L3M1 Procurement and Supply Environments Questions and Answers

Explanation

The correct answer is 'taxpayers'. On occasion, part of a public sector organisation may make sales which will generate revenue. In some mega-projects (eg power generation), public sector bodies will sometimes into long-term arrangements with private sector financiers, but this is not the mainstream. Delaying payments to suppliers is a tactic used by some organisations, but they are more likely to be private sector, and such a practice is regarded as unethical by many, including CIPS.

Explanation

Corporate Governance. Not to be confused with CSR.

Corporate identity relates to marketing and branding; corporate manslaughter is the concept of an organisation being criminally accountable for the deaths of humans through some lack of care. An example might be the deaths of rail company employees on the railway track, where the prosecution would attempt to show that it was the employers' fault.

Explanation

To gain market share and to create shareholder value (increase the value of shares) are common aims of private sector organisations.

The other two answers are the antithesis of what firms usually want.

Explanation

Third sector organisations often rely on charitable contributions. An example might be Medecins Sans Frontieres.

They also sometimes receive grants from taxpayers, sometimes in return for work done eg the chari-ty Barnardo's receive government funding in return for advising the British government on man-agement of some children in its care.

Finally some NFPs have, for example, retail outlets which generate income to aid the organisation. Oxfam is such an example.

Third sector can be expected to ster clear of certain areas for ethical reasons. Alcohol, gambling, to-bacco, and weapons are examples.

Explanation

A local independent supermarket would be a private sector organisation - that is one intended to make a profit. The others suggested here would all be not-for-profit.

Public sector organisations, although not created to make a profit, are generally referred to as 'public sector' - often funded from taxation - with 'not-for-profit' often being funded from members, do-nors, or other voluntary sources.

Explanation

This is a broad group of people deriving income from employment, including some skilled people through to unskilled.

A, B and C1 would be those people often referred to as upper middle class or upper class; whereas E would describe a broad group of the poor, the unemployed, etc.

These are rough generalisations regarding people's likelihood of income, taste, lifestyle, etc. To take an extreme example, there is probably not much point in trying to market Dom Perignon (an expen-sive brand of champagne) to the E group. But the E group might welcome promotion of a low-cost brand of tobacco or cigarettes.

Explanation

Specification is the answer. The second sentence in the rubric makes it clear that this is the correct answer.

Explanation

It's climate change.

Interestingly I've seen writings from climate activists who say that the film provides clear evidence that human-made climate change will be disastrous for the human race; and I've seen writings from climate-change deniers saying that if things were that bad we'd have become extinct a while ago. You decide.

Explanation

This is the standard definition, widely used, and given in your textbook.

Explanation

This is true.

A limited company has its own legal identity.

(Your syllabus makes reference to 'unincorporated companies'. This is something of a contradiction - the term 'company' implies incorporation. Although I have not been permitted to see your actual ex-am QUESTION NO:s, it seems unlikely that you will be QUESTION NO:ed on this particular point).

Explanation

This is true: the liability of shareholders is limited to their agreed financial commitment, not beyond that.

Explanation

'Multi-national corporation' is the correct answer. Very large international organisations, with very large turnover, purchasing power and influence. Examples would include: Alphabet, Amazon, Ap-ple, Dell, Ford, Shell, Toyota, etc

Explanation

It is an economy in which the public and private sectors work together. This is now the norm in most countries, with private sector involvement to a greater or lesser extent. In North Korea there is a (rare example of a) planned economy, and in the United States there is a heavily market-led (pri-vate sector) economy.

Explanation

It's 'delegated authority' - where the authority to spend has been delegated to others, at a 'lower lev-el' in the organisation.

Normally organisational finance or procurement policies will explain how this is to work, often with a written delegation provided by a more senior manager. The authority to spend is invariably a tem-porary permission, which may be withdrawn under certain circumstances eg breach of rules, exces-sive spend, maverick spend, etc.

Explanation

Social arrangement because it involves people; they have a collective goal eg to be a profitable or-ganisation; and their performance must be controlled to work towards or to achieve that goal / those goals.

Explanation

Because a wide range of organisations (or even individuals) may respond to an open tender, consid-erable administrative resource may have to be devoted to analysing offers.

Explanation

Exchange rate fluctuations and escalating materials costs can both substantially impact on a contract price. Where a contract has been drafted to allow for it, the price may be adjusted in line with some pre-agreed mechanism or formula to make the price paid more equitable.

Quality problems of the supplier's own making and shareholders seeking extra profit - neither being uncommon - are not seen as being grounds for adjusting price (upwards).

I should mention that price adjustment clauses can result in prices being adjusted either upwards or downwards, or not at all, depending on circumstances.

Explanation

To the lay person, they may look the same.

However, for a procurement professional, a fixed price may be altered in some circumstances eg 'fixed price with incentive', 'fixed price with exchange rate adjustment', etc.

A firm price on the other hand cannot be altered, and is the price which will be paid under the con-tract.

An earlier text by Patrick Behan on government contracting refers.

Explanation

Coal and oil are the correct answers. These are finite resources and will run out some day.

The others shown are renewables.

Explanation

A market with only one buyer is called a 'monopsony'.

There may be other QUESTION NO:s in this test about the other terms shown, so I shall hold back on expla-nation(s) here.

Explanation

Both customers and shareholders are core stakeholders of a private sector organisation, although this fact appears to be somewhat diluted in the minds of some modern-day academics and commenta-tors. The shareholders are the owners of the business - it is for them that everyone is working and their objective is invariably profit. The profit is derived fromreligiously focusing on another core stakeholder group - the customers. If either of these two stakeholder groups is ignored, it is unlikely that happy times lie ahead.

Explanation

There is an expression 'painshare' which is an almost-ironic term referring to the opposite of the situ-ation described in the QUESTION NO: - when something has gone wrong, and the additional cost must be shared between the parties. The other two answers are a little bit facetious.

The correct answer is 'gainshare' when the parties share benefits, according to a pre-agreed ratio or formula.

Explanation

The GRN, invoice and PO should all match to enable payment to occur.

The BoM will help calculate the extent of the requirement, prior to the PO being issued.

An SLA will help ensure adequate and contractual delivery of any services required.

Explanation

Exchange rate - the rate at which the currencies are exchanged. This rate can vary frequently, some-times several times per hour, depending on circumstances.

The interest rate is the rate charged on loans - the cost of borrowing.

The base rate is the basic interest rate used for agreeing loans within an economy. This rate is nor-mally set by the government or the central bank. Loans within that economy will usually be at a higher rate than the base rate, often much higher.

The equilibrium rate (more commonly 'equilibrium price') is the rate at which supply and demand meet, not necessarily related to currency.