chapter 12

When correcting strategy execution in response to a crisis, managers need to

act quickly but also take the time to assess the situation, review data, and evaluate options.

When leading the process of strategy execution, managers need to

address mistakes and shortcomings to ensure that targets are met. monitor programs closely. apply appropriate pressure to achieve operational excellence.

Which of the following are examples of how company culture can contribute to the successful implementation of strategy?

A culture that prides itself on customer service is conducive to the execution of a strategy to improve customer satisfaction. A culture that celebrates sustainable environmental practices is conducive to a strategy promoting the use of energy-saving technologies.

Which of the following statements depict scenarios that are likely to occur in a company with a change-resistant culture?

An employee worries that the internal changes required by a new strategy threaten her job security. An employee with an idea thinks better of sharing the concept because she feels it will be met with skepticism.

Employees are more likely to produce new ideas if they

ve the autonomy to offer contributions. are given time to brainstorm. receive large and visible rewards for ideas that contribute to the company's success.

Which of the following best describes corporate culture?

a set of attitudes, priorities, essential beliefs, and customs shared among those within a company that shape workplace behaviors.

Top-level executives can engage the workforce by

encouraging employees to act on their initiative and contribute ideas. delegating authority to managers below them.

Who is responsible for taking the lead in driving the pace of progress throughout the strategy execution process?

top executives

The first step in changing an unhealthy company culture is

identifying the aspects of the unhealthy culture that impede strategy execution.

Which of the following scenarios would be the most closely associated with a company having a politicized corporate culture?

Strategy execution stalls because organizational units fail to collaborate effectively.

Which of the following statements about the corporate culture of a company is true?

Corporate culture involves both the unwritten rules in a company and company documents that set guidelines for behaviors.

Which of the following statements about the evolution of company culture is true?

Diversification into new businesses can bring about change in company culture.

What is the most important factor in bringing about a change in company culture?

effective leadership at the top of the organization

To motivate employees to do their part in the execution of strategy in a weak-culture company, managers should

offer financial incentives for reaching company goals. strengthen systems of monitoring employee activity to ensure that their behavior is aligned with company strategy.

Core value statements and codes of ethics can contribute to a positive and productive company culture if the company

undertakes a sustained effort to put its values and ethics into practice.

Which of the following statements about the duration of the culture change process is true?

It often takes less time to build a new culture from scratch than to change an entrenched culture.

A manager in a company with an adaptive culture is likely to

take prudent risks and fund new initiatives. encourage new ideas and suggestions.

Which of the following are key features of a company's corporate culture?

the impact that peer pressure has on employee behavior a generally understood idea of "how we do things are around here" the way that the company treats external stakeholders

An effective long-term method for motivating employees to make productive contributions to the strategy execution process is

to take measures to establish a strong culture in the company.

Company personnel are most likely to embrace new work practices if

they understand how they will benefit from those changes.

By attending company ceremonies and events, top executives can

take advantage of an opportunity to instill new values and praise culture-building behaviors.

Which of the following are reasons that symbolic actions are an important part of the process of creating culture?

They demonstrate that management is prepared to "walk the talk." They help establish the connection between culture and strategy. They are effective ways for top executives to lead by example.

Average performers in a company need to be

encouraged to deliver better results.

In general, unhealthy cultural traits

negatively influence company performance.

A company with a tradition of executing environmentally sustainable strategies decides to expand operations into a country with lenient emissions standards. Which of the following are likely outcomes?

The management faces significant challenges in overcoming resistance to strategy execution. The company morale drops because employees may be reluctant to adopt behaviors that run counter to embedded company practices.

Managers in companies with change-resistant cultures

are often motivated by a desire to avoid mistakes.

The corporate culture of Apple Electric is largely centered on

being high protective of company-developed technology.

Which of the following statements about correcting flawed company strategy are accurate?

When a strategy is failing, it is the leader's responsibility to begin the process of correcting the problems. Sometimes poor performance is the result of flawed strategy rather than weak strategy execution.

Which of the following statements about company culture in relation to support strategy execution is true?

A culture that is in sync with a company's strategy focuses employee attention in a way that improves strategy execution.

Which of the following statements about high-performance cultures is true?

All employees are expected to maintain focus on and demonstrate passion for what needs to be done.

True or false: Company culture has minimal impact on strategy execution and is unrelated to business performance.

False

Which of the following statements is correct regarding successful culture change?

Middle managers and frontline supervisors play a key role in generating support for new behaviors.

Which of the following statements about problem cultures are accurate?

The undesirable traits of a problem culture should be eliminated as quickly as possible. The more entrenched a problem culture is the more likely that culture is to disrupt strategy execution.

The hallmark of a strong-culture company is

a company-wide emphasis on firmly established values, practices, and employee behaviors that moderate the workplace climate.

Which of the following is an example of a story that could potentially help foster a positive corporate culture?

a story about an employee who kept the store open after hours so a customer could find a birthday present for a chronically ill parent.

The corporate culture at Walmart is centered on which of the following?

a strong work ethic among employees frugal operating practices

The chief characteristic of an adaptive business culture is a willingness to

accept the challenge of implementing new strategies.

Executives at companies with greed-driven cultures are likely to exhibit which of the following negative traits?

arrogance

A company that is plagued by insular thinking is likely to

become overly reliant on in-house personnel to drive all facets of innovation.

Incompatible subcultures can undermine strategy execution by

blocking collaboration and teamwork among departments. creating disparate approaches to strategy execution.

When managers have time to correct mistakes, most

broaden their understanding of the problem, strive for consensus, and pursue an agreed-upon course of action.

A manager in a company with an adaptive culture is likely to encourage new ideas and suggestions.

encourage new ideas and suggestions. take prudent risks and fund new initiatives.

Company culture has minimal impact on strategy execution and is unrelated to business performance.

false

Which of the following people-management practices are most likely to energize a workforce?

giving employees reason to take pride in their work promoting team work and collaboration

Company culture is important because it

helps determines an organization's approach to business.

Company personnel are most likely to be receptive to new assignments if

impending changes do not threaten their job security.

Which of the following is likely to send the clearest signal that management is serious about changing company culture?

introducing a series of actions that are unmistakably intended to initiate culture change

For adaptive cultures to thrive in the face of ongoing change, it is crucial that organization members view proposed changes as which of the following?

legitimate in the interests of stakeholders consistent with core values

Companies with a rich tradition

may find that they can rely heavily on word of mouth to embed cultural norms in the workplace.

Companies with greed-driven cultures

may pursue overly ambitious financial targets.

Many executives believe that abiding by core values and ethical standards creates a culture that

mproves strategy execution.

The basis for leading the strategy execution process successfully is

nderstanding the requirements of good strategy execution.

To have employees produce innovative ideas, managers must

reate a culture in which innovation can flourish.

n order to create and maintain a high-performance culture, managers should consider

reinforcing constructive behaviors.

Which of the following could be considered an effective and positive symbolic action for management of a company that makes environmentally green products?

replacing the older company car with a hybrid vehicle

Which of the following strongly influence a company's culture?

the company's traditions and the stories that get repeated the "personality" that permeates the work environment the core values and beliefs that executives espouse

When discussing the need to change company culture with managers and frontline supervisors, top executives should be certain to point out

the connection between adopting new behaviors and achieving future success in order to stress the benefits of the changes.

In a company with a weak culture,

there may be less emotional commitment to achieving company objectives. there is little compulsion to abide by company norms.

Honoring people who exhibit important culture-building behaviors at company ceremonies is an effective way to create a productive work culture.

true

In large corporations, fixing a problem culture and instilling new attitudes and behaviors can be expected to take

two to five years.

Managing by walking around can be defined as a leadership technique that involves

visiting various company facilities and talking with company personnel at different organizational levels.

Which of the following situations would be associated with a company that expects personnel to abide by company norms?

Company values are widely shared by nearly all employees. There is steady peer pressure to follow norms.

n a weak-culture company, employees are likely to identify strongly with their company and be committed emotionally to their work.

False

Which of the following statements about corporate subcultures are accurate?

Subcultures are likely to undermine company success when they promote different approaches to people management. Subcultures are common in companies, especially in large organizations with numerous divisions and departments.

Which of the following organizations would be especially vulnerable to insular thinking?

an industry leader that has become accustomed to its success

What measures can a company take to stress the importance of employee contributions?

by nurturing a results-oriented work climate, where performance standards are high by referring to employees in complimentary symbolic terms, such as "partners" or "associates"

Management can make a compelling case for culture change by

convincing workers and managers that certain new behaviors will improve company performance. demonstrating why certain embedded practices impede strategy.

Oft-repeated stories that develop company culture can

demonstrate to new employees the extent of the company's commitment to its core values. encourage other employees to act in a way that continues company traditions.

Which of the following techniques are generally agreed to be effective ways of embedding and perpetuating cultural norms in a company?

evaluating personnel, in part, on how they display cultural norms in their approach to work honoring employees who have a proven track record of demonstrating company values having leaders in the organization stress the importance of adhering to company norms

Companies that are afflicted by politicized cultures

experience regular infighting. have managers who pursue goals that may run counter to company goals.

True or false: When attempting to change a problem culture, top executives should move slowly and use a light touch when introducing new behaviors.

false

In order for a company culture to assist with the strategy execution process, the culture should be

in sync with the chosen strategy.

Which of the following shifting internal conditions could provoke a change in company culture?

influx of new employees top-executive turnover

Many companies formally document core values and ethical standards because of the belief that dedication to core values and ethics

is the foundation of a work culture that will help the company achieve its goals.

Managing by walking around gives leaders a chance to

make a face-to-face connection with workers. stay updated on progress and problems.

Nurturing a result-oriented work climate can prompt employees to

maximize their efforts and produce results that were thought to be beyond the company's capacity.

In order to drive the strategy execution process, top executives need to

ply constructive but unrelenting pressure on all organizational units to execute strategy.

Which of the following cultural traits are considered unhealthy?

politicized decision making hostility to change trendy, popular subcultures

Effective culture change leaders tend to be good at

telling stories that connect new values to everyday practices.

The last step in changing an unhealthy company culture is

undertaking forceful actions that demonstrate a commitment to changing the culture.

Which of the following statements is true concerning the process of strategy execution?

The process of strategy execution is continuous and requires regular looping back to fine-tune procedures and make adjustments.

Standout traits at a company with a high-performance culture include which of the following?

a "can-do" spirit a results-oriented work climate

Value statements and codes of ethics can contribute to culture-building by

creating a work environment in which personnel share strongly held convictions about how the company should conduct business. providing guidance and communicating which behaviors are acceptable and which behaviors are unacceptable.

Managers seeking to develop high-performance cultures are likely to try to get the best out of employees by doing which of the following?

emphasizing the value of learning from mistakes and moving forward attempting to match workers with the tasks they do best

When company culture is in conflict with company strategy,

employees may resist performing the actions that will enhance strategy execution.

Which of the following is a culture aligned with company strategy more likely to accomplish?

enhance productivity and increase the likelihood of hitting targets guide the decision making of employees energize employees and promote buy-in

Which of the following practices demonstrate a sincere commitment to culture change?

replacing managers who have resisted necessary cultural changes providing financial incentives for employees who demonstrate desired new behaviors making new hires based in part on the extent to which candidates exhibit culturally desirable traits