1．Roger Miller is the CEO of MetaCorp. MetaCorp is attempting to develop a strategic plan to establish a sustainable competitive advantage. Miller hires a strategy consultant to help with the plan. Which of the following statements most likely characterizes the consultant’s advice to Miller regarding MetaCorp’s strategic plan?

A)   Competitive advantage requires at least 12 percent market share.

B)   Industry structure is relatively easy for the firm to change.

C)   All competitors must be "stuck in the middle."

D)   The strategic plan must be consistent with the firm's generic strategy.

2.Roger Miller is the CEO of MetaCorp. MetaCorp is attempting to implement a strategic plan to establish a sustainable competitive advantage. The main thrust of the plan is to achieve a market share of at least 18 percent. Miller hires a strategy consultant to review the plan. The consultant concludes that MetaCorp’s strategic plan is inadequate. Which of the following is a likely reason for the consultant’s conclusion?

A)   An 18 percent market share is sufficient to create a sustainable competitive advantage.

B)   An 18 percent market share is too large to create a sustainable competitive advantage.

C)   Market share goals are not a competitive strategy.

D)   The market share goal must be considered in relation to the number of competitors.

3.From a strategic planning perspective, what is a potential problem with using current industry norms as the basis for long term planning?

A)   Current forecasts are likely to be period specific.

B)   Current price and cost forecasts fail to consider how industry structure will affect the future.

C)   The strategic planning process should not consider current conditions.

D)   Many years of data should be used to create industry norms.

答案和详解如下：

1．Roger Miller is the CEO of MetaCorp. MetaCorp is attempting to develop a strategic plan to establish a sustainable competitive advantage. Miller hires a strategy consultant to help with the plan. Which of the following statements most likely characterizes the consultant’s advice to Miller regarding MetaCorp’s strategic plan?

A)   Competitive advantage requires at least 12 percent market share.

B)   Industry structure is relatively easy for the firm to change.

C)   All competitors must be "stuck in the middle."

D)   The strategic plan must be consistent with the firm's generic strategy.

The correct answer was D)

The firm’s generic competitive strategy should be at the center of the firm’s strategic plan. If the ultimate corporate goal is to create value by achieving a competitive advantage, then the generic strategy is the firm’s road map for achieving that goal. Therefore, the strategic planning process should be guided and informed by the firm’s generic strategy.

2.Roger Miller is the CEO of MetaCorp. MetaCorp is attempting to implement a strategic plan to establish a sustainable competitive advantage. The main thrust of the plan is to achieve a market share of at least 18 percent. Miller hires a strategy consultant to review the plan. The consultant concludes that MetaCorp’s strategic plan is inadequate. Which of the following is a likely reason for the consultant’s conclusion?

A)   An 18 percent market share is sufficient to create a sustainable competitive advantage.

B)   An 18 percent market share is too large to create a sustainable competitive advantage.

C)   Market share goals are not a competitive strategy.

D)   The market share goal must be considered in relation to the number of competitors.

The correct answer was C)

A common mistake managers make when they ignore their generic strategy is that they focus on market share as a measure of competitive position, failing to recognize that market share is the result, and not the cause, of competitive advantage.

3.From a strategic planning perspective, what is a potential problem with using current industry norms as the basis for long term planning?

A)   Current forecasts are likely to be period specific.

B)   Current price and cost forecasts fail to consider how industry structure will affect the future.

C)   The strategic planning process should not consider current conditions.

D)   Many years of data should be used to create industry norms.

The correct answer was B)

Price and cost forecasts are based on current market conditions and competitive positions, and fail to take into account how industry structure will influence future, long-term industry profitability and each competitor’s position in the industry.