APICS CPIM-8.0 - Certified in Planning and Inventory Management (CPIM 8.0)

 Management should support investments in new process technologies that align with the strategic objectives of the organization and provide a sustainable competitive advantage in the market. New process technologies may involve changes in existing systems, procedures, and skills, but these changes should be justified by the potential benefits and risks of the investment. Therefore, option D is correct. Option A is incorrect because requiring minimal changes in existing systems, procedures, and skills is not a sufficient criterion for investing in new process technologies. Option B is incorrect because relying on the recommendations of technical experts and equipment suppliers may not reflect the best interests of the organization or its customers. Option C is incorrect because providing significant cost-reduction opportunities for the company’s current products may not be enough to justify the investment in new process technologies, especially if the products have a short life cycle or low demand. References: CPIM Part 2 Exam Content Manual, Version 8.0, Section H: Quality, Continuous Improvement, and Technology, Subsection H.3: Technology, p. 85.

Increasing finished goods inventory investment will improve service levels by reducing the probability of stockouts. However, the relationship between inventory and service level is not linear, but rather asymptotic. This means that as inventory increases, service level increases at a decreasing rate, approaching a maximum value. Therefore, option C is correct. Option A is incorrect because service level will not remain the same when inventory changes. Option B is incorrect because service level will not increase in direct proportion to inventory. Option D is incorrect because service level will not increase at an increasing rate as inventory increases. References: CPIM Part 2 Exam Content Manual, Version 8.0, Section A: Demand Management, Subsection A.3: Demand Management and Customer Service, p. 10.

A problem statement is a concise description of an issue to be addressed or a condition to be improved upon. It identifies the gap between the current state and the desired state of a process or a system. A good problem statement should include measurements that help describe the problem, such as the magnitude, frequency, location, and impact of the problem. These measurements can help quantify the problem and provide a baseline for improvement. The other options are not essential for a problem statement, but rather for the subsequent steps of problem-solving, such as selecting tools, forming teams, and assigning responsibilities. References:

•[CPIM Part 2 - Section B - Topic 1 - Quality and Continuous Improvement]

•How to Write a Problem Statement

Substituting capital equipment in place of direct labor can be economically justified for scenario A, where volumes are forecasted to increase. This is because capital equipment can provide higher productivity, efficiency, and quality than direct labor, especially for large-scale and standardized production. Capital equipment can also reduce labor costs, such as wages, benefits, and training, and avoid labor shortages or turnover. However, capital equipment also involves high initial investment, maintenance, and depreciation costs, and may require more skilled workers to operate and monitor. Therefore, the substitution of capital equipment for direct labor should be based on a careful analysis of the trade-offs between the costs and benefits of both alternatives.

Option B is not correct, because material prices are forecasted to increase. This scenario does not directly affect the decision to substitute capital equipment for direct labor, as both alternatives use the same materials. However, increasing material prices may reduce the profitability of the production, and may require the company to find ways to reduce material usage, such as improving material yield, reducing scrap and rework, or sourcing from cheaper suppliers.

Option C is not correct, because implementing a pull system in production. This scenario does not favor the substitution of capital equipment for direct labor, as a pull system is based on the principle of producing only what is needed by the customer, when it is needed, and in the quantity needed. A pull system requires flexibility, responsiveness, and adaptability to the changing customer demand, which may be better achieved by direct labor than capital equipment. A pull system also aims to minimize inventory, waste, and overproduction, which may reduce the need for capital equipment.

Option D is not correct, because functional layouts are being utilized. This scenario does not support the substitution of capital equipment for direct labor, as functional layouts are based on grouping similar or related processes or machines together, regardless of the product flow. Functional layouts may result in long and complex material flows, high transportation and handling costs, high work-in-process inventory, and low visibility and coordination of the production. Functional layouts may also require more direct labor to move and monitor the materials and machines. Capital equipment may be more suitable for product layouts, where the processes or machines are arranged according to the sequence of operations for a specific product or family of products.

Production and Inventory Management

Capital Equipment and Labor

Facility Layout and Design

 The shortest processing time rule is a prioritization rule that assigns the highest priority to the job that requires the least amount of processing time. This rule minimizes the average flow time of jobs and reduces the number of jobs in queue. The critical ratio rule assigns priority based on the ratio of time remaining until the due date to the remaining processing time. The fewest operations remaining rule assigns priority based on the number of remaining operations for each job. The first come, first served rule assigns priority based on the arrival time of the jobs. References: Managing Supply Chain Operations, Chapter 9: Scheduling and Sequencing, page 237. Manufacturing Planning and Control for Supply Chain Management: The CPIM Reference, Second Edition, Chapter 13: Scheduling and Execution, page 419.

 Backflushing is a method of inventory accounting that deducts the materials used in production from the inventory record after the completion of a product or batch. This introduces a temporary variance between the actual inventory balance and the inventory record, which should be reconciled periodically. Inventory write-off, cycle count, and kanban do not cause such a variance. References: [CPIM Part 1 Study Guide], Chapter 5: Inventory Management, Section 5.3: Inventory Record Accuracy, p. 5-15.

Independent demand for components and subassemblies is not tied to the demand of a higher-level item. These typically come from repair, maintenance, and service activities, where components are needed on their own rather than as part of a finished product.

“Independent demand... includes service/replacement parts and maintenance repair operating supplies.”

— CPIM MRP Module C1-5

The probability of stocking out is the likelihood that the demand for an item will exceed the available inventory during a given period. It is one of the criteria used to determine safety stock in a distribution center (DC), as safety stock is inventory that is carried to protect against forecast errors and fluctuations in demand or supply. The higher the probability of stocking out, the more safety stock is needed to avoid customer dissatisfaction and lost sales. The other criteria are not directly related to safety stock. Economic order quantity (EOQ) is the order quantity that minimizes the total inventory holding and ordering costs. Seasonal index value is a measure of how demand varies according to different seasons or periods. Alpha factor level is a parameter used in exponential smoothing to adjust the forecast based on the error between the actual and forecasted demand. References: Safety Stock: A Contingency Plan to Keep Supply Chains Flying High, APICS CPIM 8 Planning and Inventory Management | ASCM

 Forecast error is the difference between the actual demand and the forecasted demand for a given period. Forecast error can be caused by various factors, such as changes in customer preferences, market conditions, competitor actions, or random variation. Forecast error can be measured using different methods, such as mean absolute deviation (MAD), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), or tracking signal. Forecast error typically triggers forecast revision when it is continually increasing, which indicates that the forecast model is not capturing the underlying demand pattern or trend. A continually increasing forecast error can lead to poor customer service, excess or obsolete inventory, or lost sales opportunities. Therefore, it is important to monitor the forecast error and revise the forecast when necessary to improve the forecast accuracy and reliability. Forecast error does not trigger forecast revision when it is used in computing the tracking signal, associated with the introduction stage of the product life cycle, or caused by random variation. These are not valid reasons for revising the forecast, as they do not indicate a systematic or persistent deviation from the actual demand. References:

CPIM Part 1 Study Guide, Chapter 4: Demand Management, Section 4.2: Forecasting Techniques and Performance Measurement

CPIM Part 2 Study Guide, Chapter 3: Demand Management, Section 3.1: Demand Planning

A Critical Look at Measuring and Calculating Forecast Bias, Section: What Is Forecast Bias?

How Can Forecast Error be Calculated?, Section: Introduction