Final answer:
In an overall cost leadership strategy, it's usually not a good idea to offer as many different services as possible as this can lead to increased complexity and higher costs, thus undermining the strategy. Instead, such a strategy focuses on core competencies, optimization, and efficiency to reduce overall expenses.
Step-by-step explanation:
The overall cost leadership strategy implies that a firm aims to become the lowest cost producer in its industry. According to the concepts of business strategy, when a company is pursuing cost leadership, it typically focuses on streamlining its operations and scaling down on unnecessary overhead. This often includes optimizing core competencies, enhancing efficiency, and implementing technology to reduce labor costs where appropriate.
Option A ("Offer as many different services as possible to spread overhead costs") usually is not a good idea in the context of a cost leadership strategy. This is because spreading operations too thin across too many services can dilute the firm's core competencies and lead to increased complexity and costs, which is contrary to the principle of cost leadership.
On the other hand, concentrating on routine/standardized services (Option B), replacing labor with capital where possible (Option C), and performing some service activities off-line at a centralized site (Option D) are characteristic moves of a company seeking to maintain or achieve cost leadership.