Closing a Six Sigma Project
As we have seen, Six Sigma is an elaborate methodology. It requires time to learn and even more time to successfully implement. However, as we have also seen that there is a golden pot at the end of the rainbow. Countless organizations have transformed their operations based on their Six Sigma capabilities. Nowadays, having processes […]
ERP Service Module – Planning, Warranties and Contracts
Service Planning – Attending of unscheduled maintenance tasks arising out of breakdown and faults both for internal and external customer is an important service activity of any organization. However, bulk of service activities arise out of planned service activities. For internal customers, this may be routine maintenance of plant and equipments, arising out of preventive […]
The Argument against Planned Obsolescence
Planned obsolescence is often considered to be a part of the capitalist ideology. The supposed logic behind planned obsolescence is that capitalist companies put inferior components in their products. As a result, these products do not last as long. Since the products break down sooner, the customers are forced to buy new products. Opponents of […]
China’s Crackdown on the Gaming Industry
China has surprised the global gaming community by starting a full-fledged crackdown on the gaming industry. The Chinese government has not been the first one to try and restrict online gaming. For instance, in 2011, the government of Korea created a regulation which prohibited minors under the age of 16 from playing online games between […]
Risk of Data Loss and IT Systems Failures in Organisations
Organizations in current times are competing in a global market where time and distance have no meaning. Competition being intense, companies have got to ensure that they delivery top line performance all the time and not risk any kind of failures. Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity planning concept has come of age in the new […]
In any business or organization, all functions are interlinked and connected to each other and are often overlapping. Some key aspects like supply chain management, logistics and inventory form the backbone of the business delivery function. Therefore these functions are extremely important to marketing managers as well as finance controllers.
Inventory management is a very important function that determines the health of the supply chain as well as the impacts the financial health of the balance sheet. Every organization constantly strives to maintain optimum inventory to be able to meet its requirements and avoid over or under inventory that can impact the financial figures.
Inventory is always dynamic. Inventory management requires constant and careful evaluation of external and internal factors and control through planning and review. Most of the organizations have a separate department or job function called inventory planners who continuously monitor, control and review inventory and interface with production, procurement and finance departments.
Inventory is an idle stock of physical goods that contain economic value, and are held in various forms by an organization in its custody awaiting packing, processing, transformation, use or sale in a future point of time.
Any organization which is into production, trading, sale and service of a product will necessarily hold stock of various physical resources to aid in future consumption and sale.
While inventory is a necessary evil of any such business, it may be noted that the organizations hold inventories for various reasons, which include speculative purposes, functional purposes, physical necessities etc.
From the above definition the following points stand out with reference to inventory:
Inventory of materials occurs at various stages and departments of an organization. A manufacturing organization holds inventory of raw materials and consumables required for production. It also holds inventory of semi-finished goods at various stages in the plant with various departments.
Finished goods inventory is held at plant, FG Stores, distribution centers etc. Further both raw materials and finished goods those that are in transit at various locations also form a part of inventory depending upon who owns the inventory at the particular juncture.
Finished goods inventory is held by the organization at various stocking points or with dealers and stockiest until it reaches the market and end customers.
Besides Raw materials and finished goods, organizations also hold inventories of spare parts to service the products. Defective products, defective parts and scrap also forms a part of inventory as long as these items are inventoried in the books of the company and have economic value.
| INPUT | PROCESS | OUTPUT |
| Raw Materials | Work In Process | Finished Goods |
| Consumables required for processing. Eg : Fuel, Stationary, Bolts & Nuts etc. required in manufacturing | Semi Finished Production in various stages, lying with various departments like Production, WIP Stores, QC, Final Assembly, Paint Shop, Packing, Outbound Store etc. | Finished Goods at Distribution Centers through out Supply Chain |
| Maintenance Items/Consumables | Production Waste and Scrap | Finished Goods in transit |
| Packing Materials | Rejections and Defectives | Finished Goods with Stockiest and Dealers |
| Local purchased Items required for production | Spare Parts Stocks & Bought Out items | |
| Defectives, Rejects and Sales Returns | ||
| Repaired Stock and Parts | ||
| Sales Promotion & Sample Stocks |
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