(With Answers)
PAPER # 1
**Instructions:**
1. Answer all questions.
2. Provide concise and clear responses.
3. Write your answers in the provided space or on additional sheets if necessary.
4. Total marks for this exam: 100.
**Section A: Multiple Choice Questions (15 Marks)**
Please circle the letter corresponding to the correct answer.
1. Which of the following is NOT a component of a SWOT analysis?
a) Strengths
b) Weaknesses
c) Opportunities
d) Tactics
2. What is the primary focus of corporate-level strategy?
a) Functional departments
b) Individual products or services
c) The entire organization
d) Target customers
3. A company pursuing a cost leadership strategy typically seeks to:
a) Differentiate its products and services
b) Target a niche market
c) Achieve the lowest production costs
d) Create unique marketing campaigns
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, 4. The PESTEL analysis framework is used to assess which of the following external
factors?
a) Competitive forces
b) Industry structure
c) Macroeconomic and environmental forces
d) Internal strengths and weaknesses
5. Which business strategy focuses on serving a narrow market segment exceptionally
well?
a) Cost leadership
b) Differentiation
c) Focus
d) Diversification
**Section B: Short Answer Questions (25 Marks)**
6. Define corporate governance and explain its significance in strategic management.
**Answer:**
Corporate governance refers to the system of rules, practices, and processes by which
a company is directed and controlled. It encompasses the relationships among a
company's management, its board of directors, its shareholders, and other
stakeholders. Corporate governance is significant in strategic management because it
ensures that an organization's leadership acts in the best interests of all stakeholders,
maximizes shareholder value, and establishes a framework for ethical decision-making.
7. Discuss the concept of competitive advantage and provide an example of a company
with a sustainable competitive advantage.
**Answer:**
Competitive advantage is when a company can outperform its rivals by producing goods
or services more efficiently or offering something unique that is highly valued by
customers. An example of a company with sustainable competitive advantage is Apple
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