Test 2 (Chapters 5, 6, 15) – Flashcards
Unlock all answers in this set
Unlock answersquestion
Classy Clay has extremely creative employees who, in the opinion of the organization, keep the company ahead of the competition. The creativity of these employees would be classified as...
answer
...an internal strength.
question
Which of these are true about contingency plans?
answer
They define company responses to specific situations, such as emergencies or setbacks.
question
A blueprint specifying the resource allocations schedules, and other actions necessary for attaining goals is referred to as a(n)...
answer
...plan.
question
The ____ strategy involves strong central authority, cutting costs, and maintaining standard operating procedures to be more efficient than competitors.
answer
cost leadership
question
Of the strategic management functions, which is considered the most fundamental?
answer
Planning
question
____ enables firms to cope with unexpected events that are so sudden and devastating that they have the potential to destroy the organization if managers aren't prepared with a quick and appropriate response.
answer
Crisis planning
question
____ are the broad statements of where the organization wants to be in the future.
answer
Strategic goals
question
All of the following are characteristics of effective goal setting EXCEPT
answer
Goals should be set for every aspect of employee behavior.
question
The ____ is the department manager's tool for daily and weekly operations.
answer
operational plan
question
____ specify future ends and ____ specify today's means.
answer
Goals; plans
question
The conditions that exists when the organization's parts interact to produce a joint effect that is greater than the sum of the parts acting alone is known as...
answer
...synergy.
question
Sherry is a first-line supervisor at Rooftop Corporation. She is most concerned with which level of goals?
answer
Tactical plans
question
"We respect our employees and value their diversity" is an example of a statement you are most likely to find in the organization's...
answer
...mission.
question
Goals that define the outcomes that major divisions and departments must achieve in order for the organization to reach its overall goals is called...
answer
...tactical goals.
question
The planning process begins with which of these?
answer
The development of the mission statement.
question
____ are reasonable yet highly ambitious goals that are so clear, compelling, and imaginative that they fire up employees and engender excellence.
answer
Stretch goals
question
Which of the following is a commonly-cited limitation of planning?
answer
Plans can create a false sense of certainty.
question
Sugar manufacturers have been steadily losing business as a result of increasing use of high-fructose corn syrup in processed foods. However, sugar sales are beginning to increase again in recent months. This example most closely demonstrates which of Porter's Five Forces?
answer
Threat of new substitutes
question
Which of these is(are) primarily concerned with tactical goals/plans?
answer
Middle management
question
Contingency plans are also referred to as...
answer
...scenarios.
question
____ is primarily responsible for strategic goals/plans.
answer
Top management
question
Flush Away, Inc. is particularly concerned about pending legislation in Congress that would further regulate their organization. This legislation would be classified as...
answer
...an external threat.
question
The two stages of crisis planning include...
answer
...prevention and preparation.
question
Managers use ____ to direct employees and resources toward achieving specific outcomes that enable the organization to perform efficiently and effectively.
answer
operational goals
question
After Sunshine Systems merged with RTD Enterprises, company executives noticed that due to increased employee collaboration between the two units, costs were down and revenues increased within both areas. This is an example of what business phenomenon?
answer
Synergy
question
If an organizational plan is a blueprint for goal achievement and it specifies such things as schedules and tasks necessary for resource allocation, what are the activities called for achieving these goals?
answer
Planning
question
Alabama Airlines has three planning specialists who help division managers develop their own division plans. Serving as consultants to the divisions, the planning specialists give advice about strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Alabama Airlines is utilizing what approach to the planning function?
answer
Decentralized planning staff
question
The plan of action that prescribes resource allocation and other activities for dealing with the environment and helping the organization attain its goals is known as a(n)...
answer
...strategy.
question
Which of the following is not a reason why planning positively affects a company's performance?
answer
Goals and plans provide legitimacy for customers.
question
The ____ is the basis for the strategic level of goals and plans which in turn shapes the ____ and ____ level.
answer
mission; tactical; operational
question
Some people argue that ____ is the most difficult and most important part of strategic management.
answer
Strategic execution
question
____ is a vital part of good management because decisions determine how the organization solves its problems, allocates resources, and accomplishes its goals.
answer
Good decision making
question
Once the desired alternative is developed, it should be...
answer
...selected.
question
____ has the highest possibility of failure.
answer
The condition of ambiguity
question
Which of the following is the first step in the managerial decision making process?
answer
Recognition of decision requirement
question
The ____ model of decision making describes how managers actually make decisions in situations characterized by non-programmed decisions, uncertainty, and ambiguity.
answer
administrative
question
People with a(n) ____ style usually are concerned with the personal development of others and may make decisions that help others achieve their goals.
answer
behavioral
question
The essence of ____ is to choose the first solution available.
answer
satisficing
question
The decision-maker must ____ once the problem has been recognized and analyzed.
answer
generate alternatives
question
Bobby, a product manager, wants to increase the market share of his product. He is unsure about how to go about it, not knowing for sure how costs, price, and the competition, the quality of his product will interact to influence market share. Bobby is operation under a condition of...
answer
...ambiguity.
question
Melissa is a manager at InStylez Clothing. Her job is very complex and she feels that she does not have enough time to identify and/or process all the information she needs to make decisions. Melissa's situation is most consistent with which of the following concepts?
answer
Bounded rationally
question
Riley is a manager at the Tinker Tools. She is expected to make decisions that are in the organization's best economic interests. Her decisions should be based on which of the following models?
answer
The classical model of decision making
question
Jefferson Inc. is an information technology consulting firm located in Washington D.C. Decisions at Jefferson are complex and involve many people, with a significant amount of disagreement and conflict. Which decision-making model fits best for this organization?
answer
Political
question
____ is the last step in the decision making process.
answer
Evaluation and feedback
question
The ability to make ____ decision is a critical skill in today's fast-moving organizations
answer
fast, widely supported, high-quality, and frequent
question
Bierderlack has a policy that states that more than three absences in a six-month period shall result in a suspension. Colleen, the manager, ahs just decided to suspend one of her shift employees for violating this policy. This is an example of...
answer
...a programmed decision.
question
Which style is used by people who prefer simple, clear-cut solutions to problems?
answer
Directive
question
"When did it occur" and "how did it occur" are questions associated with which step of the decision making process?
answer
Diagnosis and analysis of causes
question
Which of the following means that the goals to be achieved or the problems to be solved is unclear, alternatives are difficult to define, and information about outcomes in unavailable?
answer
Uncertainty
