CPM Strategic Planning for Public Organizations 3

Question 1

A city government uses a Balanced Scorecard to track strategic performance. Which perspective focuses on how the organization must improve its internal processes?

Accepted Answer

Internal process perspective

Answer

The internal process perspective of the Balanced Scorecard examines the key processes the organization must excel at to serve citizens and achieve financial goals.

Question 2

When a public agency faces competing values such as efficiency versus equity in strategic decision-making, this is best described as:

Accepted Answer

A values conflict requiring deliberate trade-off analysis

Answer

Competing public values often require explicit trade-off analysis because maximizing one value may reduce another equally legitimate value.

Question 3

Which term describes the process of translating high-level strategic goals into specific departmental objectives and individual performance targets?

Accepted Answer

Strategic alignment

Answer

Strategic alignment ensures that all levels of the organization—from agency-wide goals to individual work plans—are coherently connected.

Question 4

A public manager discovers that a strategic initiative has achieved its output targets but failed to produce intended outcomes. This most likely indicates:

Accepted Answer

The theory of change underlying the initiative was flawed

Answer

When outputs are achieved but outcomes are not, it often signals that the assumed causal logic linking activities to results was incorrect.

Question 5

In strategic planning, 'horizon scanning' is used to:

Accepted Answer

Identify emerging trends, threats, and opportunities before they become critical

Answer

Horizon scanning is a forward-looking activity that helps organizations detect weak signals of change early enough to respond strategically.

(CPM) Certified Public Manager Practice Test

(CPM) Certified Public Manager Practice Test

CPM Strategic Planning for Public Organizations 3