SM Chapter 1 Review Questions

Which of the following is not a primary focus of a company's strategy? A) How to attract and please customers B) How each functional piece of the business will be operated C) How to achieve above-average gains in the company's stock price and thereby meet or beat shareholder expectations D) How to compete successfully E) How to grow the business

C) How to achieve above-average gains in the company's stock price and thereby meet or beat shareholder expectation

Which one of the following does not account for why a company's strategy evolves from one version to another? A) A desire on the part of company managers to develop new strategy elements on the fly B) The need to abandon some strategy elements that are no longer working well C) A need to respond to changing customer requirements and expectations D) A need to react to fresh strategic maneuvers on the part of rival firms E) The proactive efforts of company managers to improve this or that aspect of the strategy

A) A desire on the part of company managers to develop new strategy elements on the fly

Changing circumstances and ongoing managerial efforts to improve the strategy: A) account for why a company's strategy evolves over time. B) explain why a company's strategic vision undergoes almost constant change. C) make it very difficult for a company to have concrete strategic objectives. D) make it very hard to know what a company's strategy really is. E) All of the above.

A) account for why a company's strategy evolves over time.

A company achieves sustainable competitive advantage when A) an attractive number of buyers have a lasting preference for its products or services as compared to the offerings of competitors. B) it has a profitable business model. C) it is able to maximize shareholder wealth. D) it is consistently able to achieve both its strategic and financial objectives. E) its strategy and its business model are well-matched and in sync.

A) an attractive number of buyers have a lasting preference for its products or services as compared to the offerings of competitors.

The competitive moves and business approaches a company's management is using to grow the business, stake out a market position, attract and please customers, compete successfully, conduct operations, and achieve organizational objectives is referred to as its: A) strategy. B) mission statement. C) strategic intent. D) business model. E) strategic vision.

A) strategy.

Excellent execution of an excellent strategy is A) the best test of managerial excellence and the best recipe for making a company a standout performer. B) a solid indication that managers are maximizing profits and looking out for the best interests of shareholders. C) the best test of whether a company is a "true" industry leader. D) the best evidence that managers have a winning business model. E) the best test of whether a company enjoys sustainable competitive advantage.

A) the best test of managerial excellence and the best recipe for making a company a standout performer

A company's strategy consists of: A) the competitive moves and business approaches that managers are employing to grow the business, stake out a market position, attract and please customers, compete successfully, conduct operations, and achieve targeted objectives. B) the plans it has to outcompete rivals and establish a sustainable competitive advantage. C) the offensive moves it is employing to make its product offering more distinctive and appealing to buyers. D) the actions it is taking to develop a more appealing business model than rivals. E) its strategic vision, its strategic objectives, and its strategic intent.

A) the competitive moves and business approaches that managers are employing to grow the business, stake out a market position, attract and please customers, compete successfully, conduct operations, and achieve targeted objectives.

One of the keys to successful strategy-making is A) to come up with one or more strategy elements that act as a magnet to draw customers and yield a lasting competitive edge. B) to aggressively pursue all of the growth opportunities the company can identify. C) to develop a product/service with more innovative performance features than what rivals are offering and to provide customers with better after-the-sale service. D) to come up with a business model that enables a company to earn bigger profits per unit sold than rivals. E) to charge a lower price than rivals and thereby win sales and market share away from rivals.

A) to come up with one or more strategy elements that act as a magnet to draw customers and yield a lasting competitive edge.

A company's business model: A) zeros in on how and why the business will generate revenues sufficient to cover costs and produce attractive profits and return on investment. B) is management's storyline for how the strategy will result in achieving the targeted strategic objectives. C) details the ethical and socially responsible nature of the company's strategy. D) explains how it intends to achieve high profit margins. E) sets forth the actions and approaches that it will employ to achieve market leadership.

A) zeros in on how and why the business will generate revenues sufficient to cover costs and produce attractive profits and return on investment.

Which of the following is not one of the basic reasons that a company's strategy evolves over time? A) The need on the part of company managers to initiate fresh strategic actions that boost employee commitment and create a results-oriented culture. B) The proactive efforts of company managers to fine-tune and improve one or more pieces of the strategy C) An ongoing need to abandon those strategy features that are no longer working well D) The need to respond to the actions and competitive moves of rival firms E) The need to keep strategy in step with changing market conditions and changing customer needs and expectations

A)The need on the part of company managers to initiate fresh strategic actions that boost employee commitment and create a results-oriented culture.

Which of the following is not something a company's strategy is concerned with? A) Management's choices about how to attract and please customers B) How quickly and closely to copy the strategies being used by successful rival companies C) Management's choices about how to grow the business D) Management's choices about how to compete successfully E) Management's action plan for conducting operations and improving the company's financial and market performance

B) How quickly and closely to copy the strategies being used by successful rival companies **The essence of a good strategy is something that cannot be easily copied

Which of the following is not something to look for in identifying a company's strategy? A) Actions to respond to changing market conditions or other external factors B) Management actions to revise the company's financial and strategic performance targets C) Actions to strengthen competitive capabilities and correct competitive weaknesses D) Actions to capture emerging market opportunities and defend against external threats to the company's business prospects E) Actions to gain sales and market share via lower prices, more performance features, more appealing design, or other such actions.

B) Management actions to revise the company's financial and strategic performance targets

Which of the following is not one of the central questions in evaluating a company's business prospects? A) What is the company's present situation? B) What are the key product or service attributes demanded by consumers? C) Where does the company need to go from here? D) How should it get there? E) All of the above are pertinent in evaluating a company's business prospects

B) What are the key product or service attributes demanded by consumers?

Management's story line for how and why the company's business approaches will generate revenues sufficient to cover costs and produce attractive profits and returns on investment: A) describes what is meant by a company's strategy. B) best describes what is meant by a company's business model. C) accounts for why a company's financial objectives are at the stated level. D) portrays the essence of a company's business purpose or mission. E) is what is meant by the term strategic intent.

B) best describes what is meant by a company's business model.

Crafting and executing strategy are top-priority managerial tasks because A) they are necessary ingredients of a sound business model. B) good strategy coupled with good strategy execution greatly raises the chances that a company will be a standout performer in the marketplace. C) the management skills of top executives are sharpened as they work their way through the strategy-making/strategy-executing process. D) doing these tasks helps executives develop an appropriate strategic vision, strategic intent, and set of strategic objectives. E) of the contribution they make to maximizing value for shareholders.

B) good strategy coupled with good strategy execution greatly raises the chances that a company will be a standout performer in the marketplace.

In endeavoring to craft an ethical strategy, company managers A) need only take care to ensure that each piece of the strategy entails actions and behaviors that are within the letter and spirit of the law. B) have to go beyond what strategic actions and behaviors are legal and address whether all the various elements of the company's strategy can pass the test of moral scrutiny. C) are well advised to have the company's board of directors review the strategy and "certify" whether each element of the company's strategy is ethical or not. D) are well advised to implement managerial training sessions that help define what strategic actions are ethical (and which will be pursued) and which are unethical (and will not be tolerated). E) have to back off aggressive efforts to maximize profits (many strategic actions to maximize profits cross over the line to unsavory or shady—or, at least, are borderline unethical).

B) have to go beyond what strategic actions and behaviors are legal and address whether all the various elements of the company's strategy can pass the test of moral scrutiny.

A company's strategy can be considered "ethical" A) if each element of its strategy is "legal." B) if it does not entail actions or behaviors that cross the moral line from "can do" to "should not do" (because such actions are unsavory, unconscionable, injurious to others, or unnecessarily harmful to the environment) and if it allows management to fulfill its ethical duties to all stakeholders (shareholders, employees, customers, suppliers, the communities in which it operates, and society at large). C) if its actions and behaviors fall within the bounds of "fair competition." D) so long as leading religious authorities find nothing "morally wrong" in the company's actions. E) so long as the company's strategic actions do not injure the business of rival firms or the well-being of customers.

B) if it does not entail actions or behaviors that cross the moral line from "can do" to "should not do" (because such actions are unsavory, unconscionable, injurious to others, or unnecessarily harmful to the environment) and if it allows management to fulfill its ethical duties to all stakeholders (shareholders, employees, customers, suppliers, the communities in which it operates, and society at large).

A company's business model; A) concerns the actions and business approaches that will be used to grow the business, conduct operations, please customers, and compete successfully. B) is management's storyline for how it will generate revenues ample to cover costs and produce a profit—absent the ability to deliver good profitability, the strategy is not viable and the survival of the business is in doubt. C) concerns what combination of moves in the marketplace it plans to make to outcompete rivals. D) deals with how it can simultaneously maximize profits and operate in a socially responsible manner that keeps its prices as low as possible. E) concerns how management plans to pursue strategic objectives, given the larger imperative of meeting or beating its financial performance targets.

B) is management's storyline for how it will generate revenues ample to cover costs and produce a profit—absent the ability to deliver good profitability, the strategy is not viable and the survival of the business is in doubt

A company's strategy evolves from one version to the next because of A) changing management conclusions about which of several appealing strategy alternatives is actually best. B) the proactive efforts of company managers to improve this or that aspect of the strategy, a need to respond to changing customer requirements and expectations, and a need to react to fresh strategic maneuvers on the part of rival firms. C) ongoing turnover in the managerial and executive ranks (new managers often decide to shift to a different strategy). D) pressures from shareholders to boost profit margins and pay higher dividends. E) the importance of keeping the company's business model fresh and up-to-date.

B) the proactive efforts of company managers to improve this or that aspect of the strategy, a need to respond to changing customer requirements and expectations, and a need to react to fresh strategic maneuvers on the part of rival firms.

Which of the following is not a frequently used strategic approach to setting a company apart from rivals and achieving a sustainable competitive advantage? A) Striving to be the industry's low-cost provider, thereby aiming for a cost-based competitive advantage B) Outcompeting rivals on the basis of such differentiating features as higher quality, wider product selection, added performance, better service, more attractive styling, technological superiority, or unusually good value for the money C) Striving to be more profitable than rivals and aiming for a competitive edge based on bigger profit margins D) Focusing on a narrow market niche and winning a competitive edge by doing a better job than rivals of satisfying the needs and tastes of buyers comprising the niche E) Developing expertise and resource strengths that give the company competitive capabilities that rivals can't easily imitate or trump with capabilities of their own

C) Striving to be more profitable than rivals and aiming for a competitive edge based on bigger profit margins

In choosing among strategy alternatives, company managers A) should recognize that they are duty-bound to make as much money for shareholders as possible and that any and all strategic actions that are legal are entirely permissible and defensible in pursuit of this duty. B) have no compelling duty to craft a strategy whose elements are considered ethical—their only real duty is to craft a strategy that is calculated to yield a sustainable competitive advantage. C) are well-advised to go beyond merely keeping a company's strategic actions within the bounds of what is legal and consider whether the various pieces of the company's strategy are compatible with ethical standards of "right" and "wrong" and duty—what a company should and should not do. D) should take the position that any strategy that is legal can be defended as appropriate and well within the company's right to pursue—any notion that managers should have a moral conscience in making strategic choices is totally inappropriate in business situations. E) should recognize that outsiders have no right to pressure a company to observe so-called moral and ethical standards—there is no validity to the notion that a company's strategy should pass any so-called test of moral scrutiny.

C) are well-advised to go beyond merely keeping a company's strategic actions within the bounds of what is legal and consider whether the various pieces of the company's strategy are compatible with ethical standards of "right" and "wrong" and duty—what a company should and should not do.

A company's strategy and its quest for competitive advantage are tightly connected because A) without a competitive advantage a company cannot become the industry leader. B) without a competitive advantage a company cannot have a profitable business model. C) crafting a strategy that yields a competitive advantage over rivals is a company's most reliable means of achieving above-average profitability and financial performance. D) a competitive advantage is what enables a company to achieve its strategic objectives. E) how a company goes about trying to please customers and out-compete rivals is what enables senior managers choose an appropriate strategic vision for the company.

C) crafting a strategy that yields a competitive advantage over rivals is a company's most reliable means of achieving above-average profitability and financial performance.

A winning strategy is one that A) builds strategic fit, is socially responsible, and maximizes shareholder wealth. B) is highly profitable and boosts the company's market share. C) fits the company's internal and external situation, builds sustainable competitive advantage, and improves company performance. D) results in a company becoming the dominant industry leader. E) can pass the ethical standards test, the strategic intent test, and the profitability test.

C) fits the company's internal and external situation, builds sustainable competitive advantage, and improves company performance.

A winning strategy is one that A) results in a company becoming the dominant market leader. B) produces exceptionally high levels of customer satisfaction and is both ethical and highly profitable. C) fits the company's internal and external situations, builds sustainable competitive advantage, and improves company performance. D) is ethical, socially responsible, and profitable. E) builds shareholder value, passes the completeness test, and passes the customer satisfaction test

C) fits the company's internal and external situations, builds sustainable competitive advantage, and improves company performance.

The most trustworthy signs of a well-managed company are A) the eagerness with which executives set stretch financial and strategic objectives and develop an ambitious strategic vision. B) aggressive pursuit of new opportunities and a willingness to change the company's business model whenever circumstances warrant. C) good strategy-making combined with good strategy execution. D) a visionary mission statement and a willingness to pursue offensive strategies rather than defensive strategies. E) a profitable business model and a balanced scorecard approach to measuring the company's performance.

C) good strategy-making combined with good strategy execution.

A creative, distinctive strategy that sets a company apart from rivals and that gives it a sustainable competitive advantage A) is a reliable indicator that the company has a profitable business model. B) is every company's strategic vision. C) is a company's most reliable ticket to above-average profitability—indeed, the tight connection between competitive advantage and profitability means that the quest for sustainable competitive advantage always ranks center stage in crafting a strategy. D) signals that the company has a bold, ambitious strategic intent that places the achievement of strategic objectives ahead of the achievement of financial objectives. E) is the best indicator that the company's strategy and business model are well-matched and properly synchronized.

C) is a company's most reliable ticket to above-average profitability—indeed, the tight connection between competitive advantage and profitability means that the quest for sustainable competitive advantage always ranks center stage in crafting a strategy.

A company's strategy stands a better chance of succeeding when A) it is developed through a collaborative process involving managers from all levels of the organization. B) managers employ conservative strategic moves. C) it is predicated on competitive moves aimed at appealing to buyers in ways that set the company apart from rivals. D) managers copy the strategic moves of successful companies in its industry. E) managers focus on meeting or beating shareholder expectations

C) it is predicated on competitive moves aimed at appealing to buyers in ways that set the company apart from rivals.

A company's strategy concerns: A) its market focus and plans for offering a more appealing product than rivals. B) how it plans to make money in its chosen business. C) management's action plan for running the business and conducting operations—its commitment to pursue a particular set of actions in growing the business, staking out a market position, attracting and pleasing customers, competing successfully, conducting operations, and achieving targeted objectives. D) the long-term direction that management believes the company should pursue. E) whether it is employing an aggressive offense to gain market share or a conservative defense to protect its market position.

C) management's action plan for running the business and conducting operations—its commitment to pursue a particular set of actions in growing the business, staking out a market position, attracting and pleasing customers, competing successfully, conducting operations, and achieving targeted objectives.

Crafting a strategy involves : A) trying to imitate as much of the market leader's strategy as possible so as not to end up at a competitive disadvantage. B) developing a 5-year strategic plan and then fine-tuning it during the remainder of the plan period; big changes in strategy are thus made only once every 5 years. C) stitching together a proactive/intended strategy and then adapting first one piece and then another as circumstances surrounding the company's situation change or better options emerge. D) doing everything possible (in the way of price, quality, service, warranties, advertising, and so on) to make sure the company's product/service is very clearly differentiated from the product/service offerings of rivals. E) All of these accurately characterize the managerial process of crafting a company's strategy.

C) stitching together a proactive/intended strategy and then adapting first one piece and then another as circumstances surrounding the company's situation change or better options emerge.

Crafting and executing strategy are top-priority managerial tasks because A) working their way through the tasks of crafting and executing strategy helps top executives create tight fits between a company's strategic vision and business model. B) all company personnel, and especially senior executives, need to know the answer to "who are we, what do we do, and where are we headed?" C) there is a compelling need for managers to proactively shape how the company's business will be conducted and because a strategy-focused enterprise is more likely to be a stronger bottom-line performer than a company whose management views strategy as secondary and puts its priorities elsewhere. D) without clear guidance as to what the company's business model and strategic intent are, managerial decision-making is likely to be rudderless. E) how well executives perform these tasks are the key determinants of executive compensation.

C) there is a compelling need for managers to proactively shape how the company's business will be conducted and because a strategy-focused enterprise is more likely to be a stronger bottom-line performer than a company whose management views strategy as secondary and puts its priorities elsewhere.

In crafting a strategy, management is in effect saying: A) "this is who we are and where we are headed.'' B) "this is our model for making money in our articular line of business." C) "we intend to launch these new moves to outcompete our rivals." D) "among all the many different business approaches and ways of competing we could have chosen, we have decided to employ this particular combination of competitive and operating approaches in moving the company in the intended direction, strengthening its market position and competitiveness, and boosting performance." E) "this is our vision of what our business will be like, what products/services we will sell, and who our customers will be in the years to come."

D) "among all the many different business approaches and ways of competing we could have chosen, we have decided to employ this particular combination of competitive and operating approaches in moving the company in the intended direction, strengthening its market position and competitiveness, and boosting performance."

Which of the following statements about a company's strategy is true? A) A company's strategy is mostly hidden to outside view and is deliberately kept under wraps by top-level managers (so as to catch rival companies by surprise when the strategy is launched). B) A company's strategy is typically planned well in advance and usually deviates little from the planned set of actions and business approaches because of the risks of making on-the-spot changes. C) A company's strategy generally changes very little over time unless a newly-appointed CEO decides to take the company in a new direction with a new strategy. D) A company's strategy is typically a blend of proactive and reactive strategy elements. E) A company's strategy is developed mostly on the fly because of the constant efforts of managers to come up with fresh moves to keep the company's product offering clearly different and set apart from the product offerings of rival companies.

D) A company's strategy is typically a blend of proactive and reactive strategy elements.

Which of the following actions would not typically be employed by senior executives with strong ethical convictions? A) Placing organizational checks and balances in place to monitor employee behaviors B) Clearly indicating all company personnel are expected to act with integrity C) Forbidding the pursuit of ethically questionable business opportunities D) Ensuring each element of the company's strategy complies only with legal standards E) Providing guidance to employees regarding gray areas related to ethical behaviors

D) Ensuring each element of the company's strategy complies only with legal standards

Which of the following questions ought to be used to test the merits of one strategy over another and distinguish a winning strategy from a mediocre or losing strategy? A) Is the company's strategy ethical and socially responsible and does it put enough emphasis on good product quality and good customer service? B) Is the company putting too little emphasis on growth and profitability and too much emphasis on behaving in an ethical and socially responsible manner? C) Is the strategy resulting in the development of additional competitive capabilities? D) Is the strategy helping the company achieve a sustainable competitive advantage and is it resulting in better company performance? E) Does the strategy strike a good balance between maximizing shareholder wealth and maximizing customer satisfaction?

D) Is the strategy helping the company achieve a sustainable competitive advantage and is it resulting in better company performance?

It is normal for a company's strategy to end up being A) a blend of offensive actions on the part of managers to improve the company's profitability and defensive moves to counteract changing market conditions. B) a combination of conservative moves to protect the company's market share and somewhat more risky initiatives to set the company's product offering apart from rivals. C) a close imitation of the strategy employed by the recognized industry leader. D) a blend of proactive actions to improve the company's competitiveness and financial performance and as-needed reactions to unanticipated developments and fresh market conditions. E) more a product of clever entrepreneurship than of efforts to clearly set a company's product/service offering apart from the offerings of rivals.

D) a blend of proactive actions to improve the company's competitiveness and financial performance and as-needed reactions to unanticipated developments and fresh market conditions.

Good strategy combined with good strategy execution A) offers a surefire guarantee for avoiding periods of weak financial performance. B) are the two best signs that a company is a true industry leader. C) are more important management functions than forming a strategic vision and setting objectives. D) are the most trustworthy signs of good management. E) signal that a company has a superior business model

D) are the most trustworthy signs of good management.

What separates a powerful strategy from a run-of-the-mill or ineffective one is A) the ability of the strategy to keep the company profitable. B) the proven ability of the strategy to generate maximum profits. C) the speed with which it helps the company achieve its strategic vision. D) management's ability to forge a series of moves, both in the marketplace and internally, that sets the company apart from rivals, tilts the playing field in the company's favor, and produces sustainable competitive advantage over rivals. E) whether it allows the company to maximize shareholder value in the shortest possible time.

D) management's ability to forge a series of moves, both in the marketplace and internally, that sets the company apart from rivals, tilts the playing field in the company's favor, and produces sust

In crafting a company's strategy, A) management's biggest challenge is how closely to mimic the strategies of successful companies in the industry. B) managers have comparatively little freedom in choosing the hows of strategy. C) managers are wise not to decide on concrete courses of action in order to preserve maximum strategic flexibility. D) managers need to come up with some distinctive "aha" element to the strategy that draws in customers and produces a competitive edge over rivals. E) managers are well-advised to be risk-averse and develop a "conservative" strategy—"dare-to-be-different" strategies rarely are successful.

D) managers need to come up with some distinctive "aha" element to the strategy that draws in customers and produces a competitive edge over rivals.

A company's business model A) sets forth management's game plan for maximizing profits for shareholders. B) details exactly how management's strategy will result in the achievement of the company's strategic intent. C) explains how it will achieve high profit margins while at the same time charging relatively low prices to customers. D) sets forth the key components of the enterprise's business approach, indicates how revenues will be generated, and makes a case for why the strategy can deliver value to customers in a profitable manner. E) sets forth management's long term action plan for achieving market leadership.

D) sets forth the key components of the enterprise's business approach, indicates how revenues will be generated, and makes a case for why the strategy can deliver value to customers in a profitable manner.

The difference between a company's strategy and a company's business model is that; A) a company's strategy is management's game plan for achieving strategic objectives while its business model is management's game plan for achieving financial objectives. B) the strategy concerns how to compete successfully and the business model concerns how to operate efficiently. C) a company's strategy is management's game plan for realizing the strategic vision whereas a company's business model is the game plan for accomplishing the business purpose or mission. D) strategy relates broadly to a company's competitive moves and business approaches (which may or may not lead to profitability) while its business model relates to whether the revenues and costs flowing from the strategy demonstrate that the business is viable from the standpoint of being able to earn satisfactory profits and returns on investment. E) a company's strategy concerns how to please customers while its business model concerns how to please shareholders.

D) strategy relates broadly to a company's competitive moves and business approaches (which may or may not lead to profitability) while its business model relates to whether the revenues and costs flowing from the strategy demonstrate that the business is viable from the standpoint of being able to earn satisfactory profits and returns on investment.

A company's strategy is a "work in progress" and evolves over time because of A) the importance of developing a fresh strategic plan every year (which also has the benefit of keeping employees from becoming bored with executing the same strategy year after year. B) the ongoing need to imitate the new strategic moves of the industry leaders. C) the need to make regular adjustments in te company's strategic vision. D) the ongoing need of company managers to react and respond to changing market and competitive conditions. E) the frequent need to modify key elements of the company's business model.

D) the ongoing need of company managers to react and respond to changing market and competitive conditions.

Which of the following is something to look for in identifying a company's strategy? A) Actions to gain sales and market share B) Actions to strengthen marketing standing and competitiveness by merging with or acquiring rival companies C) Actions to enter new geographic or product markets or exit existing ones D) Actions and approaches used in managing R&D, production, sales and marketing, finance, and other key activities E) All of above are pertinent in identifying a company's strategy.

E) All of above are pertinent in identifying a company's strategy.

A company's strategy can be considered "unethical" or shady A) if any of its actions constitute "unfair competition." B) if the company engages in actions or behaviors that are contrary to the general public interest. C) if the company's actions/behaviors are harmful to its stakeholders—customers, employees, shareholders, suppliers, and the communities in which the company operates. D) if it entails actions or behaviors that cross the moral line from "can do" to "should not do" (because such actions are "unsavory" or unconscionable or unnecessarily harmful to the environment). E) All of the above call the company's actions/behaviors into question from an ethical standpoint.

E) All of the above call the company's actions/behaviors into question from an ethical standpoint.

A company's strategy evolves over time as a consequence of A) the need to keep strategy in step with changing market conditions and changing customer needs and expectations. B) the proactive efforts of company managers to fine-tune and improve one or more pieces of the strategy. C) the need to abandon some strategy features that are no longer working well. D) the need to respond to the newly-initiated actions and competitive moves of rival firms. E) All of these.

E) All of these

In the course of crafting a strategy, it is common for management to A) decide to abandon certain strategy elements that have grown stale or become obsolete. B) modify the current strategy when market and competitive conditions take an unexpected turn or some aspects of the company's strategy hit a stone wall. C) modify the current strategy in response to the fresh strategic maneuvers of rival firms. D) take proactive actions to improve this or that piece of the strategy. E) All of these.

E) All of these

Which of the following is a frequently used strategic approach to setting a company apart from rivals and achieving a sustainable competitive advantage? A) Striving to be the industry's low-cost provider, thereby aiming for a cost-based competitive advantage B) Outcompeting rivals on the basis of such differentiating features as higher quality, wider product selection, added performance, better service, more attractive styling, technological superiority, or unusually good value for the money C) Developing expertise and resource strengths that give the company competitive capabilities that rivals can't easily imitate or trump with capabilities of their own D) Focusing on a narrow market niche and winning a competitive edge by doing a better job than rivals of serving the special needs and tastes of buyers comprising the niche E) All of these

E) All of these

Which one of the following questions can be used to test the merits of one strategy over another and distinguish a winning strategy from a mediocre or losing strategy? A) How good is the company's business model? B) Is the company a technology leader? C) Does the company have low prices in comparison to rivals? D) Is the company putting too little emphasis on behaving in an ethical and socially responsible manner? E) How well does the strategy fit the company's situation?

E) How well does the strategy fit the company's situation?

The heart and soul of a company's strategy-making effort A) is figuring out how to become the industry's low-cost provider. B) is figuring out how to maximize the profits and shareholder value. C) concerns how to improve the efficiency of its business model. D) deals with how management plans to maximize profits while, at the same time, operating in a socially responsible manner that keeps the company's prices as low as possible. E) involves coming up with moves and actions that produce a durable competitive edge over rivals.

E) involves coming up with moves and actions that produce a durable competitive edge over rivals.

A company's strategy is most accurately defined as: A) management's approaches to building revenues, controlling costs and generating an attractive profit. B) the choices management has made regarding what financial plan to pursue C) management's concept of "who we are, what we do, and where we are headed." D) the business model that a company's board of directors has approved for outcompeting rivals and making the company profitable. E) management's commitment to pursue a particular set of actions in growing the business, attracting and pleasing customers, competing successfully, conducting operations, and improving the company's financial and market performance.

E) management's commitment to pursue a particular set of actions in growing the business, attracting and pleasing customers, competing successfully, conducting operations, and improving the company's financial and market performance.