MNG3701 TOPIC 1 WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS AND VERIFIED QUESTIONS
GRADED A+ (2024-2025)
1 Comment on the importance of strategy implementation as a component of the strategic
management process.
(5) - ANS-The importance of strategy implementation in strategic management process is more about
creating change that is timely and appropriate. Organisations could in the past make incremental
changes to keep pace, but change is increasingly revolutionary and disruptive. Organisations have to
deal with products being made obsolete in a very short space of time, and products have shorter life
cycles. Moreover even if they are the leading competitor the disruption may come not from the
competitors in the same industry, but from organisations in other industries that have a business model
that is unexpected.
Overall strategic change that is not managed well will have little value if plans are not implemented
timely. As plans themselves may be obsolete by the time a strategic plan is implemented.
Explain why corporate governance is important in strategy implementation. (5) - ANS-In the context of
strategy implementation, corporate governance is the responsibility of the Board of Directors to oversee
the implementation of strategy. The King reports on corporate governance and the Public Finance
Management Act (PFMA) are examples of corporate governance guidelines/frameworks.
Some reasons for its importance (there may be additional reasons, but these are some of the main
reasons why corporate governance is important in strategy implementation): It focuses on sustainability.
It ensures that adequate controls are in place. It promotes high ethical standards.
It makes sure that reward systems are reasonable and beneficial to the organisation. It aims at reducing
the risk of failure.
, Good corporate governance and corporate citizenship are equally important in strategic planning and
implementation. The board of directors are responsible to ensure that management implements chosen
strategies and monitors that implementation. Strategy implementation should take issues such as social
responsibility, environmental responsibility, stakeholder engagement and sustainability into account.
7. Discuss the "warm square" in the modified McKinsey 7-S framework. (5) - ANS-There are four
components in the "warm square":
Style. the leadership and management style of the organization.
Staff. the people in the organization.
Skills. the organization's core competencies and sources of competitive advantage.
Shared values. the values that the organization believes in.
The "warm square" refers to the people of the organization and to the "soft" issues. It also relates to the
drivers of strategy implementation; such as leadership, organizational culture and reward systems;
which are people- centered. Whereas the "cold triangle" relates to the structural drivers of strategy
implementation; namely organizational culture and reward systems; and the instruments of strategy
implementation; namely short-term objectives, functional tactics and policies; which are all not people-
centered.
8 Describe the drivers of strategy implementation. (5) - ANS-Five drivers are: loror
1. Leadership: a strategic leader must have the ability to anticipate, envision, maintain flexibility and to
empower others to create strategic change as necessary, to articulate a strategic vision for the
organisation and to motivate others. Strategic leadership involves managing through others and
influencing human behaviour in order to achieve certain goals.
Discuss five (5) reasons why strategy implementation in an organisation might fail. (5) - ANS-9/10
organisations fail to implement strategy successfully.
Vision Barrier. Only 5% of the workforce understands the vision and strategy.
Management Barrier. 85% of top management teams spend less than an hour on strategy.
People Barrier. Only 25% of managers have rewards linked to strategy.
Resource Barrier. 60% of organisations do not link budgets to strategy.
Other reasons why strategy implementation might fail include:
Inadequate resources.
Poorly communicated strategy.
Implementation actions that are not clearly defined.
ANSWERS AND VERIFIED QUESTIONS
GRADED A+ (2024-2025)
1 Comment on the importance of strategy implementation as a component of the strategic
management process.
(5) - ANS-The importance of strategy implementation in strategic management process is more about
creating change that is timely and appropriate. Organisations could in the past make incremental
changes to keep pace, but change is increasingly revolutionary and disruptive. Organisations have to
deal with products being made obsolete in a very short space of time, and products have shorter life
cycles. Moreover even if they are the leading competitor the disruption may come not from the
competitors in the same industry, but from organisations in other industries that have a business model
that is unexpected.
Overall strategic change that is not managed well will have little value if plans are not implemented
timely. As plans themselves may be obsolete by the time a strategic plan is implemented.
Explain why corporate governance is important in strategy implementation. (5) - ANS-In the context of
strategy implementation, corporate governance is the responsibility of the Board of Directors to oversee
the implementation of strategy. The King reports on corporate governance and the Public Finance
Management Act (PFMA) are examples of corporate governance guidelines/frameworks.
Some reasons for its importance (there may be additional reasons, but these are some of the main
reasons why corporate governance is important in strategy implementation): It focuses on sustainability.
It ensures that adequate controls are in place. It promotes high ethical standards.
It makes sure that reward systems are reasonable and beneficial to the organisation. It aims at reducing
the risk of failure.
, Good corporate governance and corporate citizenship are equally important in strategic planning and
implementation. The board of directors are responsible to ensure that management implements chosen
strategies and monitors that implementation. Strategy implementation should take issues such as social
responsibility, environmental responsibility, stakeholder engagement and sustainability into account.
7. Discuss the "warm square" in the modified McKinsey 7-S framework. (5) - ANS-There are four
components in the "warm square":
Style. the leadership and management style of the organization.
Staff. the people in the organization.
Skills. the organization's core competencies and sources of competitive advantage.
Shared values. the values that the organization believes in.
The "warm square" refers to the people of the organization and to the "soft" issues. It also relates to the
drivers of strategy implementation; such as leadership, organizational culture and reward systems;
which are people- centered. Whereas the "cold triangle" relates to the structural drivers of strategy
implementation; namely organizational culture and reward systems; and the instruments of strategy
implementation; namely short-term objectives, functional tactics and policies; which are all not people-
centered.
8 Describe the drivers of strategy implementation. (5) - ANS-Five drivers are: loror
1. Leadership: a strategic leader must have the ability to anticipate, envision, maintain flexibility and to
empower others to create strategic change as necessary, to articulate a strategic vision for the
organisation and to motivate others. Strategic leadership involves managing through others and
influencing human behaviour in order to achieve certain goals.
Discuss five (5) reasons why strategy implementation in an organisation might fail. (5) - ANS-9/10
organisations fail to implement strategy successfully.
Vision Barrier. Only 5% of the workforce understands the vision and strategy.
Management Barrier. 85% of top management teams spend less than an hour on strategy.
People Barrier. Only 25% of managers have rewards linked to strategy.
Resource Barrier. 60% of organisations do not link budgets to strategy.
Other reasons why strategy implementation might fail include:
Inadequate resources.
Poorly communicated strategy.
Implementation actions that are not clearly defined.
