Total Quiz 1 What is Strategy Article Flashcards
The productivity frontier is constantly shifting outwards due to what 3 causes?
- new technologies 2. new management approaches 3. new inputs become available
through programs such as TQM, time based competition, and benchmarking, managers have changed how they perform activities in order to do what 3 things?
- eliminate inefficiencies 2. improve customer satisfaction 3. achieve best practice
what does the popularity of outsourcing and the virtual corporation reflect?
the growing recognition that is is difficult to perform all activities as productively as specialists
the popularity of outsourcing and the virtual corporation reflects the growing recognition that is is difficult to perform all activities as productively as who?
specialists
the growing recognition that is is difficult to perform all activities as productively as specialists is reflected by what ?
popularity of outsourcing and the virtual corporation
Can companies improve on multiple dimensions of performance at the same time?
Yes
Is it a tradeoff between defects and costs now or in the past?
NO it used to be thought that it was
T/F Constant improvement in operational effectiveness is necessary to achieve superior profitability
T
T/F Constant improvement in operational effectiveness is sufficient to achieve superior profitability
F
What is the most obvious reason that constant improvement in operational effectiveness is not sufficient to achieve superior profitability?
the rapid diffusion of best practices. competitors can quickly imitate management techniques, new technologies, input improvements, and superior ways of meeting customer needs
Which solutions diffuse the fastest (companies copy them)?
the most generic (those that can be used in multiple settings)
what is the issue if competition in operational effectiveness produces absolute improvement in operational effectiveness?
it leads to relative improvement for no one
it is common that through competition in operational effectiveness, there are major productivity gains that are not retained in superior profitability for the company. why is this and who does gain from it?
everyone is doing it so no one company gains a competitive advantage and reaps the rewards. The ones who do benefit are the customers and in the case of commercial printing industry also the equipment suppliers
What is a second reason that improved operational effectiveness is insufficient?
Competitive convergence- companies through competition start to look and be more alike losing any competitive advantage being different gains them
what is a major tool that brings about competitive convergence and why?
benchmarking. the more companies try and compete with rivals by being more like them, the more they are indistinguishable from their rivals losing sustainable competitive advantage
T/F Outsourcing activities to often the same efficient third parties makes those activities more generic and can help along competitive convergence
T
Why is competition based on operational effectiveness alone mutually destructive for companies?
it leads to wars of attrition (wearing the other company down) that can be arrested only by limiting competition alot of times through mergers (buying their rivals)
according to Porter, managers have gradually let operational effectiveness supplant what?
strategy
operational effectiveness tools easily lead to what? (2)
- imitation 2. homogeneity
What are some results from letting operational effectiveness supplant strategy? (3)
- zero sum competition 2. static or declining prices 3. pressures on costs that compromise companies ability to invest in the business for the long term
competitive strategy means deliberately choosing what?
a different set of activities to deliver a unique mix of value
how does southwest airlines demonstrate competitive strategy?
it does shorthaul, lowcost, point to point service. its low fares and frequent departures attract pricesensitive customers and convenience oriented travelors
The essence of strategy is in the activities…in what two instances is this shown?
- performing different activities than rivals 2. performing same activities differently from rivals