Chapter 02 Organization Strategy and Project Selection Answer Key
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of the following is NOT true about an organization's strategy?
A. Strategy determines how an organization will compete.
B. Strategy is implemented through projects.
C. Only top management must understand strategy.
D. Project selection should be clearly aligned with strategy.
E. Project management plays a key role in supporting strategy.
Strategy was considered to be under the purview of senior management, but this is old school thinking.
Projects and project management play a key role in supporting strategic goals. It is vital for project
managers to think and act strategically.
2. A project selection process that is strongly linked to strategy results in
A. The most profit.
B. Better utilization of the organization's resources.
C. More projects.
D. A larger and more diverse organization.
E. Stronger core competencies.
Without integration of projects with the strategic plan, resources are poorly utilized. Conversely,
organizations that have a link of projects to strategy have more cooperation across the organization,
perform better on projects and tend to have fewer projects.
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Understand
, Difficulty: 2 Medium Learning Objective: 02-02 Identify the significant role projects contribute to the strategic
direction of the organization.
Topic: The Strategic Management Process: An Overview
3. Which of the following is NOT true about organizational politics?
A. Project managers should not engage in organizational politics.
B. Politics can have a significant influence on which projects receive funding.
C. Politics exist in every organization.
D. Politics can influence project selection.
E. Politics can play a role in the aspirations behind projects.
Many would argue that project management and politics should not mix. A more proactive response
would be that projects and politics invariably mix. Effective project managers recognize that any
significant project has political ramifications.
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Understand
Difficulty: 3 Hard Learning Objective: 02-03 Understand the need for a
project priority system.
Topic: The Need for a Project Priority System
4. Which of the following terms is often used to denote a project that a powerful, high-ranking official is
advocating?
A. Sacred cow
B. Pet project
C. Political necessity
D. Special undertaking
E. Strategic ploy
The term 'sacred cow' is often used to denote a project that a powerful, high-ranking official is
advocating.
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
, Difficulty: 1 Easy Learning Objective: 02-03 Understand the need for a
project priority system.
Topic: The Need for a Project Priority System
5. Why do project managers need to understand their organization's mission and strategy?
A. To reduce project duration and increase the number of projects implemented
B. So they can make appropriate decisions and adjustments and be effective project advocates
C. It is only important for senior management to understand the organization's mission and strategy.
D. To get their job done and increase opportunities for promotion
E. So that they can make sure the customer is satisfied
There are two main reasons why project managers need to understand their organization's mission and
strategy. The first reason is so they can make appropriate decisions and adjustments. For example, how
a project manager would respond to a suggestion to modify the design of a product to enhance
performance will vary depending upon whether his company strives to be a product leader through
innovation or to achieve operational excellence through low cost solutions. The second reason project
managers need to understand their organization's strategy is so that they can be effective project
advocates. Project managers have to be able to demonstrate to senior management how their project
contributes to their firm's mission.
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Understand
Difficulty: 1 Easy Learning Objective: 02-02 Identify the significant role projects contribute to the strategic direction
of the organization.
Topic: The Strategic Management Process: An Overview
6. Project managers who understand the role that their project plays in accomplishing the organization's
strategy will be inclined to do all of the following EXCEPT
A. Demonstrate to senior management how their project contributes to the firm's mission.
B. Explain to team members why certain project objectives and priorities are critical.
C. Explain to stakeholders why certain project objectives and priorities are critical.
D. Be able to respond appropriately to delays and/or questions about product design.
E. Be able to focus on problems or solutions if the project is a low priority strategically.
, Project managers who understand the role that their project plays in accomplishing the organization's
strategy will not be inclined to waste time focusing on problems that are a low priority in regard to
achieving the organization's strategy.
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Understand
Difficulty: 2 Medium Learning Objective: 02-02 Identify the significant role projects contribute to the strategic
direction of the organization.
Topic: The Strategic Management Process: An Overview
7. All of the following are symptoms of organizations struggling with strategy disconnect and unclear
priorities EXCEPT
A. Frequent conflicts between managers.
B. Inadequate resources.
C. Confused employees regarding which projects are more important.
D. Not enough projects within the portfolio to make a profit.
E. People are working on multiple projects and feel inefficient.
Frequent conflicts between managers, inadequate resources, confused employees and multitasking are
all symptoms of organizations struggling with strategy disconnect and unclear priorities. Typically these
organizations are also completing projects with low priority which results in a portfolio that consists of
too many projects that do not align with organizational strategy.
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Understand
Difficulty: 1 Easy Learning Objective: 02-03 Understand the need for a
project priority system.
Topic: The Need for a Project Priority System
8. Which of the following problems refers to lack of understanding and consensus of organization strategy
among top and middle-level managers? This also can result when top management formulates strategy
and leaves implementation to functional managers.
A. Multitasking
B. Organization politics
C. Implementation gap
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of the following is NOT true about an organization's strategy?
A. Strategy determines how an organization will compete.
B. Strategy is implemented through projects.
C. Only top management must understand strategy.
D. Project selection should be clearly aligned with strategy.
E. Project management plays a key role in supporting strategy.
Strategy was considered to be under the purview of senior management, but this is old school thinking.
Projects and project management play a key role in supporting strategic goals. It is vital for project
managers to think and act strategically.
2. A project selection process that is strongly linked to strategy results in
A. The most profit.
B. Better utilization of the organization's resources.
C. More projects.
D. A larger and more diverse organization.
E. Stronger core competencies.
Without integration of projects with the strategic plan, resources are poorly utilized. Conversely,
organizations that have a link of projects to strategy have more cooperation across the organization,
perform better on projects and tend to have fewer projects.
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Understand
, Difficulty: 2 Medium Learning Objective: 02-02 Identify the significant role projects contribute to the strategic
direction of the organization.
Topic: The Strategic Management Process: An Overview
3. Which of the following is NOT true about organizational politics?
A. Project managers should not engage in organizational politics.
B. Politics can have a significant influence on which projects receive funding.
C. Politics exist in every organization.
D. Politics can influence project selection.
E. Politics can play a role in the aspirations behind projects.
Many would argue that project management and politics should not mix. A more proactive response
would be that projects and politics invariably mix. Effective project managers recognize that any
significant project has political ramifications.
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Understand
Difficulty: 3 Hard Learning Objective: 02-03 Understand the need for a
project priority system.
Topic: The Need for a Project Priority System
4. Which of the following terms is often used to denote a project that a powerful, high-ranking official is
advocating?
A. Sacred cow
B. Pet project
C. Political necessity
D. Special undertaking
E. Strategic ploy
The term 'sacred cow' is often used to denote a project that a powerful, high-ranking official is
advocating.
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Remember
, Difficulty: 1 Easy Learning Objective: 02-03 Understand the need for a
project priority system.
Topic: The Need for a Project Priority System
5. Why do project managers need to understand their organization's mission and strategy?
A. To reduce project duration and increase the number of projects implemented
B. So they can make appropriate decisions and adjustments and be effective project advocates
C. It is only important for senior management to understand the organization's mission and strategy.
D. To get their job done and increase opportunities for promotion
E. So that they can make sure the customer is satisfied
There are two main reasons why project managers need to understand their organization's mission and
strategy. The first reason is so they can make appropriate decisions and adjustments. For example, how
a project manager would respond to a suggestion to modify the design of a product to enhance
performance will vary depending upon whether his company strives to be a product leader through
innovation or to achieve operational excellence through low cost solutions. The second reason project
managers need to understand their organization's strategy is so that they can be effective project
advocates. Project managers have to be able to demonstrate to senior management how their project
contributes to their firm's mission.
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Understand
Difficulty: 1 Easy Learning Objective: 02-02 Identify the significant role projects contribute to the strategic direction
of the organization.
Topic: The Strategic Management Process: An Overview
6. Project managers who understand the role that their project plays in accomplishing the organization's
strategy will be inclined to do all of the following EXCEPT
A. Demonstrate to senior management how their project contributes to the firm's mission.
B. Explain to team members why certain project objectives and priorities are critical.
C. Explain to stakeholders why certain project objectives and priorities are critical.
D. Be able to respond appropriately to delays and/or questions about product design.
E. Be able to focus on problems or solutions if the project is a low priority strategically.
, Project managers who understand the role that their project plays in accomplishing the organization's
strategy will not be inclined to waste time focusing on problems that are a low priority in regard to
achieving the organization's strategy.
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Understand
Difficulty: 2 Medium Learning Objective: 02-02 Identify the significant role projects contribute to the strategic
direction of the organization.
Topic: The Strategic Management Process: An Overview
7. All of the following are symptoms of organizations struggling with strategy disconnect and unclear
priorities EXCEPT
A. Frequent conflicts between managers.
B. Inadequate resources.
C. Confused employees regarding which projects are more important.
D. Not enough projects within the portfolio to make a profit.
E. People are working on multiple projects and feel inefficient.
Frequent conflicts between managers, inadequate resources, confused employees and multitasking are
all symptoms of organizations struggling with strategy disconnect and unclear priorities. Typically these
organizations are also completing projects with low priority which results in a portfolio that consists of
too many projects that do not align with organizational strategy.
AACSB: Reflective Thinking
Accessibility: Keyboard Navigation
Blooms: Understand
Difficulty: 1 Easy Learning Objective: 02-03 Understand the need for a
project priority system.
Topic: The Need for a Project Priority System
8. Which of the following problems refers to lack of understanding and consensus of organization strategy
among top and middle-level managers? This also can result when top management formulates strategy
and leaves implementation to functional managers.
A. Multitasking
B. Organization politics
C. Implementation gap
