Business Strategy Quiz
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Questions and Answers

What is the primary reason for a company to pursue vertical integration?

  • To avoid the risks associated with vertical market failures (correct)
  • To increase product variety
  • To expand into new geographic markets
  • To achieve economies of scale
  • Which type of diversification occurs when a firm operates in multiple product markets?

  • Single business
  • Geographic diversification
  • Related diversification
  • Product diversification (correct)
  • What characterizes a dominant business in terms of revenue?

  • 70% to 95% of revenue from a single business with additional activities (correct)
  • More than 95% of revenue from one business
  • Less than 70% of revenue from any one business
  • 50% of revenue from two different product markets
  • Which of the following best describes related diversification?

    <p>Pursuing at least one other business with connections to the core business (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which scenario is most likely to lead a company to vertically integrate?

    <p>Experiencing high costs with alternative market transactions (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which approach does Southwest use instead of the hub-and-spoke model?

    <p>Point-to-point model (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one of the unique strategies pursued by Southwest Airlines?

    <p>Prioritizing employee welfare (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What has been the financial performance of Southwest Airlines for the last 43 years?

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

    Why did analysts suggest that Southwest Airlines introduce service fees?

    <p>To increase revenues during a crisis (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What kind of policy does Southwest Airlines have regarding service fees?

    <p>Does not charge fees for additional bags (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What could be a potential consequence of conducting experiments with new service fees?

    <p>Clear understanding of customer behavior (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In decision making, why is it important to collect data and conduct experiments?

    <p>To gauge customer reaction and adapt strategy (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a distinctive feature of Southwest Airlines in terms of aircraft operation?

    <p>Operates with a single aircraft model (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is considered the primary goal of a firm's strategy?

    <p>To gain and sustain superior performance relative to competitors (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which component of strategy involves analyzing the firm's external and internal environment?

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

    Which of the following describes a key difference between competing to be the best and competing to be unique?

    <p>Competing to be the best involves running the same race as competitors, while competing to be unique means running a different race. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the essential elements of a good strategy according to the AFI framework?

    <p>Analysis, formulation, and implementation (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which step in Tesla's master plan involves building increasingly affordable cars?

    <p>Step 2: Use that money to build an affordable car (C), Step 3: Use that money to build an even more affordable car (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a consequence of trying to appeal to all market segments?

    <p>Inferior performance due to lack of focus (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What aspect of strategy implementation is primarily focused on by lower managers and employees?

    <p>Coherent actions (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which characteristic best describes Walmart's business strategy?

    <p>Everyday low prices with acceptable service (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the first step of Tesla's master plan?

    <p>Build sports car (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the key focus of Tesla's mission statement?

    <p>To accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does Nordstrom differentiate itself from Walmart?

    <p>By providing superior customer service and quality (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does value creation in a strategic context entail?

    <p>Providing goods at an affordable price while controlling costs (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which statement reflects Southwest Airlines' business performance?

    <p>It has consistently remained profitable for 43 years. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What aspect of Walmart's operations helps keep its prices low?

    <p>Sophisticated IT systems (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What could potentially increase Southwest Airlines' profitability according to analysts?

    <p>Making changes to its current policies (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why do Walmart and Nordstrom have little overlap in their customer bases?

    <p>They offer very different values at different price points. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is prior probability?

    <p>The predicted probability of an event before data collection. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following methods can be used to collect signals to update your probability?

    <p>Consulting experts for their opinions. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the term posterior probability refer to?

    <p>The final probability once all data has been analyzed. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why do we need to predict events?

    <p>To provide a basis for making decisions about actions. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the provided example, what is the minimum number of students needed to avoid losing money?

    <p>10 students. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How can a decision-maker finalize their probability assessment?

    <p>By determining when they have sufficient information. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are scenarios in the context of decision-making?

    <p>States of the world that may occur but cannot be controlled. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes the process of updating prior probability?

    <p>Integrating new signals to adjust the initial prediction. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What can heavily influence a manager's decision-making process?

    <p>Personal biases and perceptions (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which factor contributed to the poor decision-making by managers at FreeNow?

    <p>Limited information available during decision-making (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a key aspect of scientific decision-making?

    <p>Utilizing probability to guide decisions (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How should managers approach their confidence in decision-making according to the scientific method?

    <p>Be aware of their overconfidence (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of learning to make predictions in decision-making?

    <p>To understand how often certain outcomes occur (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does thinking probabilistically in decision-making involve?

    <p>Creating a framework to envision the probability of events (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role do random variables play in decision-making?

    <p>They can take on various values, each with assigned probabilities (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one of the biggest drawbacks of relying solely on personal experiences in decision-making?

    <p>It may overlook critical market data (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What can lead to misjudging situations in decision-making?

    <p>Shortage of time and personal biases (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following reflects the essence of scientific decision-making?

    <p>Utilizing probability to anticipate possible outcomes (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a major factor that influences a manager's self-confidence in decision-making?

    <p>Cultural background and expertise (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What negative outcome can arise from managers having limited information during decision-making?

    <p>They can be pressured into quick, poor decisions (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In decision-making, learning to question how often an outcome typically occurs is about:

    <p>Making accurate predictions (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which statement best describes how to think probabilistically in decision-making?

    <p>Developing a theory to estimate the likelihood of events (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was a crucial factor in the failure of FreeNow according to managers' decision-making?

    <p>Pressure to make quick decisions with limited information (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which approach helps minimize overconfidence in managerial decision-making?

    <p>Being aware of personal biases and uncertainties (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary purpose of squaring the difference between a value and the mean when calculating variance?

    <p>To ensure the result is always positive (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does conditional probability specifically assess?

    <p>The probability of an event given the occurrence of another event (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In a contingency table, what do the totals of the rows and columns represent?

    <p>The marginal frequencies of the variables (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How is the standard deviation derived from variance?

    <p>By taking the square root of the variance (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What scenario might require the use of conditional probability?

    <p>Predicting the likelihood of an event based on another known event (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary distinction of Southwest Airlines' operational model compared to its competitors?

    <p>Point-to-point model (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In calculating variance, what do the symbols $p_i$ and $x_i$ represent?

    <p>The individual probabilities and outcomes of an event (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a characteristic of Southwest Airlines' approach to customer relationship management?

    <p>Focusing on customer welfare even if it affects profits (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is indicated by the formula $P(X|Y)$?

    <p>The conditional probability of X given Y (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why is a scientific approach to decision-making emphasized for companies like Southwest Airlines?

    <p>To collect data and experiment with potential changes (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why is it important to understand the concept of joint probability?

    <p>It provides insight into the relationship between multiple events. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What has been a consistent financial status of Southwest Airlines for over 40 years?

    <p>Continuous profits and success (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one of the key benefits of Southwest Airlines operating a single aircraft model?

    <p>Lower training and maintenance costs (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What rationale did analysts provide for Southwest Airlines introducing service fees during a crisis?

    <p>To increase profits by offsetting revenue loss (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which strategy reflects Southwest Airlines' approach to handling potential changes in service offerings?

    <p>Conducting experiments to gauge customer reactions (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a primary factor in Southwest Airlines' decision-making philosophy?

    <p>Using scientific methods for analysis (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How is conditional expectation computed?

    <p>By summing over the product of probabilities and values. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What represents joint probability?

    <p>The probability that two events occur together. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which scenario is an example of independent events?

    <p>Flipping a coin and rolling a die simultaneously. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does it mean if two events are independent?

    <p>The probability of one event remains the same regardless of the other. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In what case would computing conditional probability be unnecessary?

    <p>When the events do not affect each other's outcomes. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of a condition in conditional probability?

    <p>It restricts the probability to a certain category of events. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What can indicate that a signal is less informative?

    <p>When the conditional and marginal probabilities are similar. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How can joint probability be calculated for independent events?

    <p>By multiplying their individual probabilities together. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main purpose of predicting and estimating the probability of different outcomes?

    <p>To assess the likelihood of achieving a profit. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does establishing a threshold probability entail in decision-making?

    <p>Choosing an action based on the expected probability of outcomes. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a significant advantage of engaging in short-term contracts?

    <p>They involve competitive bidding, potentially reducing costs. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the context of decision-making, what do strategic alliances primarily involve?

    <p>Voluntary arrangements for resource sharing. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the main factors to consider when assessing the merits of a deal based on prediction?

    <p>Posterior probability and values assigned to potential profits and losses. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of prior probability in decision-making?

    <p>It is the predicted probability of an event before data collection. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which action best describes the process of updating prior probability?

    <p>Adjusting the estimated probability based on additional signals or data. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    When should a decision-maker stop collecting data and finalize their probability assessment?

    <p>When no more reliable signals can be collected without excessive cost. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is an example of a signal that can be collected to update prior probability?

    <p>Conducting a survey of stakeholders for their predictions. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What characterizes the process of decision-making based on posterior probability?

    <p>It utilizes systematic data analyses to inform actions. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the term 'scenarios' refer to in decision-making?

    <p>The states of the world that can happen and are unpredictable. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Flashcards

    Competitive Advantage

    Superior performance relative to competitors.

    Competitive Challenge

    Identifying a firm's position vs. competitors.

    Strategy Elements

    Diagnosis (analysis), guiding policies (formulation), and coherent actions (implementation).

    Tesla's Strategy Steps

    Build sports car, affordable car, even more affordable car, zero emission power, don't tell anyone.

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    Competitive Strategy

    Choosing to be the best (running the same race) or be unique (running a different race).

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    Strategy

    Goal-directed actions to gain/sustain superior performance (competitive advantage) compared to competitors.

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    Corporate, Business, Functional Strategy

    Different types of plans to manage competing in various parts of the business.

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    Tesla Mission

    Accelerate world transition to sustainable energy.

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    Trade-offs in business

    Choosing one option means sacrificing another. Focusing on a specific customer segment means losing potential customers outside that segment.

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    Differentiated value proposition

    Offering different values at different prices in order to attract different target customer groups. This reduces customer overlap.

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    Strategic profile (Walmart)

    Walmart's focused strategy involves operating large stores in rural areas to reach specific customers, leveraging size for bargaining power, and using IT for efficiency, all while creating a low cost structure.

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    Value creation

    Companies with effective strategies provide products/services at affordable prices, maintaining profitability and benefiting consumers and shareholders.

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    Market Segmentation

    Dividing a broad customer base into smaller, more homogeneous groups based on shared characteristics

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    Southwest Airlines' profitability

    An example of a successful strategy that has generated consistent profit for over 40 years

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    Low-cost retailer

    A business that prioritizes offering products at the lowest possible price, sometimes sacrificing features or in-store service to achieve this goal.

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    Upscale retailer

    A business that prioritizes offering high-quality products and services, often with exceptional customer service and a distinct brand image and customer experience. This normally results in higher prices.

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    Decision-Making Biases

    Personal perceptions, beliefs, and overconfidence in past experiences can influence decision-making, leading to biased choices.

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    Scientific Decision-Making

    A method of making decisions based on probability and facts to minimize bias and increase the likelihood of successful outcomes.

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    Probability in Decisions

    Recognizing that decisions involve uncertainty and using probabilities to assess potential outcomes.

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    Overconfidence

    An exaggerated belief in one's abilities or sources of information, which can lead to poor decision-making.

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    Making Predictions

    Questioning how often a specific outcome happens, using historical data or research.

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    Probabilistic Thinking

    Developing a theory or model to explain the likelihood of events.

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    Random Variable

    A variable that can take on different values, each with a specific probability.

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    Probability Distribution

    A way of showing all the possible values of a random variable and their corresponding probabilities.

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    Southwest Airlines' Strategy

    Southwest Airlines uses a point-to-point model, avoids hubs, prioritizes employees and customers, and uses a single aircraft type to reduce costs.

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    Point-to-Point Model

    A model used by Southwest Airlines where flights directly connect cities without using a central hub.

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    Hub-and-Spoke Model

    A model used by many airlines where flights connect through a central hub.

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    Low-Fee Policy

    Southwest Airlines avoids charging fees for additional services, such as checked baggage.

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    Experimentation in Decision-Making

    Testing potential changes on a small scale (e.g., a limited amount of flights) to see customer reactions before implementing widely.

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    Data Collection Importance

    Gathering information and conducting analysis about a problem before making decisions.

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    Scientific Approach to Decision-Making

    Using data, analysis, and experimentation to make informed decisions, rather than making impulsive decisions.

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    Profitability over 43 Years

    Southwest Airlines' consistent profitability for over four decades, despite a unique approach.

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    Prior Probability

    The initial assessment of an event's likelihood before any data is collected.

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    Posterior Probability

    The revised probability of an event after considering new information or data.

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    Signals for Probability Update

    Information used to adjust the initial probability estimate, like expert opinions or collected data sets.

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    Data Analysis for Probability Update

    Examining collected data about the event to refine the probability estimate.

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    Decision Making with Probability

    Using probability estimates to choose between actions based on potential outcomes.

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    Actions vs. Scenarios

    Actions are the choices we can make, while scenarios are the uncontrollable situations we predict.

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    Profit vs. Loss in Action

    A decision's outcome depends on whether the chosen action leads to a net positive gain or loss.

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    Decision Based on Probability

    Choosing the best course of action based on the likelihood of different scenarios and their potential outcomes.

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    Vertical Integration

    A strategy where a company expands its operations to control different stages of the value chain, like production, distribution, or retail. This is often done to reduce dependence on external suppliers or retailers.

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    Vertical Market Failure

    A situation where finding suitable suppliers or retailers within a specific industry is difficult or too risky, leading companies to consider vertical integration.

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    Corporate Diversification

    A strategy where a company expands its operations into new product markets, geographic regions, or both.

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    Product Diversification

    A type of diversification where a company offers a wider variety of products or services, but remains focused on the same geographic area.

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    Geographic Diversification

    A type of diversification where a company expands into new geographic markets, offering the same or similar products/services in different countries.

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    Southwest's Unique Strategy

    Southwest Airlines stands out by rejecting traditional airline practices like hub-and-spoke models and baggage fees. Instead, they focus on point-to-point routes, low fees, employee and customer prioritization, and a single aircraft model for efficiency.

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    Point-to-Point vs. Hub-and-Spoke

    Point-to-point routes connect cities directly without using a central hub airport, while hub-and-spoke models route passengers through a central hub for connections.

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    Prioritizing Employees and Customers

    Southwest's commitment to employee satisfaction and customer happiness extends beyond just words. They prioritize these groups in their decision-making process.

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    Single Aircraft Model

    By operating only one type of aircraft, Southwest reduces training and maintenance costs, streamlining their operations and keeping costs low.

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    Data Collection and Analysis

    Before making any decision, it's essential to gather relevant data about the situation you're facing and analyze that data to gain meaningful insights.

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    Southwest's Consistent Profitability

    Despite a unique approach, Southwest Airlines has achieved consistent profitability over 43 years, proving that their strategy works.

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    Overconfidence Bias

    Overestimating your abilities or knowledge, leading to poor decisions.

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    Variance Formula

    The formula to calculate variance is σ = ∑ 𝑝𝑖(𝑥𝑖 − µ) , where x represents every possible value, p is the probability of that value, and µ is the mean. The difference between x and the mean is squared to avoid negative or positive issues.

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    Standard Deviation Formula

    The formula for standard deviation is σ = 𝑣𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 = σ . It reflects the variance by removing the square, resulting in a value more closely aligned with the actual values of the variables.

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    Conditional Probability

    Conditional probability is the probability of an event happening given that another event has already occurred. It helps predict how an event will turn out based on prior events that may influence it.

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    Contingency Table

    A table that shows the frequency of values of one variable (X) contingent on the values of another variable.

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    Marginal Frequencies

    The totals of rows and columns in a contingency table.

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    Joint Probability

    The probability of two or more events occurring simultaneously.

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    What is P(X|Y)?

    P(X|Y) represents the conditional probability of event X happening given that event Y has already happened. It reads as 'the probability of X given Y'.

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    What are the possible outcomes of a decision?

    The possible outcomes are all the possible combinations of actions taken and scenarios that might occur. This means understanding what could happen based on your choices and the situations beyond your control. For example, if you're considering buying a business, possible outcomes include making a profit, breaking even, or losing money. This depends on your decision to buy and factors like market conditions and competition.

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    Probability Threshold

    A minimum probability level you set for deciding whether to proceed with an action. If your calculated probability of a successful outcome meets or exceeds the threshold, you go ahead. If it's below, you might choose a different course of action.

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    Short-term contracts

    Contracts with a short duration, usually less than a year, that involve competitive bidding. Short-term contracts are often used for smaller projects or tasks where the buyer doesn't need a long-term relationship with the supplier.

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    What are strategic alliances?

    Voluntary arrangements between companies to share knowledge, resources, and abilities to create new products, processes, or services. They work together to achieve a common goal.

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    Conditional Expectation

    The expected value of a random variable when another event has already occurred. It's like the average but adjusted based on the conditioning event.

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    Independent Events

    Two events where one doesn't influence the outcome of the other. The occurrence of one event doesn't change the probability of the other.

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    Informative Signal

    An event that provides valuable information about the likelihood of another event happening. It helps predict the outcome.

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    How is conditional probability useful?

    It allows us to update our understanding of the likelihood of an event based on new information. This helps make more informed decisions.

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    How to compute conditional expectation?

    Multiply each possible value of the variable by its conditional probability and sum them up. This gives you the expected value given the condition.

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    How to compute joint Probability?

    Multiply the probability of the conditioning event by the conditional probability of the other event given the conditioning event.

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    Study Notes

    Strategy Definition

    • Strategy is a set of goal-directed actions a firm takes to gain and sustain a competitive advantage over competitors.
    • A good strategy consists of three elements:
      • Diagnosis (Analysis): Identifying the competitive challenge through analyzing a firm's external and internal environment.
      • Guiding Policies (Formulation): How top managers address the competitive challenge by creating corporate, business, and functional strategies.
      • Coherent Actions (Implementation): Lower managers and employees execute guiding policies to implement a chosen strategy.

    Tesla's Secret Strategy

    • In 2006, Elon Musk outlined Tesla's master plan in three steps:
      • Step 1: Build a sports car
      • Step 2: Use the money from the sports car to build an affordable car
      • Step 3: Use the money from the affordable car to build an even more affordable car
      • Step 4: Provide zero-emission electric power generation options while following the previous steps.
      • Step 5: Don't tell anyone.

    Competitive Advantage

    • Competitive advantage is superior performance relative to other competitors within the same industry or to the industry average.
    • A firm with a sustainable competitive advantage consistently outperforms its competitors.
    • If a firm underperforms its competitors, it has a competitive disadvantage.
    • If two firms have similar performance, this is called competitive parity.

    Walmart vs. Nordstrom

    • Walmart is a low-cost retailer offering everyday low prices and a large selection of products in large "big-box" stores.
    • Nordstrom is a high-end retailer with a focus on customer experience and luxury products sold in upscale locations.
    • These stores target different customer segments.

    Strategic Positioning

    • Combining value and cost through strategic positioning enables firms to gain competitive advantage. Two common types of strategic positioning include:
      • Differentiation: Providing a higher value than competitors at a similar cost.
      • Cost leadership: Offering similar value at a lower cost than competitors.

    Study Case: Southwest Airlines

    • Southwest Airlines is an example of a profitable airline company known for unique strategies:
      • No Hubs: Prioritizes point-to-point routes to reduce costs.
      • Employee Focus: Prioritizes employee well-being, which indirectly benefits customers.
      • Point-to-Point Model: Efficiently operates point to point routes as a main strategy.
      • Single Aircraft Model: Streamlines operations and maintenance costs by sticking to one aircraft model.

    Decision Analysis

    • A scientific approach to decision-making is crucial to avoid personal biases in managerial decision-making.
    • This approach emphasizes the understanding of probabilities and the prediction of future events by collecting data, testing hypotheses, and analyzing possible outcomes for decision-making.

    Probabilities and Distributions

    • A random variable is a variable that can take on different values, each assigned a probability.
    • Random variables can be continuous (taking on a range of values) or categorical (taking on specific values).
    • Probabilities are numerical measures of how likely an event may happen.
    • Uniform, and Normal distributions are common types of probability distributions.
    • The mean summarizes the central tendency of a distribution, and standard deviation measures the spread from the central tendency.

    Conditional Probability

    • Conditional probability is the likelihood of an event occurring given that another event has already happened.
    • Conditional probability is useful for predicting how one event can influence another or whether two events are correlated.

    Prediction of Events

    • Theories are important for predicting events. Theories are if-then statements that link a cause to a potential effect.
    • A well-defined theory helps determine which factors to examine for an improved prediction.

    Making Decisions

    • Decisions are based on predicted probabilities. An important step in decision-making is to set a decision making threshold to know when to decide, which action to take, and what the expected outcomes could be, along with the probabilities associated with the various scenarios.

    Break-Even Point Analysis

    • Break-even point analysis determines the sales volume needed to cover all costs, resulting in no profit or loss.
    • Operating income is calculated by subtracting operating costs from sales revenue.
    • Factors like production capacity, economies of scale, and economies of learning affect average costs.

    External Analysis: Industry Structure & Competitive Forces

    • External analysis involves identifying the industry structure and competitive forces to understand an industry’s profitability.
    • The PESTEL framework is used for categorizing and analyzing external factors (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental, and Legal) that impact a firm.
    • Porter's Five Forces model, which considers the threat of new entrants, bargaining power of suppliers and buyers, threat of substitutes, and rivalry among existing competitors to determine the overall profitability of an industry.

    Internal Analysis: Core Competencies

    • Core competencies are unique strengths that allow a firm to gain a competitive advantage through differentiating their products and services.
    • Core competencies are also intangible, but they affect organizational structure, managerial skills, and business processes. They need to be constantly nourished and developed.
    • The VRIO framework evaluates resources and capabilities by focusing on the valuable, rare, inimitable, and organized natures of these resources to assess whether they constitute a competitive advantage, i.e. if they are valuable, rare, hard to copy and properly used to generate profit within a company.

    Strategic Activity Systems

    • These are interconnected activities that form the basis for a company's competitive advantage.
    • These systems adapt to changing environmental conditions and create value for customers.

    SWOT Analysis

    • SWOT Analysis is a strategic planning tool used to evaluate strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats related to a project or business venture.
    • The analysis helps identify internal strengths and weaknesses along with external opportunities and threats. Using the analysis to help a company decide what it needs to do to achieve its organizational goals.

    Corporate Strategy: Vertical Integration & Diversification

    • "Corporate" refers to a company with multiple business units.
    • Corporate strategy entails the decisions made and actions taken by senior management to achieve competitive advantage across different industries and markets.
    • Growing firms may seek to increase profitability, lower costs, gain market power, mitigate risk, and motivate management.
    • Vertical integration occurs when a firm owns activities in different stages of its value chain (upstream or downstream).
    • Diversification occurs when a firm expands into different products or markets.
    • Companies may pursue different levels of diversification, from single-business to unrelated-business diversification, depending on their goals and resource allocation.

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    Description

    Test your knowledge on various business strategies, including vertical integration and diversification. This quiz covers key concepts related to business operations, particularly focusing on the unique approaches employed by Southwest Airlines. Ideal for students and professionals looking to enhance their understanding of corporate strategies.

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