Chapter 9: Strategic leadership, entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship

Strategic leaders must ensure that long-term objectives, and strategies, have been determined, communicated, understood and supported by others. Which of the following conditions is likely to be the most suitable, to ensure objectives are supported and will remain valuable to the firm?
1. Ambitious objectives, which will result in an organization radically different to the one perceived now.
2. Feasible and achievable objectives, which account for changing conditions.
3. Broad objectives, designed to outline a desired future.
4. Feasible and achievable objectives, based on current analysis.
Corporate governance is a central issue to strategic leadership and shows, to employees and broader stakeholders, the ethical stance of those managing, and leading change, in the firm. Which of the following governance forms is likely to contradict an ethical standpoint, on the execution of leadership power?
1. Board of directors is supplemented by independent, non-executive directors, bringing experience and expertise.
2. Chairman holds the CEO position to expedite decision-making, and streamlining the executive board.
3. Executive team is based on a balance of skills and experience.
4. Members of the executive team are appointed, based on their perceived value-added.
Which of these is a characteristic of ineffective leadership?
1. A leader who is only a charismatic, strategic visionary but not operationally-minded.
2. Few new initiatives being implemented.
3. Reserves the right to change his/her mind, even after supporting a manager’s decision.
4. Single-minded.
Which of the following is not a characteristic of intrapreneurial organizations?
1. Strategy-making is dominated by the active search for, and exploitation of, new opportunities.
2. Strategic change is characterized by dramatic leaps forward in the face of uncertainty.
3. Growth is the chief goal of the organization.
4. Continuous emphasis on efficiency, so that the organization can challenge its competitors with lower cost initiatives.
According to McClelland and Winter (1971), people are motivated by three needs. Which of the following is one of those needs?
1. Need for money.
2. Need to self-actualize.
3. Need to achieve.
4. Need for empowerment.
Bridge et al. (1998) state that organizations must recruit, spot and use people that Pinchot (1985) labeled as ‘intrapreneurs’. Which of these statements is an adequate reflection of an intrapreneur?
1. People with entrepreneurial talent, who are motivated to use their abilities and initiative to do something on their own.
2. People who are creative thinkers within the firm.
3. People with entrepreneurial talent, who are motivated to use their abilities and initiative to do something on their own, but may not want to start their own business.
4. People who do not want to take risks, but are willing to offer ideas to managers for improvements, new or incremental.
Which of these organizational conditions is not necessary to develop effective intrapreneurship?
1. Employee suggestion schemes.
2. Making internal resources available to employees.
3. Managerial support.
4. Encouragement and reward systems promoting change.
Each entrepreneur is far from identical. Conceptually, it can be said, there are five types: hard, soft, ambitious, innovative and the designer-inventor. Which of the following is not a feature of a ‘hard’ entrepreneur.
1. Pragmatic.
2. Opportunistic
3. Natural networkers.
4. Engage others to persuade their vision.
Five different types of entrepreneur exist: hard, soft, ambitious, innovative, and the designer-inventor. Which of the following is not a feature of ambitious entrepreneurs?
1. Galvanize others.
2. Independent.
3. Energetic.
4. Charismatic presence.
In terms of leadership, which of the following best describes Sam Walton of Wal-Mart?
1. Individual and visionary
2. Mild but determined
3. Behind the scenes but 'keeping an eye out'
4. Egotistical and determined