Mixed Deck — All COM Topics Flashcards
100 cards from real COM practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 20 Mixed Deck — All COM Topics flashcards as text
Which of the following represents a 'proactive' risk mitigation approach rather than a 'reactive' one?
Answer: Replacing worn equipment before it fails based on maintenance schedules
Proactive mitigation prevents or reduces risk before it materializes; preventive maintenance addresses risk before failure occurs rather than responding after.
A vendor fails to deliver materials on time, impacting production. When communicating this risk to stakeholders, what should the operations manager include FIRST?
Answer: Impact assessment, root cause, and proposed mitigation actions
Stakeholders need to understand the impact, cause, and proposed resolution before deciding on corrective action.
A project manager holds a kickoff meeting at the start of a project. What is its primary purpose?
Answer: To formally introduce the project to all stakeholders and align expectations
A kickoff meeting formally communicates the project's objectives, scope, and team roles to all stakeholders to establish a shared understanding.
What is the critical path in COM project scheduling?
Answer: The longest sequence of dependent tasks determining minimum duration
The critical path identifies the longest chain of dependent tasks; delays on these directly delay project completion.
What is the PRIMARY purpose of conducting a team retrospective after completing an operations project?
Answer: Documenting lessons learned to improve future performance
Retrospectives are learning exercises focused on capturing what worked, what didn't, and what to change — not on blame.
A hospital applies the Theory of Constraints to its emergency department. The patient intake desk is identified as the bottleneck. According to TOC, what should be done first?
Answer: Exploit the bottleneck by maximizing its throughput
TOC's five focusing steps begin with identifying the constraint, then exploiting it — getting the maximum output from it before adding resources.
What is the role of a compliance management system (CMS) in operations?
Answer: To provide a structured framework of policies, procedures, controls, and monitoring activities that ensure ongoing regulatory adherence
A CMS integrates policies, training, monitoring, and corrective action processes to systematically manage compliance obligations across the organization.
How does capacity planning affect operations management?
Answer: By ensuring sufficient resources to meet demand
Capacity planning is essential for operations management as it determines the maximum output an organization can produce over a given period. By accurately forecasting demand and planning for sufficient resources—like equipment, facilities, and personnel—it ensures the organization can meet customer needs without over- or under-utilizing resources, optimizing efficiency and responsiveness.
Which sampling method is most appropriate when a production batch must be accepted or rejected based on a small sample?
Answer: Acceptance sampling
Acceptance sampling uses statistical sampling plans to decide whether to accept or reject an entire lot based on the quality of a random sample.
What is the purpose of data analysis in COM practice?
Answer: Transforming raw data into insights for informed decision-making
Data analysis examines, cleans, and models data to discover useful information and support decision-making.
What does 'supply chain visibility' refer to?
Answer: Knowing the location and status of products at any given time
Supply chain visibility refers to the ability to track products and information across the entire supply chain in real-time. This comprehensive insight allows businesses to know exactly where their goods are, their current status, and any potential disruptions, enabling proactive decision-making and improved responsiveness to issues.
A manufacturer decides to locate a new facility near its major raw material source rather than near its customer base. This decision prioritizes:
Answer: Input cost minimization and supply reliability
Locating near raw materials reduces inbound transportation costs and ensures supply continuity, especially when materials are heavy, perishable, or costly to ship.
What is cash flow management in COM practice?
Answer: Optimizing the timing of money coming in and going out
Cash flow management tracks and optimizes the timing of inflows and outflows to ensure sufficient funds.
A rolling (continuous) budget is updated by:
Answer: Adding a new period as each current period ends, maintaining a constant forward horizon
A rolling budget drops the most recently completed period and adds a new future period, always maintaining the same planning horizon.
What does 'cloud computing' offer operations managers that traditional on-premise IT systems do not?
Answer: Scalable, on-demand computing resources accessible from anywhere with reduced upfront investment
Cloud computing provides scalable infrastructure, software, and storage on demand via the internet, enabling operations to scale quickly without large capital investments in hardware.
What is the purpose of a balanced scorecard in operations management?
Answer: To measure performance across multiple dimensions
A balanced scorecard provides a holistic view of organizational performance by measuring it across financial, customer, internal business process, and learning and growth perspectives. This multi-dimensional approach ensures that operations management considers all critical aspects, not just financial ones, to achieve strategic objectives and sustainable growth.
In the context of process improvement, what does FMEA primarily help an operations team do?
Answer: Proactively identify and prioritize potential failure modes before they occur
FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) is a proactive risk tool that identifies potential failures, assesses their severity and likelihood, and prioritizes corrective actions.
Before a major operational restructuring is announced company-wide, the operations manager should FIRST communicate the change to:
Answer: Direct reports and union representatives before the general announcement
Informing direct reports and recognized employee representatives first ensures they can answer questions and prevents the credibility damage of leaders learning news alongside their teams.
What is a key performance indicator (KPI)?
Answer: A tool to measure business performance
A Key Performance Indicator (KPI) is a quantifiable metric used to evaluate the success of an organization, specific project, or activity in meeting its objectives. KPIs provide critical insights into the health and performance of various aspects of a business. They help managers track progress, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions.
Under the Balanced Scorecard framework, reducing employee turnover would primarily fall under which perspective?
Answer: Learning & Growth
Employee retention and development metrics fall under the Learning & Growth perspective, which focuses on human capital, organizational culture, and capabilities.