Deck 12: Capabilities, Systems and Structure

Question 1

Hubbard et al.quote a famous saying to summarise the key issue of information systems as:

A)if it isn't measured,it doesn't count
B)if it doesn't count,it isn't measured
C)if it ain't broke,don't fix it
D)if it can't be measured,it isn't counted

Answer 1

A

Question 2

The relationships between behaviour,motivation and reward systems can be summarised as:

A)motivation influences reward systems,reward systems influence behaviour
B)behaviour influences motivation,motivation influences reward systems
C)reward systems influence motivation,motivation influences behaviour
D)none of the above

Answer 2

C

Question 3

The elements of the Hubbard et al.model of strategy implementation are:

A)environment,capacities,leadership,culture,structure,systems,strategy,tactics
B)structure,systems,strategy,people,environment,capabilities,leadership,culture
C)strategy,process,environment,capabilities,leadership,capacities,structure,systems
D)leadership,culture,structure,systems,strategy,people,environment,differentiation

Answer 3

B

Question 4

The seven factors of the McKinsey 7S model of strategy implementation are:

A)sustainable competitive advantage,skills,staff,strategy,structure,style,systems
B)superior value,skills,staff,strategy,structure,style,systems
C)shared values,skills,staff,strategy,structure,style,systems
D)shared interests,skills,staff,strategy,structure,style,systems

Question 5

Simons argued that organisations need four types of control systems:

A)input systems,boundary systems,diagnostic control systems,interactive command systems
B)interactive control systems,belief systems,boundary riders,diagnostic control systems
C)belief systems,diagnostic control systems,boundary layers,interactive control systems
D)boundary systems,diagnostic control systems,interactive control systems,belief systems

Question 6

Operating systems determine:

A)the quality of what is not produced
B)what is produced and how
C)both of the above
D)none of the above

Question 7

Capabilities can be improved by all the following except:

A)hiring new people with the required new capabilities.
B)training and developing existing people to improve their capability levels.
C)improving activities,functions and systems to develop the required capabilities.
D)making decisions to focus investments on diminishing manufacturing areas.

Question 8

Hubbard et al.claim that their model of implementation builds on the original 7S model with the fundamental aim to:

A)alert all elements so that the strategy being pursued is able to be implemented efficiently
B)align all elements so that the strategy being pursued is able to be implemented efficiently
C)alert all elements so that the strategy being pursued is able to be implemented effectively
D)align all elements so that the strategy being pursued is able to be implemented effectively

Question 9

Hubbard,Rice and Galvin assert that the aim of structure is to ___ in a(n)___ way so that the ___ of the organisation can be delivered:

A)deploy human resources,orderly and disciplined,ethical purpose
B)produce goods and services,efficient and effective,corporate mission
C)provide meaningful employment,respectful and self-actualising,symbolic promise
D)arrange the activities,efficient and effective,business strategy

Question 10

Simons argued that control is necessary to balance the competing tensions in an organisation because of:

A)unlimited attention spans of managers/limited opportunities for the organisation
B)intended strategy/deliberate strategy
C)self-interest of individuals/the desire to contribute,achieve and create
D)none of the above

Question 11

The issues to be considered in developing the design of the organisational structure do NOT include:

A)What the primary value-creating activities in the organisation are?
B)To what extent jobs should be standardised so that activities and skills can be specialised?
C)How activities and jobs should be coordinated?
D)How jobs should be grouped?

Question 12

At the centre of Hubbard et al.'s model of strategy implementation is the pervasive role of ___ and ___.

A)illusion,reality
B)ethics,morals
C)communication,perception
D)cause,effect

Question 13

Nohria et al.concluded that it did not matter which particular structural form was used.What mattered was:

A)that the structure simplified the process of dealing with other organisations
B)that the structure enhanced cooperation and exchange of knowledge across the company
C)that the structure established systems for seamless knowledge sharing
D)that the best people were not exposed to the front line

Question 14

_________ determine what the organisation is told about what is happening.

A)Operating systems
B)Information systems
C)Capabilities
D)Perceptions

Question 15

Hubbard et al.'s 'winning wheel' has nine elements leading to effective execution excluding:

A)perfect adjustment and reality
B)clear fuzzy strategy and leadership not leaders
C)looking out,looking in and right people
D)manage the downside and balance everything

Question 16

General systems theory argues that most ___ that occur are the result of ___ problems,not just the ___ that we observe.

A)incidents,deliberate,accidents
B)problems,systemic,symptoms
C)symptoms,underlying,incidents
D)accidents,collateral,outcome

Question 17

Quinn argued that the key variables in the structure of a knowledge-based organisation are:

A)locus of control,locus of customisation,direction of flow,degree of leverage
B)method of leverage,focus of intellect,locus of differentiation,trajectory of flow
C)flow of direction,locus of intellect,focus of customisation,method of leverage
D)locus of customisation,direction of flow,method of leverage,locus of intellect

Question 18

The issues related to reward system design do NOT include the question:

A)Should rewards be to individuals,groups or the organisation?
B)Should rewards be based on individual,group or stakeholder performance?
C)Should rewards be based on a single measure of performance or multiple measures?
D)Should rewards be cash,financial instruments (shares,options)or non-financial?

Question 19

The issues Hubbard,Rice and Galvin cite in introducing a reward system do NOT include:

A)people are very good at manipulating reward systems
B)rewards are difficult to take away once they are introduced
C)reward schemes are becoming increasingly costly
D)there is limited evidence of the relationship between rewards and performance

Question 20

Capabilities are the ___ between the ___ and the ___ aspects of ___.

A)golden thread,input,output,business planning
B)go-between,masculine,feminine,organisational structure
C)differentiating force,good,bad,organisational culture
D)fundamental link,analysis,implementation,strategy

Question 21

Capabilities have no link with analysis and implementation aspects of strategy.

Question 22

Compare and contrast the McKinsey 7S model of strategic implementation with Hubbard et al.'s 'winning wheel'.

Question 23

Which of the following is not a step in analysing an informal network,according to Krackhardt and Hanson?

A) conducting a confidential survey of employees about who they talk to and trust and seek advice from.
B) ask managers what they think the answers will be to the first question.
C) process the information using computer programs to generate detailed social network maps.
D)check with security about the background check on each employee intervieweD.

Question 24

Capabilities can be improved by improving activities,functions and systems.

Question 25

Uncompetitive cost structures are problems of strategic formulation.

Question 26

In a network organisation the nature of activities is not changed from performing the activities to coordinating activities carried out by other organisations.

Question 27

In suggesting how to analyse an informal network,Krackhardt and Hanson suggested conducting a confidential survey of employees about:

A)who they work with,who they avoid,who they give help or advice to
B)who they like,who they seek help or advice about,who they dislike
C)who they seek help or advice from,who they talk to,who they trust,
D)none of the above

Question 28

In developing the design of an organisation's structure,what are the issues that the organisation should consider?

Question 29

Information systems determine what the organisation is told about what is happening.

Question 30

Whatever an organization's current level of capabilities,there is no way to improve them because static execution is deeply-rooted.

Question 31

Decision-making systems affect what is done in the organisation's future.

Question 32

Quinn et al.suggested four different structures for knowledge-based organisations:

A)infinitely flat,inverted,spider's web,starburst
B)spider man,infinitely curved,overturned,sunshine
C)starburst,inverted,dynamic cobweb,simply flat
D)spider's web,mind map,nodal,sunray

Question 33

There are no problematic issues to deal with in introducing reward systems.

Question 34

'The role and importance of performance-based reward systems in affecting the behaviour has changed.' Comment.

Question 35

Implementation is an integral part of strategic management.

Question 36

Is outsourcing an ethical practice? Discuss.

Question 37

A network organisation works closely with other organisations to produce its own outputs.

Question 38

Hubbard et al.found that winning organisations tended to align the nine implementation elements of strategy to ensure effectiveness.

Question 39

Control systems can provide information to both encourage and discourage prior organisational behaviours.