• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.1-15
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• 2023

Purpose - This study investigates whether the inventory levels of Korean manufacturing firms increased or decreased from 2000 to 2019. We also explore the relationship between inventory levels and firm performance. Design/methodology/approach - We use panel data on KOSPI-listed firms in the manufacturing industry. We measure days in inventory as a proxy for inventory levels, and firm performance is measured by return on assets, return on sales, and EBITDA ratio. The panel data regression method is employed in our analysis. Findings - We find that days in inventory of Korean manufacturing firms significantly increased from 2000 to 2019, especially for raw materials and finished goods inventory. In addition, while days in inventory of large- and medium-sized firms were less than those of small-sized firms, the change in days in inventory of large- and medium-sized firms was positively significant over time. Moreover, the increase in days in inventory was more prevalent among industries related to foods, clothes, chemicals, and transportation. Finally, we show that the days in inventory are negatively related to firm performance. Research implications or Originality - While the Korean manufacturing industry has enormously grown over the last 20 years and managing inventory is critical in the manufacturing industry, our findings counter-intuitively show that the days in inventory of the Korean manufacturing industry had been gradually increased. We speculate that the increase in days in inventory is due to the Korean manufacturing firms' heavy reliance on global supply chains.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.36-43
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• 2013

Many retailer store managers are experiencing the situation where some customers balk at purchasing products if the stock is low. In this paper, we extend the single period newsvendor model in an environment of customer balking behavior occurring at double threshold inventory levels assuming the chance of sales during balking is a discrete function of inventory level. Our analysis is based on the assumption that only the mean and the variance of demand are known, without assuming any specific distributional form. We derive the explicit general expression of optimal order quantity with unknown distribution of demand with double threshold inventory levels of customer balking. Then, we illustrate the concepts developed here through simple numerical examples and conclude the future research topics under balking situation.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.520-528
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• 2018

This paper studies the optimal inventory levels of Korea Assault Amphibious Vehicle(KAAV)'s assemblies in order to assure the required operational availability. The simulation model is built and implemented for the impact of the inventory levels on operational availability. Using regression analysis and integer programming, the optimal inventory levels of essential assemblies are suggested and analyzed. Finally, sensitivity analysis is conducted with recycling maintenance delay time.

• Journal of Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.226-232
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• 2001

This paper presents an efficient method for the problem of determining the spare inventory level of a multi-echelon repairable-item inventory system. We consider the system with two levels of inventory, two levels of service and with a general service time distribution. We propose an algorithm that determines the spare inventory level to satisfy the minimum fill rate with the minimum cost. Experimental results show that the algorithm is accurate and efficient.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.416-424
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• 2019

This paper studies the optimal inventory levels of P-3 assemblies in order to assure the required operational availability. A simulation model is developed for identifying the impact of the inventory levels on operational availability. Based on the result of the simulation model, multiple regression analysis is performed. Finally, the optimal inventory levels of critical P-3 assemblies are determined with integer programming. Additionally, sensitivity analysis of depot maintenance period is also conducted for its impact on the operational availability.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Quality Management Conference
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• 2006.11a
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• pp.133-138
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• 2006

The problem that we address is to determine the inventory stockage levels in a multi-echelon inventory system for repairable items in a multi-indenture system. We propose the simulation optimization approach to determine the stockage levels at each echelon, where a simulator for the underlying system is combined with an appropriate optimization tool, Genetic Algorithm (GA).

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.185-195
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• 2022

Purpose - This study attempts to analyze the determinants of inventory turnover by applying quantile regression analysis. Design/methodology/approach - By selecting the gross margin, capital intensity, and sale surprise as the determinants of inventory turnover, we investigate their effects on inventory turnover at the several quartiles (10%, 25%, 50%, 75%, 90%) of inventory turnover with quantile regression analysis. Findings - The effects of gross margin and capital intensity on inventory turnover are different for each quartile. But the effects of sale surprise on inventory turnover are not different for each quartile. Research implications or Originality -This study is the first attempt to examine the effects of inventory turnover determinants on inventory turnover by applying quantile regression analysis was not employed in the prior studies. Thus, this study is meaningful in that it shows the possible way to review inventory management strategies that can be applied differently to the firms with different inventory turnover levels.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.59-68
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• 2021

Purpose: The Covid-19 pandemic has had excessively severe impacts on all the nodes and edges of any supply chain due to changes in consumer behaviours and lockdown restrictions from governments among countries. This article aims to provide a simulating experiment on how a supply chain deals with supply disruption risks by flexibility in the inventory level of each sector as a buffer considering the overall cost to fulfil demand in the market. Research design, data and methodology: Agent-based simulation techniques are used to determine the cost-efficiency and customer waiting time related to varying inventory levels of each member in the supply chain when using inventory buffers. Findings: This study has shown that any sudden changes in the inventory level of each sector are likely to impact the rest of the supply chain. Among all sectors, the wholesaler will be impacted more severely than others. Also, the manufacturing sector is the most suitable node to adjust inventory depending on its manufacturing ability. Conclusion: The findings of the study provide insightful implications for decision-makers to adjust inventory levels and policymakers to maintain manufacturing activities in the context of the pandemic restrictions to deal with the excessive demand and potential supply disruption risks.

• IE interfaces
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.241-254
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• 2012

This paper studies the relationship between SCM(Supply Chain Management) metrics and corporate value (Tobin's Q) for manufacturing and wholesale/retail firms in Korea. Specifically, the multiple regression analysis is used to investigate the relationships 1) between inventory level, inventory turns, and days of inventory and Tobin's Q and 2) between cash-to-cash (C2C) cycle time including its components such as days of inventory, days sales outstanding, and days payable outstanding and Tobin's Q. The results indicate that there exist statistically significant negative relationships between inventory levels and days of inventory (DOI) and Tobin's Q. Also, we found that there exist commonly known negative correlations between days of raw materials inventory and days of work in process (WIP) inventory and Tobin's Q. For the C2C cycle time, we found that there -exists a statistically significant negative relationship between the C2C cycle time and Tobin's Q. Also, we found that there exist commonly known correlations between the two components of C2C cycle time and Tobin's Q such as the negative for DOI and days sales outstanding. This study clearly shows the negative relationship in general between inventory levels and corporate value and between C2C time and corporate value, and this kind of result has not been found by previous studies in Korea.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.11 no.12
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• pp.265-274
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• 2013

The business cycle during a recession leads to negative effects on raising funds and operations management of company. In particular, the company with many inventories in the recession causes liquidity problem. Which leads to frustration in the competitive strategy management. In this case the company experiencing cash or liquidity problems attempts to reduce its investment in inventory. However, reducing inventory investment makes problems to increase inventory operating costs. This paper presents sensitivity of total cost compared to the size for reducing inventory investment. This will guarantee the relevance of the reducing inventory investment. Optimal Inventory levels also may be required to be less than the optimal levels without reduction on inventory investments.