Final answer:
The manufacturer comparing its accounts payable to an investment bank's practices is engaging in C)Generic benchmarking. It is a practice used to identify potential improvements by contrasting processes between different industry sectors.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a manufacturer compares its accounts payable practices with those of an investment bank, it is an example of C. Generic benchmarking.
Generic benchmarking involves comparing business processes and performance metrics to industry bests and best practices from other companies, often from different sectors.
The goal is to identify areas where the company can improve its processes or strategies. In this case, the manufacturer is looking at the investment bank's practices to potentially improve its own, regardless of the fact that they are in different industries.