Which of the following is an objective of material requirements planning?

Material Requirements Planning (MRP) is a crucial component of supply chain management and production planning. One of its primary objectives is to keep priorities current. This means that MRP dynamically adjusts orders and schedules based on the changing needs of production, inventory levels, and customer demand. By continuously updating priorities, MRP helps ensure that manufacturing operations align with the most up-to-date information, facilitating timely production and delivery of goods.

Keeping priorities current allows businesses to respond effectively to demand fluctuations, manage lead times, and coordinate resources and materials more efficiently. This results in improved workflow across the production process, minimizing disruptions and enhancing overall operational efficiency.

The other options represent important concepts but do not capture the central goal of MRP. For example, while keeping the factory busy may be a byproduct of effective planning, it is not the primary aim. Similarly, determining the forecast is more about predicting future demand rather than managing resources and inventory in real-time, and minimizing inventory investment, though important, is more of a strategy that arises from effective MRP rather than a direct objective of the MRP process itself.