Pass the CIPS Level 4 Diploma in Procurement and Supply L4M2 Questions and answers with ValidTests

Detailed Explanation:

A (Production materials): These are directly tied to the production of goods and are variable costs.

D (Manufacturing staff wages): Labour directly involved in the production process is a direct cost.

Indirect costs like salaries, depreciation, and insurance are related to overheads and not directly tied to production. Reference: CIPS Level 4, Cost Structures.

Detailed Explanation:

A (Purchase value): A competitive bidding process is only justifiable when the cost of running it is outweighed by its potential value.

B (Qualified suppliers): Ensuring a sufficient number of capable suppliers promotes competition and delivers better results.Restricting suppliers (C) or rigid timeframes (D) can hinder the process, while subcontracting (E) is not a core consideration in most bids. Reference: CIPS Level 4, Bidding and Tendering.

Detailed Explanation:Cotton fabric is a direct cost because it is directly attributable to the production of the garments. Costs like rent, utilities, and payroll are indirect costs associated with running the business. Reference: CIPS Level 4, Cost Categorization in Procurement.

Explanation

A monopoly is a market with a single seller (called the monopolist) but with many buyers. In this market, the bargaining power of supplier is higher than of buyer since the supplier is the only seller.

Explanation

Risk control is the process by which an organization reduces the likelihood of a risk event occurring or mitigates the effects that risk should it occur. CIPS preferred way to determine your risk control strategy is to use the four T’s Process:

Transferring Risk can be achieved through the use of various forms of insurance, or the payment to third parties who are prepared to take the risk on behalf of the organization

Tolerating Risk is where no action is taken to mitigate or reduce a risk. This may be because the cost of instituting risk reduction or mitigation activity is not cost-effective or the risks of impact are at so low that they are deemed acceptable to the business. Even when these risks are tolerated they should be monitored because future changes may make it no longer tolerable.

Treating Risk is a method of controlling risk through actions that reduce the likelihood of the risk occurring or minimize its impact prior to its occurrence. Also, there are contingent measures that can be developed to reduce the impact of an event once it has occurred. Finding an alternative sup-plier is an example of treating the risk.

Terminating Risk is the simplest and most often ignored method of dealing with risk. It is the ap-proach that should be most favored where possible and simply involves risk elimination. This can be done by altering an inherently risky process or practice to remove the risk. The same can be used when reviewing practices and processes in all areas of the business.

If an item presents a risk and can be changed or removed without it materially affecting the busi-ness, then removing the risk should be the first option considered; rather than attempting the treat, tolerate or transfer it.

Explanation

In the scenario, the products have low value and high risk of supply. This group is known as bottleneck or critical in Kraljic's portfolio matrix. The objective for such items would be securing the supply. The company can achieve this goal by 'making' the products themselves, or finding an alternative option.

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Explanation

Target costing is an activity aimed at reducing the life-cycle costs of new products, while ensuring quality, reliability, and other consumer requirements by examining all possible ideas for cost reduction at the product planning, research and development and prototyping phases of production. But it is not just a cost reduction technique; it is part of a comprehensive strategic profit management system.

Explanation

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 14001:2015 helps an organization achieve the intended outcomes of its environmental man-agement system, which provide value for the environment, the organization itself and interested parties. Consistent with the organization's environmental policy, the intended outcomes of an environmental management system include:

• enhancement of environmental performance;

• fulfilment of compliance obligations;

• achievement of environmental objectives.

ISO 14001:2015 is applicable to any organization, regardless of size, type and nature, and applies to the environmental aspects of its activities, products and services that the organization determines it can either control or influence considering a life cycle perspective. ISO 14001:2015 does not state specific environmental performance criteria.

ISO 14001:2015 can be used in whole or in part to systematically improve environmental manage-ment. Claims of conformity to ISO 14001:2015, however, are not acceptable unless all its require-ments are incorporated into an organization's environmental management system and fulfilled without exclusion.

In conclusion, ISO 14001:2015 focuses on: management system (including roles, leadership and processes) and the life cycle of product or service. Life cycle is defined as "consecutive and inter-linked stages of a product (or service) system, from raw material acquisition or generation from natural resources to final disposal. [...] The life cycle stages include acquisition of raw materials, design, production, transportation/ delivery, use, end-of-life treatment and final disposal."

The answer is process and life cycle.

Explanation

Public annual reports can be a source of information that helps the procurement professional to analyse an industry's cost and revenue using the line of best fit. Line of best fit is one of the most important outputs of regression analysis. Regression refers to a quantitative measure of the relationship between one or more independent variables and a resulting dependent variable. Regression is of use to professionals in a wide range of fields from science and public service to financial analysis.

In this case, by collecting and analysing 17 annual reports, the procurement manager can find the line of best fit which goes approximately through the middle of the data points with an equal num-ber of data points above and below it.

The slope of the line of best fit is the approximate variable costs the industry. The easiest way to calculate it is to take a point at the right-hand end of the line of best fit and note its cost and output levels. Divide the cost by the output and this gives and approximate figure for the cost per unit of output or variable cost. This gives an approximate value for the industry fixed and variable costs.