Which represents a long-term business strategy?

Question

Options

• A"To earn $5.40 in net profit."
• B"To run a series of senior executive briefings with investors,by year-end"
• C"Become a top-3 company for energy-industry analytics.Acquire start-ups plus expand in
• D"Extend current IT maintenance contracts before they expire,to secure the lowest cost for the next

• A
  5% (3)
• B
  12% (7)
• C
  79% (46)
• D
  3% (2)

Explanation

Option C is correct because it describes a long-term strategic vision - becoming a top-3 market leader through acquisitions and geographic expansion. These are multi-year, high-level goals that define where the organization is heading, which is the hallmark of long-term strategy.

Why the distractors are wrong:

• A is a short-term financial target (a specific profit figure), not a directional strategy.
• B is an operational/tactical task (scheduling briefings by year-end) - it has a near-term deadline and no strategic direction.
• D is a cost-management activity (renewing contracts before expiry) - reactive and short-horizon, not strategic.

Memory tip: Long-term strategy answers the question "Where are we going over the next 3–10 years?" Look for words like "become," "expand," "acquire," or market positioning language. If an answer has a specific dollar amount, a near-term deadline (e.g., "by year-end"), or describes a routine operational task, it's almost certainly not long-term strategy.

No community discussion yet for this question.