Module 3: Planning
Lesson 3.1: Strategic Planning
Please refer to the case study: Sappi limited on pg 125 in your textbook.
Case Study Questions
Question 1
Comment on Sappi's vision and mission statements from an academic perspective.
Question 2
Compile a BSC for Sappi, based on the information provided above a well as your own input.
Question 3
Identify the type of strategy that Sappi wants to implement. Comment on how well this strategy is
aligned with Sappi's mission statement.
Question 4
Based on the information provided on Sappi above, on which strategic planning element could you
not find information?
Paragraph Questions
Question 1
Explain what a mission statement encompasses by looking at the following:
•
What a mission statement is
•
The core components of a mission statement
•
Additional components of a mission statement
Question 2
Explain what the resource-based view of an organisation encompasses.
Question 3
Diagrammatically depict the process that can be followed to build a scenario of the
future for an organisation facing profound changes in the business environment.
Question 4
Diagrammatically depict the four dimensions of the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) an
briefly explain each of the dimensions.
Question 5
State the differences between the following corporate combination strategies:
•
Joint venture
•
Strategic alliance
•
Merger
•
Acquisition
Essay Question
Diagrammatically depict - and explain - the components of the strategic planning process to
convince a critic of strategic planning of the value of this management approach to a contemporary
business organisation facing a changing business environment.
Lesson 3.2: Planning
Please refer to the cases study: Sandwich Baron franchise on pg 159 in your textbook.
Case Study Questions
Question 1
The decision made by Sally to roll-out the franchise on a national basis is an example of what type of
plan? Justify your answer.
Question 2
Based on the information provided above, compile a Balanced Scorecard for the business.
Question 3
Compile an annual sales forecast for a fictitious Sandwich Baron franchise based on the following
information:
•
Sales projected for January: R150 000;
•
Increase in sales of 1.5, month on month.
?? Excel spread sheet
Question 4
If the gross turnover of an average Sandwich Baron franchise is R150 000 per year and its cost of
sales is R600 000, what is its: (1) gross profit and (2) gross profit percentage?
Paragraph Questions
Question 1
Briefly discuss strategic, tactical and operational plans by highlighting any similarity
and differences between them.
Question 2
Explain how project management differs from general management.
Question 3
Discuss the logical steps in the planning process that a manager must go through ;~
order to plan successfully.
Question 4
What possible reasons could managers cite for their reluctance to plan?
Question 5
Briefly discuss MBO as a goal-setting approach at individual level in an organisation.
Essay Question
You have recently been appointed as head of a section in a medium-sized business. The section has
been very poorly managed in the past - mainly as a result of very poor planning done by your
predecessor. Explain how you will go about ensuring that proper plans are in place for this section in
future.
Hint: You will have to summarise almost the entire chapter in order to answer this question
properly. You should limit your answer to less than 900 words (three pages to ensure that you focus
on the essence of planning - and not on peripheral issues.
Lesson 3.3: Managerial Decision Making
Please refer to the case study: Chairman and chief executive’s review: Standard Bank of South Africa
limited on pg 185 in your textbook.
Case Study Questions
Question 1
During 2009, Standard Bank faced many problems that they needed to solve.
Management needed to go through a number of stages that helped them think through the problem
and make optimal decisions. Discuss the stages in the decision-making process that Standard Bank
needed to follow. In your discussion, you need to apply each stage of the decision-making process to
Standard Bank.
Question 2
Group decision making can enhance the decision making processes of Standard Bank that you have
discussed in the previous question. Defend the statement 'groups make better decisions than
individuals working alone'.
Question 3
Various techniques exist that can improve group decision making in an organisation. Which of these
techniques would you recommend to the management of Standard Bank, given the problems and
opportunities with which they were faced in 2009. Substantiate your answer.
Question 4
Most of the decisions referred to in the Standard Bank case study, are decisions top
management needed to make. Which quantitative decision making tools would you
recommend to their top management that would enhance their decision-making
processes? Substantiate your answer.
Paragraph Questions
Question 1
Explain the relationship between problems, problem solving and decision making in an
organisational context.
Question 2
Distinguish between the various types of decisions made by the managers of an organisation.
Question 3
Explain the conditions under which decisions are made in an organisation. Illustrate your answer by
means of practical examples from the business environment.
Question 4
Compare the various techniques that an organisation can use to enhance group
decision making.
Essay Question
Various tools are available to assist managers in especially two stages of the decision-making
process, namely the evaluation of alternative courses of action and the selection of the best option.
Discuss these tools for decision making and distinguish between the tools that are most appropriate
for use by top, middle and lower management of an organisation.
Lesson 3.4: Information Management
Please refer to the case study: Speeding up insurance claims with new information systems on pg
208 in your textbook.
Case Study Questions
Question 1
Symbility designed a new information system that speeds up the processing of claim by insurance
companies. Explain the basic components of the new information system. Illustrate your answer by
means of a diagram.
Question 2
To be of value to insurance companies, the information produced by the Symbility information
system should have certain characteristics. Explain these characteristics.
Question 3
To develop the new information system, Symbility needed to go through a systematic
development process involving end-users (the insurance companies) and their own
technical staff. Discuss this process and apply each step of the process to the case study.
Question 4
Information systems can conceptually be classified as operations information systems, management
information systems and other classifications (such as the Internet, extranet and so on). Where
would you classify the information systems developed by symbility? Substantiate your answer.
Essay Question
Information systems perform operational and managerial support roles in organisations. Discuss the
conceptual classification of information systems in an organisation.