Final answer:
While (A) product price, (B) product quality, and (C) vendor delivery dependability are all critical factors in supplier selection, in the specific context of a manufacturer of organic baby food, product price might be considered the least important due to the overarching need for high quality and reliable supply, though it is still very important.
Step-by-step explanation:
When considering factors for selecting inventory suppliers using the EOQ (Economic Order Quantity) inventory management approach, all listed factors are important. However, if we need to choose the least important factor among product price, product quality, and vendor delivery dependability, the answer could be more nuanced. The Economic Order Quantity is primarily concerned with minimizing the total costs of inventory, which includes holding costs, ordering costs, and shortage costs.
Now, considering price (product price), quality (product quality), and delivery dependability (vendor delivery dependability), we must note that each plays a vital role in inventory management. Product price directly affects the total cost, product quality can influence customer satisfaction and potential returns, and vendor delivery dependability can impact stock levels and thus carrying and shortage costs. Given these considerations, if we must identify the least important, the specific context of MacDougalKids, which is a manufacturer of organic baby food, must be taken into account. Since the company likely prioritizes quality and reliable delivery to maintain their organic certification and meet customer expectations, product price might be considered slightly less important but still a crucial aspect in their supplier selection process.
Nonetheless, it is critical to remember that in business, especially in the food industry, all three factors are tightly linked, hence why in many cases they could be considered equally important.