What type of uncertainty is caused by the portion of demand the supply chain must meet?

Implied demand uncertainty refers specifically to the uncertainty linked to the demand that a supply chain must fulfill. This type of uncertainty arises due to the fact that not all of the demand observed in the market will necessarily translate into actual orders for a supply chain. For instance, if a store sees a high level of interest in a product but only a portion of interested customers follow through with purchases, the supply chain must contend with this discrepancy. The challenge lies in planning for this "implied" demand—the portion that reflects what the supply chain is expected to deliver, which can be significantly different from the total market demand.

This concept is critical in supply chain management as it requires better forecasting and inventory management to align production and distribution systems to meet this true demand effectively. The other types of uncertainties mentioned all focus on different aspects of supply chain operations, such as variability in lead times or operational processes rather than directly addressing demand fulfillment and market expectations.