Section-II:
To build a new organization or a new team, a firm must first hire talented employees and then hire a manager. (1 point)
True False
A leader of an organization must be the spirit of the organization. Include a specific example of someone who functioned as the spirit of the organization, and with that example briefly comment on the meaning and significance of this statement. (4 points)
An organization must do the following to survive and prosper in its industry over the longer run. Circle the right answer. (1 point)
Hire talented employees
Invest in training and development of its people
Build a strong culture
Innovate continually
Provide excellent customer service
Keep costs low
All of the above
On starting as a new CEO of a small firm, you notice that the morale of the employees is very low. We had discussed a Layered Model for representing the composition of a business enterprise. This model had results at the top and culture and ethics toward the lower, deeper end. With that model in mind, discuss two specific steps you would take to improve morale, and mention how these steps would help. (3 points)
Briefly describe the difference between a strong culture and a weak culture. (2 points)
What might be two symptoms in an organization that would make you say that this organization has an unhealthy culture? (3 points)
Section-III: A thought-provoking question in the context of strategic management (6 points)
Walmart is about 50 years old. IBM, Boeing, UPS, PepsiCo, CocaCola and many others are nearly 100 years old. What is it about Walmart that in half the time it has achieved the status of world’s largest company, and with more than double the revenues of some of these other firms? Identify and discuss some factors (internal and external) that might explain this. Consider the components of the firm’s strategic management process and the external environment in which it operates.
