Deck 11: Implementing Strategy

Question 1

One of the risks of using a participative leadership style in a crisis strategic change situation is the issue of

A) poor problem definition
B) not enough time
C) high after-the-fact costs
D) inappropriate solution

Answer 1

B

Question 2

The tactics of a directive leader include

A) guiding and facilitating
B) modeling and mentoring
C) diagnosing and remediating
D) instructing and expecting

Answer 2

D

Question 3

In anticipatory strategic change situations, change agents are likely to lack

A) commitment
B) foresight
C) capability
D) stamina

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Evidence suggests that in multi-faceted change initiatives are

A) unlikely to stall
B) a source of competitive advantage
C) too much to manage
D) unlikely to experience scope creep

Question 5

What type of analysis produces a strategic change agenda?

A) SWOT
B) Diamond-E
C) Five Forces
D) PEST

Question 6

One of the considerations when developing a strategic action plan is the

A) product market focus
B) contingency allocation
C) corporate governance
D) leadership style

Question 7

For the directive leadership style to be effective, managers must not only know what action is required but also have

A) weak competitors
B) time for consultation
C) an organization that is performing well
D) power to force compliance

Question 8

A directive approach to effecting behavioural change does not work well in strategic change situations characterized as

A) anticipatory
B) reactionary
C) transformative
D) crisis

Question 9

When attempting to change behaviours, readiness-driven change focuses on

A) commitment and capabilities
B) performance measures
C) leadership
D) organizational readiness

Question 10

The pace of change encompasses both scope and

A) outlook
B) vision
C) mission
D) significance

Question 11

The action priorities of a change agenda tend to focus on the

A) sequence of events
B) degree of resistance
C) behaviours that will need to change
D) competitive response

Question 12

One of the elements of a strategic change agenda is often a list of

A) key competitors
B) required behaviours
C) critical suppliers
D) dominant stakeholders

Question 13

The objectives of a strategic change agenda can be classified as

A) market driven versus technology driven
B) behavioural versus non-behavioural
C) mandatory versus optional
D) leading versus lagging

Question 14

Behavioural changes effected under a directive leadership style are

A) a form of employee empowerment
B) in keeping with the needs of the organization
C) foster commitment
D) unlikely to be long-lasting

Question 15

The behaviour-related objectives of a change agenda are considered

A) easier to address than the non-behaviour related objectves
B) the ones that should be addressed after the change process is well underway
C) harder to address than the non-behaviour related objectives
D) the ones that should be assigned to middle managers to implement at an appropriate time

Question 16

To effect behavioural change in crisis strategic change situations, managers might be tempted to use

A) consultation and delegation
B) results-driven change techniques
C) power and delegation
D) responsibility-driven change techniques

Question 17

In reactive change situations, the target for management attention should be the

A) proactive resistors
B) bystanders that could block progress
C) change agents
D) subordinates

Question 18

A key assumption underlying the use of a participative leadership style in anticipatory strategic change situations is

A) an appropriate change agenda will emerge from the process
B) managerial competence in using the style
C) a strong sense of urgency
D) weak competitors

Question 19

In crisis strategic change situations, change agents are likely to lack

A) foresight
B) stamina
C) capability
D) commitment

Question 20

Capable employees who do not agree with the strategic change initiative are sometimes referred to as

A) passive observers
B) objective bystanders
C) change agents
D) proactive resistors

Question 21

The percentage of expected financial value delivered by most strategic change initiatives is roughly

A) less than 20%
B) 35%
C) 50%
D) 60%

Question 22

The time-to-crisis calculation is an important consideration in reactive strategic change situations.

Question 23

One of the key benefits of the directive approach to strategic change initiatives is efficiency.

Question 24

An incremental approach to instituting strategic change is thought to be beneficial as it prevents premature closure on an inappropriate target.

Question 25

In crisis strategic change situations, obtaining external support for the change agenda will likely require

A) attractive promotional material
B) rigorous data collection
C) extensive face-to-face contact
D) serious self-evaluation

Question 26

Proactive resistors to a strategic change initiative are easier to convert to change agents than defensive resistors.

Question 27

A common error in crisis strategic change situations is for managers to attempt to save too much of the business.

Question 28

One of the techniques for managing the pace of change is to map out the actions for the next twelve months.

Question 29

In anticipatory strategic change situations, one of the first steps is to build an understanding of the changing environment.

Question 30

Participative leadership works best in crisis strategic change situations because the situation requires better problem definition.

Question 31

A recovery plan is often required in anticipatory strategic change situations.

Question 32

In crisis strategic change situations, one of the first actions should be to

A) target supporters
B) develop change agents
C) buy time
D) institute organizational changes

Question 33

Pivotal change targets in the strategic change process are likely to be

A) bystanders
B) resistors
C) supporters and resistors
D) supporters

Question 34

One of the tactics used by directive leaders is to focus on collaborative exploration of causes.

Question 35

In crisis strategic change situations, one of the starting actions is to improve organizational readiness.

Question 36

One of the advantages of an incremental strategic change process is that it

A) limits organizational involvement
B) ensures survival
C) reduces the need for behavioural changes
D) builds organizational capacity for effective execution

Question 37

Pace is considered to be both the amount of change and the allowable time.

Question 38

In anticipatory strategic change situations, the first step in the process should be to implement the required organizational changes.

Question 39

Results-driven change focuses on commitment and capabilities.

Question 40

Change agents are those that are committed to the change and have the capabilities to contribute.

Question 41

If performance continues to deteriorate in reactive strategic change situations, resistance among the uncommitted is likely to decrease.

Question 42

Pivotal change targets are supporters and resistors.

Question 43

An effective tactic to use in anticipatory strategic change situations is to build commitment over time as information becomes available.

Question 44

An effective tactic in crisis strategic change situations is to incorporate feedback at all stages of the process to clarify what actions are needed.

Question 45

Pivotal change targets who lack the capabilities to participate in a reactive strategic change initiative are easier to deal with than bystanders who can stall the process.

Question 46

A key element in long term planning is to include a provision for contingencies.

Question 47

One of the first tasks for managers in reactive strategic change situations is to calculate the time to crisis.

Question 48

In reactive strategic change situations, once remedial action has been started, any downward trend in performance will immediately begin to reverse.

Question 49

One of the most common reasons that the expected financial value of many strategic change initiatives is often not realized is the leadership was not committed.