st
21 Century Operations &
Supply Chain
Objective Assessment Guide
Q&A
2024
,1. Multiple Choice: What is the primary goal of Supply Chain
Management (SCM)?
a) Reducing operational costs
b) Maximizing customer value
c) Increasing revenue
d) Minimizing investment risk
Answer: b) Maximizing customer value
Rationale: The primary goal of SCM is to fulfill customer demands
through the most efficient use of resources, including distribution
capacity, inventory, and labor.
2. True/False: The bullwhip effect refers to the fluctuation in orders
within a supply chain.
Answer: True
Rationale: The bullwhip effect is a phenomenon in supply chain
management where small fluctuations in demand at the retail level cause
increasingly larger fluctuations in demand at the wholesale, distributor,
manufacturer, and raw material supplier levels.
3. Fill-in-the-Blank: The ________ is a network of facilities that procures
raw materials, transforms them into intermediate goods and then final
products, and delivers the products to customers through a distribution
system.
Answer: Supply Chain
, Rationale: This definition encapsulates the entire process of supply
chain management, from procurement to distribution.
4. Multiple Choice: Which of the following is not a key component of
Demand Forecasting?
a) Historical sales data
b) Economic indicators
c) Weather forecasts
d) Color preferences of the CEO
Answer: d) Color preferences of the CEO
Rationale: Demand forecasting relies on objective data that can predict
future sales; the CEO's color preferences are subjective and irrelevant.
5. True/False: Outsourcing production to third-party firms is always the
most cost-effective solution for supply chain management.
Answer: False
Rationale: While outsourcing can reduce costs, it is not always the most
cost-effective solution due to factors such as quality control, intellectual
property concerns, and long-term strategic alignment.
6. Fill-in-the-Blank: Just-In-Time (JIT) inventory systems require accurate
________ to function effectively.
Answer: Demand forecasting