Question 1

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 D

Question 2

What is meant by empowerment of employees? How does it differ from delegation of authority? In what ways can empowerment of employees aid the cause of good strategy execution?

Accepted Answer

The case for empowering down-the-line managers and employees to make decisions related to daily operations and executing the strategy-also known as decentralized decision making-is based on the belief that a company that draws on the combined intellectual capital of all its employees can outperform a command-and-control (centralized or authoritarian)company.Decentralized decision making means that the managers of each organizational unit are delegated lead responsibility for deciding how best to execute strategy.The ultimate goal of decentralized decision making is to put decision making authority in the hands of those persons or teams closest to and most knowledgeable about the situation.Decentralized decision making in strategy execution means,for example,that employees may be empowered to do what it takes to please suppliers and decrease defect rates or cycle time,or to please customers and increase volume purchases or repeat sales.

Question 3

Proficient strategy execution requires executive managers to

Accepted Answer

A) be current with events and closely monitor progress,put constructive pressure on the organization to achieve operating excellence,and initiate corrective action when necessary to improve performance and achieve the desired results. 
B) understand all the tasks required to implement the strategy so as to ensure staff will not shortchange any strategic-critical activity. 
C) attach great importance to gathering statistics that define every task effort and ensure limited variability. 
D) initiate a problem-solving search to ensure obstacles to success are identified. 
E) take a wait-and-see attitude toward monitoring progress,relaxing the pressure on the organization to achieve operating excellence,and staying the course when performance and results are below or above expectations. 
A) be current with events and closely monitor progress,put constructive pressure on the organization to achieve operating excellence,and initiate corrective action when necessary to improve performance and achieve the desired results. 
B) understand all the tasks required to implement the strategy so as to ensure staff will not shortchange any strategic-critical activity. 
C) attach great importance to gathering statistics that define every task effort and ensure limited variability. 
D) initiate a problem-solving search to ensure obstacles to success are identified. 
E) take a wait-and-see attitude toward monitoring progress,relaxing the pressure on the organization to achieve operating excellence,and staying the course when performance and results are below or above expectations. A

Question 4

Management can try to change a problem culture by

Accepted Answer

A) selling company personnel on the need for a new set of behaviors and work practices. 
B) spending heavily on programs to train employees in the ways and beliefs of the new culture to be implanted. 
C) visibly praising and rewarding 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) instituting incentive compensation programs that generously reward employees for adopting best practices. 
A) selling company personnel on the need for a new set of behaviors and work practices. 
B) spending heavily on programs to train employees in the ways and beliefs of the new culture to be implanted. 
C) visibly praising and rewarding 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) instituting incentive compensation programs that generously reward employees for adopting best practices.

Question 5

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 6

What is the value of total quality management (TQM)? How does? TQM differ from business process reengineering?

Accepted Answer

Business process reengineering and conti

Question 7

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

Accepted Answer

The statistical thinking under

Question 8

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 9

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 10

The character of a company's corporate culture is a product of all of the following except

Accepted Answer

A) its approach to people management and the "chemistry" and "personality" that permeates its work environment. 
B) its style of operating and ingrained behaviors and attitudes. 
C) its standards of what is ethically acceptable and what is not and the stories that get told over and over to illustrate and reinforce the company's shared values,business practices,and traditions. 
D) its work practices and behaviors that define "how we do things around here". 
E) its lack of mechanisms for aligning,constraining,and regulating the actions,decisions,and behaviors of company personnel. 
A) its approach to people management and the "chemistry" and "personality" that permeates its work environment. 
B) its style of operating and ingrained behaviors and attitudes. 
C) its standards of what is ethically acceptable and what is not and the stories that get told over and over to illustrate and reinforce the company's shared values,business practices,and traditions. 
D) its work practices and behaviors that define "how we do things around here". 
E) its lack of mechanisms for aligning,constraining,and regulating the actions,decisions,and behaviors of company personnel.

Question 11

Which of the following does not exemplify a policy or procedure that facilitates strategy execution?

Accepted Answer

A) A quick service food franchisee that has an onsite kindergarten and provides afterschool programs for its employees' children 
B) A big-box sporting goods retailer that monitors consumers' preferences for gear and accessories on its blog 
C) A manufacturer of organic cotton bedding that recycles its water to cool the machines in the factory 
D) A toy manufacturing company that plans on reaching three different segments of the consumer market 
E) A nonprofit agency that addresses only specific societal problems through public services 
A) A quick service food franchisee that has an onsite kindergarten and provides afterschool programs for its employees' children 
B) A big-box sporting goods retailer that monitors consumers' preferences for gear and accessories on its blog 
C) A manufacturer of organic cotton bedding that recycles its water to cool the machines in the factory 
D) A toy manufacturing company that plans on reaching three different segments of the consumer market 
E) A nonprofit agency that addresses only specific societal problems through public services

Question 12

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 13

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 14

Identify and briefly discuss the key features that can be used to describe the corporate culture of a company.

Accepted Answer

The chief things to look for include the

Question 15

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 16

The chief advantage of a decentralized organizational structure is to

Accepted Answer

A) put decision-making authority in the hands of those closest and most knowledgeable about the situation. 
B) make it easy to fix accountability when company performance targets are not met. 
C) increase productivity on the part of the workforce. 
D) enhance cross-unit coordination and capture of strategic fits. 
E) create a collegial,collaborative culture in which teamwork is a core value and decisions are made on the basis of consensus. 
A) put decision-making authority in the hands of those closest and most knowledgeable about the situation. 
B) make it easy to fix accountability when company performance targets are not met. 
C) increase productivity on the part of the workforce. 
D) enhance cross-unit coordination and capture of strategic fits. 
E) create a collegial,collaborative culture in which teamwork is a core value and decisions are made on the basis of consensus.

Question 17

Companies with insular,inwardly focused cultures usually

Accepted Answer

A) believe they have all the answers because of their past great market success. 
B) value their customers' opinions and fully understand their needs and expectations. 
C) has a commitment to hiring young people who can offer fresh thinking and new perspectives. 
D) thrive on doing better by adapting to fresh thinking from outside the company. 
E) never underestimate their rivals because of their proven track record in defending challenges. 
A) believe they have all the answers because of their past great market success. 
B) value their customers' opinions and fully understand their needs and expectations. 
C) has a commitment to hiring young people who can offer fresh thinking and new perspectives. 
D) thrive on doing better by adapting to fresh thinking from outside the company. 
E) never underestimate their rivals because of their proven track record in defending challenges.

Question 18

When management is leading the drive for good strategy execution and operating excellence,it calls for all of the following actions on their part except

Accepted Answer

A) establishing a must-be-invented-here mindset. 
B) staying on top of what is happening. 
C) empowering rank-and-file employees to act on their own initiative. 
D) putting constructive pressure on the organization to execute the strategy with excellence. 
E) monitoring progress closely. 
A) establishing a must-be-invented-here mindset. 
B) staying on top of what is happening. 
C) empowering rank-and-file employees to act on their own initiative. 
D) putting constructive pressure on the organization to execute the strategy with excellence. 
E) monitoring progress closely.

Question 19

To remedy a problem culture,management should do all of the following except

Accepted Answer

A) identify which aspects of the present culture are supportive of good strategy execution and which ones are not. 
B) avoid cross-unit cooperation 
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) specify what new actions,behaviors,and work practices should be prominent in the new culture 
A) identify which aspects of the present culture are supportive of good strategy execution and which ones are not. 
B) avoid cross-unit cooperation 
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) specify what new actions,behaviors,and work practices should be prominent in the new culture

Question 20

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.

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

What is meant by empowerment of employees? How does it differ from delegation of authority? In what ways can empowerment of employees aid the cause of good strategy execution?

Proficient strategy execution requires executive managers to

Management can try to change a problem culture by

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

What is the value of total quality management (TQM)? How does? TQM differ from business process reengineering?

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

Changing a problem culture

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

The character of a company's corporate culture is a product of all of the following except

Which of the following does not exemplify a policy or procedure that facilitates strategy execution?

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

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

Identify and briefly discuss the key features that can be used to describe the corporate culture of a company.

Business process reengineering is a tool for

The chief advantage of a decentralized organizational structure is to

Companies with insular,inwardly focused cultures usually

When management is leading the drive for good strategy execution and operating excellence,it calls for all of the following actions on their part except

To remedy a problem culture,management should do all of the following except

Putting together a capable top management team

Strategy,business Models,and Competitive Advantage

Strategy Formulation,execution,and Governance

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

Exam 10: Superior Strategy Executionanother Path to Competitive Advantage

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

What is meant by empowerment of employees? How does it differ from delegation of authority? In what ways can empowerment of employees aid the cause of good strategy execution?

Proficient strategy execution requires executive managers to

Management can try to change a problem culture by

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

What is the value of total quality management (TQM)? How does? TQM differ from business process reengineering?

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

Changing a problem culture

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

The character of a company's corporate culture is a product of all of the following except

Which of the following does not exemplify a policy or procedure that facilitates strategy execution?

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

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

Identify and briefly discuss the key features that can be used to describe the corporate culture of a company.

Business process reengineering is a tool for

The chief advantage of a decentralized organizational structure is to

Companies with insular,inwardly focused cultures usually

When management is leading the drive for good strategy execution and operating excellence,it calls for all of the following actions on their part except

To remedy a problem culture,management should do all of the following except

Putting together a capable top management team

Strategy,business Models,and Competitive Advantage

Strategy Formulation,execution,and Governance

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