OPMA 3306 EXAM 2 – 200 MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
WITH EXPLANATIONS Operations Management | University
of Texas at Arlington
MODULE 1: STRATEGY, COMPETITIVENESS & PRODUCTIVITY (1–20)
1. What three core elements must be integrated for success in operations and supply chain
management?
A) Strategy, Marketing, Finance
B) Strategy, Processes, Analytics
C) Quality, Speed, Cost
D) People, Plant, Parts
Answer: B
Explanation: Integration of strategy (long‑term direction), processes (how work is done), and analytics
(data‑driven decision‑making) is essential for OSCM success.
2. Which of the following is not a major strategic operational competitive dimension?
A) Cost/Price
B) Delivery Speed
C) Management Acumen
D) Flexibility
Answer: C
Explanation: Key competitive dimensions include cost, quality, delivery speed, delivery reliability,
flexibility, and new‑product introduction speed. “Management acumen” is a skill, not a competitive
dimension.
3. An activity‑system map shows:
,A) The floor plan of a manufacturing facility
B) How a company’s strategy is delivered to customers
C) The sequence of assembly steps
D) Workplace safety hazards
Answer: B
Explanation: Activity‑system maps visually link strategic choices to operational activities, showing how
competitive advantage is created and delivered to customers.
4. The triple bottom line refers to:
A) Revenue, Cost, Profit
B) People, Planet, Profit
C) Suppliers, Company, Customers
D) Planning, Execution, Control
Answer: B
Explanation: The triple bottom line balances social (people), environmental (planet), and financial
(profit) performance.
5. A firm’s competitive dimensions include all except:
A) Cost or Price
B) Delivery Reliability
C) Employee Satisfaction
D) New‑Product Introduction Speed
Answer: C
Explanation: Competitive dimensions directly affect a company’s competitive position. Employee
satisfaction is an internal HR issue, not a competitive dimension.
6. What is the main goal of operations management?
,A) Hiring as many people as possible
B) Using resources (labor, materials) efficiently
C) Designing a company logo
D) Setting employee salaries
Answer: B
Explanation: Operations management focuses on efficiently transforming inputs into valuable outputs to
meet customer needs.
7. Which of these lists contains only competitive dimensions of a firm?
A) Cost or price, delivery speed, employee morale
B) Cost or price, delivery speed, delivery reliability
C) Delivery speed, innovation, turnover rate
D) Delivery reliability, customer loyalty, inventory turns
Answer: B
Explanation: Major competitive dimensions are cost/price, quality, delivery speed, delivery reliability,
flexibility, and new‑product intro speed.
8. Operations effectiveness means:
A) Always picking the cheapest option
B) Performing activities in a way that best implements strategic priorities at minimum cost
C) Maximizing CEO salary
D) Ignoring customer feedback
Answer: B
Explanation: Operations effectiveness aligns daily activities with strategic goals while controlling costs.
9. Order winners and order qualifiers differ as follows:
, A) Qualifiers provide a competitive edge; winners are just table stakes
B) Winners are what customers use to choose you; qualifiers are minimum standards needed to be
considered
C) Winners are always about price; qualifiers are about quality
D) There is no difference
Answer: B
Explanation: Order qualifiers are “must haves” to be in the market; order winners are criteria that
directly win business.
10. A strong strategy helps a company focus on:
A) Doing everything at once
B) Its unique value proposition in daily operations
C) Copying competitors exactly
D) Maximizing short‑term profit regardless of future
Answer: B
Explanation: A robust strategy guides operational decisions toward a distinctive market position.
11. Straddling in strategy occurs when a firm:
A) Focuses exclusively on one niche
B) Tries to match a successful competitor without making trade‑offs, often losing distinctiveness
C) Outsources all production
D) Merges with two different companies
Answer: B
Explanation: Straddling (or “stuck in the middle”) leads to compromises that dilute competitive
advantage.
12. Which of the following is not a characteristic of a service?
WITH EXPLANATIONS Operations Management | University
of Texas at Arlington
MODULE 1: STRATEGY, COMPETITIVENESS & PRODUCTIVITY (1–20)
1. What three core elements must be integrated for success in operations and supply chain
management?
A) Strategy, Marketing, Finance
B) Strategy, Processes, Analytics
C) Quality, Speed, Cost
D) People, Plant, Parts
Answer: B
Explanation: Integration of strategy (long‑term direction), processes (how work is done), and analytics
(data‑driven decision‑making) is essential for OSCM success.
2. Which of the following is not a major strategic operational competitive dimension?
A) Cost/Price
B) Delivery Speed
C) Management Acumen
D) Flexibility
Answer: C
Explanation: Key competitive dimensions include cost, quality, delivery speed, delivery reliability,
flexibility, and new‑product introduction speed. “Management acumen” is a skill, not a competitive
dimension.
3. An activity‑system map shows:
,A) The floor plan of a manufacturing facility
B) How a company’s strategy is delivered to customers
C) The sequence of assembly steps
D) Workplace safety hazards
Answer: B
Explanation: Activity‑system maps visually link strategic choices to operational activities, showing how
competitive advantage is created and delivered to customers.
4. The triple bottom line refers to:
A) Revenue, Cost, Profit
B) People, Planet, Profit
C) Suppliers, Company, Customers
D) Planning, Execution, Control
Answer: B
Explanation: The triple bottom line balances social (people), environmental (planet), and financial
(profit) performance.
5. A firm’s competitive dimensions include all except:
A) Cost or Price
B) Delivery Reliability
C) Employee Satisfaction
D) New‑Product Introduction Speed
Answer: C
Explanation: Competitive dimensions directly affect a company’s competitive position. Employee
satisfaction is an internal HR issue, not a competitive dimension.
6. What is the main goal of operations management?
,A) Hiring as many people as possible
B) Using resources (labor, materials) efficiently
C) Designing a company logo
D) Setting employee salaries
Answer: B
Explanation: Operations management focuses on efficiently transforming inputs into valuable outputs to
meet customer needs.
7. Which of these lists contains only competitive dimensions of a firm?
A) Cost or price, delivery speed, employee morale
B) Cost or price, delivery speed, delivery reliability
C) Delivery speed, innovation, turnover rate
D) Delivery reliability, customer loyalty, inventory turns
Answer: B
Explanation: Major competitive dimensions are cost/price, quality, delivery speed, delivery reliability,
flexibility, and new‑product intro speed.
8. Operations effectiveness means:
A) Always picking the cheapest option
B) Performing activities in a way that best implements strategic priorities at minimum cost
C) Maximizing CEO salary
D) Ignoring customer feedback
Answer: B
Explanation: Operations effectiveness aligns daily activities with strategic goals while controlling costs.
9. Order winners and order qualifiers differ as follows:
, A) Qualifiers provide a competitive edge; winners are just table stakes
B) Winners are what customers use to choose you; qualifiers are minimum standards needed to be
considered
C) Winners are always about price; qualifiers are about quality
D) There is no difference
Answer: B
Explanation: Order qualifiers are “must haves” to be in the market; order winners are criteria that
directly win business.
10. A strong strategy helps a company focus on:
A) Doing everything at once
B) Its unique value proposition in daily operations
C) Copying competitors exactly
D) Maximizing short‑term profit regardless of future
Answer: B
Explanation: A robust strategy guides operational decisions toward a distinctive market position.
11. Straddling in strategy occurs when a firm:
A) Focuses exclusively on one niche
B) Tries to match a successful competitor without making trade‑offs, often losing distinctiveness
C) Outsources all production
D) Merges with two different companies
Answer: B
Explanation: Straddling (or “stuck in the middle”) leads to compromises that dilute competitive
advantage.
12. Which of the following is not a characteristic of a service?
