For choosing new facility locations, what is the most appropriate tool for tracking characteristics of people and infrastructure globally?

• A. global census database
• B. crossover chart
• C. geographic information system
• D. transportation model

Answer: (C)

The most appropriate tool for tracking characteristics of people and infrastructure globally is a geographic information system (GIS). GIS is designed to capture, store, analyze, and manage spatial or geographic data. It allows users to visualize data in map form, which can be extremely beneficial when assessing potential locations for new facilities.

With GIS, decision-makers can analyze demographics, infrastructure, transportation networks, land use, and other geographic data to make more informed choices about where to locate a facility. This tool helps in identifying the best sites based on various factors such as proximity to customers, availability of resources, and transportation access.

While a global census database provides demographic data, it might not offer the spatial analysis capabilities that GIS does. The crossover chart is typically used in operations management for comparing different processes or products rather than for geographic or demographic tracking. A transportation model focuses on optimizing the distribution of goods or services and may not provide comprehensive data on global infrastructure and demographics like GIS can. Thus, GIS stands out as the most effective and appropriate tool for this purpose.