What You Didn't Know You Didn't Know About Inventory Management

Managing inventory is extremely difficult for large companies with complex and tested systems, much less a smaller company that is just getting started. You might set up a program to keep track of the hundreds of pallets that go in and out of your business every day, but you are often not the one that is entering information into the computer, and you are definitely not the one moving the inventory yourself. There are so many challenges to face when dealing with inventory management that it can be hard to know where to begin.

The Challenge

Inventory is one of the riskiest areas of a business. Not only is some inventory easy for employees to take out of the door, such as jewelry or smaller expensive items, but it is also extremely difficult to keep track of. Most systems that are used by small and midsized companies are rudimentary at best. They allow users to scan pallets in and keep track of where everything is going, but they are often not very user friendly. When it comes to the employees that are actually moving the goods, they do not really understand the importance of keeping good records of the inventory and managing how it is moving. They are also not actively thinking about important factors that go into budgeting and performance, such as inventory turnover ratios and capacity goals. This is a problem for many companies, so how can this problem be solved?

The Solution

One of the solutions is to get someone on your staff with an MBA in Information Systems . You might think that someone with a background in operations management would be better. However, in the high-tech and fast-moving world we live in today, information and data are really the drivers of business.

An Info Systems MBA has the background and knowledge to look at the process that is currently being used and adapt it to make things better for the company. If there is a need, they will also be capable for overseeing the complete overhaul of the system. These individuals have the knowledge to create online and shared databases that are capable of tracking inventory around a plant or warehouse with ease. They are also skilled in the other aspects of business that the C-suite level is versed in, making them a perfect middle-man between the executives and lower management when it comes to inventory. They will also be able to train the front line employees and make the system more user friendly, facilitating an understand of what the employees are actually doing when they enter a pallet into the system.

Overall, an MBA in Information Systems has the power to change and manage an inventory system to meet the needs of all its users. Their business acumen and knowledge of the front line system makes them the perfect candidate to alleviate the challenges that managing inventory poses.