QB – Strategic Management

Introduction to Strategic Management

Q 1.1. Discuss the various elements of strategic management.
Q 1.2. Examine the significance of strategic management.
Q 1.3. “Strategic management process is the way in which strategists determine objectives and strategic decisions”. Discuss.
Q 1.4. Bring out the distinguishing features of strategic management.
Q 1.5. Can the process of strategic management really be depicted in a given model or it is a prompt and dynamic process? Give reasons.
Q 1.6. Depict the model of strategic management and explain its components.
Q 1.7. Suppose you are the Managing Director of an organisation. Your organisation is running into losses due to poor management and decision making. How will you analyse the situation and move your organisation out of the situation?
Q 1.8. Have you ever challenged, shaken old work methods? What problems did you encounter? Did you overcome them? How? If no, what were the reasons for their being insurmountable?
Q 1.9. With reference to a day’s work, what steps do you take to organise and prioritize your tasks?
Q 1.10. Describe a specific instance, in a group situation, where you made your views known about an issue important to yourself. What was the issue, and why was it crucial?
Q 1.11. Outline in very broad terms how you would create a strategy for say, a public interest campaign.

Strategy Formulation and Defining Vision

Q 2.1. Suppose you are the CEO of an organisation that has just launched an I-pod to give competition to Apple and Sony. What will be the key considerations while developing your vision statement?
Q 2.2. Given the vision, as the new Director, what ideas would you want to implement to achieve the vision?
Q 2.3. Has there ever been a time on your life when your vision of the future was so inspiring that you converted initial nay-sayers into followers later on? If yes discuss. If no, analyse a situation when it could have happened.
Q 2.4. Discuss a time when you established a vision for your team. What process was used? Were others involved in setting the vision? How did the vision contribute to the functioning of the unit?
Q 2.5. “Employees have a greater role to play in formulating strategy”. Comment.
Q 2.6. “Small business’ success solely depends upon its strategy formulation approach”. To what extent does this statement hold good?
Q 2.7. Do non-profit organisations benefit from strategy formulation? Why/why not?
Q 2.8. When is a good time to formulate strategy? Explain with reasons according to your understanding.
Q 2.9. Critically analyse the leader dominated approach. Is there a better approach?
Q 2.10. Do you think business vision should be reviewed and upgraded after every few years? Justify your answer by giving suitable arguments.

Defining Mission, Goals and Objectives

Q 3.1. “Mission describes the present and vision the future”. With this statement in mind compare mission and vision statements.
Q 3.2. Are goals and objectives the same thing? Justify your answer.
Q 3.3. Suppose you are going to open a new mobile device manufacturing company. Prepare a mission statement for your company.
Q 3.4. “It is necessary to review the mission statement periodically”. Justify the statement
Q 3.5. How can a mission statement set the tone of the organisation?
Q 3.6. Analyse the characteristics of a good mission statement.
Q 3.7. “Like an individual should know him/herself inside out, an organisation should also know itself”. Substantiate
Q 3.8. “Goals are general in nature while objectives are specific”. Explain using suitable examples.
Q 3.9. Explain the concept of stated and operational goals with the help of appropriate examples.
Q 3.10. Discuss the unique characteristics of goals and objectives.

External Assessment

Q 4.1. “The five forces model provides the rationale for increasing or decreasing resources commitment”. Comment.
Q 4.2. Are there any disadvantages in using Porter’s five forces model? Elucidate the pros and cons of using the model.
Q 4.3. “The five forces theory is a short-sighted theory”. Why/why not?
Q 4.4. Discuss Industry analysis using Porter’s five forces theory.
Q 4.5. Present at least 7 points to highlight the importance of industry analysis.
Q 4.6. Do you think it is important to define an industry’s boundaries? Why/why not?
Q 4.7. Suppose a firm competes in the microcomputer industry. Where in your opinion, the boundaries of this industry begin and end?
Q 4.8. Analyse the features that determine the strength of the competitive forces operating in the industry.
Q 4.9. “Each industry’s attractiveness or profitability potential is a direct function of the interactions of various environmental forces that determine the nature of competition.” Discuss.
Q 4.10. Is it feasible to create strategic group in any industry? Explain the rationale behind creating these groups.
Q 4.11. Present a critical assessment of industry life cycle analysis.
Q 4.12. These days, the industry uses a very popular term- hyper-competition. Find out what it means and elucidate through examples.

Organisational Appraisal : Internal Assessment – 1

Q 5.1. Suppose you are newly appointed CEO of a retail major. How would you perform the internal analysis to identify the resources and capabilities of the firm?
Q 5.2. Analyses the role of internal analysis in strategy formulation.
Q 5.3. What points would you keep in mind to enhance the quality of the material while devising a SWOT Analysis?
Q 5.4. “SWOT Analysis portrays the essence of strategy formulation”. Comment. SWOT Analysis Portrays Essence of Strategy Formulation”
Q 5.5. How would you carry out SWOT analysis for a software and electronic media company?
Q 5.6. Critically assess the significance of SWOT Analysis in Strategic Management.
Q 5.7. You are the CEO of a footwear manufacturing company. Your company manufactures shoes and sandals for both the sexes. The designs of the shoes and sandals have not changed over the years….
Q 5.8. Is it not enough for a company to analyse its own strengths and weaknesses? Justify your Answer.
Q 5.9. “SWOT analysis stands at the core of strategic management”. Substantiate
Q 5.10. Conduct a SWOT analysis for any two major companies in the FMCG market.

Organisational Appraisal : Internal Assessment – 2

Q 6.1. As a strategy manager, what would you do if you find that the culture of your organisation is in conflict with company’s direction and performance targets?
Q 6.2. “Organisation does not have a “best” or a “worst” culture”. Substantiate.
Q 6.3. To be a good manager, one must expertly use symbols, role models, and ceremonial occasions to achieve the strategy culture fit. Why/why not?
Q 6.4. “Integration of culture remains atop challenge in majority of mergers and acquisitions”. Why?
Q 6.5. Explain the rationale behind benchmarking with the help of suitable examples.
Q 6.6. Do you think that each activity in the value chain can contribute to a firm’s relative cost position and create a basis for differentiation? Why/why not?
Q 6.7. Explain the concept of value chain with the help of figure and suitable examples.
Q 6.8. Conduct a value chain analysis for a computer system manufacturing company.
Q 6.9. “Resources alone can’t do any good for a company. “ Elucidate
Q 6.10. Discuss the organizational resources from a strategic point of view.

Corporate Level Strategies

Q 7.1. If a firm succeeds in making the customers to switch from the competitor’s brands to the firm’s brands, while maintaining its existing customers intact, there will be an increase in the firm’s sales. Why/why not?
Q 7.2. Explain the concept of product development. Under what conditions, do you think it is feasible?
Q 7.3. As a manager, in which situations would you apply vertical integration and why?
Q 7.4. “Horizontal integration eliminates or reduces competition”. Comment
Q 7.5. Discuss the concept of last resort strategies. Under what conditions should they be applied?
Q 7.6. “A firm is sick!” What do you mean by this statement? How can you prevent this sickness?
Q 7.7. Do you think that the turnaround process is difficult? Why/why not?
Q 7.8. Suppose you are the business head of a firm which is in deep financial trouble and is losing customers because of lack of proper services. In such a situation, what will you do and how would you justify your actions?

Business Level Strategies

Q 8.1. Which industry is Vodafone a part of? Identify the features of that industry and comment on its status in India.
Q 8.2. Critically analyse the benefits of positioning for a firm.
Q 8.3. Suppose you are the CEO of a cosmetic firm. Under what situations would you choose a low-cost, differentiation, or speed-based strategy?
Q 8.4. Illustrate how a firm can pursue both low-cost and differentiation strategies.
Q 8.5. Identify requirements for business success at different stages of industry evolution.
Q 8.6. Discuss the good business strategies in fragmented and global industries.
Q 8.7. “Diversification is a double edged sword”. Comment
Q 8.8. There are many risks in cost leadership strategy. What are they and how would it affect you as a manager?
Q 8.9. Under what condition(s) do you think would the cost leadership strategy work better?
Q 8.10. In which situations do you think that the neither a low cost nor a differentiation strategy would be possible for an organisation?
Q 8.11. Are tactics different from business strategies? Give reasons for your answer.
Q 8.12. “Business strategy and tactics go hand in hand”. Discuss

Strategic Analysis and Choice

Q 9.1. Suppose you are the head of a garments making firm that has just started its operations in India. Discuss the process of strategic choice that you are most likely to follow.
Q 9.2. Conduct an industry analysis for the Indian automobile industry.
Q 9.3. Analyse the main advantages of portfolio analysis? Why it is a good option for multiproduct organisations?
Q 9.4. Through examples, prove that some of the underlying assumptions of the BCG matrix may not hold good for some businesses.
Q 9.5. Compare and contrast the General Electric Grid and the BCG Matrix?
Q 9.6. Do you think, BCG Matrix has limited application? Justify your answer.
Q 9.7. Though BCG matrix can be very helpful in forcing decisions in managing a portfolio of products, it cannot be employed as the sole means of determining strategies for a portfolio of products. Do you agree with this statement or not? Why?
Q 9.8. On the basis of GE Matrix, make an analysis of banking company of your choice.
Q 9.9. Analyse the main issues which have to be taken care of while formulating a multi business strategy.
Q 9.10. Do you think it is possible to sustain over a long run without formulating multi business strategy? Why/ why not?

Strategy Implementation

Q 10.1. Does a successful strategy formulation guarantee a successful implementation? Why/ why not?
Q 10.2. “Strategic decisions to be communicated and understood throughout the organisation”. Elucidate.
Q 10.3. Why is it said that using a formula approach in resource allocation may be counterproductive. Discuss with reasons accompanied with examples.
Q 10.4. “There has to be a “fit” between the strategy and the organisation.” Substantiate
Q 10.5. “Formulation and implementation are inextricably linked”. Discuss
Q 10.6. Bring out the differences between formulation and implementation of strategy.
Q 10.7. Discuss the relevance of McKinsey’s 7-S model in modern business organisations.
Q 10.8. Critically evaluate the McKinsey’s 7-S Model.
Q 10.9. “Resource allocation is a powerful tool to communicate the strategies of the organisation”. Justify.

Structural Implementation

Q 11.1. In your opinion, what fundamental requirements does an organisational structure fulfill?
Q 11.2. Do you agree with the statement that work can be performed more efficiently if employees are allowed to specialize? Why/why not?
Q 11.3. What do you see as the reason behind the recent trend of most organisations encouraging managers to delegate authority to the lowest possible level?
Q 11.4. In your opinion, which aspects of an organisation determine the best design for it?
Q 11.5. Compare and contrast the functional and divisional structures?
Q 11.6. Give example of an organisation that has successfully employed the matrix structure. Analyse its success mantra.
Q 11.7. Prove that network structure can weaken the employee loyalty.
Q 11.8. Illustrate the advantages due to which some organisations sell a single product or variations on one product.
Q 11.9. “Being boundary-less can be the disadvantages for an organisation”. Explain
Q 11.10. Suggest any three advantages of modular organisations.

Behavioural Implementation

Q 12.1. Assess the value of stakeholders in an organisation. Why is it important to manage the stakeholders well?
Q 12.2. Critically analyse the role of strategic leader vis-à-vis managerial leaders.
Q 12.3. “Visionary leadership inspires the impossible: fiction becomes truth”. Substantiate
Q 12.4. Discuss the three approaches to leadership. Assess the importance of each of them.
Q 12.5. “An organisation’s culture is similar to an individual’s personality.” Comment
Q 12.6. “There is no best or worst culture”. Elucidate
Q 12.7. Suppose you are the manager of a firm that has just acquired another firm. How will you ensure that there is good ‘fit’ between the culture and strategy of the new firm?
Q 12.8. What do you mean by problem culture? How will deal with such a culture?
Q 12.9. Is it necessary for an organisation to be ethical? Give your viewpoint and justify.
Q 12.10. CSR is not an obligation, then why most of the successful companies engage in it?

Functional and Operational Implementation

Q 13.1. Analyse the importance of functional strategies. Are they more important than business strategy?
Q 13.2 Suppose you are the manager of a newly established garments company. You have a business strategy ready for you that stresses on competitive positioning and proper stakeholder management….
Q 13.3. Discuss the functional strategies required in key functional areas of business.
Q 13.4. “Operations management is the core function of any organisation”. Justify
Q 13.5. Why is choice of equipment to be used in business a major strategic decision?
Q 13.6. “It is necessary to have personnel strategies in place in order to make other strategies successful.” Comment
Q 13.7. Critically analyse staffing and training as strategies decisions.
Q 13.8. Evaluate the importance of effective marketing and R&D strategies.
Q 13.9. “The key to successful survival of an enterprise is how efficiently the production activity is managed.” Discuss
Q 13.10. How does obsolescence of the product line affect the organisation?

Strategic Evaluation and Control

Q 14.1. Comment on the nature of strategic control and evaluation.
Q 14.2. According to you, what should be the criteria for an effective evaluation system?
Q 14.3. In evaluating a strategy, it is important to examine whether an organisation has the abilities, competencies, skills and talents needed to carry out a given strategy. Why?
Q 14.4. If you were a strategist making evaluation, what would you do if you find something wrong though nothing is wrong with the performance?
Q 14.5. Suggest some corrective actions that you would undertake if the performance is being affected adversely by inadequate resource allocation and ineffective systems.
Q 14.6. How would you check whether a strategy can be implemented within the resources of an enterprise?
Q 14.7. “Strategic control is a type of steering control”. Discuss
Q 14.8. Discuss the general approaches to strategic control.
Q 14.9. Discuss the steps in implementing effective operational control system.
Q 14.10. Analyse the role of organisational systems in evaluation.

Course Content

Introduction to Strategic Management

Q 1.1. Discuss the various elements of strategic management.

Q 1.2. Examine the significance of strategic management.

Q 1.3. “Strategic management process is the way in which strategists determine objectives and strategic decisions”. Discuss.

Q 1.4. Bring out the distinguishing features of strategic management.

Q 1.5. Can the process of strategic management really be depicted in a given model or it is a prompt and dynamic process? Give reasons.

Q 1.6. Depict the model of strategic management and explain its components.

Q 1.7. Suppose you are the Managing Director of an organisation. Your organisation is running into losses due to poor management and decision making. How will you analyse the situation and move your organisation out of the situation?

Q 1.8. Have you ever challenged, shaken old work methods? What problems did you encounter? Did you overcome them? How? If no, what were the reasons for their being insurmountable?

Q 1.9. With reference to a day’s work, what steps do you take to organise and prioritize your tasks?

Q 1.10. Describe a specific instance, in a group situation, where you made your views known about an issue important to yourself. What was the issue, and why was it crucial?

Q 1.11. Outline in very broad terms how you would create a strategy for say, a public interest campaign.

Strategy Formulation and Defining Vision

Q 2.1. Suppose you are the CEO of an organisation that has just launched an I-pod to give competition to Apple and Sony. What will be the key considerations while developing your vision statement?

Q 2.2. Given the vision, as the new Director, what ideas would you want to implement to achieve the vision?

Q 2.3. Has there ever been a time on your life when your vision of the future was so inspiring that you converted initial nay-sayers into followers later on? If yes discuss. If no, analyse a situation when it could have happened.

Q 2.4. Discuss a time when you established a vision for your team. What process was used? Were others involved in setting the vision? How did the vision contribute to the functioning of the unit?

Q 2.5. “Employees have a greater role to play in formulating strategy”. Comment.

Q 2.6. “Small business’ success solely depends upon its strategy formulation approach”. To what extent does this statement hold good?

Q 2.7. Do non-profit organisations benefit from strategy formulation? Why/why not?

Q 2.8. When is a good time to formulate strategy? Explain with reasons according to your understanding.

Q 2.9. Critically analyse the leader dominated approach. Is there a better approach?

Q 2.10. Do you think business vision should be reviewed and upgraded after every few years? Justify your answer by giving suitable arguments.

Defining Mission, Goals and Objectives

Q 3.1. “Mission describes the present and vision the future”. With this statement in mind compare mission and vision statements.

Q 3.2. Are goals and objectives the same thing? Justify your answer.

Q 3.3. Suppose you are going to open a new mobile device manufacturing company. Prepare a mission statement for your company.

Q 3.4. “It is necessary to review the mission statement periodically”. Justify the statement

Q 3.5. How can a mission statement set the tone of the organisation?

Q 3.6. Analyse the characteristics of a good mission statement.

Q 3.7. “Like an individual should know him/herself inside out, an organisation should also know itself”. Substantiate

Q 3.8. “Goals are general in nature while objectives are specific”. Explain using suitable examples.

Q 3.9. Explain the concept of stated and operational goals with the help of appropriate examples.

Q 3.10. Discuss the unique characteristics of goals and objectives.

External Assessment

Q 4.1. “The five forces model provides the rationale for increasing or decreasing resources commitment”. Comment.

Q 4.2. Are there any disadvantages in using Porter’s five forces model? Elucidate the pros and cons of using the model.

Q 4.3. “The five forces theory is a short-sighted theory”. Why/why not?

Q 4.4. Discuss Industry analysis using Porter’s five forces theory.

Q 4.5. Present at least 7 points to highlight the importance of industry analysis.

Q 4.6. Do you think it is important to define an industry’s boundaries? Why/why not?

Q 4.7. Suppose a firm competes in the microcomputer industry. Where in your opinion, the boundaries of this industry begin and end?

Q 4.8. Analyse the features that determine the strength of the competitive forces operating in the industry.

Q 4.9. “Each industry’s attractiveness or profitability potential is a direct function of the interactions of various environmental forces that determine the nature of competition.” Discuss.

Q 4.10. Is it feasible to create strategic group in any industry? Explain the rationale behind creating these groups.

Q 4.11. Present a critical assessment of industry life cycle analysis.

Q 4.12. These days, the industry uses a very popular term- hyper-competition. Find out what it means and elucidate through examples.

Organisational Appraisal : Internal Assessment – 1

Q 5.1. Suppose you are newly appointed CEO of a retail major. How would you perform the internal analysis to identify the resources and capabilities of the firm?

Q 5.2. Analyses the role of internal analysis in strategy formulation.

Q 5.3. What points would you keep in mind to enhance the quality of the material while devising a SWOT Analysis?

Q 5.4. “SWOT Analysis portrays the essence of strategy formulation”. Comment. SWOT Analysis Portrays Essence of Strategy Formulation”

Q 5.5. How would you carry out SWOT analysis for a software and electronic media company?

Q 5.6. Critically assess the significance of SWOT Analysis in Strategic Management.

Q 5.7. You are the CEO of a footwear manufacturing company. Your company manufactures shoes and sandals for both the sexes. The designs of the shoes and sandals have not changed over the years….

Q 5.8. Is it not enough for a company to analyse its own strengths and weaknesses? Justify your Answer.

Q 5.9. “SWOT analysis stands at the core of strategic management”. Substantiate

Q 5.10. Conduct a SWOT analysis for any two major companies in the FMCG market.

Organisational Appraisal : Internal Assessment – 2

Q 6.1. As a strategy manager, what would you do if you find that the culture of your organisation is in conflict with company’s direction and performance targets?

Q 6.2. “Organisation does not have a “best” or a “worst” culture”. Substantiate.

Q 6.3. To be a good manager, one must expertly use symbols, role models, and ceremonial occasions to achieve the strategy culture fit. Why/why not?

Q 6.4. “Integration of culture remains atop challenge in majority of mergers and acquisitions”. Why?

Q 6.5. Explain the rationale behind benchmarking with the help of suitable examples.

Q 6.6. Do you think that each activity in the value chain can contribute to a firm’s relative cost position and create a basis for differentiation? Why/why not?

Q 6.7. Explain the concept of value chain with the help of figure and suitable examples.

Q 6.8. Conduct a value chain analysis for a computer system manufacturing company.

Q 6.9. “Resources alone can’t do any good for a company. “ Elucidate

Q 6.10. Discuss the organizational resources from a strategic point of view.

Corporate Level Strategies

Q 7.1. If a firm succeeds in making the customers to switch from the competitor’s brands to the firm’s brands, while maintaining its existing customers intact, there will be an increase in the firm’s sales. Why/why not?

Q 7.2. Explain the concept of product development. Under what conditions, do you think it is feasible?

Q 7.3. As a manager, in which situations would you apply vertical integration and why?

Q 7.4. “Horizontal integration eliminates or reduces competition”. Comment

Q 7.5. Discuss the concept of last resort strategies. Under what conditions should they be applied?

Q 7.6. “A firm is sick!” What do you mean by this statement? How can you prevent this sickness?

Q 7.7. Do you think that the turnaround process is difficult? Why/why not?

Q 7.8. Suppose you are the business head of a firm which is in deep financial trouble and is losing customers because of lack of proper services. In such a situation, what will you do and how would you justify your actions?

Business Level Strategies