Most inventory professionals would gladly trade all the "latest thinking" books for a guide they could use to do their jobs better right now. Essentials of Inventory Management presents ready-to-use information in key areas from physical control and layout to problem identification and resolution. Concentrating on daily-use inventory concepts, this practical workplace companion specifically addresses: -- Forecasting and replenishment strategies -- Differences between finished-goods (retail) inventories and materials or work-in-process (manufacturing) inventories. -- Materials requirements planning (MRP) and just-in-time (JIT) inventory systems -- Managing inventory as both a physical object and a monetary value -- Applying simple formulas to calculating quantities -- Analyzing and remedying dysfunction Plus, the book covers theft prevention, legal obligations, and the managment of natural, technological, and incited emergencies. In all, it's the most thorough introduction available to the inventory management profession.