Question

In companies where intellectual capital is crucial to good strategy execution, which of the following is generally not among the practices that companies use to establish a talented knowledge base?

A. Providing promising employees with challenging, interesting and skill-stretching assignments and also rotating them through jobs that not only have great content but also span functional and geographic boundaries
B. Expecting employees to take full responsibility for staying up to date, thereby minimizing the need to train or retrain employees
C. Coaching average performers to improve their skills and capabilities, while weeding out underperformers and benchwarmers
D. Encouraging employees to challenge existing ways of doing things, to be creative and innovative in proposing better ways of operating and to push their ideas for new products or businesses
E. Fostering a stimulating and engaging work environment such that employees will consider the company a great place to work

Answer 1

Expecting employees to take full responsibility for staying up to date without offering training is not a common practice in companies that value intellectual capital and strategy execution. Continuously developing skills and fostering a good work environment are key to retaining a skilled workforce.

Step-by-step explanation:

Among the practices mentioned, the one generally not used to establish a talented knowledge base in companies where intellectual capital is crucial for good strategy execution is:

B. Expecting employees to take full responsibility for staying up to date, thereby minimizing the need to train or retrain employees

While it's advantageous to encourage employees to take initiative and be responsible for their learning and professional development, solely relying on individual responsibility to stay up-to-date without investing in training or retraining efforts can be counterproductive. Companies typically acknowledge the importance of training and development programs to enhance and update employees' skills, particularly in areas vital for strategy execution.

The other options (A, C, D, E) generally represent common practices used by companies to establish and nurture a talented knowledge base, such as providing challenging assignments, coaching for skill improvement, fostering a culture of innovation, and creating an engaging work environment to attract and retain skilled employees. These practices contribute to building a strong knowledge base and fostering a conducive environment for strategic execution.