The correct answer is 'Sudden changes in the marketplace' - this is a reason a buyer would be reactive. Reactive is when something happens to you and it forces you to act in a certain way. The other options would be strategic rather than reactive. P. 163

Designing the specification is not a stage in the relationship cycle- this would be done before the relationship begins. There are 6 stages of the relationship cycle; on-boarding, qualification, segmentation and risk management, performance management, development and innovation, phase out. P.13

The correct answer is 'No- good levels of communication can exist in other types of relationships'. The study guide makes a point that not all good buyer: supplier relationships are partnerships. In fact 70% on supplier relationships will not be partnerships (according to Lambert who is quoted on p.131)

Request for Information and Pre-Qualification Questionnaire can be used for short-listing suppliers. Request for Quotation is used when the only variable is price and you would like suppliers to submit a price for you. Invitation to Tender would be the next stage after RFI / PPQ- this is sent out to those suppliers who have passed selection, and details the second stage of the competition. See p.75 for more details.

This is an example of poor-communication. The information was not passed from the person who signed the contract to the staff on site who were to do the cleaning. See p.158 on communication issues.