Kindly note with essay-type questions students should avoid writing bullet-point or telegraph-style answers. Note
there are no list or name type questions asked in the examination. Therefore before start writing, developed a basic
outline or structure of the key points or arguments that you will make (a mind map may be useful in this regard).
Note the key points or arguments made should connect in some way. Therefore they cannot be disconnect statements
that read like a "shopping list" or " to-do" list. Moreover full, relevant and meaningful statements should be made.
Note that as a general rule of thumb, one mark is allocated for a full, relevant and meaningful statement made. It is
up to the discretion of the markers to penalise students for the excessive use of bullet-point answers or telegraph-style
answers.
Furthermore use the mark allocation, for each question, as a guideline to determine how many statements need to be
made. Most of the questions posted in this forum would require at least 10 full, relevant and meaningful statements to
be made. Therefore before posting an answer, please make sure you have followed the above guidelines...
MNG3702 Learning Unit 1 SA
1. Explain the six principles of strategic leadership. Provide practical
examples to support your explanation.
• Principle1: Strategic leaders are future orientated. Elon Musk has a clear vision of
electric cars replacing oil-based cars in the near future, and that vision has formed the
basis of his strategy.
• Principle 2: Strategic leaders are evidence-based and research led. Elon Musk has
invested strongly in research in new battery technology, in order to drive the cost of
the Tesla cars down.
• Principle 3: Strategic leaders get things done. Elon Musk did not just create theories
around new approaches to battery manufacturing and the battery supply chain, he has
commenced building the Giga Factory, which is the biggest battery factory in the
world.
• Principle 4: Strategic leaders open new horizons. Elon Musk reimagined the
whole approach to car retailing, and created car outlets and a retail experience
which is completely new to the industry.
• Principle 5: Strategic leaders are fit to lead. Tesla is not Elon Musk‟s first
technology venture. He has created a very successful technology company, PayPal,
in the past.
• Principle 6: Strategic leaders work effectively with all stakeholders. The
stakeholders in Tesla includes other players in the industry. Tesla gave the whole
industry a massive boost by going open source with its patents.
Lecturer‟s comment: The examples are carefully chosen, relevant and appropriately
supports the explanation. Well done.
1
, 2. Explain how organisational culture can support and enhance strategy implementation.
The post is an improvement on the previous posts. Note that the question has a "how" element
to it. Therefore the question requires you to indicate how organisational can support/enhance
the implementation. As stated in the previous post review LU4, section 4.5, which deals with
mechanisms that leaders can use to shape organisational culture, such as embedding
mechanisms, structural mechanisms, change programmes, symbolic and substansive actions.
A key argument that should be made - there should be alignment or fit between organisational
culture and the chosen strategy.. if there is fit, then it will enhance/support implementation
efforts. Note assumptions and values, often take for granted, strongly influences and shapes
actions, and also determines what gets incorporated into implementation components. If
culture is not aligned with strategy, then it will work against implementation efforts.
Furthermore actions should be taken to deal with misalignment. For example changing the
strategy, shape culture
2
, or work around culture. The guide argues instilling a culture (shaping) that fits supports the
strategy, by means of several mechanisms. See LU4, section 4.5, p. 56-57.
With reference to the cultural web, organizational culture could support and enhance strategy
implementation in the following manner:
• Using stories to convey the organization’s values, and beliefs. For example Whitey Basson’s story
regarding the 1600 forms that was required to be filled in in order to ship goods to Maputo the first time.
• Rituals and routines: Reinforcing the organization’s culture by, for example, holding a ceremony for long
service awards, to celebrate staff retention.
• Symbols: a trophy awarded for a department for good scores on their key performance areas, is a
symbol that will serve to motivate staff to behave in a manner that supports the strategy.
• Control systems: controlling the strategy implementation with tools such as the Balanced Scorecard.
• Organizational structures: The organization can tweak its structure into one that best serves its strategy,
for example decentralizing its decision making in order to decrease its turn-around time on customer
requests.
• Power structures: without top management demonstrating the values that is expected from employees,
the cultural change to implement the strategy will fail. Top management should lead by example, and talk
the talk, and also walk the walk.
Lecturer‟s comment: The arguments made and the examples provides are sound.
implementation
3. Explain the merits (advantages, disadvantages and constraints) of policies and
procedures for strategy
study guide page
13 Answer 2
Policies can either assist, or block strategy implementation.
Policies sets boundaries to employee behaviour. It limits what can be done, and also
how it can be done. This can add to the „red tape‟ in an organization.
Policies simplify decision making because they guide employees to act in predefined
ways under specific circumstances. They also ensure that decision making is delegated
to the correct levels of management. It reduces uncertainty because it guides decision
making, and thus results in faster decision time.
Policies should be updated to be relevant to the changing business environment. New
policies should also be added where necessary, to guide the behaviour of employees in
order to reach strategic goals.
Answer 1
• Policies guide thinking, decisions and actions of managers and employees in the
strategy implementation process. They also empower managers and employees at all
3
there are no list or name type questions asked in the examination. Therefore before start writing, developed a basic
outline or structure of the key points or arguments that you will make (a mind map may be useful in this regard).
Note the key points or arguments made should connect in some way. Therefore they cannot be disconnect statements
that read like a "shopping list" or " to-do" list. Moreover full, relevant and meaningful statements should be made.
Note that as a general rule of thumb, one mark is allocated for a full, relevant and meaningful statement made. It is
up to the discretion of the markers to penalise students for the excessive use of bullet-point answers or telegraph-style
answers.
Furthermore use the mark allocation, for each question, as a guideline to determine how many statements need to be
made. Most of the questions posted in this forum would require at least 10 full, relevant and meaningful statements to
be made. Therefore before posting an answer, please make sure you have followed the above guidelines...
MNG3702 Learning Unit 1 SA
1. Explain the six principles of strategic leadership. Provide practical
examples to support your explanation.
• Principle1: Strategic leaders are future orientated. Elon Musk has a clear vision of
electric cars replacing oil-based cars in the near future, and that vision has formed the
basis of his strategy.
• Principle 2: Strategic leaders are evidence-based and research led. Elon Musk has
invested strongly in research in new battery technology, in order to drive the cost of
the Tesla cars down.
• Principle 3: Strategic leaders get things done. Elon Musk did not just create theories
around new approaches to battery manufacturing and the battery supply chain, he has
commenced building the Giga Factory, which is the biggest battery factory in the
world.
• Principle 4: Strategic leaders open new horizons. Elon Musk reimagined the
whole approach to car retailing, and created car outlets and a retail experience
which is completely new to the industry.
• Principle 5: Strategic leaders are fit to lead. Tesla is not Elon Musk‟s first
technology venture. He has created a very successful technology company, PayPal,
in the past.
• Principle 6: Strategic leaders work effectively with all stakeholders. The
stakeholders in Tesla includes other players in the industry. Tesla gave the whole
industry a massive boost by going open source with its patents.
Lecturer‟s comment: The examples are carefully chosen, relevant and appropriately
supports the explanation. Well done.
1
, 2. Explain how organisational culture can support and enhance strategy implementation.
The post is an improvement on the previous posts. Note that the question has a "how" element
to it. Therefore the question requires you to indicate how organisational can support/enhance
the implementation. As stated in the previous post review LU4, section 4.5, which deals with
mechanisms that leaders can use to shape organisational culture, such as embedding
mechanisms, structural mechanisms, change programmes, symbolic and substansive actions.
A key argument that should be made - there should be alignment or fit between organisational
culture and the chosen strategy.. if there is fit, then it will enhance/support implementation
efforts. Note assumptions and values, often take for granted, strongly influences and shapes
actions, and also determines what gets incorporated into implementation components. If
culture is not aligned with strategy, then it will work against implementation efforts.
Furthermore actions should be taken to deal with misalignment. For example changing the
strategy, shape culture
2
, or work around culture. The guide argues instilling a culture (shaping) that fits supports the
strategy, by means of several mechanisms. See LU4, section 4.5, p. 56-57.
With reference to the cultural web, organizational culture could support and enhance strategy
implementation in the following manner:
• Using stories to convey the organization’s values, and beliefs. For example Whitey Basson’s story
regarding the 1600 forms that was required to be filled in in order to ship goods to Maputo the first time.
• Rituals and routines: Reinforcing the organization’s culture by, for example, holding a ceremony for long
service awards, to celebrate staff retention.
• Symbols: a trophy awarded for a department for good scores on their key performance areas, is a
symbol that will serve to motivate staff to behave in a manner that supports the strategy.
• Control systems: controlling the strategy implementation with tools such as the Balanced Scorecard.
• Organizational structures: The organization can tweak its structure into one that best serves its strategy,
for example decentralizing its decision making in order to decrease its turn-around time on customer
requests.
• Power structures: without top management demonstrating the values that is expected from employees,
the cultural change to implement the strategy will fail. Top management should lead by example, and talk
the talk, and also walk the walk.
Lecturer‟s comment: The arguments made and the examples provides are sound.
implementation
3. Explain the merits (advantages, disadvantages and constraints) of policies and
procedures for strategy
study guide page
13 Answer 2
Policies can either assist, or block strategy implementation.
Policies sets boundaries to employee behaviour. It limits what can be done, and also
how it can be done. This can add to the „red tape‟ in an organization.
Policies simplify decision making because they guide employees to act in predefined
ways under specific circumstances. They also ensure that decision making is delegated
to the correct levels of management. It reduces uncertainty because it guides decision
making, and thus results in faster decision time.
Policies should be updated to be relevant to the changing business environment. New
policies should also be added where necessary, to guide the behaviour of employees in
order to reach strategic goals.
Answer 1
• Policies guide thinking, decisions and actions of managers and employees in the
strategy implementation process. They also empower managers and employees at all
3
