Most firms build and keep inventories in the course of doing business. Manufacturing firms hold raw material, finished goods and spares and work in process in inventories. Financial services firms conduct inventories in the form of portfolio of marketable securities consisting of debt, hybrid and equity instruments. Retails firms as shops, super markets, shopping malls hold inventories to meet order for products from customers.
In case of manufacturing firm's inventories presents main asset category, subsequent only to machinery and plant. The proportion of inventory to total assets ranges in between 15% to 30 %.
Inventory management is not an isolated activity; that needs coordination amongst the departments of purchasing, marketing and production. Decisions including of the purchase raw material is obtained through the production and purchasing department, but work within process inventory is affected through the production department. Finished goods inventory levels are decided through both the marketing and production departments. As these entire decision ends up in tying of resources the financial manager has the duty to make sure that the inventories are suitably monitored and controlled.