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. What are the relationships among corporate-level, business unit, and functional strategies?

2. Why and how should the four Ps of marketing be aligned to support the organization’s business strategy?

3. What is the difference between product and process R & D? How can each align with business strategies?

4. Relate the concept of the experience curve to the production operations of an automobile assembly plant.

5. Explain the role of business process reengineering in various functional strategies.

6. Explain the linkage that a JIT inventory system provides between the purchasing and production functions. What are the implications for quality?