Final answer:
The statement is true. In the 1980s, organizations needed a larger inventory of spare parts due to the various types of computers they used, all requiring different maintenance and repair components.
Step-by-step explanation:
It is true that in the 1980s, organizations often found that the larger the number of different types of computers they owned, the larger the inventory of spare repair parts they required. This was due to the lack of standardization in the technology and diversity of the hardware components used by different manufacturers. Each type of computer had its own set of unique parts, which meant stocking up on a wide array of spares to ensure that any potential breakdown could be quickly remedied.
During this time, computer manufacturers were introducing fully assembled personal computers to the market. The entry of these various computers meant that organizations utilizing them needed to manage different systems, each with its specific maintenance and repair requirements.
The need for an extensive repository of spare parts was also a reflection of the evolution of computers from the 1950s onward, when machines such as the IBM 701 and the Univac I required complex management systems and frequent replacement of unreliable parts like vacuum tubes. With the increase in computing capabilities and the consequent diversification of computer types, the complexity and quantity of required repair parts grew correspondingly.