Question 1

One of the big weaknesses of organization structures that do not have cross-business collaboration is:
A) making it hard to effectively empower employees.
B) making it difficult to have closely related activities report to a single executive.
C) that pieces of strategically relevant activities and capabilities often end up scattered across many departments,with each pursuing its own priorities,projects,and agendas.
D) impeding the use of outsourcing.
E) making it hard to fix managerial accountability for poor results.

Accepted Answer

When a company's structure lacks cross-business collaboration, strategically relevant activities and capabilities are often scattered across multiple departments, each with its own priorities and projects. This can lead to inefficiencies and a lack of coordination, which can ultimately harm the organization's performance.

Question 2

When it proves to be infeasible to outcompete rivals by crafting a superior strategy,the next best avenue to beating them out for industry leadership is to out execute them-that is,beat them with superior strategy execution.True or false? Explain.

Accepted Answer

The answer of When it proves to be infeasible to...

Question 3

Building competitively valuable core competencies,resource strengths,and organizational capabilities can be a fruitful avenue to achieving sustainable competitive advantage. Explain.

Accepted Answer

Building competitively valuable core competencies, resource strengths, and organizational capabilities is indeed a fruitful avenue to achieving sustainable competitive advantage. This statement is grounded in the resource-based view of the firm, which suggests that in order to gain and sustain a competitive advantage, a company must possess resources and capabilities that are valuable, rare, inimitable, and non-substitutable (VRIN criteria).Core competencies are the unique strengths and abilities that an organization develops in key areas, such as technology, customer service, or innovation, which allow it to differentiate its products and services from those of its competitors. These competencies are built over time through the accumulation of knowledge, skills, and abilities, and they enable a company to deliver unique value to customers.
Resource strengths refer to the tangible and intangible assets that a company possesses, such as brand equity, proprietary technology, skilled workforce, financial resources, and strong supplier networks. These resources can provide a foundation for building competitive advantage, especially when they are leveraged effectively to create value for customers.
Organizational capabilities are the processes and routines that enable a company to coordinate its resources effectively and to operate efficiently. These include capabilities in areas such as product development, supply chain management, and customer relationship management. Strong organizational capabilities can help a company to execute its strategy more effectively than competitors, leading to a competitive advantage.
When a company develops core competencies, resource strengths, and organizational capabilities that are aligned with its strategy and difficult for competitors to replicate, it can achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. This means that the company can maintain its competitive position over the long term, even as the external environment changes.
In summary, focusing on building and nurturing core competencies, resource strengths, and organizational capabilities is a strategic approach that can lead to a lasting competitive edge in the marketplace. This is because such attributes are deeply embedded in the organization and are not easily copied or acquired by competitors, thus providing a foundation for sustained success.

Question 4

Identify and briefly discuss four of the recommended practices companies have used to recruit and retain the best employees to make the rank-and-file employees a genuine competitive asset.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Identify and briefly discuss four of the...

Question 5

What are the two primary steps managers should take in devising an action agenda for executing strategy?

Accepted Answer

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Question 6

A well-managed network structure typically includes one firm in a more central role,with:
A) the responsibility of ensuring that the right partners are included and the activities are coordinated.
B) more effective collaboration and cooperation among partners.
C) a hand-picked,integrated network of suppliers.
D) an arrangement of independent organizations involved in a common undertaking.
E) All of these.

Accepted Answer

A well-managed network structure involves a central firm that ensures the right partners are included, coordinates activities, fosters effective collaboration, integrates suppliers, and involves independent organizations in a common undertaking.

Question 7

List the 10 principal managerial components of the strategy-implementing/strategy-executing process?

Accepted Answer

The answer of List the 10 principal managerial components of...

Question 8

Identify and briefly discuss the four types of organizational structures that can be aligned with strategy execution.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Identify and briefly discuss the four types...

Question 9

What are the advantages of outsourcing non-critical and sometimes even critical value chain activities?

Accepted Answer

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Question 10

The organizational characteristics of a network structure include:
A) linking a number of independent organizations involved in some common undertaking.
B) one firm with a more central role charged with coordination of cross-network activities.
C) organizations working effectively through collaboration and cooperation toward a common undertaking.
D) extensive collaborative efforts among people in different specialties and different geographic locations.
E) All of these.

Accepted Answer

All of the given characteristics - linking independent organizations, having a central coordinating firm, promoting collaboration and cooperation, and involving people in diverse locations and specialties - are prevalent in a network structure. Therefore, the best choice is E.

Question 11

Identify and briefly discuss the three common approaches to building core competencies and competitive capabilities.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Identify and briefly discuss the three common...

Question 12

Diversified companies striving to capture the benefits of synergy between separate businesses have to be aware of many challenges,EXCEPT:
A) giving business-unit heads full rein to operate independently.
B) having pieces of strategically relevant activities and capabilities scattered across many departments,with each pursuing its own priorities,projects,and agendas.
C) centralizing performance of functions requiring close coordination at the functional level.
D) serving the interests of individual businesses and not the company as a whole.
E) forming cross-business strategic fit by enforcing close collaboration.

Accepted Answer

Forming cross-business strategic fit by enforcing close collaboration is actually a way to capture the benefits of synergy, not a challenge.

Question 13

Which one of the following must a company do to match structure to strategy?
A) Choose a basic organizational design and modify it to fit the company's particular business.
B) Supplement the design structure with coordinating mechanisms.
C) Institute networking and communication arrangements to support strategy execution.
D) Set up "ideal" organizational arrangements despite having to disturb existing relationships or other relevant factors.
E) All of these.

Accepted Answer

To effectively match structure to strategy, a company must consider all aspects: choosing and modifying an organizational design, supplementing with coordinating mechanisms, and instituting networking and communication arrangements.

Question 14

Identify and briefly discuss/explain three components of structuring a company's work effort to promote successful strategy execution.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Identify and briefly discuss/explain three components of...

Question 15

Describe at least three traits or characteristics of a core competence.Where in an organization can a core competence be found and what is involved in building and strengthening a core competence? Give three examples of a core competence.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe at least three traits or characteristics...

Question 16

Explain what is involved in building capabilities internally? What steps are required? How much time does it take? How hard is it? Support your answer.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Explain what is involved in building capabilities...

Question 17

Identify and briefly discuss the three facets of building an organization capable of proficient strategy execution.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Identify and briefly discuss the three facets...

Question 18

Who has strategy execution responsibility and who is ultimately responsible for making sure that the task of implementing and executing the strategy goes well?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Who has strategy execution responsibility and who...

Question 19

The classic way to coordinate the work efforts of internal organization units is to:
A) establish a corporate culture where teamwork is a core value and decisions are made by general consensus among team leaders in the affected work units.
B) have closely related activities report to a single executive who has the authority and organizational clout to coordinate,integrate,and arrange for the cooperation of units under their supervision.
C) have the heads of support activities report to the heads of primary,strategy-critical activities.
D) establish monetary incentives that reward people for being cooperative team players.
E) have frequent meetings among the heads of closely related activities and work units to establish mutually agreeable deadlines.

Accepted Answer

Option B provides a clear and direct way to coordinate work efforts within an organization. By having closely related activities report to a single executive with authority, the coordination, integration, and cooperation of work units can be ensured. This approach reduces the likelihood of conflicts and enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of the organization's operations. While options A, C, D, and E can also contribute to coordination efforts, they may not be as direct and effective as having a single executive with the necessary authority and organizational clout to oversee the work of various units.

Question 20

Building organizational bridges with external allies is aided by:
A) appointing "relationship managers" and giving them responsibility for making particular strategic partnerships or alliances generate the intended benefits.
B) agreeing with allies to meet frequently and make all decisions pertaining to the alliance on the basis of mutual agreement and consensus.
C) getting each strategic ally to agree to appoint someone as head of the collaborative effort and to give that person the authority to enforce tight coordination of joint activities.
D) forming a 50-50 joint venture with each strategic partner,and then assigning people to the joint venture that has the authority and responsibility to enforce tight coordination.
E) entering into a written agreement detailing the roles and responsibilities of the company and the ally/partner,setting forth the results that are expected,establishing deadlines for achieving these results,and designating the people who are to be responsible for making the collaborative effort work successfully.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Building organizational bridges with external allies is...

Quiz 10: Building an Organization Capable of Good Strategy Execution: People, Capabilities, and Structure

One of the big weaknesses of organization structures that do not have cross-business collaboration is:

When it proves to be infeasible to outcompete rivals by crafting a superior strategy,the next best avenue to beating them out for industry leadership is to out execute them-that is,beat them with superior strategy execution.True or false? Explain.

Building competitively valuable core competencies,resource strengths,and organizational capabilities can be a fruitful avenue to achieving sustainable competitive advantage. Explain.

Identify and briefly discuss four of the recommended practices companies have used to recruit and retain the best employees to make the rank-and-file employees a genuine competitive asset.

What are the two primary steps managers should take in devising an action agenda for executing strategy?

A well-managed network structure typically includes one firm in a more central role,with:

List the 10 principal managerial components of the strategy-implementing/strategy-executing process?

Identify and briefly discuss the four types of organizational structures that can be aligned with strategy execution.

What are the advantages of outsourcing non-critical and sometimes even critical value chain activities?

The organizational characteristics of a network structure include:

Identify and briefly discuss the three common approaches to building core competencies and competitive capabilities.

Diversified companies striving to capture the benefits of synergy between separate businesses have to be aware of many challenges,EXCEPT:

Which one of the following must a company do to match structure to strategy?

Identify and briefly discuss/explain three components of structuring a company's work effort to promote successful strategy execution.

Describe at least three traits or characteristics of a core competence.Where in an organization can a core competence be found and what is involved in building and strengthening a core competence? Give three examples of a core competence.

Explain what is involved in building capabilities internally? What steps are required? How much time does it take? How hard is it? Support your answer.

Identify and briefly discuss the three facets of building an organization capable of proficient strategy execution.

Who has strategy execution responsibility and who is ultimately responsible for making sure that the task of implementing and executing the strategy goes well?

The classic way to coordinate the work efforts of internal organization units is to:

Building organizational bridges with external allies is aided by: