Reference no: EM132997433

-Briefly identify the most key/important special features of competing in foreign markets {six sentence boundary}.

-We talked about designing compensation systems revolving around properly and legally incentifying employees. List out three of the guidelines we studied with respect to this topic. {three sentence boundary}

-We talked several times about the concept of risk as it applies to the strategic planning topic of diversification. Explain how these two issues are related in the context that we discussed them. {three sentence boundary}

-Thinking only about our Blackboard discussions and the text material, which is the absolutely (always) better path to diversification-a strategy of related diversification OR a strategy of unrelated diversification? Finally, what did we specifically discuss in the context of shareholder value only in the sense as it relates (or does not relate) to the general topic of diversification? Explain and support your answer {seven sentence boundary}.

-Again focusing in on our Blackboard/Campus discussions and the text material in particular, what is the essence of the business case for why a company should engage in both socially responsible actions and environmentally sustainable business practices? {three sentence boundary; consider using a bullet list as to help/augment}

-Please provide two macro reasons to state the case as for why business strategies should be ethical? {three sentence limit on this one to get you to think/focus}

-Encouraging employees to challenge existing ways of doing things, and to be creative and innovative in proposing better ways of operating, requires the company to create a supportive environment. In many firms, this means empowering their employees. What is meant by empowerment of employee? Briefly, how do we empower employees in the way of strategic tactics? Finally, in what ways can empowerment of employees aid the cause of good strategy execution? {five sentence boundary}

-What is the role of managerial leadership in changing a problem corporate culture? Please use notes from our last conference call as a starting point. We talked about the CEO role in particular at one point....what was the essence of that discussion? For other ideas on improving your answer to show mastery of our material overall, we talked several times about the tactic of MBWA (I'll let you figure out what that stands for if you don't know). What did we discuss about this tactic and how might it be one example tool in your toolbox for changing a problem culture? If you want to go further, we talked about root cause analysis as well...how does that help in problem resolution when it comes to strategic planning? {Five sentence boundary on the first part of the question and then three additional sentences of boundary on the MBWA tie-in issue}

-To ensure the proficient implementation of strategy in an organization, top-level executives can best achieve this by delegating authority to middle and lower-level managers and by creating a sense of empowerment among employees. True or false? Explain and justify your answer. {four sentence boundary}

-Discuss what is the most typical cause (as we discussed it at least) as to why a delegator may indeed fail in the delegation of authority when it comes to executing a strategic plan? {three sentence boundary}

-We talked about the tools (or traits) that we might find in a strategic leader. What tool/trait did we say was the single most important about all others and why? {two sentence boundary}

-We discussed doing business in a foreign land as a key part of your firm's strategy. One example we discussed was the production of goods in these other nations for a U.S. firm and some of the challenges that could present themselves. One of those example challenges was the possible use of child labor by a foreign supply partner. Discuss how a firm's Supply Chain strategy needs to both contemplate this particular risk example and also include tactics to protect the firm from any risk in this regard. Finally, and be specific, why is this extremely important the firm overall and even its current employees in the U.S.? {five sentence boundary}

-Staffing an organization with the right personnel to execute the firm's chosen strategic plan is vital as we discussed. We talked about the importance of recruiting, training, and retaining capable employees as part of the Human Resources strategic planning function. Thinking about our discussion on recruiting, training, and retaining...which of these goals did we talk was perhaps most overlooked by weaker firms? What areas/tactics of the strategic plan should be addressed to be sure that this does not occur? {four sentence boundary}

-Ben & Jerry's and Burt's Bees were two branded product companies we discussed in the context of strategic planning. Discuss how/why we talked about these two firms in particular as it relates to various topics within our course? {ten sentence boundary}

-We have talked many times about the fact that a firm cannot do strategic planning in a "vacuum". Exactly what do we mean by that? {ten sentence boundary}

-Using concepts and terminology specifically from our work together this semester, what is really meant by "sustainable competitive advantage" as it relates to the strategic planning process of any organization? {ten sentence boundary}