Q.

1
Explain, with the help of a diagram, the activities included in the process of preparing a strategic plan.

Q.2
Explain the essential characteristics of two approaches i.e. Strategic Planning and Freewheeling Opportunism ..what are the advantages and disadvantages of the two approaches ?

Q.3
Explain in what circumstances you would recommend an organisation to adopt (i) Strategic Planning (ii) Freewheeling Opportunism ?

Q.4
Identify five competitive forces in the environment of a firm and to discuss the threat posed to the firm by each of these forces.

Q.5
Michael Porter suggests that there are three generic strategies for creating and sustaining superior performance. These strategies are overall cost leadership, differentiation and focus. Describe each of these strategies and indicate how each will result in competitive advantage.

Q.6
Explain what you regard as a logical start point for the strategic planning process ?

Q.7
Describe how the following could be used by an organisation wishing to generate strategies : (i) Porters model of generic strategies (ii) Ansoffs (product-market expansion) matrix You should supplement your description with diagrams.

Q.8
Explain the limitations of the two models which you have described in your answer above for Q.7

Q.9
Explain why a company might follow a policy of conglomerate diversification ?

Q.10
Explain why a company might follow a policy of demerger ?

Q.11
Draw Ansoffs Product/ Market Expansion Grid. Explain how this might be used in the formulation of corporate strategy.

Diversification

Q.12
Describe the categories of diversification available to an organisation

Q.13
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using the process of merger to effect diversification.

Q.14
Appraise the validity of a company pursuing a policy of diversification in an economy which has free capital markets.

Q.15
Explain what advantages are likely to accrue to the purchaser of an established brand name from an under capitalized supplier of consumer products ?

Q.16
Explain how far the choice of operational strategy after an acquisition needs to take account of policies implemented by previous managements.

Q.17
Draw and label the BCG Product Market Portfolio Matrix .Explain the meaning of each of the quadrants which you have drawn.

Q.18
Discuss the limitations of the BCGs product market portfolio model.

Q.19
Suggest a system of classification of models and to explain where you would classify the BCGs Product Market Portfolio.

Q.20
The concept of the product life cycle is one of the most widely known marketing models. However when the model is applied to real products, there are some apparent anomalies. For example: (a) the very high failure rate of new products (b) products in the mature stage of their cycle for many years, but not declining. Explain the extent to which the above anomalies invalidate the concept of the Product Life Cycle.

Q.21
Describe the means by which a product manager can influence both the duration of a products life cycle and the stage the product is occupying.

Q.22
Describe the contribution that the management accountant can make to the management of product life cycles.

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Financial Criteria - PLC

.
Explain why a direct relationship between the costs of production and a selling price may be inappropriate as a pricing strategy ?