An action in which the cause of variation is identified and corrected temporarily is called...

The action described as identifying and correcting the cause of variation temporarily is known as corrective action. This approach is typically employed when a problem is recognized, and immediate steps are taken to mitigate the impact of the variation while a more permanent solution is developed. It's crucial in quality management and continuous improvement initiatives because it addresses the symptoms of the issue immediately, allowing for operations to continue with minimal disruption.

Corrective actions are often part of a broader quality assurance process, ensuring that variations that could affect performance, compliance, or safety are managed effectively. While this process does not solve the root cause permanently, it is an important step towards a more sustainable solution and forms the basis for continuous improvement practices within an organization.

Other options, like prevention, refer to proactive measures taken to avoid potential problems from arising in the first place, not a reactive measure like corrective action. Compensating actions involve dealing with the consequences of an issue rather than addressing the issue itself, and reactions typically refer to responses that may not involve understanding the underlying causes or implementing a solution. Thus, corrective action is an appropriate term for the scenario where a temporary fix is applied to a recognized issue.