Final answer:
The business function aligned with purchases and payments processes is supply chain management, which manages the flow of goods from suppliers to end-users, including purchasing and payments.
Step-by-step explanation:
The business function that aligns with the purchases and payments processes is d. supply chain management. Supply Chain Management (SCM) encompasses the planning and management of all activities involved in sourcing, procurement, conversion, and logistics management. It deals with the flow of goods from suppliers through to the end-user, which naturally includes the processes of purchasing materials and goods as well as making payments to suppliers. Production, customer relations, and marketing are other important business functions, but they are not directly aligned with the processes of purchases and payments as SCM is.
Production is the transformation of inputs such as labor, capital, and raw materials into outputs, namely goods or services a firm wants to sell. An example of production is pizza making where the pizzaiolo uses flour, water, yeast, tomatoes, spices, and other toppings to create a pizza that is ultimately sold to the customer.