The Role of Inventory Management in the Comparative Advantage of Manufacturing Industries in Zambia.

This study examines the relationship between inventory management practices and organisational performance in Zambian manufacturing industries, focusing on competitiveness, profitability, and productivity. Using a mixed-methods approach with a sample of 50 respondents from manufacturing firms including Global Industries, Java Foods, and Gourock Plastics, the research employed SPSS for data analysis and Chi-square tests for hypothesis testing. The findings reveal significant positive relationships between inventory management and organisational competitiveness (p=0.028), profitability (p=0.026), and productivity (p=0.022). The research concludes that effective inventory management is critical for manufacturing firms' success and recommends the adoption of robust inventory control systems, including EOQ and JIT, staff training, and regular inventory audits to enhance organisational performance.