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Question Pool (‘Examples only’)

(HBI 650) Global Business Strategy

Assess1-2 (20%) Mid-term ‘Self-Assess on Progress with Theory’: Questions

(Version A/B/C)
Week 6 (Thu) 09:30-11:40 (including 10 min Read time)
Session 3-2 (Sat) 11:00-13:40 (including 10 min Read time)

PART 1. Short Answer (“Strategy Literacy”) Questions

Answer 10 questions. Each answer is worth 1%. Use of Keywords only acceptable

1) Rationality vs. Dialectic Approaches in thought process

2) ‘Iceberg Theory’
3) Definition of Strategy
4) Strategic ‘Being (Ontology)’, ‘Knowledge (Epistemology)’ and ‘Time (Temporality)’
5) Layers of Conscious/Visible and Sub-conscious/Invisible Strategic Strata
6) Definition of strategic management
7) Design School vs. Emergent School
8) Ten Schools of Strategy thoughts
9) ‘Rule of Law’ vs. ‘Rule of Power’ nations
10) Governance frames of OECD and non-OECD nations
11) Strategy of Business versus Statecraft
12) High and Low Context culture nations as strategy targets
13) Paradigm of EGSOP
14) ‘Top-down’,’ inside’ and ‘bottom-up’ views of the firms.
15) Adversarial partnership
16) Symbiosis (kyosei)
17) Discuss Mintzberg and Ansoff approaches to strategy
18) Strategic importance of market capitalisation
19) Strategy Process
20) Business-level and corporate level strategy
21) corporate governance
22) functions of board of directors

PART 2. “Strategy Concept” Questions

Please choose only 5 Questions out of the following, and answer with approx. 70-80
words, (max. 100 words) to each question. Each answer is worth 2%.

1) Discuss key aspects of strategic management

2) Discuss strategic management process related to organizational ethics.
3) What parts do vision, ethics, and leadership play in the strategic management
process?
4) Briefly compare and contrast mission and vision
5) What are the examples of ‘deadly sins’ of objective management?
6) What are the characteristics of a mission statement?
7)
8) What are the roles of culture for corporate strategy?
9) Discuss strategy for organizations with multiple cultures.
10) Briefly compare and contrast corporate governance in the U.S., Germany, and Japan,
and China.
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11) What is the strategy based on resource-based view of the firm

12) Explain the essential resource or capability that leads to a sustainable competitive
advantage.
13) What is the difference between a tangible and an intangible resource? Give an
example of each?
14) Explain the value chain and how it can be used to help firms develop competitive
advantages.
15) Why is it important to prevent core competencies from becoming core rigidities?
16) Identify the five forces that underlie the five forces model of competition.
17) Strategy and governance of ‘sovereign fund’ investment holding companies
18) Discuss strategy of China’s multilayer social and economic system with metaphor of
iceberg
19) Discuss challenges of strategy in relation to Global Financial Crisis
20) Discuss strategy of nation-building and roles of Chaebol, Keiretsu and Business
Groups of China.
21) What is a cost leadership strategy?
22) Identify and describe the modes of entering international markets?
23) Discuss essential tests applied when assessing whether to enter a new business or
acquire one?
24) What are the motives for firms who pursue international diversification?
25) What are the major factors that provide a basis for international business-level
strategies?
26) Identify and describe the major risks of international diversification, if possible with
examples.
27) What are the advantages and disadvantages of being a first mover, second mover,
and late mover?
28) Discuss strategy of corporate social responsibility
29) Under what conditions does it make sense to cooperate with one or more other
companies?
30) Identify the competitive risks associated with cooperative strategies.
31) Discuss core strategies of public or not-for-profit organisations.
32) Under what circumstances does it make sense for multinational firms to downsize
and/or withdraw from certain countries?
33) How do financial statements help us determine whether or not a firm holds a
sustainable competitive advantage in the marketplace?
34) Discuss strategy of UN Compact and governance of global corporate citizenship