Use the discussion questions to engage further with the text – form debates with friends or formulate essay questions using them to open up new avenues of learning and help with revision.

1. Identify a company with a published mission statement on its website. Evaluate its mission statement along each of the following criteria:

   1. Is the mission statement comprehensive? Is it concise?

   2. Does the mission statement delineate in broad terms what products or services the firm is to offer?

   3. Is the mission statement consistent with the company’s actual activities and competitive prospects?

2. Is it necessary that the five steps in the strategic management process be performed sequentially? Why or why not?

3. What is the difference between an intended strategy and a realized strategy? Why is this distinction important?

4. How have outside perspectives influenced the development of the strategic management field?

5. Does the CEO alone make the strategic decisions for an organization? Explain.