Latest CIPS L4M2 Exam questions and answers
ExamBoosts L4M2 Exam Practice Test Questions (Updated 147 Questions)
The CIPS L4M2 (Defining Business Needs) Exam is a vital certification for professionals in the procurement and supply chain industry. The course is designed to equip individuals with the knowledge and skills required for effectively identifying and defining business needs. The certification is recognized globally and is highly valued by employers as it demonstrates an individual's ability to contribute to the success of an organization.
The Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) is a globally recognized professional body for procurement and supply chain management. CIPS offers various qualifications to help individuals build their careers in procurement and supply chain management. One of the qualifications offered by CIPS is the Level 4 Diploma in Procurement and Supply.
NEW QUESTION # 61
Which of the following bodies provides standards for the products and services in the US?
- A. ANSI
- B. ISO
- C. BSI
- D. AFNOR
Answer: A
Explanation:
ANSI is the American National Standards Institute. It is responsible for providing technical stand-ards in the US LO 3, AC 3.1
NEW QUESTION # 62
At which stage of product life cycle, price competition between sellers will be the most intense?
- A. Growth stage
- B. Introductory stage
- C. Decline stage
- D. Maturity stage
Answer: C
Explanation:
The term product life cycle refers to the length of time a product is introduced to consumers into the market until it's removed from the shelves. The life cycle of a product is broken into four stages-introduction, growth, maturity, and decline.
Source: https://blueoceanoutsource.co.ke/the-product-life-cycle-concept/ At maturity stage, price competition sets in as more and more supply capacity has been added by new entrants, then the competition will be the most intense.
Reference:
LO 2, AC 2.2
NEW QUESTION # 63
In Kano model, which of the following types of requirement should be excluded from the product or service?
- A. Performance requirements
- B. Must-be requirements
- C. Reverse requirements
- D. Attractive requirements
Answer: C
Explanation:
Kano model of excitement and basic quality (Kano et al, 1984; Berger et al, 1993; Matzler et al, 1996) brings a different perspective for the analysis of improvement opportunities in products and services because it takes in consideration the asymmetrical and non-linear relationship between performance and satisfaction. The Kano model classifies customers requirements in three categories (figure 3):
a) Basic Requirements (or Must-be requirement). The basic requirements fulfill the basic func-tions of a product. If they are not present or their performance is insufficient, customers will be extremely dissatisfied. On the other hand, if they are present or have sufficient performance, they don't bring satisfaction. Customers see them as prerequisites. For instance, for luxury automobiles, "air bags" are considered basic. A customer won't feel satisfied if the automobile has "air bag", however he/she will not buy it if "air bag" is not present.
b) Performance Requirements (or One-dimensional requirements). As for these requirements, satisfaction is proportional to the performance level - the higher the performance, the higher the customer's satisfaction will be and vice-versa. Gas consumption in automobiles is an example of these requirements. Usually customers explicitly demand performance requirements.
c) Excitement Requirements (or Attractive requirements). These requirements are key to cus-tomer satisfaction. If they are present or have sufficient performance, they will bring superior satisfaction. On the other hand, if they are not present or their performance is insufficient, customers will not get dissatisfied. For instance, a surprise gift at the end of a dinner in a restaurant will certainly bring satisfaction, but it will not cause dissatisfaction if not offered. These requirements are not demanded nor expected by customers.
Two other types of requirements may be identified in the Kano model: neutral and reverse ones. Neutral requirements do not bring either satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Reverse require-ments bring more satisfaction if absent than if present.
Reference:
- Integrating Kano model and QFD for Designing New Products
- CIPS study guide page 171-172
NEW QUESTION # 64
Which of the following are typical social considerations throughout the contract life cycle? Select the TWO that apply.
- A. Health and safety
- B. Using recycled materials
- C. Minimizing use of non-renewable resources
- D. Managing waste
- E. Support small local businesses
Answer: A,E
Explanation:
The following are typical social criteria in procurement:
* Reducing unemployment
* Preventing the use of child labour
* Preventing discrimination on the grounds of race, religion, disability, sex or sexual orientation
* Encouraging good employment practice
* Reducing local unemployment
* Reducing social exclusion
* Promoting training opportunities for the young or disadvantaged
* Encouraging access to work for people with disabilities
Reference:
LO 3, AC 3.2
NEW QUESTION # 65
Which of the following factors might prompt an organisation to procure an alternative product? Select THREE that apply:
- A. Buying organisation's propensities to change
- B. Brand loyalty
- C. Relative value to money between options
- D. Easy access to distribution channel
- E. Switching cost
- F. Threat of retaliation
Answer: A,C,E
Explanation:
According to Michael Porter, the threat of substitution, is a function of three factors:
* The relative value/ price of a substitute compared to an industry's product
* The cost of switching to the substitute
* The buyer's propensity to switch
(Porter, Michael E.. Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance (p. 278). Free Press. Kindle Edition.) Reference:
LO 2, AC 2.2
NEW QUESTION # 66
Which of the following technology is likely to be an innovation in financial sector?
- A. Blockchain
- B. E-commerce
- C. E-auction
- D. Robotics
Answer: A
Explanation:
Traditional financial systems operate with a centralised database, usually with a single point of authority. Blockchain technology, on the other hand, allows for a distributed database that holds a growing number of records. Instead of existing in one place, the ledger is continually updated and synchronised across multiple computers in a network. Therefore, any participant in the network with the proper authorisation can view the entire ledger - without relying on an intermediary or any one authority.
Another key feature of blockchain technology is a "smart contract," which is a self-executing protocol that enforces a previously agreed arrangement. For example, a smart contract could trigger an automatic refund under certain conditions or the automatic payment of an agreed commission after a sale. These smart contracts can eliminate delays in traditional Finance processes, while increasing transparency and reducing reliance on middlemen to follow through on their commitments. Moreover, like other parts of a blockchain, smart contracts are immutable, so they can enhance accuracy in the financial statements.
LO 2, AC 2.1
NEW QUESTION # 67
Which of the following standards specifies requirements for a quality management system?
- A. ISO 14001:2015
- B. ISO 9001:2015
- C. ISO 22000:2018
- D. ISO 27001
Answer: B
Explanation:
ISO 9001:2015 specifies requirements for a quality management system.
ISO 14001:2015 specifies the requirements for an environmental management system that an or-ganization can use to enhance its environmental performance. ISO 14001:2015 is intended for use by an organization seeking to manage its environmental responsibilities in a systematic manner that contributes to the environmental pillar of sustainability.
ISO 22000:2018 specifies food safety management systems - Requirements for any organization in the food chain ISO 27001 provides requirements for an information security management system.
LO 3, AC 3.1
NEW QUESTION # 68
Daytona Ltd is developing a new product which is more environmental friendly. Though the objectives are set, the project team has no idea on which functions will be customers' favourites. Which of the following will help them decide the 'should-have' functions of the new product?
- A. Taguchi method
- B. Kano model
- C. Six Sigma
- D. Thomas-Kilmann model
Answer: B
Explanation:
The Kano model is useful in gaining a thorough understanding of a customer's needs. You can translate and transform the resulting verbatims using the voice of the customer table that, subse-quently, becomes an excellent input as the whatsin a quality function deployment (QFD) House of Quality.
The model involves two dimensions:
Achievement (the horizontal axis), which goes from the supplier didn't do it at all to the supplier did it very well.
Satisfaction (the vertical axis), which goes from total dissatisfaction with the product or service to total satisfaction with the product or service.
Dr. Noriaki Kano isolated and identified three levels of customer expectations: that is, what it takes to positively impact customer satisfaction. The figure below portrays the three levels of need: expected, normal, and exciting.
The Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI) is a conflict style inventory, which is a tool developed to measure an individual's response to conflict situations.
Genichi Taguchi, a Japanese engineer, proposed several approaches to experimental designs that are sometimes called "Taguchi Methods." These methods utilize two-, three-, and mixed-level fractional factorial designs. Large screening designs seem to be particularly favored by Taguchi adherents.
Six Sigma is a method that provides organizations tools to improve the capability of their business processes. This increase in performance and decrease in process variation helps lead to defect re-duction and improvement in profits, employee morale, and quality of products or services.
Source:
- CIPS study guide page 171-172
- WHAT IS THE KANO MODEL?
LO 3, AC 3.4
NEW QUESTION # 69
Which of the following is an assumption of Kano model?
- A. The relationship between product functionality and customer satisfaction is always linear
- B. All types of customer requirements have the same impact on customer satisfaction
- C. Different types of customer requirements have different impact on customer satisfaction
- D. All customer requirements are basic requirements
Answer: C
Explanation:
Kano model of excitement and basic quality (Kano et al, 1984; Berger et al, 1993; Matzler et al, 1996) brings a different perspective for the analysis of improvement opportunities in products and services because it takes in consideration the asymmetrical and non-linear relationship between performance and satisfaction. The Kano model classifies customers requirements in three categories (figure 3):
a) Basic Requirements. The basic requirements fulfill the basic functions of a product. If they are not present or their performance is insufficient, customers will be extremely dissatisfied. On the other hand, if they are present or have sufficient performance, they don't bring satisfaction. Customers see them as prerequisites. For instance, for luxury automobiles, "air bags" are considered basic. A customer won't feel satisfied if the automobile has "air bag", however he/she will not buy it if "air bag" is not present.
b) Performance Requirements. As for these requirements, satisfaction is proportional to the performance level - the higher the performance, the higher the customer's satisfaction will be and vice-versa. Gas consumption in automobiles is an example of these requirements. Usually customers explicitly demand performance requirements.
c) Excitement Requirements. These requirements are key to customer satisfaction. If they are pre-sent or have sufficient performance, they will bring superior satisfaction. On the other hand, if they are not present or their performance is insufficient, customers will not get dissatisfied. For instance, a surprise gift at the end of a dinner in a restaurant will certainly bring satisfaction, but it will not cause dissatisfaction if not offered. These requirements are not demanded nor expected by customers.
Two other types of requirements may be identified in the Kano model: neutral and reverse ones. Neutral requirements do not bring either satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Reverse requirements bring more satisfaction if absent than if present.
Reference:
- Integrating Kano model and QFD for Designing New Products
- CIPS study guide page 171-172
NEW QUESTION # 70
Why should procurement professionals develop business case before seeking approval to purchase capital equipment?
- A. Using business case will prevent new entrants from entering the supply market
- B. Devising business case may prompt the procurement to consider different options
- C. Business case is a tool that eliminates all risks associated with the project
- D. A business case can be used as a replacement of purchase order
Answer: B
Explanation:
A business case is developed during the early stages of a project and outlines the why, what, how, and who necessary to decide if it is worthwhile continuing a project. One of the first things you need to know when starting a new project are the benefits of the proposed business change and how to communicate those benefits to the business.
Preparing the business case involves an assessment of:
- Business problem or opportunity
- Benefits
- Risk
- Costs including investment appraisal
- Technical solutions
- Timescale
- Impact on operations
- Organizational capability to deliver the project outcomes
These project issues are an important part of the business case. They express the problems with the current situation and demonstrate the benefits of the new business vision. Making business case with multiple options and choices also prompts the procurement and senior management to consider alternatives. As a result, the organisation may opt out the best option.
The business case brings together the benefits, disadvantages, costs, and risks of the current situa-tion and future vision so that executive management can decide if the project should go ahead.
Reference:
- CIPS study guide page 19-21
- How to Write a Business Case - Template & Examples | Adobe Workfront
LO 1, AC 1.1
NEW QUESTION # 71
Which of the following are recognised competitive strategies?
1. Winning new business at all cost
2. Getting more customers' attention
3. Creating stand-out products and brands
4. Focusing on niche market
5. Acquiring competitors
- A. 3 and 5 only
- B. 3 and 4 only
- C. 2 and 5 only
- D. 1 and 2 only
Answer: B
Explanation:
"A firm's relative position within its industry determines whether a firm's profitability is above or below the industry average. The fundamental basis of above average profitability in the long run is sustainable competitive advantage. There are two basic types of competitive advantage a firm can possess: low cost or differentiation. The two basic types of competitive advantage combined with the scope of activities for which a firm seeks to achieve them, lead to three generic strategies for achieving above average performance in an industry: cost leadership, differentiation, and focus." (Reference: Porter, Michael E., "Competitive Advantage". 1985, Ch. 1, pp 11-15. The Free Press. New York.) Creating stand-out products and brands is considered as Differentiation. An organisation that is not clear about which of these three strategies to use is described as 'stuck in the middle' LO 2, AC 2.1
NEW QUESTION # 72
Ethan is the newly appointed CEO of ATT Group. He sees that the company is wasting financial resources on unnecessary spends. To solve this problem, Ethan requires all functional managers to prepare their department budget from scratch. Each spend must have justification or it will not be approved. Which budgeting method is Ethan using?
- A. Incremental budget
- B. Value preposition budget
- C. Zero-based budget
- D. Activity-based budget
Answer: C
Explanation:
There are four common types of budgets that companies use: (1) incremental, (2) activity-based, (3) value proposition, and (4) zero-based.
Incremental budgeting takes last year's actual figures and adds or subtracts a percentage to obtain the current year's budget. It is the most common method of budgeting because it is simple and easy to understand.
Activity-based budgeting is a top-down budgeting approach that determines the amount of inputs required to support the targets or outputs set by the company. For example, a company sets an out-put target of $100 million in revenues. The company will need to first determine the activities that need to be undertaken to meet the sales target, and then find out the costs of carrying out these ac-tivities.
In value proposition budgeting, the budgeter considers the following questions:
- Why is this amount included in the budget?
- Does the item create value for customers, staff, or other stakeholders?
- Does the value of the item outweigh its cost? If not, then is there another reason why the cost is justified?
Value proposition budgeting is really a mindset about making sure that everything that is included in the budget delivers value for the business. Value proposition budgeting aims to avoid unneces-sary expenditures - although it is not as precisely aimed at that goal as our final budgeting option, zero-based budgeting.
As one of the most commonly used budgeting methods, zero-based budgeting starts with the as-sumption that all department budgets are zero and must be rebuilt from scratch. Managers must be able to justify every single expense. No expenditures are automatically "okayed". Zero-based budgeting is very tight, aiming to avoid any and all expenditures that are not considered absolutely essential to the company's successful (profitable) operation. This kind of bottom-up budgeting can be a highly effective way to "shake things up". This is the method used in the scenario.
Reference:
- CIPS study guide page 58
- Types of Budgets - The Four Most Common Budgeting Methods (corporatefinanceinstitute.com) LO 1, AC 1.4
NEW QUESTION # 73
Which of the following is a risk to buying organization when using conformance specification?
- A. Buyer is responsible for product failure
- B. Time to produce specification is shortened
- C. Buyer cannot control the inputs
- D. Buyer may face liquidity risks
Answer: A
Explanation:
When using conformance specification, the buying organisation is responsible for the performance of the purchase. If the product fails due to poorly designed specification, the buyer is wholly responsible for it. It cannot blame the supplier for the failure because they still provided 'fit for purpose' product.
'Time to produce specification is shortened': Conformance specification requires details on dimen-sion, materials, design, etc. With such requirements, time to produce a complete conformance specification is often longer than producing performance specification.
'Buyer cannot control the inputs': Conformance specification is a list of inputs from buyer, so buyer has control over the inputs that will make the product. It also means that buyer is responsible for any product failure.
'Buyer may face liquidity risks': Liquidity means that how quick a business turns its assets into cash. This is a financial term, it does not link directly with specification failure.
Reference:
LO 3, AC 3.1
NEW QUESTION # 74
Which of the following activities are considered as secondary activities of an organization? Select TWO that apply
- A. Service response
- B. Training
- C. Component fabrication
- D. Information system development
- E. Shipping
Answer: B,D
Explanation:
According to Porter's value chain, secondary activities consist of firm infrastructure, human re-source management, technology development and procurement.
Training is an example of human resource development, while information system is a part of firm infrastructure.
LO 2, AC 2.1
NEW QUESTION # 75
The position of a product in its life cycle can affect the price that suppliers set. Is this statement correct?
- A. No, customer's perception of value is the ultimate determinant of the suppliers' price
- B. Yes, each stage in product life cycle requires different levels of investment in promotion and distribution
- C. Yes, it is always the only factor determining the price
- D. No, in market economy, the state decides the price of all goods and services
Answer: B
Explanation:
A firm also has to look at a myriad of other factors before setting its prices. Those factors include the offering's costs, the demand, the customers whose needs it is designed to meet, the external environment-such as the competition, the economy, and government regulations-and other aspects of the marketing mix, such as the nature of the offering, the current stage of its product life cycle, and its promotion and distribution. If a company plans to sell its products or services in international markets, research on the factors for each market must be analyzed before setting prices. Organizations must understand buyers, competitors, the economic conditions, and political regulations in other markets before they can compete successfully.
[...]
The costs of the product-its inputs-including the amount spent on product development, testing, and packaging required have to be taken into account when a pricing decision is made. So do the costs related to promotion and distribution. For example, when a new offering is launched, its promotion costs can be very high because people need to be made aware that it exists. Thus, the offering's stage in the product life cycle can affect its price.
Reference:
- CIPS study guide page 90-91
- 15.2 Factors That Affect Pricing Decisions - Principles of Marketing (umn.edu) LO 2, AC 2.2
NEW QUESTION # 76
Which of the following indicates types of waste that procurement department concentrates on when adopting Lean methods?
- A. OWN-IT
- B. SCAMPER
- C. DOWNTIME
- D. VA/VE
Answer: C
Explanation:
Copious amounts of waste can occur in the workplace, particularly in a manufacturing process, but do you know what the eight most commons wastes are and how they impact your organization?
Taiichi Ohno, considered the father of Toyota Production System, created a lean manufacturing framework, which was based on the idea of preserving (or increasing) value with less work. Any-thing that doesn't increase value in the eye of the customer must be considered waste, or "Muda", and every effort should be made to eliminate that waste. The following 8 lean manufacturing wastes, mostly derived from the TPS, have a universal application to businesses today. The acro-nym for the eight wastes is DOWNTIME. Downtime stands for:
- Defects
- Overproduction
- Waiting
- Not utilizing talent
- Transportation
- Inventory excess
- Motion waste
- Excess processing
OWN-IT is the acronym for the process of collecting and analysing the data and information needed in any field SCAMPER is acronym for options addressing the underlying issues and achieving target VA/VE is value analysis and value engineering LO 3, AC 3.4
NEW QUESTION # 77
Which of the following is a challenge of making a business case for straight re-buys?
- A. Identifying suitable suppliers
- B. Research of procurement process
- C. Effective inventory control
- D. Terms and conditions
Answer: C
Explanation:
For straight re-buy, the specifications for the products are known. Generally, there will be an existing contract with supplier in place. The business need is challenged annually, only on the annual demand. So effective inventory control will help procurement successfully manage straight re-buy.
Reference:
LO 1, AC 1.1
NEW QUESTION # 78
Due to increasing demand, a local restaurant is requesting its fish vendor to supply larger quantity. The restaurant manager also asks the vendor whether it is possible to reduce the total price by 5%. This is known as...?
- A. Capital purchase
- B. New purchase
- C. Straight rebuy
- D. Modified rebuy
Answer: D
Explanation:
There are three major types of buying situations, which are new purchase, modified rebuy and straight rebuy. Three factors make the buying situations be different from the others, customers may face different problems in these situations.
A new purchase is a situation requiring the purchase of a product for the very first time.
A straight rebuy is when a company places a second order with a supplier that is identical to the first purchase it made.
A modified rebuy is when a company orders again from a supplier, but wants to change some as-pect of the order, such as the quantity, packaging, product features, or delivery times. The scenario above is an example of modified rebuy.
Reference:
- What is a straight rebuy example?
- CIPS study guide page 3-4
NEW QUESTION # 79
Apple's CPO is planning a budget for purchasing carbon-free aluminium next year. There are 27.4 tonnes of aluminum in stock, while Apple will need 200 tonnes for production next year and double inventory for production in the following year. How much aluminum will Apple need to purchase in next year?
- A. 172.6 tonnes
- B. 282.2 tonnes
- C. 117.8 tonnes
- D. 227.4 tonnes
Answer: D
Explanation:
The quantity of aluminium Apple needs to buy is calculated as follows:
Quantity needed for production + the inventory needed at the end of the year - inventory at start of the year That formula is quantified as: 200 + 54.8 - 27.4 = 227.4 Reference:
LO 2, AC 2.3
NEW QUESTION # 80
A consulting firm in London had previously had static budgets. They were set once and locked in for the year. This resulted in departments meeting their budgets early and doing virtually nothing the rest of the accounting period. To address this imbalance, the company tossed out the static budget and developed a new one for each department of the next 18 months. And each month, real sales figures are analyzed against the plan and the budget is adjusted accordingly. Then the company adds another month into the budgeting plan. What type of budget this company is using?
- A. Rolling budget
- B. Zero-based budget
- C. Incremental budget
- D. Activity-based budget
Answer: A
Explanation:
A rolling budget is continually updated to add a new budget period as the most recent budget period is completed. Thus, the rolling budget involves the incremental extension of the existing budget model. By doing so, a business always has a budget that extends one year into the future.
Think of continuous (rolling) budgets as waves rolling ashore on the beach. A new wave comes in each time, replacing the one that was there before. From a financial perspective, the wave is your budget, and the time between waves is longer! These reporting time frames can be monthly, quar-terly, yearly, etc.
An incremental budget is a budget prepared using a previous period's budget or actual performance as a basis with incremental amounts added for the new budget period.
Zero-based budgeting (ZBB) is a method of budgeting in which all expenses must be justified for each new period. The process of zero-based budgeting starts from a "zero base," and every function within an organization is analyzed for its needs and costs. Budgets are then built around what is needed for the upcoming period, regardless of whether each budget is higher or lower than the previous one.
Activity-based budgeting (ABB) is a system that records, researches, and analyzes activities that lead to costs for a company. Every activity in an organization that incurs a cost is scrutinized for potential ways to create efficiencies. Budgets are then developed based on these results.
Reference:
LO 1, AC 1.4
NEW QUESTION # 81
Which of the following areas is specified by ISO/IEC 27001 family?
- A. The dimensions and associated tolerances for a series of housings for piston seals
- B. The requirements for an environmental management system
- C. The requirements for an information security management system
- D. Evaluation and assessment of mutual agreed customer food safety requirements
Answer: C
Explanation:
ISO/IEC 27001 is widely known, providing requirements for an information security management system (ISMS), though there are more than a dozen standards in the ISO/IEC 27000 family. Using them enables organizations of any kind to manage the security of assets such as financial infor-mation, intellectual property, employee details or information entrusted by third parties.
LO 3, AC 3.1
NEW QUESTION # 82
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