CSCA study guide
CSCA · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Certified Supply Chain Analyst (CSCA) is one of the certifications developed by the International Supply Chain Education Alliance (ISCEA), a body that describes itself as the first organization certifying supply chain managers around the globe and states that its mission is to provide total supply chain knowledge to manufacturing and service industry professionals through education, certification and recognition. ISCEA lists CSCA alongside the Certified Supply Chain Manager (CSCM), Certified Lean Master (CLM), Certified Supply Chain Technology Professional (CSCTP) and Certified Demand Driven Planner (CDDP) programs, and Dr. The CSCA study guide has 4 sections and about 1,799 words.
01Supply Chain Management
Supply Chain Management (SCM) tests whether you can treat the chain from tier-2 suppliers to the final customer as one system and choose trade-offs that lower total cost and improve service instead of moving cost between silos. Questions lean on SCOR vocabulary, the bullwhip effect, push/pull positioning, postponement and cash-to-cash performance.
440 words, about 2 min02Logistics and Procurement
Logistics and Procurement tests the movement and sourcing side of the chain: who bears cost and risk at each point in the journey, what a supplier really costs, and how sourcing strategy changes with spend and supply risk. Eleven rules in two families.
446 words, about 2 min03Demand and Materials Planning
Demand and Materials Planning tests the numbers behind the plan: how demand is forecast and reconciled, how much stock to hold, and how a bill of materials is exploded into timed orders. Exponential smoothing: F(t+1) = α·A(t) + (1−α)·F(t).
486 words, about 2 min04Lean and Six Sigma
Lean and Six Sigma tests improvement method: Lean removes waste and builds flow, Six Sigma reduces variation and defects, and DMAIC is the shared project discipline. Value is defined by the customer; everything else is waste.
427 words, about 2 min