In Master Data Management, what does the golden record provide?

• A. MDM creates multiple golden records.
• B. MDM relies on API keys for security.
• C. MDM provides a single golden record, reduces duplicates, and improves identity resolution across sources.
• D. MDM is only about data archiving.

Answer: (C)

In Master Data Management, the golden record is the single, authoritative view of a data entity. It combines and reconciles information from multiple source systems, applies survivorship rules to choose the most accurate values, and links records that refer to the same real-world item. This creates one trusted version of each entity—reducing duplicates and enabling reliable identity resolution across sources. By having this consolidated view, organizations can report, analyze, and operate on consistent data across the enterprise. The other ideas miss the essential point: it’s not about many golden records, not primarily about security keys, and not about archiving.