The turbulent period of the 1970s in the U. S. demonstrated a need for companies to adopt anticipatory visions of their futures and a long term orientation rather than counting on the future being much like the past.

Which of the following would not generally be a motive for a firm to hold inventories? a. to decouple or separate parts of the production process b. to provide a stock of goods that will provide a selection for customers c. to take advantage of quantity discounts d. to minimize holding costs e. all of the above are functions of inventory.