Chapter 10 - Strategic Choices Flashcards
The scope of strategic choice
What is the scope of strategic choice?
Strategic choice involves multiple approaches, including rational strategy, emergent strategy, adapting to external changes, organizational capabilities, culture, governance, and ethical considerations.
The scope of strategic choice
What are the three principal strategic choices suggested by Johnson et al (2017)?
1) Business strategy
2) Strategic direction and
3) Strategy methods.
The scope of strategic choice
What is rational strategy?
A strategy focused on identifying an optimal route to achieve a desired future.
The scope of strategic choice
What is emergent strategy?
A strategy where choices and alternatives evolve as the organization develops.
The scope of strategic choice
According to Michael Porter, what are the three methods for achieving competitive advantage?
Cost leadership, differentiation, and focus.
The scope of strategic choice
What is cost leadership?
Being the lowest-cost organization in a sector by managing relationships and costs across the value chain.
The scope of strategic choice
Name three tactics for reducing costs in a cost leadership strategy.
Reducing input costs, achieving economies of scale, and implementing efficient product/process design.
The scope of strategic choice
What is differentiation in a competitive strategy?
Creating unique value perceived by customers, encouraging them to pay a premium.
The scope of strategic choice
According to Johnson, what are the three drivers of differentiation?
Product/service attributes, customer relationships, and complements.
The scope of strategic choice
List Garvin’s (1987) eight dimensions of quality for product differentiation.
Performance, features, reliability, conformance, durability, serviceability, aesthetics, and perceived quality.
The scope of strategic choice
What is a focus strategy in Porter’s model?
Concentrating on specific market segments or niches, rather than targeting the entire market.
The scope of strategic choice
What are the two types of focus strategies with examples?
Cost focus (e.g., Claire’s Accessories) and differentiation focus (e.g., Breezes Resorts for couples).
The scope of strategic choice
What three factors are key to a successful focus strategy according to Johnson?
Identifying a distinct segment need, distinct segment value chains, and a viable market segment.
The scope of strategic choice
Why must competitive advantage be sustainable?
To generate long-term value, making it difficult for competitors to replicate.
The scope of strategic choice
What is business process re-engineering (BPR)?
A radical redesign of organizational processes to significantly improve efficiency, control costs, enhance product differentiation, or focus on specific customer needs.
The scope of strategic choice
Who introduced the concept of BPR, and when?
Hammer and Champy in 1993.
The scope of strategic choice
What is the ultimate goal of BPR?
To increase efficiency in achieving strategic objectives by redesigning processes.
Driving the business forward
What is a central strategic choice every organization needs to make?
The strategic direction for future development and growth, focusing on products/services and customers.
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What is Ansoff’s Product/Market Growth Matrix?
A framework categorizing strategies based on whether a firm sells existing or new products/services to existing or new customers.
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What are the four strategies in Ansoff’s matrix?
1) Market penetration
2) Market development
3) Product development, and
4) Diversification.
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What is market penetration?
Increasing market share of existing products in existing markets through promotions, price reductions, or increased usage.
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What is the risk level of market penetration?
It represents a relatively low-risk strategy.
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What is market development?
Finding new customers for existing products, such as through exporting or new distribution channels.
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What is the risk level of market development?
It is still reasonably low-risk.
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What is product development in Ansoff’s matrix?
Selling new products to existing customers, often involving cross-selling.
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Why is product development considered slightly riskier?
It may require investment in new products and depends on the firm’s relationship with its customers.
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What is diversification according to Ansoff’s matrix?
Selling new products to new customers, which offers high growth potential but is also risky.
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Name and describe the four types of diversification.
) Vertical integration - moving into adjacent activities (e.g., manufacturing to retailing),
2) Horizontal integration - expanding into similar levels of the value chain (e.g., TV production to film),
3) Concentric diversification - widening product offerings (e.g., Microsoft developing Xbox),
4) Conglomerate diversification - entering unrelated industries (e.g., Virgin from music to air travel).
Driving the business forward
What is an example of vertical integration from Ferrero?
Ferrero’s purchase of Turkey’s Oltan Gida (a hazelnut supplier) and its acquisition of Thornton’s in the UK for retail outlets.
Driving the business forward
What does forward vertical integration entail?
Acquiring or controlling distribution channels to reach customers directly, as Ferrero did with Thornton’s.
Business level strategy
What does business-level strategy focus on?
The development of strategy and choices within a defined business unit.
Business level strategy
Why is it important to define boundaries in business-level strategy?
To ensure strategic decisions clearly affect a specific area of the business and maintain focus.