What decision model step is represented by the supplier scoring table that lists On-Time Delivery, Cost, and Capacity with a Total Score?

• A. Defining the objective
• B. Gathering data
• C. Evaluating alternatives
• D. Selecting the best alternative

Answer: (C)

The idea being tested is using a scoring approach to compare options by multiple criteria. In this supplier decision context, you look at important factors like On-Time Delivery, Cost, and Capacity, gather data for each supplier on those factors, and then combine them into a total score. That combination is what makes this an evaluation of alternatives: you’re turning disparate metrics into a single, comparable measure so you can see which supplier tends to perform best across what matters most.

This step helps you move from raw data to an informed ranking. A scoring table often uses weights to reflect the relative importance of each criterion, so the total score accurately represents overall value, not just raw numbers. It’s not about defining what you want to achieve—that comes earlier when you set the objective. It’s not about collecting data—that happens before you can score. And it’s not yet the final decision—that happens after you’ve evaluated and compared scores to choose the best option. The table, then, is the evaluating alternatives part of the decision model.