سؤال قراءة ستيب محلول — فهم التفاصيل (تدريب 6090)

(1) There are three types of stock that a business can hold: stocks of raw materials (inputs brought from suppliers waiting to be used in the production process), work in progress (incomplete products still in the process of being made) and stocks of finished products (finished goods of acceptable quality waiting to be sold to customers). (2) The aim of stock control is to minimize the cost of holding these stocks whilst ensuring that there are enough materials for production to continue and be able to meet customer demand. Obtaining the correct balance is not easy and the stock control department will work closely with the purchasing and marketing departments. (3) The marketing department should be able to provide sales forecasts for the coming weeks or months (this can be difficult if demand is seasonal or prone to unexpected fluctuation) and so allow stock control managers to judge the type, quantity and timing of stocks needed. (4) It is the purchasing department’s responsibility to order the correct quantity and quality of these inputs, at a competitive price and from a reliable supplier who will deliver on time. (5) As it is difficult to ensure that a business has exactly the correct amount of stock at any one time, the majority of firms will hold buffer stock. This is the “safe” amount of stock that needs to be held to cover unforeseen circumstances What is the writer’s main purpose?