Module 8a

Question 1

Name the four elements of strategy

Answer 1

1. Consideration of changing environments that create opportunities and threats
2. Assessment of strengths and weaknesses of institutions, in particular threat response
3. Product decision making process influenced by values, preferences and power interested parties
4. Generating options and evaluating them

Question 2

Name the three types of strategy

Answer 2

1. Corporate strategy
2. Business strategy
3. Functional strategy

Question 3

What is corporate strategy?

Answer 3

Decisions about entire organizations. These decisions give direction and addvalue to entire organization.

Question 4

What is business strategy?

Answer 4

Decisions abuot specific products/markets that are differentiable from other products/markets. Can refer to SBU and should relate to the overall corporate strategy

Question 5

What is functional strategy?

Answer 5

This is strategy about various business activities. This determines how corporate and business strategies will be fulfilled.

Question 6

what is the strategic process?

Answer 6

A way that management strategy is formed. This is a combination of rational analysis and subjective and political considerations.

Question 7

Name the six different approaches of the strategic process

Answer 7

1. Rational approach
2. Flexible approach
3. Creative approach
4. Behavioural approach
5. Incremental/emergent approach
6. Absence of strategy

Question 8

What is the rational approach of the strategic process?

Answer 8

This is a form of strategy formulation that is the result of scientific, rational process. this includes the analysis of SWOTs, portfolio etc.

Question 9

What are the disadvantages of the Rational approach of the strategi process?

Answer 9

1. Assumption that all information is available
   2.Complex environments make environmental analysis difficult
2. Unawareness of organization’s real strenghts and weaknesses
3. Lack of innovative solutions because the same information is collected
4. Decision making process becomes subjective and political

Question 10

What is the flexible approach of strategic process?

Answer 10

This approach assumes that uncertainty cannot be eliminated, just reduced through, for example, scenario planning

Question 11

What is scenario planning?

Answer 11

Planning out scenarios of different visions of the future to prepare a number of strategies.

Question 12

What is the creative approach of the strategic process?

Answer 12

This approach uses creativity to make faster decisions than the rational approach. It increases the chances of competitive advantages and complex, dynamic environments require creativeity to get ahead.

Question 13

What is the behavioural approach to the strategic process?

Answer 13

believes that strategy depends on values, personalities of dominant coalition. Due to involvement of bargaining process, reaching satisfactory results is more important than value maximization.

Question 14

What is the incremental/emergent approach of the strategic process?

Answer 14

Constant modification of objectives and strategy to improve the fit with the environment.

Question 15

What are the three broad planning styles?

Answer 15

1. Formalized planning: large organization
2. Negotiation and consultation: government ageny
3. Entrepreneurial planning: small firm

Question 16

Why is the relation between strategy and performance hard to prove?

Answer 16

1. Too many variables make it impossible to isolate effects of strategy
2. Possible that performance influences strategy

Question 17

What are the contexts in which strategy operates?

Answer 17

1. Type of organization
2. Does strategy count for industries, markets or firms
3. Corporate vs business strategy
4. Broad strategies to specific objectives

Question 18

What are the aspects of the environment that influence strategy?

Answer 18

1. General environment: factors effecting all firms in the industry
2. Immediate competitive environment: factors directly influencing firm’s competitive position

Question 19

How can firms reduce uncertainty?

Answer 19

1. Collect relevant information
2. Influence and control of environment (attempt to)
3. Creating structures and procedures to deal with uncertainty

Question 20

Name the components of Mintzberg’s typology of strategies

Answer 20

1. Intended strategy=plan
2. Unrealized strategy: part of plan that failed
3. Deliberate strategy: part of plan that happend
4. Emergent strategy: not planned parts of strategy that happened
5. Realized strategy: emergent+ deliberate strategy

Question 21

What are the rational, flexible and creative approach of the strategy process?

Answer 21

These are what is called prescriptive theory: plans on how to get to the intended strategy