Strategic Business Leadership Models Flashcards

In the McKinsey 7-S Framework, which two elements are considered the 'hard' elements?

Answer: Strategy and Structure

Strategy and Structure are hard elements along with Systems; the remaining four (Skills, Staff, Style, Shared Values) are soft elements.

Which Ansoff Matrix quadrant carries the highest risk for an organization?

Answer: Diversification

Diversification involves entering new markets with new products, making it the highest-risk strategy since the organization lacks experience in both dimensions.

According to Lewin's Force Field Analysis, what must happen for successful change to occur?

Answer: Driving forces must exceed restraining forces

Lewin's model holds that change occurs when driving forces collectively outweigh the restraining forces opposing the change.

The Balanced Scorecard's 'internal business processes' perspective primarily focuses on which question?

Answer: What must we excel at?

The internal business processes perspective asks what the organization must excel at internally to satisfy customers and shareholders.

In Tuckman's model of team development, during which stage does conflict typically emerge as team members assert their positions?

Answer: Storming

Storming is characterized by interpersonal conflict, power struggles, and challenge of the leader as members compete for roles.

Porter's Generic Strategies framework suggests that a firm 'stuck in the middle' will likely achieve which outcome?

Answer: Below-average profitability

Porter argued that firms failing to commit fully to either cost leadership or differentiation are 'stuck in the middle' and typically earn below-average returns.

The concept of 'strategic drift' as described by Johnson refers to which phenomenon?

Answer: Incremental strategy that gradually diverges from environmental change

Strategic drift occurs when an organization's strategy gradually falls behind environmental changes due to incremental, culturally constrained adaptations.