Exam Content Manual

Preview

APICS Certified Supply Chain Professional

[CSCP]

2012

APICS CSCP Overview of Exam Content Manual Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2012.
Please be aware, this is not the full CSCP Exam Content Manual (ECM), that is available for purchase at Shop APICS using the following link: http://www.apics.org/ProductCatalog/APICSProduct?ID=7050 This abbreviated version is provided to give candidates an overview of what is contained on the exam on a very high level. For exam preparation, use of the current ECM is strongly recommended. Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) Examination Abbreviated Exam Content

APICS CSCP Content

Three content areas have been designed to organize the APICS CSCP domain. The relative importance of a topic is not necessarily reflected by its appearance in the outline. The relative importance of these topics will vary among industries. The percentage figures given below can be used as a guideline for the APICS CSCP exam content. Diagnostic Part I II III Main Topic Fundamentals of Supply Chain Management (SCM) Supply Chain Strategy, Design, and Compliance Implementation and Operations Percentage of Exam 33.33% 33.33% 33.33%

A. Supply Chain Management Concepts: A thorough understanding of the roles in a supply chain network and the flow of value through it is required. A broad understanding of the supply chain management processes, objectives, integration, and benefits is also required. Knowledge in this area encompasses: basic supply chain, supply chain management processes SCOR model, vertical and horizontal integration, supply chain management objectives and supply chain management benefits. B. Supply Chain Alignment with Business Strategy: The supply chain strategy should align with and enable the business strategy. Achieving appropriate alignment requires an understanding of the forms of competitive advantage being pursued. It also requires an understanding of the organizational strategy, priorities, capabilities, and the resolution of misalignments or gaps. Knowledge in this area encompasses: competitive advantages, business capabilities and strategy, resolving misalignment or gaps, and collaboration among trading partners. C. Supply Chain Design and Improvement Considerations: The supply chain strategy should be designed with an understanding of the marketplace. It also requires an understanding of supply chain management design and continuous improvement considerations. Knowledge in this area encompasses: understanding the

Content Outline
I. Fundamentals of Supply Chain Management (SCM) This section addresses the fundamental concepts used for effective SCM and will provide the foundation for the APICS CSCP exam. It includes an overview of SCM concepts and the need to align resources with the strategy of the organization. Management and improvement of the supply chain are then addressed.

marketplace, supply chain design considerations, and continuous improvement. D. Inventory Management: Inventories throughout the supply chain must be planned and controlled for effective supply chain management. Managing inventories, in turn, requires an understanding of the costs of maintaining and not maintaining inventory. Knowledge in this area encompasses: need for inventory, aggregate and item inventory management, flow of material, functions of inventory, inventoryrelated cost categories, and effects of inventory on the financial statements. E. Logistics Fundamentals: An understanding of the logistics function is required. Understanding the role of logistics, types of logistics service providers, and reverse logistics is required. Knowledge in this area encompasses: the role of logistics in supply chain management, logistic service providers, and reverse logistics. F. Market Segmentation: An understanding of market segmentation is required. Understanding the reasons for identifying market segments, ways to segment markets, and understanding the wants and needs of each segment is important. Knowledge in this area encompasses: reasons to identify and understand market segments, ways to segment markets, and understanding the wants and needs of each segment.

relationships, developing supply plans, and supplier relationship management (SRM). II. Supply Chain Strategy, Design, and Compliance This section addresses considerations in the design of a competitive supply chain, the processes that support the organizations strategy, improvement of the sustainability of the organization and its trading partners, and compliance with applicable regulations. A. Sustainability: Designing and operating a supply chain requires an understanding of the concepts of sustainable business practices and how to adapt and apply them to a specific supply chain. Knowledge in this area encompasses: economic, environmental, social, United Nations The Global Compact, and triple bottom line (TBL). B. Risk Management: Designing a robust supply chain requires recognizing the sources and forms of risks, the magnitude and potential impact of each, and methods of mitigating each form of risk. Knowledge in this area encompasses: identification, mitigation, and response to risk, security and regulatory concerns, and ISO 31000 Risk Management Principles and Guidelines. C. Globalization: Managing globally dispersed sources of supply and demand requires an understanding of the requirements for operating in multiple countries and for moving goods and funds among countries. Knowledge in this area encompasses: effects of globally dispersed supply and demand, free trade zones, trading blocs, operational considerations, and implications of globalization. D. Logistics: An understanding of the total effect that globalization and supply chain management has on inbound and outbound logistics is important. An understanding of trade-offs among warehousing, transportation, and logistics services decision making is also required. Knowledge in this area encompasses: transportation, warehousing, and transportation and warehousing trade-offs. E. Managing the Supply Chain: Managing the supply chain requires an understanding of the dynamics of supply and demand and the need to balance efficiency and responsiveness in the supply chain. It also requires a set of comprehensive measures that are agreed upon and used by the organizations in the supply chain. Knowledge in this area encompasses: indicators of supply chain performance, and responsive versus efficient supply chains. F. Technology: An understanding of technologies that enable designing, tracking, operating, and communicating among trading partners within a supply chain is necessary. The correct application of appropriate technology is needed for efficient and effective supply chain management. Knowledge in

G. Demand Planning: An understanding of demand forecasting, the components of demand management, associated linkages, and demand management functional responsibilities and interfaces is required. Knowledge in this area encompasses: forecasting demand, components of demand management, linkages among the components, and demand management functional responsibilities and interfaces. H. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Concepts: Effective customer relationship management includes an understanding of the CRM philosophy. It also requires the understanding of the need, scope, elements, and benefits of CRM. Knowledge in this area encompasses: the need for CRM, scope of CRM, elements of CRM, benefits of CRM, implementing CRM, and need for, and uses of, customer information in CRM. I. Supply Management Concepts: Effective management of all sources of supply requires an understanding of the components of the total cost of ownership and the considerations in deciding whether to source an item internally or externally. It also requires an understanding of the types of relationships that can exist between a firm and its suppliers, the development of supply plans, and supplier relationship management. Knowledge in this area encompasses: total cost of ownership, make versus buy analysis, range of buyer-supplier

this area encompasses: the role of technology in supply chain management, key application tools, data acquisition and communications tools, supply chain design and optimization tools, interorganization integration tools, and electronic business. G. Influencing and Prioritizing Demand: A thorough understanding of how the members of a supply chain can influence demand and how they may need to prioritize demand when necessary is required. Knowledge in this area encompasses: designing products and services, marketing, selling, and matching customer orders to supply. H. Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Effective customer relationship management includes understanding the underlying concepts; enabling technologies; and requirements for improved demand management, customer service, and alignment of customer-facing processes and resources. Knowledge in this area encompasses: developing and implementing CRM as a strategy, using technology to implement CRM, measuring customer service, and challenges in implementing CRM. I. Supplier Relationship Management (SRM): Successful implementation of supplier relationship management requires an understanding of the underlying concepts, the enabling technologies, and the requirements for improved management of sources of supply. Knowledge in this area encompasses: supplier selection, developing and implementing SRM strategies, creating alliances with suppliers, using technology to implement SRM, measuring SRM, and challenges in implementing SRM. Inventory Planning and Control: Inventories throughout the supply chain must be planned, located, and controlled for effective supply chain management. Managing inventories in turn requires an understanding of the total costs of maintaining and not maintaining inventory and the techniques for planning and controlling inventory. Knowledge in this area encompasses: inventory planning, and inventory control.

B. Managing Supply from Internal Sources: Managing supply from internal sources requires an understanding of the operations planning and control processes. Knowledge in this area encompasses: operations planning and control, communicating requirements and priorities, and measuring performance. C. Managing Supply from External Sources: Managing supply from external sources requires an understanding of the basic purchasing processes, selecting suppliers, and evaluating suppliers. Knowledge in this area encompasses: communicating requirements and priorities, supplier performance management, and supplier certification. D. Implementation of Demand Plans: Requires an understanding of the methods for prioritizing and fulfilling demand. Knowledge in this area encompasses: demand prioritization, and capturing and communicating point-of-sale data. E. Continuous Improvement: Enhancing the competitiveness of a supply chain requires an understanding of the techniques and tools of continuous improvement and the appropriate application of each. Knowledge in this area encompasses: continuous improvement philosophies, and continuous improvement tools.

J.

III. Implementation and Operations This section addresses managing and balancing supply and demand by measuring, analyzing, and improving supply chain processes. A. Supply Chain Dynamics: Managing supply chains requires an understanding of the dynamics of supply and demand and the need to balance efficiency and responsiveness in the supply chain. It also requires a set of measures that are agreed upon and used by the organizations in the supply chain. Knowledge in this area encompasses: sources of variability in demand, sources of variability in supply, synchronizing supply and demand, and metrics.

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