2014

EXAM CONTENT MANUAL

PREVIEW

APICS Certified in Production and Inventory Management

Strategic Management of Resources
Preview of Exam Content Manual
January 1, 2014 through December 31, 2014

Please be aware, this is not the full APICS CPIM Exam Content Manual (ECM). The full version is
available for purchase at apics.org/shop. This abbreviated version is provided to give candidates an
overview of what is contained on the exams on a very high level. For exam preparation, use of the
current APICS CPIM ECM is strongly recommended.
Each participant guide includes the section of the APICS CPIM ECM related to the particular module.
Also available is APICS CPIM Study Tools. This comprehensive, online component to the APICS CPIM
program is an online learning environment designed to help you master the core concepts in each
APICS CPIM module. APICS CPIM Study Tools contains presentation slides and assessments to
complement your APICS CPIM learning experience. Each APICS CPIM participant guide gives you
access to APICS CPIM Study Tools.
Purchase the APICS Strategic Management of Resources participant guide at apics.org/shop.
No portion of this document may be reproduced under any circumstances. CPIM is a registered
trademark of APICS.

Strategic Management of Resources Exam: ECM Preview

The following table identifies the three main topics of the exam. The relative importance of these
topics varies among industries, but the figures show the percentage designated for each section of
the exam.
Diagnostic part
I
II
III

Main topic
Understanding
the Business
Environment
Developing the
Operations
Strategy
Implementing
the Operations
Strategy

Percentage of
exam
25%
45%
30%

Content Outline
I. Understanding the Business Environment
Operations strategy must be integrated with the business strategy of the firm, reflecting the external
environment, as well as organizational priorities and philosophies. The operations strategy
development process must capture and assimilate that information to provide context for alignment
with business strategy. Operations strategy development must consider the following business
environmental factors:
A. Globalization/Location Issues: Understand and evaluate strategic issues arising from global
perspectives.
B. Information Evaluation and Prioritization: This section addresses identification and
evaluation (including prioritization) of key information from environmental scanning.
C. Sustainability: Understand the importance and implications of the three parts of
sustainability (economic, environmental and social) to the organization, stakeholders, and
supply chain.
II. Developing the Operations Strategy
The operations strategy development process must align with the business strategy and reflect the
analysis of the business environment. This includes the processes of identifying, evaluating and
choosing among alternatives in the context of the business strategy. Understand the significance of
the following factors in developing the operations strategy:
A. Performance Objectives/Goals: Choose how success is determined.
B. Product/Service Design: Matching firm capabilities and processes to market needs and
product life cycles.

C. Structure and InfrastructureMaking capital (structure) and organizational (infrastructure)

choices.
D. Coordination Strategy: Aligning internal operations and external supply chain partners.
E. Measurement: Recognize that measurements must support performance objectives.
F. Logistics: Understand forward and reverse supply chain design, which includes logistics
assets ownership and operation and outsourcing options such as third-and fourth-party
logistics (3PL and 4PL).
G. Organizational Commitment Process: Understand issues necessary to gain broad
management acceptance of the operations strategy recommendation, as demonstrated by a
commitment of resources.
H. Risk Assessment: Understand the sources and probabilities of risk, the risk tolerance of the
organization, as well as prevention, recovery and resiliency strategies in developing the
operations strategy.

III. Implementing the Operations Strategy

This section addresses the strategic leadership activities, leadership roles and responsibilities that
lead to the successful implementation of the operations strategy:
A. Risk Management: Understand the actions required to offset existing and changing risks.
B. Change Management: Understand the strategic elements of successful organizational
change.
C. Infrastructure Systems: Configuring systems as implementation of the operations strategy.
D. Structural Deployment: Implementing required modifications to existing operational
structure(s) consistent with the operations strategy.

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