10.3 Managing strategic implementation notes Flashcards
1
Q
What would the stragetic planning process look like?
A
- Identify the organisation’s current mission, goals and strategy.
- SWOT analysis (external analysis- opportunities & threats and Internal analysis, strengths & weaknesses).
- Formulate strategies.
- Implement strategies
- Evaluate results.
2
Q
What would a leader need to do to ensure that the strategy is implemented successfully?
A
Make clear what is being done and why.
Ensure the required resources are in place.
3
Q
What are the advantages of centralisation?
A
- Decisions made by people with experience and overview of the business.
- Decisions made by those with access to resources.
- May reduce some risks by having experienced decision makers.
4
Q
What are the disadvantages of centralisation?
A
- May lack flexibility in relation to market conditions.
- Decision making may be slow if centre becomes over loaded with decisions to be made.
- May be demoralising for those locally who are not making decisions.
5
Q
What are the different forms of organisational structure?
A
Functional structure
Product structure
Regional Structure
Matrix structure
6
Q
What does effective strategic implementation involve?
A
- Planning what and who is needed where and when - which function?
- Setting clear standard of what is expected so that all those involved understand what they need to deliver - what is this?
- Organising the resources required to do the job required - which functions?
- Coordinating what has to happen
- Ensuring the right people are in charge of the various parts of the strategy
- Establishing clear points at which progress can be measured and reviewed
7
Q
What would a leader need to do to ensure that the strategy is implemented successfully?
A
- Make clear what is being done and why
- Gain the support of other senior, middle and junior managers who will have to put the strategy in place
- Ensure the required resources are in place
- Ensure effective communications systems are in place
- Ensure that reward and appraisal systems are designed to ensure employees are aligned to the strategy
- Design systems to check quality is being achieved and the system is on target
- Overcome any resistance to the strategy being implemented
- Ensure there are clear stepping stones marking progress; it should be clear who is in charge of what and what success looks like at each point
8
Q
Who is the leader and what will they be doing?
A
- Representing the business. They will be the ‘ambassador’ presenting the strategy to others, explaining it to key stakeholders and hopefully generating enthusiasm and momentum to ensure it happens and is implemented successfully.
- Negotiating if there are serious obstacles to progress the leader needs to make sure such barriers are overcome or worked around. They need to be good at bargaining and problem solving.
9
Q
Why is communication important when implementing a new strategy? - think of what we covered in managing change.
A
- Communication can provide a sense of direction & purpose. Employees may feel ownership of the strategy and therefore be more cooperative and engaged with it, as well as other stakeholder groups.
- Once project is underway communication is important to track progress & identify any possible problems, hopefully before they occur.
10
Q
What are the features of centralisation?
A
- Decisions made by people with experience and overview
- Decisions made by those with access to resources
- May reduce some risks by having experienced decision makers
- May lack flexibility in relation to market conditions
- Decision making may be slow if centre becomes overloaded with decisions to be made
- May be demoralising for those locally who are not making decisions
11
Q
What are the features of a functional structure?
A
- The business is split into the different functions
- Members of each department have the same job area - can share expertise, help problem solve and talk the same business language
- Can identify more with department than the whole business
- Each department can develop its own culture and way of seeing things
- ‘Silo effect’ - where everyone sees the business from their departmental perspective
- Lack empathy with other departments
12
Q
What are the features of a product structure?
A
- Occurs when a business has very clear product lines that have different customer bases and different challenge and opportunities.
- Makes sense if the demands of customer vary significantly.
- Groups together those with specific expertise and skills for that group of customers.
- Loses a sense of overview of the business as a whole.
- Compete rather than cooperate.
- Duplication of resources.
- Senior managers should look to share resources and centralise some functions such as payroll.
13
Q
What are the features of a regional structure?
A
- Grouping jobs under sections such as North, South etc
- Useful when competing in very distinct regions of a country or around the world.
- Meets specific issues and demands in areas as they may vary
- Lead to more in depth market knowledge, better matching of what is offered to the market and more efficient decision making
- Common as businesses expands nationally
- Faces similar issues as product structure
14
Q
What are the features of a matrix structure?
A
- Job holders have more than one boss
- Managers report to at least two superiors
- Can’t just focus on your area but also the other areas
- Want to share understanding and learn from others in other places
- Tries to avoid ‘silo effect’
- Issues from having two superiors who may have different priorities
15
Q
What may a formal structure not be good for?
A
- The concept of a formal structure may not be appropriate in some organisations that want to encourage creativity & interactions between individuals across the organisation.
- Some may feel it might restrict & limit communications to some predetermined channels, thereby stifling debate, initiative and new thinking.
