Problems with Strategy and Why Strategies Fail | AQA A-Level Business (7132)
Problems with Strategy and Why Strategies Fail
- 123 questions
- 8 subtopics
- Strategy, assessed on all three papers
- Paper 1, Paper 2 and Paper 3
Problems with strategy is examined on Papers 1, 2 and 3, and closes the course.
It asks why strategies fail: the biases and constraints behind a bad decision, the gap between the plan and what emerges, and the difficulty of judging whether a strategy worked at all.
Sample questions from Problems with Strategy and Why Strategies Fail
Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.
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Uncertainty and cognitive bias in strategic decisions
What is overconfidence bias in strategic decision making?
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A cognitive bias where decision makers overestimate their ability to predict outcomes or the accuracy of their judgements, distorting strategic choices. -
Resource and organisational barriers to implementation
What happens when leadership lacks commitment to strategic change?
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It undermines the credibility and momentum of the change, as employees take cues from leaders and may not take the strategy seriously. -
Planned and emergent strategy
What is a key advantage of planned strategy for an organisation?
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It provides clear direction and coordination across the organisation. -
Reasons for strategic drift
Why does incremental change often fail to prevent strategic drift?
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Small adjustments fail to keep pace with the rate of environmental change, meaning the organisation gradually falls behind rather than making the transformational changes needed to stay aligned. -
Financial and non-financial measures of strategic performance
Why is return on investment (ROI) used as a financial measure of strategic performance?
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It measures the efficiency of an investment by comparing the gain or return to its cost, helping assess whether strategic investments are generating adequate returns. -
The balanced scorecard, KPIs and the limits of evaluation
What are Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)?
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Specific, measurable metrics used to track progress towards strategic objectives. -
The value of strategic planning
Explain the mechanism by which strategic planning improves coordination between departments.
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It establishes shared goals and integrated action plans, ensuring different departments and functions work together towards the same objectives rather than operating in isolation. -
Contingency planning and crisis management
What is scenario planning?
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Considering a range of possible future situations and preparing how the business would respond to each, so it is ready for different eventualities.
The 8 subtopics
One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.
| Subtopic | What it covers | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Uncertainty and cognitive bias in strategic decisions | Overconfidence, anchoring, confirmation bias, groupthink, short-termism and bounded rationality. | 13 |
| Resource and organisational barriers to implementation | Finance, people, time, culture, communication and stakeholder conflict as barriers. | 12 |
| Planned and emergent strategy | Mintzberg on intended, deliberate, emergent and unrealised strategy, and when each suits. | 18 |
| Reasons for strategic drift | Past success, the paradigm, path dependency, poor environmental monitoring, and how drift ends in crisis. | 16 |
| Financial and non-financial measures of strategic performance | Profitability, liquidity and shareholder returns, against satisfaction, engagement, reputation and innovation. | 10 |
| The balanced scorecard, KPIs and the limits of evaluation | The four perspectives, choosing KPIs, and why time lags and external factors confuse attribution. | 20 |
| The value of strategic planning | Direction, stakeholder alignment, resource allocation, motivation and preparedness for change. | 20 |
| Contingency planning and crisis management | Business continuity and scenario planning, what they cost, and the part communication plays in a crisis. | 14 |
How the guide is worked
Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.
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Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
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Step 2 · Open book
Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.
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Step 3 · Closed book again
Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.
Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.
Nearby topics
AQA A-Level Business Active Recall Guide
Every topic, not just this one. 1,819 questions with their answers.