Refer to the Scenario Below to Answer the Following Questions

question 148

Multiple Choice

Refer to the scenario below to answer the following questions.
Restructuring at Prairie Farm Equipment (Scenario)
Jim Johnson is the CEO of Prairie Farm Equipment Corp, a major Canadian manufacturer. Prairie has been in business for more than 100 years and has been very profitable. Today, the company has a tall structure with formalized communication channels and rigid hierarchical relationships. All major decisions are made by Mr. Johnson. This arrangement has worked well until recently, when the company began to encounter some major global competition. Foreign companies have begun to export new, lower-priced products into the Canadian market. At the same time, foreign markets appear to be opening their doors to more Canadian products. A few days ago, one of the vice-presidents presented some exciting news about a major market opportunity overseas. Several managers were now working on an international expansion proposal to be presented at the next board meeting. As the company's strategy was beginning to change, Mr. Johnson realized that its structure would also need to change. But change how? The company was very large and used routine technology to produce its products. What should he do?
-Which of the following contingency factors is having the biggest impact on the need for structural changes at Prairie?

• A) size
• B) technology
• C) environmental uncertainty
• D) culture
• E) chain of command

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Definitions:

SML

The Security Market Line (SML) is a graphical representation of the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM), showing the relationship between the expected return of investments and their risk as measured by beta.

Stable Equilibrium

A condition in which a system tends to return to its original state after a disturbance, indicating stability and balance.

Probabilities Of Loss

Probabilities of loss indicate the likelihood or risk of an investment resulting in a financial loss rather than a gain or profit.

Higher Returns

Earning more income on an investment relative to its cost, indicative of successful investments or strategies.