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Business Management Exam 2
Chapters 5-9
27
Business
Undergraduate 3
07/25/2012

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Term
Why plan?
Definition
To coordinate the activities of all employees, check on the progress of work, helps to visualize ahead, and helps cope with uncertainty (contingency plans).
Term
What are defenders, prospectors, analyzers, and reactors?
Definition
Those are four groups of thought on how corporations respond to uncertainty. D's stick to what they do best, p's find a new market, a's are imitators and wait for the competition to make a move, and r's wait to do anything until a crisis really occurs (bad idea).
Term
What are the three levels of strategic planning?
Definition
Top: how to acheive goals in 1 year to 5 years; long-term; resources needed is finance.
Middle: tactical planning; 2 to 5 years; interpret plans and determine resources needed (like human, plant and equipment, etc).
First Line: operations planning; day to day decisions and resources needed.
Term
What are the conditions for goals?
Definition
SMART-DU; specific, measurable, attainable, results-oriented, time-related (target dates), documented, accepted (and understood by all employees).
Term
Standing and single use plans?
Definition
Standing: for situations happening repeatedly, they have to be modified based on external circumstances however.
Single use: for a specific project.
Term
MBO? And how do you develop it?
Definition
Management by Objectives; aka management by cooperation.
1) Joint Objectives (determined by manager and employee working together).
2) Manager develops action plan.
3) Review progress.
4) Performance appraisal/rewards.
Term
Strategy, Strategic Management, Strategic Planning?
Definition
Strategy: a plan.
Strategic Management: the involvement of all employees involving what our plans are and how to achieve them.
Strategic Planning: action plan for long-term goals.
Term
Cost Leadership, differentiation, cost-focused, focused differentiation?
Definition
Cost leadership: on a mass-market scale; having the lowest costs in the marketplace.
Differentiation: on a mass-market scale; having a unique mass-distributed product.
Cost-focused: on a small-market scale; focus on a group or niche, keeping the costs down.
Differentiation-focused: on a small-market scale; focusing on a niche with a high price and unique, often costly, product.
Term
What are the steps in the strategic management process?
Definition
1) Mission/vision
2) Establish a grand strategy
3) Formulate strategy
4) Implement the plan
5) Control and follow-up
Term
What are some of the tools used in strategic planning?
Definition
SWOT: Internal; Strength, Weakness
External; Opportunity, Threat
Forecasting: predicting for staffing, equipment, facilities, finances, etc. by experts and quantitative analysis (charts).
Competitive Forces: 5; the threat of new entrants, bargaining poser of suppliers, bargaining power of buyers, threat of substitutes, and current rivalry.
BCG Model/Matrix: Stars, Cash Cows, Question Marks, Dogs.
Term
Your firm currently practices the Differentiation Strategy, however, a new CEO wants to resort to a Cost Leadership strategy and has made you in charge of the conversion. What steps would you take?
Definition
Differentiation strategy: offering products or services that are unique and target a wide market.
Cost-Leadership strategy: Keep costs lower than competition and target a wide market.
Since your market stays the same, broad and wide, changes would have to be made to the product and the way the product is manufactured. I would take steps to negotiate with suppliers for a lower cost for materials, or change my materials for cheaper ones. I would cut the marketing and customer service budget, focusing more on cutting the cost of the product than spending to raise the image of the product. I would expect the low cost of the product that I ensure to draw customers in rather than advertisements or marketing for said product.
Term
Steps in the decision making process?
Definition
1) Identify the problem.
2) Develop criteria to evaluate alternatives.
3) Develop the alternatives.
4) Evaluate based on criteria.
5) Select a solution/alternative.
6) Implement the solution.
7) Control and follow-up.
Term
Two ways to approach a decision?
Definition
Rational Process: Requires perfect information, no ambiguity, logical thinking process, and an unbiased opinion. Impossible.
Non-rational: Uses intuition, incremental steps, evidence-based (although conditions may have changed), and is bounded by decision maker him/herself.
Term
Four decision-making styles?
Definition
1) Directive: action-oriented, exhibit very little time, on edge, efficient, focus on facts, tendency to be autocratic.
2) Analytical: careful, overanalyze, prefer a lot of alternatives and info, slow and deliberative.
3) Conceptual: consider the effect of decisions on the future with a long-term focus, will take risks.
4) Behavioral: brainstorming, cooperative decision making process, like to interact constantly with people.
Term
Questions to ask in decision making?
Definition
Is it legal?
It is ethical?
Does it maximize shareholder wealth?
Term
What is the basis of an organization's culture?
Definition
Founders, the mission/vision, policies, societal changes.
Term
What are two ways to look at culture? The levels of manifestation?
Definition
Visible elements: dress, facilities, buildings, rituals, ceremonies, broadcasts.
Invisible: the difference between espoused (expected) and enacted behavior; including core values (ex. long hours).
Term
Define organizational culture, and explain the visible and invisible levels. At UNLV illustrate the visible and invisible levels of culture.
Definition
Organizational culture is a system of shared beliefs and values that develops within an organization and guides the behavior of its members. Visible levels include: administration, symbols/rituals, clubs, colors, etc. Invisible levels include the unwritten way quidditch players treat each other, alumni networks, cooperation, timeliness, acceptance of minorities, etc.
Term
How do employees learn culture?
Definition
Training, observation, symbols, stories, rites/rituals, any award systems.
Term
How does culture become embedded in an organization?
Definition
Observations/criticisms, role models, slogans, facilities, innovation, systems/procedures, hierarchal structure.
Term
What are some different types of organizational structures?
Definition
Basic (all employees report to owner), Functional (most prevalent), Product (book, clothes, etc.), Customer (publishing; school, library, retail, etc.), Geographic, Project (includes General Manger AND Project Manager).
Term
What are the vertical and horizontal segments in organizational structures?
Definition
Vertically: who reports to whom (chain of command).
Horizontally: what responsibility each level has
Wide span of control: many employees report to manager.
Narrow span of control: fewer people report to manager.
Term
HR Management process?
Definition
Establish mission/vision, Establish grand strategy, Formulate strategic plans, Plan human resources needed, Recruit and select people, Orient, train, and develop, Appraisal/feedback.
Term
Job analysis includes?
Definition
The job description (what the job entails) and the job specification (the minimum qualification required).
Term
What is the difference between internal and external recruitment?
Definition
Internal: promote from within; advantages: motivating for other employees, minimizing expenses; disadvantages:inbreeding, no new/outside thoughts/ideas, no competition, not as much selection.
External: promote from outside company; advantages: new ideas, specialized skills; disadvantages: expensive, and not a well-known entity.
Term
What does the screening process entail?
Definition
Application form, resume, interviews, written and other tests, background checks, references, physical exams.
Term
What criteria would you use to decide between three markets that your company wants to start selling products in? You can only go to one market.
Definition
Demographics of customers, location, finance available, how your product fits with the customer's demographics and income.
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