjunction with Six Sigma quality control techniques. 
D)  is an excellent tool for reengineering business processes and making quantum gains in the efficiency and effectiveness with which the processes are performed. 
E)  is a philosophy of doing things that aims at mistake-free management of a company's entire business. 
A)  is a philosophy of managing a set of business practices that emphasizes continuous improvement in all phases of operations,100 percent accuracy in performing tasks,involvement and empowerment of employees at all levels,team-based work design,benchmarking,and total customer satisfaction. 
B)  is a valuable tool for helping company managers identify what the best practice is for performing a particular activity. 
C)  works best when used in conjunction with Six Sigma quality control techniques. 
D)  is an excellent tool for reengineering business processes and making quantum gains in the efficiency and effectiveness with which the processes are performed. 
E)  is a philosophy of doing things that aims at mistake-free management of a company's entire business.

Question 4

What are the characteristics of unhealthy cultures?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are the characteristics of unhealthy cultures?...

Question 5

Symbolic culture-changing actions are best represented by

Accepted Answer

A)  those actions top executives take to lead by example. 
B)  frugality if a low-cost strategy is being executed. 
C)  ensuring all management actions are "walking the talk." 
D)  ceremonial events to celebrate actions that exemplify the performance culture. 
E)  All of these choices are correct. 
A)  those actions top executives take to lead by example. 
B)  frugality if a low-cost strategy is being executed. 
C)  ensuring all management actions are "walking the talk." 
D)  ceremonial events to celebrate actions that exemplify the performance culture. 
E)  All of these choices are correct.

Question 6

A change in strategy nearly always entails budget reallocations because

Accepted Answer

A)  revamping the performance of value chain activities can be costly. 
B)  the accompanying policy revisions and compensation incentives tend to require different levels of funding than before. 
C)  organizational units important in the prior strategy but having a lesser role in the new strategy may need downsizing,while units and activities that now have a bigger and more critical strategic role may need more people,new equipment,additional facilities,and above-average increases in their operating budgets. 
D)  empowering employees to carry out the new strategy elements typically requires substantial new funding and budget revisions. 
E)  adopting best practices and pushing for continuous improvement tend to reduce costs and overall resource requirements. 
A)  revamping the performance of value chain activities can be costly. 
B)  the accompanying policy revisions and compensation incentives tend to require different levels of funding than before. 
C)  organizational units important in the prior strategy but having a lesser role in the new strategy may need downsizing,while units and activities that now have a bigger and more critical strategic role may need more people,new equipment,additional facilities,and above-average increases in their operating budgets. 
D)  empowering employees to carry out the new strategy elements typically requires substantial new funding and budget revisions. 
E)  adopting best practices and pushing for continuous improvement tend to reduce costs and overall resource requirements.

Question 7

The organizing challenge of a decentralized structure that stresses employee empowerment is

Accepted Answer

A)  how to keep empowered employees from making lots of stupid decisions. 
B)  establishing a collegial,collaborative culture so that decisions can be made by gaining a quick consensus on what to do and when to do it. 
C)  how to avoid demotivating employees (because empowered employees are expected to take responsibility for their actions and decisions). 
D)  how to exercise adequate control over the actions and decisions of empowered employees so that the business is not put at risk while trying to capture the benefits of empowerment. 
E)  how to convince lower-level managers and employees that they are empowered. 
A)  how to keep empowered employees from making lots of stupid decisions. 
B)  establishing a collegial,collaborative culture so that decisions can be made by gaining a quick consensus on what to do and when to do it. 
C)  how to avoid demotivating employees (because empowered employees are expected to take responsibility for their actions and decisions). 
D)  how to exercise adequate control over the actions and decisions of empowered employees so that the business is not put at risk while trying to capture the benefits of empowerment. 
E)  how to convince lower-level managers and employees that they are empowered.

Question 8

What is meant by the term corporate culture? Identify the three major types of corporate cultures.Which of the three types of company cultures is most beneficial to evolving a company's strategy? Why is corporate culture an important factor in implementing and executing strategy?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is meant by the term corporate...

Question 9

A useful guideline in designing strategy-facilitating policies and operating procedures is

Accepted Answer

A)  to prescribe enough policies to give organizational members clear direction in implementing strategy and to place desirable boundaries on their actions,then empower them to act within these boundaries however they think makes sense. 
B)  that strictly enforced policies work better than loosely enforced policies. 
C)  that more policies and procedures work better than fewer policies and procedures and that strict enforcement always beats lax enforcement. 
D)  to let individuals act in an empowered and self-directed way,subject only to the constraint that their actions and behavior be ethical and in step with the corporate culture. 
E)  to prescribe enough policies and procedures that little is left to chance in performing value chain activities; employees should have no leeway to do things in a manner that deviates from the company's best practices standard. 
A)  to prescribe enough policies to give organizational members clear direction in implementing strategy and to place desirable boundaries on their actions,then empower them to act within these boundaries however they think makes sense. 
B)  that strictly enforced policies work better than loosely enforced policies. 
C)  that more policies and procedures work better than fewer policies and procedures and that strict enforcement always beats lax enforcement. 
D)  to let individuals act in an empowered and self-directed way,subject only to the constraint that their actions and behavior be ethical and in step with the corporate culture. 
E)  to prescribe enough policies and procedures that little is left to chance in performing value chain activities; employees should have no leeway to do things in a manner that deviates from the company's best practices standard.

Question 10

If management is to match a company's organization structure to its strategy in an effective way,then it is essential

Accepted Answer

A)  that company personnel be empowered to make both strategic decisions and operating decisions. 
B)  for strategy-critical value-chain activities to be the main building blocks on the organization chart. 
C)  that value chain activities be deliberately organized so as to produce maximum strategic fit. 
D)  to define the jobs of company personnel in terms of the functions to be performed rather than in terms of the results to be achieved. 
E)  for the company to be organized around cross-functional teams rather than around functional specialties and functional departments. 
A)  that company personnel be empowered to make both strategic decisions and operating decisions. 
B)  for strategy-critical value-chain activities to be the main building blocks on the organization chart. 
C)  that value chain activities be deliberately organized so as to produce maximum strategic fit. 
D)  to define the jobs of company personnel in terms of the functions to be performed rather than in terms of the results to be achieved. 
E)  for the company to be organized around cross-functional teams rather than around functional specialties and functional departments.

Question 11

Business process reengineering is a tool for

Accepted Answer

A)  expediting the redesign of existing products and shortening the design-to-market cycle. 
B)  pulling the pieces of strategy-critical activities out of different departments and unifying their performance in a single department or cross-functional work group. 
C)  instituting total quality management. 
D)  making the most effective use of Six Sigma techniques. 
E)  rapidly redesigning an organization's structure so as to rapidly create organizational competencies and capabilities. 
A)  expediting the redesign of existing products and shortening the design-to-market cycle. 
B)  pulling the pieces of strategy-critical activities out of different departments and unifying their performance in a single department or cross-functional work group. 
C)  instituting total quality management. 
D)  making the most effective use of Six Sigma techniques. 
E)  rapidly redesigning an organization's structure so as to rapidly create organizational competencies and capabilities.

Question 12

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 people who are 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 people who are 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 13

A blended approach to Six Sigma implementation that is gaining in popularity is

Accepted Answer

A)  dealing exclusively with procedures to achieve defect-free manufacturing and assembly. 
B)  finding other ways to contribute more to the achievement of operating excellence than either business process reengineering or Six Sigma quality control techniques. 
C)  known as the ambidextrous organization,not only adept at employing continuous improvement in operating processes but also allowing R&D to operate under a set of rules that allows for the development of breakthrough innovations. 
D)  for organizations to become more effective in improving manufacturing and assembly activities than they are in improving such value chain activities as R&D,human resources management,supply chain management,information technology,sales and marketing,and finance. 
E)  not considered the best tool for reengineering strategy-critical business processes. 
A)  dealing exclusively with procedures to achieve defect-free manufacturing and assembly. 
B)  finding other ways to contribute more to the achievement of operating excellence than either business process reengineering or Six Sigma quality control techniques. 
C)  known as the ambidextrous organization,not only adept at employing continuous improvement in operating processes but also allowing R&D to operate under a set of rules that allows for the development of breakthrough innovations. 
D)  for organizations to become more effective in improving manufacturing and assembly activities than they are in improving such value chain activities as R&D,human resources management,supply chain management,information technology,sales and marketing,and finance. 
E)  not considered the best tool for reengineering strategy-critical business processes.

Question 14

The most common building blocks for 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)  involve a functional or departmental structure that includes process,geographic,product,or customer groups performing one or more major processing steps along the value chain. 
C)  typically consist of an unempowered 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 who 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)  involve a functional or departmental structure that includes process,geographic,product,or customer groups performing one or more major processing steps along the value chain. 
C)  typically consist of an unempowered 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 who 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 15

Which one of the following is not a benefit of prescribing policies and operating procedures to aid management's task of implementing strategy?

Accepted Answer

A)  helping enforce consistency in how particular activities are performed 
B)  providing top-down guidance to operating managers,supervisory personnel,and employees regarding how to alter past practice and how things need to be done now 
C)  promoting the creation of a can-do work climate that facilitates good strategy execution 
D)  helping build employee commitment to adopting best practices and using the tools of TQM and Six Sigma 
E)  Two answers are correct: helping enforce consistency in how particular activities are performed,and providing top-down guidance to operating managers,supervisory personnel,and employees regarding how to alter past practice and how things need to be done now. 
A)  helping enforce consistency in how particular activities are performed 
B)  providing top-down guidance to operating managers,supervisory personnel,and employees regarding how to alter past practice and how things need to be done now 
C)  promoting the creation of a can-do work climate that facilitates good strategy execution 
D)  helping build employee commitment to adopting best practices and using the tools of TQM and Six Sigma 
E)  Two answers are correct: helping enforce consistency in how particular activities are performed,and providing top-down guidance to operating managers,supervisory personnel,and employees regarding how to alter past practice and how things need to be done now.

Question 16

When trying to change a problem culture,management should undertake such steps as

Accepted Answer

A)  selecting a team of key employees to lead the culture change effort and design a plan for cultural change. 
B)  identifying which aspects of the present culture are supportive of good strategy execution and which ones are not. 
C)  drawing up an action plan to change the present culture and then persuading company personnel why this plan of action is good and will be successful. 
D)  conducting an employee survey to determine the organization's cultural norms and what company personnel like and dislike about the current culture. 
E)  employing a consultant with expertise in culture change and following his or her advice on how to proceed. 
A)  selecting a team of key employees to lead the culture change effort and design a plan for cultural change. 
B)  identifying which aspects of the present culture are supportive of good strategy execution and which ones are not. 
C)  drawing up an action plan to change the present culture and then persuading company personnel why this plan of action is good and will be successful. 
D)  conducting an employee survey to determine the organization's cultural norms and what company personnel like and dislike about the current culture. 
E)  employing a consultant with expertise in culture change and following his or her advice on how to proceed.

Question 17

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

Accepted Answer

A)  identifying aspects of the present culture that pose problems 
B)  revising policies and procedures in ways that will help drive cultural change and replacing senior executives who may be stonewalling needed organizational and cultural changes 
C)  empowering employees to adopt whatever new work practices they believe will be an improvement 
D)  making a concerted effort to turn the company's core competencies into distinctive competencies 
E)  shifting from decentralized to centralized decision making so as to give senior executives more authority and control in driving cultural change 
A)  identifying aspects of the present culture that pose problems 
B)  revising policies and procedures in ways that will help drive cultural change and replacing senior executives who may be stonewalling needed organizational and cultural changes 
C)  empowering employees to adopt whatever new work practices they believe will be an improvement 
D)  making a concerted effort to turn the company's core competencies into distinctive competencies 
E)  shifting from decentralized to centralized decision making so as to give senior executives more authority and control in driving cultural change

Question 18

Company strategies and value creating processes can't be effectively executed without internal information systems that include

Accepted Answer

A)  customer data,employee data,supplier/partner data,operations data,and financial performance data. 
B)  TQM,reengineering,and Six Sigma programs. 
C)  monetary and nonmonetary reward systems. 
D)  activity-based cost accounting,benchmarking,and best practices. 
E)  All of these choices are correct. 
A)  customer data,employee data,supplier/partner data,operations data,and financial performance data. 
B)  TQM,reengineering,and Six Sigma programs. 
C)  monetary and nonmonetary reward systems. 
D)  activity-based cost accounting,benchmarking,and best practices. 
E)  All of these choices are correct.

Question 19

Which of the following is not characteristic of a compensation and reward system designed to help drive successful strategy execution?

Accepted Answer

A)  tying incentives to performance outcomes directly linked to good strategy execution and financial performance 
B)  keeping the time between achieving the target performance outcome and the payment of the reward as short as possible 
C)  making sure the performance targets that each individual or team is expected to achieve involve outcomes that the individual or team can personally affect 
D)  generous rewards for people who turn in outstanding performances 
E)  a reward system that involves 50 percent nonmonetary rewards and a work environment that avoids placing pressure on managers and employees to perform at high levels 
A)  tying incentives to performance outcomes directly linked to good strategy execution and financial performance 
B)  keeping the time between achieving the target performance outcome and the payment of the reward as short as possible 
C)  making sure the performance targets that each individual or team is expected to achieve involve outcomes that the individual or team can personally affect 
D)  generous rewards for people who turn in outstanding performances 
E)  a reward system that involves 50 percent nonmonetary rewards and a work environment that avoids placing pressure on managers and employees to perform at high levels

Question 20

Identify four tactics that are common among companies dedicated to staffing jobs with the best people they can find.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Identify four tactics that are common among...

Six Sigma's DMADV process of define,measure,analyze,design,and verify is a particularly good vehicle for

The Six Sigma process of define,measure,analyze,improve,and control (DMAIC) is

Total quality management (TQM)

What are the characteristics of unhealthy cultures?

Symbolic culture-changing actions are best represented by

A change in strategy nearly always entails budget reallocations because

The organizing challenge of a decentralized structure that stresses employee empowerment is

What is meant by the term corporate culture? Identify the three major types of corporate cultures.Which of the three types of company cultures is most beneficial to evolving a company's strategy? Why is corporate culture an important factor in implementing and executing strategy?

A useful guideline in designing strategy-facilitating policies and operating procedures is

If management is to match a company's organization structure to its strategy in an effective way,then it is essential

Business process reengineering is a tool for

Putting together a capable top management team

A blended approach to Six Sigma implementation that is gaining in popularity is

The most common building blocks for a company's organizational structure

Which one of the following is not a benefit of prescribing policies and operating procedures to aid management's task of implementing strategy?

When trying to change a problem culture,management should undertake such steps as

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

Company strategies and value creating processes can't be effectively executed without internal information systems that include

Which of the following is not characteristic of a compensation and reward system designed to help drive successful strategy execution?

Identify four tactics that are common among companies dedicated to staffing jobs with the best people they can find.

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

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

Six Sigma's DMADV process of define,measure,analyze,design,and verify is a particularly good vehicle for

The Six Sigma process of define,measure,analyze,improve,and control (DMAIC) is

Total quality management (TQM)

What are the characteristics of unhealthy cultures?

Symbolic culture-changing actions are best represented by

A change in strategy nearly always entails budget reallocations because

The organizing challenge of a decentralized structure that stresses employee empowerment is

What is meant by the term corporate culture? Identify the three major types of corporate cultures.Which of the three types of company cultures is most beneficial to evolving a company's strategy? Why is corporate culture an important factor in implementing and executing strategy?

A useful guideline in designing strategy-facilitating policies and operating procedures is

If management is to match a company's organization structure to its strategy in an effective way,then it is essential

Business process reengineering is a tool for

Putting together a capable top management team

A blended approach to Six Sigma implementation that is gaining in popularity is

The most common building blocks for a company's organizational structure

Which one of the following is not a benefit of prescribing policies and operating procedures to aid management's task of implementing strategy?

When trying to change a problem culture,management should undertake such steps as

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

Company strategies and value creating processes can't be effectively executed without internal information systems that include

Which of the following is not characteristic of a compensation and reward system designed to help drive successful strategy execution?

Identify four tactics that are common among companies dedicated to staffing jobs with the best people they can find.

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