Advanced Strategic Management 2023/2024
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Questions and Answers

What is a key consideration regarding strategic management practices among companies?

  • Many companies have no access to strategic management resources.
  • The implementation of strategic management can vary significantly across organizations. (correct)
  • All companies follow the same strategic management model.
  • Strategic management guarantees success for every organization.
  • What does Herbert Simon's concept of 'bounded rationality' imply for managers?

  • Managers operate within constraints of knowledge and experience. (correct)
  • Managers can make decisions without any limitations.
  • Managers always make perfectly rational decisions.
  • Managers can process all available information effortlessly.
  • What challenge is associated with measuring the benefits of a planning process in companies?

  • Proof of benefits from planning processes is difficult to establish. (correct)
  • The benefits are clear and easily quantifiable.
  • The costs of planning are always visibly noticeable.
  • Companies often do not attempt to measure planning outcomes.
  • Why is it unrealistic to rely solely on rational decision-making models in management?

    <p>Cost and time limitations hinder exhaustive analysis. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which statement reflects the perception of planning within companies?

    <p>Companies classified as effective planners are rare. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the orthodox approach to strategy emphasize?

    <p>Analysis and control over strategic processes. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What conclusion can be drawn about strategic management decisions made by organizations?

    <p>Organizations can be dedicated to strategic management but still make poor decisions. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a consequence of the constantly changing organizations and environments?

    <p>Short-term decisions may become more significant. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the Society for Long Range Planning study reveal about companies' approach to planning?

    <p>The study shows significant variations in what companies do regarding planning. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do psychological limitations affect managerial decision-making?

    <p>Managers struggle under the weight of all options available. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What do stakeholders like banks and investors expect from strategic management approaches?

    <p>An analytical approach with clear control mechanisms. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes the nature of strategy development?

    <p>It is influenced by individual and collective assumptions. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a fundamental limitation managers face when making long-term decisions?

    <p>The unpredictability of the future. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a key implication of the experience lens in strategy development?

    <p>It focuses on the culture and experience of people. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How can cultural influences affect managers' responses to situations?

    <p>They create assumptions about behavior that can lead to similar responses. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What risk does strategic drift pose to an organization?

    <p>It results in a gradual misalignment with the organization's environment. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why might professionals within the same organizational unit adhere to familiar strategies?

    <p>As a result of shared experiences and cultural norms. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the phrase 'well said effect' refer to in strategy development?

    <p>The use of persuasive language by managers to influence others (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do managerial assumptions differ between cultures?

    <p>Assumptions about roles and behaviors can vary significantly across cultures. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why do managers emphasize rationality in their arguments about strategy?

    <p>To appear credible and maintain authority in discussions (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What denotes a 'taken-for-granted' aspect of culture in an organization?

    <p>Assumptions about how things are normally done. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In what context is strategy typically discussed according to the content?

    <p>Boardrooms and strategic planning retreats (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What characterizes the management of strategy according to the discussed approach?

    <p>It often involves negotiation and bargaining among different viewpoints. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How can managers utilize discourse to support their strategies?

    <p>By legitimizing strategies and promoting conformity among teams (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What commonality exists among managers of differing professional backgrounds?

    <p>They perceive and approach situations based on their professional norms. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does discourse influence a manager's identity in relation to their peers?

    <p>It aids in establishing their authority based on their communication style (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role does previous experience play in a manager's discourse about strategy?

    <p>It can enhance their credibility when discussing strategy (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What can be inferred about the concept of 'heroic' leaders in relation to strategy?

    <p>They exemplify the potential for individual influence in strategy (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In what ways might top managers unconsciously use strategy discourse?

    <p>To elevate their status and gain personal advantages (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What percentage of companies undertook formal organization planning?

    <p>45% (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main reason companies decide to change to a system of corporate planning?

    <p>Major changes at board level (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the Denning/Lehr survey, which type of companies are most likely to benefit from corporate planning?

    <p>Complex, high-capital, technological companies (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which concept distinguishes strategy from tactics in military and business contexts?

    <p>Strategy establishes an overall plan, whereas tactics focus on specific actions (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the perceived need identified for corporate planning?

    <p>To deliberately meet factors of change (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What percentage of companies engaged in diversification planning?

    <p>22% (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements is true about the concept of strategy?

    <p>It aims to secure a favorable position in the long term (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who is attributed with the first treatise on strategy?

    <p>Sun Tzu (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What criticism does Henry Mintzberg have regarding conventional strategic management?

    <p>It overlooks the interaction between strategy formulation and implementation. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What approach did Honda actually use to enter the US motorcycle market in the 1960s?

    <p>A haphazard and experimental approach. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a characteristic of Mintzberg's emergent strategy?

    <p>It involves constant adjustments based on experience. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the process of strategy design, which activity is emphasized as part of a top-down approach?

    <p>Board meetings and formalized planning. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do Mintzberg's concepts differentiate design and emergence in strategy?

    <p>Design is formal and planned; emergence is experiential and adaptive. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the research by Nonaka and Takeuchi suggest about strategy enactment in organizations?

    <p>It includes decisions made by middle managers and all organization members. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role does experience play in the strategy-making process according to Mintzberg?

    <p>Experience is critical for adjusting and revising strategies. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why might conventional strategic management be considered limited according to the discussed concepts?

    <p>It detaches strategy from everyday operations. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a defining characteristic of strategic decisions?

    <p>They are not reversible. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Mintzberg, what describes the actual strategy that is implemented?

    <p>Realized strategy. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What percentage of intended strategy does Mintzberg suggest is typically realized?

    <p>10–30% (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What term is used to describe strategy that emerges from the ongoing interpretation and adaptation of decision-making processes?

    <p>Emergent strategy. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following aspects is NOT a characteristic of strategic decisions?

    <p>They can easily be reversed. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a method managers can use to promote new ideas and innovation?

    <p>Interaction and cooperation (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the relationship between order and innovation according to the content?

    <p>Some order is necessary for innovation. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How much of their time do managers spend communicating with others?

    <p>75 percent (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role does top management play in strategy development?

    <p>They must consider their influence on the strategy process. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which element is NOT essential for fostering innovation and creativity?

    <p>Stringent policies (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a significant component of strategy management?

    <p>High discursive component (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best reflects how managers use strategy language?

    <p>To gain influence and establish legitimacy (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following practices fosters an environment conducive to new ideas?

    <p>Regular feedback and questioning (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary responsibility of top management in an organization?

    <p>Planning the organization's destiny (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do organizations ensure that strategies can be effectively put into action?

    <p>By establishing control systems like budgets and targets (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What assumption about organizations suggests they are hierarchical in nature?

    <p>Responsibility for decisions lies predominantly with top management. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a significant aspect of how organizations deal with complexity and uncertainty?

    <p>Managing issues in a rational, logical, and structured manner (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What underlying concept is crucial for top management to exercise control over an organization?

    <p>Control systems that help measure performance (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What characterizes the rational system view of organizations?

    <p>People will accept the logic behind planning. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the context of strategic management, what does stakeholder expectations refer to?

    <p>The demands and interests of external entities like investors (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What misconception might arise about the nature of organizations as systems?

    <p>Organizations can be controlled strictly like machines. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a characteristic of the strategy as design approach?

    <p>Emphasizes systematic and analytical processes. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does the strategy as experience lens influence organizational strategy?

    <p>It highlights that strategies build on past experiences. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the strategy as variety lens support in organizations?

    <p>Promotion of diverse ideas within the organization. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role does improvisation play in strategy development according to the strategy as design view?

    <p>Improvisation is discouraged in the planning phases. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes the outcome of interactions between different expectations in strategy as experience?

    <p>Messy compromises and ad hoc deals. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In which context should strategies be looked for according to the strategy as variety lens?

    <p>At the bottom and periphery of organizations. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What assumption does the strategy as design view generally make about the decision-making process?

    <p>Planning should include a significant analysis phase. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which aspect is underplayed in the strategy as design perspective?

    <p>Unpredictable elements in organizations. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What percentage of companies engaged in divestment planning?

    <p>22 percent (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary characteristic of complex, high-capital technological companies regarding corporate planning?

    <p>They are most likely to benefit from corporate planning. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best distinguishes strategy from tactics?

    <p>Strategy focuses on resource allocation, while tactics are for specific actions. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the perception that led to the introduction of corporate planning systems?

    <p>The need to address significant changes the company faced. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the context of business strategy, what does the term 'strategia' refer to in Greek?

    <p>Generalship (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which activity is NOT commonly undertaken by companies in their financial planning processes?

    <p>Porter analysis (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What percentage of companies undertook formal manpower planning?

    <p>53 percent (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Sun Tzu's 'The Art of War' signify in terms of strategic concepts?

    <p>The origins of military and business strategy. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What criticism does Henry Mintzberg have regarding the conventional view of strategy creation?

    <p>It positions strategy as a detached process from daily operations. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was a significant characteristic of Honda's strategy when entering the US market in the 1960s?

    <p>A haphazard and experimental approach was adopted. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the discussion on strategic management, what constitutes the design aspect of strategy?

    <p>Formalized strategic planning processes (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is highlighted as a key feature of emergent strategies?

    <p>They allow for continuous adjustment based on experiences. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which aspect of strategy is emphasized by Mintzberg regarding organizational participation?

    <p>Every member of the organization contributes to strategic decisions. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did the Boston Consulting Group's analysis of Honda initially emphasize about their strategy?

    <p>They achieved success through economies of scale. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the context of Mintzberg's strategy concepts, what is implied by the term 'strategy exists in the cognition of managers'?

    <p>Strategy is a shared mental model among organization members. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role do strategy workshops play in the formation of strategy as described in advanced strategic management?

    <p>They encourage participative events for inclusive strategic discussions. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Flashcards

    Bounded Rationality

    Managers make decisions within the constraints of time, resources, and knowledge.

    Incomplete Information

    It's impossible to gather every piece of information needed for strategic planning.

    Strategic Management

    Developing a plan for an organization's future, considering multiple factors.

    Stakeholder Expectations

    Important groups (banks, analysts, investors, employees) expect a certain standard in an approach.

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    Strategy as Experience

    Strategic planning involves individual and collective assumptions about how things are done.

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    Herbert Simon

    Nobel Prize winner who challenged traditional rational decision-making models for strategic planning.

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    Charles Lindblom

    Management theorist who challenged traditional rational decision-making models for strategic planning.

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    Rational Decision-Making

    A traditional strategic planning model that assumes perfect information and analysis to arrive at the best option.

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    Collective experience

    Shared understanding and perceptions of situations and issues within an organization, shaped by culture.

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    Organizational culture

    The accepted behaviors, practices, and assumptions within an organization; how things are 'typically done' in a work environment.

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    Managerial experience

    Individual managerial perspectives and knowledge shaped by prior experiences, influencing strategic thinking and decision making.

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    Strategic drift

    When an organization’s strategy gradually deviates from external realities and becomes inward-focused, losing touch with environmental conditions.

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    Cultural influences on strategy

    Organizational and national cultures shape managerial assumptions, leading to similar or diverging strategic approaches.

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    Experience lens

    The perspective that individual experiences and organizational culture strongly influence how strategies are developed and perceived.

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    Similar interpretations

    People with similar experiences tend to perceive situations and issues similarly within an organization.

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    Strategic change difficulty

    Implementing strategic changes within an organization can be challenging due to entrenched experiences, beliefs, and cultural norms existing within an organization.

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    Strategy as discourse

    Viewing strategy development as a way for managers to use language, persuasion, and influence to achieve their goals.

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    ‘Well said effect’

    When managers use strategic language to appear rational and justify their decisions.

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    Rationality in strategy

    Appearing rational is crucial in making strategy. Persuasive arguments create the illusion of logic.

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    Strategy discourse and influence

    Strategic language is often used to legitimize strategies and gain compliance.

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    ‘Heroic’ strategy

    Strategy is often associated with charismatic leaders and successful firms.

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    Strategy and identity

    The way managers talk about strategy shapes their image and influence.

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    Legitimacy through discourse

    Managers use strategic language to gain recognition, power, and acceptance.

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    Strategy discourse benefits managers

    Managers may use strategic language to benefit themselves, consciously or unconsciously.

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    Strategic Management: Success or Failure?

    Strategic management involves creating a plan for an organization's future, but its effectiveness varies widely; some companies may be dedicated to strategic management yet still make poor decisions.

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    Planning: Does it pay?

    While strategic planning offers many benefits, it's tough to quantify its impact in concrete terms. Research shows that while companies may improve, many still have room for improvement.

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    The Effectiveness of Planning

    Many companies struggle to achieve the full benefits of strategic planning. This suggests that planning is often not practiced as effectively as it could be.

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    The Society for Long Range Planning Study

    This study examined what companies did and didn't do with strategic planning. The findings provided insights into the areas where planning could be more effective.

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    Strategic Management: A Diverse Practice

    Companies worldwide engage in some form of strategic management; however, the methods and implementation vary greatly.

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    Corporate Planning Adoption

    Companies decide to change to a system of corporate planning due to major changes at the board level, or a perceived need to address a specific change they face or anticipate.

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    Companies Benefiting Most from Planning

    Complex, high-capital, and technologically advanced companies tend to benefit most from corporate planning. They often recognize the need for planning before other types of companies.

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    Strategy's Origin

    The term 'strategy' comes from the Greek word 'strategia', meaning 'generalship'. It emphasizes the overarching plan for resource deployment to achieve a desired outcome.

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    Sun Tzu's Impact

    The Art of War, written by Sun Tzu around 500 BC, is considered the first treatise on strategy. It influenced the development of strategic thinking beyond military applications.

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    Strategy vs. Tactics

    Strategy is the overall plan for achieving a desired outcome, like winning a war. Tactics are specific actions used to achieve a desired outcome, like winning a battle.

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    Formal Financial Planning

    Developing a structured plan for managing finances, including forecasting external events and reviewing performance against planned goals.

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    Contingency Planning

    Developing plans to address unexpected events that could disrupt the business. This is a crucial aspect of managing risk.

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    Diversification Planning

    Developing strategies to spread risks across different areas of business or markets. This helps reduce reliance on any single product or market.

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    Mintzberg's Criticism

    Henry Mintzberg argues that the idea of strategy being solely a top-down, rational process is flawed and doesn't reflect real-world strategy development.

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    Emergent Strategy

    Strategies that emerge organically through actions, experiences, and adaptations within a company.

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    Honda's Case

    Honda's US motorcycle market success was not based on a strict plan, but on a series of experiments and adaptations.

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    Strategy as Cognition and Action

    Strategy is both a mental process (what managers think) and a set of actions (what the company does).

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    Top-Down Design

    Formalized strategic planning processes, including meetings, workshops, and analysis, that are driven by higher management.

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    Decentralized Adaptation

    Strategic decisions made throughout the organization, especially by middle managers, who adapt to changing circumstances.

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    Nonaka-Takeuchi Model

    This model supports the idea that formal top-down planning is often preceded by a more informal, emergent strategy process.

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    The Role of Experience

    Strategy making is shaped by the collective experience of the organization, especially in the form of assumptions and habits.

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    Strategy as Design

    A structured approach to developing a strategy through planning and analysis. It encourages a systematic and logical approach, but can limit improvisation and overlook unpredictable factors.

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    Strategy as Variety

    A view that emphasizes the emergence of new ideas and initiatives within and around an organization. It values diversity and encourages experimentation in response to changing environments.

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    Strategic Lenses

    Different perspectives or ways of looking at strategy issues to generate a wider range of insights. They provide frameworks for understanding and developing strategic approaches.

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    Strategy as Emergent

    Strategy that evolves organically through actions, experiences, and adaptations within a company. It emphasizes the importance of flexibility and responding to changing circumstances.

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    Hierarchical Organizations

    Organizations with clear top-down control where higher management makes decisions and lower levels implement them.

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    Organizational Rationality

    The belief that organizations operate logically and make decisions based on clear reasoning and information.

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    Control Systems in Organizations

    Methods used by top management to measure performance, such as budgets, targets, and performance reviews.

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    Strategic Decisions in Organizations

    Choices made by organizations based on an analysis of their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, considering the environment in which they operate.

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    Dealing with Complexity and Uncertainty

    The challenge faced by organizations in handling situations with unclear outcomes and many factors.

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    Management Power and Legitimacy

    The authority and credibility of managers to make decisions and control the organization.

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    Rationality in Strategic Thinking

    Using logic and structured approaches to decision-making, leading to a sense of control and justification for choices.

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    Stakeholder Expectations in Organizations

    The needs and demands of various groups that interact with an organization, including customers, employees, investors, and the community.

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    Strategic decisions

    Important choices that involve significant resources and are difficult to change. They shape the direction of a company or organization.

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    Intended strategy

    The strategy that leaders and top management teams plan and envision for the company.

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    Realized strategy

    The actual strategy that is implemented and put into practice, may deviate from the intended plan.

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    Mintzberg's perspective

    Henry Mintzberg argues that strategy is not just a top-down, rational process, but also emerges from the complex interplay of individuals and changing circumstances.

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    Routinization

    The process of establishing and embedding formal practices like job descriptions, accounting systems, and training within an organization, leading to standardized work routines and a consistent organizational culture.

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    Innovation and Adaptive Tension

    Innovation and creativity thrive when there is a balance between structure and flexibility. Too much rigidity can stifle new ideas, while too little order makes it difficult to implement them.

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    Managers' Discursive Advantage

    Managers who are skilled at using language and persuasion to communicate strategic ideas can gain an advantage, building influence and legitimacy.

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    The 'Well Said' Effect

    Managers often use strategically crafted language to make their decisions appear rational, even if they are driven by other factors.

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    Why do companies adopt corporate planning?

    Companies usually adopt formal corporate planning when they face major changes at the board level or see a need to address specific challenges or opportunities.

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    Which companies benefit most from planning?

    Complex, high-capital, and technologically advanced companies tend to benefit the most from corporate planning.

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    What is the origin of strategy?

    The term strategy comes from the Greek word 'strategia', meaning 'generalship', highlighting the idea of an overarching plan for resource deployment.

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    Sun Tzu's influence on strategy

    Sun Tzu's 'The Art of War', written around 500 BC, is considered the first treatise on strategy, influencing the development of strategic thinking beyond militaristic applications.

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    Mintzberg's Critique

    Henry Mintzberg argues that the idea of strategy being solely a top-down, rational process is flawed and doesn't reflect real-world strategy development.

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    Study Notes

    Advanced Strategic Management

    • The course is taught by Davide Genta
    • The academic year is 2023/2024
    • A presentation on a painting by Murillo is included, showing 4 characters, and it's from the Kimbell Art Museum

    Where Do We Find Strategy?

    • Strategy is found in the minds of managers
    • Strategy is articulated in speeches
    • Strategy is found in written documents
    • Strategy is observable in the decisions enacted

    The Strategy Lenses

    • Strategy as design → Development
      • Encourages a large investment in planning and analysis before making decisions.
      • It tends to exclude improvisation and underplay the unpredictable or political aspects of human organizations.
      • It is systematic, analytical, and logical.
    • Strategy as experience → The future strategy of an organization is affected by experience of managers and the organization.
    • Strategy as variety → Strategy emerges from within and around organizations as they respond to an uncertain environment with differing initiatives.
    • Strategy as discourse → Managers spend most of their time talking, persuading, and negotiating.

    Strategy as Design

    • Managers are rational decision-makers
    • They optimize economic performance
    • Decision Sciences provide guidelines for decisions
    • Most managers agree this is their role

    How Strategic Decisions are Made

    • Systematic analysis → Builds scenarios for future impacts and considers conditions for organizational operation.
    • Analytic thinking → Strategy-making is a linear process.
    • Strategic positioning → Matches organizational strengths with environmental changes. (SWOT)

    Assumptions About Organizations

    • Organizations are hierarchies → Top management sets the direction and lower levels implement.
    • Organizations are rational systems
    • Control systems (budgets, targets, appraisals)
    • Mechanisms for strategy execution

    Implications for Management

    • Dealing with complexity and uncertainty
    • Management power and legitimacy
    • Rationality is deeply embedded in thinking and education
    • Stakeholder expectations (banks, investors, employees) may value this approach
    • Language of strategy→emphasis on analysis and control

    Strategy as Experience

    • Rational decision-making models are unrealistic
    • It's not possible to acquire all information required for complete analyses
    • Forecasting an uncertain future is difficult
    • Limiting cost and time in analysis is an issue
    • Organizations and their environments are constantly changing
    • Managers have psychological limitations
    • 'Bounded rationality' is the best managers can achieve

    Individual Experience and Bias

    • Managers make sense of the complex world by drawing on previous experience.
    • Human beings create models based on experiences or cognitive models
    • Making sense of situations is often efficient
    • Mental models can simplify complexity
    • Selective attention is important (selecting relevant info)
    • Exemplars and prototypes are used (common competitors)
    • Risks of relying on familiarity in scanning the environment

    Bias

    • Cognitive bias is inevitable in strategic thinking.
    • Unrealistic to expect unbiased strategic decision-making
    • Future situations tend to be interpreted through past experiences.

    Collective Experience and Organizational Culture

    • How people make sense of events is shaped by culture.
    • Taken-for-granted assumptions, activities, and practices influence strategy.
    • Assumptions about top management roles shape organizational culture
    • Different cultures differ in practices, e.g., Western vs Japanese firms.

    Assumptions and Behaviors Influencing Strategy

    • Consistent behavior within groups
    • Reliance on familiar strategies
    • Differing perspectives between groups are common
    • Successful strategy implementation Often includes negotiating and resolving differences

    Implications of Experience

    • Experiences are central to strategy development
    • Strategic change and innovation are often challenging
    • Beliefs and influences (religion, sports teams) Impact strategy
    • Risk of strategic drift (strategy diverging from realities)
    • Bargaining and negotiation play a large role

    Strategy as Variety

    • Innovative strategies, processes, products are explored
    • Rapid change and innovation are essential
    • Strategy depends on understanding the context and how uncertainty is handled by managers
    • New strategy ideas emerge from diverse perspectives in the organization
    • Top-down and bottom-up approaches are often combined

    The Importance of Variety

    • New ideas are created when variety exists in environments and organizations.
    • Uniformity is not the norm
    • Organizations, sectors are most innovative in rapidly changing sectors - managers frequently employ low organisational levels of employees
    • Varied approaches likely lead to new ideas that contribute better outcomes
    • Imperfections may also contribute to better solutions

    Selection and Retention

    • Variety lens and evolutionary theory do not negate managers’ deliberate actions.
    • Selection can be described as blind; outcomes aren't immediately known.
    • Developed strategies are the result of selection and retention processes

    Processes of Selection and Retention

    • Experience and culture
    • Functional benefits
    • Alignment
    • Attraction
    • Retention

    Implications for Management

    • Managers' communication abilities are crucial
    • High discursive component in managing strategies
    • Rationality, appearing rational is key to making sense in strategies
    • Language is used to gain influence and power and by top management
    • Discourse creates identity and influences legitimacy

    Discourse as Power

    • Strategy is linked to power and control
    • Top management and specialists possess knowledge and wield power
    • Social control exists within groups in terms of the common way they strategize
    • Examples: Consultant firms, "offshoring", and "the world is flat."

    Implications for Management

    • Choosing appropriate language and concepts can be important for managing strategy effectively
    • Strategic change requires communication of appropriate frameworks
    • Strategic communications are crucial for effective strategy execution

    A Summary of the Strategy Lenses

    • Strategy Design: Logical process, analysis, evaluation.
    • Strategy Experience: People's experience, assumptions, and habits.
    • Strategy Variety: Diverse ideas from various people within and around the organization.
    • Strategy Discourse: How people use language to create influence, power, and legitimacy

    Do We Need Strategic Management?

    • Planning is vital and can result in positive outcomes

    Planning Does Pay

    • Difficult to measure benefits in terms of planning
    • Planning is often reactive to change

    Denning/Lehr Survey (1972)

    • Complex, high-capital, technological organizations are best suited for corporate planning and likely to see this as useful

    A Brief History of Business Strategy

    • Strategy stems from Greek's concept of generalship
    • First recorded strategy is Sun Tzu's "Art of War"
    • Military and business strategies have common principles. Strategic decisions are significant, use significant resources, and aren't easily reversible

    From Corporate Planning to Strategic Management

    • Evolution of strategic planning from budgeting to a focus on competitive advantage and responding to turbulence

    The Strategy Process

    • The processes are necessary to form strategic initiatives.

    Design Versus Emergence: Mintzberg

    • Intended strategy: Leader's or top-management intended strategy.
    • Realized strategy: Implemented strategy in action. Often differs from the intended strategy.
    • Emergent strategy: Strategy that emerges from decision-making of individual managers adapting to changing circumstances

    Henry Mintzberg

    • Critic of traditional strategic design approaches
    • Strategy should evolve from daily activities and decision-making within the organization
    • Emergent strategies are adaptable and reflect interaction between planning and implementation

    Design Versus Emergence: Honda Case

    • Honda's US entry was initially seen as an effective use of strategy, but revealed a more diverse and adaptive reality

    Top-Down vs Bottom-Up Strategy

    • Top-down: Designed by top management, and later adopted/refined by lower levels
    • Bottom-up: Emerged from various levels within an organization

    As the Business Environment Changes

    • Strategy making should adapt from very specific actions to general direction-setting
    • Strategy implementation is influenced by environmental factors.

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    Description

    This quiz covers key concepts in Advanced Strategic Management as taught by Davide Genta for the academic year 2023/2024. Explore various lenses through which strategy is viewed, including design, experience, and variety. Additionally, the course encompasses insights from a presentation related to a Murillo painting.

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