Strategic Management question bank

Q1. Why should a company have Mission Statement ? Discuss its role and
functions. Give examples of mission statements in relation to any three of the
following organisations:
A corporate hospital in the private sector
A specialised professional educational and training institution in the Government
sector
A technical and management consulting firm in the private sector.
A electric supply undertaking in the Government sector
OR
Briefly explain 7-S Framework. In what way can the framework be helpful in
strategic formulation and implementation?

Q.2. Enumerate the consistent of mega and micro environments of a business firm.
How are the two types of environments interrelated ? Illustrate your answer with
suitable examples.
OR
What are the different criteria for classifying organisational elements into strengths
and weaknesses? Illustrate with suitable example. Are different criteria exclusive?

Q.3. In what ways do the BOG Matrix GE Planning Grid, and Shells Directional
policy Matrix differ from each other / Explain how such portfolio matrices are helpful
in strategy formulation.
OR
Briefly explain and then discuss in which situations the following strategies would be
useful:
Turnaround strategy
Takeover strategy
Vertical Integration strategy.
Q.4. Briefly discuss the elements of successful implementation of strategies. What
checkpoints could you use in pre- implementation phase of a strategy.

OR
What factors could corporate decline ? What measures have been taken in India to
deal with corporate/ industrial sickness? Examine critically.

Q.5. What role does the Board Directors (BOD) play in strategic management of a
company ? What kind of relationship may the BOD have with the top management
of the company ? Examine and discuss.
OR
Explain the concept of corporate strategy. What kinds of people in a company are
responsible for strategic decisions and their implementation? Is strategic planning
the same as strategic management ?

Q.6. Why is competitive analysis needed for as business enterprise ? Explain how
porters framework to analyze industry structure can be helpful in competitive
analysis. Explain the relevance of the model.
OR
What criteria can be used for determining strengths and weaknesses of a corporate
entity ? what measures can be used for determining strengths and weaknesses ?
Discuss briefly.

Q.7. What is BCGs Growth Share matrix? Construct a BCG matrix based on
hypothetical data.
OR
What role do costs play in different market conditions? How does this role change?
Does Porters generic business strategy of cost leadership have nay relevance in this
context ?

Q.8. Distinguish between related and Unrelated diversifications. Examine the

merits and demerits of each. What kind of trend, in this context, has been
dissemble over the recent past?
OR

It is often said that strategy; implementation is much more difficult land challenging
than the strategy formulation. Why is it so? What would you suggest to a company
for effective implementation ofstrategies?
Q.9. There are some managerially derived expectations from the Board of
Directors (BOD) of a company. What are these expectations
? Discuss and make a critical assessment of the role of the Board of Directors in the
context of Indian corporate sector.
Q.10. What constitutes socio- cultural and political environment for a business
enterprise ? how do the trends in such environment impact upon a company?
Illustrate with examples.
OR
What is meant by competitive advantage? How can a company build competitive
advantage? Explain giving suitable examples.
Q.11. What is portfolio analysis in the context of strategic management? What
considerations would guide you in balancing the portfolio?
OR
Describe the techniques of strategic financial analysis and explain one of them in
detail, pointing out its merits and demerits.
Q.12. What strategic options may a company have ? Explain and also discuss the
risks attached with each option.
OR
Distinguish between backward and forward integrations. Pointing out the situations
in which each would be advisable. Examine the merits and demerits of both types
of integration.
Q.13 (a) Is there any difference between corporate objectives and corporate
values? What factors affect corporate values? Discuss briefly.
(b) What role could the Board of Directors play in the area of strategic
management? Discuss.
Q.14 (a) What is "competitive advantage"? Citing some real life examples, discuss
how competitive advantage could be gained
(b) "The purpose of internal analysis is to match strengths and weaknesses with
opportunities and threats." Explain.

Q.15.(a) What factors cause Experience Curve Effect? Discuss briefly. (b) Explain
briefly the PIMS model portfolio analysis.
Q.16.(a) How would you predict company failures? Discuss briefly any measurement
model in this context.
(b) Differentiate between Concentric and Conglomerate diversifications, citing
examples for each.
Q.17. (a) What are the characteristics of Strategic Management Decisions?
Differentiate between ! Strategic Decisions and Operating Decisions.
(b) What is meant by "distinctive competence"? In what ways can a company attain
distinctive competence?
Q.18(a) Discuss some tools (or frameworks) for analysing the impact of
environmental opportunities pointing out their relative merits and shortcomings.
(b) Differentiate between the Economists and the Marketing viewpoints regarding
the study of competition.
Q.19(a) Explain briefly Patel and Younger's approach for assessing the strategic
position of a company. In what way you think, is this approach an improvement over
product portfolio matrices?
(b) What is `Synergy'? What could be the different types of synergies and how can
they be brought about? Explain briefly.
Q.20.(a) "Implementation of strategy requires right organisational structure"
Explain.
(b) A friend of yours bring to you a proposal for the acquisition of a medium scale
company. How would you judge the suitability of the proposal?
Q.21.(a) What are the various routes to building competitive advantage? Discuss
them.
(b) Differentiate between the Grid Approach and the 7-S Framework for analysing
strengths and weaknesses of a given corporate entity.
Q.22.(a) Explain how at different stages in the life cycle of a product, business
organisations need to adopt different strategies.
(b) What do you understand by the term Diversification? When is it resorted to?
Explain relevance of the concept of core competencies while evolving diversification
strategy and plans.
Q.23.(a) "The success of a takeover, to a large extent, depends upon the postacquisition management." Explain it with corporate experiences.

(b) What are the structural requirements for proper evaluation, control and updation
of strategies?
Q.24.(a) Do you agree with the suggestion that it is now imperative for all
enterprises to evaluate global environments for their survival? If yes, why? If no,
why not?
(b) Explain what do you understand by turnaround and list various types of
turnaround strategies. Discuss them briefly.
Q.25. (a) Differentiate between strategic decisions and operating decisions, giving
examples.
(b) Evaluate the different approaches to corporate planning, pointing out their
relative merits and demerits.
Q.26. (a) What are the uses f experience curve in competitive strategy;? Explain.
(b) One purpose of internal analysis is to match strengths and weaknesses with
opportunities and threats. Explain.
Q.27. (a) What are different types of synergies an how can they be brought about?
Explain and illustrate.
(b) Under what conditions are internal and external routes to growth advisable?
Support your answer with some real life examples.
Q.28. A company intends to take over another company and approaches you for
advice. What guidelines in general would you like to suggest to the company to
follow before and after takeover?
Q.29. (a) Implementation of strategy requires right organisation structure.
Discuss.
(b) Indian firms have not been driven by competence led growth. Comment on the
basis of the system of Industrial licencing prevalent in the past.[20]
Q.30. (a) Enumerate and briefly explain the various strategies that an organization
may ha. What characteristic should these strategies have in order to be successful?
(b) Are strategy, strategic plan and corporate plan the same? Discuss. What could
be some of the reasons for failure of plans?
Q.31. Discuss the importance of mission statement in strategy formulation. What
does a mission statement convey? Give examples of mission statements for the
following organisation:
(a) An organisation providing internet and related telecommunication services.
(b) A corporate hospital in private sector.

(c ) A company manufacturing heavy machinery in public sector.

Q.32. Discus the role and functions of Chief Executive officer (CEO) of a company.
How can he contribute in fostering appropriate values and culture for the
organisation?
Q.33. What is competitive analysis? In what ways can a company build up
competitivg3e advantage? Explain with examples.
Q34. Explain and indicate the uses of
GE Planning Grid
Arthur D. Little Companys Matrix
Q.35. Explain with examples importance of key success factors in strategy
formulation and implementation. How wo7uld you determine them for a particular
organisation?
Q.36. Discuss the motivations for mergers and acquisition of businesses. Why is
post- acquisition management important?
Q.38. Briefly explain McKinsey 7s Framework. How can it be helpful in strategic
management?
Q.39. "The role of BOD is to govern and not to manage" Discuss the statement,
bringing out the elements of corporate governance.
Q.40. Briefly explain the constituents of the micro environment of a business
organisation, individually or collectively, improve industrial relations climate within
and outside?
Q.41. (a) Explain the concept of strategic choice in relation to inventory items.
What are its uses and limitations?
(b) What ratios, do you think, can be useful to strategic analysis? Illustrate your
answer.
Q.42. Why is pre implementation evaluation of strategy important ? What checkpoints would you like to use in the process of evaluation?
Q.43. Distinguish between integration and diversification. What are the prerequisites for success of conglomerate diversification? Explain.
Q.44. What role does the Board of Directors play in the strategic management of an
organisation? In what way is the Board of Directors (BoD) involved in corporate
governance? Discuss.

Q.45. Explain how portfolio matrices are helpful in strategic analysis. 1-low does
the GE Planning Grid differ from BGG matrix?
Q.46. Differentiate between concentric and conglomerate diversification, citing
examples of each. In what way is the concept of diversification related with `core
competence'?
Q.47. "Strategic management without effective implementation has no meaning."
Discuss. How would you ensure successful implementation of strategies?
Q.48.(a) How can a firm build 'competitive advantage'?
(b) "Business firms need to adopt different strategies during the different stages of
the product cycle of a product." Explain with examples.
1. (a) Define Strategic Management. Explain briefly characteristics of Strategic
Management. (6)
(b) Discuss the important steps involved in strategic management process. (8)
(c) What is organizational vision? Discuss its characteristics. (6)
2. (a)What is mission? Explain key elements in developing a mission statement. (8)
(b) What is an objective? Explain areas of objectives set for all areas and
departments of an
organization. (12)
3. (a) Define environmental analysis. Discuss components of a companys external
environment. (12)
(b) Discuss porters five force model. (8)
4. (a) Differentiate Horizontal Integration and Vertical Integration. (8)
(b) Discuss any four growth strategies of an organization to increase their profits.
(12)

5. (a) Explain BCG matrix, and list out its advantages and disadvantages. (12)
(b) Briefly explain criteria for evaluating strategic alternatives. (8)
6. (a) Discuss any four issues in strategy implementation. (8)
(b) Define leadership? Explain any two leadership styles. (6)
(c) What do you understand about corporate social responsibility? Discuss. (6)

7. (a) Discuss the steps involved in process of strategic control. (12)

(b) Discuss successful maintenance of strategic control (8)
8. Write short notes on any four of the following: (5 X 4 = 20)
a. SWOT analysis.
b. Collaborative partnership.
c. Joint venture strategies.
d. Conglomerate diversification.
e. Restructuring and turnaround.
f. Value chain analysis.