Which one of the following is NOT a supply-chain strategy in the context of competitive markets?

• A. Vertical integration
• B. Just-in-time inventory management
• C. Outsourcing production
• D. Price discrimination

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the concept of supply-chain strategies. These are methods companies use to manage the flow of goods, information, and resources from suppliers to customers efficiently.
2. Step 2: Review each option to determine if it relates to managing the supply chain: Vertical integration involves owning multiple stages of production or distribution, which is a supply-chain strategy.
3. Step 3: Just-in-time inventory management is a strategy to reduce inventory costs by receiving goods only as they are needed, clearly a supply-chain strategy.
4. Step 4: Outsourcing production means contracting out parts of the production process to external firms, which is also a supply-chain strategy.
5. Step 5: Price discrimination, however, is a pricing strategy where a firm charges different prices to different consumers based on willingness to pay, and it does not relate to managing the supply chain.