To calculate the estimated annual payback period, a buyer will need to know the estimated annual savings made from implementing the option, and also the estimated costs. Is this statement correct?
A company has installed a new piece of capital equipment but needs to arrange a maintenance contract for three years. The company wants to know as accurately as possible what this price will be for the full contract. What would be an appropriate type of pricing mechanism to use when asking suppliers to quote prices?
A fixed price with adjustment for inflation provides cost predictability while accounting for potential increases due to inflation. This strikes a balance between fixed costs and market realities. Reference: CIPS Level 4, Pricing Strategies.
Which of the following is a risk to buying organization when using conformance specification?
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.
LO 3, AC 3.1
What criteria can be applied in the production of a business case?
A strong business case includes a clear assessment of costs, the expected benefits, and the viable options available. These criteria ensure a structured approach to decision-making and alignment with strategic goals. Reference: CIPS Level 4, Business Case Development.
Which of the following might be consequences of over-specification? Select TWO that apply:
Over-specification can cause problems to buying organisation, include the following:
- Higher expense due to unnecessary features embedded into the product
- Stifle competition because higher requirements will lead to fewer suppliers in the market are able to supply
- Harder to evaluate the trade-offs between different features and attributes in the specification
LO 3, AC 3.3
