What are the five enabling functions of the supply chain?

What are the five enabling functions of the supply chain?

• A. Demand planning & sales forecasting; SCM Manufacturing & Operations; Purchase & supply management; Logistics; Reverse business.
• B. Marketing; Finance; HR; IT; Compliance
• C. R&D; Manufacturing; Sales; Customer Service; IT
• D. Planning; Sourcing; Production; Transportation; Returns

Answer: (A)

The five enabling functions are the activities that drive an end-to-end supply chain: demand planning and forecasting, manufacturing and operations, purchase and supply management, logistics, and reverse logistics. This option names each function with clear scope: demand planning & sales forecasting captures the proactive planning of what customers will want; SCM manufacturing & operations covers turning inputs into finished goods; purchase & supply management handles sourcing the materials; logistics covers the actual movement and storage of goods; and reverse business addresses returns and recovery. Together, they map the full flow from anticipating demand to delivering products and handling returns, which is why this selection fits best. The other options mix in non‑supply-chain functions (like Marketing, Finance, HR, IT, Compliance) or use generic terms (Planning; Sourcing; Production; Transportation; Returns) that don’t spell out the forecasting and reverse logistics components as clearly or comprehensively.

The five enabling functions are the activities that drive an end-to-end supply chain: demand planning and forecasting, manufacturing and operations, purchase and supply management, logistics, and reverse logistics. This option names each function with clear scope: demand planning & sales forecasting captures the proactive planning of what customers will want; SCM manufacturing & operations covers turning inputs into finished goods; purchase & supply management handles sourcing the materials; logistics covers the actual movement and storage of goods; and reverse business addresses returns and recovery. Together, they map the full flow from anticipating demand to delivering products and handling returns, which is why this selection fits best.

The other options mix in non‑supply-chain functions (like Marketing, Finance, HR, IT, Compliance) or use generic terms (Planning; Sourcing; Production; Transportation; Returns) that don’t spell out the forecasting and reverse logistics components as clearly or comprehensively.