Inventory control - zaikokanri (English spelling) inventory control

It refers to a system of measures that a company implements to maintain appropriate inventory in terms of quantity, quality, timing, and location. Inventory, in a broad sense, refers to items within a company, but in a narrow sense, it refers only to items that are turned over and moved in the short term, excluding fixed items such as equipment and machinery. Inventory management usually refers to items in the narrow sense, which are broadly divided into three categories: raw materials, semi-finished products (work in progress), and finished products. Appropriate inventory refers to a state that maximizes the efficiency of business activities based on the aforementioned conditions.

There are two mutually complementary inventory management systems. The first is a set of measures to properly maintain physical inventory, which is called physical inventory management. The second is a set of measures to properly maintain inventory as the embodiment of value or invested capital, which is called value/quantitative inventory management.

Physical inventory management is closely related to purchasing, storage, and transportation, and is essentially on the same level as storage. In other words, physical inventory management requires that facilities are set up in as few storage locations as possible (warehouses, etc.) to prevent inventory from being deformed, deteriorated, or wasted, and that inventory is stored in a way that allows it to be taken in and out in the shortest possible time when needed, while also taking measures to allow for material handling that is appropriate for the inventory items in the purchasing and transportation that occur before and after. The standard for physical inventory management requires technology that corresponds to the physical characteristics of the inventory items in question.

In contrast, with value/quantitative inventory control, the biggest issue is maintaining the appropriate amount of inventory from an economic perspective. Excessive inventory is favorable for manufacturing and sales activities, but it reduces capital turnover and puts pressure on profitability. Under-inventory has the opposite effect. Setting an appropriate level of inventory that is somewhere between the two, and balances manufacturing/sales and finances, becomes the central issue in inventory control, and efforts must be made to maintain that level. Related to this, the economics of ordering (economic ordering lots, etc.) and the economics of inventory management (ABC analysis, etc.) are also issues that arise.

[Mitsuo Morimoto]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

企業が、量、質、タイミング、場所の諸条件について、適正な在庫を保持するために実施する諸策の体系をいう。在庫とは、広義には企業内にある物品をいうが、狭義には設備・機械のような固定的物品を除き、短期に回転流動する物品のみをさす。在庫管理という場合には、狭義の物品を対象にするのが普通で、それは、原材料、半製品（仕掛品）、製品に3大別される。適正（な在庫）とは、前述の諸条件からみて経営活動の効率を最大にする状態をいう。

　在庫管理には、相互補完する二つの管理体系がある。第一は、実物としての在庫を適正に保持する諸策の集合であり、これを実体的在庫管理という。第二は、価値ないし投下資本の化体物としての在庫を適正に保持する諸策の集合であり、これを価値・計数的在庫管理という。

　実体的在庫管理は、購買、保管、運搬と深く関係し、とくに保管とは実質的に同次元になる。すなわち、実体的在庫管理では、なるべく少ない保管場所（倉庫等）に、在庫が変形、変質、減耗しないような施設を設け、必要なときに最小限の時間で出し入れできるような方法で保管するとともに、それに相前後する購買と運搬についても、在庫品に適合した処理material handlingができる方策を講じなければならない。実体的在庫管理の基準は、対象となる在庫品の物的特性に対応した技術に求められる。

　これに対して、価値・計数的在庫管理では、経済的にみた適正在庫量の維持が最大の問題になる。過大在庫は製造・販売活動にとっては好都合であるが、資本回転率を低下させ、収益性を圧迫する。過小在庫は逆の効果をもたらす。両者の中間にある、製造・販売と財務を均衡させる適正在庫の設定が在庫管理の中心的課題となるとともに、その水準維持に努めることが要求される。これに関連して、発注の経済性（経済的発注ロットなど）や在庫品管理の経済性（ABC分析など）も問題にされる。

［森本三男］

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