Adapting inventory models for handling various payment structures using net present value equivalence analysis

Abstract

Classic inventory models use average cost functions. It is generally accepted that these models should account for the time value of money. They do so not by considering the timing of cash-flows, but by including opportunity costs. The Net Present Value (NPV) framework has long been used to compare these models with. We formalise NPV Equivalence Analysis (NPVEA) under various payment structures, and apply it to a few classic inventory models. While taking the linear approximation is typically part of the process to find equivalence, the essence is to disregard the parameters of a classic inventory model but instead start from cash-flow structures between firms. It is demonstrated how this leads to different plausible interpretations of, or variations to, classic inventory models, in particular for payment structures that differ from conventional assumptions. We identify situations with negative holding costs, which indicates that more features from the real world must be added into the decision model. We illustrate that in addition to capital costs, firms can enjoy capital rewards. These rewards may not always affect the firm's inventory decisions, but are in general useful for finding the impact of changes to various parameters on the firm's future profits.