1. Do you think that in most cases the trench warfare of Alpha Company is more or less effective than Guerilla warfare of the Beta Company? Why? What exs can you give to support your argument?

• To what extent is the Hamel &Prahalad article a restatement and development of Resource Based Theory (Grant) and to what extent is it a new and/or independent theory of the strategy?

• To what extent is the Hamel &Prahalad article a development of Porter's ‘What is Strategy?’ article and to what extent does it represent the independent approach?

2. Ansoff identified four different kinds of diversification. What is one of the kinds of diversification?

- How would you define that kind of diversification?
- Give exs of organizations which made employ of one of these kinds of diversification.

3. What is a 'blue ocean' strategy? How does it vary from brainstorming?

• How do organizations control continuity and purpose with a 'blue ocean' outlook?

• Give exs from your knowledge if you have worked in an organization with a 'blue ocean' outlook?

4. Give exs of companies that have enhanced their market position market leader by dramatically shifting customer choice patterns?

• What is Sony's core competence and how is it incorporated in to their products?

5. How, according to "The Functions of the HQ Unit in the Multi-Business Firm," economies of scale and economies of scope give cost benefits opportunities to firms?

• What considerations would be relevant to a firm's deciding which strategy (scale or scope) to adopt?

• How does the choice of executive focus - strategic control, strategic planning, and financial control - influence HQ functions and approaches in a multi business firm?

6. Describe 'global' and 'international regional' strategies.

• What features, challenges and issues distinguish global strategies from domestic strategies?

• Are there generic global strategies? For illustration, applications of Porter's low cost, differentiation and focus strategies?

• Discuss the implications of global and international regional strategies for different departments and functions. For ex, finance and budgeting; human resources; legal counsel; operations and production; marketing.

7. Is Global branding important to consumers? Why (or why not) and how? What aspects do consumers associate global brands with when making purchase decisions? Give exs of how global branding affected a purchase decision you have made.

• What challenges do global markets pose for the brand management?

• What strategies can transnational companies take to make positive perceptions of their global brands?

• What strategies can transnational companies employ to protect their trademarks and patents?

8. Drivers of globalization potential include Cost Drivers, Customer Drivers, Competitive Drivers and Government Drivers. Over which of these do organizations have greater (or lesser) control? What actions can be taken to exploit certain drivers?

• Give exs of companies that fall under the multi-domestic or global strategy. Briefly identify their strategies.

• What features do international managers need? How can companies prepare managers for international assignments? How can managers position themselves for international experience and careers?

• Discuss the roles, characteristics and challenges encountered by Country Managers.

• What strategies can transnational companies employ to moderate the complications of multiple reporting structures? (Consider, for ex, a marketing manager that reports to both a country manager and a marketing executive at corporate HQ.)

9. Strategy formulation presupposes a set of goals and aims. Why aren't goals and objectives obvious? What characteristics of people and organizations can make setting goals and objectives difficult?

• Objectives function at various levels of scope and specificity. Objectives need to be prioritized, or ranked. What techniques assist managers in ranking objectives? What obstacles stand in the way of attaining agreement as to the ranking of objectives and prioritizing tasks?