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CIPS L4M2 Exam

Exam Name: Defining Business Needs
Exam Code: L4M2
Related Certification(s): CIPS Level 4 Diploma in Procurement and Supply Certification
Certification Provider: CIPS
Number of L4M2 practice questions in our database: 145 (updated: May. 10, 2024)
Expected L4M2 Exam Topics, as suggested by CIPS :
  • Topic 1: Monitor specification creation by colleagues and other internal stakeholders/ Analyse how business needs influence procurement decisions
  • Topic 2: Approaches to total costs of ownership/whole life cycle costing/ Interpret financial budgets for the control of purchases
  • Topic 3: Identify opportunities to regulate short and longer term specifications/ Procurement?s role in developing a business case
  • Topic 4: Provide guidance to internal stakeholders on implementation/ Implications of the business needs on the types of purchase
  • Topic 5: Output or outcome, statement of work based specifications/ Types of market data that can provide information on costs and prices
  • Topic 6: Identify sections of specifications for through life contracts/ Identify how costs and prices can be estimated for procurement activities
  • Topic 7: Analyse the criteria that can be applied in the creation of a business case/ Availability of substitutes and threat of entry Understand market management in procurement and supply/ Compare the competitive forces that influence markets
  • Topic 8: Understand the use of specifications in procurement and supply/ Analyse the different types of markets utilised by procurement and supply
  • Topic 9: Identify the risks that can result from inadequate specifications and mitigation approaches/ Use information to prepare budgets or to negotiate prices
  • Topic 10: Understand how to devise a business case for requirements to be sourced from external suppliers/ Producing estimated costs and budgets
Disscuss CIPS L4M2 Topics, Questions or Ask Anything Related

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Free CIPS L4M2 Exam Actual Questions

Note: Premium Questions for L4M2 were last updated On May. 10, 2024 (see below)

Question #1

ABC Ltd has enormous investment in facilities and machinery. It also employs skilled workforce. To be profitable, the company has to produce at massive quantity. Which sector does ABC Ltd belong to?

Reveal Solution Hide Solution
Correct Answer: A

In the scenario, ABC Ltd has the following characteristics:

- Large investment in facilities and machinery

- Access to skilled workforce

- Mass production.

This company is a manufacturer. Manufacturing is an industry that makes products from raw ma-terials by the use of manual labour or machinery and that is usually carried out systematically with a division of labour.

Manufacturing requires investment in machinery and access to a suitably skilled workforce as well as materials and components.


- CIPS study guide page 74-76

- manufacturing | Definition, Types, & Facts | Britannica

LO 2, AC 2.1

Question #2

A company has a lists of items that make up 15% of total spend. These items also do not largely impact on quality of final product. The supply continuity is secured. Which of the following will be the most appropriate managing approach to purchase these items?

Reveal Solution Hide Solution
Correct Answer: B

Those items make up small portion of spend and the supply risk is low. So it is tactical item according to Kraljic portfolio matrix. Procurement should bundle these items into larger contracts, simplify procurement process.

LO 2, AC 2.1


Question #3

In 2016, ANA Airlines had to cancel some of its flight. The airline said it had discovered the cracks to the jet engine turbine blades. What should ANA procurement team do next to solve this problem?

Reveal Solution Hide Solution
Correct Answer: A

Cracks on the jet engine is a closed-end problem. A typical problem solving process has 8 steps:

Step 1: Define the Problem

- What is the problem?

- How did you discover the problem?

- When did the problem start and how long has this problem been going on?

- Is there enough data available to contain the problem and prevent it from getting passed to the next process step? If yes, contain the problem.

Step 2: Clarify the Problem

- What data is available or needed to help clarify, or fully understand the problem?

- Is it a top priority to resolve the problem at this point in time?

- Are additional resources required to clarify the problem? If yes, elevate the problem to your leader to help locate the right resources and form a team.

- Consider a Lean Event (Do-it, Burst, RPI, Project).

- Ensure the problem is contained and does not get passed to the next process step.

Step 3: Define the Goals

- What is your end goal or desired future state?

- What will you accomplish if you fix this problem?

- What is the desired timeline for solving this problem?

Step 4: Identify Root Cause of the Problem

- Identify possible causes of the problem.

- Prioritize possible root causes of the problem.

- What information or data is there to validate the root cause?

Step 5: Develop Action Plan

- Generate a list of actions required to address the root cause and prevent problem from getting to others.

- Assign an owner and timeline to each action.

- Status actions to ensure completion.

Step 6: Execute Action Plan

- Implement action plan to address the root cause.

- Verify actions are completed.

Step 7: Evaluate the Results

- Monitor and Collect Data.

- Did you meet your goals defined in step 3? If not, repeate th 8-Step Process.

- Were there any unforeseen consequences?

- If problem is resolved, remove activities that were added previously to contain the problem.

Step 8: Continuously Improve

- Look for additional opportunities to implement solution.

- Ensure problem will not come back and communicate lessons learned.

- If needed, repeat the 8-Step Problem Solving Process to drive further improvements.

ANA has already known what is going on, the next step they should adopt is collecting more infor-mation on the problem. If the airline is hurry to the solution, it may choose 'Generate options ad-dressing the issue'. The crack on turbine blade can be welded, or the airline replaces a new blade. However, jumping to solution without knowing the root cause does not completely solve the prob-lem. The root cause is unaddressed, then it may occur in the future. Therefore, the airline should still collect information to find the root cause, then remove it.


LO 1, AC 1.1

Question #4

A procurement organisation is keen to encourage innovation available within the supply market in the execution of an upcoming significant contract opportunity. A team member suggests that the specification should define the performance indicators so that supplier's solution can be checked against them. Which of the following will enable the organisation to achieve this goal?

Reveal Solution Hide Solution
Correct Answer: C

The buying organisation is keen to encourage innovation so they should use the outcome or output based specification. In an outcome-based specification, umbrella statements like 'good quality', 'ambient temperature', 'convenient way' are often used. This may confuse the suppliers, and it's hard to check the solution that supplier offers. On the other hand, ouput-based specifications often include measurable requirements. For example, a specification for air conditioning system states that the system should maintain the room temperature at 19-24 degrees Celsius. Therefore, output specification is more appropriate in this case.


LO 3, AC 3.1

Question #5

In 2016, ANA Airlines had to cancel some of its flight. The airline said it had discovered the cracks to the jet engine turbine blades. What should ANA procurement team do next to solve this problem?

Reveal Solution Hide Solution
Correct Answer: A

Cracks on the jet engine is a closed-end problem. A typical problem solving process has 8 steps:

Step 1: Define the Problem

- What is the problem?

- How did you discover the problem?

- When did the problem start and how long has this problem been going on?

- Is there enough data available to contain the problem and prevent it from getting passed to the next process step? If yes, contain the problem.

Step 2: Clarify the Problem

- What data is available or needed to help clarify, or fully understand the problem?

- Is it a top priority to resolve the problem at this point in time?

- Are additional resources required to clarify the problem? If yes, elevate the problem to your leader to help locate the right resources and form a team.

- Consider a Lean Event (Do-it, Burst, RPI, Project).

- Ensure the problem is contained and does not get passed to the next process step.

Step 3: Define the Goals

- What is your end goal or desired future state?

- What will you accomplish if you fix this problem?

- What is the desired timeline for solving this problem?

Step 4: Identify Root Cause of the Problem

- Identify possible causes of the problem.

- Prioritize possible root causes of the problem.

- What information or data is there to validate the root cause?

Step 5: Develop Action Plan

- Generate a list of actions required to address the root cause and prevent problem from getting to others.

- Assign an owner and timeline to each action.

- Status actions to ensure completion.

Step 6: Execute Action Plan

- Implement action plan to address the root cause.

- Verify actions are completed.

Step 7: Evaluate the Results

- Monitor and Collect Data.

- Did you meet your goals defined in step 3? If not, repeate th 8-Step Process.

- Were there any unforeseen consequences?

- If problem is resolved, remove activities that were added previously to contain the problem.

Step 8: Continuously Improve

- Look for additional opportunities to implement solution.

- Ensure problem will not come back and communicate lessons learned.

- If needed, repeat the 8-Step Problem Solving Process to drive further improvements.

ANA has already known what is going on, the next step they should adopt is collecting more infor-mation on the problem. If the airline is hurry to the solution, it may choose 'Generate options ad-dressing the issue'. The crack on turbine blade can be welded, or the airline replaces a new blade. However, jumping to solution without knowing the root cause does not completely solve the prob-lem. The root cause is unaddressed, then it may occur in the future. Therefore, the airline should still collect information to find the root cause, then remove it.


LO 1, AC 1.1


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