CERTIFIED PUBLIC MANAGER (CPM)
EXAMINATION QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED
ANSWERS) PLUS RATIONALES 2026 Q&A
| INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF
1. The primary purpose of the Certified Public Manager program is to:
A. Train private-sector executives
B. Develop effective and ethical public sector leaders
C. Certify accounting professionals
D. Prepare candidates for political office
Rationale: The CPM program focuses on strengthening leadership,
management, and ethical decision-making in public sector organizations.
2. Which management function involves setting goals and determining how to
achieve them?
A. Organizing
B. Planning
C. Leading
D. Controlling
Rationale: Planning establishes objectives and outlines actions needed to
achieve them.
3. A key difference between management and leadership is that leadership
primarily focuses on:
A. Budgets and procedures
B. Vision and influence
C. Policies and regulations
, D. Staffing levels
Rationale: Leadership emphasizes inspiring and influencing people toward
a shared vision.
4. Which of the following best describes public accountability?
A. Maximizing profits
B. Reducing employee turnover
C. Being answerable to the public for actions and outcomes
D. Maintaining organizational secrecy
Rationale: Public managers are accountable to citizens, stakeholders, and
oversight bodies.
5. Ethical decision-making in public management requires:
A. Avoiding difficult decisions
B. Following personal beliefs only
C. Applying laws, values, and ethical standards
D. Delegating responsibility to others
Rationale: Ethical decisions integrate legal requirements, professional
standards, and public values.
6. Which budgeting approach focuses on results and outcomes?
A. Line-item budgeting
B. Incremental budgeting
C. Performance-based budgeting
D. Zero-sum budgeting
Rationale: Performance-based budgeting links funding to measurable
outcomes and results.
7. The primary goal of human resource management in the public sector is to:
A. Minimize labor costs
B. Ensure competent and motivated employees
C. Eliminate unions
D. Reduce training expenses
Rationale: Effective HRM ensures the public sector has capable, engaged
staff to deliver services.
, 8. Which leadership style emphasizes collaboration and shared decision-
making?
A. Autocratic
B. Democratic
C. Laissez-faire
D. Bureaucratic
Rationale: Democratic leadership involves employees in decision-making
and values collaboration.
9. Strategic planning typically has what time horizon?
A. Daily
B. Short-term
C. Long-term
D. Immediate
Rationale: Strategic planning focuses on long-term goals and
organizational direction.
10.A SWOT analysis examines:
A. Budgets and expenditures
B. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats
C. Staff performance only
D. Legal compliance
Rationale: SWOT is a strategic tool to assess internal and external factors.
11.Which principle is central to effective delegation?
A. Retaining control of all tasks
B. Assigning authority with responsibility
C. Avoiding accountability
D. Micromanaging staff
Rationale: Delegation requires matching authority with assigned
responsibility.
12.Public managers must comply with administrative law primarily to:
A. Increase profits
B. Ensure fairness and legality in government actions
EXAMINATION QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED
ANSWERS) PLUS RATIONALES 2026 Q&A
| INSTANT DOWNLOAD PDF
1. The primary purpose of the Certified Public Manager program is to:
A. Train private-sector executives
B. Develop effective and ethical public sector leaders
C. Certify accounting professionals
D. Prepare candidates for political office
Rationale: The CPM program focuses on strengthening leadership,
management, and ethical decision-making in public sector organizations.
2. Which management function involves setting goals and determining how to
achieve them?
A. Organizing
B. Planning
C. Leading
D. Controlling
Rationale: Planning establishes objectives and outlines actions needed to
achieve them.
3. A key difference between management and leadership is that leadership
primarily focuses on:
A. Budgets and procedures
B. Vision and influence
C. Policies and regulations
, D. Staffing levels
Rationale: Leadership emphasizes inspiring and influencing people toward
a shared vision.
4. Which of the following best describes public accountability?
A. Maximizing profits
B. Reducing employee turnover
C. Being answerable to the public for actions and outcomes
D. Maintaining organizational secrecy
Rationale: Public managers are accountable to citizens, stakeholders, and
oversight bodies.
5. Ethical decision-making in public management requires:
A. Avoiding difficult decisions
B. Following personal beliefs only
C. Applying laws, values, and ethical standards
D. Delegating responsibility to others
Rationale: Ethical decisions integrate legal requirements, professional
standards, and public values.
6. Which budgeting approach focuses on results and outcomes?
A. Line-item budgeting
B. Incremental budgeting
C. Performance-based budgeting
D. Zero-sum budgeting
Rationale: Performance-based budgeting links funding to measurable
outcomes and results.
7. The primary goal of human resource management in the public sector is to:
A. Minimize labor costs
B. Ensure competent and motivated employees
C. Eliminate unions
D. Reduce training expenses
Rationale: Effective HRM ensures the public sector has capable, engaged
staff to deliver services.
, 8. Which leadership style emphasizes collaboration and shared decision-
making?
A. Autocratic
B. Democratic
C. Laissez-faire
D. Bureaucratic
Rationale: Democratic leadership involves employees in decision-making
and values collaboration.
9. Strategic planning typically has what time horizon?
A. Daily
B. Short-term
C. Long-term
D. Immediate
Rationale: Strategic planning focuses on long-term goals and
organizational direction.
10.A SWOT analysis examines:
A. Budgets and expenditures
B. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats
C. Staff performance only
D. Legal compliance
Rationale: SWOT is a strategic tool to assess internal and external factors.
11.Which principle is central to effective delegation?
A. Retaining control of all tasks
B. Assigning authority with responsibility
C. Avoiding accountability
D. Micromanaging staff
Rationale: Delegation requires matching authority with assigned
responsibility.
12.Public managers must comply with administrative law primarily to:
A. Increase profits
B. Ensure fairness and legality in government actions
