CPIM Practice Exam

At which step in the five focusing steps might an organization add more resources to a capacity-constrained resource?

1. Identify the constraint

2. Exploit the constraint

3. Subordinate everything else to the constraint

4. Elevate the constraint

The correct answer is: Elevate the constraint

The correct step at which an organization might add more resources to a capacity-constrained resource is during the elevation of the constraint. In the framework of the Theory of Constraints, this step is focused on increasing the capacity of the constraint to enhance overall system performance. Elevating a constraint involves making significant changes, such as investing in additional resources, upgrading existing equipment, or hiring more personnel to improve the throughput of the resource that is limiting performance. When an organization identifies a constraint, it takes note of the point in the process that is restricting output. In the exploit step, the emphasis is on making the best use of the existing capacity of that constraint without incurring additional costs. In the subordinate step, adjustments are made to ensure that all other parts of the process support the constraint’s capacity. Therefore, elevation is unique because it is the point where a firm actively decides to increase a constraint's capacity, thereby allowing for improved productivity and efficiency in the overall operation.