C) the bullwhip effectThis is the result of the bullwhip effect. This bullwhip effect is a term used to describe the phenomenon of where orders are communicated through multiple parties including retailers, distributors, wholesalers, and manufacturers. At each level, variations and fluctuations are introduced that can either elevate or decrease the reported demand. The bullwhip effect ends up decreasing customer service and increasing costs.The bullwhip effect is a problem associated with a supply chain that is not integrated. There are a number of strategies that can be used to integrate a supply chain including the utilization of pass-through facilities and/or vendor-managed inventory. Pass-through facilities speed product shipment by holding merchandise and delivery from the same distribution hub. Vender-managed inventory is a system where the vendor/supplier actually keeps inventory on stock and delivers directly to the department that will use the product. This approach works well for inventory stock that can have multiple uses. For instance the same type of fabric could be used for sheets, pillow-cases, and curtains.