Organizational Strategy and Policies

MADM 760: Organizational Strategy and Policies

Louisiana State University Shreveport – Dr. Michael D. Meeks

Socratic Skill Builder #3: Size & Structure [40 points]

Due Date: Saturday April 8th by 11pm (no late assignments accepted - no exceptions!)

Download this WORD file, then type your answers directly into this WORD file. Write a minimum of 100 words for each question, save your changes, and upload the completed WORD file to Moodle.

Focus on thoughts and reasoning rather than spelling and grammar. You will NOT be penalized for incorrect spelling or improper grammar or sentence structure. This is a Socratic exercise – an opportunity for you to think and express your thoughts. This assignment is a reflection of the degree to which you are engaged in the course material, and how well you learned the topics assigned this week. The emphasis of this assignment is synthesis – the connecting of dots – where you tie together in a meaningful way (1) the assigned readings and videos, (2) current business and world events, and (3) your previous knowledge and experience. There is no correct or incorrect answer, but rather YOUR answer, based on YOUR thoughts and understanding of the material/concepts. Please avoid trying to answer what others would say, or copying what someone else has thought or written. There are two fundamental mistakes students often make on these assignments: (1) simply rambling unsupported opinions, and (2) failing to apply one’s personal perspective (i.e. writing as if it were a research paper, with no personal perspective applied).

Question 1: Based on your experience, education (including the videos and materials assigned this week), and knowledge, how would you best incorporate the following concepts into your view of how to get the best performance out of an organization: Blue Ocean Strategy, Bricolage, Disruptive Technology, and Hypercompetition.

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Question #2: Summarize and expand on Chapter #6 of the textbook (Competitive and Cooperative Moves), and describe what YOU think about the competitive and cooperative moves of an organization. Is competition good or bad? What competitive moves can a company use to increase their firm performance and how do they react to competitive actions by their competition. What can a firm do to cooperate with other firms to benefit all? Use personal examples/experience of competitive and cooperative moves if you can.

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Question #3: Summarize and expand on Chapter #7 of the textbook (Competing in International Markets), and explain the benefits and risks of competing in international markets. What are the various global strategies that a firm can adopt? How has competing in international markets affected Apple?

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Question #4: This week there were videos (and readings) covering somewhat disparate topics in business and strategic management. Which of these videos most resonated with you in regards to understanding business and strategic management (and why)?

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Question #5: In the book, “Playing to Win,” the authors claim the primary reason that executives and organizations do not have a strategy is because in today’s fast-moving, hypercompetitive, rapidly-changing, information-overloaded, and overwhelming business world, that executives and managers focus too much on urgent matters rather than important matters. Do you agree with the authors that the lack of strategy is a matter of urgency rather than importance? Do you feel Apple has conquered this strategic challenge? Explain why, or why not.

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