Learning Team Reflection Essay

Introduction In business, quality refers measures of excellence and remaining free of defects, deficiencies, and significant variations. Quality products or services are brought about by the commitment to abide by certain standards. These standards are put in place to maintain customer or user satisfaction, (Business Dictionary.com, 2014). In this paper, Learning Team A will discuss total quality management, ISO standards, how these standards are used to improve an organization, benefits and challenges of these standards, and the role of the quality control department within an organization in relation to TQM and ISO standards. Total Quality Management and ISO Total quality management may be defined as managing the entire organization so that it excels on all dimensions of products and services that are important to the customer, (Jacobs, H., & Chase, R., 2011).† The two primary goals of total quality management (TQM) are to ensure that the product or service is carefully designed, and secondly, to ensure systems within the organization can consistently produce and design the product or service. TQM resembles Six Sigma to a great degree, but it is a different process. TQM focuses on ensuring standards and guidelines are actually reducing errors while Sigma looks to reduce defects, (Jacobs, H., & Chase, R., 2011).† ISO are a series of standards used to measure quality. These guidelines are international guidelines established by the Internal Organization for Standardization. To gain certification for these standards, the process takes greater than a year. ISO 9000 represents standards for the criteria that need to be met during manufacturing processes. ISO 14000 refers to rules or guidelines set for environmental management of industrial production. This standard simply promotes useful tools for businesses to help manage environmental impact, (Investopedia, 2014). Advantages of TQM and ISO in organizations Customer satisfaction is the main goal for every organization. Customers are satisfied if they get a product or service that meets their expectation and if it is of fair price. Total Quality management helps to provide this quality assurance for the customers. It helps the organization to make the needed corrections and improve production. Apart from satisfied customers, organizations also need to improve their efficiency and effectiveness of doing business. TQM places a focus on internal process that includes process alignment, consistent delivery and process productivity (CEBOS, 2012). With TQM, organizations will have a longer term competitive edge. TQM is a philosophy that empowers all the employees and it promotes continuous and sustained improvement. Its basic principle is that the cost of prevention is less than the cost of correction (Gharakhani, Rahmati, Farrokhi, & Farahmandian, 2013). Like TQM, ISO also provides benefits for a business. According to (ISO, 2014), when a company improves its operations, it saves cost. Having internationalized standards will improve operations and reduces operational expenses. Standards will help to enhance customer satisfaction and access new markets. It also helps companies to increase their productivity and stay in the competitive edge. ISO 9000, certification increases marketability and reduces product liability risks, because the quality of the product is enhanced. With the ISO 14000, organizations reduce their footprint in global environment. ISO14000 helps companies to save in energy consumption, reduce the cost of waste management, and improve corporate image among regulators, customers and the public (ISO, 2014). References Business Dictionary.com (2014). Quality. Retrieved from, Business Dictionary.com Web site: http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/quality.html Investopedia (2014). ISO 9000. Retrieved from, Investopedia Web site: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/iso-9000.asp Investopedia (2014). ISO 14000. Retrieved from, Investopedia Web site: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/iso-14000.asp Jacobs, F., & Chase, R. (2011). Product and Service Design. In (Ed.), Operations and Supply Chain Management (13th ed., pp. 38-67). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Irwin. CEBOS (2012). How Can TQM Make Your Business More Successful?. Retrieved from, CEBOS Web site: http://www.cebos.com/how-can-tqm-make-your-business-more-successful/ Gharakhani, D., Rahmati, H., Farrokhi, M. R., & Farahmandian, A. (2013). Total Quality Management and Organizational Performance. American Journal of Industrial Engineering, 1(3), pp. 45-50. ISO. (2014). Benefits of International Standards. Retrieved from http://www.iso.org/iso/home/standards/benefitsofstandards.htm ISO. (2014). ISO 14000 – Environmental management. Retrieved from http://www.iso.org/iso/home/standards/benefitsofstandards.htm

Homecoming by Bruce Dawe

Homecoming by Bruce Dawe The Vietnam War was the â€Å"unpopular† war and was intensely criticized by the Australian people for the reasons stated in the poem, Homecoming, by Bruce Dawe. In the poem â€Å"Homecoming† by Bruce Dawe, Dawe identifies his personal concerns of the Vietnam War and then presents them through the use of poetic techniques. It is clear to us that Dawe’s foremost concerns are that of the number of dead, the lack of respect and the dehumanisation of the dead, and the careless attitude of the Government towards the War.Foremost, the core of Dawe’s concerns is transcribed from the large number of bodies and the large numbers of wasted young lives. Dawe gives the basis for his concerns in the first stanza, the lines â€Å"All day, day after day† and â€Å"Piled on the hulls of grants, in trucks, in convoys† there is evidence of alliteration and of pacing to commune the message. Also the line in the second stanza â€Å"over the land, the steaming Chow Mein† gives the audience the gruesome impression of a land covered in bloody, disfigured bodies of different nationalities, the American, the Australian and the Viet Cong.Dawe through this gives the responder a gruesome and disturbing insight into the death in Vietnam. Furthermore, to be proposed in conjunction to the large number of dead, Dawe Expresses his concern on the dehumanization and the lack of respect that the dead bodies of solders endure. Dawe does this primarily through the use of metaphor, personification, simile and onomatopoeia. Dawe’s intention for this is to create imagery of a factory like setting where the bodies have no identity and are â€Å"zipped†, â€Å"Tagging† and deep freezed, like meat in butchery.The line â€Å"whining like hounds† encourages us to perceive that there is a cannibalistic side to the war, and to the treatment of the men who fought. The reader can respond to this with various e motions, there is sympathy for the bodies and how there treated, there is also sympathy for the men who have to process the bodies. Conversely to the theme of death and dehumanization, there is the theme of the government’s role. Dawe’s concerns also lie in the government’s attitude to the Vietnam War and he uses irony to demonstrate this concern.Dawe expresses that the government is bringing home bodies of young men by the truckload, but yet sending more over to replace them. This is in daws opinion a waste of young lives; this is reinforced by the quote â€Å"They’re bringing them home, now, too late, too early†. This simply means that there is no escape from the grief of death, and the dead are young men who died too young. The effect of this gives a powerful message about the War and gives an insight to how people of the time may have felt.In conclusion, in the poem â€Å"Homecoming† by Bruce Dawe, the composer effectively communicates h is concerns of the Vietnam War, the amount of young deaths, and the little respect the bodies and the way the government dealt with the situation treating young lives as a disposable item. After reading the poem the reader has a new insight into the Vietnam War through the eyes of Dawe therefore the composer has successfully communicated his concerns.

Analysis at Work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Analysis at Work - Essay Example The purpose is to show that the religion can transition, specifically to keep the initial spirit of Christianity alive. To do this, Spong uses repetition, anecdotes and prediction as rhetorical strategies, all which allow him to convince the audience of the need for a new reform in the church. Spong’s Audience When beginning to read this book, one can instantly define the audience as strong Christians in the church. The individuals are devoted to the religion of Christianity and what the church offers, specifically because of tradition, honest belief in God and the understanding of creating a specific relationship to God through a church. This is depicted from the various chapters about defining God in Spong’s book, as well as the first approach which is used in the book, which is to create a basis that everyone reading the book has an understanding of God and the divine presence. More important, this is one that goes outside of Christianity into the general idea of wha t God is, specifically to establish a connection between different types of Christians that are devoted to the sense of spirituality. â€Å"The God I know is not concrete or specific. This God is rather shrouded in mystery, wonder and awe. The deeper I journey into this divine presence, the less any literalized phrases, including the phrases of the Christian creed, seem relevant† (Spong, 4). This particular quote shows how the idea of God is one that is based both in Christianity and outside of the name and form which is often attributed to God. This is done specifically to speak to Christians who are devoted to the faith but which come from different walks of life. Another characteristic that is essential about Spong’s audience is with the belief that each is noting the need to change the church and the expression of believing in God. It is this main concept that Spong basis his book and various ideals. The main idea is to find devoted Christians that have lost faith in the present churches and the actions which have been taken, as well as the hypocrisy which is often associated with the church. The concept of the believers in exile is the first way which this is seen, with specific references to churches that aren’t acting on the belief in God. The second is with the continuous association with the main words of the Bible as well as the need to build a church of the future. There are phrases based on destroying the old church and building one that is new and creating a new religious understanding (pg. 227). These show that those reading the book are most likely looking for new answers about the functions of the church and what is needed for this time period. Rhetorical Strategies The audience that is defined is then able to easily be seen the different concepts which apply to the building of a new church, specifically because most aren’t looking for the same attributes as the current status of religion. The first way in which this is seen is through the use of repetition. The repetition includes specific words repeated over different phrases as well as repeating the same ideas throughout the book. For instance, there is constant repetition of â€Å"being in exile† and coming out of the exile with a â€Å"new church.† The repetition of these words then begin to influence the reader with the same belief

Week 5 Individual Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Week 5 Individual Assignment - Essay Example is one-tailed (Left tailed) and we want to determine whether there has been a reduction in the weight of individuals who joined Weight Reducers International. Since the z-test statistic is less than -1.645 therefore at the 5% significance level, we have sufficient evidence to conclude that those who will join Weight Reducers International on average will lose less than 10 pounds. Dole Pineapple, Inc., is concerned that the 16-ounce can of sliced pineapple is being overfilled. Assume the standard deviation of the process is .03 ounces. The quality control department took a random sample of 50 cans and found that the arithmetic mean weight was 16.05 ounces. At the 5 percent level of significance, can we conclude that the mean weight is greater than 16 ounces? Determine the p-value. We will reject the null hypothesis if the z-test statistic is greater than 1.645 (z > 1.645) since the test is one-tailed (Right tailed) and we want to determine whether 16-ounce can of sliced pineapple is being overfilled. A recent article in The Wall Street Journal reported that the 30-year mortgage rate is now less than 6 percent. A sample of eight small banks in the Midwest revealed the following 30-year rates (in percent): We will reject the null hypothesis if t-test statistic is less than -2.998 since the test is one-tailed (left tailed) and we want to determine whether the 30-year mortgage rate is now less than 6 percent Since the t-test statistic is greater than -2.998 therefore we will not reject the null hypothesis. At 1% significance level we have sufficient evidence to conclude that the 30-year mortgage rate is not less than 6 percent. The minimum significance level (p-value) at which the null hypothesis can be rejected is between 5% and 10% since the value -1.61 lies in between -1.415 and -1.895 for a t-distribution with degrees of freedom = 7 The null hypothesis is that there is no difference in the population mean number of times men and women buy take-out dinner in

Forign Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Forign Policy - Essay Example In it, the study text will formulate the US foreign policy in the 21st century, which is a fast changing world. The US foreign policy is perceived of as highly liberalist, and this will be elaborated on, in addition to how the modern world makes it hard for the US to dominate the world, and why it is too late for it to withdraw from the system of world interaction. Finally, the study text will in it incorporate failures and milestones in the US foreign policies and from the emerging trend forecast the future of the US foreign policies. In Stepak & Whitlark (45-66) view, the role of the United States in the foreign policy context is fetched from the ancient eras of world politics, and particularly the days of Woodrow Wilson; that is in the period after World War II and the Cold War. Most foreign policy activists attest to it that following the events after the fall of the Soviet Union, especially those oriented to human rights, the order of world governance evolved, and America’s role in manning the system emerged, and with it expanded its obligations to the international community. Concisely, the norms of non-intervention and state sovereignty weakened with the virility of liberal interventionism, which was being largely campaigned for by the United Nations. By definition, liberal internationalism is the doctrine of foreign policy, which supports that liberal states have the mandate of intervening in other sovereign nationalities in pursuance of liberal objectives (Pugh 2). The liberal objectives in this case can refer to any form of freedom and equality. In the light of this, the liberal internationalism policy mode of intervention may be either military or humanitarian aid. This definition that would, however fit best at the onset of the twentieth century since in the contemporary definition as forced by issues, liberal internationalism is varying. According to Ikenberry (74-80), these changes can

Service marketing 7 P for JetBlue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Service marketing 7 P for JetBlue - Essay Example However, the problems associated with service delivery and brand sentiment requires that JetBlue offer more discounted package and travel options as a means of reinforcing their price differentiation and satisfying their value proposition. Product is reflected by its provision of travel vacation packages on reputable sites such as Priceline and Travelocity, as well as JetBlue Getaways, a self-managed website offering custom-designed packages (JetBlue, 2010). As with the pricing consideration, JetBlue should expand these product offerings to illustrate the depth of its value proposition and value consciousness. Place is satisfied by having many fleets and routes established throughout the nation, thus adding convenience to the consumer experience. However, the majority of revenues come from New York and Florida, as Jet Blue has the most presence in these locations. The business should expand its market presence and capacity to improve place availability that can be used in promotions. Promotion is lacking at JetBlue. The company relies heavily on social media to create relationships with customers and promote its value (JetBlue, 2011). Social media is not effective in all markets, thus the business should invest additional capital in promotion to fully advertise its value proposition and gain more market attention. The expanded dimension of physical layout is somewhat restricted by its low cost model, as improving physical layout requires less overhead or more budgeting in this area. However, by offering customers more airport-based facilities and improvements on-board will improve its competitive position. In terms of people, the business requires more cultural development to ensure a culture of service excellence, something significantly damaged in reference to the Jet Blue brand. Finally, the business needs to change its

Communication skills Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Communication skills - Assignment Example Providing suggestions and providing encouragement during the conversations help to keep the conversation alive according to Jonathan. According to Decker communications blog, Kelly Decker, argues that humor plays a big role in keeping communication alive. She gives an example of the just concluded Russian Winter Olympics 2014. Despite concerns about Russian security, they managed to overcome the pressure by use of humor. These made them feel light and created a connection between them. Similarly Kelly suggest that when it comes to embarrassing situation, there is no need to fear but instead laugh or make a joke and it will certainly col down the tension (Decker). Kelly believes that making light of the situation and taking advantage of unplanned humor helps in connecting and redirecting attention where it belongs. Creating unexpected moments while communicating helps in surprising people and sticking them where you want them to

Diversity management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Diversity management - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that one of the greatest tasks individuals face is communicating across differences resulting from different cultural diversity. There is always fear that exists that what an individual will intend to say will be understood in a way that they never meant it to be due to cultural differences in a team. The author’s research team was composed of seven members that were four local students and three Chinese. Through the group activity, the researcher has personally gained a lot from working with his research team on diversity management. From the group activity, the researcher was able to learn that cultural awareness is the base of communication and it entails the ability of individuals to stand back and become aware of their cultural values, beliefs, perceptions, and differences. It is essential for individuals to understand the reason why they do things differently, why they react differently in particular ways and perceive the world in different ways. Cross-cultural awareness is central when individuals interact with people from different cultures as individuals will evaluate and interpret things in different ways. What can be considered as inappropriate behavior in one culture is considered as appropriate behavior in another culture. As a U.K local, it is almost automatic to perceive the Chinese as individuals who always work and talk about business over tea and lunch breaks instead of sitting down and enjoy their meals. Thus, it is crucial to understand the meaning that people give to certain activities according to different cultures. DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT - Essay Example Furthermore the authors relate these two modes to six dimensions of cultural diversity. Their main idea is to consider interrelation between cultural diversity and co-operation. Respondents were chosen from France Telecom Mobile and Orange UK’s integration team thus showing that diversity has not influenced much on co-operation. Furthermore the authors suggest an interesting explanation of cultural diversity: they consider it to be a means for explanation ‘interindividual difficulties’ (Dameron, Joffre). It is possible to claim that this article does not only directly concern issues of diversity management, but also suggests a new and unique point of view; it considers diversity management in another perspective. A consideration of human interaction in business world is one of the most striking issues of the modernity. Interpersonal differences caused by cultural, moral and religious background are more often obstacles in the working environment that innovative visions. Diversity in the business world has started to be considered separately from domestic diversity issues quite recently. A new approach to consideration of diversity management in the business world is caused by a high-speed development of national and organizational cultures. Cross-cultural studies of diversity management are helpful for joint-ventures and other forms of organization. The conducted studies reveal peculiarities of business conduct on the international arena with representatives of different cultures. There is another important tendency in modern diversity management: a consideration of cultural diversity to be a motive force of business conduct. Cultural diversity is a common phenomenon nowadays. It is considered to be prestigious to have foreign business partners and culturally diverse employees. This tendency can be explained by the fact that sharing culturally diverse experience can become another asset of the

Project of Activity for Bathing a Patient Coursework

Project of Activity for Bathing a Patient - Coursework Example The type of bath recommended for a patient also puts into perspective aspects such as the age of the patient and the knowledge of the patient on how to use the bathroom. The paper outlines a planning activity for bathing a patient who is an old woman and who is independent and does not need a hoist to move around or for support. The primary objective for the bathing activity is to ensure that the patient remains clean, fresh, cool and that there is improved blood circulation. Since the patient is independent and can move around, bed bath will not be necessary. In consideration of the patient’s age, a seated shower bath under supervision will be preferable. The objective of the activity will also be aimed at ensuring that the patient is not exposed to any form of risk, the patient’s privacy is observed and that confidentiality is maintained (Jamieson, 2002, p.27). The supervision will be conducted for a period of 2 weeks until there is enough certainty that the patient can proceed to bathe on their own without any further supervision. According to Leino-Kilpi (2005, p.62), bathing for the patient improves their self-esteem and contributes to the well-being of the patient during care. However, care should be taken when during such an activity because there might be some social and cultural barriers that might hinder success. For instance, female patients should always be supervised by female nurses. Studies have shown that in the instance where male nurses supervise female patients of female nurses supervise male patients, there might be a risk of arousal that might cause discomfort and embarrassment either to the nurse or to the patient (Wolgin, 2005, p.82).  

Approaches to Adjustment and Deviance Case Study

Approaches to Adjustment and Deviance - Case Study Example Jason is the third child and has one older brother. Family conflicts arise when Jason attempts to emulate the activities of his 17-year-old brother. As a middle child, there have never been any clear boundaries set for Jason and he has often been emotionally neglected. He has struggled for his mother's attention and has taken on a rivalry with his father. His father has been stern, believing in 'tough love', without the emotional support or communication required to carry it out successfully. Jason's mother has made excuses for her son and has covered up and allowed his inappropriate behavior, possibly due to her own guilt. The conflict between the mother and father are at the core of the family problems and Jason reacts negatively to this conflict. It was advised that the family enter family counseling based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Through questioning, it was found that the mother and father rarely effectively communicate the important issues surrounding Jason's behavior and often have vastly different perceptions of what is acceptable to the family. Through role playing, the family was taught to communicate more effectively.

Income elasticity of demand Essay Example for Free

Income elasticity of demand Essay Luxury product sales boost in the emerging marketing like China, which has extraordinary growth and strong potential consumers for the development of luxury goods in the China market. With gradually lower and lower increase of revenue in the European countries, Louis Vuitton (abridged as LV in the following sections) commits itself to set up more stores in China. However, LV is faced with the problems of declining profits in China, which urges it to adjust its entry strategy into the China market. In this case, this report will focus on distinguishing the factors that influence LV’s development in China and laying out schemes for LV’s entry into China market by initially examining the internal and external environment for LV; analyzing the operational plan for LV’s entry into China based on the environment examination, and generating an action plan for LV’s entry strategy at the end of the report. Content 1. 0 Introduction Louis Vuitton (abridged as LV in the following sections) is planning to set up more stores in the China market. However, it is now faced with the problems of declining profits in China, which urges it to adjust its entry strategy into the China market. In this case, this report is to lay out schemes for LV’s entry into the China market by distinguishing the internal and external factors that influence LV’s development from the perspectives of country factors and internal advantages of LV with reference to the SWOT analysis model; analyzing the operational plan for LV’s entry into China based on the environment examination and including suggests on firm strategy, organization structure and management, entry strategy and modes, manufacturing management, marketing plan, and accounting as well as finance management; and generating an action plan for LV’s entry strategy at the end of the report according to the specifications of the business operational plan. 2. 0 Research Methods The research method of literature searches is adopted to generate this report. This method is chosen because there are plenty of existing studies on the development of luxury goods, which makes it possible for abundant literature searches. Also, there are a great many resources on the annual reports of Louis Vuitton available which offer insights into the financial performance of this company. Anyway, luxury goods are indeed possessed by the majority of people, which makes direct interviews or surveys less available. 3. 0 Findings: External and Internal Environment The internal and external factors that influence LV’s development will be examined in this section from the perspectives of country factors and internal advantages of LV. A SWOT analysis will be involved in this section, which aims to find out the strength, weakness, opportunity and threat of the company according to analysis on the internal conditions of the company and the external environment the company is faced with (Johnson Scholes, 2002, p122). 3. 1 External environment: Country factor analysis The external environment for LV’s entry into China will be discussed in terms of the politics and government policy of China, the economy and the China market, the social culture and transportation of China, and will be concluded from the perspectives of opportunities and threats for LV’s entry into China. In terms of politics and government policy, China is now actively opening up to the world and enhancing trade relationships with world brands since the reform and opening up policy. In terms of the economy and the China market, according to Yuval and Vinay and Cathy (2011), the analysts of Mckinsey quarterly, China has increasing booming urban cities including the second- and third-tier cities and the world second-largest GDP which means strong purchasing power the China consumers for luxury goods and great market potentials (para 8). They also pointed out that by 2015, Chinese consumers will account for more than 20 percent of the global luxury market. On the other hand, the large market potential has drawn a host of luxury-goods companies to enter the China market, which makes the competition fiercer and fiercer. And it is troublesome for LV that there are plenty of fake goods imitating LV’s style prevailing in China, which are actually not likely to reduce LV’s high-end consumers, but would exert negative influences on consumers’ impression and awareness of LV. In terms of social culture, for one thing, the China consumers are attracted by middle- and high-end products and somehow more attracted by French luxury goods, and they believe that the higher the price, the better the quality (Yuval, Vinay and Cathy, 2011, para7) (Exhibit 1). For another thing, the traditional virtue of thrift is rooted in the mindset of the Chinese, with which some of the rich in China indicate that they would not spend a large sum of money to get a product. (Exhibit 1) (Chinese consumers increasingly prefer internationally well-known brands. Retrieved on Jan 3rd 2013 from: http://www. mckinseyquarterly. com/Tapping_Chinas_luxury-goods_market_2779) In terms of transportation, airlines are increased like the Emirates group which launched air routines in the main cities of China, and railway transportation as well as road transportation is more and more available, making it convenient and fast for cross-national transportation. Therefore in conclusion, the opportunities for LVs entry into China can be concluded as Chinas encouraging policies on foreign brands entering into China; Chinas booming urban cities and increasing middle- and upper- class consumers with strong purchasing power; Chinese consumers purchasing preference for French high-end products; and the more and more convenient cross-national transportation in China. While the threats for LVs entry into China entail the fierce competition from the peer companies and brands; the trouble coming from increasing produced counterfeit products imitating LV in China; China consumers cautious traditional views on luxury goods purchasing. Anyway, when it comes to China consumers rational attitude towards luxury goods purchasing, it may be an opportunity for LV if it succeeds in drawing out their desires and needs for LVs products, otherwise it may turn out to be a threat for LVs expansion in China. 3. 2 Internal environment: Based on national level and firm level 3. 2. 1 Internal environment based on national level The advantages of internal environment for LV on national level lie in the its preference and prospect to greatly expand its business in China, its experiences of operating in China market for about twenty years, and its strong influence on and temptation to the China consumers, as well as customer loyalty for it. On the contrary, the disadvantages lie in its high price which will greatly influences China consumers’ will to purchase the products, and in its could-be easily imitated appearance and style which is made used of by some China manufacturers in producing fake goods. 3. 2. 2 Internal environment based on firm level 3. 2. 2. 1 The nature of LV’s products Dubois and Czellar and Laurent (2001) delineated Luxury goods as products with extraordinary quality as well as high price, rareness and uniqueness, aesthetic appeal, respectful long history, and the sense of being superior to others (p156). Yacine and Johnathan and Motohiro (2004) argued that luxury goods manual crafting and diligence should be involved into the manufacturing and designing of luxury goods (para 2). Based on these studies, the nature of LVs products can be abstracted as unique, rare, and excellent-quality, and extraordinary. 3. 2. 2. 2 Industry characteristics of luxury goods Kapferer (1996) suggested that luxury industry distinguishes the needs and demands of the wealthy people like prominent social figures, and produce unique superior products for them, which acts like a status symbol for the rich (p251). While Heine (2010) stated that the luxury industry is also fashion-oriented and high-quality guaranteed. And it is closely associated with the needs of the wealthy. Judging from these studies and the advancement of luxury products nowadays, the industrial characteristics of luxury products can be concluded as extraordinary quality with high guarantee, extremely personalized with unique designed style, strong brand recognition and customer loyalty, and highly profitable sales based on its high price. 3. 2. 2. 3 Advantages and disadvantage of internal environment for LV on firm level The advantages of LV on firm level mainly lie in its good brand image, abundant product portfolio, wide expansion in the China markets covering most of the first- and second-tier cities, and its control on the designs of products. This can be told from the following aspects. Above all, LV enjoys a good reputation of high quality and excellent services that it has occupied the first place of the 2012 Hurun Ranking of the Top ten luxury brands in the world (see Appendix 1), in which LV beats Hermes, the second in the list by nearly 43%. Also, LV offers manual crafting designed products which are special for certain customers. What’s more, it offers permanent after-sale serves to its customers (Paul, 2012, p79). In terms of geographical expansion, LV has reached many areas of China (Exhibit 2).

Long Term And Short Term Goals General Studies Essay

Long Term And Short Term Goals General Studies Essay Long term goals could be described as a desired end effect for example; becoming a computer engineer is a long term goal for someone not in a related field. A good example of a short term goal would be that a person needs to fulfill an academic process giving that person the tools to obtain that career. Long term goals could be described as destinations and short term goals could be described as the route taken to lead someone to their destination. Values control a persons life rules therefore dictating their options for long term goals. Values are very important to goal setting because it is a part of what drives a person to decide on what their long term goals are and what they will do to achieve those goals as well as act as a motivator to drive them to complete their goals. Creating short term goals are like plotting a route on a map. Once you have determined a persons long term goals it is important to set waypoints to guide that person to their destination. This is how setting short term goals should be approached. There are similar systems for planning in the military called backwards planning. It is helpful to work backwards from your long term goals. For example; to get a job at a software firm a person must have a degree in a field needed by the software firm. To get a degree one must go to school and pass all the required classes to obtain the degree. In order to pass the classes that person must sign up for those classes. From this point the short term goals start to appear more like daily tasks, this is because short term goals can vary from daily to weekly to monthly. Some tactics used to achieving these goals are to define in detail goals that a person wants to achieve both short and long term this includes creating a time table for that person to check their progress and to see where they stand. It is also important to have partners that can help keep one another accountable for reaching their goals. Personally, this is a good tactic because people can help each other to strategize and brainstorm to create better detail for their goals. Finally it is important to anticipate problems; this is done by reviewing goals and developments that may impact progress. If a problem can be anticipated it a person has more time to react and adjust or prepare for a possible hitch in their plan. Check Point: Creating Goals. Objective of Exercise: Creating Goals Review the reading and respond to the following questions in a 350- to 500-word response to the Individual forum by Week 5 Day 4. What is the difference between short- and long-term goals? How does a person align his or her long-term goals to their personal values? What are some strategies for prioritizing short-term goals? What are some techniques for maintaining focus to achieve goals? 40 Points Possible Points Possible Points Earned Comments Identify the difference between short- and long-term goals? 10 10 Describes how a person aligns his or her long-term goals to their personal values? 10 10 Describe some strategies for prioritizing short-term goals? 10 10 List some techniques for maintaining focus to achieve goals? 10 10 Mechanics10 Points Possible Points Possible Points Earned Comments Rules of grammar, usage and punctuation are followed. Word count is met. 10 10 Total Points 50 50 Submitted on Time: Adjusted Points 50 Comments: Feedback: Excellent Robert You have identified the differences between long and short term goals. How they can be applied and how to maintain focus to reach the goals. Shelinda No Name on Checkpoint Identify the difference between short- and long-term goals? 10 Describes how a person aligns his or her long-term goals to their personal values? 10 Describe some strategies for prioritizing short-term goals? 10 List some techniques for maintaining focus to achieve goals? The difference between short-and long term goals is that a short term goal is something youre planning on doing within the next month and long term goal is what youre planning on having in the next year or so. Im going to school now and and in two years ill have my degree after that I will be working and saving my money up and in two more years I will have my own beauty shop. I am already doing my short time goal because I gave myself by December to be in college and im actually in college, I also plan on maintaining my dreams by never giving up and keep my mind focus on my future. Check Point: Creating Goals. Objective of Exercise: Creating Goals Review the reading and respond to the following questions in a 350- to 500-word response to the Individual forum by Week 5 Day 4. What is the difference between short- and long-term goals? How does a person align his or her long-term goals to their personal values? What are some strategies for prioritizing short-term goals? What are some techniques for maintaining focus to achieve goals? 40 Points Possible Points Possible Points Earned Comments Identify the difference between short- and long-term goals? 10 5 Short term goals should not exceed six months. You have at least one stretching out to 2011. Describes how a person aligns his or her long-term goals to their personal values? 10 0 Not answered Describe some strategies for prioritizing short-term goals? 10 0 Not answered List some techniques for maintaining focus to achieve goals? 10 0 Not answered Mechanics10 Points Possible Points Possible Points Earned Comments Rules of grammar, usage and punctuation are followed. Word count is met. 10 0 No name on CP -3. Does not meet word count. Typo and word use errors Total Points 50 5 Submitted on Time: Adjusted Points 5 Comments: Feedback: Hi Shelinda Your short term goals are not specific to your long term goal. Your short term goals reach too far into the future. Please look over the reading material and my handouts regarding goals. Cindy Ewing The difference between short- and long-term goals, are that long- term goals are set to be reached in six months or more. A long term goal may be a goal that would take two years. Short-term goals are like taking small steps to get to the end of my long term goal. It is like a baby, one must learn to crawl before one can walk, Taking baby steps before one can run. My goal will be easier to achieve if I take small steps, or set short-term goals. My personal value is achieving my associate degree. I value this because, it is just for me. It is something that I wanted to do for a long time. I value what my degree will mean to me and where it will take me within the next three years. Along the way I will learn other valuable education tools to reach my goal. To prioritize my goal, I need to focus on my long-term goal; I need to know what value I have placed on that goal. The value I have placed on my goal is that I will be able to change my career, better myself, and achieve something that I have made excuses for why I could not do it. I need to prioritize my fulltime job, my responsibility of being a manager, my family, my schooling. All of these elements play apart in me achieving my goal. I need to list how much of the extra time I spend at work can I eliminate, I have an assistant, I need to shift some of my duties, my family is my support system, so there is understanding there that my school will take much of my free time. A friend of mine, they had a goal to buy a house within one year. They taped a picture of a house similar to what was wanted to the refrigerator. This serves as a reminder everyday why a night out, or a weekend get-away, or a shopping spree did not factor in at the time. That goal was reached for them in the time frame that was set. I can do the same with my goal. The career I want after earning my degree can be posted on my refrigerator. This will remind me why I should not do some of the things I have been use to doing. Skip the movies, or watching a television show, beside I can record it for later viewing. With my values in place, my priorities in order I am sure to succeed in meeting my goal. Check Point: Creating Goals. Objective of Exercise: Creating Goals Review the reading and respond to the following questions in a 350- to 500-word response to the Individual forum by Week 5 Day 4. What is the difference between short- and long-term goals? How does a person align his or her long-term goals to their personal values? What are some strategies for prioritizing short-term goals? What are some techniques for maintaining focus to achieve goals? 40 Points Possible Points Possible Points Earned Comments Identify the difference between short- and long-term goals? 10 10 Describes how a person aligns his or her long-term goals to their personal values? 10 10 Describe some strategies for prioritizing short-term goals? 10 10 List some techniques for maintaining focus to achieve goals? 10 10 Mechanics10 Points Possible Points Possible Points Earned Comments Rules of grammar, usage and punctuation are followed. Word count is met. 10 10 Total Points 50 50 Submitted on Time: Adjusted Points 50 Comments: Feedback: Excellent Cindy You have identified the differences between long and short term goals. How they can be applied and how to maintain focus to reach the goals. Dreama Lane The difference from short and long term goals is; short- term goals are stepping stones toward the reach of a long- term goal. As in saying that you will have to break down your plans to reach the full long- term goal; long-term goals are attaining goals over a long period of time. You have to establish determination to make the effort of consistently to reach the goal. A person can align their long- term goals to their personal values by choosing whats more important in their goals. The more your goals reflects your values, the successful your motivation and desire to meet them. Some strategies for prioritizing short- term goals are: you can break the goals down in to groups that represent the first important steps of the short- goals. It will show the steps the time frame. Prioritizing will help you evaluate and handle the goals in order. Figure out what goals are very important, weigh your oppositions. By completing the goals you have to be attentive and focus all your energy on them. you can consider the evaluation of your values, your personal dilemma, and time commitments. After you accomplish the goal you would like to reach, define your goal achievement strategy, what will it take for you to reach your goals. Establishing what you have to do to carry the goal out, if you have to put this goal as first priority keep in mind that you have to take one step at a time. You can set a time limit for when you want to achieve any goals. Keep track of your progress so you can know how much further you have to go to reach the objective time period. Strive to achieve to move forward no matter what, follow your guide for completion to stay on top, even if you have to mark it down with a check list. Dont put all your eggs in one basket, be prepared to have a back up plan, in case your plans dont fall in order. You will have to re-evaluate your priorities until you can find what works best for you. Its best to anticipate for minor glitches, follow your steps map out the plan to help you reach the goals. Check Point: Creating Goals. Objective of Exercise: Creating Goals Review the reading and respond to the following questions in a 350- to 500-word response to the Individual forum by Week 5 Day 4. What is the difference between short- and long-term goals? How does a person align his or her long-term goals to their personal values? What are some strategies for prioritizing short-term goals? What are some techniques for maintaining focus to achieve goals? 40 Points Possible Points Possible Points Earned Comments Identify the difference between short- and long-term goals? 10 10 Describes how a person aligns his or her long-term goals to their personal values? 10 10 Describe some strategies for prioritizing short-term goals? 10 10 List some techniques for maintaining focus to achieve goals? 10 10 Mechanics10 Points Possible Points Possible Points Earned Comments Rules of grammar, usage and punctuation are followed. Word count is met. 10 8 Minor errors, proofread your work. Total Points 50 48 Submitted on Time: Adjusted Points 48 Comments: Feedback: Excellent Dreama You have identified the differences between long and short term goals. How they can be applied and how to maintain focus to reach the goals. Harris Williams Topic: Goal Setting A long-term goal is goals that can be achieved in a six-month or longer period. A short-term goal is a goal that is expected to be achieved within 6 months or less. In my opinion, the difference in long and short-term goals is the amount of time that it takes to achieve the goal. For example, if a person is thinking about going back to school to get his or her masters degree, and presently the person only has an associates degree. In this scenario, the persons short-term goal would probably be the steps it would take to enroll at their school of choice. The long-term goal would be to earn the masters degree. For a person who is seeking to set a long-term goal, it would be a good idea to plan how you plan to achieve your goal. By it being a long-term goal, planning will be very important, because you need to realistically know that your goal can be reached and how you will fit it into your daily schedule. Some ways to prioritize your short term goals would be to make sure everything else that is of value to you is fitted into your schedule. It is very important to balance out school, work, and family time. Often times when people set goals, we really intend on achieving them, especially in the beginning, when the goal is set. Some of the goals we set whether long or short are reachable, but there is a valuable step in setting goals that we often do not do, it is called planning. To plan a goal, it would be helpful to write them down, make a few copies of your goals, post your goals in places where you will notice them, always have a realistic goal that is possible to reach. If your goal is impossible to reach, you could be wasting valuable time that could be put into a possible goal. For example, a realistic short-term goal could be to wake up every morning and do ten push-ups before I go to work, this can be achieved. An unrealistic short-term goal would be to get my masters within the next 2 years without an associates degree. Check Point: Creating Goals. Objective of Exercise: Creating Goals Review the reading and respond to the following questions in a 350- to 500-word response to the Individual forum by Week 5 Day 4. What is the difference between short- and long-term goals? How does a person align his or her long-term goals to their personal values? What are some strategies for prioritizing short-term goals? What are some techniques for maintaining focus to achieve goals? 40 Points Possible Points Possible Points Earned Comments Identify the difference between short- and long-term goals? 10 10 Describes how a person aligns his or her long-term goals to their personal values? 10 10 Describe some strategies for prioritizing short-term goals? 10 10 List some techniques for maintaining focus to achieve goals? 10 10 Mechanics10 Points Possible Points Possible Points Earned Comments Rules of grammar, usage and punctuation are followed. Word count is met. 10 10 Total Points 50 50 Submitted on Time: Adjusted Points 50 Comments: Feedback: Superb Harris You have identified the differences between long and short term goals. How they can be applied and how to maintain focus to reach the goals. Stefanie Wright The differences in short term goals and long term goals are; long term goals you plan to attain over a period of six months or longer. Short term goals are smaller steps you take to get to your long term goal. A person would align their long term goals to their personal values by establishing what their long term goals are, and applying their personal values to them. For example my long term goal is to further my education and working full-time and being a mom. I have to keep my work ethic in mind as well as my family values in order to manage all three. Some strategies for prioritizing short term goals would be to evaluate everything you want to achieve pick out what goals are most important and focus on those goals. Some techniques for maintaining focus to achieve goals as listed in Keys to College Studying. Define your goal achievement strategy, map out steps and focus on events that are under your control. Set a timetable, make a time line that is realistic that shows specific de adlines. Monitor your progress, compare your planned time line and steps to actually where youre at see if you need to adjust some things. Be accountable and Responsible, make yourself accountable by reporting to yourself or others to keep on track. Anticipate problem

Meditation In Zen Buddhism Philosophy Essay

Meditation In Zen Buddhism Philosophy Essay Meditation is the foundation of Zen Buddhism. Zen literally means to meditate. Meditation, in Zen, is the path and the goal. The goal is to meditate. Like all religions, Zen Buddhism has split into sections. Zen has two schools of thought, the gradual and the sudden approach to enlightenment. In the gradual school, there is only one way to practice Zen meditation, which is seated meditation, called zazen. Zazen can be performed in several different ways, but the positions have no spiritual significance. The positions are mainly to create comfort, stability, and ability to breathe through the diaphragm properly. The sudden school believes enlightenment could potentially occur instantly. They use koans, mondos, and turning phrases to help the practitioner gain more insight, and hopefully be enlightened. Koans, mondos, and turning phrases are irrational dialogues or statements that practitioners contemplate upon. The main topics to point out when discussing meditation in Zen Buddhism ar e the goals of their meditation, the gradual school of thought, and the sudden school of thought. In Zen, the path of meditation is the goal. It is similar to riding your bicycle just to ride your bicycle. Through mediation, Zen Buddhists do not attempt to do anything, but to be in the moment. The Vietnamese Zen teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh, says, We practice so that each moment of our life becomes real life. There is no goal in Zen, but to focus on ones being, moment by moment. While practicing meditation, one may also find other benefits, like better health and a more relaxed state of my mind. Unlike many sects of Buddhism, as well as many other religions, Zen Buddhists do not have scriptures to which they should study, but they may do so if they choose. Zen Buddhists focus primarily on one simple act, which is meditation. They believe that achievement of the Buddhahood comes from silence. Zen has two popular sections, gradual and sudden. They both are means to enlightenment, but have two different points of view. In the gradual school of Zen, there is only one technique of meditation, which is called zazen. Zazen literally means sitting meditation. Zazens motto is: To be a Buddha is to sit like a Buddha. That is, while sitting, sit completely. Be aware of the stillness of everything while enjoying not having to do anything but be in the moment. Although there are no doctrines or disciplines in Zen, there are many instructions for meditation postures. In Zen culture, there was less of a difference between body, breath, and mind than in the west. Zen practitioners believe if one aligns their spine correctly, fold their legs properly, sit properly, and keep still; they can achieve stillness of the mind. Much of the stillness of the mind in Zen is believed to be achieved through the correct posture of the body. Many of the Zen postures come from ancient Indian yogic positions developed to increase alignment and awareness. Although they come from yogic postures, they have no divine meaning them; they are only intended to increase comfort, stability, and the ability to breathe well. In Zen, it is believed that awakening must penetrate every cell of the body, so they must engage the body as well as the mind when meditating. Zazen is typically done in one way with several variations. The most effective way of seated meditation is done is with ones legs crossed and spine aligned straight up and curved, giving a pyramid shape to ones posture. It is usually done on the floor, with a soft mat and pillow to sit on to raise the body a little so that ones knees can touch the ground. With ones knees touching the ground, it creates three points of contact with the ground to give the practitioner a sturdy base. The easiest form of zazen is the Burmese position. In the Burmese position, one has their legs crossed, and their feet flat on the floor. In this position it is very easy to keep ones back straight because putting ones feet on the floor forces the practitioner to keep his back curved, which is an essential part of zazen. Two other positions are the half lotus and the full lotus. Both positions are very similar, but the half lotus requires less flexibility, and is easier for most people. To perform the half lotus, one foot placed over the opposite thigh, and the other foot is placed under the opposite leg. The full lotus position is when both legs are put on both thighs. This position is more recommended because it gives the practitioner much more balance. There are also two other zazen positions which are commonly used. The first position is the sieza position. The sieza position is kneeling, with your buttocks on both feet. You can sit on either a pillow, or your bare legs. You can also use a sieza bench to kneel on. The second position is the chair position. The bench keeps ones back straight, and takes the weight off of ones feet. The other position is to simply sit on a chair with ones feet on the floor, arching the back. It is important to keep ones back straight while meditating so that one can breathe with the diaphragm properly. A good sitting posture as well as good hand position allows the body to give uninhibited deep breaths. While doing Zen meditation, one should use the Dhyani mudra hand position. The Dhyani mudra is a way to position ones hands so that they can take deep breaths from their diaphragm. To do so, the practitioner will place both hands on top of one another, with their palms facing up. Their knuckles should be on top of one another as well, with their thumbs touching gently together. Breathing through the diaphragm creates deep, slow breaths, which is quite useful when practicing zazen. Breathing is not only useful while meditating, but it is useful in all aspects of our health. Andrew Weil M.D., an author and physician said, Improper breathing is a common cause of ill health. If I had to limit my advice on healthier living to just one tip, it would be simply to learn how to breathe correctly. Theres no single more powerful or simpler daily practice to further your health and well-being than breath-work. ~ Andrew Weil, M.D. The sudden school of Zen, which believes in sudden enlightenment, has koans as a focal point of meditation. In The Complete Idiots Guide to Buddhism, Gary Gach says that koans are seemingly illogical riddles, like Two hands come together in a clap. What is the sound of one hand? A koan is not a riddle. It doesnt call for a solution (its not a math puzzle with an equation waiting in an answer book); rather, it is a personal breakthrough with a flash of enlightenment. In other words, it is a statement or conversation that cannot be understood by rational thinking; it can only be understood by intuition. Zen Buddhists believe that scriptures will lead scholars to misinterpretations of the original meanings, which is why Zen masters made Koans. Koans go beyond words. They attempt to go beyond the boundaries of intellect and language, and find awakening or enlightenment. Zen master Hakuin, author of the koan, What is the sound of one hand? has said, Whats true meditation? Its to make it all coughing, swallowing, gestures, motion, stillness, words, action, good and evil, success and shame, win and lose, right and wrong into one single koan. Although Zen Buddhists are not against words, they try to limit the amount of description to leave the interpreting to the practitioner who is attempting to gain insight. The primary beginning of using koans in Zen Buddhism originated from Hui Neng, a poor man who gathered and sold firewood for a living. He achieved enlightenment suddenly while he overheard a man reciting the Diamond Sutra, a scripture on emptiness and wisdom which requires great insight to understand. When he overheard the man say, Awaken your mind without fixing it anywhere, he was enlightened on the spot. Koans are meant to be contemplated until they are realized. While one meditates is the optimal time to think about them, but they can also be taken home to contemplate. According to The Complete Idiots Guide to Buddhism, there are about 400 indexed koans and about 1700 in all. There are so many koans because they deal with particular parts of the Way of enlightenment. Many of the koans, such as Hakuins koan, What is the sound of one hand? are designed to take the practitioner past the normal self into Buddha mind. There are also koan related Zen dialogues called mondos. Mondos are question-and-answer banter between people. They are similar to koans because they have the same non-sense questions and statements. An example of a mondo is in the Milindapanha, which reads, King Milinda said to learned monk Nagasena, Im going to ask you a question. Can you answer it? Nagasena replied, Please, ask your question. The King: Ive already asked. Nagasena: Ive already answered. The King: What did you answer? Nagasena: What did you ask? The King: I asked nothing. Nagasena: I answered nothing Also similar to koans and mondos, the sudden school of Zen also used turning phrases to help promote enlightenment and understanding. Examples of a turning phrases are, Not one, not two, Chop wood: carry water, and Form is emptiness; emptiness is form. These are all mottos that are used to help the practitioner gain more insight, and hopefully find sudden enlightenment. Being the foundation of Zen Buddhism, meditation is the main aspect of the religion. Zen essentially is meditation. In Zen, the path is the goal. It is like riding your bicycle simply to ride your bicycle. Zen Buddhism has split into two schools of thought, the gradual and the sudden approach to enlightenment. In the gradual school, there is only one way to practice Zen meditation, which is seated meditation, called zazen. Zazen can be performed in several different ways, but the positions have no significance other than comfort and stability. Breathing is an important part of meditation as well. The sudden school believes enlightenment could potentially occur instantly. They use koans, mondos, and turning phrases to help the practitioner gain more insight, and hopefully be enlightened. Koans, mondos, and turning phrases are irrational dialogues or statements that practitioners contemplate upon. The main topics to point out when discussing meditation in Zen Buddhism are the goals of their meditation, the gradual school of thought, and the sudden school of thought. Gach, Gary. The Complete Idiots Guide to Buddhism. 3rd. New York City, New York: Alpha Books, 2009. 183-200. Print. Saint-Hilaire, J.Barthelemy. The Buddha and His Religion. 1st edition. London: New York E.P. Dutton and Company, 1914. 267-87. Print. Zazen. DharmaRain.org. Dharma Rain Zen Center, 2003. Web. 20 Sep 2010. . Zazen Posture. DharmaRain.org. Dharma Rain Zen Center, 2003. Web. 20 Sep 2010. . Zazen breathing techniques. DharmaRain.org. Dharma Rain Zen Center, 2003. Web. 20 Sep 2010. . Zen Meditation Instructions. mro.org. Mountains and Rivers Order, 2010. Web. 20 Sep 2010. . Phelan, Josho Pat. Zazen Posture. intrex.net. Josho Pat Phelan, 1997. Web. 20 Sep 2010. . About Zen Meditation. Zazen.rutgers.edu. N.P., 04/21/2010. Web. 20 Sep 2010. . Phillips, Fred. A Primer on Zazen. omcl.ogi.edu. Fred Phillips, 1998. Web. 20 Sep 2010. . Breathing and Medicine. oxygengenesis.org. Oxygen Genesis Institute, 2003. Web. 20 Sep 2010. .

Comparing Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass and Invisible Man

Comparing Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass and Invisible Man      Ã‚  Ã‚   The Black Revolution has occurred for quite some time and in many different ways, the most prominent being in literature. Two primary examples of the struggle and yearn for change among African Americans include Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, the autobiography of Frederick Douglass and Invisible Man, a novel written by Ralph Ellison. Although both have the same foundation, the difficult task of being black and trying to make something of one's life, many important differences exist between these works. First, the language used by the authors is strikingly dissimilar. Next, the time periods in which these pieces of literature were written have a difference of over one hundred years. Finally, the main characters are faced with different circumstances and injustices. First, the language and literary devices used by the two authors are very different. In his autobiography, Frederick Douglass uses a very educated language and makes his story able to be un...

Linux vs Windows TCO :: essays research papers

There has been significant interest in the broader business community regarding the difference in the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) between the Linux and Open Source solutions on one side and Microsoft's proprietary Windows solutions on the other. Microsoft software is licenced to users on a feeforproduct basis, whereas most Linux and open source applications are available free of charge. There are, however, installation and support costs to consider. We will take all such costs into consideration in the models we present. While it is difficult to qualitatively analyse all of the TCO factors at play, it is possible to produce a reasonable firstpass quantitative estimate for the instantiation and operation of a complete computer environment and network infrastructure for a smalltomedium organisation, to illuminate the TCO differences between these two competing platforms. To that end, we have modelled an organisation with 250 computerusing staff, an appropriate number of workstations, servers, Internet connectivity, an ebusiness system, network cabling and hardware, standard software, and salaries for IT professionals to establish and support this infrastructure and technology. We've also added IT training for the staff along with expenditure items for ancillary IT systems and external consulting staff to assist in making it all work. We ran the model with two options: firstly, purchasing brand new hardware and network infrastructure explicitly for establishing this organisation's computer systems; and secondly, using preexisting hardware and infrastructure. We also simulated the IT expenses over a 3 year period, mimicking the operational lifespan of many corporate computer systems, and amortising the purchase and installation costs over that period of time. Throughout this comparison, we will be presenting the raw data as well as the explicative methodologies used in the determination of the overall costs. While we have taken care and effort to present a holistic analysis, we are mindful that no organisation is likely to operate with the exact parameters presented here, and we therefore recommend the use of the document as a guide only. Consider this document as a primer which you can use to generate an enhanced TCO model specifically tailored for your organisation, by removing those line items which don't make sense for your site and adding additional costs which are specific to your organisation. Further, while this document makes express use of technology and services found within the IT industry, it is intended for an audience of nonIT executives within small to medium sized organisations. The final results are summarized in the tables below. One compares the TCO difference between Standard Linux (namely the one that isn't acquired with a prepaid support contract) and Microsoft's platform. The second compares Red Hat's managed Enterprise Linux and Microsoft's platform. Linux vs Windows TCO :: essays research papers There has been significant interest in the broader business community regarding the difference in the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) between the Linux and Open Source solutions on one side and Microsoft's proprietary Windows solutions on the other. Microsoft software is licenced to users on a feeforproduct basis, whereas most Linux and open source applications are available free of charge. There are, however, installation and support costs to consider. We will take all such costs into consideration in the models we present. While it is difficult to qualitatively analyse all of the TCO factors at play, it is possible to produce a reasonable firstpass quantitative estimate for the instantiation and operation of a complete computer environment and network infrastructure for a smalltomedium organisation, to illuminate the TCO differences between these two competing platforms. To that end, we have modelled an organisation with 250 computerusing staff, an appropriate number of workstations, servers, Internet connectivity, an ebusiness system, network cabling and hardware, standard software, and salaries for IT professionals to establish and support this infrastructure and technology. We've also added IT training for the staff along with expenditure items for ancillary IT systems and external consulting staff to assist in making it all work. We ran the model with two options: firstly, purchasing brand new hardware and network infrastructure explicitly for establishing this organisation's computer systems; and secondly, using preexisting hardware and infrastructure. We also simulated the IT expenses over a 3 year period, mimicking the operational lifespan of many corporate computer systems, and amortising the purchase and installation costs over that period of time. Throughout this comparison, we will be presenting the raw data as well as the explicative methodologies used in the determination of the overall costs. While we have taken care and effort to present a holistic analysis, we are mindful that no organisation is likely to operate with the exact parameters presented here, and we therefore recommend the use of the document as a guide only. Consider this document as a primer which you can use to generate an enhanced TCO model specifically tailored for your organisation, by removing those line items which don't make sense for your site and adding additional costs which are specific to your organisation. Further, while this document makes express use of technology and services found within the IT industry, it is intended for an audience of nonIT executives within small to medium sized organisations. The final results are summarized in the tables below. One compares the TCO difference between Standard Linux (namely the one that isn't acquired with a prepaid support contract) and Microsoft's platform. The second compares Red Hat's managed Enterprise Linux and Microsoft's platform.

Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World :: Brave New World Essays

Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World London, the year is a.f. 632 . Your life consists of three things, sex, drugs and violence. Although an inconceivable thought, it is not far from our present culture. In 1932, Aldous Huxley finished a novel that can now be seen as a social foreshadowing that circulates in the bloodstream of contemporary American culture. Sex, drugs, and total social perversion; Brave New World is a racy novel that, for its time, was nothing short of a prophecy. When Huxley wrote this book, little did he know that his fictitious novel would become a desensitized reality. In our everyday lives we can see reflections of social conditions in Huxley’s novel. In 1932, teenagers weren’ t even discussing sex. Drugs were not a socially acceptable thing (prohibition made this even worse). And the moral values taught by families did not consist of excessive exposure to death. When did America begin to harbor this kind of social terrorism? How did American culture become so blind to the social cond itioning of premarital sex, excessive drug use, and the acceptance of everyday violence? The answer is Media. In this essay we will explore the similarities of Huxley’s dystopian society and our Culture, then we shall uncover how our society is being conditioned just as in 632 a.f. Today, media (specifically television) is America’s form of Huxley’s social conditioning. There have been countless studies published in hundreds of different magazines depicting the relationships between television and its influence on child development. In 1950, 18 years after the publication of Brave New World, only 9% of American households owned a television. By 1965, at least one TV was in 92.6% of American households. Today, at least one TV is in 98.2% of American households (Statistics from Television Bureau of Advertising, 2001). The media is all around us, nowhere is safe from Media’s mass influence. Media can be anything from magazines to political cartoons, as long as there is an idea presented to the viewer. Through these facts, can we conclude that the way to control people’s thoughts is by controlling the media? â€Å"The author’s mathematical treatment of the conception of purpose is novel and highly ingenious, but heretical and, so far as the present social order is concerned, dangerous and potentially subversive. NOT TO BE PUBLISHED.† (Page 180, â€Å"Brave New World") Socrates once said, â€Å"Evil is caused by lack of knowledge.† In the above quote, Mustapha Mond does not want to decondition the thoughts of his people, so he refuses to publish reports by a man named Bernard Marx.

Holocaust Awareness…Contemporary Lessons Essay

Few events in recent history have had as dramatic an impact on history as the mass murder of Jews in concentration camps during World War II, the Holocaust. The Holocaust appears to be a well documented event (Hilberg, 1992), yet today there are those who feel it is just a myth. When he discovered the concentration camps, General and future President Dwight David Eisenhower knew that a future day would come when people would claim that the Holocaust never happened, so he took great pains to document and record the events on film so that the world would never forget. Even so, his efforts did not eliminate what he knew would happen. In spite of evidence to the contrary, today, there are many who claim that the Holocaust did not occur and that there is no evidence that it did. Yet the evidence suggests that is did happen and similar events such as the murder of more than 2 million people by the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia plus mass murders ethnic intolerance in Iraq, the Sudan, Rwanda and Yugoslavia continue to take place even now. During the early hours of September 1, 1939, Adolph Hitler invaded Poland bringing about the Second World War. Historically, this war began because of Hitler’s contempt regarding the way Germans were treated at the end of the First World War and other related issues. At the time World War II began, there was a world wide depression that helped bring Hitler rose to power in Germany and President Franklin Delano Roosevelt to power in the U. S. It is generally viewed that Hitler used the issue of Jewish economic domination in Germany both to push for war and as an excuse for the economic woes of Germany. (Bartov, 2000; Friedman, 1993). Ultimately, Hitler blamed the Jews for Germany’s economic problems and to begin exterminating them in concentration camps—mass genocide. (Gigliotti and Lang, 2005) on a scale that surpassed anything that had ever happened up to that time within so short a time span. Does engraining memories of past atrocities into the public psyche eliminate future atrocities? Political campaigns demonstrate that by slinging mud candidates provide name recognition for their opponent(s). In a similar vain, perhaps remembering the events of the Holocaust and similar events throughout history (and unfortunately, still occurring around the world today) will only drive home the fact that those events exist and are continuing. Do we really want to do that? We could be reinforcing the Holocaust in the minds of individuals who might not otherwise be aware that any such thing has ever happened or ever will. We have every reason to believe that Hitler knew of the mass extermination of the millions of Jews but ironically, there is no documented evidence in writing to confirm this idea. (Irving, 1977) Most German citizens during WWII also claimed ignorance of the Jewish extermination in progress at the time. â€Å"How could such a widespread extermination and mass murder have gone unnoticed† and â€Å"Where are the documents to show that Hitler was aware of it? † Today, nearly seventy years after the beginning of WWII and Jewish extermination, the question is still asked, â€Å"Did Hitler even know about the Jewish extermination process underway? † The fact that anyone even asks this question is, perhaps, the greatest evidence that we need to teach that it is a real part of human history. While it seems irrational to assume that Hitler actually had no knowledge of what was going on, it appears to be equally true that few if any documents exist to demonstrate his knowledge of what was going on (Irving, 1977) even though there certainly appears to be a great deal of documentation about the war and the Holocaust (Wolfe, 1990). We can only wonder why these contradictory situations exist. In his 1977 book Hitler’s War, one noted British historian, David Irving, outlines why he feels that stories of the mass killings of European Jews in Death Camps are merely British and American inventions, war-time propaganda perpetrated by the Allies. Irving presents several lines of argument to support his claims. For example, he points out that there is no archival evidence anywhere for the gassings, no wartime German documents that refer to the gassings of human beings and there is no clear evidence as to who gave the orders to gas people. He also claims that forensic tests of the laboratories, crematoria, gas chambers and Auschwitz fail to find any trace or significant residue of a cyanide compound. Irving dismisses eye witness accounts on the grounds that there are equal numbers of eye witness accounts of the gas chambers in Dachau even though there weren’t any gas chambers in Dachau and he believes that photographs documenting the Holocaust have been misrepresented. Why is it so vital that we remember the Holocaust? Arguments can be made both for and against that stance, but certainly, the history of the Holocaust should not be slighted or overlooked. The repeated efforts to try to wipe the memory of the Holocaust out of the human psyche as if it never occurred may be one of the strongest points in favor or remembering it. The intended purpose of â€Å"engraining† events from the Holocaust into the mind of today’s generation is to allow them to learn the lessons of horror from the past and avoid them—so that we won’t repeat them. Whether this is true or not, we more or less taking comfort in the belief, right or wrong, that if people see the horrors of those events, they will make every effort to avoid them, prevent them and take precautions against repeating them whenever they see the signs in the future. Perhaps the way to combat future human atrocities is to focus on the opposite rather than to memorialize them. What lessons can we learn from the Holocaust? First, the Holocaust demonstrates how large groups and numbers of people, even on the scale of nations, can subtly be influenced into â€Å"groupthink† (i. e. , where groups of people think and behave alike because others are thinking and behaving the same way) (Janis, 1972) and manipulated by a very few influential individuals. Second, the Holocaust demonstrates that all too often, man treats his fellow man inhumanely. â€Å"How do we avoid this in the future? † I fear that there is no global answer. Whenever such a situation begins in the future, only then can we address the issue. Another lesson we can learn is that anyone can be the victim, so everyone should recognize and acknowledge it whenever it happens. When we recognize it, we must act together to stop it, and that, unfortunately, is much easier said then done. Perhaps there is no satisfactory solution to preventing future atrocities like the Holocaust. In he end, perhaps all be can do is to try to recognize such events when we see them approaching and then to do everything we can to prevent them. References Bartov, Omar. The Holocaust. Origin, Implementation, Aftermath. New York, NY: Routledge, 2000. Friedman, Saul S. Holocaust Literature. A Handbook of Critical, Historical and Literary Writing. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1993.Gigliotti, Simone and Berel Lang. The Holocaust. A Reader. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2005. Hilberg, Raul. Perpetrators Victims Bystanders. The Jewish Catastrophe 1933-1945. New York, NY: Aaron Asher Books, 1992. Irving, David. Hitler’s War. New York, NY: Viking Press, 1977. Janis, Irving L. Victims of Groupthink. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1972. Levi, Neil and Michael Rothberg. The Holocaust. Theoretical Readings. New Brunswick. NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2003. Wolfe, Robert. Holocaust. The Documentary Evidence. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1990.

College and Tuition Essay

College education is a highly talked about subject among the presidents. For many years college education was not highly sought after or looked for, then when people who did go to college started getting better paying jobs than everyone else more and more people started to go to college. Since college is such a hot commodity these days the price of a college education is on a steady rise. Some experts have a very strong opinion as to why college education is on a rise and some believe that that it is not on the rise. To begin to understand this issue, we have to first examine the history and the context from which it arose. The rise of tuition is mainly due in part because the colleges need more money to upgrade and stay on top of the technology era. There are also many other reasons why tuition is on the rise though. One writer states that, â€Å"As almost every state reels from the effects of recession and tax cuts, legislatures slash funding for higher education, the largest discretionary item in most state budgets. † (Reed Jr. , p. 25). Another writer states, â€Å"A need to improve facilities, state budgets that are declining and inflation are all contributing to the rising cost of higher education, and there appears to be no end in sight. † (Gallagher, The Augusta Chronicle). This same writer gives another reason, â€Å"Universities, private and public, have to raise tuition to cover the costs of new construction, renovations and technological advancements and to keep qualified professors. † (The Augusta Chronicle). All of these statements show that there are many reasons why college tuition is on the rise, but they don’t seem to make sense to me. There should be other ways that colleges are able to pay for these advances in technology and inflation besides just hiking up the tuition cost. The tuition cost is so high that they have plenty of money to pay for all of the technological advances that they want and still have money left over for others things that the school has to be able to pay for from the tuition from students. In one presidential debate between Sen. John Kerry and President Bush, â€Å"Sen. John Kerry accused President Bush of under funding aid programs, while Bush touted college access as one of the top priorities of his economic plan. † Both of the candidates seem to agree on one thing though, â€Å"Going to college just keeps getting more expensive. † (Opening the College Gates) This goes to show that no matter who is talking everyone agrees that tuition is going to rise even more in the years to come. Later on in the same article the author states, â€Å"But while both candidates have offered an array of new financing plans, many analysts worry that neither man’s proposals will come close to what is necessary to make college more accessible and affordable for everyone. † If the candidates can’t make college more affordable then the proposals don’t make any sense. They should come up with proposals that will actually help student and parents pay for college instead of just making proposals for the sake of making proposals. Bush has made a lot of promises, but one that I hope he holds to is one made in the article Opening the College Gates where it says, â€Å"Bush pledges to increase student aid by six percent and will try to link federal aid more closely to academics by offering a one thousand dollar scholarship to Pell recipients who take college-prep classes in high school, along with five thousand dollars more in aid to students who study math and science in college. † If he holds up this claim then a lot more people will be able to hopefully afford college and keep enrollment rates up. On the other hand, â€Å"Kerry plans to give tax credits on the first four thousand dollars of tuition to all college students whose parents earn less than one hundred thousand dollars. The credit would cover one hundred percent of the first one thousand dollars and fifty percent of the rest ? essentially functioning as an extra two thousand five hundred dollar Pell grant. † (Opening the College Gates) I don’t think that this claim is a very realistic claim because there are tons of people who earn fewer than one hundred thousand dollars and there’s no way that the government could pay for everyone to get back four thousand dollars. College tuition has changed greatly from back in the seventies. All of the following stats were obtained from a website by Citibank. For a Private Four-Year University in 1971-72 it cost about $7,000, and in 2000-01 it costs $16,332. For a Private Two-Year University in 1971-72 it cost about  $4,500, and in 2000-01 it costs $7,458. For a Public Four-Year University in 1971-72 it cost about $1,900, and in 2000-01 it costs $3,510. For a Public Two-Year University in 1971-72 it cost about $1,000, and in 2000-01 it costs $1,705. All of these prices even seem high back in the seventies. Even though they seem high I wish these were the prices now. Almost every person that I have read has agreed that college tuition fees have almost doubled in the past ten years. One researcher said, â€Å"Average tuition at public flagship universities rose 9% this year, vs. 14% a year ago† (USA Today, Sep. 14, 2004). Another researcher stated, â€Å"Over the past decade, tuition rose 47% at public four-year colleges and 42% at their private counterparts† (Hempel, Issue 3885). This is a huge jump for just ten years, if this continues the tuition costs will be extremely high in a few years. They may become so high that their enrollment rates may drop because of it. Most of the colleges make money off of the tuition. The money that they do make usually goes back into the university for enhancements and additions to buildings. They also use the money to help stay up with computer technologies. Even though they do all of these advances they still have to have money to pay teachers salaries and be able to pay for scholarships that some students earn. Many colleges aren’t only raising the tuition costs, but they are also raising the cost of textbooks. According to the Washington Post, â€Å"The National Association of College Bookstores says wholesale prices of college textbooks have risen nearly forty percent in the past five years. † (Washington Post, Sep. 18, 2004). This helps to show that the colleges are gaining money from some other way besides just the tuition to make ends meet. They could also use this money from the textbooks to help pay for things that are needed for the school to make it better or help aid in the inflation. They could also use this money to pay for student scholarships. There are many different ways that families can help ease the cost of college. USA Today gives six different ideas to help a family pay for college. One way they say is called the 529 plan which according to USA Today is, â€Å"These state-sponsored plans offer a tax-advantaged way to invest  for college tuition and other expenses. â€Å" Another way is prepaid tuition plans, â€Å"These plans let you purchase contracts that lock in tuition rates at state colleges and universities. † The third way is Education Savings Accounts (ESAs), â€Å"Education Savings Accounts let you invest in mutual funds, exchange-traded funds or other investments for your child’s education. † The next way is Vanguard’s Education Resource Center, â€Å"You can use the money for primary and secondary private school tuition along with college expenses. † The fifth way is Uniform Gifts to Minors Act and Uniform Transfers to Minors Act (UGMA/UTMA) accounts, â€Å"Uniform Gifts to Minors Act and Uniform Transfers to Minors Act accounts are in your child’s name, but you control the assets until the child is 18 or 21, depending on your state. † The last way is Roth IRA, â€Å"Ordinarily, if you withdraw money from a Roth individual retirement account before age 59 ?, you’ll have to pay taxes on investment gains, plus a 10% penalty. But you can always withdraw the amount of your contributions, without paying taxes or penalties. Withdraw more than that, and you’ll owe taxes on the gains, but the 10% penalty is waived if the money is used for college. † (USA Today, Sep. 14, 2004). All of these plans they list could be very helpful to anyone who needs help gaining their college education. Most of them need to be planned before a child is already accepted into college though, so if someone needs the money think ahead. Try to find another way if possible to not take out college loans. With a college loan the school gets a lot of money back on the interest. It may sound like a good idea at first but in the end will end up hurting you. A reporter from Newsweek has come up with five more ways that students can help pay for college; make your case, focus on the bottom line, prepare for the future, fill the gaps, and break down and borrow. According to Linda Stern, â€Å"Most schools that provide aid will reconsider their offer if you can show them you have less money than they thought. † The next suggestion she talks about is to focus on the bottom line, â€Å"The biggest award may not be the best deal if it’s mostly loans or comes from the most expensive school. † The third concept she talks about is to prepare for the future, â€Å"Ask the school to commit to a four-year award, and structure your family’s finances to lower your bill. † The next method she talks about is to fill the gaps, â€Å"Many schools will break down the bursar’s bill into more digestible bites. † The last approach she says that students can help pay for college is to break down and borrow, â€Å"At today’s low rates, it’s hard to find a better deal than a student loan. † (Stern, Issue 15). All of these ways are very good ideas to help pay for college, a few of them will need some planning before-hand in order to get the job done. As long as parents and children start thinking about the college of their choice before they are a senior in high school then they should be able to afford it. Thinking of ways to pay for college is a good idea but families should also be figuring out who will pay for college and how much. Most parents will do anything they can to have their child go to the University of their choice, but what most parents don’t think about is the repercussions. The author of the article Who pays for COLLEGE? says, â€Å"think of paying for college as a joint venture, with kids pitching in to give themselves a stake in their own education. † She then goes on to say, â€Å"kids can get a degree for a fraction of the cost by attending a community college for two years and then transferring to a four-year school. † (Who pays for COLLEGE? ) These are both great ideas to keep in mind for parents who are willing to help their child pay for college. If a child helps pay for college then they usually want to do better in school because they are paying for part of the schooling, so if they mess up then they are losing money. I don’t know too many students are willing to give away their money for no apparent reason to someone else. There is one author who actually claims that college tuition has not risen, and actually declined. The author of the article Tuition fees don’t tell whole truth states, â€Å"With grants at an all-time high and tax-advantaged college savings plans growing rapidly, the study’s authors claim that average tuition costs at public four-year colleges ? excluding room and board, books and transportation and plenty else ? have actually declined. † (Tuition fees don’t tell whole truth) I don’t think that I agree with this author just for the fact that there are too many facts to prove otherwise. I stated a lot of numbers earlier to show that tuition had almost doubled in the past ten years, and now this lady comes along and says that no tuition is actually cheaper. This doesn’t make any sense to me, but maybe that’s just me. I believe that tuition is on the rise and there isn’t much that we can do about it. If the government and Universities want to make the tuition higher then they are going to, no matter what anyone says about it. I think that the only way to deal with the tuition increase is to start saving money for college early in life and hope that it doesn’t get to high before you get there, especially since college education is so highly sought after and held in such high regard. If parents and children will just sit down and figure out a plan on how to pay for college before they are a junior or senior in high school then there should be no problem in paying for it. Works Cited 1) Reed Jr. , Adolph L. Majoring in Debt. Progressive; Jan 2004, Vol. 68 Issue 1, p 25, 3p, 2bw. 2) Gallagher, James. College Costs Continue to Rise Sharply. The (GA) Augusta Chronicle; 5/30/2004. 3) USA Today. Learn about ways to pay college tuition. Sep. 14, 2004. 4) Hempel, Jessi. College Tuition? Gumption Won’t Cover It. Business Week, 5/31/2004, Issue 3885. 5) http://studentloan. citibank. com/slcsite/slcframeset. htm. Citicorp. Oct. 26, 2004. 6) The Washington Post. Textbook Prices On the Rise. Sep. 18, 2004. 7) Stern, Linda. Congrats!? Now Pay Up. Newsweek, 4/12/2004, Vol. 143, Issue 15. 8) Ewers, Justin and Kingsbury, Alex. Opening the College Gates. 9) Bodnar, Janet. Who pays for COLLEGE? 10) Meyer, Michelle M. Tuition fees don’t tell whole truth.

Let There Be Light

Electric Compass' were used 3. At is a good conductor of electricity electron 4. Not until after Mechanics 5. Magnetic compass 6. (Tape notes in notebook) Some things attract, others repel. All objects fall and move with respect to gravity. 7. Benjamin Franklin 8. A fundamental element Of mass 9. Like repel, different attract 10. Far apart- hard to tell they are attracting, close together-easy to notice. 11. They both have like currents and likes repel, opposites attract but magnets eave poles not charges.They are still positive and negative. 12. In one direction there I am electric field and in another magnetic, they work together 13. Friction at a distance 14. Attraction would change instantaneously Nothing can travel faster than light 15. 16. The field of force 17. It is the field that tells two objects how to interact 18. The earth's mass is so big that it barely moves 19. Action at a distance is every part of the earth pulling at an object. Whereas a field of force is better bec ause it creates a field for a disturbance to travel wrought. 0. They are centered around something and the farther away from it the weaker the field. 21 . Everything is pulled to the center. The farther from the center the weaker the force. 22. Electric charges in the center 23. In my notebook 24. Because this is our earth, it surrounds us completely 25. Electric generator, electromagnet, electric motor 26. A generator uses motion to make electricity. A motor uses electricity to make motion. 27. Moving it, moving a coil, turning an electromagnet on and off 28. Energy, mass, weather, volts, compounds 9.Credit card, electricity 30. He thought that it was this way and used common sense to then propose this idea. 31 . Electricity make magnetism and magnetism makes electricity 32. The second synthesis is putting magnetism and electricity together as described in Maxwell equations. 33. Because electromagnetism is one of them 34. 35. We are causing a disturbance in the air; predicted waves , speed of waves 36. Because visible light is a form of electromagnetic radiation that travels through a field. Light travels in fields.

Becoming an Effective Leader Essay

I have so many ideas of what an effective leader should be that I often feel overwhelmed and cannot imagine how I will become the ideal leader that I want to be. There are many effective leadership styles at my work place. I learn from them everyday. I have also read almost all the modules and sometimes I would read articles on leadership out of the magazines. In my research, I have discovered that there are many different styles of leadership and most are effective, if used in the right situation. What I have taught to myself is how to be flexible. Depends on the situations, e.g. when I started at Weber Mfg, I had to deal with employees who have lost their sense of commitment due to many circumstances. Their self-esteem was low and I strongly felt that my 100% support is very important in building their confidence. I needed to let them know when they did a bad job and very importantly when they also did a good job in order to boost their self-esteem. I do believe if an employee’s confidence and self-esteem is increased, their commitment, productivity and morale will definitely get better. Being a supervisor at WML, I feel that not only, do I have to make sure that jobs are done on time with the quality expected. I must also have a caring, respectful and responsible attitude towards to my team players. I need to have a lots of patience, must be very careful how I would approach in the conflict situations. I believe that â€Å"BALANCE† is the key of success to becoming an effective leader. I am glad; my company has given me an opportunity to take the MLCP courses. It definitely helped me to improve my skills and knowledge on Developing and coaching an effective team. I definitely appreciate the privilege.

Supply chain management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Supply chain management - Case Study Example The marketing area of Chemtech is primarily concerned with taking orders from the customer for their next month’s requirement. It then makes forecast and relays the same to the purchase department for timely delivery of the same. The department feels that lack of effective planning by supply chain management is responsible for the problems in meeting the customers’ demands. Answer 2 Chemtech needs to streamline its coordination between the departments and ensure that the logistic planning for at least three months is made in advance. This would give the suppliers more time to make arrangements for slow moving products as well as ensure availability of inventory that is often required at short notice. The company should also show more confidence on its long term suppliers and help understand their problems. Logistics and supply chain is vital part of business strategy and therefore concerted efforts for efficient receipt and delivery of goods and services need to be impl emented. Effective computerization of its various in house operations and functions would ensure smooth flow of information leading to improved performance outcome. The computerization would also help to forecast the products requirement so that it can maintain the inventory and meet the requirements of the customers at short notice. Answer 3 The suppliers like Potash should seek trust and at least three months time from its customers like Chemtech for delivery of products which are slow moving. The repeated threats of change in the suppliers by Chemtech have also significantly lowered the morale of Potash. As a result, the company has also started looking for fresh long term customers who could give them realistic time margin to meet their demands. The three months advance order would also enable the company to increase its stock of products which could be required by customers at short notice. While suppliers maintain large stock of products that are in high demand, the short supp ly of slow moving products often becomes huge liability for them. Hence, longer lead time for such products would facilitate the suppliers to coordinate its own logistics and supply chain. The linkages with external agencies are important part of logistics and supply chain management. Thus companies that are able to develop trust and mutual understanding would greatly benefit from long term relationship. (words: 500) Case study 15.1 Answer 1 There general challenges and issues