Business Strategy

Business Strategy
The
allocation of marks provides guidance on the expected length of answer (e.g. 5 marks is a short answer question, 20 marks is an essay length
question).
Question 1
a) Liedtka (1998) develops a
five element model of strategic thinking that she connects to strategic
planning. Explain this strategic thinking model and the connection to strategic
planning.
(8
marks)
b) Sam Walsh in Harvard Business Review explains his
approach to strategic thinking during his tenure as Chief Executive Officer
(CEO) of Rio Tinto Limited (Rio Tinto). What problems did Walsh (2016) inherit
at Rio Tinto in his new role as CEO? How did Walsh (2016) and his executive
team put Rio Tinto back on a path of sustainable corporate growth? What changes
in financial policies were made? What changes were made to the investment
committee? What changes were made to forecasting approaches? How did Walsh
(2016) balance shareholder and stakeholder value?
(12
marks)
(Total:
8 marks + 12 marks = 20 marks)

Question 2
Different
business units must develop their own individual strategy and be managed in
ways that reflect their distinctive competitive contextwhile business units
have a degree of autonomy and are managed relatively independently of other
business units, they are all part of a larger enterprise, which can add value
and/or create problems for the business unit (Fitzroy, Hulbert and
OShannassy, 2016: 202).
Explain
how corporations can best manage the benefits and the challenges of formulating
and implementing business-level strategy. What do Collis and Montgomery (2008)
say about competing on resources? What do Raynor and Bower (2001) suggest is
the best way to lead from the centre? On reflection what is your synthesis of
the core messages from these two articles? How does a corporation like Wesfarmers
Limited manage so many different businesses in different industries so
effectively?
(20
marks)

Question 3
a) Explain the challenge
presented to corporations by technology circles. How does a firm manage
ambidextrously? Explain the value to the corporation of designing its organisation
structure and resources to be able to manage ambidextrously. Give an example of
a corporation that failed to manage technology circles with adverse
consequences for shareholder value. Give an example of a corporation adept at
managing ambidextrously.
(12
marks)
b) Explain how smart,
connected products are transforming companies. What is the value to the
corporation of the quantities of data that are being generated and captured by
smart, connected products? How can this data from smart, connected products
help corporations to manage technology circles in future?
(8
marks)
(Total:
12 marks + 8 marks = 20 marks)

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