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CMA Intermediate · Paper 9

Operations Management and Strategic Management for CMA Inter Paper 9

Paper 9 combines operations management (LPP, transportation, assignment, scheduling, queuing, simulation, project management, maintenance) with strategic management (analysis, planning, implementation, digital strategy). Prepare by practising the numerical methods step by step, and by learning strategy frameworks well enough to apply them to short cases in your own words.

Paper 9 is a 100-mark, 3-hour written paper in Group II. Section A is Question 1, with 15 compulsory MCQs of 2 marks each (30 marks), and there is no negative marking. The other 70 marks are descriptive and numerical questions. In the June 2026 papers these were Questions 2 to 8 of 14 marks each, and you answered any five.

The paper is mixed. The operations chapters are method-driven. You solve a transportation problem, an assignment problem, a network, a queue or a simulation by following fixed steps, and marks go to correct steps. The strategy chapters are conceptual. You explain, compare, apply a framework to a situation and justify a choice.

Students usually score well where they have practised methods until they are routine, because numerical answers are marked step by step. Marks are lost in two places: slips in long calculations, and strategy answers that list textbook points without linking them to the situation in the question. Because you choose five of seven questions, you can build strength in the areas you handle best, but do not skip whole chapters. MCQs can come from anywhere in the syllabus.

Operations Management and Strategic Management: chapters and topics

Operations Management

Introduction to Operations Management

Operations Management

Operations Planning

Operations Management

Designing of Operational Systems and Control

Operations Management

Production Planning and Control

Operations Management

Control Measures - Time and Motion Study, Method Study, Work Study

Operations Management

Optimum Allocation of Resources - LPP

Operations Management

Transportation

Operations Management

Job Evaluation, Job Allocation - Assignment

Operations Management

Scheduling and Queuing Models

Operations Management

Simulation and Line Balancing

Operations Management

Lean Operations and JIT

Operations Management

Productivity Management and Quality Management

Operations Management

Project Management, Monitoring and Control

Operations Management

Economics of Maintenance and Spares Management

Strategic Management

Introduction to Strategic Management

Strategic Management

Strategic Analysis and Strategic Planning

Strategic Management

Formulation and Implementation of Strategy

Strategic Management

Digital Strategy

How to prepare Operations Management and Strategic Management

Plan around two skills: executing methods accurately and writing structured conceptual answers. Give both regular time, and revise MCQ-style facts throughout.

  1. Split the syllabus into the operations chapters and the strategy chapters. Give each a fixed weekly share so neither is left to the end.
  2. For the foundation operations chapters (introduction, planning, system design, production planning and control), build short revision notes of definitions, types and differences. These feed MCQs and theory questions.
  3. For work study, method study and time and motion study, learn the sequence of steps and the purpose of each technique. Practise a standard time calculation until the layout is automatic.
  4. For LPP, transportation and assignment, solve at least a few problems of each type by hand. Write the setup, each iteration and the final answer. Learn how to handle unbalanced cases and check optimality.
  5. For scheduling, queuing, simulation, line balancing and project management, practise the standard formats: sequencing tables, queue formulas, random-number simulation tables, balancing efficiency and network diagrams with critical path. Check each result for reasonableness.
  6. For lean and JIT, productivity and quality, and maintenance and spares, prepare comparison points and short explanations, and practise the few numerical formats these chapters use.
  7. For the strategy chapters, learn each framework by name, purpose and steps. Then practise applying it to a short business situation with an Indian company in mind, and write answers with an intro, points and a conclusion.
  8. In the last weeks, attempt full 3-hour papers: 30 marks of MCQs, then five of seven questions. Review every error and note whether it was a concept gap or a calculation slip.

Time management in the exam

  • Spend about 35 to 40 minutes on the 15 MCQs. Answer the sure ones first and mark the rest. There is no negative marking, so never leave one blank.
  • You answer five questions of 14 marks, so allow about 28 to 30 minutes each. Keep a few minutes at the end for review.
  • Read all seven questions first and choose the five where you can earn the most. Start with the one you are most confident about.
  • In numerical questions, write the setup and each step even if you are running short. Step marks are available even when the final figure is wrong.
  • Do not stay on a stuck iteration or table. Move on, and return if time remains.
  • In strategy answers, plan three or four headed points in the margin before writing, so the answer stays structured and does not run long.

Mistakes that cost marks in Operations Management and Strategic Management

  • Skipping the strategy chapters because they look easy or theoretical

    Fix: Set aside regular time for frameworks. Practise writing structured, applied answers instead of only reading them.

  • Learning methods without solving problems

    Fix: Solve problems yourself from a blank page, then compare. Repeat until you can finish without looking at the steps.

  • Not checking balance or feasibility before starting

    Fix: Write a check as your first line: balanced or unbalanced, and add a dummy row or column when needed.

  • Giving generic strategy answers

    Fix: Tie each point to the situation given. Name the framework, apply it, then state a justified conclusion.

  • Ignoring the MCQ section until late

    Fix: Note definitions, formulas and differences chapter by chapter, and practise mixed MCQ sets across all chapters.

  • Poor presentation of long calculations

    Fix: Use clear tables, label each step and write the final answer with units. Recheck totals before moving on.

Operations Management and Strategic Management: frequently asked questions

How is the Operations Management and Strategic Management paper structured?

It is a 100-mark, 3-hour written paper. Question 1 is 15 compulsory MCQs of 2 marks each. The remaining 70 marks are descriptive and numerical questions, and in June 2026 you answered any five of seven questions of 14 marks each.

Is there negative marking in this paper?

No. Neither the question papers nor the ICMAI prospectus provide for negative marking. You should attempt every MCQ.

How much of the paper is numerical?

It varies by paper, and no fixed split is guaranteed. Chapters such as LPP, transportation, assignment, queuing, simulation and project management are method-based, so prepare them well. The strategy chapters are conceptual.

What marks do I need to pass Paper 9?

You need at least 40% in each paper of the group and 50% aggregate in the group. If you fail the group but score 60% or more in a paper, you may get exemption or carry-forward benefit for the next three successive terms.

How should I study strategy chapters?

Learn each framework's purpose and steps, then apply it to short business situations in your own words. Write answers with an introduction, clear points and a conclusion.