Question 1

In moving to alter a problem culture,management should

Accepted Answer

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

Question 2

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. 
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.

Question 3

The hallmarks of a high-performance corporate culture include

Accepted Answer

A)  frequently revised and updated values and ethics statements,a deep commitment to employee training,and unusually attractive fringe benefit packages for company personnel. 
B)  a "can-do" spirit,pride in doing things right,no-excuses accountability,and a pervasive results-oriented work climate where people go the extra mile to meet or beat stretch objectives. 
C)  a balanced scorecard approach to measuring performance,strong emphasis on teamwork,strict enforcement of company policies and procedures,and incentive compensation for all employees. 
D)  a deep commitment to pioneering new best practices,a preference for being a fast follower as opposed to a first mover or late mover (because the risks are more acceptable),and across-the-board bonuses for all personnel when the company meets or beats stretch objectives. 
E)  a deep commitment to top-notch quality and superior customer service,dedicated use of TQM and/or Six Sigma quality control programs,and the payment of big performance bonuses and stock options. 
A)  frequently revised and updated values and ethics statements,a deep commitment to employee training,and unusually attractive fringe benefit packages for company personnel. 
B)  a "can-do" spirit,pride in doing things right,no-excuses accountability,and a pervasive results-oriented work climate where people go the extra mile to meet or beat stretch objectives. 
C)  a balanced scorecard approach to measuring performance,strong emphasis on teamwork,strict enforcement of company policies and procedures,and incentive compensation for all employees. 
D)  a deep commitment to pioneering new best practices,a preference for being a fast follower as opposed to a first mover or late mover (because the risks are more acceptable),and across-the-board bonuses for all personnel when the company meets or beats stretch objectives. 
E)  a deep commitment to top-notch quality and superior customer service,dedicated use of TQM and/or Six Sigma quality control programs,and the payment of big performance bonuses and stock options.

Question 4

Six Sigma quality control

Accepted Answer

A)  is a strategy-implementer's best,most reliable tool for simultaneously achieving top-notch product quality and low manufacturing costs. 
B)  consists of a disciplined,statistics-based system aimed at producing not more than 2.5 defects per million iterations for a manufacturing or assembly process. 
C)  consists of a disciplined,statistics-based system aimed at producing not more than 3.4 defects per million iterations for any business process. 
D)  consists of a disciplined,statistics-based system aimed at fewer than 5.0 complaints per million customer transactions. 
E)  is a powerful tool for companies whose customers are very picky about product quality and product performance and who can't afford for the product they use to break down and require repairs. 
A)  is a strategy-implementer's best,most reliable tool for simultaneously achieving top-notch product quality and low manufacturing costs. 
B)  consists of a disciplined,statistics-based system aimed at producing not more than 2.5 defects per million iterations for a manufacturing or assembly process. 
C)  consists of a disciplined,statistics-based system aimed at producing not more than 3.4 defects per million iterations for any business process. 
D)  consists of a disciplined,statistics-based system aimed at fewer than 5.0 complaints per million customer transactions. 
E)  is a powerful tool for companies whose customers are very picky about product quality and product performance and who can't afford for the product they use to break down and require repairs.

Question 5

What three principles underlie the statistical thinking of Six Sigma quality control programs?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What three principles underlie the statistical thinking...

Question 6

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. 
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.

Question 7

Which one of the following falsely characterizes a centralized organizational structure?

Accepted Answer

A)  Top executives should retain authority over most strategic and operating decisions and keep a tight rein on business-unit heads,department heads,and the managers of key operating units. 
B)  Strict enforcement of detailed procedures backed by rigorous managerial oversight is the most reliable way to keep the daily execution of strategy on track. 
C)  Tight control by the manager in charge makes it easy to fix accountability when things do not go well. 
D)  Most company personnel have neither the time nor the inclination to direct and properly control they work they are performing,and they lack the knowledge and judgment to make wise decisions about how best to do their work. 
E)  A company that draws on the combined intellectual capital of its people can outperform a company that relies on command and control. 
A)  Top executives should retain authority over most strategic and operating decisions and keep a tight rein on business-unit heads,department heads,and the managers of key operating units. 
B)  Strict enforcement of detailed procedures backed by rigorous managerial oversight is the most reliable way to keep the daily execution of strategy on track. 
C)  Tight control by the manager in charge makes it easy to fix accountability when things do not go well. 
D)  Most company personnel have neither the time nor the inclination to direct and properly control they work they are performing,and they lack the knowledge and judgment to make wise decisions about how best to do their work. 
E)  A company that draws on the combined intellectual capital of its people can outperform a company that relies on command and control.

Question 8

Which of the following statements about adaptive corporate cultures is false?

Accepted Answer

A)  The hallmark of adaptive corporate cultures is willingness on the part of organizational members to accept change and take on the challenge of introducing and executing new strategies. 
B)  The standout cultural traits are a "can-do" spirit,pride in doing things right,no-excuses accountability,and a pervasive results-oriented work climate where people go the extra mile to meet or beat stretch objectives. 
C)  Change is willingly embraced by management and nonmanagerial employees. 
D)  Adaptive cultures are exceptionally well suited to companies with fast-changing strategies and market environments. 
E)  For an adaptive culture to remain intact over time,top management must orchestrate organizational changes in a manner that (1)does not compromise core values and long-standing business principles and (2)tries to satisfy all their legitimate interests simultaneously. 
A)  The hallmark of adaptive corporate cultures is willingness on the part of organizational members to accept change and take on the challenge of introducing and executing new strategies. 
B)  The standout cultural traits are a "can-do" spirit,pride in doing things right,no-excuses accountability,and a pervasive results-oriented work climate where people go the extra mile to meet or beat stretch objectives. 
C)  Change is willingly embraced by management and nonmanagerial employees. 
D)  Adaptive cultures are exceptionally well suited to companies with fast-changing strategies and market environments. 
E)  For an adaptive culture to remain intact over time,top management must orchestrate organizational changes in a manner that (1)does not compromise core values and long-standing business principles and (2)tries to satisfy all their legitimate interests simultaneously.

Question 9

The backbone of identifying,studying,and implementing best practices is

Accepted Answer

A)  business process reengineering. 
B)  a corporate culture that has a core value of operating excellence. 
C)  benchmarking. 
D)  Six Sigma quality control techniques. 
E)  innovative application of TQM techniques. 
A)  business process reengineering. 
B)  a corporate culture that has a core value of operating excellence. 
C)  benchmarking. 
D)  Six Sigma quality control techniques. 
E)  innovative application of TQM techniques.

Question 10

A well-designed reward system

Accepted Answer

A)  is focused on "what to achieve" to be rewarded as opposed to "what to do" and is management's most powerful tool for gaining employee commitment to superior strategy execution. 
B)  should be free of elements that induce stress,anxiety,tension,pressure to perform,and job insecurity. 
C)  puts the primary emphasis on denying rewards to those who fail to perform tasks in the prescribed fashion. 
D)  emphasizes weeding out employees who are consistently low performers. 
E)  strives for 50-50 balance between positive and negative rewards and 50-50 balance between monetary and nonmonetary rewards. 
A)  is focused on "what to achieve" to be rewarded as opposed to "what to do" and is management's most powerful tool for gaining employee commitment to superior strategy execution. 
B)  should be free of elements that induce stress,anxiety,tension,pressure to perform,and job insecurity. 
C)  puts the primary emphasis on denying rewards to those who fail to perform tasks in the prescribed fashion. 
D)  emphasizes weeding out employees who are consistently low performers. 
E)  strives for 50-50 balance between positive and negative rewards and 50-50 balance between monetary and nonmonetary rewards.

Question 11

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 12

Successfully leading the effort to foster a results-oriented,high-performance culture generally requires simple leadership practices,such as

Accepted Answer

A)  treating employees with dignity and respect. 
B)  encouraging employees to use initiatives and creativity in performing their work to continually make changes to operating practices. 
C)  setting strain objectives to push the envelope on sales efforts. 
D)  focusing attention on motivational techniques that instill self-interest,which is the cornerstone of the free-enterprise system. 
E)  celebrating management's success with high incentives and loyalty trips. 
A)  treating employees with dignity and respect. 
B)  encouraging employees to use initiatives and creativity in performing their work to continually make changes to operating practices. 
C)  setting strain objectives to push the envelope on sales efforts. 
D)  focusing attention on motivational techniques that instill self-interest,which is the cornerstone of the free-enterprise system. 
E)  celebrating management's success with high incentives and loyalty trips.

Question 13

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 de-motivating 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 de-motivating 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 14

Good strategy execution

Accepted Answer

A)  requires a team effort with managers with 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. 
A)  requires a team effort with managers with 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.

Question 15

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

Accepted Answer

A)  Building an organization with the capabilities,people,and structure needed for execution 
B)  Instituting policies and procedures that facilitate rather than impede effective strategy execution 
C)  Allocating ample resources to required activities 
D)  Tying rewards directly to achievement of performance objectives 
E)  All of these 
A)  Building an organization with the capabilities,people,and structure needed for execution 
B)  Instituting policies and procedures that facilitate rather than impede effective strategy execution 
C)  Allocating ample resources to required activities 
D)  Tying rewards directly to achievement of performance objectives 
E)  All of these

Question 16

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

Accepted Answer

A)  by selling company personnel on the need for a new set of behaviors and work practices. 
B)  by spending heavily on programs to train employees in the ways and beliefs of the new culture to be implanted. 
C)  to visibly praise and reward people who exhibit traits and behaviors that undermine the existing culture. 
D)  writing a new values statement and describing in highly motivating terms the kind of culture that is needed. 
E)  to institute incentive compensation programs that generously reward employees for adopting best practices. 
A)  by selling company personnel on the need for a new set of behaviors and work practices. 
B)  by spending heavily on programs to train employees in the ways and beliefs of the new culture to be implanted. 
C)  to visibly praise and reward people who exhibit traits and behaviors that undermine the existing culture. 
D)  writing a new values statement and describing in highly motivating terms the kind of culture that is needed. 
E)  to institute incentive compensation programs that generously reward employees for adopting best practices.

Question 17

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. 
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.

Question 18

What constitutes effective managerial leadership in achieving superior strategy execution?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What constitutes effective managerial leadership in achieving...

Question 19

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 tends to reduce costs and reduce 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 tends to reduce costs and reduce overall resource requirements.

In moving to alter a problem culture,management should

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

The hallmarks of a high-performance corporate culture include

Six Sigma quality control

What three principles underlie the statistical thinking of Six Sigma quality control programs?

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

Which one of the following falsely characterizes a centralized organizational structure?

Which of the following statements about adaptive corporate cultures is false?

The backbone of identifying,studying,and implementing best practices is

A well-designed reward system

Putting together a capable top management team

Successfully leading the effort to foster a results-oriented,high-performance culture generally requires simple leadership practices,such as

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

Good strategy execution

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

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

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

What constitutes effective managerial leadership in achieving superior strategy execution?

A change in strategy nearly always entails budget reallocations because

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

In moving to alter a problem culture,management should

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

The hallmarks of a high-performance corporate culture include

Six Sigma quality control

What three principles underlie the statistical thinking of Six Sigma quality control programs?

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

Which one of the following falsely characterizes a centralized organizational structure?

Which of the following statements about adaptive corporate cultures is false?

The backbone of identifying,studying,and implementing best practices is

A well-designed reward system

Putting together a capable top management team

Successfully leading the effort to foster a results-oriented,high-performance culture generally requires simple leadership practices,such as

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

Good strategy execution

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

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

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

What constitutes effective managerial leadership in achieving superior strategy execution?

A change in strategy nearly always entails budget reallocations because

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