log Flashcards
(116 cards)
E/E Balance
Available balance vs Current balance
Balancing supply of inventory with demand
E/E Balance - Too Little
Stockouts
Lost sales
Poor customer service
E/E Balance - Too Much
High carrying costs
Inefficient performance
Inventory Trends - GDP
Inventory in the economy as decreased as a gross percentage of the GDP
Inventory Trends - Logistics Costs
Inventory as a percentage of logistics costs has decreased over the long run
Return on Assets π
Profit / Asset Investment
As inventory decreases, ROA increases
Inventory Turns π
COGS / Avg Inventory
The number of times per year a business is able to use up / sell off their complete inventory of raw materials / finished goods
What is a good turnover ratio?
Good turnover ratios depend on the industry and economic conditions
When do companies decide to hold less/more inventory?
Less inventory on high demand parts as they are efficient to stock and high in volume
More inventory on low demand parts as they are needed for customer service and low in volume (Why? Companies may hold more inventory for low-demand parts not because they sell often but because when someone needs it, itβs urgent and critical)
Rationales for Holding Inventory
Batching (economies of scale)
Uncertainty
Time
Seasonality
Cycle stock
Inventory that will be used up or sold over some period of time
Causes of batching
Procurement - volume price discounts
Transportation - mileage discounts
Production - long production runs
Batching tradeoff
Must store the extra inventory you donβt use immediately
Safety stock
Inventory a company holds beyond normal needs as a buffer against uncertainty due to delays in materials availability and customer order patterns
Causes of uncertainty
Uncertainty around how much customers will buy and when
Uncertainty around suppliers having materials you need
Mitigating need for safety stock
Need for safety stock may be mitigated by greater information sharing across the supply chain
In Transit stock
May be any class of inventory (RM, components, WIP, FG) inbound or outbound
Transit speed tradeoff
Faster transportation modes cost more but may save a larger amount in inventory carrying costs
(You need to carry more inventory if it is stuck on a boat for weeks traveling across continents!)
Work in process stock
Raw materials, parts, and sub-assemblies in the process of being converted to FGs
Lean operations impact
Reduces inventory by streamlines processes and reducing lead times
Seasonal supply (perishability)
Some products (e.g. agricultural, can of corn) may only be harvested once per year, but must be stocked year round
Seasonal demand (compressed selling period)
Demand spike prior to holiday seasons (e.g. Hallmark cards have no 2nd chance to meet demand if out of stock)
Risks of holding excess inventory
Inefficient use of cash
Obsolescence
Pilferage
Storage costs
Damage
When might you need to hold more inventory?
When customers expect it
βDo we really need to stock 14 kinds of hammers at Walmart?β To their surprise, they found out they did