APICS Updated CTSC Exam Questions and Answers by remy

According to the ASCM, the SCOR model provides a framework for measuring the performance of the supply chain across five core processes: Plan, Source, Make, Deliver, and Return. The model defines three levels of metrics: Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3. Level 1 metrics are strategic metrics that reflect the overall performance of the supply chain, such as customer satisfaction, total cost, and return on assets. Level 2 metrics are diagnostic metrics that measure the performance of each core process, such as reliability, responsiveness, agility, cost, and asset management.Level 3 metrics are operational metrics that measure the performance of specific activities within each core process, such as order fulfillment cycle time, production yield, and inventory turns1.

The ASCM recommends that organizations use Level 2 metrics as their KPIs, because they provide a balanced view of the supply chain performance across the five core processes and the attributes of reliability, responsiveness, agility, cost, and asset management.Level 2 metrics also enable benchmarking and best practice identification, as well as alignment with the customer and stakeholder expectations1.Level 1 metrics are too high-level and may not reflect the specific performance of each core process, while Level 3 metrics are too detailed and may not capture the overall performance of the supply chain1. Therefore, Level 2 metrics are the most suitable for establishing KPIs.

According to the ASCM, one of the challenges of the product life cycle is the shrinking time span between the introduction and decline stages, due to the rapid changes in technology, customer preferences, and competition1.To cope with this challenge, the ASCM recommends that companies adopt a strategy of accelerating the speed to market, which means reducing the time it takes to develop, launch, and deliver new products to customers1.By doing so, companies can gain a competitive advantage, increase customer satisfaction, and capture more market share before the product becomes obsolete1. Some of the ways to accelerate the speed to market are:

• Implementing agile and lean product development methods1
• Collaborating with suppliers, customers, and other stakeholders in the product design and launch process1
• Using digital technologies and platforms to enable faster and more efficient product testing, validation, and feedback1
• Optimizing the supply chain network and logistics to ensure timely and reliable product delivery1

According to the ASCM CTSC Exam Content Manual, a supply chain strategy that is more focused on creating value is based on the principle of customer-centricity1.This means that the supply chain strategy should align with the value proposition and expectations of the target customers, and deliver superior value to them in terms of quality, cost, service, and innovation12.Therefore, the most important step for this company to take is to design its internal operations to meet customers’ requirements, such as product specifications, delivery time, customization options, and after-sales support13.This will help the company to differentiate itself from competitors, increase customer satisfaction and loyalty, and enhance its profitability and market share12.

1: ASCM CTSC Exam Content Manual, page 12.2:A new era for procurement: Value creation across the supply chain | McKinsey3:Strategic Value Creation in a Supply Chain - IGI Global

According to the ASCM CTSC Exam Content Manual, one of the benefits of a mature S&OP process is to enable the alignment of supply and demand plans with the strategic objectives of the organization1.This can help to optimize the use of resources, reduce costs, improve customer service, and increase profitability. Therefore, evaluating the current S&OP process can help an organization to identify the gaps and opportunities for improvement in a supply chain transformation initiative.

1: ASCM CTSC Exam Content Manual, page 14.