Study Guide- Exam2- Strategy- Fall 2019 10.11.

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The format of the exam is multiple choice and T/F questions. The exam will cover
Chapters 1-11.

Below are subjects you should know and think about.

-Why do some companies have a coherent strategy and others don’t? What are
the advantages of having one?
 Creating a strategy is no easy task. More so, creating a strategy and then
carrying out said strategy is next to impossible.
-What are the definitions we covered in Exam 1 and during lectures e.g.
Straddling, Managing by Exception, Optimal Market Share, Fracturing?
 Strategy: The art and science of formulating, implementing, and evaluating
cross-functional decisions that enable an organization to achieve its
objectives
 Straddling:
 Managing by Exception:
 SWOT: Strategies Weaknesses (internal); Opportunities Threats (External)
 Optimal Market Share
 Fracturing
-What are the intensive, defensive, divesting and bankruptcy strategies?

-What are the differences between forward, backward and horizontal integration
and why would you use each?
-What is the difference between vision/missions?
-All the matrices covered in chapters 3-6. How to construct them, what their
purpose(s) are. What’s in their cells and quadrants?
-What are the values of a flat structure over hierarchical structures? What is the
matrix? What are its advantages and disadvantages?
-Why outsource? Why not?
-What is the sigmoid or renewal curve and why do you use it? What is the TPC
and why do you use it? What are their relationship to the Product Lifecycle Curve?
-What are the advantages and limitations of SWOT analysis?
-What is the BCG matrix and what are its categories? Why is it a valuable tool for
portfolio or conglomerate companies?
-What is I/O and RBV? What is the concept and why does it matter?
-What is the Blue Ocean Strategy and its purpose? See slides and lecture notes.
-Why is MIS critical to metrics and to strategy development? What ‘traps’ are
involved in using past data, even ‘recent’ past data to project the future behavior
of markets?
-What is the principle of the Teller curve? Why does what the curve says impact
strategic thought?
- What are tests of effective strategy?
- There are three stages of strategy development and what matrices fall into each
category?
- What’s a paradigm shift? What is the paradigm question? Why are they
valuable concepts for Strategists?
- What is the Thiel Continuum?
-What are Porter’s Five Forces and Generic Strategies and why are they valuable
to developing strategy? How can you use them to test your strategy?
- What did we learn about leading business from Gore, Warby Parker and EpiPen?
-What is culture? Why is it important and how does it link to values, attitudes and
ethics?
-Given the organizational Triangle, what and why are the skills different ‘above
and below the line’ that separates functions from the integration of strategies?
What is the role of risk above and below that line?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a matrixed organization?