Question 1

Executing strategy

Accepted Answer

A)  is primarily an operations-driven activity revolving around the management of people and business processes. 
B)  tests a manager's ability to direct organizational change and achieve continuous improvement in operations and business processes. 
C)  tests a manager's ability to create and nurture a strategy-supportive culture. 
D)  tests a manager's ability to consistently meet or beat performance targets. 
E)  All of these. 
A)  is primarily an operations-driven activity revolving around the management of people and business processes. 
B)  tests a manager's ability to direct organizational change and achieve continuous improvement in operations and business processes. 
C)  tests a manager's ability to create and nurture a strategy-supportive culture. 
D)  tests a manager's ability to consistently meet or beat performance targets. 
E)  All of these.

Question 2

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)  The 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)  The 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 3

Companies with politicized cultures

Accepted Answer

A)  are typically opposed to performance-based incentive compensation and employee empowerment. 
B)  tend to be preoccupied with making sure the company has a safe,follow-the-industry-leader type of strategic vision and it avoids risky business strategies. 
C)  tend to drive managers to consume a great deal of organizational energy and make the company's strategic agenda take a backseat role to political maneuvering. 
D)  are typically opposed to sound strategic initiatives designed to promote the well-being of specific functions. 
E)  are typically run by political managers who have little regard for high ethical standards. 
A)  are typically opposed to performance-based incentive compensation and employee empowerment. 
B)  tend to be preoccupied with making sure the company has a safe,follow-the-industry-leader type of strategic vision and it avoids risky business strategies. 
C)  tend to drive managers to consume a great deal of organizational energy and make the company's strategic agenda take a backseat role to political maneuvering. 
D)  are typically opposed to sound strategic initiatives designed to promote the well-being of specific functions. 
E)  are typically run by political managers who have little regard for high ethical standards.

Question 4

Management's most powerful tool for winning employee commitment to good strategy execution and operating excellence is

Accepted Answer

A)  the establishment of strategy-supportive policies and procedures. 
B)  empowering employees and encouraging them to adopt best practices. 
C)  setting stretch objectives. 
D)  a properly designed system of rewards and incentives. 
E)  aggressive use of TQM and Six Sigma quality control programs. 
A)  the establishment of strategy-supportive policies and procedures. 
B)  empowering employees and encouraging them to adopt best practices. 
C)  setting stretch objectives. 
D)  a properly designed system of rewards and incentives. 
E)  aggressive use of TQM and Six Sigma quality control programs.

Question 5

The purpose of managing by walking around is to

Accepted Answer

A)  learn more about company operations and see how activities are really being done. 
B)  gather information about what is happening from people at different organizational levels and learn firsthand how well the strategy execution process is proceeding. 
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)  be visible and accessible to employees. 
A)  learn more about company operations and see how activities are really being done. 
B)  gather information about what is happening from people at different organizational levels and learn firsthand how well the strategy execution process is proceeding. 
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)  be visible and accessible to employees.

Question 6

What is meant by the term "corporate culture"? 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 7

What are the distinctive features of adaptive corporate cultures?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are the distinctive features of adaptive...

Question 8

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 9

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 10

What are the eight components of strategy execution?

Accepted Answer

The eight components of strategy executi

Question 11

Operating systems that support company strategies and value-creating internal processes include all of the following except

Accepted Answer

A)  customer database systems. 
B)  information systems to track supplier/partner/collaborative ally data. 
C)  human resources systems that maintain employee data. 
D)  systems to record and report financial performance data. 
E)  data management systems for undertaking benchmarking,TQM,and Six Sigma quality control. 
A)  customer database systems. 
B)  information systems to track supplier/partner/collaborative ally data. 
C)  human resources systems that maintain employee data. 
D)  systems to record and report financial performance data. 
E)  data management systems for undertaking benchmarking,TQM,and Six Sigma quality control.

Question 12

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 13

An important consideration in designing a strategy-supportive motivation and reward system is to

Accepted Answer

A)  link the payment of all monetary rewards to the company's profitability. 
B)  employ incentives that will help motivate employees to work hard at performing their assigned duties and activities. 
C)  choose those types of rewards and incentives that focus employees' attention on "what to do." 
D)  make across-the-board wage and salary increases the cornerstone of monetary rewards. 
E)  make both monetary and nonmonetary rewards integral parts of the reward system. 
A)  link the payment of all monetary rewards to the company's profitability. 
B)  employ incentives that will help motivate employees to work hard at performing their assigned duties and activities. 
C)  choose those types of rewards and incentives that focus employees' attention on "what to do." 
D)  make across-the-board wage and salary increases the cornerstone of monetary rewards. 
E)  make both monetary and nonmonetary rewards integral parts of the reward system.

Question 14

Identify at least four guidelines for creating incentive compensation systems that link employee behavior to organizational objectives.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Identify at least four guidelines for creating...

Question 15

The use of incentives and rewards is the single most powerful tool at management's disposal to win strong employee commitment to carrying out the strategic plan.True or false? Explain.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The use of incentives and rewards is...

Question 16

Changing a problem culture

Accepted Answer

A)  is one of the toughest managerial tasks because of the tendency of company personnel to cling to familiar practices and ways of doing things. 
B)  is best done by instituting an aggressive program to train employees in the ways and beliefs of the new culture to be implanted. 
C)  is best done by selecting a team of key employees to lead the culture change effort. 
D)  requires writing a new statement of core values and describing in writing the kind of culture that is needed. 
E)  can be done quickly only if managers tie incentive compensation to exhibiting the desired new cultural behaviors and if managers visibly praise people who exhibit the desired new cultural traits. 
A)  is one of the toughest managerial tasks because of the tendency of company personnel to cling to familiar practices and ways of doing things. 
B)  is best done by instituting an aggressive program to train employees in the ways and beliefs of the new culture to be implanted. 
C)  is best done by selecting a team of key employees to lead the culture change effort. 
D)  requires writing a new statement of core values and describing in writing the kind of culture that is needed. 
E)  can be done quickly only if managers tie incentive compensation to exhibiting the desired new cultural behaviors and if managers visibly praise people who exhibit the desired new cultural traits.

Question 17

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% control over how a task is performed and eliminating 100% 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% control over how a task is performed and eliminating 100% 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 18

Identify and describe two ways that policies and procedures aid the task of implementing and executing strategy?

Accepted Answer

Policies and procedures aid the task of

Question 19

The three components of building a capable organization are

Accepted Answer

A)  making periodic changes in the firm's internal organization to keep people from getting into a comfortable rut,instituting a decentralized approach to decision making,and developing the appropriate competencies and capabilities. 
B)  hiring a capable top management team,empowering employees,and establishing a strategy-supportive corporate culture. 
C)  putting a centralized decision-making structure in place,determining who should have responsibility for each value chain activity,and aligning the corporate culture with key policies,procedures,and operating practices. 
D)  staffing the organization,building core competencies and competitive capabilities,and structuring the organization and work effort. 
E)  optimizing the number of core competencies and competitive capabilities,making sure that all managers and employees are empowered,and maximizing internal operating efficiency. 
A)  making periodic changes in the firm's internal organization to keep people from getting into a comfortable rut,instituting a decentralized approach to decision making,and developing the appropriate competencies and capabilities. 
B)  hiring a capable top management team,empowering employees,and establishing a strategy-supportive corporate culture. 
C)  putting a centralized decision-making structure in place,determining who should have responsibility for each value chain activity,and aligning the corporate culture with key policies,procedures,and operating practices. 
D)  staffing the organization,building core competencies and competitive capabilities,and structuring the organization and work effort. 
E)  optimizing the number of core competencies and competitive capabilities,making sure that all managers and employees are empowered,and maximizing internal operating efficiency.

Question 20

Which one of the following statements about a high-performance culture is false?

Accepted Answer

A)  High-performance cultures are characterized by a pride in doing things right and a no-excuses sense of accountability. 
B)  High-performance cultures often have a low regard for high ethical standards,a strong preference for high-risk strategies,and a slow and methodical approach to responding to changes in the marketplace. 
C)  The challenge in creating a high-performance culture is to inspire high loyalty and dedication on the part of employees,such that they are energized to do things right. 
D)  In a high-performance culture,there's a razor sharp focus on what needs to be done. 
E)  In high-performance cultures,there's a strong sense of involvement on the part of company personnel and emphasis on individual initiative and creativity. 
A)  High-performance cultures are characterized by a pride in doing things right and a no-excuses sense of accountability. 
B)  High-performance cultures often have a low regard for high ethical standards,a strong preference for high-risk strategies,and a slow and methodical approach to responding to changes in the marketplace. 
C)  The challenge in creating a high-performance culture is to inspire high loyalty and dedication on the part of employees,such that they are energized to do things right. 
D)  In a high-performance culture,there's a razor sharp focus on what needs to be done. 
E)  In high-performance cultures,there's a strong sense of involvement on the part of company personnel and emphasis on individual initiative and creativity.

Executing strategy

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

Companies with politicized cultures

Management's most powerful tool for winning employee commitment to good strategy execution and operating excellence is

The purpose of managing by walking around is to

What is meant by the term "corporate culture"? Why is corporate culture an important factor in implementing and executing strategy?

What are the distinctive features of adaptive corporate cultures?

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?

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

What are the eight components of strategy execution?

Operating systems that support company strategies and value-creating internal processes include all of the following except

MBWA refers to

An important consideration in designing a strategy-supportive motivation and reward system is to

Identify at least four guidelines for creating incentive compensation systems that link employee behavior to organizational objectives.

The use of incentives and rewards is the single most powerful tool at management's disposal to win strong employee commitment to carrying out the strategic plan.True or false? Explain.

Changing a problem culture

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

Identify and describe two ways that policies and procedures aid the task of implementing and executing strategy?

The three components of building a capable organization are

Which one of the following statements about a high-performance culture is false?

Strategy, Business Models, and Competitive Advantage

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

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

Strategies for Competing in International Markets

Corporate Strategy: Diversification and the Multibusiness Company

Ethics, Corporate Social Responsibility, Environmental Sustainability, and Strategy

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

Executing strategy

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

Companies with politicized cultures

Management's most powerful tool for winning employee commitment to good strategy execution and operating excellence is

The purpose of managing by walking around is to

What is meant by the term "corporate culture"? Why is corporate culture an important factor in implementing and executing strategy?

What are the distinctive features of adaptive corporate cultures?

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?

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

What are the eight components of strategy execution?

Operating systems that support company strategies and value-creating internal processes include all of the following except

MBWA refers to

An important consideration in designing a strategy-supportive motivation and reward system is to

Identify at least four guidelines for creating incentive compensation systems that link employee behavior to organizational objectives.

The use of incentives and rewards is the single most powerful tool at management's disposal to win strong employee commitment to carrying out the strategic plan.True or false? Explain.

Changing a problem culture

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

Identify and describe two ways that policies and procedures aid the task of implementing and executing strategy?

The three components of building a capable organization are

Which one of the following statements about a high-performance culture is false?

Strategy, Business Models, and Competitive Advantage

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

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

Strategies for Competing in International Markets

Corporate Strategy: Diversification and the Multibusiness Company

Ethics, Corporate Social Responsibility, Environmental Sustainability, and Strategy

Filters