The Ultimate CIPS L4M2 Dumps PDF Review
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CIPS L4M2 Exam Syllabus Topics:
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NEW QUESTION 82
Which kind of these following costs belong to fixed costs? Select TWO that apply.
- A. The depreciation of capital inputs
- B. The costs of leasing or purchasing capital equipment
- C. Energy consumption in manufacturing
- D. The packaging and distribution costs
- E. The annual income tax charged by local authorities
Answer: A,B
Explanation:
Based on variability, the costs has been classified into three categories, they are fixed, variable and semi variable. Fixed costs, as its name suggests, is fixed in total i.e. irrespective of the number of output produced. Variable costs vary with the number of output produced. Semi-variable is the type of costs, which have the characteristics of both fixed costs and variable costs (Source: Key Differences).
Among above costs, leasing and depreciation are relatively static and do not change if volume of business activities increase or reduce.
Packaging, utilities and annual business rate (tax) are variable costs.
Reference:
LO 1, AC 1.2
NEW QUESTION 83
Which of the following always impact negatively on a company's cash flow? Select TWO that ap-ply
- A. Supplier shortens their payment period
- B. Depreciation of fixed asset
- C. Increasing revenue
- D. Customers agree to pay immediately
- E. More inventory
Answer: A,E
Explanation:
To answer this question, candidates are required to remember the cash flow cycle and cost entries as well as the impact of their timing on a business.
Source: https://cfoperspective.com/free-your-cash-trapped-in-the-cash-conversion-cycle/ Shorter payment term and more inventory are likely to have negative impact on the cash flow be-cause the buyer has to pay sooner and greater.
"Customers agree to pay immediately" will increase the organisation's bank account sooner.
Depreciation has no impact on cash flow as it is only listed in Profit and Loss statement.
Increasing revenue may have negative or positive impact on cash flow, depending on the real situation.
Reference:
LO 1, AC 1.4
NEW QUESTION 84
Which of the following technology is likely to be an innovation in financial sector?
- A. E-commerce
- B. Robotics
- C. E-auction
- D. Blockchain
Answer: D
Explanation:
Traditional financial systems operate with a centralised database, usually with a single point of authority. Blockchain technology, on the other hand, allows for a distributed database that holds a growing number of records. Instead of existing in one place, the ledger is continually updated and synchronised across multiple computers in a network. Therefore, any participant in the network with the proper authorisation can view the entire ledger - without relying on an intermediary or any one authority.
Another key feature of blockchain technology is a "smart contract," which is a self-executing protocol that enforces a previously agreed arrangement. For example, a smart contract could trigger an automatic refund under certain conditions or the automatic payment of an agreed commission after a sale. These smart contracts can eliminate delays in traditional Finance processes, while increasing transparency and reducing reliance on middlemen to follow through on their commitments. Moreover, like other parts of a blockchain, smart contracts are immutable, so they can enhance accuracy in the financial statements.
LO 2, AC 2.1
NEW QUESTION 85
Which of the following factors are likely to be direct barriers to a new entrant in a supply market?
- A. Availability of substitutes
- B. Brand identity
- C. Threat of forward integration
- D. Cost advantages
- E. Value to price
Answer: B,D
Explanation:
There are many types of barriers to entry into a market. Some of these include:
- Economies of Scale: When manufacturing or selling at a large scale, companies are able to avail cost advantages because per unit costs of the product fall. So the more the company produces in quantity the more the benefit. When existing companies have this advantage, it can act as a barrier to entry because a new entrant will have to try to match the scale to achieve the same cost ad-vantage as the existing company. This may not be possible at the initial stage.
- A Differentiated Product: If the product being sold by the existing company or companies is highly differentiated or enjoys strong brand loyalty, then this can act as a strong barrier to entry. The new entrant will have to invest in creating a product with newer and unique features and bene-fits that surpass those offered by the old company. In addition, there will need to be strong efforts to break existing brand loyalties and shift them to a new untested company.
- High Capital Costs: If an industry requires huge capital investments at the onset, then this will act as a barrier to entry for many of the potential entrants. Only those will attempt to enter the competitive fray who have the resources to make this high initial investment.
- Other Cost Advantages: Apart from those cost benefits that come from economies of scale, there are other advantages that an existing firm may enjoy. These include access to the best suppliers, an understanding of existing materials and knowledge of their quality, possession of any necessary and important patents, and proprietary information and technological knowledge. There are also learning advantages, achieved over years of business and experience.
- Cost of Switching: The cost associated with a consumer's move from one company or product or another is called the switching cost. If there are significant switching costs, then a new entrant may not be able to create means of removing these. Or, they may have to offer significant advantage to counter these switching costs at their own expense.
- Distribution Network: Often, distribution relationships are well established and may prove to be a strong barrier to entry for a new company. A new entrant will obviously need access to these dis-tribution channels but will need to invest extra in order to engage distributors who have established relations with existing competitors.
- Suppliers: As with distributors, suppliers may be vital to the operations of a new business. Exist-ing suppliers may have contracts or loyalties with existing companies and may prove to be difficult to form relationships with.
- Legal and Government Created Barriers: Government and regulatory requirements such as permits and licenses may be a strong barrier to entry. There may also be laws governing ways to conduct business that may conflict with a company's practices in other countries.
- Barriers to Exit: Interestingly, barriers to exit may act as a deterrent to entry by new companies. If a company is unable to easily leave a competitive environment in case business does not work out, then it will have to stay and compete even if that is a detrimental business practice. In this case, the company may choose to not enter the market in the first place.
Reference:
LO 2, AC 2.2
NEW QUESTION 86
Which of the following is the new technology that has impact on manufacturing sector?
- A. Robotics
- B. E-commerce
- C. Blockchain
- D. Social Media
Answer: A
Explanation:
Robots in manufacturing help to create jobs by reshoring more manufacturing work. Robots protect workers from repetitive, mundane and dangerous tasks, while also creating more desirable jobs, such as engineering, programming, management and equipment maintenance.
LO 2, AC 2.1
NEW QUESTION 87
Product development consists of various stages, including planning and analysis, design develop-ment, pre-production, production and maintenance. At which stages the opportunities for cost re-duction will be the greatest?
1. Planning stage
2. Pre-design stage
3. Detail design stage
4. Production stage
5. Logistics support stage
- A. 2 and 3 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 1 and 4 only
- D. 2 and 5 only
Answer: B
Explanation:
Writing a specification and then procuring and using the product or service has a number of stages. The further on in the process you are, the less potential there is for cost reductions. Therefore, opportunities for cost reduction will be greatest in the two first stages: planning stage and pre-design stage.
LO 3, AC 3.1
NEW QUESTION 88
Buyers are more powerful than the supplier when they are purchasing from monopoly market. Is this statement true?
- A. True, in monopoly market, buyer's switching costs from the incumbent supplier to an-other are relatively low
- B. True, suppliers in monopoly market produce homogenous products
- C. False, buyer will lack negotiating power on cost if the supplier has a monopoly in the market
- D. False, the buyer will be unable to track and manage supplier's performance
Answer: C
Explanation:
A monopoly is a market with a single seller (called the monopolist) but with many buyers. In this market, the bargaining power of supplier is higher than of buyer since the supplier is the only seller.
Reference:
- CIPS study guide page 88-92
- Bargaining Power of Suppliers - Factors that Give Suppliers Power (corporatefinanceinsti-tute.com)
- Monopoly - Understanding How Monopolies Impact Markets (corporatefinanceinstitute.com) LO 2, AC 2.2
NEW QUESTION 89
Which of the following areas is specified by ISO/IEC 27001 family?
- A. The requirements for an information security management system
- B. Evaluation and assessment of mutual agreed customer food safety requirements
- C. The dimensions and associated tolerances for a series of housings for piston seals
- D. The requirements for an environmental management system
Answer: A
Explanation:
ISO/IEC 27001 is widely known, providing requirements for an information security management system (ISMS), though there are more than a dozen standards in the ISO/IEC 27000 family. Using them enables organizations of any kind to manage the security of assets such as financial infor-mation, intellectual property, employee details or information entrusted by third parties.
LO 3, AC 3.1
NEW QUESTION 90
When analyzing direct and indirect costs of potential suppliers for negotiations and planning pur-chasing budget, the procurement manager collects reports from specialist organisations like Mintel, Gartner and Forrester. Which kind of information source is used by the procurement manager?
- A. Market data
- B. Company annual report
- C. Technical data
- D. RFI
Answer: A
Explanation:
Using Porter's value chain helps procurement professionals know what are direct and indirect costs of supplier. Information on direct and indirect costs will have been collected as part of the market analysis. Information sources that may help include the following:
- Company annual reports
- Market data
- Technical data
- Request for information
- Plan visits
- Discount lists
Market data is the information that is collected and analysed by specialist organisations like Mintel, Gartner, Forrester,...
Reference:
LO 2, AC 2.3
NEW QUESTION 91
Total cost of ownership of a solar panel is $5,000 and it is expected that the panel will make a sav-ing of $1,000 each year. So it would take 5 years for the benefits to repay the investment. Therefore, the firm plans to keep the solar panel for at least 5 years. Is payback period calculation right for making the business decision?
- A. No, because payback period can be only used to calculate the depreciation of a fixed asset
- B. Yes, because it takes everything into account
- C. Yes, because payback period shows how long the firm recovers the investment
- D. No, because payback period doesn't take into account price fluctuations
Answer: C
Explanation:
There are many factors that need to be considered when making a business decision. Costs and benefits are among those factor. To estimate the length of time in which an investment reaches a break-even point, businesses often use the payback period. The payback period refers to the amount of time it takes to recover the cost of an investment.
'Yes, because it takes everything into account': It ignores the time value of money (TVM), unlike other methods of capital budgeting such as net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR), and discounted cash flow.
'No, because payback period doesn't take into account price fluctuations': Though it doesn't take into account price fluctuation, payback period is still useful in financial and capital budgeting.
'No, because payback period can be only used to calculate the depreciation of a fixed asset': Payback period only calculates the length of time in which the benefits of a charge repay its costs.
LO 1, AC 1.3
NEW QUESTION 92
Which of the following are considered as direct costs in a construction company? Select TWO op-tions
- A. The materials and supplies needed for the company's day-to-day operations.
- B. Advertising and marketing communication
- C. Clerical assistants who maintain the office
- D. An employee is hired to work on a project, either exclusively or for an assigned number of hours
- E. Raw materials
Answer: D,E
Explanation:
Direct costs are directly associated with the production of a good or service. In this question, 'An employee is hired to work on a project, either exclusively or for an assigned number of hours' and 'Raw materials' are directly related to producing the product.
Indirect costs are the general costs of the organisation - these costs cannot easily be attributed to specific products or services (also known as overheads). 'The materials and supplies needed for the company's day-to-day operations' or 'Clerical assistants who maintain the office' or 'Advertising and marketing communication' is example of indirect cost.
Reference:
LO 1, AC 1.2
NEW QUESTION 93
Why should procurement professionals develop business case before seeking approval to purchase capital equipment?
- A. Business case is a tool that eliminates all risks associated with the project
- B. A business case can be used as a replacement of purchase order
- C. Devising business case may prompt the procurement to consider different options
- D. Using business case will prevent new entrants from entering the supply market
Answer: C
Explanation:
A business case is developed during the early stages of a project and outlines the why, what, how, and who necessary to decide if it is worthwhile continuing a project. One of the first things you need to know when starting a new project are the benefits of the proposed business change and how to communicate those benefits to the business.
Preparing the business case involves an assessment of:
- Business problem or opportunity
- Benefits
- Risk
- Costs including investment appraisal
- Technical solutions
- Timescale
- Impact on operations
- Organizational capability to deliver the project outcomes
These project issues are an important part of the business case. They express the problems with the current situation and demonstrate the benefits of the new business vision. Making business case with multiple options and choices also prompts the procurement and senior management to consider alternatives. As a result, the organisation may opt out the best option.
The business case brings together the benefits, disadvantages, costs, and risks of the current situa-tion and future vision so that executive management can decide if the project should go ahead.
Reference:
- CIPS study guide page 19-21
- How to Write a Business Case - Template & Examples | Adobe Workfront
LO 1, AC 1.1
NEW QUESTION 94
Which type of specification is less time-consuming to develop?
- A. Conformance specification
- B. Outcome-based specification
- C. Design specification
- D. Technical drawings
Answer: B
Explanation:
There are two major types of specification: conformance and performance specifications. They have the following characteristics:
Since performance specification is often a list of outputs or outcomes, it usually takes less time to develop than conformance specification.
NEW QUESTION 95
Apple's CPO is planning a budget for purchasing carbon-free aluminium next year. There are 27.4 tonnes of aluminum in stock, while Apple will need 200 tonnes for production next year and double inventory for production in the following year. How much aluminum will Apple need to purchase in next year?
- A. 117.8 tonnes
- B. 172.6 tonnes
- C. 282.2 tonnes
- D. 227.4 tonnes
Answer: D
Explanation:
The quantity of aluminium Apple needs to buy is calculated as follows:
Quantity needed for production + the inventory needed at the end of the year - inventory at start of the year That formula is quantified as: 200 + 54.8 - 27.4 = 227.4 Reference:
LO 2, AC 2.3
NEW QUESTION 96
Which of the following factors is most likely to be a barrier to new entrant in agriculture?
- A. Capital requirement
- B. Brand recognition
- C. High margins
- D. Reputation within the industry
Answer: A
Explanation:
Barriers to Entry to Agriculture: If stakeholders are going to address the need for new, conserva-tion-minded farmers, they must understand the barriers these farmers encounter when transitioning into the profession. A review of the literature revealed a number of barriers-most of them structural-to entry to agriculture. While each barrier is distinct, they are all interconnected. Though not an exhaustive list, the following barriers are ones that were most frequently mentioned in the literature:
- Access to Affordable Land
- Startup Capital
- Lack of Agricultural Knowledge and Experience
- Lack of Knowledge about Farm Business Planning
- Discrimination
- Student Loans
- Limited Access to Markets
- Affordable Housing and Affordable Healthcare
...
Source: Exploring the Barriers to Entry to Agriculture: Challenges Facing Beginning Farmers in North Carolina - Kelley Robbins-Thompson Reference:
LO 2, AC 2.2
NEW QUESTION 97
After a project, the procurement team at CLK Ltd meets up and summarises on the performance. They see that they actually spent $5,000 less than planned budget. The team tries to identifies why there is such difference. This activity is known as...?
- A. Rolling budget
- B. Cash flow analysis
- C. Cost modelling
- D. Variance analysis
Answer: D
Explanation:
The procurement team in the scenario is analysing the difference between the plan and actual spend. This activity is known as variance analysis. The sum of all variances gives a picture of the overall over-performance or under-performance for a particular reporting period. For each item, companies assess their favorability by comparing actual costs to standard costs in the industry.
For example, if the actual cost is lower than the standard cost for raw materials, assuming the same volume of materials, it would lead to a favorable price variance (i.e., cost savings). However, if the standard quantity was 10,000 pieces of material and 15,000 pieces were required in production, this would be an unfavorable quantity variance because more materials were used than anticipated.
Reference:
- CIPS study guide page 57-58
- Variance Analysis - Learn How to Calculate and Analyze Variances (corporatefinanceinsti-tute.com) LO 1, AC 1.4
NEW QUESTION 98
XYZ Ltd is producing an engine which consists of many components. The procurement manager wants to find cost reduction opportunities and minimise part varieties. Which of the following may help her to achieve these objectives?
1. Value analysis
2. Segment analysis
3. Variety reduction
4. Standardisation
- A. 2 and 3 only
- B. 1 and 4 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 3 and 4 only
Answer: B
Explanation:
Value analysis is often defined as a systematic process for improving the value of a product, service or project. It is typically used in the following ways:
- To determine the value of each component used
- To find cost reduction opportunities by optimising the components used Segment analysis helps procurement and supply to shape and manage the supply markets.
There is no concept known as Variety reduction.
Standardisation is the process which is used to reduce varieties of products or parts.
In this scenario, the company's objective is cost reduction, then value analysis or value engineering is more likely to be applied. Also the company aims at reducing variety, standardisation can be combined with value analysis to produce the best results.
LO 3, AC 3.4
NEW QUESTION 99
Which of the following are the causes of material cost variance?
1. The buyer updates purchase-to-pay system to track payment and delivery
2. An unprocessed goods received note is missing
3. The employees must work overtime to catch up with the customers' orders
4. The purchase is made in emergency
- A. 2 and 3 only
- B. 1 and 4 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 2 and 4 only
Answer: D
Explanation:
The difference between the standard cost of direct materials specified for production and the actual cost of direct materials used in production is known as Direct Material Cost Variance. Material Cost Variance gives an idea of how much more or less cost has been incurred when compared with the standard cost. Thus, Variance Analysis is an important tool to keep a tab on the deviations from the standard set by a company.
Material Cost Variance can be due to less purchase price being paid than the standard or because of change in the quantity of material used. Thus, Material Cost Variance is made up of two components namely; Material Price Variance and Material Usage Variance.
Among the 4 options:
- 'The buyer updates purchase-to-pay system to track payment and delivery': The use of e-procurement system can increase the productivity and create labour cost variance, not material cost variance.
- 'An unprocessed goods received note is missing': If a goods received note is missing, the buyer won't pay for that batch, which create quantity variance.
- 'The employees must work overtime to catch up with the customers' orders': Overtime salary can cause labour variance, not material cost variance.
- 'The purchase is made in emergency': Normally, the price in emergency situation is higher than usual. This can cause price variance.
Reference:
- CIPS study guide page 57-59
- Material Variance | Cost, Price, Usage Variance Formula, Example - eFM (efinancemanage-ment.com) LO 1, AC 1.4
NEW QUESTION 100
A consulting firm in London had previously had static budgets. They were set once and locked in for the year. This resulted in departments meeting their budgets early and doing virtually nothing the rest of the accounting period. To address this imbalance, the company tossed out the static budget and developed a new one for each department of the next 18 months. And each month, real sales figures are analyzed against the plan and the budget is adjusted accordingly. Then the company adds another month into the budgeting plan. What type of budget this company is using?
- A. Incremental budget
- B. Zero-based budget
- C. Activity-based budget
- D. Rolling budget
Answer: D
Explanation:
A rolling budget is continually updated to add a new budget period as the most recent budget period is completed. Thus, the rolling budget involves the incremental extension of the existing budget model. By doing so, a business always has a budget that extends one year into the future.
Think of continuous (rolling) budgets as waves rolling ashore on the beach. A new wave comes in each time, replacing the one that was there before. From a financial perspective, the wave is your budget, and the time between waves is longer! These reporting time frames can be monthly, quar-terly, yearly, etc.
An incremental budget is a budget prepared using a previous period's budget or actual performance as a basis with incremental amounts added for the new budget period.
Zero-based budgeting (ZBB) is a method of budgeting in which all expenses must be justified for each new period. The process of zero-based budgeting starts from a "zero base," and every function within an organization is analyzed for its needs and costs. Budgets are then built around what is needed for the upcoming period, regardless of whether each budget is higher or lower than the previous one.
Activity-based budgeting (ABB) is a system that records, researches, and analyzes activities that lead to costs for a company. Every activity in an organization that incurs a cost is scrutinized for potential ways to create efficiencies. Budgets are then developed based on these results.
Reference:
LO 1, AC 1.4
NEW QUESTION 101
Which of the following are main focuses of ISO 27001:2013 standard?
1. Confidentiality
2. Logistics
3. Process
4. Life cycle
- A. 2 and 3 only
- B. 2 and 4 only
- C. 1 and 3 only
- D. 3 and 4 only
Answer: C
Explanation:
This International Standard (ISO 27001:2013) has been prepared to provide requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining and continually improving an information security management system. The adoption of an information security management system is a strategic decision for an organization. The establishment and implementation of an organization's information security management system is influenced by the organization's needs and objectives, security requirements, the organizational processes used and the size and structure of the organization. All of these influencing factors are expected to change over time.
The information security management system preserves the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information by applying a risk management process and gives confidence to interested parties that risks are adequately managed.
It is important that the information security management system is part of and integrated with the organization's processes and overall management structure and that information security is considered in the design of processes, information systems, and controls. It is expected that an information security management system implementation will be scaled in accordance with the needs of the organization.
This International Standard can be used by internal and external parties to assess the organization's ability to meet the organization's own information security requirements.
The order in which requirements are presented in this International Standard does not reflect their importance or imply the order in which they are to be implemented. The list items are enumerated for reference purpose only.
ISO/IEC 27000 describes the overview and the vocabulary of information security management systems, referencing the information security management system family of standards (includ-ing ISO/IEC 27003[2], ISO/IEC 27004[3] and ISO/IEC 27005[4]), with related terms and defini-tions.
Reference:
- ISO/IEC 27001:2013 Information technology - Security techniques - Information security management systems - Requirements LO 3, AC 3.1
NEW QUESTION 102
Which of the following is an advantage of competitive benchmarking over other types of bench-marking?
- A. Limited access to competitor's data
- B. Similarity among processes
- C. Different corporate culture
- D. Cost effectiveness
Answer: B
Explanation:
Competitive benchmarking
Competitive benchmarking is a direct competitor-to-competitor comparison of a product, service, process, or method. This form of benchmarking provides an opportunity to know yourself and your competition better; combine forces against another common competitor. An example of competitive benchmarking within the Department of Defense, might include contrasting Army and Air Force supply systems for Joint initiatives. Within the private sector, two or more American car companies might benchmark for mutual benefit against common international competitor; or, rival chemical companies benchmark for environmental compliance.
Benefits
- Comparing like processes
- Know your competition better
- Possible partnership
- Useful for planning and setting goals
- Similar regulatory issues
Challenges
- Difficult legal issues
- Relatively low performance improvement
- Threatening
- Limited by trade secrets
- May provide misleading information
- May not get best-in-class comparisons
- Competitors could capitalize on your weaknesses
Source: USN Benchmarking Handbook
Reference:
LO 1, AC 1.3
NEW QUESTION 103
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