Inventory is material that a firm obtains in advance of need and holds until it is used or sold. The objectives of inventory management include ensuring a continuous supply of materials for production and sales, minimizing under and overstocking, maintaining systematic records, reducing losses and costs, making prices stable, and protecting against demand and output fluctuations. Modern inventory control techniques aim to keep inventory levels low through strategies like just-in-time manufacturing, vendor managed inventory, and automatic replenishment.