WGU C215 Operations Management Objective
Assessment Exam - Scenario-Based
Application Questions Across the Six
Competency Areas
Instructions: This exam contains multiple-choice questions covering the core content tested on
the WGU C215 Operations Management Objective Assessment. The OA tests six competency
areas in one sitting and requires applying concepts to scenarios rather than simply defining
terms . Topics include operations strategy, process design and analysis, quality management,
supply chain management, capacity planning, inventory control, and forecasting.
1. A furniture manufacturer produced 2,500 chairs using 1,000 labor hours. What
is the labor productivity?
A. 0.4 chairs per labor hour
B. 2.5 chairs per labor hour
C. 1,000 chairs per labor hour
D. 3,500 chairs per labor hour
Correct Answer: B — 2.5 chairs per labor hour
Rationale: Labor productivity is calculated as Output divided by Input (2,500
chairs ÷ 1,000 labor hours = 2.5 chairs per hour). Option A reverses the calculation
.
,2. Which of the following BEST defines operations management?
A. The management of financial resources to maximize shareholder value
B. The design, operation, and improvement of the systems that create and deliver
the firm's primary products and services
C. The process of marketing and selling products to customers
D. The management of human resources to improve employee satisfaction
Correct Answer: B — The design, operation, and improvement of the systems that
create and deliver the firm's primary products and services
Rationale: Operations management focuses on transforming inputs (labor, capital,
materials) into outputs (goods and services) efficiently and effectively .
3. A firm competes primarily through rapid delivery and dependable order
fulfillment. Management is considering a process change that reduces unit cost
but substantially increases lead-time variability. Which decision best aligns
operations with the company's competitive priorities?
A. Adopt the change because lower unit cost always improves competitiveness
B. Reject or redesign the change because reliability and speed are strategic
priorities
C. Adopt the change and compensate by increasing finished-goods inventory
,indefinitely
D. Outsource all production regardless of supplier performance
Correct Answer: B — Reject or redesign the change because reliability and speed
are strategic priorities
Rationale: Operations strategy must reinforce the competitive priorities that
create customer value. A lower-cost process that damages delivery speed and
dependability can weaken the firm's strategic position .
4. A firm's mission statement emphasizes becoming the industry's lowest-cost
provider. Which operations strategy should align with this mission?
A. Mass customization and high flexibility
B. Cost leadership through waste reduction, process efficiency, and economies of
scale
C. Premium quality and extensive product variety
D. Rapid new product development and innovation
Correct Answer: B — Cost leadership through waste reduction, process efficiency,
and economies of scale
Rationale: A mission focused on lowest-cost provision requires a cost leadership
strategy emphasizing efficiency, standardization, and scale economies .
, 5. What is a bottleneck in a flowchart?
A. The longest task in the process
B. The point where production is evened out
C. Two stages operating independently
D. Multiple storage areas
Correct Answer: A — The longest task in the process
Rationale: A bottleneck is the longest task in the process, limiting the overall
system throughput. In Operations Management, the bottleneck determines the
maximum capacity of the entire system .
6. Which formula would compute process velocity?
A. Throughput time / value-added time
B. Time a resource is used / time a resource is available
C. Output / input
D. Actual output / standard output
Correct Answer: A — Throughput time / value-added time
Assessment Exam - Scenario-Based
Application Questions Across the Six
Competency Areas
Instructions: This exam contains multiple-choice questions covering the core content tested on
the WGU C215 Operations Management Objective Assessment. The OA tests six competency
areas in one sitting and requires applying concepts to scenarios rather than simply defining
terms . Topics include operations strategy, process design and analysis, quality management,
supply chain management, capacity planning, inventory control, and forecasting.
1. A furniture manufacturer produced 2,500 chairs using 1,000 labor hours. What
is the labor productivity?
A. 0.4 chairs per labor hour
B. 2.5 chairs per labor hour
C. 1,000 chairs per labor hour
D. 3,500 chairs per labor hour
Correct Answer: B — 2.5 chairs per labor hour
Rationale: Labor productivity is calculated as Output divided by Input (2,500
chairs ÷ 1,000 labor hours = 2.5 chairs per hour). Option A reverses the calculation
.
,2. Which of the following BEST defines operations management?
A. The management of financial resources to maximize shareholder value
B. The design, operation, and improvement of the systems that create and deliver
the firm's primary products and services
C. The process of marketing and selling products to customers
D. The management of human resources to improve employee satisfaction
Correct Answer: B — The design, operation, and improvement of the systems that
create and deliver the firm's primary products and services
Rationale: Operations management focuses on transforming inputs (labor, capital,
materials) into outputs (goods and services) efficiently and effectively .
3. A firm competes primarily through rapid delivery and dependable order
fulfillment. Management is considering a process change that reduces unit cost
but substantially increases lead-time variability. Which decision best aligns
operations with the company's competitive priorities?
A. Adopt the change because lower unit cost always improves competitiveness
B. Reject or redesign the change because reliability and speed are strategic
priorities
C. Adopt the change and compensate by increasing finished-goods inventory
,indefinitely
D. Outsource all production regardless of supplier performance
Correct Answer: B — Reject or redesign the change because reliability and speed
are strategic priorities
Rationale: Operations strategy must reinforce the competitive priorities that
create customer value. A lower-cost process that damages delivery speed and
dependability can weaken the firm's strategic position .
4. A firm's mission statement emphasizes becoming the industry's lowest-cost
provider. Which operations strategy should align with this mission?
A. Mass customization and high flexibility
B. Cost leadership through waste reduction, process efficiency, and economies of
scale
C. Premium quality and extensive product variety
D. Rapid new product development and innovation
Correct Answer: B — Cost leadership through waste reduction, process efficiency,
and economies of scale
Rationale: A mission focused on lowest-cost provision requires a cost leadership
strategy emphasizing efficiency, standardization, and scale economies .
, 5. What is a bottleneck in a flowchart?
A. The longest task in the process
B. The point where production is evened out
C. Two stages operating independently
D. Multiple storage areas
Correct Answer: A — The longest task in the process
Rationale: A bottleneck is the longest task in the process, limiting the overall
system throughput. In Operations Management, the bottleneck determines the
maximum capacity of the entire system .
6. Which formula would compute process velocity?
A. Throughput time / value-added time
B. Time a resource is used / time a resource is available
C. Output / input
D. Actual output / standard output
Correct Answer: A — Throughput time / value-added time
