NEED TO HOLD INVENTORIES
Martin and miller identified three general motives for holding inventories
TRANSACTION MOTIVE: This refers to the need of maintaining inventory to facilitate smooth production and sales operations.
PRECAUTIONARY MOTIVE: Precautionary motive for holding inventory is to provide a safeguard when then actual level of activity is differ than anticipated. This inventory serves when there is a unpredictable changes in the demand and supply forces.
SPECULATIVE MOTIVE: This motive influences the decision to increase or decrease the levels of inventory to take the advantage of price fluctuations.