All of the following are reasons for holding inventory EXCEPT: a. Inventories enable specialization in manufacturing. b. Inventories eliminate the variation in supply and demand. c. Inventories enable the firm to achieve economies of scale. d. Inventories provide protection from uncertainties in demand in the order cycle. e. Inventories act as a buffer between critical interfaces within the channel of distribution.

While cell phones with holographic keyboards are currently in the introduction stage of the industry life cycle, tablet computers are in the growth stage. in the context of this scenario, which of the following statements is true? a. the industry for cell phones with holographic keyboards will face greater competition than the tablet industry. b. while the industry for cell phones with holographic keyboards will focus more on product innovation, the tablet industry will focus more on process innovation. c. while the industry for cell phones with holographic keyboards can reap the benefits of economies of scale, the tablet industry will experience no such benefits. d. the industry for cell phones with holographic keyboards will face price competition, whereas, in the tablet industry, the mode of competition will be non-price.