Final answer:
The tools of strategic change management including benchmarking and goal setting are closely associated with establishing stretch targets, but goal setting is the most direct tool for setting such targets. option d
Step-by-step explanation:
The tools of strategic change management involved in establishing stretch targets are multifaceted and can include various tactics to achieve ambitious goals. Among these tools, goal setting is most directly related to establishing such targets. Goal setting involves defining specific, achievable, and timed objectives that move an organization forward. This is critical in strategic planning and performance improvement. While benchmarking and SWOT analysis are also important tools in strategic change management, they serve different functions; benchmarking is used for comparing an organization's practices with those of leaders in the industry to identify areas for improvement, and SWOT analysis helps in understanding the organization's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats better. Therefore, in the context of the student's question regarding strategic change management, the tools that specifically involve establishing stretch targets would be benchmarking and goal setting, making B. Goal Setting the closest answer, if one must be chosen.