Inventories, Wholesaling and Warehousing

Abstract

The inventory productivity measures of Chapter 3 and negative effects of inventory build-up on growth found in Chapter 4 indicate that inventories have been a problem area for Soviet trade which should be studied more closely. In a sense, inventories can be viewed as a key indicator of the healthy operation of the trade sector. This chapter consists of an examination of this entire area with the hope of shedding some light on the question of whether inventories have been a help or a hindrance to the distribution of consumer goods in the Soviet Union. This is accomplished by considering the following series of topics: inventory size and location, inventory/sales ratios, inventory norms, bank credit, wholesaling and finally warehousing.