ABSTRACT
Inventory assets are used to make a finished good, support a service, or to be resold. Raw material plastics and metals are examples of inventory assets. In a hospital, bandages, tape, syringes, crutches, and pharmaceuticals are all inventoried to support the medical services provided by the hospital to its patients. A retail store inventories finished goods for resale to consumers. Inventory assets are not intended to stay with the organization for a long period of time; ownership is meant to be relatively brief. Fixed assets such as manufacturing machines, furniture, computers, medical equipment, and hospital beds are typically owned by the organization for years until the end of their useful lives. Expensive inventory assets such as precious metals, jewelry, and electronics, and controlled substances such as pharmaceuticals should be stored in locked rooms or metal cages with restricted access.
