Chapter 2

Question 1

the different approaches of a strategist may
adopt, namely,

Answer 1

*The Classical Administrator
*The Design Planner
*The Role Player
*The Competitive Positioner
*The Visionary Transformer
*The Self-Organizer
*The Turnaround Strategist

Question 2

a set of common activities and principles are developed. These include planning, organizing, commanding, coordinating and controlling.

Answer 2

A. Classical Administrator

Question 3

• _involves considering the future, deciding the aims of the organization and developing a plan of action.

Answer 3

Planning

Question 4

• _involves marshalling the resources necessary to achieve these aims and structuring the organization to complete its activities. Both roles remain crucial.

Answer 4

Organizing

Question 5

_may be a term that is out of fashion in the egalitarian, politically correct and empowered world of many Western organizations, but the concept remains significant. It is important to achieve the optimum return from people, frequently the most expensive component of a business.

Answer 5

Commanding

Question 6

• _ involves focusing and, in particular, unifying people’s efforts to ensure success.

Answer 6

Co-ordinating

Question 7

• _involves monitoring that everything works as planned, making adjustments where necessary and feeding this information back so that it can of value in the future.

Answer 7

Controlling

Question 8

It is characterized by hierarchy, usually in the form of top-down planning and control, formal target setting and performance measurement, structured programmes for functional improvements through “scientific” engineering and a formal organization structure.

Answer 8

Classical Administrator

Question 9

\emphasized that the principal role of a leader is to plan the development of an organization beyond the short term.

Answer 9

Design Planner

Question 10

This heralded the arrival of strategic thinking in organizations, as distinct firm of focusing on continuing management activities.

Answer 10

Design Planner

Question 11

In this approach, strategy results from a controlled and conscious thought process, achieving long-term competitive advantage and success through answering questions such as: Where are we now? Where do we want to be? How are we going to get there?

Answer 11

Design Planner

Question 12

approach views the job of the strategic decision-maker as more than that of a reflective and analyzing planner and controller.

Answer 12

Role Player

Question 13

In this approach, vision, communication and negotiation, as well as the need to be able to react quickly to disturbances and to change tactics at short notice, are of greatest importance.

Answer 13

Role Player

Question 14

The _ understands the power of the external environment and focuses almost exclusively on achieving competitive advantage. The underlying premise is the belief that market power produces above-average profits in a marketplace where competition is the defining characteristic.

Answer 14

D. The Competitive Positioner

Question 15

this approach emphasizes market differentiation and the need to make decisions that build customer loyalty as well as delivering higher quality and productivity.

Answer 15

D. The Competitive Positioner

Question 16

the ability to achieve a vision by listening, acting and learning rather than adopting plans or rigid approaches.

Answer 16

E. The Visionary Transformer

Question 17

To achieve this, organizations need the ability to develop learning communities (networks of people together without traditional top-down management to improve effectiveness) to generate innovative solutions for commercial opportunities.

Answer 17

F. The Self-Organizer

Question 18

Innovation and collaboration are crucial competencies for operating in environments that change rapidly and are difficult to control. T/f

Answer 18

True

Question 19

To achieve __, it is important to implement new control systems quickly, and to focus on the reasons for decline and reverse them while going for the easiest route to immediate growth.

Answer 19

G. The Turnaround Strategist

Question 20

Choosing the right 6 approach involves:

Answer 20

Gathering the right information;
Developing market awareness;
Deciding what action needs to be taken;
Assessing risk;
* Thinking critically;
Taking into Account of Unexpected.

Question 21

A _ analysis is a useful technique for gathering information. It can be completed either from the top or with each department or division conducting its own analysis, which is reviewed at a higher level.

Answer 21

SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats)

Question 22

This means keeping up-to-date with what competitors are doing and how the company and they are perceived in the market - and why.

Answer 22

Developing Market Awareness

Question 23

Relative to competitors, consider: (9)

Answer 23

• Pricing policies;
  *Brand reputation and recognition;
• Customers’ perceptions;
• Product quality;
  *Service levels;
  *Product portfolio;
  *Organizational culture and loyalty;
  *Customer loyalty;
  *Financial structure and reserves.

Question 24

Think critically by asking “Why?”, “What else?” and “What if?” questions to probe issues and current thinking skills.

Answer 24

Thinking Critically