$\text{'}$s Computers imports computer hardware and accessories from China, Japan, and South Korea. It has branches in every U$.$S$.$ ital city, and the main administration office and central warehouse are in Chicago, Illinois. There is a branch manager in each store $5$ a number $($depending on the size of the store$)$ of full$-$time staff. There are also several part$-$time staff who work on weekends since stores are open both Saturday and Sunday. Either the branch manager or a senior member of the full$-$time staff is on duty at all les to supervise the part$-$time staff. Both part$-$time and full$-$time staff members are required to attend periodic company training sions covering product knowledge and inventory$-$ and cash$-$handling requirements.

le inventory is held after its arrival from overseas at the central warehouse and distributed to each branch on receipt of an inventory ansfer request authorized by the branch manager. The value of inventorsitems ranges from a few cents to several thousand dollars. ompetition is fierce in the computer hardware industry. New products are continuously coming onto the market, and large furniture id office supply discount retailers are heavy users of advertising and other promotions to win customers from specialists like Carl's tomputers. Carl's Computers' management has faced difficulty keeping costs of supply down and has started to use new suppliers for ome computer accessories such as printers and ink.