CSCP CSCP Supply Chain Technology and Systems 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In supply chain technology, what does 'API integration' allow companies to do?
- Physically connect warehouse shelves to conveyor belts
- Enable different software systems to communicate and share data in real time (Correct answer)
- Replace EDI with paper-based document exchange
- Automate physical inventory counts using drones
Correct answer: Enable different software systems to communicate and share data in real time
APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) allow disparate software systems to exchange data seamlessly in real time without manual intervention.
Question 2: Demand-Driven MRP (DDMRP) differs from traditional MRP primarily because it:
- Relies solely on historical sales data for planning
- Uses strategically positioned inventory buffers to decouple supply chain variability (Correct answer)
- Eliminates the need for Bill of Materials (BOM)
- Requires a manual planning process without software support
Correct answer: Uses strategically positioned inventory buffers to decouple supply chain variability
DDMRP positions decoupling points with dynamic buffers to protect and promote flow rather than reacting to forecasts alone.
Question 3: An Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) system improves on basic MRP by:
- Ignoring capacity constraints during planning
- Considering both material availability and capacity constraints simultaneously (Correct answer)
- Only planning for finished goods inventory
- Replacing the need for demand forecasting
Correct answer: Considering both material availability and capacity constraints simultaneously
APS simultaneously optimizes production schedules against material availability and resource capacity constraints, producing more realistic plans.
Question 4: Which metric is most directly improved by implementing a robust Supply Chain Control Tower?
- Employee headcount reduction
- End-to-end supply chain visibility and real-time decision-making (Correct answer)
- Reduction in product design cycles
- Improvement in accounts receivable turnover
Correct answer: End-to-end supply chain visibility and real-time decision-making
A Supply Chain Control Tower aggregates data from across the supply chain to provide real-time visibility and enable rapid response to disruptions.
Question 5: The Internet of Things (IoT) enhances supply chain management primarily by:
- Replacing human workers in all distribution centers
- Enabling physical assets to collect and transmit data automatically (Correct answer)
- Standardizing all supplier contracts globally
- Automating strategic sourcing decisions
Correct answer: Enabling physical assets to collect and transmit data automatically
IoT devices on assets, vehicles, and products continuously collect and transmit operational data, enabling real-time monitoring and analytics.
Question 6: Which technology is most associated with automating repetitive, rule-based supply chain tasks such as invoice processing or order entry?
- Robotic Process Automation (RPA) (Correct answer)
- 3D Printing
- Autonomous mobile robots (AMR)
- Computer vision
Correct answer: Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
RPA uses software bots to mimic human actions for repetitive digital tasks, freeing staff for higher-value supply chain work.
CSCP CSCP Supply Chain Technology and Systems 2
In supply chain technology, what does 'API integration' allow companies to do?