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International Strategic Management V1
Assignment A
Q1: Briefly explain strategy. Differentiate strategy from strategic management.
Also explain the levels of strategy formulation.
Q2: Differentiate between International and Global Strategic Management. Explain
different types of international strategies.
Q3: Briefly explain Value chain analysis and Mc Kinsey's 7s Framework.
Q4: Why do firm's globalise? Explain the different phases of Global Strategy.
Q5: Explain Porter's 5 Force Model, BCG Matrix and GE Nine Cell Matrix.

Assignment B
The Business Operations of Robin Hood and the Merrymen
Robin and the Merrymen are in business to steal from the rich and give to the po
or. The organization had begun as a personal interest to Robin, and has grown wi
th allies and new recruits to become a very large organization. Robin is the hea
d of all operations with few delegates who have their own specific duties.
The Merrymen's dilemma is that they must overcome their largest competitor, the
Sheriff, who is growing stronger and becoming better organized. The Sheriff has
gained the money and men and is beginning to cause problems for the Merrymen, lo
oking for their weaknesses. The Merrymen have several strategy options in order
to triumph over the Sheriff. There are three approaches we will focus on to find
a strategy to overcome the Sheriff and his band. First, Robin and the Merrymen
can find ways to improve their internal operations in order to compete. By findi
ng internal strengths and weaknesses the Merrymen can capitalize on their streng
ths and improve their weaknesses. Second, the Merrymen can focus externally on m
arket opportunities, competitive advantages, consumer expectations, competitor's
actions, and technological advances. Third, Robin could chose to mix internal a
nd external focus and perform a SWOT analysis to find the complete standing of t
he Merrymen compared with their competitors.

Focusing internally, the Merrymen could change their business strategy in order
to end competition with the Sheriff before they are completely defeated. Secondl
y, with an external focus, Robin could kill the Sheriff. But, Robin believes thi
s would not completely solve the problem. Third, they could join an alliance by
helping the barons in their goal to free King Richard the Lionheart. This would
save the Merrymen from the Sheriff's increasing power, but is also a risky choic
e.

There are several issues that the Merrymen must consider while striving to compe

te with the Sheriff. The size of the band of Merrymen is becoming too large for
the economic resources available. Robin is feeling like he is not in touch with
his employees because of the increasing size of the band. Vigilance is in declin
e and discipline is becoming hard to enforce. Robin needs to decide whether or n
ot to change the business strategy of the band from confiscation of goods from t
he rich to a fixed transit tax.

In the beginning, Robin Hood takes on a leadership role by ruling supreme and ma
king all-important decisions. He delegated specific tasks to followers who worke
d towards a vision that Robin Hood, the leader, prescribes. In forming a vision
Robin felt that his strength was in numbers so he accepted allies and later also
excepting all those who had a willingness to serve for Robin. The best leaders
will have the most followers. His followers need to be motivated, believing in R
obin's vision and taking this vision on themselves for it to be successful. Its
Robin's responsibility to commit to leadership and the enterprise (Merrymen) in
order to have a successful band of Merrymen. Without his leadership of his strat
egy, the Merrymen would not have a road map to carry out Robin's vision.

Perhaps Robin's success was in part to his power as a trustworthy leader. Robin'
s influence of referent and expert power helped to give to his charismatic leade
rship style. Robin exerts expert power by providing knowledge and advice, which
helps, increase his credibility and trust within the band of Merrymen. He links
his referent power to his Merrymen by valuing and accepting them as well as maki
ng them feel important which enables his followers work closely towards his visi
on as a leader.

As the size of the band increased changes arose in Robin's leadership role altho
ugh his original vision of strength in numbers still held strong. Due to large b
and of Merrymen, Robin began to fade into the crowd and eventually losing contro
l over his followers. All these organizational changes contributed to Robin's in
ability to recognize his own band of men, overlooked the lack of food, resources
, and financial reserves, as well as discipline. Due to the lack of control and
his change in power, this shifted his leadership role to a management role. His
original followers have now become mere subordinates with their own goals in min
d. In his new management role Robin has shifted his strategy from previously est
ablishing direction to now working towards his goal. Instead of aligning his Mer
rymen he now needs to focus more on aligning his resources to satisfy his band.
Although Robin's role has shifted it is important that he must maintain the leve
l of motivation that existed under his leadership role with his subordinates.

As his leadership role was altered, as did his power over his Merrymen. Now taki
ng on more of a management position his power included legitimate, reward, coerc
ive, and referent power, which was a change from his previous expert, and refere
nt power in a leadership position. His new legitimate power, which was granted b
y the organization, enabled the Merrymen to realize their own responsibilities.
Although Robin held reward power, it was not visible to his Merrymen; this indir
ect power kept them free from the Sheriffs rule. Coercive power is also indirect
ly seen by his Merrymen in that if they choose to leave the band and were caught
they risked a confrontation with Robin. Referent power the only power that Robi
n hold intact as a previous role as a leader, he valued and accepted his Merryme
n to make them feel important.

Forming an Alliance
The barons have approached Robin and asked him to join their
Prince John and the Sheriff. Due to this, Robin is now faced
nt decision he has to make about the future of the Merrymen.
t if it will be better for the Merrymen to form an alliance,
tinue to not have any ties with the barons.

conspiracy against
with a very importa
He has to figure ou
a merger, or to con

If Robin takes the first option and forms a merger with the barons, he and the M
errymen would dramatically strengthen their position, and open up the opportunit
y to gain a competitive advantage against the sheriff. This competitive advantag
e would occur, because the merger would help fill many resource gaps that the Me
rrymen currently have. The main resource gap being the fact that the barons woul
d be contributing their financials, which, in turn, would help pay for the risin
g costs of food. These lower costs will help stop the draining of the Merrymen's
financial reserves and Robin and his Merrymen could be able to invest their fin
ancial resources somewhere else.

Robin could take the second option and form an alliance with the barons. This op
tion is more probable for the Merrymen's current situation due to the fact that
alliance's can be quickly formed and disbanded if necessary. At the same time, a
n alliance offers almost all of the advantages of a merger, without all the disa
dvantages. If Robin were to form an alliance with the barons and it did not work
out, the alliance could be quickly dissolved, whereas a merger can not. Also, i
n an alliance, not all resources are shared, so the Merrymen would not have to w
orry about a strain on their already diminishing resources.

The final option Robin has is to not form a merger or an alliance with the Baron
s. Robin may not want to take the risk that is associated with the baron's propo
sition. He may want to explore other strategic options to overcome Prince John a
nd the Sheriff. Although there is a high return (future amnesty) for Robin and t
he Merrymen's services, there is also a high risk associated with this venture.
Robin knows this and has to make a decision on what he thinks is best for the Me
rrymen.

Answer the following questions:

Q1: What problems does Robin Hood have/ what issues need to be addressed?
Q2: What strategic options does Robin Hood have? Is continuing with the present
strategy an option or is the present strategy obsolete?
Q3: What action plan would you recommend to Robin?

Assignment C
Q.1. Strategy is
(a)A sense of organizations objectives and how it achieves them

(b)An art of motivating employees

(c)To increase profits
(d) None of the above
Q.2 Strategic Management includes
(a)Managing strategies
(b)All functional areas of an organisation
(c)Is similar too operations management
(d) All of the above
Q.3 The Strategic Management Process does not include:
(a) Strategy Formulation
(b) Strategy Evaluation & Implementation
(c) Strategy Control
(d)Strategic Intent
Q.4 Strategy implementation represents
(a) The purposes for which a company exists and operates
(b) A tool strategists use to evaluate Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and
Threats
(c)Formation of a strategy
(d) A pattern of decisions and actions that are intended to carry out the plan
Q.5 Corporate Level Decisions are
(a) Made at the highest level
(b) Made by functional managers
(c) Represented by different operating divisions or lines of business
(d) All of the above
Q.6 Functional Level Strategies
(a) Positions the business against rivals
(b) Managing Activities and Business Interrelationships
(c) Are related to business processes and the value chain
(d) Defining the issues that are corporate responsibilities

Q.7Global Strategy is different from International Strategy as

(a)There is lack of coordination between centre and subsidiaries

(b) Subsidiaries are independent to plan and execute competitive moves
(c)There is standardization of products across all subsidiaries
(d)All of the above
Q.8 Competitive Advantage from a Global Strategy depends on
(a)Efficiency
(b)Risk
(c)Learning
(d)All of the above

Q.9 Customer Drivers depend on

(a)Transportation Costs
(b)Global Customers
(c)Trade Policies
(d) Global Competitors

Q.10 An important characteristic of Joint Ventures are

(a) Minimizes risk and investment.
(b) Able to circumvent trade barriers
(c) Overcomes ownership restrictions and cultural distance
(d)All of the above

Q.11 Licensing has a disadvantage of

(a) Minimizes risk and investment
(b) Trade barriers & tariffs add to costs
(c) Maximizes scale; uses existing facilities
(d) Licensee may become competitor
Q.12 The primary activities in a value chain are supported by
(a)Infrastructure
(b)Technology

(c)Human Resource
(d)All of the above
Q.13 Value Chain Analysis helps a firm in
(a) Differentiation
(b)Increasing Cost
(c)Reducing Profit
(d)None of the above

Q.14 Value chain activities maybe outsourced

(a)When the activity is performed better by suppliers
(b)The risk of performing an activity in house is nil
(c)When the activity is performed better in house
(d)The lead is low when produced in house

Q.15 The micro environment consists of

(a)Market
(b)Technological environment
(c)Social environment
(d)Political environment

Q.16 Location of a business is a

(a)Weakness
(b)Threat
(c)Opportunity
(d)Strength

Q.17 A new international market is a

(a)Threat
(b)Weakness
(c)Opportunity

(d)Strength

Q.18 Purpose refers to

(a) Implied objectives
(b) What an organisation hopes to accomplish in the near future
(c) Description of its current and future business
(d) The basis for strategic decision-making

Q.19 Objective refers to

(a) The basis for strategic decision-making
(b) Description of its current and future business
(c) What an organisation hopes to accomplish in the near future
(d) Implied objectives

Q.20 Mission refers to

(a) Description of its current and future business
(b) The basis for strategic decision-making
(c) Implied objectives
(d) What an organisation hopes to accomplish in the near future

Q.21 Goals refers to

(a) Implied objectives
(b) What an organisation hopes to accomplish in the near future
(c) Description of its current and future business
(d) The basis for strategic decision-making

Q.22 Strategic Intent

(a) Sets targets

(b)Envisions leadership
(c)Lays down criteria for progress
(d)All of the above

Q.23 Mission should

(a)Provide basis for motivation
(b)Serve as focal point for understanding firms objectives
(c)Specify organizational purpose
(d)All of the above

Q.24 Global Strategies require firms to

(a) Co-ordinate pricing strategies across subsidiaries
(b) To reduce profits
(c)To increase costs
(d)None of the above

Q.25 The reason for going international is

(a)To increase cost
(b)To increase risk
(c)To expand sales
(d)All of the above

Q.26 To develop a global strategy, the following steps should be followed

(a) Develop the strategy, Internationalise the strategy, Globalise the strategy
(b) Internationalise the strategy, Develop the strategy, Globalise the strategy
(c)Internationalise the strategy, Globalise the strategy, Develop the strategy
(d) Develop the strategy, Globalise the strategy, Internationalise the strategy

Q.27 CSR refers to

(a) The way a company balances the social aspects of its operation

(b) The way a company balances the economic, environmental and social aspects of
its operation, addressing the expectations of its stakeholders
(c) The way a company balances the economic aspects of its operation
(d) The way a company balances the environmental aspects of its operation

Q.28 The BCG Matrix was developed by

(a)Hofer
(b) Michael Porter
(c) GE
(d) Boston Consulting Group

Q.29 ETOP refers to

(a) Economic threat and opportunity profile
(b)Environmental threat and opportunity profile
(c)Electronic threat and opportunity profile
(d)All of the above

Q.30 SAP refers to

(a) Strategic absolute profile
(b) Social advantage profile
(c) Social absolute profile
(d) Strategic advantage profile

Q.31Stars refer to
(a)High market share, Low Market growth rate
(b) Low market share, High Market growth rate

(c) Low market share, Low Market growth rate

(d) High market share, High Market growth rate

Q.32 Hofer's Model suggests that a strategy analysis is made up of

(a) Identification of the principle resources and skills on which the business c
an build a competitive strategy
(b) The identification of the major strategic opportunities and threats that the
business will face given its current strategic position
(c) Identification of major issues and gaps deriving from the current position a
nd the threats and opportunities identified in the future.
(d)All of the above

Q.33 Cost Leadership Strategy is

(a)Ability to cut prices
(b)Customer Loyalty
(c)Developing core competencies
(d)All of the above

Q.34 The Grand strategy includes

(a) Cost Leadership
(b) Differentiation
(c)Retrenchment strategy
(d) Focus strategy
Q.35 Retrenchment strategy
(a) Concentrate their resource where the company presently has or can rapidly de
velop a meaning full competitive advantage
(b) a mixture of all the strategies
(c) involves a total or partial withdrawal from either a customer group or custo
mer functions
(d)Focuses on increase in sales, profits and assets

Q.36 Strategic Alliance

(a) Shares risks

(b) is a mutual relationship

(c) provides resources
(d) All of the above

Q.37 Operationalising strategy depends on

(a)Structure
(b)Culture
(c)Leadership
(d)All of the above

Q.38 Strategic leadership

(a) establish organizational structure
(b) Disallocate resources
(c)Bars communication
(d) None of the above

Q.39 Strategic evaluation and control

(a) Is the first step in strategic management
(b) Is the last step in Strategic management
(c) is of no importance to strategic management
(d)none of the above

Q.40 The balanced scorecard is

(a) a strategic planning and management system
(b) used extensively in business and industry, government, and nonprofit organiz
ations
(c) used to align business activities to the vision and strategy of the organiza
tion

(d) All of the above

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