L3M1 Sample Questions Answers

Explanation

The GRN, invoice and PO should all match to enable payment to occur.

The BoM will help calculate the extent of the requirement, prior to the PO being issued.

An SLA will help ensure adequate and contractual delivery of any services required.

Explanation

Exchange rate fluctuations and escalating materials costs can both substantially impact on a contract price. Where a contract has been drafted to allow for it, the price may be adjusted in line with some pre-agreed mechanism or formula to make the price paid more equitable.

Quality problems of the supplier's own making and shareholders seeking extra profit - neither being uncommon - are not seen as being grounds for adjusting price (upwards).

I should mention that price adjustment clauses can result in prices being adjusted either upwards or downwards, or not at all, depending on circumstances.

Explanation

In 2015 an agreement was reached in Paris, France among most world nations to try to limit climate change and its effects.

The other answers shown are simply fictions.

Explanation

Increasingly practised, albeit often quietly, protectionism seeks to protect domestic industries, re-ducing access to markets for foreign companies. The aim is normally to protect domestic worker's jobs, often with an eye on domestic politics. Industries recently (late 2020) mentioned in this subject area include agriculture, airlines, defence, shipbuilding, steel, etc - not just in UK or Europe, but worldwide.

The World Trade Organisation seeks to reduce protectionism - an activity supported by many econ-omists, as globalism is believed by many to increase global wealth overall.

However, this is not clear cut, and there are a variety of views.

Interventionism is not relevant to this QUESTION NO:, and preventionism is a made-up word.

Explanation

The correct answer is to provide services. However, some other secondary factors may come into play. For example, some public sector organisations may be encouraged to boost national prestige eg airports, airlines; or they may be used as job creation schemes.

Explanation

To the lay person, they may look the same.

However, for a procurement professional, a fixed price may be altered in some circumstances eg 'fixed price with incentive', 'fixed price with exchange rate adjustment', etc.

A firm price on the other hand cannot be altered, and is the price which will be paid under the con-tract.

An earlier text by Patrick Behan on government contracting refers.

Explanation

Shareholders are one example of a range of stakeholders in a private or public limited company.

Explanation

Third sector organisations often rely on charitable contributions. An example might be Medecins Sans Frontieres.

They also sometimes receive grants from taxpayers, sometimes in return for work done eg the chari-ty Barnardo's receive government funding in return for advising the British government on man-agement of some children in its care.

Finally some NFPs have, for example, retail outlets which generate income to aid the organisation. Oxfam is such an example.

Third sector can be expected to ster clear of certain areas for ethical reasons. Alcohol, gambling, to-bacco, and weapons are examples.

Explanation

Coal and oil are the correct answers. These are finite resources and will run out some day.

The others shown are renewables.

Explanation

It is an economy in which the public and private sectors work together. This is now the norm in most countries, with private sector involvement to a greater or lesser extent. In North Korea there is a (rare example of a) planned economy, and in the United States there is a heavily market-led (pri-vate sector) economy.

Explanation

The definition shown refers to the word 'price'. The price is what someone will pay for something - the extent to which a customer values something - and the reference to the standard monetary unit refers to, for example, a dollar, a Euro, a dinar or whatever.

The other answers are, to some extent, intended to confuse, as they use some of the words shown in the definition. Care must be taken not to jump to a conclusion here.

The response 'cost' should give pause for thought, as, in a sense, the cost of doing or making some-thing may have value. But value is determined by the customer - this definition is a reference to the value the customer would pay - the price.

Explanation

The only one of these four which fits the bill is 'purchase order'.

The supplier quotation and the invoice both come from the supply side.

The requisition is an internal document.

Explanation

This is true. In my view, 'Industry Structure Analysis' is a better term, not only because that is what Michael Porter originally called it, but because it better describes what the model is about. For ex-ample, it reminds us that the model is not about a single firm, but it is about an entire industry, and the structure around that industry.

Explanation

An easy question.

Price is what the customer will pay for goods or services eg fifty dollars; payment terms are the ar-rangements under which you pay the price eg in advance, on delivery, 30 days, 60 days, etc.

Although this may seem rather obvious, I have encountered a surprising number of people who seem to confuse the two.

Explanation

A monopoly is a single supplier (or for some authorities where one supplier has control of the market eg 75% market share); a monopsony is a single buyer.

Perfect competition involves many suppliers and many buyers.

The clue here is the 'small number' of suppliers.

Explanation

All of these.

Explanation

Agriculture and tourism are normally associated with high levels of seasonal employment, and hence to some extent, unemployment.

Construction also often has an element of seasonality. For example, there is a saying in Alaska: 'there are two seasons - winter and construction', although in some less extreme climates construc-tion carries on year-round.

In most situations, we normally expect police employment levels to be relatively consistent through-out the year.

Explanation

'Multi-national corporation' is the correct answer. Very large international organisations, with very large turnover, purchasing power and influence. Examples would include: Alphabet, Amazon, Ap-ple, Dell, Ford, Shell, Toyota, etc

Explanation

Biodiversity is significantly under threat, with many species being lost almost daily on Earth.

The other answers given in response to this QUESTION NO:, whilst they can be seen as being broadly relat-ed do not fit the bill precisely.

The BBC's one-hour documentary (2020) 'Extinction - The Facts' explains in all-too-chilling detail the meaning of biodiversity, and is recommended viewing for all.

Explanation

All except the self-employed tutor have a social arrangement with collective goals, and controls on performance.

The self-employed tutor may have a goal, but it is not collective; is not part of a(n internal) social arrangement and controls on performance may be entirely in their own hands, or perhaps even ab-sent altogether.

Explanation

This a definition of liquidated damages. Calculated in advance of the event occurring ie pre-contract and thus agreed by the parties in advance. Meaningful advance calculations (estimates) must be available to enforce legally.

The term and the spirit of 'penalty clause' is discouraged in English law - damages should be aimed at returning the damaged party back into the position they would have been in, had a wrong not been done.

Unliquidated damages can only be awarded by a court after the event, and should not be relied up-on.

An example of a quantum meruit award can be found in the British Steel v Cleveland Bridge (1984) case - a rare occurrence, and again something which must not be relied upon.

Explanation

This is normally true, often resulting in greater complexity in managing public sector organisations.

Explanation

Specification is the answer. The second sentence in the rubric makes it clear that this is the correct answer.

Explanation

It's 'delegated authority' - where the authority to spend has been delegated to others, at a 'lower lev-el' in the organisation.

Normally organisational finance or procurement policies will explain how this is to work, often with a written delegation provided by a more senior manager. The authority to spend is invariably a tem-porary permission, which may be withdrawn under certain circumstances eg breach of rules, exces-sive spend, maverick spend, etc.