OM Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield OM facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. What is a work breakdown structure in OM practice? → Hierarchical decomposition of deliverables into manageable work packages
2. Which of the following is an example of 'bottom-up' change in an organization? → Front-line employees proposing and piloting a new workflow improvement
3. What is a needs assessment in OM Process Optimization practice? → Identifying gaps between current conditions and desired outcomes
4. Which stage of the strategic management process involves translating chosen strategies into specific organizational actions? → Strategy implementation
5. What is scope creep in OM project management? → Uncontrolled scope expansion without adjusting time, cost, or resources
6. How does organizational development enhance company culture? → By improving culture and innovation
7. Why is it important to regularly review strategic plans? → To adapt to market changes and organizational needs
8. In strategic management, a 'stretch goal' is best described as: → An ambitious objective requiring significant capability development
9. Which analytical tool maps an organization's activities along a series of steps to identify where value is added and where costs are incurred? → Value Chain Analysis
10. What is performance management? → Assessing and improving performance
11. What is succession planning in OM management? → Developing internal talent for future key leadership positions
12. A firm pursuing a 'blue ocean strategy' is primarily focused on: → Creating uncontested market space through value innovation
13. What is the role of financial analysis? → Setting financial goals
14. What is conflict resolution in OM leadership? → Addressing disagreements constructively to find acceptable solutions
15. What is the triple constraint in OM project management? → The interdependent relationship between scope, time, and cost
16. Which of the following is an example of a 'backward vertical integration' strategy? → A retailer acquiring a supplier of its raw materials
17. How does professional liability insurance protect OM practitioners? → Covering financial losses from claims of negligence or errors
18. Which framework helps managers evaluate whether to make or buy a product by analyzing transaction costs? → Transaction cost economics
19. Which of the following best describes a 'cost leadership' generic strategy according to Porter? → Becoming the lowest-cost producer in an industry while maintaining acceptable margins
20. What role does feedback play in OM professional development? → Identifying strengths and improvement areas to guide growth
21. What is a dashboard in OM reporting? → A visual display of key metrics for at-a-glance performance monitoring
22. A 'turnaround strategy' is most appropriately deployed when an organization: → Faces serious performance decline and needs to reverse negative trends quickly
23. How do strategic decisions impact the organization? → By setting the direction and competitive position
24. In the Ansoff Growth Matrix, entering a new market with an existing product is called: → Market development
25. An organizational manager wants to reduce employee disengagement. Which performance management practice has MOST evidence for improving employee engagement? → Providing regular, specific, and meaningful feedback combined with growth opportunities
26. What is the primary role of Human Resources (HR)? → Managing employee recruitment and relations
27. What is a leadership style focused on empowering employees? → Transformational leadership
28. What is a risk matrix used for in OM practice? → Evaluating risks by plotting likelihood against impact severity
29. A company performs a 'pre-mortem analysis' before launching a strategy in order to: → Proactively identify potential failure modes by imagining the strategy has already failed
30. What is the purpose of data analysis in OM practice? → Transforming raw data into insights for informed decision-making