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STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
Question 1
Explain the evolution, role and importance of business policy and
strategic management. What would be the role of manager in this age?
Introduction: The term strategic management has been traditionally used. New
title such as business policy, corporate strategy and policy, corporate policies
is essentially and extensively used which means more less the same concept.
Evolution of Strategic Management:
1) In early 1920s and 1930s the managers used day-to-day planning
methods to perform any task.
2) To anticipate the future, they tried using tools like preparation of
budgets and control systems like capital budgeting and management by
objectives.
3) The techniques were unable to emphasize the future adequately.
4) The next step was they tried using long range planning which was
replaced by strategic planning and later by strategic management.
5) In mid 1930s, according to the nature of business the planning was
done during Adhoc policy making.
6) As many businesses had just started operations and were mostly in a
single product line, there arose a need for policy making.
7) As companies grew they expanded their products and they catered to
more customer and which in turn increased their geographical coverage.
8) The expansion brought in complexity and lot of changes in the external
action.
10) Policies helped to have pre-defined set of actions, which helped people to
make decision.
11) Policymaking was the owners prime responsibility.
12) Due to increase in the environment changes, in 1930s and 40s policy
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ROLE OF STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: 1) Due to increase in the competition, in 1960s there was a demand for
critical look at the bane corrupt of business.
2) The environment played an important role in the business.
3) The relationship of business with the environment lead to the concept of
strategy.
4) In early sixties, this helped the management to manage between the
business and the environment.
5) In early eighties, as many companies were globalised which lead to the
competition of the rivals access the world.
6) Japanese companies along with other Asian companies unleashed a
force across the world and posed a threat for the US and European
companies, which led to the current thinking.
7) Strategic management focused on 2 aspects: Strategic process of business.
Responsibilities of strategic management.
8) Unlike others, in this phase the role of senior management is vital and of
utmost importance. Their role was important in decision-making like a) Whether a company promotes a joint venture/new decision.
b) Decides to go for an expansion.
c) Takes other important actions.
8) All these actions and decision had a long-term impact on the company
and its future operations, which was the result of senior management
decision-making.
9) Strategic management is both about the present and future course of
action, which was the prime responsibility senior management.
Strategic Management is
I. The study of function and responsibilities of senior management
II. A crucial problem that affects success in total enterprise.
III. The decision that determine the direction of the organization and shape
of its future
IV. Identity and molding of its character
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V. Mobilisation and their allocation of the resources.
Hence as managers had variety of choices, decisions were based on the
circumstances, which would take the company in specified directions.
IMPORTANCE AND ROLE OF MANAGERS IN STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT: I. Strategic management integrates the knowledge and experience gained
in various functional areas.
II. It helps to understand and make sense of complex interaction in
various areas of management.
III. It helps in understanding how policies are formulated and in creating
appreciation of complexities of environment that the senior management
faces in policy formulation.
IV. Managers need to begin by gaining an understanding of the business
environment and to in control.
Here are few steps Indian managers need to do.
a) They should know to manage and understand information
technology, which is changing the face of business.
b) As public and common investors own and more companies
managers need to acquire skills to maximize shareholder value.
c) To have/take a strategic perspective, managers should foresee the
future and track changes in customer expectation. Intuitive, logic
reasoning is required for proper decision-making.
d) Successful companies depend on people. For people, management
managers should create capability for imitating and manage
things through leadership and should possess qualities like
patience, commitment and perseverance.
e) Managers need to provide speed responses to environmental
changes through informational systems and organizational
process.
f) As corporates are becoming more integrated with the public life,
corporate governance is becoming important which manager may
have to practice.
g) Managers should learn to deal with confused and complex
situations. They should know to deal with global managers,
business protocols and market conditions.
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h) In complex and certain situations, managers should have the
courage in decision-making to make unconventional decisions.
i) Managers should possess high ethical standards in business and
focus on social responsibility.
Conclusion
Thus we can say the purpose of strategic management is manifold. To be
successful in the business one should possess/have holistic approach and
should know to integrate the knowledge gained in various functional area of
management. By having generalistic approach, a senior manager can
understand the complex inter linkages operating within the organisation and
should have systematic approach in decision-making in relation with the
changes which takes place in the environment.
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Question 2
What is strategy? At what levels is it formulated?
INTRODUCTION: To understand the process of strategic management the concept should be
understood and controlled. The term strategy is derived from the Greek word
STRATEGOS Generalship. The actual direction of military force, as
distinct from governing its deployment. The word strategy means THE ART
OF GENERAL . Based on the studies and views by various experts and
management gurus Strategy in business has taken various connotations.
STRATEGY:
1. Before making a decision managers have to look into the course of
deciding since
Strategy involves situations like
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
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6. Michael Porter views strategy as the core of general management is
strategy.
Managers must make companies flexible, respond rapidly, benchmark
the best practices, outsource aggressively, develop core competencies;
Infact should know how to play new roles everyday. Hyper competition is a
common phenomenon that rivals copy very fast.
7. Companies can outperform rivals only if it can establish a difference it
can preserve and deliver greater value at a reasonable cost.
8. Strategy rests on unique activities The essence of strategy is in the
activities choosing to perform things differently and to perform
different activities than rivals.
9. Strategy is long term. If company focus is only on operational
effectiveness. It can become good and not better. Overemphasis on
growth leads to the dilutions of strategy. Growth is achieved by
deepening strategy.
10.
Strategy is the future plan of action, which relates to the
companies activities and its mission/vision i.e. when it would like to
reach from its current position.
11.
It is concerned with the resource available today and those that
will be required for the future plan of action. It is about the trade off
between its different activities and creating a fit among these activities.
LEVELS OF STRATEGY:
1. When a company performs different business/ has portfolio of products,
the company will organize itself in the form of strategic business units
(SBUs).
2. In order to segregate different units each performing a common set of
activities, many companies are organized on the basis of operating
divisions/decisions. These are known as strategic business units.
CORPORATE LEVEL
FUNCTIONAL LEVEL
SBU1
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SBU2
STRTEGIES [CORPORATE]
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FUNCTIONAL
3) Strategies are looked at
LEVEL STRATEGIES
v Corporate level
v SBU level
4) There exists a difference at functional levels like marketing, finance,
productions etc. Functional level strategies exist at both corporate and SBU
level. It has to be aligned and integrated.
5) CORPORATE LEVEL STRATEGY: Its a broad level strategy and all its plan
of actions is at corporate level i.e. what the company as a whole. It covers the
various strategies performed by different SBUs. Strategies needs should be in
align with the company objective.
6) Resources should be allocated to each SBU and broad level functional
strategies. To ensure things there would need to have co-ordination of different
business of the SBUs.
FUNCTIONAL STRATEGY: As the SBU level deals with a relatively. Smaller
area that provides objectives for a specific function in that SBU environment
are marketing, finance, production, operation etc.
7)
For most companies strategies plans are made at 3 levels.
a)
FUNCTIONAL STRATEGY
b)
SOCIETAL STRATEGY
c)
OPERATIONAL STRATEGY
Societal Strategy: Larger Companies like conglometers with multiple business
in different countries needs larger level strategy.
1) A relatively smaller company may require a strategy at a level higher
than corporate level.
2) Its how the company perceives itself in its role towards the society/ even
countries in terms of vision/ mission statement/ a set of needs that
strives to fulfill corporate level strategies are then derived from the
societal strategy.
Operational Level Strategy:
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In the dynamic environment & due to the complexities of business strategies
are needed to be set at lower levels i.e. one step down the functional level,
operational level strategies.
There are more specific & has a defined scope. E.g. Marketing Strategy could
be subdivided into sales Strategies for different segments & markets, pricing,
distribution etc.
Some of them may be common & some unique to the target markets.
It should contribute to the functional objectives of marketing function. These
are interlinked with other strategies at functional level like those of finance,
production etc
MISSION/VISION LEVEL
CORPORATE LEVEL
FUNCTIONAL LEVEL
SBU1
SBU2
FUNCTIONAL
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LEVEL STRATEGIES
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OPERATIONAL LEVEL
Corporate level is divided from the societal level strategy of a corporation
S.B.U Level are put in to action under the corporate level strategy.
Functional Strategies operate under SBU Level.
Operational Level is derived from functional level strategies
Conclusion:
These are the levels at which strategies are formulated
Question 3
What are the Issues in Strategic Decision Making? Explain the role
of Various Strategies.
Issues in Strategic Decision Making
1. While making a decision the company might have different people at
different periods of time.
2. Decision requires judgments; a personal related factors are important in
decision-making. Hence decision ma y differs as person change.
3. Decisions are not taken individually, but often there is a task in
decisions which could be Individual Vs Group decision making. There
will be a difference between the individual and group decision-making.
4. On what Criteria a company should make its decision, for evaluation of
the efficiency & effectiveness of the decision making process, a company
has to set its objectives which serves as main bench mark.
5. 3 Major Criteria in decision Making are
a. The concept of Maximization.
b. The concept of satisfying.
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6.
7.
8.
9.
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Role of SBU Level Executives: They Co-ordinate with other SBUs & with
Senior Management. They are more focused on their product / burners line.
They are more on the implementation role.
Role of Corporate Planning Staff: It provides administrative support tools
and techniques and is a Co-ordinate function.
Role of Consultant: Often Consultants may be hired for a specified new
business or Expertise even to get an unbiased opinion on the business & the
Strategy.
Role of Middle Level Managers: They form an important link in strategizing &
Implementation. They are not actively involved in formulation of Strategies and
they are developed to be the future management.
Conclusion: These are the issues in strategic decision-making and the role in
Strategic Management.
Question 4
What is Strategic Management Process? Explain each step briefly.
Here are few definitions of Strategic Management Process.
1) According to Glueck its a stream of decisions and actions that lead to
the development of an effective strategy/ Strategies to help achieve
Corporate Strategies.
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2) According to Hofer its the process, which deals with fundamental
Organisational, renewal & growth with the development of strategies,
Structures and Systems necessary to achieve such renewal and growth
and with the organizational systems needed to effectively manage the
strategy formulation and implementation process.
3) Ansoff defines it as The Systematic approach & important
responsibility of general management to position and relate the firm to
its environment in a way that will assure its Continued Success and
make it secure from surprises.
4) Sharplin defines as the formulation & implementation of plans and
Carrying out activities related to the matters, which are vital, and of
continuing importance to the total organization.
5) According to Harrison & St John Strategic Management is the process
through which organization learn from their internal & external
environment, establish strategic decision create strategies that are
intended to help achieve establish goals & execute there strategies
achieve Establish goals and execute there Strategies all in an effort to
satisfy key organizational stake holders.
COMPANY VISION &MISSION/ REQUIREMENTS OF MAJOR
STOCK HOLDERS STRATEGIC INTENT
IMPLEMENT/ FEEDBACK/CONTROL
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managing thru Organisational System for the achievement of Vision,
Mission Goals and Objectives.
Company Vision / Mission
1) Company Vision is What a Company Wishes to become or aspire to be.
2) Company Mission is what the Company is and why it exists
3) James Parras & James Collins divides Vision/Mission into 2 Parts.
Vision/
Core Ideology
Mission
Envisioned Future
Core Ideology:
an organization,
disadvantage.
Core Values :
Core Purpose:
Core Values
Core Purpose
Audaclous Goals
Vivid Description
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2)
It gives the Strategic Advantage.
It has strengths more than the competitor; it could gain more than the
Competitor.
E.g. Superior research where new products & Innovations are required.
Weakness: Its something required for success is missing/inherent
inadequacy. It gives strategic disadvantage to the Organisation.
E.g. Over dependence on a single product line in a mature market.
Core Competencies:
Is developed over a period of time, using these
competencies exceeding well, it develops a fine art of Competition with its
rules. This capacity of exercing turns them to core competencies.
General Strategic Alternatives / Evaluate & Select.
It means that there is a proper evaluation and exercing a choice from various
alternative available resources in such a way it may lead to the achievement of
companys objective.
Implement / Feedback/ Control
Implementation is the responsibility of CEO. He is responsible from
implementation to review of Strategic Management.
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Question 5
Explain Strategic intent, stretch leverage & Fit.
Introduction: for an effective strategic intent one has to develop effective
strategy, rather than focusing at the resourcefulness of Competition & their
pace at which they are building competencies one has to focus on existing
position.
Strategic Intent is something more than the unfettered ambition. Its not a soft
target. According to Prahlad & Gray
1) It forsees a desired leadership position and establishes the criteria the
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11) One important parameter is reciprocal responsibility
- Which means
equal blame & credit for both operating levels & top management.
12) Companies with good strategic intent know the importance of
documenting failure but instead of blame fixing and nailing people they
are more interested in the management reasons and the orthodoxy, that
may have led to future.
Stretch: To Achieve strategic intent one has to stretch forward and has to look
at the resourcefulness instead of looking at resources. One has to make use of
Innovation and resources. Stretch leads to leverage.
Leverage: Refers to concentrating on the resources to achieve strategic intent,
accumulating, learning, experiences & Competencies in a manner to meet the
aspirations by stretching the scarce resource that an organizational resource
to the environment.
Instead of allotting the competitors blindly & taking their head companies
must leverage the resources.
Fit: Strategic fit is the traditional way of looking at strategy. Strategic fit is
conservative and seems to be more realistic but u may not be aware of the
potential. Under stretch & leverage Strategic extent could be impossible,
idealistic but under fit strategic something far beyond possibilities and look at
the potential possibilities.
Conclusion.
Thus Strategic intent is what the organization strives for e.g. Canon wanted to
beat Xerox. Its an obsession to an organization & it is to win at all levels of the
organization, sustaining that obsession is in quest for global leadership.
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Question 6
Write a detailed note on Goals and Objectives.
Goals: Goal Target
a) Its a target that a company wants to achieve in a future period of time.
b) An organization sets a combination of goals, which might be
Qualitatively, Quantitative, and Financial & Non Financial. These Goals
must be clear and unambiguous.
c) On an organizational level goals are broad in nature and they could set
goals on turnover, profits, returns on assets/equity, market share,
Customer satisfaction, Employee satisfaction.
d) Goals should be limited, manageable, and clear& Consistent with each
other, otherwise it may lead to confusion & Contradictions.
e) Goals may be Qualitative, Quantitative in specification.
Objectives:
a) Objectives are the ends that specify how the goals shall be achieved.
b) They are concrete and specific and they are in contrast with the goals.
c) Objectives make the goals operational and tend to Quantitative in
specifications.
d) Objectives are set in a way that what the organisation has to achieve for
its employees, shareholders, customers etc.,
e) Objectives are in relation with the environment. They are the brains of
Strategic Decision Making.
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f)
g)
h)
i)
j)
k)
l)
m)
n)
o)
p)
They are framed in line with the vision/mission of the organization and
it helps to pursue them.
Objectives are invariably Quantitative and provide clear measures and
standards for performance.
It helps to see whether the Organisation is in right track or not.
Objectives should be concrete, specific, and understandable & should
have clearly defined time frame.
It must be measurable, actionable, challenging but controllable.
There must be co-relation with other objectives.
While setting objectives these are the factors to be evaluated. It should
be specific at the level, which it is being set. It should not be either too
narrow or too broad.
There need to be multiplicity of objectives.
It should be formulated at different time frames like short term, medium
term, and long term & should be linked & consistent.
Since its in relation with the environment it needs to check whether they
are fulfilling the needs of customers, share holders etc.,
It should be In reality with the organizational resources and internal
constraints, including policies & lower relationship.
Conclusion:
Thus an organization is set up to make Prompt and
Accurate decision. Hence goals & objectives are set for the accomplishment of
an organization.
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Question 7
What is Environment ? How is it Changing?
Introduction : Environment means the surrounding. It includes both internal and external
objects, factors & influences under which someone/something exist.
Environment :
1) The
changing environment.
2) The Efficiency of the company comes at the expenses of the efficiency of
because they are not able to adjust themselves with the changing
environment.
5) In 1776 Adam Smith described in his book, The Wealth of Nations. The
Principle of division of labour for increasing the productivity and there
by reducing the cost of goods. American Companies became best in the
world after applying the principles.
6) But in todays world, nothing is constant or predictable & these
principles dont work.
7) Market growth, customer demand, the rate of technological change, and
nature of competition keeps changing.
8) The three forces that drives company are
Customers
Competition &
Change.
Customers : Earlier days, Customers had little choice they used to buy the
product that was offered to them. These days customers come with more
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specifications and they demand for customized products and they want
individual attention. Hence customers have upper hands these days. Its
difficult for an organization to survive in the long run unless they satisfy
customers needs.
Competition : As many companies emerges, the competition rises. They offer
good quality of products at lesser price and consumers prefer such products.
Earlier the company could get into market with an acceptable product/service
at the best price would go to sell. But these days customers prefer high quality
at lowest price. The Company, which offers these at best price, goes high
quality and best service becomes standard of all the competitors.
Changes : Changes has become both pervasive and persistent because
companies face a greater competitors and each one introduces a product and
service innovation to the market with the globalisation of the economy. Hence
the companies need to move fast in pace with the changing environment
otherwise its difficult to move.
CONCLUSION: In todays environment nothing is constant and predictable
hence for a company to survive in the long run, it has to satisfy customer
needs and cope with the changes in the environment at a faster rate.
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Question 8
Explain the process of SWOT analysis? Elaborate what you would study
in the environment?
INTRODUCTION
The external environment is made of factors, conditions that influences outside the
organization. The external environment gives rise to opportunities, which can be
accomplished, or it may cause problems to the organization.
SWOT ANALYSIS:
The internal environment refers to all factors within the control of and within
the organization. These factors may impart strengths that can be utilised by
the organization or cause weakness, which becomes threat to the organization.
S Strength
W Weakness
O- Opportunity
T Threats
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2) Lack of capabilities for the development of new product, which is potentially
risky for a company during the time of crisis.
OPPORTUNITY: can be accomplished and can help to consolidate and
strengthen the organization. Its a favorable condition for an organization in its
environment.
E.g. Due to better GDP growth a company provides increase in demand for the
products/services. It helps in strengthening its position.
THREATS: when the opportunities are not utilized properly it can cause
problem to the to the organization which causes threat. It is unfavorable
condition for the organization. It causes risk/damage to an organization.
E.g. Due to opening up of economy, the emergence of multinational
companies, which are stronger and has good resources, offers stiff competition
to the existing companies in an industry.
CONCLUSION
An understanding of both internal and external environment in terms of
opportunities, threat, strength, weaknesses important for existence, growth
and profitability of an organization. A systematic approach and understanding
the environment is SWOT analysis all about.
Environment to be studied
1) Events: Is some specific occurrence that takes place in different
environmental sectors. E.g. Bilateral agreement between 2 countries in
which the company is operating and facing competition from local
companies.
2) Trends: is the way the environment is shaping up. They are he course of
action along which events take place like global warming, nuclear
families etc.
3) Issues: are the current concerns that arise in response to events and
trends. E.g. Pollution Control, Business ethics after scams.
4) Expectations: are the demands made by interested groups in light of
their concern. Like corporate governance, greater transparency, stricted
auditing norms.
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Question9
What are the core competencies and organization capabilities?
CORE COMPENTENCIES:
1) An organization with its resources and the capacity of converting the
resources in to outputs and the behaviour of there (i.e. capability and
resources) develops certain strength and weakness, which their
combined lead to synergistic effects.
2) Synergy Total (is greater) sum of the parts. In terms of organizational
competencies it manifest themselves in advantages over competition.
3) Competencies develop over a period of time.
4) Its a fine art of competing with its rivals over a period of time and it
uses these competencies to exceed well. The capability of using these
competencies to exceed well turns them into core competence.
5) Core competencies have joined greater currency and popularity as per
C.K
Prahaled
and
Gary
Hamel.
Its
a
portfolio
of
products/services/different business.
6) In short run competencies for a company is derived from the price
performance and in longer run its the ability to build at lower cost and
speedily than others.
7) A diversified company is like a large tree. What are not easily visible and
apparent are the core products and leaves, flowers, fruits are the end
product.
8) Root is akin to Core Competence.
9) Core competence is communication, collective learning and coordination of diverse production skills and deep involvement and
commitment to work and delivery of value across all levels and
functions.
10) Core competencies are the glue that binds existing business and guide
market entries instead of market attractiveness.
11) Core competencies can be identified by conducting 3 tests i.e provides
potential access to wide variety of markets and significant contributions
to the benefit of the end product difficult for competitors to imitate.
12) Building competencies are not sharing costs by SBU (or) out pending
rivals on R and D
13) By not building competencies in emerging markets you may lose the
chance of competing in existing markets.
Its important to maintain the competencies even it not active in the market.
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1) Its the inherent capacity of an organization to use its strengths and
availability.
2) Management & use of funds how optimally it utilizes the funds where
Control Systems.
5) Factors leading to personal Capability are industrial & personnel
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Q.10)
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