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Strategic Management Flashcards

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3884112349McDonald's has been able to a. earn above-average returns. b. achieve strategic competitiveness. c. use the strategic management process. d. All of these options are correctd0
3884115082A firm has achieved when it successfully formulates and implements a value-creating strategy. a. strategic competitiveness b. a permanently sustainable competitive advantage c. substantial returns d. legal and ethical core valuesa1
3884116667A competitive advantage a. can be permanent if the firm has successfully implemented the strategic management process. b. entails reducing investors' risk to near zero. c. can be identified only if it has been unsuccessfully challenged by competitors. d. exists when competing firms are unable to find investors.c2
3884118685Above-average returns are a. higher profits than the firm earned the previous year. b. higher profits than the industry averaged over the last 10 years. c. profits in excess of what an investor expects to earn from a historical pattern of performance of the firm. d. returns in excess of what an investor expects to earn from other investments with a similar level of risk.d3
3884119890The strategic management process is a. a set of activities that will assure a sustainable competitive advantage and above-average returns for the firm. b. a decision-making activity concerned with a firm's internal resources, capabilities, and competencies, independent of the conditions in its external environment. c. a process directed by top-management with input from other stakeholders that seeks to achieve above- average returns for investors through effective use of the organization's resources. d. the full set of commitments, decisions, and actions required for the firm to achieve above-average returns and strategic competitiveness.d4
3884122963The primary drivers of hypercompetition are a. rising global socio-economic instability and increased inflation. b. the emergence of a global economy and rapid technological change. c. increased global competition and decreased tariffs. d. increased availability of capital and increased competition.b5
3884122964All of the following are characteristic of the global economy EXCEPT a. the increasing importance of developing countries as sources of revenue growth. b. the free movement of goods, services, people, skills, and ideas across geographic borders. c. the increased use of tariffs to protect industries. d. higher levels of opportunities and challenges.c6
3884124946. Essentially, has become one of the world's largest markets with 700 million potential consumers. a. the European Union b. the United States c. China d. Japana7
3884129408. has become the second-largest economy in the world. a. The United States b. The European Union c. Japan d. Chinad8
3884131225The economic interdependence among countries as reflected in the flow of goods, services, financial capital, and knowledge across country borders is defined as a. hypercompetition. b. boundaryless retailing. c. strategic intensity. d. globalization.d9
3884132434Globalization has led to a. lower operational efficiency as firms must transport raw materials and finished goods farther. b. increasing loyalty of customers for products made domestically. c. declining returns from investment in research and development. d. higher product quality.d10
3884133957The "liability of foreignness" is the a. inability of most U.S. managers to truly comprehend foreign cultures. b. political disadvantage that U.S. firms have when doing business abroad. c. overall risk of participating outside a firm's domestic country when entering global competition. d. strong cultural preference for "buying local," which puts foreign firms at a disadvantage when competing in the U.S. market.c11
3884135510. Even for companies capable of succeeding in global markets, it is critical that they a. remain committed to and strategically competitive in their domestic market. b. introduce many new products immediately after entering a new market. c. acquire a local competitor in each significant foreign market. d. develop good negotiating skills in order to take advantage of local suppliers in the international market.a12
3884135511The rate of technological diffusion is increasing. Which of the following was fastest in penetrating 25 percent of homes in the U.S. market? a. telephone b. television c. personal computer d. Internetd13
3884140281. New markets created by iPods, PDAs, and Wi-Fi are a result of a. disruptive technologies. b. global competition. c. knowledge intensity. d. hypercompetition.a14
3884140283Apple's iPod and iPad are examples of a. the march of globalization. b. rapid technological diffusion. c. disruptive technologies. d. products that were not imitated by competitorsc15
3884141553The ability to effectively and efficiently access and use information is a. vitally important at the point where a domestic firm enters the global market. b. an important source of competitive advantage in virtually all industries. c. the minimum required for survival in virtually any industry. d. critically important mainly in high technology industries.b16
3884143423The CEO of Ridgeway, Inc., realizes that the company's survival depends on developing and acquiring knowledge. Which of the following actions by the CEO would be most consistent with this need? a. ensuring that all current unique knowledge of the firm is protected by patents b. planning extensive employee training and hiring educated and experienced employees c. investing in sophisticated databases in relevant knowledge areas d. establishing a system of organizational intelligence gatheringb17
3884143424Knowledge is composed of all the following EXCEPT a. insight. b. expertise. c. information. d. intelligence.a18
3884145519Which of the following statements about organizational knowledge is correct? a. Knowledge is an intangible resource. b. The importance of knowledge is increasing. c. The value of knowledge as a proportion of shareholder value is increasing. d. All of these options are correct.d19
3884146790In order to cope with hypercompetition, firms need to develop through continuous learning. a. competitive resilience b. strategic flexibility c. strategic power d. competitive dominanceb20
3884146791All of the following are assumptions of the industrial organization (I/O) model EXCEPT a. organizational decision makers are rational and committed to acting in the firm's best interests. b. resources to implement strategies are firm-specific and attached to firms over the long-term. c. the external environment is assumed to impose pressures and constraints that determine the strategies that result in above-average returns. d. firms in given industries, or given industry segments, are assumed to control similar strategically relevant resources.b21
3884148458The industrial organization (I/O) model argues that a. the key factor in success is choosing the correct industry in which to compete. b. the firm's internal resources and capabilities represent the foundation for development of a value-creating strategy. c. the key to earning above-average returns is strategic flexibility. d. the internal structure of the organization must match the industry in which it competes in order to earn above-average returns on investment.a22
3884150476Which of the following statements is most consistent under the I/O view? Performance of the firm is most directly attributable to a. the power of the financial market stakeholders. b. the resources the firm possesses. c. the profitability of the industry in which the firm competes. d. hypercompetition within the industry.c23
3884151528Firms use the five forces model to identify the of the industry as measured by its a. size; number of competitors. b. globalization; exports. c. hypercompetition; technology diffusion. d. attractiveness; profitability.d24
3884155953Although McDonald's is competing in an unattractive industry, it has improved its performance by focusing on product innovations and by enhancing existing facilities. This improved performance is best explained by a. globalization. b. the resource-based model. c. the I/O model. d. hypercompetition.b25
3884157151An investor is considering in which of two start-up companies to invest. The investor has faith in the industrial organization model of above-average returns and is using its concepts to make a decision. Both start-up companies propose to manufacture health-focused foods with such characteristics as low salt, low sugar, high fiber, and no artificial additives. RexRich Foods has a business strategy of producing a differentiated product for which consumers will pay more. Green Pastures Foods is in the health-foods industry because of its internal culture and commitment to healthful lifestyles. Which firm will the investor feel is most consistent with the model of industrial organization? a. Green Pastures Foods b. RexRich Foods c. Both firms are consistent with the I/O approach. d. At the entrepreneurial stage, the model which companies follow is not important.b26
3884159736Research shows that approximately percent of a firm's profitability is explained by the industry in which it competes, whereas a. 90; 10 b. 60; 40 c. 36; 20 d. 20; 36d27
3884159737All of the following are resources of an organization EXCEPT a. an hourly production employee's ability to catch subtle quality defects in products. b. oil drilling rights in a promising region. c. weak competitors in the industry. d. a charity's endowment of $400 million.c28
3884161578. All of the following are assumptions of the resource-based model EXCEPT a. each firm is a unique collection of resources and capabilities. b. the industry's structural characteristics have little impact on a firm's performance over time. c. capabilities are highly mobile across firms. d. differences in resources and capabilities are the basis of competitive advantage.c29
3884162867. is a capacity for a set of resources to perform a task or an activity in an integrative manner. a. A capability b. A core competence c. Sustainable competitive advantage d. Organizational intelligencea30
3884164262When resources and capabilities serve as a source of competitive advantage for a firm, the firm has created a(n) a. strategic mission. b. inspiring vision. c. core competence. d. sustainable market niche.c31
3884165843In the resource-based model, which of the following factors would be considered a key to organizational success? a. unique market niche b. weak competition c. economies of scale d. skilled employeesd32
3884165844To have the potential to become sources of competitive advantage, resources and capabilities must be non- substitutable, valuable, , and a. unique; easy to imitate. b. easy to imitate; difficult to implement. c. rare; costly to imitate. d. easy to implement; unique.c33
3884168835The resource-based model of the firm argues that a. all resources have the potential to be the basis of sustainable competitive advantage. b. resources alone can be a source of sustainable competitive advantage. c. the key to competitive success is the structure of the industry in which the firm competes. d. resources that are valuable, rare, costly to imitate, and non-substitutable form the basis of a firm's core competencies.d34
3884170294The resource-based view of the firm a. emphasizes that it is difficult to develop and sustain a competitive advantage based on resources alone. b. argues that the industry environment has a stronger influence on firms' ability to implement strategies successfully than does the competitor environment. c. calls for firms to focus on their homogeneous capabilities to compete against their rivals. d. suggests that vision and mission are closely linked to sustainable competitive advantagea35
3884172030The goal of the organization's come. a. vision b. mission c. culture d. strategya36
3884265898The Princeton Alliance Church states in its website that "PAC exists to help you live life to the fullest by knowing God, developing community and bringing hope." This pronouncement is most precisely a statement of organizational a. values. b. mission. c. vision. d. culture.c37
3884267087A firm's mission a. is a statement of a firm's business in which it intends to compete and the customers it intends to serve. b. is an internally focused affirmation of the organization's financial, social, and ethical goals. c. is mainly intended to emotionally inspire employees and other stakeholders. d. is developed by a firm before the firm develops its vision.a38
3884267088The final responsibility for forming the organization's mission lies with the a. CEO. b. top-management team. c. employees. d. organization's stakeholders.a39
3884277276Who typically develops a firm's mission statement? a. only the CEO b. only top managers c. the CEO and top managers d. the CEO, COO, and CFO onlyc40
3884277277Organizational stakeholders include a. unions. b. host communities. c. employees. d. suppliers of capital.c41
3884279384The interests of an organization's stakeholders often conflict, and the organization must prioritize its stakeholders if it cannot satisfy them all. The is the most critical criterion in prioritizing stakeholders. a. power of each stakeholder b. urgency of satisfying each stakeholder c. vulnerability of organizational stakeholders d. social value of each stakeholdera42
3884279385Capital market stakeholders include a. industry competitors. b. shareholders. c. employees. d. government regulators.b43
3884281010Dissatisfied capital market stakeholders may a. sell their stock. b. tighten loan covenants. c. seek to increase their power. d. All of these options are correct.d44
3884282534. Greenleaf Property Management has been earning below-average returns for the last three years. Which of the following statements are true? a. Greenleaf will be able to satisfy its multiple stakeholders easily as long as the stakeholders are committed to the strategic mission of the firm. b. Greenleaf will be able to at least minimally satisfy the demands of each stakeholder. c. Greenleaf will need to prioritize the demands of its stakeholders based on the political influence each wields. d. Greenleaf will not be able to minimally satisfy all stakeholders.d45
3884282535Product market stakeholders include the firm's customers, and the principal concern of this stakeholder group is a. maximizing the firm's return on investment. b. receiving the highest-quality products and services in the industry. c. obtaining reliable products at the lowest possible price. d. increasing the profitability of the firm.c46
3884283822Generally speaking, product market stakeholders are satisfied when a. a firm's profit margin yields the lowest return to capital market stakeholders that is acceptable to them. b. a firm's profit margin yields an above-average return to its capital market stakeholders. c. the interests of the firm's organizational stakeholders have been maximized. d. the interests of all stakeholders have been at least minimally satisfieda47
3884285270Before liquidating, Circuit City took several actions to try to satisfy its stakeholders. a. capital market b. product market c. organizational d. governmentala48
3884285271The Chambers of Commerce of cities and towns often implore citizens to buy from local businesses. This is because the organization's role as a taxpayer is most important to as stakeholders. a. major suppliers of capital b. shareholders c. host communities d. unionsc49
3884287628Although it closed stores, changed the top management team, and sought potential buyers, none of these actions resulted in outcomes that allowed Circuit City to meet the expectations of its stakeholders. a. product market b. capital market c. organizational d. governmentalb50
3884287629Organizational stakeholders are usually satisfied when a. their return on investment has been maximized. b. customers pay the highest sustainable price for the goods and services they receive. c. companies provide a dynamic, stimulating, and rewarding work environment. d. companies are paying the highest prices to suppliersc51
3884289208Product market stakeholders include a. suppliers. b. shareholders. c. employees. d. the firm's chief executive officera52
3884290531Refuge Nursing Homes, Inc., (RNH) has been highly profitable in the past 10 years, providing its investors higher returns than those earned by its direct competitors' investors. RNH has a reputation for providing high-paying managerial and hourly-employee jobs. However, recent investigations have revealed that the nursing home residents have been provided substandard care, including non-nutritious and unappetizing meals, non-functional medical equipment, and inadequate patient-care staffing. Which statement best describes the situation? a. RNH has been earning below-average returns, so it has had to prioritize the demands of its various stakeholders. b. RNH has prioritized the demands of capital market stakeholders over the demands of product market stakeholders. c. RNH has earned above-average returns and so has satisfied the needs of all relevant stakeholders. d. RNH has been attempting to minimally satisfy the demands of all of its stakeholders.b53
3884291618A prominent national accounting firm runs television advertisements showing an accountant working alone late in the office on a client's project, while clenching a long-stemmed rose in his teeth and grinning ecstatically. The message of the ad is that this firm's accountants love their work. This ad seeks to convey a sense of the organization's to the viewers. a. culture b. mission c. vision d. personalitya54
3884291619. The global economy, globalization, rapid technological change, and the increasing importance of knowledge are creating the need to a. delegate strategic responsibilities to employees "closer to the action." b. split responsibilities between the CEO and the board of directors as a result of corporate scandals triggered by unethical CEOs. c. re-centralize the responsibility for strategy to the CEO. d. expand the strategic responsibilities to all organizational stakeholders.a55
3884293523The strategic leader's work is characterized by a. ambiguous decision situations which make effective decisions difficult to determine. b. a willingness to unify stakeholders through skillful manipulation. c. an ability to identify the correct solutions to long-range problems. d. concentration on the practical day-to-day aspects of the organization's operationsa56
3884298102The profit pool is the a. pool of assets that is distributed to investors. b. total profits earned in an industry along all points of the value chain. c. profits that are accrued when a firm earns above-average returns. d. total profits that can be divided among the competitors within an industry.b57
3884298103The steps for identifying the profit pools in an industry include all of the following EXCEPT a. defining the boundaries of the pool. b. estimating the overall size of the pool. c. defining the competitors in the pool. d. estimating the size of the value-chain activity in the pool.c58
3884299825Analysis of the industry's profit pool enables strategic managers to a. predict future revenue streams for the organization. b. predict growth in sales over the medium to long range. c. determine whether an industry will be viable in the long term. d. locate the most promising areas of an industry's value chain.d59
3884299826If McDonald's were to map the profit pool in the quick-service restaurant industry, it would do all of the following EXCEPT a. define the industry's boundaries and size. b. estimate the profit potential in each part of the value chain. c. focus on unattractive industries ignored by competitors. d. select the strategy to use where the largest profit pools are located.d60
3884301373. A major assumption about the strategic management process is that it is a. inspired. b. team-based. c. rational. d. inclusive.c61
3884304079. A business-level strategy describes a. the businesses in which the company intends to compete. b. all policies and procedures used in functional departments. c. the firm's actions to exploit its competitive advantage over rivals. d. a firm's resources, intent, and mission.c62
3884304080In a diversified firm, corporate-level strategy is concerned with a. operating each individual business under the corporate umbrella. b. determining how each functional department of the firm will operate. c. determining in which businesses to compete and how resources will be allocated between businesses. d. coordinating the vision and mission of each subsidiary firm.c63
3884305585PGG Mining is making a strategic decision whether to shut down a coal mine in Pennsylvania. It is important to consider that the decision a. should be based solely on the results of profit-pool mapping. b. has ethical implications for organizational stakeholders. c. need not be socially responsible if the firm is making below-average returns from the mine. d. All of these choices are important to consider.b64
3884309136. It is well known that the elected school board of a large city engages in unethical and illegal activities involving the awarding of major contracts. This behavior has existed for decades, even as the membership in the school board has changed over time. This behavior reflects a. the core values of the school board as an organization. b. a functional, although unethical, culture of the school board. c. the lack of an organizational mission for the school board. d. a school board lacking in core competencies.a65
3884471964In smaller, new venture firms, returns are sometimes measured in terms of a. return on assets. b. return on equity. c. return on sales. d. the amount and speed of growth.d66
3884474389A ______ is an integrated and coordinated set of commitments and actions designed to exploit core competencies and gain a competitive advantage. a. goal b. strategy c. tactic d. missionb67
3884474390. is an investor's uncertainty about the economic gains or losses that will result from a particular investment. a. Return b. Reward c. Risk d. Revenuec68
3884476976The culmination of the strategic management process is a. performance. b. strategy implementation. c. strategy formulation. d. analysis.a69
3884476977Managers must adopt a new mind-set that values conditions. a. flexibility b. innovation c. speed d. All of these options are correct.d70
3884478507. ______ innovation is a term used to describe how rapidly and consistently new, information-intensive technologies replace older ones. a. Perpetual b. Disruptive c. Global d. Diffusiona71
3884480630provides the firm with new and up-to-date skill sets, which allow it to adapt to its environment as it encounters changes. a. Strategic flexibility b. Continuous learning c. Knowledge d. The Internetb72
3884480631The I/O model is grounded in a. anthropology. b. psychology. c. economics. d. accounting.c73
3884483462Firms use both the and models. In fact, these models complement each other in that one focuses outside the firm while the other focuses inside the firm. a. industry; capability b. I/O; resource-based c. competition; competency d. industry; competencyb74
3884484761. should establish a firm's individuality and should be inspiring and relevant to all stakeholders. a. A strategy b. A vision c. A mission d. A goalc75
3884486335. William Ackman is a hedge fund manager who owned a large share of J.C. Penney stock. He was also a member of the Penney board. He tried to get the CEO fired, but the board and top management said he breached his boardroom duties when he publicly disclosed information on the CEO search and financial condition of the company. He resigned from the board of directors. This is an example of a contentious relationship between a. the capital market stakeholders and the organizational stakeholders. b. the organizational stakeholders and the product market stakeholders. c. the capital market stakeholders and the product market stakeholders. d. all the stakeholders.a76
3884487515Strategic leaders are a. located only at the executive level. b. located in different areas and levels. c. the CEO, COO, and CFO only. d. located at different levels, but only in the operating area of the organizationb77
3884487516. Successful strategic leaders are a. committed to helping the firm create value for all stakeholder groups. b. committed to nurturing those around them. c. decisive. d. All of these options are correctd78
3884489413Strategic delegation helps a. overload middle managers. b. executives control strategy implementation. c. avoid too much managerial hubris. d. emphasize profit maximizationc79
3884489414Organizational culture refers to a. the social energy that drives, or fails to drive, the organization. b. the complex set of ideologies, symbols, and core values that are shared throughout the firm. c. what people do when no one else is looking. d. All of these options are correct.d80
3884491587Effective strategic leaders a. are willing to be brutally honest. b. focus on strategy formation. c. focus on strategy implementation. d. focus on innovation.a81
3884491588Strategic leaders, , often work long hours, and their work is filled with ambiguous decision situations. a. at the top of the organization b. regardless of their location in the organization c. in the finance area d. in the operations areab82
3884493131. If McDonald's is considering growing potatoes, the step of the profit pool analysis is the one that a. defines the pool's boundaries. b. estimates the pool's overall size. c. estimates the size of the value-chain activity in the pool. d. reconciles the calculations.c83
3884493132. If Southwest Airlines is considering the consequences of videoconferencing on business travel, it is in the profit pool analysis step known as a. defining the pool's boundaries. b. estimating the pool's overall size. c. estimating the size of the value-chain activity in the pool. d. reconciling the calculations.a84
3884494434SWOT stands for a. strategy, wealth, organization, and threats. b. success, weakness, opportunities, and taxes. c. strength, wealth, organization, and taxes. d. strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.d85
3884495990. In the strategic management process ASP stands for a. analyses, successes, and purposes. b. analyses, strategies, and performance. c. ability, strategies, and purposes. d. ability, successes, and performance.b86
3884495991The firm's provide the foundation for choosing one or more ______ and deciding how to implement them. a. analyses; strengths b. abilities; strengths c. analyses; strategies d. abilities; strategiesc87
3884497816. It is important to emphasize that, primarily because they are related to how a firm interacts with its stakeholders, almost all strategic management process decisions have a. ethical dimensions. b. local dimensions. c. political dimensions. d. global dimensions.a88
3884497817. A company competing in a single product market has a. one corporate-level strategy. b. one business-level strategy. c. one business-level strategy for failure. It should seek to diversify. d. one business-level strategy and one corporate-level strategy.d89
3884500029The strategic management process is a. a set of activities that will assure a sustainable competitive advantage and above-average returns for the firm. b. a decision-making activity concerned with a firm's internal resources, capabilities, and competencies, independent of the conditions in its external environment. c. a process directed by top management with input from other stakeholders that seeks to achieve above- average returns for investors through effective use of the organization's resources. d. the full set of commitments, decisions, and actions required for the firm to achieve above-average returns and strategic competitiveness.d90

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