Strategic Management Question Bank

Strategic Management –
Question Bank

1. Briefly describe Chandler's and Porter's perspectives on strategy and structure. Illustrate your answer with examples.

2. 'The operative part of leadership capability lies in the ability to handle people in a manner that they give their best for a cause, organization and the task in hand. Comment on the statement with respect to handling colleagues and handling bosses.

3. Why is it important to integrate R&D into corporate strategy ? Briefly discuss the factors which should be taken into consideration if the innovation process is to be managed successfully. Explain giving examples.

4. Briefly explain the following

(a) The Corporate Rating Approach
(b) The Constituency Group Attitudes Audit
(c) Partial Social Audit/Aspect Audit

5. Discuss the various modes of technology transfer. Explain the evaluation of technology with respect to the customers and the buyer's points of view.

6. (a) "Good governance is epitomized by predictable, open and enlightened policy making, a bureaucracy imbued with professional ethos acting in furtherance of the public good, the rule of law, transparent processes and a strong civil society participating in public affairs. Elaborate the statement in the context of corporate governance.

(b) Briefly describe the role of board of directors. (20)

7. Discuss the different approaches to modes of entering a foreign market. (20)

8. What are the different sources of knowledge ? Explain different types of knowledge and the factors which consiitute the knowledge-creation process. (20)

9. Desribe in brief, the key developments in transparency and reporting with respect to social audit. (20)

10. Wrire short notes on any three of the following : (20)
(a) Corporate Social Responsibility
(b) Strategic Philanthropy
(c) IT in servce sector
(d) Strategic choice
(e) Narayana Murthy Committee on Corporate Governance

11. (a) What are some of the basic questions that have to be answered before the management decides about the structure suitable for the strategy chosen ?

(b) Much of the business environment today is dynamic in nature. What does it mean for organizational management and how can the latter go about scanning the environment ?

12. (a) The Universal Inner Structure proposition talks about Selflessness as one of the characteristics of effective/successful leaders. But some really wonder how can there be selfless leaders when all around in society there is an environment of selfishness, greed and avarice ? Citically examine the statement.

(b) Based on the extremes of "Use of Authority by the Leader" and "Area of Freedom for Subordinates", present in a chart the spectrum of leadership styles. Discuss the attributes of successful leaders.

13. Discuss the dynamics of buyer-seller relationship in technology transactions. As a buyer of technology, what care would you take to see that the transaction is to your advantage ?

14. (a) A Ford Foundation study found that a majority of institutional investors took social considerations into account in the selection of investments. In the light of this, why should the firms undertake Social Audit ? What benefits can a firm expect to get from social audit ?

(b) Enumerate the various frameworks of social audit that have been developed and explain any one of them.

15. Write short notes on any three of the following :
(i) Benefits of Strategic Management
(ii) Porter's perspective on Strategy and Structure
(iii) Structure for development programmes
(iv) Organrsational Environment
(v) Technology Transfer and Absorption

16. Organizational environment plays a major role in the decision-making of the firm. Discuss in brief, the organizational environment with respect to the stakeholders and their relationship with the firm.

17. Explain the concept of selflessness with the universal inner structure of leaders.

18. Explain technology forecasting process and discuss various forecasting techniques.

19. Explaln the concept of Social Process Audit. Briefly discuss Linowes Model as an approach to social report.

20. Write short notes on any three of the following :
(a) Environmental analysis
(b) Levels of strategy
(c) Evaluation of strategy
(d) Leadership styles
(e) Holding companies

21.  Describe Industry Life cycle Model used for analyzing the effect of industry evolution on competitive forces.

22.  Write short notes on the following :

a)      Benefits of Strategic Management

b)      Strategic control

23.  Discuss the different approaches to modes of entering a foreign market

24.  Define environmental analysis. Discuss components of a company’s external environment. Discuss porter’s five force model.

25.  Discuss distinctive competencies. How will you develop a sustainable
competitive advantage for the company? Give example.

26.  Differentiate Horizontal Integration and Vertical Integration. Write advantages and disadvantages of both

27.  Highlight the role of technology and innovation in strategic management
with examples.

28.  Write short notes on any four of the following

a)      SWOT analysis.

b)      Value chain analysis.

9.Explain porter’s five forces model to analyze competitive forces in an industry environment

10.      Discuss distinctive competencies. How will you develop a sustainable
competitive advantage for the company? Give example.

11.      Differentiate Horizontal Integration and Vertical Integration. Write advantages and disadvantages of both

12.      Examine the role of strategic control in management

13.      Explain in detail the possible strategic options available for firm in a declining industry. Also enumerate the suitability of the options for different categories of firms.

14.      What is organizational structure? Write the contribution organizational structure in strategic management.