CPIM Practice Exam

What is defined as any element preventing a system from achieving higher performance levels?

1. Constraint

2. Bottleneck

3. Capacity-constrained resource

4. Throughput

The correct answer is: Constraint

A constraint is an element that limits a system's performance, establishing a ceiling on its capacity or output. In the context of supply chain management and operations, recognizing and managing constraints is crucial, as they dictate the maximum throughput the system can achieve. Constraints can be physical resources, such as machinery with limited capacity, or they may pertain to policies, procedures, or market factors that inhibit performance enhancement. Bottlenecks, while closely related to constraints, specifically refer to points in the process where capacity is less than demand, leading to delays and inefficiencies. However, not all constraints are bottlenecks, and the term is more focused on a specific area within the system rather than the overall limiting factor. A capacity-constrained resource is a type of constraint that limits the output of a process, but it does not encompass all possible constraints that may exist in a system. Throughput refers to the amount of product that is produced and delivered over a certain time frame, and while it is impacted by constraints, it does not define the limited performance elements themselves.