Free Practice Questions for APICS CTSC Exam

According to the CTSC Ex-am Content Manual1,the Swiss cheese model is one of the accident models that explains how accidents happen in complex systems. The model compares the system to a stack of slices of Swiss cheese, where each slice represents a layer of defense or protection against hazards. The holes in the cheese represent weaknesses or failures in each layer. Normally, the holes do not align and the system is safe. However, when the holes align, a hazard can penetrate through the layers and cause an accident. The model illustrates how multiple factors and conditions can combine to create a pathway for an accident.

1: https://www.ascm.org/ctsc-ecm/

According to the CTSC exam content manual1, implementing electronic data interchange (EDI) can provide benefit in establishing business relationships with suppliers by building trust, which is one of the key elements of supplier relationship management. EDI can help to build trust by enabling faster, more accurate, and more secure data exchange, reducing errors and disputes, improving communication and collaboration, and enhancing customer satisfaction.

According to the CTSC Exam Content Manual, one of the areas that leadership should focus on while developing a roadmap for supply chain transformation is customers, talent, and risks1.Customers are the ultimate source of value and demand for the supply chain, and understanding their needs and expectations is essential for designing a customer-centric supply chain strategy1.Talent is the human capital that drives the supply chain performance and innovation, and developing the skills and capabilities of the workforce is critical for enabling a successful supply chain transformation1.Risks are the potential threats and uncertainties that can disrupt or damage the supply chain, and identifying, assessing, and mitigating them is vital for ensuring the resilience and sustainability of the supply chain1. The other options are not the most pertinent areas for leadership to focus on while developing a roadmap for supply chain transformation, as they are more operational or tactical aspects of the supply chain, not strategic or transformational.Suppliers, inventory, and payment terms are examples of the sourcing process elements that affect the cost, quality, and availability of the supply chain inputs2.Warehouses, carrier relationships, and technology are examples of the delivery process elements that affect the efficiency, responsiveness, and reliability of the supply chain outputs2.Data centers and web portal are examples of the information technology infrastructure that supports the supply chain integration and visibility3.

According to the ASCM CTSC Exam Content Manual, when designing a new demand-driven supply chain, technologies should be evaluated after the supply chain is designed.This is because the supply chain design should be based on the customer needs, the business strategy, and the supply chain capabilities, not on the available technologies1.The technologies should be selected to support and enable the supply chain processes, not to dictate or constrain them1.Evaluating technologies after the supply chain is designed can help to avoid unnecessary costs, complexity, and risks, and to ensure alignment and integration across the supply chain network1.

1: ASCM CTSC Exam Content Manual, page 8.

ETO is an operating model that involves designing and producing customized products or services based on the specific requirements of each customer1.ETO is suitable for customized offerings with infrequent demand, as it allows the organization to create unique and differentiated value propositions for each customer, and to avoid holdingexcess inventory of products that may not sell well2.ETO also enables the organization to leverage its engineering and innovation capabilities, and to charge a premium price for its customized solutions3.

The other options are not suitable for customized offerings with infrequent demand, as they involve standardizing some or all of the production process, which reduces the degree of customization and differentiation.MTS is an operating model that involves producing products in advance based on forecasted demand, and then selling them from stock1.MTO is an operating model that involves producing products only after receiving a customer order, but using standardized components and processes1.CTO is an operating model that involves producing products based on a customer order, but using a predefined set of options and configurations1.

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 Designing the supply chain to enable the overall business strategy can also mean viewing the organization’s supply chain as a strategic asset, because this implies that the supply chain is not just a cost center, but a source of competitive advantage and value creation for the organization and its customers. A strategic asset is something that is rare, valuable, difficult to imitate, and hard to substitute, and that contributes to the organization’s performance and goals. By viewing the supply chain as a strategic asset, the organization can leverage its supply chain capabilities to differentiate itself from competitors, meet customer needs and expectations, and achieve operational excellence and innovation.

According to the CTSC exam content manual1, the first step in performing a root cause analysis using the SCOR model involves linking processes to metric hierarchy, which means mapping the SCOR processes to the SCOR metrics and identifying the relevant performance attributes and levels. This step helps to establish the scope and boundaries of the analysis and to align the processes with the strategic objectives of the organization.