Question 1

If a planned strategy is fully compatible with the company's current culture, what should the company do?

Accepted Answer

If a strategy is fully compatible with the company's current culture, the company should implement the new strategy and identify how it is superior to the old strategy, as there are no cultural barriers to address.

Question 2

What did a study of 173 firms over a 25-year period reveal about CEOs of successful corporations?

Accepted Answer

They tended to have the same functional specialization as the former CEO.

Question 3

Which guideline for successful downsizing encourages an organization to spend the time to research where money is going and to eliminate the task that does not add value to what the firm is producing?

Accepted Answer

Eliminating unnecessary work involves identifying and removing tasks that do not contribute to the organization's value, thereby optimizing resources and improving efficiency.

Question 4

What term is used to describe the approach used by human resource managers to identify good performers within an organization with promotion potential?

Accepted Answer

The performance appraisal system is used by human resource managers to assess employees' job performance and identify those with potential for promotion.

Question 5

Which type of chief executive officer would be appropriate for a weak corporation in a relatively attractive industry, having a challenge-oriented ability useful for saving a company?

Accepted Answer

A turnaround specialist is skilled in revitalizing weak companies and is well-suited for saving a company in an attractive industry.

Question 6

According to the text, Enterprise Rent-A-Car follows a staffing policy of

Accepted Answer

Enterprise Rent-A-Car is known for its policy of promoting from within, which means they prefer to advance their existing employees to higher positions rather than hiring externally for upper-level management roles.

Question 7

The concept of continuous improvement is part of

Accepted Answer

Continuous improvement is a core principle of Total Quality Management (TQM), which focuses on constantly improving processes and products.

Question 8

Which method of managing disparate cultures is the most common and the most destructive method of dealing with two different cultures because one company imposes its demands at the expense of another company's culture?

Accepted Answer

Deculturation is the most destructive method as it involves one company imposing its culture on another, often leading to the loss of the latter's cultural identity.

Question 9

Which method of managing disparate cultures involves a relatively balanced give-and-take of cultural and managerial practices between the merger partners, and no strong imposition of cultural change on either?

Accepted Answer

Integration involves a balanced exchange of cultural and managerial practices, allowing both merger partners to contribute without one imposing its culture on the other.

Question 10

If a planned strategy is not compatible with the company's current culture, and management is not willing to make major organizational changes required to manage around the culture, what should the organization do?

Accepted Answer

If the strategy is incompatible with the current culture and management is unwilling to make major changes, partnering with another company can help execute the strategy without altering the existing culture.

Question 11

Which one of the following is NOT a problem associated with inappropriate downsizing?

Accepted Answer

Downsizing can produce short-term financial benefits by reducing costs, even though it may lead to other negative consequences.

Question 12

Strategic goals can be accomplished through defining an action plan. Which one of the following is NOT one of the components which make up an action plan?

Accepted Answer

The location of an action is not a component of an action plan.

Question 13

Which type of chief executive officer would be appropriate for a corporation following a concentration strategy emphasizing vertical or horizontal growth with a great deal of experience in that particular industry?

Accepted Answer

A dynamic industry expert would be appropriate for a corporation following a concentration strategy emphasizing vertical or horizontal growth, as they have extensive experience and knowledge in the specific industry, which is crucial for effectively managing and expanding within that sector.

Question 14

According to research by Hofstede on various national cultures, the dimension which measures the extent to which the society is oriented toward money and things or toward people is called

Accepted Answer

The masculinity-femininity dimension in Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory measures the extent to which a society values traditionally masculine traits like competitiveness and material success (masculinity) versus traditionally feminine traits like caring for others and quality of life (femininity).

Question 15

If a planned strategy is not compatible with the current culture, but the culture can be easily modified to make it more compatible with the new strategy, what should the organization do?

Accepted Answer

The organization should move forward carefully by introducing small modifications to the culture before implementing the new strategy, ensuring a smoother transition and better alignment.

Question 16

Which one of the following is NOT one of the activities and techniques used in an assessment center to evaluate a person's suitability for advancement?

Accepted Answer

IQ tests are not typically used in assessment centers, which focus on evaluating skills and behaviors through simulations and exercises like group discussions, management games, in-basket exercises, and case analyses.

Question 17

Which method of managing disparate cultures involves one firm's domination over another willing firm?

Accepted Answer

Assimilation involves one firm's domination over another, where the dominated firm willingly adopts the culture of the dominant firm.

Question 18

That part of strategy implementation which focuses on the selection & utilization of employees is

Accepted Answer

Staffing is the process of selecting and utilizing employees, which is a key part of strategy implementation.

Quiz 9: Strategy Implementation: Staffing and Directing