QUESTION BANK

ORGANIZATIONAL THEORY DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT

UNIT I
PART-A
1. What is an Organization?
2. What is Entrepreneurship?
3. What do you mean by Economies of Scale?
4. What do you mean by Economies of Scope?
5. Define Transaction cost.
6. Define Organizational theory.
7. What is meant by Organizational structure?
8. Define Organizational design.
9. What is Contingency?
10. What is Competitive advantage?
11. What do you mean by Core competencies?
12. Define Strategy.
13. What do you mean by managing diversity?
14. What is meant by Official goals?
15. Define Operative goals.
16. Define Mission statement.
17. Define Organizational Effectiveness. (Nov’06)
18. Mention any 4 Organizational values.
19. What is Organizational ethics?
20. What do you understand by Ethical dilemmas?
PART-B
1. How does an Organization create value? What is the role of Entrepreneurship in this
process?
2. What is the relationship among Organization – Theory, - Design, Change, - Structure, and
–Culture?
3. What is Organization effectiveness? Discuss the approaches to evaluate the effectiveness
& the problems associated with each approach.
4. Explain the role of top management team in an organization.
5. Why is it important for Managers to behave ethically in an organization?
6. Give some examples of how the interest of different stakeholder groups may result in
conflicts.
7. What is Value system? What are its implications for Managers?
8. Draw up a list of effectiveness goals that you would use to measure the performance of
a) a Fast food restaurant b) a School of business
1. Explain Organizational goals with examples.
2. Explain why Organizations exist.
UNIT II
PART-A
1. Define Organizational design?
2. What are the components of Organizational design? (Nov ’06)
3. What is Differentiation?
4. What do you mean by Division of labor?
 5. What is Organizational role?
6. What is meant by Authority?
7. What do you mean by Control?
8. What is a Support function?
9. What is a Production function?
10. What are Maintenance functions?
11. What are Adaptive functions?
12. What are Managerial functions?
13. What is Vertical differentiation?
14. What is Horizontal differentiation?
15. What is Integration?
16. What is meant by Liaison role?
17. What is an integrating role?
18. Give any two advantages for Centralization & Decentralization. (Nov’06)
19. What is Standardization?
20. What is Socialization?
PART-B
1. Explain why differentiation occurs in an organization?
2. Distinguish between Vertical & Horizontal differentiation.
3. When does an Organization need to use complex integrating mechanism & why?
4. What are the factors that determine the balance between Centralization &
Decentralization?
5. Explain in detail the factors that determine the balance between Standardization &
Mutual adjustment.
6. Explain the differences between Mechanistic & Organic structure.
7. Explain the various Organizational structures. List out the merits & demerits of each.
8. Discuss the issues involved in designing an organization with suitable examples.
9. What Core competencies make your organization unique from other organizations?
10. Explain the different types of Functions with suitable examples.
11. Explain Technological & Environmental impacts on design.
12. Explain in detail the Success & Failures in designing an organization.
UNIT III
PART-A
1. Define Organization culture.
2. What is a Strong culture?
3. What is a Weak culture?
4. State the symptoms of Organizational culture.
5. State the impact of Multinationals culture on Indian organizations.
6. What are the levels of Culture?
7. What do you mean by Artifacts?
8. What do you mean by Cultural symbols?
9. What is National culture?
10. What is a Sub-culture?
11. What is Cross-cultural communication?
12. What is Defensive approach?
13. What is Proactive approach?
 14. What is Accommodative approach?
15. What is Socialization?
16. What is Terminal value?
17. What are Instrumental values?
18. What are Norms?
19. Define Organic structure.
20. Define Mechanistic structure.
PART-B
1. Discuss the different types of Culture with illustrations.
2. Relate Culture to Strategy. What are its implications for managers?
3. What is the origin of Organizational culture? Why do different organizations have
different cultures?
4. Explain how newcomers learn the culture of an organization.
5. In what ways can Organization culture increase organizational effectiveness? Why is it
important to obtain the right fit between Organizational Structure & Culture?
6. “An Organization should always adopt a broad stance on Social responsibility”. Explain
why you agree or disagree with this statement.
7. “Organization culture generally reflects the beliefs & ideologies of the founders of such
Organization”. Do you agree with this assumption? Reason with your answer.
8. What are the steps a management can take to maintain the cultural values within the
organization in the face of dynamics of external environment?
9. How can the managers integrate various diverse cultures into a single global culture?
10. How much influence do the positive or negative stories about the leaders of the
organization have on the employees? Can this idea be transferred to stories about heroes
in a country in influencing the national culture?
UNIT IV
PART-A
1. Define Organizational change.
2. What is Evolutionary change?
3. What is Revolutionary change?
4. Differentiate Evolutionary & Revolutionary changes.
5. How can transaction analysis be used as an Organization development tool?
6. What is Unfreezing?
7. What is Refreezing?
8. What is meant by Changing?
9. What is Strategic change?
10. What is Structural change?
11. What is Process-oriented change?
12. What is People-oriented change?
13. What is a Change agent?
14. What is Homophily?
15. What is meant by Organizational development?
16. What is team building?
17. Mention the objectives of OD.
18. List out any two OD interventions.
19. What are the various types of Change?
 20. Why OD would be necessary even in stable environment?
PART-B
1. Discuss the factors leading to change in organizations?
2. Discuss the Structural interventions of Organization development.
3. Differentiate between external forces & the internal forces that induce change in the
organization.
4. Describe in detail the three steps in the Change process with suitable examples.
5. What are the possible reasons for resistance to Change? What can the management do to
overcome such resistance?
6. What are the various types of Changes? Under what circumstances would each change be
desirable?
7. Define Organizational development. Explain why OD would be necessary even in a
stable environment.
8. Describe in detail the objectives of OD programmes.
9. What are the basic OD interventions? Explain.
10. What is OD intervention? Explain how OD interventions improve the functioning of the
organizations.
UNIT V
PART-A
1. Mention the phases of Organizational Life cycle.
2. What do you mean by Transformation?
3. What is Decision-making?
4. What is Organizational learning?
5. Define Innovation.
6. What is Intrapreneurship?
7. Define Creativity.
8. What is Programmed decision-making?
9. What is Non-programmed decision-making?
10. Define Carnegic model.
11. Define Garbage car model.
12. Define Organizational Life cycle.
13. What is SWOT analysis?
14. What is R-Strategy?
15. What is K-Strategy?
16. What is organizational isomorphism?
17. What is Coercive isomorphism?
18. What is Mimetic isomorphism?
19. What is normative isomorphism?
20. What is brain storming?
PART-B
1. Discuss the various models of Organizational decision making.
2. Discuss & relate Creativity, Innovation & Intrapreneurship.
3. Explain the Organization Life cycle.
4. Explain the models of Organizational growth.
5. Explain in detail the types & levels of Organizational learning.
6. Explain the factors that affect Organizational learning?
7. Explain the Strategies that you would adopt for improving decision-making & learning.
8. Why do Organizations decline? What steps can the top management take to halt decline
& restore organizational growth?
9. Why do Organizations grow? What major crisis is an organization likely to encounter as
it grows?
10. How can Knowledge management promote Organizational learning? What determines
which kind of knowledge management system a company should adopt?
 STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT

UNIT – 1 : STRATEGY AND PROCESS

PART – A

1. Define ‘Strategy’.
2. Define Tactics.
3. Define the term ‘Strategic Management’.
4. What is Strategic Thinking?
5. What is Strategic Planning?
6. What is a Business Strategy?
7. Define (a) Mission (b) Vision (c) Objectives (d) Values (e) Goals (f) Policies (g) Procedures (h)
Budgets (i) Programs (j) Tactics (k) Targets (l) Rules (m) Business Ethics (n) Code of Ethics.
8. What is Strategic Decision-making?
9. What is Strategy formulation?
10. What is Strategy implementation?
11. What are characteristics of a Mission statement?
12. How Mission contributes to Strategic management?
13. List the characteristics of Objectives.
14. How would you classify objectives?
15. What is an Intended strategy?
16. What is an Emergent strategy?
17. Differentiate Realised and Unrealised strategy.
18. What are the three broad factors that influence the success of a company? (OR) What are the
determinants of a company’s performance?
19. What are the five tasks of Strategic Management?
20. What do you mean by Evaluation and Control?
21. What do you mean by ‘Triggering event’ in initiation of strategy?
22. What is a Learning Organization?
23. Define Corporate Governance.
24. Who are the actors involved in Corporate Governance?
25. Define Corporate Social Responsibility.
26. What are the responsibilities of a business firm according to Milton Friedman and Archie Carroll?
27. What do you mean by Corporate Stake holders?
28. Define Ethics or Business Ethics.
PART – B

1. Explain the conceptual framework of Strategic Management Process. (OR) Explain the basic
elements of Strategic Management process.
2. How do the terms mission, objectives, strategies, programs, budgets, procedures differ in the
true sense? – Explain.
3. What are the different modes of Strategic decision-making and explain the process of strategic
decision-making?
4. Explain in detail a formal Strategic planning process.
5. Explain the relationship between corporate Governance and Social responsibility. Take the case
of an Indian company and elucidate.
 6. What is Corporate Governance? Indicate how and why companies are embracing Corporate
Governance practices.
7. “Corporate Governance is not suitable for Indian Business environment” – Discuss.
8. What recommendations would you make to improve the effectiveness of today’s Boards of
Directors?
9. How are Companies fulfilling their Social responsibility?
10. Discuss the popular theories of Social Responsibility.

UNIT – 2 : COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

PART – A
1. Distinguish Economies of Scope and Economies of Scale.
2. Define the term ‘Environment’?
3. What are macro and micro environmental factors?
4. What are the characteristics of environment?
5. What is Environmental Scanning?
6. Differentiate between Internal and External environment.
7. Write the name of factors in Task environment.
8. What are ‘Barriers to Entry’?
9. Explain ‘Exit Barrier’.
10. What do you mean by industry analysis?
11. What do you mean by (a) Societal environment and (b) Task environment?
12. Write the name of factors in Task environment?
13. What is a Strategic Group?
14. What is a Strategic type?
15. What is ‘Strategic Myopia’?
16. What is hyper competition?
17. What is an Issues Priority Matrix?
18. What are Key Success factors?
19. What is Competitive Intelligence?
20. What is (a) Brainstorming (b) Delphi Technique?
21. What is an Industry scenario?
22. Define (a) Resource (b) Competency (c) Capability (d) Core competency (e) Distinctive
competency?
23. What is a Value chain?
24. What is a TOWS matrix?
25. What is ‘Competitive Advantage’?
26. What are the generic strategies?
27. How does Traditional Business differ from E-Business?
28. What is a VRIO framework?
PART – B
1. Discuss how a development in a Corporation’s societal (Macro) environment can affect the
corporation through its task environment.
2. What is relevance of the resource-based view of the firm to strategic management in a global
environment?
3. How can a decision-maker identify strategic factors in the corporation’s external and
International environment?
4. If your organization could get accurate answers to 12 questions about its competitive
environment, what questions would it ask?
 5. Explain how value chain analysis could help in organizational analysis.
6. Explain the application of TOWS matrix in strategy formulation.
7. According to Porter, what determines the level of competitive intensity in an industry? (OR)
Explain the role of Porter’s approach in industry analysis.
8. What is SWOT analysis? Explain the components of SWOT analysis.
9. What are the generic building blocks of competitive advantage? Elaborate.
10. Elaborate on the sources of distinctive competencies.
11. Explain the impact of the Product life cycle on sources of competitive advantage.

UNIT – 3 : STRATEGIES
PART – A

1. Define (a) Functional Strategy (b) Business Strategy (c) Corporate Strategy (d) Global Strategy (e)
Marketing Strategy (f) Financial Strategy (g) R&D Strategy (h) Operations Strategy (i) Purchasing
Strategy (j) Logistics Strategy (k) HRM Strategy (l) IS Strategy (m) Low-Cost Strategy (n)
Differentiation Strategy (o) Focus Strategy (p) Directional Strategy (q) Growth Strategy (r)
Stability Strategy (s) Retrenchment Strategy.
2. What is Outsourcing?
3. What do you mean (a) Merger (b) Acquisition (c) Joint Venture (d) Vertical Integration (e)
Horizontal Integration (f) Concentric Diversification (g) Conglomerate Diversification (h)
Bankruptcy/Liquidation (i) Horizontal strategy (j) Corporate Parenting Strategy (k)Horizontal
growth (l) Vertical growth (m) Turnkey operations (n) Takeover.
4. What is Strategic alliance?
5. Define Sell-out/Divestment strategy.
6. What is SBU?
7. What is Balanced Scorecard?
8. What is (a) Devil’s advocacy (b) Dialectical Enquiry?
9. What is meant by Bundling strategy?
10. What is (a) Horizontal expansion (b) Vertical expansion?
11. Distinguish between Hostile takeover and Friendly takeover?
12. What is Flanking Maneuver?
13. What is Value-chain partnership?
14. What is Offensive strategy?
15. What is Conglomerate merger?
16. What is a Grand strategy?
17. Explain Entry strategy.
18. Define (a) Embryonic industry (b) Growth industry (c) Shakeout industry (d) Mature industry (e)
Declining industry.
PART – B

1. Business units have a choice of three generic strategies. Explain these strategies.
2. What is the rationale of strategic alliance? Why do such alliances fail?
3. “Joint Ventures are emerging as the best tool for reaching new markets”. - Comment.
4. Explain in detail the corporate strategy in terms of directional strategies such as Growth, Stability
and Retrenchment strategies.
5. What is Portfolio analysis? Explain the components of Portfolio analysis.
6. Define Functional strategy. Explain various functional strategies in an organization.
7. Define Portfolio strategy. Explain the ways of evaluating it.
 8. Define corporate strategy. Explain the various types of corporate strategy.
9. Explain in detail the Strategic Choice process.
10. Explain in detail the strategies pursued by International companies.
11. “Balanced Scorecard is a superior performance measurement tool”. - Explain.

UNIT – 4 : STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION & CONTROL

PART – A

1. What is Strategic implementation?

2. What is Politics management?
3. Name the stages in Organizational Life Cycle.
4. What is (a) Differentiation (b) Integration?
5. What do you mean by Horizontal differentiation and Vertical differentiation?
6. What do you mean by Centralization and Decentralization/
7. Define Strategic control.
8. What is Organizational Culture?
9. What is related and unrelated diversification?
10. What is Organizational conflict?
11. What is Strategic leadership?
12. What is a matrix organizational structure and Network structure?
13. What is a Cellular organization?
14. What is Executive succession?
15. What is Downsizing?
16. Define (a) Behaviour control (b) Input control (c) Output control.
17. What is (a) Shareholder value (b) Economic value added (EVA) (c) Market value added (MVA)?
18. What are Responsibility centers?
19. What is Job enrichment?
20. Define Corporate culture.
PART – B

1. Describe the steps in strategic evaluation and control process.

2. Discuss the role of Corporate Culture in strategic management.
3. Explain the strategic management process in organizational life cycle.
4. How can a corporate keep sliding into the decline stage of the organizational life cycle?
5. Explain the steps in control process and various types of control system.
6. What are some ways to implement a retrenchment strategy without creating a lot of resentment
and conflict with Labour unions?
7. How can corporate culture be changed?
8. Elaborate on the broad forms of organization structure.
9. Explain the primary measures of Corporate performance in strategic evaluation.
10. How should an owner-manager prepare a company for its movement in Organizational life
cycle?
11. How do conflict and politics affect formulation and implementation of generic competitive
strategies?
UNIT – 5 : OTHER STRATEGIC ISSUES

PART – A
 1. What is a small-business firm?
2. What are Entrepreneurial ventures?
3. What is the meaning of ‘Strategic Piggybacking’?
4. What is Technology sourcing?
5. Define Reengineering.
6. How are process innovations different from product innovations?
7. What are the stages of New Product Development?
8. Define Corporate Entrepreneurship / Intrapreneurship.
9. What is Absorptive capacity?
10. What is Technological competence?
11. What are the entrepreneurial characteristics to new venture’s success?
12. What are the sources of Innovation?
13. What is an Advisory board?
14. Who are Lead users?
15. What are the characteristics of an Entrepreneur?
16. What is Goal displacement?
17. What are the salient features of a not-for-profit organization?
18. Narrate how Internet has affected not-for-profit organizations.
PART – B

1. Distinguish between profit-making organizations and not-for-profit organization? Explain with

suitable examples.
2. How should a small entrepreneurial company engage in environmental scanning? To what
aspects of the environment should management pay most attention?
3. What considerations should small-business entrepreneurs keep in mind when they are deciding
if a company should follow a growth or a stability strategy? (OR) What considerations should
small-business entrepreneurs keep in mind when the company grows and develops over time?
4. Discuss the strategic issues in Not-for-profit organizations.
5. How can a company develop Corporate Entrepreneurship culture? (OR) How can a company
develop an Entrepreneurial culture?
6. How does innovation occur in an organization? Identify the characteristics of innovative
organizations and what are the factors that limit an organization’s capacity to innovate?
7. What is technology research and how does it differ from market research?
8. In terms of Strategic Management, how does a new venture’s situation differ from that of an
ongoing small company?
9. What is the impact of strategic management on not-for-profit organization?
10. Define Innovation. What are the characteristics of an attractive industry from an entrepreneur’s
point of view?
11. What factors help determine whether a company should outsource a technology?