4/29/2019 Planning

Planning
MY PROGRESS - 100%

Results

89%
Your Grade 89%

Number of attempts remaining: 1 Retry

Your Report

Decision Point: Validating the Strategic Goal (1st Instance) Points 5 out of 5

Soon after your arrival at Swazzi, the CEO calls you into his o ce to say that it is the
company’s goal to open the 10 new stores on Swazzi’s 25th anniversary, two years from
now. He asks whether you can commit to this overall strategic goal.

The goal may unfortunately not be achievable; further review is necessary. 

Yes. It is the sta ’s top priority to make management’s vision a reality. All members of
the Swazzi organization must be oriented toward achieving this goal.

Yes. The goal is an excellent way to commemorate Swazzi’s 25 years of

accomplishments. Every means available should be utilized to open the stores on time.

5 out of 5 points earned:

You selected that the goal may unfortunately not be achievable; further review is
necessary. This was the best choice. You correctly determined that the arbitrary opening

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date should be reconsidered. While confronting your new boss can be an intimidating
Planning
experience, addressing aws in the plan at the outset would pay big dividends later.
  MY PROGRESS - 100%

LO 5.2 Explain what managers do in the strategic management Read more about
process. pp. 135-143 it in the eText

Decision Point: Validating the Strategic Goal (2nd Instance) Points 5 out of 5

Why should the overall goal be reviewed?

Since you will be responsible for the goal, it's a good idea to see if it can be made less
challenging. 

It's not clear that the organization has the capacity to achieve the goal. 

Management often comes up with arbitrary goals. These should be checked to see if
they are meaningful and achievable. 

5 out of 5 points earned:

You selected that it's not clear that the organization has the capacity to achieve the goal.
This was the best choice. In planning, it is your responsibility to review management's goals
and research whether they are obtainable or not.
 

LO 5.2 Explain what managers do in the strategic management Read more about
process. pp. 135-143 it in the eText

Decision Point: Is the Tactical Plan Sound? Points 5 out of 5

With a strategic goal that is more realistic, it is time to turn your attention to ne-tuning the
expansion plan. Single-use plans document the manner in which strategic goals will be met.
 

Management supplied the budget numbers for the Swazzi personnel on this project.
Your responsibility as Western Division Manager is to make it happen. 

No. Some adjustment is required rst.

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Planning
Yes. The plan contains a budget for personnel time in key employment areas. 

MY PROGRESS - 100%

5 out of 5 points earned:

You selected that some adjustment is required rst. This was the best choice. You were
correct that, in order for the plan to have a chance of succeeding, adjustments would have
to be made to the number of hours allocated to the project. According to your earlier
discussion with the Senior Manager of Planning and the Vice President of HR, there seems
to be a signi cant shortage of design time and an overestimation of paralegal time, and the
bottleneck appears to be training.
 

LO 5.2 Explain what managers do in the strategic management Read more about
process. pp. 135-143 it in the eText

Decision Point: Reacting to Changed Conditions Points 5 out of 5

Your budget is substantially low on the number of designer hours needed, and actually
cannot succeed as it stands. You get an email from your head designer. She seeks
reassurance that you will not be overburdening her sta with an unrealistic timeline.
 

You have an excess of paralegals on the project that could assist the designers in some
of the simpler tasks, such as choosing paint colors. 

You have talked to the CEO and you are quite sure he will agree to delay some of the
openings beyond the anniversary date. 

You will search for solutions to this problem. 

5 out of 5 points earned:

You selected that you will search for solutions to this problem. This was the best choice.
When it became clear that there were not enough designer hours in the budget, you
correctly began a search for solutions.
 

LO 5.2 Explain what managers do in the strategic management Read more about
process. pp. 135-143 it in the eText

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Decision Point: External Environment Points 1 out of 5

Planning
With the VP of Human Resources now looking for additional designers,
MY PROGRESS - 100% you can turn your
attention to the new store locations. Five are still needed. 

The heads of Planning and Legal assure you that they can acquire the remaining properties
on time. There is a catch, however, and it is a big one. Swazzi has always constructed its
stores in high-end malls. Planning proposes to save time by using already-existing, vacant,
stand-alone suburban buildings. The legal department has ve sites that can be under
contract within a week, all from a single chain of stores that has gone out of business. If this
option is not chosen, a new search for space will need to begin, which will put the target
date at risk. 

No. The decision to use the stand-alone locations needs to be made now, to keep on
schedule. 

Yes. Quick market research would be important to this decision.

Yes. A SWOT analysis should be performed.

1 out of 5 points earned:

You selected that a SWOT analysis should be performed. This was not the best choice.
Remember, a SWOT analysis is typically aligned with strategic planning, rather than a single-
use plan. Is there an option that would allow you to gain information about consumers and
competitors? 
 

LO 5.2 Explain what managers do in the strategic management Read more about
process. pp. 135-143 it in the eText

Decision Point: Competitive Intelligence Points 5 out of 5

A week later your market research arrives from Planning. There is a reason why all those
stand-alone stores are vacant. Shoppers have been returning to the malls, especially for the
high-end products that Swazzi sells. You request that a copy of the research be sent to the
VP of Sales, and he comes to your o ce for a visit.
 

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The VP of Sales states, “From a sales standpoint, our recent data shows that the malls are
Planning
the place to be. But you have other factors to consider: design and construction costs, rent
levels, availability of a workforce, and of course the deadline.”
MY PROGRESS - 100%

No. The sales outlook is too uncertain. 

Yes. The properties are in reasonably good condition and the time savings by going this
route will enable you to open all ten stores by the anniversary date.

5 out of 5 points earned:

You selected that the sales outlook is too uncertain. This was the best choice. You were
correct in seeking market research from Swazzi’s Planning department. Key information
about consumers and your competitors was needed before making the choice on
acquisitions. 
 

LO 5.2 Explain what managers do in the strategic management Read more about
process. pp. 135-143 it in the eText

Decision Point: Choosing Between Alternatives Points 5 out of 5

You eventually revise the tactical plan to provide for staggered openings: eight before the
anniversary date and two more afterward. Management is less than enthusiastic about the
changes initially, but when you present the reasoning behind the various tactical decisions
they become supportive.
 

You should now devote your attention full time to anticipating contingencies and
developing detailed back-up plans that can be put into place if there are unexpected
problems.

No. Though plans should be speci c, they should also remain exible. Monitor them
frequently.

Yes. Management has accepted changes to the plan. Turn your attention back to the
existing stores in your region.

5 out of 5 points earned:

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You selected that though plans should be speci c, they should also remain exible. Monitor
Planning plans retain exibility so the company
them frequently. This was the best choice. Successful
can deal with any contingencies that may arise. MY PROGRESS - 100%

LO 5.2 Explain what managers do in the strategic management Read more about
process. pp. 135-143 it in the eText
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