Week 9 - Executing Strategy

Question 1

What factors influence the implementation of strategy?

Answer 1

Politics/power/influence structures
Processes
Practices
Previous success - Icarus
Culture
Stakeholders

Question 2

What are the stages in Grant’s Strategic Planning Cycle?

Answer 2

Strategy implementation requires organisational capability, which is built off of resources through:

1) processes - patterns/behaviours that allow resources to be brought together
2) structure - needs to be organized in way that allows effective R allocation
3) motivation - group/organizational mentality

Resources - Processes + structure + motivation - org. capability

Question 3

What is Schein’s (2018) view of corporate culture?

Answer 3

“Comprises the beliefs, values and behavioural norm of the company, which influence how employees think and behave”.

Question 4

What are some ways to develop culture?

Answer 4

Symbols
Dress codes
Meetings
Vocabulary

Question 5

What is Deal & Kennedy’s (1982) view on organizational culture?

Answer 5

“The way things get done around here”

Question 6

What are the elements of organizational culture?

Answer 6

Practices
Beliefs
Values
Customs/norms

Question 7

How does Schein (1985) believe that a firm’s culture should be broken down to diagnose it?

Answer 7

3 elements

1) Artefacts - visible org structures
2) Espoused beliefs and values - strategies/goals/ philosophies
3) Underlying assumptions - perceptions/thoughts/ feelings/ taken for granted beliefs

Question 8

How did Barclays rebrand to change their organisational culture?

Answer 8

Underwent corporate rebranding exercise
Developed ‘our values’ to try and influence new corporate culture
Had 5 key values at the core of their rebranding

Question 9

How does De Wit (2017) describe stakeholders?

Answer 9

“Any identifiable group or individual who can affect the achievement of an organisation’s objectives or who is affected by the achievement of an organisation’s objectives”

Question 10

What aspects of stakeholders need managing?

Answer 10

Attitude and perspective - mixed interest/keeness over org. behaviour depending if they are influenced by it
Power & Influence - this depends on the stakeholder
Implication on strategy - strategic change and implementation can be met with support/resistance from stakeholders.

Question 11

What is the nomative stakeholder theory?

Answer 11

Describes stakeholders and their demands
argues there is moral importance to give voice and listen to demands of all stakeholders
So should listen and manage these relationships and their expectations

Question 12

What is instrumental stakeholder theory?

Answer 12

Stakeholders important that they shape an org.’s survival and success, so should try and develop good stakeholder relations as a key to success

Question 13

What is Agle et al’s (1997) influence vs interest matrix?

Answer 13

Depending on stakeholder’s influence or interest over the organization, affects how to manage these stakeholders.
Keep them informed completely/manage them thoroughly/minimal contact/anticipate and manage needs