Summer Internship in Lic - 9217 Words

CERTIFICATE This is to certify that the project work done on Consumer’s attitude towards Investment is a bonafide work carried out by Mr. Sandeep Singh Bhati under my supervision and guidance. The project report is submitted towards the partial fulfillment of 2 – year, full time Post Graduate Diploma in Management. This work has not been submitted anywhere else for any other degree/diploma. The original work was carried during 15th May to 15 June, 2010 in LIC OF INDIA, Balotra (Rajasthan) Name Sign of Faculty Prof. Nupur Mishra Date: Acknowledgment I am hearty grateful to Mrs. Renu Luthra (director). She have always been an invaluable source of inspiration had work, sincerity and dedication. It gives me immense pleasure in†¦show more content†¦Prior to 1912 India had no legislation to regulate insurance business. In the year 1912, the Life Insurance Companies Act, and the Provident Fund Act were passed. The Life Insurance Companies Act 1912 made it necessary that the premium rate tables and periodical valuations of companies should be certified by an actuary. But the Act discriminated between foreign and Indian companies on many accounts, putting the Indian companies at a disadvantage. The first two decades of the twentieth century saw lot of growth in insurance business. From 44 companies with total business-in-force as Rs.22.44 Crore, it rose to 176 companies with total business-in-force as Rs.298 Crore in 1938. During the mushrooming of insurance companies many financially unsound concerns were also floated which f ailed miserably. The Insurance Act 1938 was the first legislation governing not only life insurance but also non-life insurance to provide strict state control over insurance business. The demand for nationalization of life insurance industry was made repeatedly in the past but it gathered momentum in 1944 when a bill to amend the Life Insurance Act 1938 was introduced in the Legislative Assembly. However, it was much later on the 19th of January 1956 that life insurance in India was nationalized. About 154 Indian insurance companies, 16 non-Indian companies and 75 provident wereShow MoreRelatedSummer Internship in Lic9205 Words   |  37 Pagesis submitted towards the partial fulfillment of 2 – year, full time Post Graduate Diploma in Management. This work has not been submitted anywhere else for any other degree/diploma. The original work was carried during 15th May to 15 June, 2010 in LIC OF INDIA, Balotra (Rajasthan) Name Sign of Faculty Prof. Nupur Mishra Date: Acknowledgment I am hearty grateful to Mrs. Renu Luthra (director). She have always been an invaluable source of inspiration had work, sincerity and dedicationRead MoreSbi Life Insurance11131 Words   |  45 Pagesaspects Executive Summary The internship facilitates a student to explore the new horizons of learning. Therefore, it may also require data generation, analysis of data, understanding it in the company’s context and to help in the value addition in the services of organization and thus it also helps student in understanding the procedure to be followed by the organization This is my report on the work done at SBI Life Insurance Company Limited during summer internship. This report focuses on the UnderwritingRead MoreThe Investors Behavior Towards Mutual Fund Essay9694 Words   |  39 Pages A SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROJECT ON â€Å"To study the Investors Behaviour towards Mutual Fund in surat city† Submitted to S.R. LUTHRA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT OF THE AWARD FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION In Gujarat Technological University UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF Faculty Guide: Company Guide: Mr. Paresh Dave Mr.Jignesh Madhvani (Asst. Professor) Internal Trainer (Torin Wealth Management.) Submitted by Mr. ATMIYA J. PATEL [BatchRead MoreAwareness of Mutual Funds and Its Scope10303 Words   |  42 Pages BY MR.DATTATRAYA .K. MANE MBA-I COLLEGE OF MANAGEMENT RESERARCH ENGINEERING WARJE MALWADI PUNE-411058. ï‚ § 2005-2007 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I take immense pleasure in completing this project and submitting this final project report. The whole summer internship period with KARVY STOCK BROKING LTD has been full of learning and sense of contribution towards the organization. I would like to thank KARVY STOCK BROKING LTD for giving us an opportunity of learning and contributing through this project. IRead MoreSummer Internship Report on Mutual Fund : Performance Evolution Marketing20554 Words   |  83 PagesSUMMER TRAINING REPORT On Mutual Fund: Performance evolution Marketing Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the two year Post Graduate Programme (PGP). Submitted by BIBHUTI JHA Roll No: PGS20090080 Batch: 2009-2011 IILM Institute for Higher Education Under The guidance of Mr. Sunil Sharma Branch Manager Aditya Birla Money Mart Ltd, Faridabad TABLE OF CONTENTS S. NO | PARTICULARSRead MoreSummer Internship Project11120 Words   |  45 Pagessecrities. Sharad Shukla CERTIFICATE from FACULTY GUIDE This is to certify that the project report entitled â€Å"ANALYSIS OF ONLINE PRODUCTS OF RELIGARE And STUDY OF FACTORS AFFECTING THE BUYING BEHAVIOR OF THESE PRODUCTS.† made during the summer internship done at â€Å"Religare Securities Limited† is a bonafide record of work done by Sharad Shukla, and has been submitted in the partial fulfillment of the requirements of Post Graduate Diploma In Management from Institute Of Management Studies,GhaziabadRead MoreRetail Banking of Axis Bank15349 Words   |  62 PagesRetail Banking Of Axis Bank (Summer Internship Report) From 3rd June to 24th July ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I express my deep gratitude to AXIS Bank division, Kanpur for giving me this opportunity to do summer internship. I acknowledge the give and take relationship wherein I could work diligently on the project assigned to me and contribute to the organization with my efforts and get essential credit to my profile before I enter the corporateRead MoreRole of Bc/Bf in Financial Inclusion16135 Words   |  65 PagesPACIFIC INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT, NEW DELHI (2009-2011) ACKNOLEDGEMENT I wish to express my gratitude to NABARD, Haryana, for giving me an opportunity to be a part of it and enhance my knowledge by granting permission to do my summer project under NABARD Summer internship program. I would like to express my gratitude towards Dr. D.K Banerjee, Director, Asia Pacific Institute of Management. I’m grateful to my Mentor Mr. R.K. Singhal (Asia Pacific Institute of Management) for her help in everyRead MoreProject Report on Fundamental Technical Analysis on It Sect16951 Words   |  68 Pages| 80 | 21 | TECHNICAL ANALYSIS OF INFOSYS | 83 | 22 | RECOMMENDATIONS | 85 | | | | | | | Introduction Introduction: This project is a part of Summer Internship with Reliance Securities. The title of this project is â€Å"Fundamental and Technical Analysis of Media Sector†. The duration of the Internship was 2 months, i.e. May and June 2013. This project presents the complete fundamental analysis and technical analysis of TCS and Infosys. Objectives: Primary objective: Read MoreHuman Resources Management150900 Words   |  604 PagesResource Executive, June 5, 1998, 36—38. 16. Dave Ulrich, Human Resource Champions (Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 1997). 17. Louis R. Forbringer and Carol Oeth, â€Å"Human Resources at Mercantile Bancorporation, Inc.,† Human Resource Management, Summer 1998, 177—189. 18. â€Å"The Missing M A Link,† The Wall Street Journal, October 7, 1997, A1. 19. Dave Ulrich, â€Å"A New Mandate for Human Resources,† Harvard Business Review, January-February 1998, 124—134. 20. Shari Caudron, â€Å"The CEO Needs You: Are You

The Disease Known as Diabetes - 1089 Words

8.3 percent of Americans have a disease called diabetes mellitus, also known as diabetes. It is characterized by high blood sugar, brought on either because the pancreas is not producing enough of a hormone called insulin, which helps remove glucose from the blood, or because the cells are unresponsive to the insulin that is being produced. Three symptoms that result from this high blood sugar are polyuria, or frequent urination, polydipsia, or increased thirst, and polyphagia, or increased appetite. When the body cannot produce insulin, this is called type 1 diabetes. People with this type of diabetes usually have to inject insulin or wear an insulin pump. In contrast, when cells simply cannot use insulin correctly, the patient has type 2 diabetes. This is usually treated by increasing exercise or making adjustments to the diet, which should lower blood sugar. Finally, a third type of diabetes called gestational diabetes occurs only in pregnant women. These women have not been previ ously diagnosed with diabetes, rather, they have developed high blood sugar during their pregnancy. If not effectively treated by making changes to the diet, gestational diabetes can be a precursor to type 2 diabetes as well as childhood obesity and eventual diabetes in the infant. Of all cases of diabetes, only about five to ten percent are type 1. Even so, more and more people worldwide are being diagnosed every year, and the effects of the disorder are very serious if not severe on both theShow MoreRelatedDiabetes : A Common And Well Known Disease1564 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Diabetes is a common and well-known disease in the US. Healthcare providers manage the care of patients daily as both direct and indirect effects of diabetes contribute to their poor health. Diabetes mellitus type 2 is characterized by high blood sugar levels as a result of insulin resistance. The risk factors associated with an increasing prevalence in the US includes genetics, family history, poor eating habits, sedentary lifestyle, and obesity.1 Healthcare providers are challengedRead MoreDiabetes : A Common And Well Known Disease That Affects People Of Different Ages1548 Words   |  7 PagesAbstract This paper explores the three different types of Diabetes, a common and well-known disease that affects people of different ages. It explains the difference between Type 1, Type 2, and Gestational Diabetes and how prevalent it is in today’s generation. A sudden spike in a person’s blood sugar numerous times is an indication that a person has developed this disease. There are countless of people that are not fully aware of what a consistent rise in blood sugar can do to a person’s body.Read MoreThe Health And Economic Consequences Of Diabetes1594 Words   |  7 Pages Diabetes affects 18.2 million people in the United States. It is often referred to by doctors as diabetes mellitus and described as, â€Å"†¦ a metabolic disease in which the person has high blood sugar †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Collazo- Clavell et all. 2009), either because the insulin is inadequate or the body’s cells don’t respond well to the insulin. The health and economic conseq uences of diabetes are considerable. The majority of people that have diabetes live in low and middle income countries, where the prevalenceRead MoreDiabetes As A Western Disease1489 Words   |  6 Pagesenergy, some may make us sluggish and lazy. Diabetes has been around for decades, as the increase in assortment of food and different varieties have become assessable to individuals globally, we have been dealt with a larger problem than many predicated. Diabetes started as a western disease has made its way to being a global problem with many organizations leading the fight to find ways to reduce the epidemic. While many may disagree that the disease has reach its apex and have already spread,Read MoreDiabetes Mellitus Type 2 Diabetes1628 Words   |  7 PagesDiabetes mellitus type 2, also know as type 2 Diabetes or noninsulin dependent diabetes, is a disease that effects the body systemically. Type 2 diabetes is a disorder in which cells become resistant to insulin and can no l onger bind it properly to reduce blood sugar. The result of this is elevated glucose levels in the circulating blood that leads to endothelial injury in all regions of the body. Primary damages occur in the kidneys, cardiovascular, and digestive systems. According to â€Å"Annual NumberRead MoreTaking a Look at Diabetes636 Words   |  3 PagesDiabetes is a disease that affects millions of people around the world. Diabetes has become a rapidly growing issue that has drawn concern from both doctors and patients alike. Around 25 million people in the United States have diabetes mellitus, commonly known as diabetes. Also around 80 million people have pre-diabetes mellitus. There are almost two million people who are diagnosed with diabetes each year. If diabetes rates don’t soon begin to drop, an estimated one in every three adults will haveRead MoreDiabetes Is A Disease Of The Endocrine System1006 Words   |  5 Pagesportions of populations are impacted by a life-altering d isease called Diabetes. There are many types of diabetes, however type 2 specifically tends to affect more people than any other type. Diabetes is a disease of the endocrine system and is the result of high blood glucose, or blood sugar, and the lack of insulin doing its job properly. In 1910, an English Physiologist by the name of Sir Edward Albert Sharpey-Schafer discovered the disease, diabetes. He also discovered Insulin while studying the pancreasRead MoreTrick or Treat Diabetes863 Words   |  3 Pages Trick or treat diabetes Diabetes also known as diabetes mellitus is a disease related to metabolism, caused due to high level of glucose present in the blood. Diabetes is caused because pancreas is not able to produce enough insulin or cells are not able to respond to the insulin. The most common symptoms include periodic urination, increase thirst and hunger. There are different types of diabetes mellitus some are listed below: 1) Type 1 diabetes is caused because of the destruction of ÃŽ ²-cellsRead MoreDiabetes: The Disease614 Words   |  3 Pagesdiagnosed with diabetes. Almost twenty-six million Americans are living with diabetes today. Seven million of the twenty-six million do not even know they have diabetes. Diabetes is a treatable disease and can be controlled in most cases. Many items that can complicate diabetes include: kidney disease, high blood pressure, heart disease, blindness, neuropathy, and blindness. Chances of having diabetes are increased by a set of genes. The two kinds of diabetes that are commonly known are type 1 andRead MoreType Two Diabetes Is A Lifelong Disease941 Words   |  4 PagesType-two diabetes is a lifelong disease that affects the way the body manages the sugar levels in the body known as blood glucose. The most common form of diabetes is type-two diabetes. Many factors, some by choice and others by genetics, contribute to a person developing this type-two diabetes. This disease has serious complications but can be controlled by careful maintenance and a well-planned lifestyle. Special cells called beta cells located in the pancreas produce a hormone called insulin

Ethics on Walt Disney Free Essays

According to an article from The New York Times, on May 9, 2012 The Walt Disney Company’s profits had grown up to 21% at Disney’s Cable TV gains and a surge in Resorts Business. Thanks to climbing ad sales and subscription fees at ESPN, another cable channel like ABCfamily has also helped the Walt Disney Company. Its quarterly profit 21% To $1. We will write a custom essay sample on Ethics on Walt Disney or any similar topic only for you Order Now 14 billion dollars. The article started off by stating that Disney’s financial reported a Growth on retail sales report. In addition an operating income at Walt Disney Company Park and Resorts Surged 53% to $222 million dollars. A reason for this division growth was that they had high spenders. Which meant they wasted money on Disney’s products and not only that but there attendance increased on almost all there resorts worldwide. Just like in Tokyo an increase in spending up to 5%. This is ethical, because it shows that the resorts must be doing well that means people are going and spending their money even with this recession. Besides this there is an issue that Disney’s studios faced after filming the movie John Carter but they had a solution. After they had lost money from that movie they also had losses from media networks. Because As the result that they were working on their interactive media. Aside from their losses, Disney reported earnings per share of 58 cents for the quarter. Up to 18% from 49 cents a year earlier. Not only had that but Analyst expected Earnings per share of 56 cents. In the other hand there was revenue 6% to $9. 6 billion. This shows that it was am improvement for Walt Disney they do there accountings in an Ethical manner. Another good ethics of Walt Disney is there television portfolio, since they have a variety of studios. They manage different channels like sports and family channels that helps them set apart from there competition. ESPN is by the largest contributor to Disney’s overall probability. â€Å"Quite well positioned to remain the pre-eminent sports brand,† said Disney Chairman Robert I. Iger. This statement shows that ESPN is doing a good job as it should and shows that not only that. But ESPN is still growing with their subscribers and fees. Lastly in the article, it states that since the release of the movie Marvel Inc. The movie has recorded the biggest opening. â€Å"It’s a great illustration of why we like Marvel Inc. o much. † Said Mr. Iger. In my opinion I think the Walt Disney Company is very successful. They have been around the business for quite a while. Not only that but they made products and films that are worth value. Great film from back in the days and still going on now. The Walt Disney Company hires employees and trains them to their best abili ty which not many companies do. They require safety and have their business standards set well. Just how their profits have increased. That’s shows their doing a well ethical job. They may not be perfect but they sure have accounting set well in their business. Because the fact that if they didn’t Walt Disney would be as well-known. Their resorts wouldn’t be considered one of the happiest places on earth. This Article states the ethical manner that Walt Disney has done yet they had issues but still they overcome them just like how ethical companies should. The Walt Disney Company hasn’t been affected in a huge drastic way that other companies have been affected. But yet I think that is example that an ethical company leads and that is Walt Disney. REFERENCE http://query. nytimes. com/gst/fullpage. html? res=9C01EFD9133AF93AA35756C0A9649D8B63ref=brooksbarnes How to cite Ethics on Walt Disney, Papers

Supply Chain Management Strategy and Competitive Advantage in industri

Question: Discuss about the Supply Chain Management Strategy and Competitive Advantage in industries. Answer: Introduction Supply chain management in business organisations could be described as the operations which manage the flow of products and services from the suppliers to the production houses and from the organisations to the consumers. The main function of the supply chain management operations in an organisation is to manage the movement of production materials within organisation and also to ensure convenient movement of the produced goods to the targeted users or consumers (Christopher, 2016, Page 39). On the other hand competitive advantage of an organisation could be described as the factors related to the innovativeness and efficiency of an organisation which provides it with greater strength and market position from other of its competitor organisation in the market. Thus, depending on the basic concept of competitive advantage it could be said that convenient availability of the products and services to the consumers is a significant factor for providing an organisation with greater compe titive advantage through better convenience and satisfaction of the consumers. On the other hand on time and on cost movement of the production goods or materials within organisation could effectively ensure efficient production of goods with better coordination with the exact product demands in the market and it could also ensure lower product pricing through effective management of the production cost as well (Stadtler, 2015, Page 24). Depending on effective supply chain management, both the above factors could be efficiently management by an organisation and subsequently it could be said that supply chain management strategy in organisation has greater potential for contributing to the competitive advantage of the organisation (Dekker et al 2013, Page 37). A research on this topic including the views consumers and organisations about the competitive advantage of an organisation depending on the efficiency of supply chain management could be more effective for drawing more transparent conclusions. Hence, in the below segment of this report a detailed discussion has been made on the effectiveness of efficient supply management strategies on the competitive advantage of an organisation .The cased study aspect which has been considered for developing the discussions is supply chain management strategies and its contributions to the competitive advantage of one of the leading beverage industry organisation of the world , Coca-Cola (Bozarth, Handfield, 2016, Page 63). Main Report Body Coca-Cola is most probably considered as one of the best global brands in any industry across the world depending on the convenient availability of the products of the brand in almost every possible nation across the world. There is no doubt that Coca-Cola is the most dominant force and global market share holder in the global non-alcoholic beverage production and retail industry (Monczka et al 2015, Page 43). The organisation has the widest variation and product range of carbonated and non-alcoholic beverage products along with 3500 types of products and it has supply and availability of its products from bigger hotels and restaurants to almost every smaller to smallest retailers in 200 different nations across the world. Thus it is a significant need for Coca-Cola to manage their supply chain activities in a more efficient manner so that such a larger variety of products could be produced according to their market demands and product supply within such a huge business territory cou ld be managed for ensuring better product availability in almost every corner within it (Tayur et al 2012, Page 31). Positive aspects of Coca-Cola Supply Chain Management towards its Competitive Advantage If the most significant factors of the supply chain management strategies of Coca-Cola would be analysed it could be observed that the organisation follows some revolutionary approaches for meeting their business objectives. Some of the most effective strategic approaches associated with the supply chain management strategies in Coca-Cola are discussed below, Supply of wider product range to every social segment in 200 different nations of operation Coca-Cola has its product supply in 200 different nations across the world and it ensures effective product availability in almost all the significant shopping places, restaurants and hotels in these nations and even has supply of its products to smaller to smallest retailers in the urban areas as well. The wider range and variation of Coca-Cola products is also a significant factor associated with the greater need for efficient supply chain management within the organisation (Walker, 2015, Page 246). Coca-Cola has a product range of almost 3500 products including carbonated beverages, juices, health and emery drinks and purified water as well. Thus, it could be said that effective management of the product supply in almost every different segment in the society and offering a wider range of products to the consumers depending on efficient supply chain management strategies could be effectively helpful for making Coca-Cola products to be the first choice for the customers and subsequ ently the competitive advantage of the organisation could also be enhanced (Seuring, 2013, Page 47). Local production strategies and individual transportation department for every different production house Coca-Cola also has its product supply contract with most of the globally renowned supermarket chain and restaurant chain businesses which also ensures better availability of the products to the consumers. The organisation has production operations in most of the nations which are significant market places for the organisation along with greater product consumption rate. If the production operations of Coca-Cola would be considered it could be observed that almost 95% of the total yearly production volume of the organisation is produced in international locations where they are supposed to be sold (Christopher, 2016, Page 39). It should be mentioned that the organisation meets the product demand from more than 170 millions of consumers across the world every year. Thus it could be said that internationalisation of the supply chain management process for performing production operations in different nations within its business territory could effectively help Coca-Cola to ensure adequa te availability of the production materials in every production house across the world. This strategy could also be helpful for Coca-Cola to minimise business expenditure through eliminating the need for product transportation in different market locations depending on the local production process and it could also help the organisation to keep the pricing for the products within reasonable range as well (Bozarth, Handfield, 2016, Page 63). Thus strategy also helps the organisation to keep their production volume in local production houses in every nation within its business territory according to the supply demand in the markets. Thus this aspect of the supply chain management strategy of Coca-Cola is able to provide the organisation with various significant factors for its better competitive advantage in the market, such as cost minimisation and subsequent reasonable pricing for products, cost minimisation through eliminating the needs for transpiration of products across the wor ld and coordination with the exact product demand in the market (Monczka et al 2015, Page 43). Adaptation of modern generation technologies in supply chain management Adaptation of modern generation technology is also a significant factor for supply chain management operations in Coca-Cola. The organisation is looking forwards for adopting automatic storage and retrieval system for their consumers so that more convenient delivery of the products to the consumers could be ensured (Simpson et al 2015, Page 43). For example, recently a newer 20m automatic storage and retrieval system has been availed in the distribution centre of the organisation in Dongen, The Netherlands. These strategies could be effectively helpful for the organisation to ensure better satisfaction of consumers depending on more effective product distribution and subsequently better competitive advantage could also be achieved (Schnsleben, 2016, Page 89). Better accessibility to smaller retailers and effective product availability in smaller to smallest stores in the market The organisation has the strategies for having efficient logistics teams with adequate and experienced staffs in almost every production houses across the world so that effective product distribution in the markets could be ensured without getting much dependent on third party distributors (Hsu et al 2013, Page 44). That supply chain management strategy effectively helps the organisation to maintain better transparency to the retailers irrespective of their size so that better control over of the market distribution and unethical price demands by the retailers could be controlled for better competitive advantage (Coyle et al 2016, Page 92). The marketing department of Coca-Cola also maintains effective relation with the authentic distributors and bigger retailers in the significant market places so that exact demand of the retail market could be realised and products could be supplied accordingly. It helps Coca-Cola to ensure better availability of the products to the smaller to smallest retailers in the market from the bigger and most authentic distributors and retailers. Thus, this approach also triggers the competitive advantage of the organisation through ensuring better product availability to the smaller retailers and consumers in the surrounding localities (Zhu et al 2013, Page 11). Product availability in many bigger international restaurant chain businesses Using the popularity of other international food related organisations in different product lines is also a significant factor in the supply chain management strategy of Coca-Cola for providing the organisation with more effective competitive advantage around the globe (Pagell Shevchenko, 2014, Page 62). For example, Coca-Cola has business relations with many of the globally famous food retail chain businesses like McDonalds, KFC, Subway, Dunkin Donuts and other for selling the products along with Coca-Cola beverages. This, supply chain management strategies effectively help Coca-Cola to utilise the international popularities of these organisation for gaining more production consumption rate in the markets (Brandenburg et al 2014, Page 67). Analysis of the positive factors Thus depending on the above illustration it could be observed that effective supply chain management strategies have provided Coca-Cola with several of advantageous factors which are capable of providing the organisation with more effective competitive advantage. Efficiency of the supply chain management operations in Coca-Cola and innovative approaches leaves no doubt for the organisation being the global market leader in the non-alcoholic beverage industry (Ahi Searcy, 2013, Page 35). The most significant factors which could be identified from the above discussions and analysis about better competitive advantage of Coca-Cola depending on their supply chain management strategies are 1- Better product availability to the customers and subsequent consumer convenience, 2- Targets on bigger and smaller market aspects to supply products, 3- managing the product supply for over than 170 million customers every year in 200 different nations across the world along with a variety of 3500 pr oducts 4- control over product pricing in markets through better control over the middle level distributors, 5- internationalised supply chain management managed for meeting the supply objectives and required in different production locations across the world, 6- effective cost minimisation through elimination of need for international product transportation, 7- better coordination with exact product demand in every different market and 8- product availability in most of the globally renowned food retail chain businesses like Subway, KFC, McDonalds and others (Barney, 2012, Page 41). Thus it is very evident from the above analysis and discussions in this report that effective supply chain management is one of the most significant factors for Coca-Cola for their massive success and consumer popularity across the world. The basic conclusion which could be achieved from the discussions that effective supply chain management enables Coca-Cola to effectively perform their production oper ations across the world and it also ensures better availability of the products to consumers which are two most significant factors for triggering the competitive advantage of the brand (Fitzsimmons Fitzsimmons, 2013, Page 56). Negative aspects of Coca-Cola Supply Chain Management towards its Competitive Advantage Now if the negative aspects associated with the supply chain management policies of Coca-Cola would be analysed it could be observed that along with above mentioned benefits for the competitive advantage of the organisation it also has some negative impacts as well (Christopher, 2016, Page 39). Some of the most significant aspects of the supply chain management strategies of Coca-Cola which could impact the competitive advantage of the organisation in negative manners are mentioned and discussed below, Higher business expenditure for local production and individual transportation department strategies First of all the organisation has its strategies to perform production operations in different nations where the product demand is higher but establishment of such a internationally diversified production operation needs greater amount of capital investments for setting production units across the world and it also generates the need for hiring larger number of staffs as well (Brandenburg et al 2014, Page 67). Moreover, having own transportation department for every different production house and location in different nations across the world significantly increases the business expenditure of the organisation due to the need of greater number of staffs and arrangement of huge number transportation vehicles. Higher business expenditure surely influences the profitability and profit margins for Coca-Cola which is a negative aspect of its competitive advantage in the markets (Barney, 2012, Page 41). Greater dependency on middle level management for supply chain decision making Coca-Cola majorly relies on middle level third party distributors and suppliers to supply their products to the smaller stores and retailers in the markets. Unethical approaches and pricing strategies of these middle level dealers and suppliers could affect the pricing for the Coca-Cola products in smaller stores in different nations and subsequently consumer satisfaction and loyalty towards the organisation and products could be affected as well (Bozarth, Handfield, 2016, Page 63). Decision making conflicts for top management to control supply chain management operations over such a huge business territory Apart from that it is very difficult for the top management authority of Coca-Cola to coordinate with the supply chain activities thrived over such a huge business territory across the world. That complicates the decision making efficiencies and approaches of the top management authority and they have to rely more on the regional management authorities for taking important decisions according to the market situations. This it could create conflict and diversity in the decision making approaches of the organisation in different locations (Ahi Searcy, 2013, Page 35). Implications for supplying all the product variations in all the market places Although the supply chain and production operations of Coca-Cola is internationalised but it does not have equally strong production houses around the world which could effectively produce all the products included in the larger product variety of the organisation. Only the products having higher popularity in the market are generally produced locally which limits the scopes for other products of the organisation to achieve uniform popularity across the world. Thus, even after having a product range of 3500 products Coca-Cola cannot utilise it properly to achieve the most effective competitive advantage in all the nations of its operation (Fitzsimmons Fitzsimmons, 2013, Page 56). Conclusion Thus it could be concluded from the above report that the above analysis is highly justified to establish that fact that effective and efficient supply chain management is also a significant factor in organisations for gaining better competitive advantage in the markets. The analysis effectively discusses the ways by which efficiency of the supply chain management operations in Coca-Cola provides the organisation with several of advantages to gain effective competitive advantage from all other competitors in the global market (Dekker et al 2013, Page 37). Depending on the above discussions several competitive advantage factors for Coca-Cola have been identified which have been gained by the organisation effectively utilising their efficiency and strength in supply chain management process (Wisner et al 2014, Page 19). Thus it shows how effective supply chain management could contribute to its competitive advantage in the market. However, there are some limitations of the above analys is. All the conclusions have been achieved through secondary analysis process but prioritisation of the reviews of the organisations and consumers about the relevant topic depending on primary analysis could have been more effective for drawing more transparent conclusions. Thus, inclusions of primary analysis process in future could provide this report with greater opportunities for achieving more appropriate conclusions (Ross, 2013, Page 78). References Christopher, M. (2016). Logistics supply chain management. Pearson Higher Ed. Page 39 Stadtler, H. (2015). Supply chain management: An overview. In Supply chain management and advanced planning (pp. 3-28). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Page 24 Bozarth, C. B., Handfield, R. B. (2016). Introduction to operations and supply chain management. Pearson Higher Ed. Page 63 Monczka, R. M., Handfield, R. B., Giunipero, L. C., Patterson, J. L. (2015). Purchasing and supply chain management. Cengage Learning. Page 43 Tayur, S., Ganeshan, R., Magazine, M. (Eds.). (2012). Quantitative models for supply chain management (Vol. 17). Springer Science Business Media. Page 31 Walker, H. (2015). Sustainable Supply Chain Management: Practical Ideas for Moving Towards Best Practice, B. Cetinkaya, R. Cuthbertson, G. Ewer, T. Klaas-Wissing, W. Piotrowicz, C. Tyssen, 2011, 301 pages, Springer, London, 52.95, ISBN: 978-3-642-12023-7. Page 246 Seuring, S. (2013). A review of modeling approaches for sustainable supply chain management. Decision support systems, 54(4), 1513-1520. Page 47 Ross, D. F. (2013). Competing through supply chain management: creating market-winning strategies through supply chain partnerships. Springer Science Business Media. Page 78 Wisner, J. D., Tan, K. C., Leong, G. K. (2014). Principles of supply chain management: a balanced approach. Cengage Learning. Page 19 Dekker, R., Fleischmann, M., Inderfurth, K., van Wassenhove, L. N. (Eds.). (2013). Reverse logistics: quantitative models for closed-loop supply chains. Springer Science Business Media. Page 37 Fitzsimmons, J., Fitzsimmons, M. (2013). Service management: Operations, strategy, information technology. McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Page 56 Barney, J. B. (2012). Purchasing, supply chain management and sustained competitive advantage: The relevance of resourceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ based theory. Journal of Supply Chain Management, 48(2), 3-6. Page 41 Ahi, P., Searcy, C. (2013). A comparative literature analysis of definitions for green and sustainable supply chain management. Journal of Cleaner Production, 52, 329-341. Page 35 Brandenburg, M., Govindan, K., Sarkis, J., Seuring, S. (2014). Quantitative models for sustainable supply chain management: Developments and directions. European Journal of Operational Research, 233(2), 299-312. Page 67 Pagell, M., Shevchenko, A. (2014). Why research in sustainable supply chain management should have no future. 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Journal of Supply Chain Management, 51(3), 87-100. Page 43

Strategic Implications of Apple Ipad on Toll Brother Operations Essay Example

Strategic Implications of Apple Ipad on Toll Brother Operations Paper Strategic Implications of Apple Pad on Toll Brother Operations Managerial Applications of Information Technology (lolls) BY Italy Abstract This paper explores the strategic Implications of supporting and implementing the Apple pad into Toll Brothers, Inc. Operations. The articles cited in this paper discuss the merits of the Apple pad, Toll Brothers operations, and the increasing place of the notebook com-putter in the workplace. The articles, however, do not intentionally support the arguments of one another, but rather serve as a basis of analysis of the rewrite of supporting the tech-oenology and implementing it into the equipment lifestyle program. Forrester (2008) jug-gets that the notebook computer is the future of workplace dynamics facilitating increased productivity, mobility, responsiveness, and customer satisfaction. Other articles suggest that the Apple pad could economically serve the role of notebook computer in enterprises. This analysis discusses these articles and makes recommendation to how the future of the equipment lifestyle program should be modified for future growth. Strategic Implications of Apple pad on Toll Brothers Operations Apple introduces the pad Apple introduces the pad and with it states Giber (2010) has officially become a media company. Media refers to all facets of mass communication from print to electronic affecting the way we receive news, communicate with family, friends, and coworkers, mar-get our products, and share Information. We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Implications of Apple Ipad on Toll Brother Operations specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Implications of Apple Ipad on Toll Brother Operations specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Implications of Apple Ipad on Toll Brother Operations specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Capitalizing on success found with Its smart-phone, the phone, Apple has decided to expand its offering with the Pad, a product poss.-tooled to compete with notebook and laptops seeking to redefine the mobile computing ex-parlance. With Apple controlling 7% (and growing) f the enterprise smartened market and the similar platform shared by the Pad according to McLean (2010) this newest offer-ins prompts the need for an analysis of the strategic implications of implementing this technology into Toll Brothers operations. The pad just a new product for consumers; the company is targeting the new device at business users with features designed to make it attractive suggests McLean (2010). Ted Schedule, an analyst at Forrester Research, is quoted as stating that the pad most likely will enter the enterprise through the consumer door, much as the Phone did (Humble, 2010). Evidencing the emergence of Phones within corporate enterprise Humble (2010) notes that 20% of companies support Phones and that the requirements to accommodate and Implement the Pad are McLean (2010) supports Humbleness? similar In context to that of the phone. Assessment Day noting Tanat Apple silence Opinion 2. 0 NAS Marlene Its security profile, added Exchange support, and created mass congou-ration and deployment tools at the enterprise level. Moreover, with the release of the pad Apple has added further enterprise refinements such as file sharing and multiple file for-mat reading tit future features such as network printing and VP N forthcoming according to McLean (2010). McLean (2010) further notes that this foray into the enterprise market is being met with acceptance by corporate America with 70% of the Fortune 100 comma-nines now actively piloting or deploying support for phone (the same operating platform as the pad). This requires a proactive position by Toll Brothers to be aware of current position in the enterprise market, future ambitions, and address them head on as the technology enters into enterprise use through consumer hands. Toll Brothers an Innovative Company Toll Brothers, an innovative company, holds the title as the largest luxury home builder, has been building and selling residential product since 1967. Operating in the midst of a five-year recession, the company has watched its revenue decline from $6. 12 billion in fiscal year 2006 to $1. 76 billion for fiscal year 2009. This decline in revenue is attributed to reduced absorption of product into the marketplace causing a peak of 8,800 delivered units in fiscal year 2006 to fall to 3,000 residential units in fiscal year 2009. Fish-cal year 2010 projects to deliver between 2,100 and 2,750 units to market. Despite this De-cline Toll enjoys strong credit ratings from SP, and Fitch of EBB-, Bal, and EBB- respectively (Toll Brothers, 2010). In the face of a slow economy, Toll Brothers is stilled recognized as a good invest- meet by Wall Street. This is due to praise worthy navigation of its operations in the midst of a five year housing recession. Fueled by a buyer demographic that possesses an average PICO score of 751, higher median incomes, and greater net worth (Toll 2010) Toll has witnessed more resiliency against mortgage defaults on product they have developed compared to the industry. This statistic coupled with the power of their brand has pro-vided Toll with the leverage necessary to continue to develop product and restructure all of its capital to more favorable terms. In fact, Toll has no public debt maturing until 2013 thanks to these efforts (Toll 2010). Furthermore, Toll has continued the disposition of built product and undeveloped lots in vulnerable markets reducing its undeveloped lot in-venture to 31,743 for IQ 2010 the same level of inventory as 2000 before the boom-bust of the housing market (Toll 2010). This has allowed Toll to create the financial stability to theater the recession, create a more conservative production model, and increase market share over competitors. Toll continues to operate it primary business as a premier home-builder in all operational regions creating sustained demand for technology investment and support. In addition, its unique capital position and Advertorial TTY know street give It TTY to seek ways to Invest In new technology in an effort to increase efficiency and effectiveness of its mission. Current Operations Toll Brothers operates in 4 United States regions, encompassing 20 states and over 50 markets. Building in over 205 communities is accomplished by end-to-end AP-approach of residential development. End-to-end begins with the acquisition of the develop-moment site, site engineering, home design, construction, customization, financing, and sales. Toll facilitates this through a number of subsidiaries with SEES tasked with engineer-ins functions, Toll Architecture to introduce over 70 new home designs every year, Toll In-degraded to prefabricate building components for over 1 50 models and oversee local sub-contractors, Toll Sales to market, sell, and interface with buyers, and TAB Mortgage to originate retrogress (Toll 2010). Employing a mixed strategy of regional operations with centralized subsidiaries serving all regions requires technology coordination, integration, and extensive travel for a number of key team members. Homes constructed in the West coast receive prefabricated pieces from Toll Integrated located in Philadelphia, Virginia, and Indiana. Furthermore, Toll Integrated acts as the Construction Manager over subcontractors nationally. SEES is tasked with land entitlements nationally, while Toll architects is responsible for creating diverse product responding to local design tastes. The underpinnings and foundation for the successful interaction of the centralized subsidiaries and regional operations rests with robust IT infrastructure (Toll 2010). Toll employs Customer Management Systems (SMS), Supply Chain Management Systems (SCM), and Knowledge Management Systems (SMS) to eliminate redundancy in data and create consistency to allow for more efficient economies of scale, however, with a workforce that is as mobile as finding, implementing, and supporting the right mix of hardware to access these systems is always important and necessary. Certain invest-meets in video-conferencing have been dad to connect the four operational regions, however, the nature of the industry requires physical attendance to a number of functions related to the development process. Proposed Solutions As a function of a normal IT management strategy certain technologies exhaust there useful life and need to be replaced either due to wear and tear, obsoleteness, or other miscellaneous conditions. The useful life for a laptop averages 4-6 years with 5 considered the average (Gush 2004). As the equipment in use by our workforce approaches this threshold a review of what that equipment is replaced tit is ordinary and necessary to IT management. Proposed Solution #1 According to Forrester Consulting (2008) the workforce is becoming increasingly decentralized and enterprises encourage employees to work from home to increase me-people productivity, responsiveness, flexibility, efficiency, and both external and internal customer satisfaction. Therefore, shifting capital investment from desktop computers to notebook computers as a part of the equipment lifestyle program is responsive to the changing work place dynamic. Furthermore, this shift in Investment snouts Increase me-people proactively, responsiveness, Ana inclemency enervating faster results and increased customer satisfaction (Forrester 2008). Notebook users already comprise a notable percentage of enterprise users thus re- squiring previous investment in security solutions for VPN access, file sharing, and ex- change servers. In addition, certain legacy systems have already been designed with web interfaces using internet encryption standards. Therefore, whether entering the system by way of VPN or Web security concerns are mitigated under the standing IT plan (Forrester 2008). This solution while increasing the mobility of the workforce would require funding additional capital to the equipment lifestyle program as laptops can cost up to 40% more than desktops possessing the same components (Computer Buy 2007). Proposed Solution #2 According to Crux (2010) citing a Citric survey: 80% of pad purchases were for business use 84% of organizations will support personal pads; 50% expect their organize-actions to purchase them. 87% cited the primary application to be used on pad as productivity APS. 90% cited the largest benefit of the pad as an increased mobility to work re-mote, at home, or anywhere, 74% cited improved productivity. Forrester (2008) finds that Enterprises could stand to make further notebook in- vestments across all worker segments. Furthermore, Forrester (2008) finds that notebook computers represent almost 40% of enterprise PCs today and that productivity increases by 51 minutes per day compared to desktop users. Computer Buy (2007) finds that the downside to this investment rests with 40% cost increases to invest in a notebook over a desktop causing Capital Budgeting analysis to evaluate the two alternatives. The Apple pad could overcome the downside of notebook pricing given its low cost of investment. With pricing between $500-829 (pre-software) the pad is below most notebooks and below or comparable to desktop computers.

A Christmas carol was written by Charles Dickens Essay Example

A Christmas carol was written by Charles Dickens Essay Example A Christmas carol was written by Charles Dickens Paper A Christmas carol was written by Charles Dickens Paper Essay Topic: A Christmas Carol Scrooge wakes up in his bed saying it was all a dream, when he hears something from the adjoining room he goes to investigate and finds the Ghost of Christmas Present. The second ghost is sat in a throne of Christmas food and drink that you would normally find in the Christmas feast. This spirit is very tall, almost giant like, and wears a coat of green trimmed with fur. He takes Scrooge through the bussing streets of London town on the current Christmas morning but a few hours in advance. As they go through London the Ghost repeatedly sprinkles Christmas cheer on passersby. They go and look upon the Cratchet familys Christmas dinner and see the gentleness of their youngest son Tiny Tim, the spirit tells Scrooge of Tiny Tims fait if nothing is changes. Upon hearing this news Scrooge becomes distraught and wants to change Tims future, this is expressed though the use of emotional language portrayed for Scrooges character, his language becomes more empathetic towards things, then bob reluctantly toasts scrooge which is followed by a shadow lasting five minutes, showing what the majority of people think of him. Then he is taken to see his nephew celebrating Christmas and he sees all of his guests gently making fun if Scrooge, but his nephew still thinks that Scrooge can change this emphasizes what the majority think and also what the minority of people believe. The Ghost grows older during this visit and explains that he will die tonight, he then lifts up his coat to reveal two young, pitiful children huddled there, he says that they represent ignorance and want, the two main causes of suffering in the world. He warns scrooge that the former is especially harmful. At the end of this visit the bell strikes twelve and as the second ghost disappears the third appears. The Ghost of Christmas Yet to come appears in the form of a hooded figure, his body is completely covered all except for one pointing hand. This gives the spectre an eerie persona; this helps the reader to understand Scrooges fear of him. The spirit shows what will happen if Scrooge does not change his ways, Scrooge views the Cratchet family bereft of Tiny Tim, he also sees his own grave and how the people dont appreciate him, by taking his things to sell, he also sees that his death saddens nobody. Without being told Scrooge has a realisation that he needs to change his ways to change his future and the future of Tiny Tim for the better, weeping he promises to do this, he wakes up to find that all of the spirits visited in one night, this shows what a long night he had and that when he was out with them he lost all track of time. At the end of the novel Scrooge changes his ways and buys the biggest turkey at the butchers for the Cratchets but sends it anonymously, he also goes to his nephews Christmas party and enjoys himself. When he goes back to work and Bob walks in he pretends to be his old grumpy self but then livens up to reveal his change. He helps Bob and his family with finance and other things they needed, he also becomes an adoptive uncle to Tiny Tim. His reputation is changed from a grumpy old man to a well respected man who embodies the spirit of Christmas. This story is all about how money separates people into separate groups, the wealthy and the poor, and how losing someone can change a person into being a cold-hearted person who only thinks of themselves. During this novel Scrooges personality and view of Christmas and all things gradually changes with the more he sees of other people lives and has a shock realisation of what people think of him causing him to change his ways. This could help people to realise that there are more people in the world that need help and that if you just stopped to look you could see what was wrong and help others greatly.

Nursing theories in clinical practice using theorists models Term Paper

Nursing theories in clinical practice using theorists models - Term Paper Example The Roy Adaption model was first published in 1970. This model presents a human being as a holistic adaptive system in constant interaction with both external and internal environment. The major work of the human system is to maintain integrity in the eye of environmental stimuli and whereas the objective of nursing is to foster successful development. This model focuses on the responses of the human adaptive system; this may be individual or a group to a dynamic environment. Adaptation is the main feature of the model. Here Problems in adaptation come when the adaptive system not capable of coping with or respond to the dynamic stimuli from the external and internal environments in a way that maintains the integrity of the system (Andrews & Roy, 1986). The proponent of the model was largely influenced by Harry Helson adaptation theory. it is this theory that triggered her mind to develop the model. The Roy adaption model is presently one of the major widely used frameworks in nursing practice. It is universally used in nursing. Roy also got influence from Raporpots definition of systems and concepts from Lazarus and Seyle (Roy&Roberts.1981). The proponent has also published books on the model. It fundamental to note that the philosophic beliefs and values that the model is based are that human meaning is rooted in omega point convergence of the globe, people have a mutual relationship with the world and a God figure, thinking and feeling mediate human and actions, awareness of self and environment is rooted in thinking and feeling among others. The Roy adaptation model focuses on six step nursing process. It should be noted that in relation to each of this steps or processes, the person called the nurse depends highly developed technical, interpersonal and institutive skills. This is done while assessing and initiating interventions involving approaches like anticipatory guidance, physical care, counseling and health

The Value of a Backyard Garden Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Value of a Backyard Garden - Essay Example A well-managed backyard garden can save you money, promotes mental well being, and improves you overall health. We all know the value placed on good nutrition and it's alarming how many people cut corners in an effort to save money at the grocery store. With a garden, you have an all-you-can eat vegetable stand right in you own backyard. The real bonus is that it is always open and there is never any charge. You can grow almost any of your favorite vegetables, and growing your own cabbage, broccoli, carrots, or beans of your choice can result in substantial savings. Excess vegetables can be frozen, dried, or canned and provide you with a year round supply of some of your favorite foods. The gas you save by making fewer trips to the grocery store is well worth the cost of the seeds alone. With a backyard garden brimming with mouth-watering vegetables, you can say goodbye to the high cost of supermarket shopping forever. Digging in the dirt to plant your first seeds will overwhelm you with the feeling of a child's first Christmas. Anxious to see the signs of new progress, you check the seedbeds daily for the sight of the first new sprouts. The new growth stretches as the young plants reach for the sun and fills you with a new sense of curiosity. As the garden grows, a feeling of accomplishment and awe comes over you as you see the lush vegetation begin to flower and produce fruit. The scent of the zinnias and the sight of the squash brings a sense of well being over you as you check the daily growth of your efforts. Pride, serenity, and a sense of mystery takes over your mind and you begin to realize that when you are in your backyard garden, you are at peace. The stress of the day's activities subsides and you carry this renewed sense of calm with you into tomorrow as the world becomes more manageable. In a country where obesity is a monumental problem, fast food advertising dominates the television, and we are continually lectured on the importance of eating right, we need to look no farther than our own backyard to discover the key to good health. Vegetables have been proclaimed to reduce the risk of cancer, reduce blood pressure, and keep us heart healthy. Along with great taste, fresh vegetables are packed with vitamins, minerals and nutrients necessary to maintain good health. The exercise you get from weeding the garden and the addition of the low fat vegetables to your diet is a one-two punch guaranteed to keep you in shape. Your backyard garden could be the most valuable weapon in your arsenal for achieving good health. The escalating cost of gasoline and the high cost of supermarket vegetables makes growing a backyard garden a sound and practical economic choice. Storing your vegetables for winter use lets you enjoy the savings year around. The experience of watching your garden grow from seeds to plants is one of the most satisfying pleasures that can be had in a backyard. The garden will give you a more positive outlook on life as you monitor its growth and delight in your own self-achievement. Weeding and hoeing in the dirt is good physical exercise that we are all in dire need of. The addition of these healthy foods into our diet will assure that we are getting the most nutritious food available, and improve our chances of eliminating and reducing the risk of disease and illness.

Secret societies Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Secret societies - Thesis Example These legislations or law either snatch the right of someone to possess a gun or snatch the right totally from the manufacturers of the guns to produce guns. Many other countries have no such laws or legislations as the governments of these countries believe that these laws would do no good to the current situation of violence but it would rather increase it. Through my essay I would be able to research on the topic of Gun Control and would be able to know as to how it really is affecting the rate of violence nowadays. The readers can further know about the legislations against the possession of arms and would know if these legislations are successful or not. I believe that minimum gun control laws can be helpful in reducing crime rates as it has been witnessed in some real life examples. I believe that I can research on the topic by reviewing journals and articles which would help me to gain an insight in the topic. I would further review both the sides of gun control so that the readers can have a better understanding of the topic. I would put down the points of both the opponents and proponents on gun control laws and then conclude as to which side has stronger arguments. Some of the problems which I might face in writing the essay would possibly be related to researches which do not show statistics or are not complete to give out a conclusion. With every passing year, there are many changes that take place around the globe. These changes are to be met and faced accordingly. Gun control is a subject which lies in a similar category. It was banned a long time ago due to the safety of the citizens in those times and the low crime rate. But since time has changed and more protection is required by everyone, this ban can be revised considering the help that it can provide to people. This can be effective if suitable measures are taken before removing this ban. Huizinga, David, Rolf

Ecuadors Adoption of Finlands Education System

Ecuadors Adoption of Finlands Education System ABSTRACT This research is focused on the most viable solutions that Ecuador has to improve its educational system, based on certain characteristics and key factors of the best education system in the world that is Finnish according to the TEST PISA (2012). The three most feasible alternatives that can lead the Ecuadorian educational system to rise in the ranking of education worldwide. The possible solutions are: first, teachers will be more qualified, and thus incorporate more dynamic techniques; Second, small classes will allow for personalized learning; And third, students will develop language and artistic skills from an early age. Ecuadorians would be the ones who would benefit most, since a good quality education implies that the student has a good academic level at the regional level, therefore implies that he will be able to perform optimally in the future and in that way to help in the academic development of the country. How Would Ecuador Benefit From Adopting Finlands Education System? Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn. (Benjamin Franklin, n.d), education system in Ecuador is not at higher level at regional level, much less at worldwide level, the Ecuadorian system is based in memorization and huge amounts of tests, making the classes boring for the students, moreover as Susan Segal (2016) said, the education system in Latin America is antiquated and uses a defective model. as a result, students are suffering the consequences; the Latin American students do not receive a quality education, and they achieve the minimum level of learning as shown by the results of the 2012 PISA TEST (para. 1). Ecuador need to change the system education, Ecuador need to focus and start from the bottom, this means that Ecuador need to start the change with the lowest level, from kinder garden, the children need to develop new skills related with creativity and team work, with these skills they will start to add great learning fundamentals, this will help them in their path of knowledge until their adulthood. The best way to try a change is adopting the Finland education system, which is the number 1 according 2012 PISA TEST. Because the Finnish education system is the number 1 all around the world, society thinks that their system education is strict, tedious and even boring for their students. However, the reality is the opposite, according to Dr. Tony Wagner from The Finland Phenomenon, children develop a certain kind of passion for learning and the reason is the environment, a safety, lovely and full of confidence environment between students, teachers, parents and government create the perfect environment for learn (Compton, 2011). Ecuadorian students can benefit from adopting Finlands education system in three ways: first, teachers will be more qualified, and thus incorporate more dynamic techniques; second, small classes will allow for personalized learning; and third, students will develop language and artistic skills from an early age. First of all, one of the greatest characteristic that Ecuador need to adopt form Finnish education system is lead to teach only hiring professionals qualified with a masters degree; according to William Doyle (2016), the minimum request for being a teacher in Finland is having a masters degree in education, in preference with specialization in research and classroom practice (para. 13). Teachers with higher degree of education greater number of knowledge, this is basically a fact. Due to teachers have a masters degree they know how to treat with their students, teachers can design and choose an ideal model of learning for their students with the final purpose to make easier the understanding of the knowledge imparted towards the students. The fact that teachers have a masters degree in education makes it possible for them to find the simplest, most dynamic and ideal way to get students to improve the way they absorb knowledge. Teachers besides of been fundamental is the educational aspect they are also fundamental in the emotional aspect. According to Edutopia Team (2005), one important role that teachers have is to coach a guide their students through their educative journey; teachers can manage the time reducing the lecturing time in classes for adding more time to mentoring them. (para. 8). Teachers can support to their students giving to them motivation for learning, for example putting an exercise and the first 3 students will have extra points, or giving candies for each question well attended. Having better academic preparation the teacher will be better able to adapt to the student and develop better learning methods. Second of all, A normal classroom in Ecuador is between 30 to 50 students, this fact makes to teachers more difficult to take control of the class in every aspect, as the behavior of the students or having enough time to address the doubts of all students. Meanwhile, in Finland the maximum capacity is around 20 students per each classroom, this characteristic can solve in an efficient way the problems previously mentioned. Also, a main idea is implement technological resources such as electronic devices as tools for teachers and students with the objective of develop the academic performance. It is a logical fact all around the world that while lower number of students in a classroom, higher quality of learning; how is this possible? Well, according to OCDE, There is a general perception thatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the size of the class, understood as such, could be seen as an indicator of the quality of the education system. (Education Indicators in Focus, 2012). Third of all, the Finnish educational system has a solid base from the start of education in their youngest students, it means their kindergarten students develop many skills and habits for learning and behavior in-and-outside the class. Ecuador need change from the bottom of the academic pyramid. Starting with a whole change in the educational system with kindergarten students. Also, implementing the learning-through-play-based preschools and kindergartens. Ecuador can restructure the methodologies and contents of childrens centers throughout the country. After the process of restructuring Ecuador will be ready for a future with a solid educational structure that will allow a change with respect to the new generation to the previous generations, would be an educational revolution that has as a protagonist the kindergarten children as Finnish educational system. Besides the restructuration of the educational system, the other necessary change in Ecuador would be education of quality for everyone, it means that whoever can receive education independent from the economic or social situation. The final step of the restructuring in the educational system is to provide kindergarten students with skills and habits oriented and related to the educational world. According to William Doyle (2016), children in Finnish schools not only receive basic knowledge in math, language and science. Finnish children through learning-through-play-based preschools and kindergartens, this method is used to teach second languages, arts, physic education, ethics, between others. This kind of learning is necessary because children will be able to develop concentration and cognitive focus (para.21). These fundaments will allow to students an academic progress through their educational journey. In Summary, if well the educational system of Ecuador is not the worst all around the world, is one of the worst a Latin American level. Is for this reason that the Ecuadorian educational system need to change. Due to Finnish educational system is the number one worldwide, the most recommendable option is adopting fundamental principles and characteristics from Finnish educational system that allow it to be the best in the world. In this way, we can change the future of Ecuador. What Ecuador can adopt from the educational system of Finland are: master degree teachers, more qualified teachers will incorporate more dynamic techniques and better methods to improve the education. Also, developing arts and science skills in an early age with learning-through-play-based preschools and kindergartens will allow develop concentration and cognitive focus. Finally reducing the number of students per class and adding technological tools as personalized platforms where teachers and students can interact between them and the use of applications developed to teach, for example Duolingo that teach english. In this way with this options Ecuador can change in the educational field for better. References Education system of Finland. (2013, 25 June). [Documentary]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnRb_PtpN7I Segal, S. (2016, May 20). The case for disruption in Latin Americas classrooms. Mecd.gob.es. (2016). Citar un sitio web Cite This For Me. [online] Available at: http://www.mecd.gob.es/dctm/inee/indicator-in-focus/edif-2012n9-esp.pdf?documentId=0901e72b814703c2 [Accessed 19 Dec. 2016]. Edutopia. (2016). Big Ideas for Better Schools: Ten Ways to Improve Education. [online] Available at: https://www.edutopia.org/big-ideas-better-schools [Accessed 19 Dec. 2016]. The Hechinger Report. (2016). How Finland broke every rule and created a top school system The Hechinger Report. [online] Available at: http://hechingerreport.org/how-finland-broke-every-rule-and-created-a-top-school-system/ [Accessed 19 Dec. 2016].

Sexual Harassment and Diversity in the Workplace :: Workplace Diversity

Introduction Workforce diversity is a new term in business and industry. It is a term that is still uncommon in various areas of the world. Diversity can be considered by taking two different perspectives. Firstly, there are those fundamental individual attributes that make everyone on the earth unique for example disability, personality among others. Secondly, there are those differences that exist based on group membership for example race, ethnicity, and cultural differences among others (Barak, 131). Diversity is being an associate of either an indiscernible or discernible groups that are believed to be mainstream in the society (Barak, 131). Pluralism, on the other hand, is the distribution of supremacy among the many groups of the society (Carroll and Buchholtz, 8). In other words, pluralism means decentralization and diversification of authority from a group of few individuals from the top to the majority at the bottom of the societal hierarchy. Workplace diversity brings about a variety of ethical issues in the places of work. For example, sexual harassment due to sexual orientation, racism and ethnicity, gender issues among others. Sexual harassment is characterized by annoying sexual advances and innuendos meant for others; who think that such actions violate their right or interfere with their work. People take part in sexual harassment because of their sexual desires, or when, they want some sexual favors; prompted by the prevailing situation. For example, employees may be harassed sexually, by their managers, so that they get promotion. Sexual harassment is one of the ethical issues that face managers and employees alike. If it is perceived in an organization, it can strain the relationship between the organization and the society (Carroll and Buchholtz, 4). My personal view Regarding sexual harassment, I personally think that people need to have a more mature way of dealing with issues of sexuality. We need to go about them more carefully and privately. Sexual advances can be made provided the two individuals consent on the same. These advances should not be pegged on certain expectations on favoritism in workplace but can be for the continuity of the genealogy or for the purposes of procreation. Various cultural practices have seen various forms of sexual relationships that exist within the society. As a Christian, I think is wrong and unfair to engage in irresponsible sexual behaviors like sexual harassment. We should bear in mind that it is against Christian teaching and against the ten commandments of God.

Qatari law Essay

Qatar is located in a peninsula jutting out 100 miles into the Persian Gulf from Saudi Arabia. The country is mainly barren and is situated with Saudi Arabia on its west and United Arab Emirates on its southern border. Qatar occupies a total land area of 11,437 square kilometers. (Infoplease, 2007) Climate experienced in this region is generally hot and dry due to the desert landscape. The air is usually humid but is sultry during the summer time. Naturally occurring disasters experienced in the area are haze, dust storms and sandstorms. Qatar has only 1% of its land area that is classified as arable while 5% of the land is used for raising pastures. Qatar has an estimated population of 1,000,000 (in 2007), and approximately 200,000 are citizens. Nearly all Qatari profess Islam approximately 95% of the population. Majority of the population migrated due to the availability of employment for the oil industry in Qatar. Arabic serves as the official language while English and other languages are also spoken in Qatar. Many Qataris trace back their roots to natives of the Arabian Peninsula. Migratory tribes have settled in Qatar during the 8th century. There were also migration from gulf Emirates and as well as Persian merchants. Today, most of Qatar’s inhabitants cluster in Doha, the capital city. Foreigners with temporary status comprise 52% of the total population and make up approximately 89% of the total workforce. In 2004, the country had a total population of approximately 1,000,000 (in 2007), of whom approximately 200,000 were believed to be citizens. Of the citizen population, Shi’a Muslims account for approximately 3 percent and Sunni Muslims comprise the remaining 97 percent. The majority of the estimated 800,000 non-citizens are individuals from South and South East Asian and Arab countries working on temporary employment contracts in most cases without their accompanying family members. They are of the following faiths: Sunni Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Baha’is. Most foreign workers and their families live near the major employment centers of Doha, Al Khor, Messaeed, and Dukhan. The Christian community is a diverse mix of Indians, Filipinos, Europeans, Arabs, and Americans. It includes Catholic, Orthodox, Coptic, Anglican, and other Protestant denominations. The Hindu community is almost exclusively Indian, while Buddhists include south and East Asians. Most Baha’is in Qatar may come from nearby Iran. Religion is not indicated on national identity cards and passports, nor is it a criterion for citizenship in Qatar according to the Nationality Law. However, Qatari citizens are either Sunni or Shi’a Muslims with the exception of a Baha’i and Syrian Christian and their respective families who were granted citizenship. Shi’a, both citizens and foreigners, may attend a small number of Shi’a mosques. There is some limitation of the religious liberty of Christians. No foreign missionary groups operate openly in the country. Culture Qatar explicitly uses Sunni law as the basis of its government, and the vast majority of its citizens follow Hanbali Madhhab. Hanbali (is one of the four schools (Madhhabs) of Fiqh or religious law within Sunni Islam (The other three are Hanafi, Maliki and Shafii). Sunni Muslims believe that all four schools have â€Å"correct guidance†, and the differences between them lie not in the fundamentals of faith, but in finer judgments and jurisprudence, which are a result of the independent reasoning of the imams and the scholars who followed them. Because their individual methodologies of interpretation and extraction from the primary sources were different, they came to different judgments on particular matters. Qatari law When contrasted with other Arab states such as Saudi Arabia, for instance, Qatar has comparatively liberal laws, but is still not as liberal as some of its neighbors like UAE or Bahrain. Women can legally drive in Qatar, whereas they may not in Saudi Arabia. The country has undergone a period of liberalization and modernization after the current Emir of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, came to power after becoming Emir in place of his father. Under his rule, Qatar became the first Arab country in the Persian Gulf where women gained the right to vote. Also, women can dress mostly as they please in public (although in practice local Qatari women generally don the black abaya). Before the liberalization, it was taboo for men to wear shorts in public. The laws of Qatar tolerate alcohol to a certain extent. However, public bars and nightclubs in Qatar operate only in expensive hotels and clubs, much like in the UAE and Bahrain, though the number of establishments has yet to equal that of UAE. Qatar has further been liberalized due to the 15th Asian Games, but is cautious of becoming too liberal in their law making the country viable weekend immigration from their western neighbor. Overall Qatar has yet to reach the more western laws of UAE or Bahrain, and though plans are being made for more development, the government is cautious Economy Before the discovery of oil the economy of the Qatari region focused on fishing and pearling. After the introduction of the Japanese cultured pearl into the world market in the 1920s and 1930s. Qatar’s pearling industry faltered. However, the discovery of oil reserves, beginning in the 1940s, completely transformed the state’s economy. Now the country has a high standard of living, with many social services offered to its citizens and all the amenities of any modern state Qatar’s national income primarily derives from oil and natural gas exports. The country has oil estimated at 15 billion barrels (2.4 km3), while gas reserves in the giant north field (South Pars for Iran) which straddles the border with Iran and are almost as large as the peninsula itself are estimated to be between 800 – 900tcf (Trillion Cubic Feet – 1tcf is equal to around 80 million barrels of oil equivalent) (Anonymous, 2005). Qatar’s primary source of income relies on its oil reserves, which constitutes more than 30% of its Gross Domestic Product. An estimated reserve of 3. 7 billion barrels is predicted to last up to 23 years with sustained level of output (â€Å"Qatar: Background†, 2007). Qatar also has one of the world’s largest reserves for Natural Gas, estimated to be more than 5% of the world’s total reserve or amounting to 7trillion cubic meters. These two natural resources constitutes the backbone of Qatar’s economy (â€Å"Qatar†, 2002). Oil industry in Qatar On 1935, a 75-year oil concession was granted to Qatar Petroleum Company, which was owned by Anglo-Dutch, French and USA. At Dukhan, located at the western side of Qatar, high quality oil was discovered. Oil exploitation was delayed due to the onset of World War II and Qatar was only able to export oil during 1949. Due to the increase in revenue from oil export during the 1950s and 1960s, Qatar entered the start of its modern history. This was the start of Qatar’s prosperity, rapid immigration was experienced due to employment brought about by the oil industry and substantial social changes was experienced. When UK announced in 1968 the policy of ending the treaty relationship with the Gulf Shiekdoms, failed talks with the other sheikdoms in a plan to form the United Arab Emirates resulted to Qatar declaring independence on September 3, 1971. Oil still forms the cornerstone of Qatar’s economy well into the 1990’s. Today Oil still accounts for about 62% of total government revenue. In 1973, income generated from oil production and exportation gradually increased the country’s revenue. This has helped Qatar move from previously ranked as one of the world’s poorest countries into one of the highest per capita income in the world. In 2006, the country has a per capita income of $62,000, which is ranked as fifth in the world (Beureau_of_Eastern_Affairs, 2007). During the 1990’s, OPEC or Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries had lower oil production quotas resulting to fall in oil prices. The result was an unpromising outlook in the international markets and reduced earnings in oil products led to recession in Qatar. Many small businesses were affected and expatriate staffs were affected by massive lay off. However the country was able to regain economically by the late 1990’s and expatriate population have grown again. Qatar’s oil production is currently estimated around 835,000 barrels a day. It is expected to reach 1. 1 million barrels per day by the year 2009. With the current rate of producing oil, reserves in Qatar are expected to last up to more than 40 years. However Qatar has other resources that are also exploited for production. It’s proven reserves of natural gas are the third largest in the world. The gas reserves of North Fields in Qatar exceed more than 900 trillion cubic feet or 14% of the worlds total gas reserves. Qatar is the largest producer of Liquefied Natural Gas with more than 31 million metric tons per annum. By 2010, Qatar is expected to produce 77. 5 million metric tons per annum and will account for one third of the world’s LNG supply (Beureau_of_Eastern_Affairs, 2007). Qatar’s oil fields are estimated to be depleted by 2023. But with the discovery of natural gas in the Northern fields, Qatar economy received a great boost from gas reserves income generated from exportation of Liquefied Petroleum Gas. Currently Qatar exports gas to Korea, India and China via shipping lines while gas is delivered via pipelines to Kuwait, UAE and Bahrain. Exploration: Early exploration took place in May 1935 as part of an agreement between the English-Persian Corporation and the Sheikh of Qatar at that time Abdullah Bin Jassem Al-Thani to explore oil for a term of 75 years. The agreement was executed by a corporation, which is later known as Qatar Oil Associated Corporation. Exploration, however, was adjourned due to border problems with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, but eventually started in 1938 extensively (â€Å"Country profile: Qatar†, 2008). In 1949, Qatar started to export oil through Mesaieed port on the East Coast. The first exported quantity was 80,000 tons on board President Liner on 31/12/1949 for a price of 5. 9 million Indian rupees received in 1951. Qatar developed its production speedily; and in 1951, it reached 46,500 barrels a day compared to only 34,000 a day before that time (â€Å"Energy and Resources—Sources and Definitions†, 2003). The State of Qatar became number 11 among oil exporting countries in 1952, with a production of 67,700 barrels a day, i. e. , 0. 5% of world production. Consequently, oil revenue increased to 4. 2 million US dollars in 1951, and 12 US million dollars in 1952.

Free Essays on Anne Bradstreet

Anne Bradstreet â€Å"Gender† The Struggles and Fears of being a Puritan mother and a puritan woman, Bradstreet had trouble writing poetry in a patriarchal, unimaginative world. Although Bradstreet grew up in affluence with the luxury of an excellent education, she was expected to behave as a normal Puritan woman. She was the wife and child of colonial governor, but her status could not save her from the maltreatment and contempt of women stepping over the line. The Puritan belief that a woman’s place is in the home perturbed Bradstreet. She did not agree with the cultural bias toward women in her time. Bradstreet was criticized harshly for her role as a female writer; nevertheless, she wrote more and more about being a woman. She showed the world that being a woman was to her advantage in the realm of her poetry. As Perry Miller explains, in an era that subordinated women to men and men to God â€Å"women who stepped beyond their domestic defines through literature- by reading or writing- were co nsidered dangerous to themselves and to society†¦Puritans expressed considerable scorn for women who wrote or published† (360-61). On the other hand, Elaine Showalter offers the remark that â€Å"Bradstreet’s writings [i.e. her important later writings] is more inflected by gender than by nationality; it is not American.† Alvin H. Rosenfeld states that â€Å"There is the primary fact the [Anne Bradstreet] was a woman poet, and we look to her accordingly for that special point of view that belongs to the feminine sensitivity and which, we hope, will provide certain details of life in early America missing in the writings of her Puritan brothers.† (Rosenfeld 1970, 79). In fact, many critics believe that Anne Dudley Bradstreet’s feminine sensibility has always attracted scholars searching for details of early American life absent from the writings of her male contemporaries. Some Critics make a range of claims about... Free Essays on Anne Bradstreet Free Essays on Anne Bradstreet Anne Bradstreet â€Å"Gender† The Struggles and Fears of being a Puritan mother and a puritan woman, Bradstreet had trouble writing poetry in a patriarchal, unimaginative world. Although Bradstreet grew up in affluence with the luxury of an excellent education, she was expected to behave as a normal Puritan woman. She was the wife and child of colonial governor, but her status could not save her from the maltreatment and contempt of women stepping over the line. The Puritan belief that a woman’s place is in the home perturbed Bradstreet. She did not agree with the cultural bias toward women in her time. Bradstreet was criticized harshly for her role as a female writer; nevertheless, she wrote more and more about being a woman. She showed the world that being a woman was to her advantage in the realm of her poetry. As Perry Miller explains, in an era that subordinated women to men and men to God â€Å"women who stepped beyond their domestic defines through literature- by reading or writing- were co nsidered dangerous to themselves and to society†¦Puritans expressed considerable scorn for women who wrote or published† (360-61). On the other hand, Elaine Showalter offers the remark that â€Å"Bradstreet’s writings [i.e. her important later writings] is more inflected by gender than by nationality; it is not American.† Alvin H. Rosenfeld states that â€Å"There is the primary fact the [Anne Bradstreet] was a woman poet, and we look to her accordingly for that special point of view that belongs to the feminine sensitivity and which, we hope, will provide certain details of life in early America missing in the writings of her Puritan brothers.† (Rosenfeld 1970, 79). In fact, many critics believe that Anne Dudley Bradstreet’s feminine sensibility has always attracted scholars searching for details of early American life absent from the writings of her male contemporaries. Some Critics make a range of claims about...

Procurement Strategies for Companies when Encountering Natural Disasters

Procurement Strategies for Companies when Encountering Natural Disasters Introduction The concept of procurement directly relates to the process of acquiring goods or services whether (raw or manufactured) in a way that enables a company to meet the needs of its clientele in terms of the quality of the product and quantity it is needed in.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Procurement Strategies for Companies when Encountering Natural Disasters specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Through the analysis of ( ), it can be seen that procurement is an essential process in all company operations since not all companies are able to extract raw materials, are capable of processing it into different components and have the capacity to assemble it into a viable product. It is based on this that when examining the manufacturing industry as a while it can be divided into 3 distinct types of companies: A raw materials supplier A components manufacturer End product manufacturer Manufacturing industry supply chain progression Companies are separated into these distinct categories based on the need to focus on a type of a specialization that they are good at rather than attempting to diversify itself into all aspects that go into creating a finished product. By doing so, this enables a company to significantly reduce its cost of operations while increasing its capacity to be able to develop better product types. Process in creating a finished product A finished product can this be considered as the culmination of a company utilizing different suppliers and using its own manufacturing processes to create products to be sold. For example, one of the most popular gadgets that has been sold within the past 5 years has been the Apple iPad, yet, the company itself merely sourced the materials needed in its constructions from other companies within its supply chain iPads are primarily manufactured in China by Foxconn (one of the largest electronic manufacturers in the world) with each in dividual part being purchased from different parts suppliers. The processor utilized within the tablet was purchased from Intel, the motherboard was bought from local suppliers in Taiwan, the memory components that go into it were from suppliers in China, and the solid state hard drive was from Seagate. In essence, nearly every single part that went into you average Apple was the result of procuring individual product components from a robust supply chain. Process Components Involved in the Development of the iPad The parts manufacturers involved in the process of creating an iPad in turn sourced the needed materials that went into their own products from their own raw material suppliers as well.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This process is known as a procurement supply chain that starts from raw material suppliers and ends with the final product on the she lves of a store. Do note though that this procurement supply chain is not primarily limited to consumer electronics, it can also include manufactured agricultural goods and most of the everyday items that people see around their home. The reason this is being brought up is due to the fact that while each type of product has its own manufacturing process and supply chain, all of them have the same characteristic in that they depend on the integrity and reliability of their respective procurement supply chains in order for their product to be created (Shuguang, 2010). Supply Chain Concept Due to the necessity of reliability in the provision of raw materials and equipment, this immediately brings up the question of what would happen a supply chain should an integral link in the process be removed due to an unforeseen external event (Shuguang, 2010). The end result would of course be obvious, the total and subsequent collapse of the chain which would prevent a product from being complet ed. What must be understood is that the inherent problems with doing business in the current global system is the fact that unforeseen circumstances such as natural disasters have severe ramifications on the supply chains for most corporations. Analysis Method Diagram Production processes are vulnerable due to their dependence on a continuous stream of raw materials and components (Stecke Kumar, 2009). Without raw materials, a capable labor force and a constant supply of energy in order to keep production facilities running, the end result is usually the entire system falling apart the seams. All aspects of the product development supply are necessary to ensure that products can be created to meet consumer demand. The inherent problem though with natural disasters is the fact that they affect all aspects of the production process that was just mentioned in unique ways and, as a result, when they occur this creates considerable difficulties for companies. Effect on Supply Lines When natural disasters occur near areas where production facilities are present, the supply of raw materials that goes into the production line stops completely. Natural disasters prevent accessibility due to the destruction of roads and bridges which makes it difficult if not impossible to get the necessary raw materials to the factories they are destined for (Bunkley, 2011).Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Procurement Strategies for Companies when Encountering Natural Disasters specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It should also be noted that companies would also be reluctant to send trucks to areas immediately after a natural disaster due to the possibility of a sudden recurrence. This precaution is actually justifiable as evidenced by a massive tsunami came that directly hit the Japan since after an earthquake had struck (Japan Earthquake, 2011). It should also be noted that raw materials do not always come from lo cal suppliers, rather, they can also come from international sources (as seen in the relationship between China and Australia involving iron ore and coal) (Financial performance, 2006).. The problem with this is that the various docks and piers designated for the offloading of cargo may have been affected by the natural disaster itself which creates a certain amount of difficulty in terms of getting the raw materials off of a ship and towards a production complex. The raw material suppliers themselves could have also been affected by the tsunami resulting in their own facilities receiving considerable damage which further complicates their capacity to be able to send raw materials to their various clients (Winslow, 2011). Effect on Production Capability When the 2011 earthquake and tsunami struck Japan, it revealed a vulnerability that modern day methods of production had wherein even though a facility is located hundreds of miles away from where a disaster actually happen, there is still the possibility of that particular disaster affecting the ability of that factory to produce products. This is due to the effect natural disasters have on power grids as well as the fact that it can prevent the delivery of essential parts and supplies (Lohr et al., 2011). It should also be noted that due to the earthquake and tsunami as well as the damage to the Fukushima dai-ichi nuclear reactor, factories located as far away as Tokyo had to slash to lower their production capacity to less than half of what they were normally capable of accomplishing on a daily basis due to issues related to worker safety, the loss of essential parts from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries that had factories near the disaster zone as well as intermittent power outages (Lohr et al., 2011). Factories located within Tokyo and various surrounding districts were thus unable to meet their production targets for the month which created problems for buyers from other countries such as the U.S. and China wh o relied on the scheduled delivery of essential parts and components (Bunkley, 2011). Sample Situation The 2011 earthquake in Japan and the subsequent tsunami that followed created numerous problems for the Japanese manufacturing industry located near Sendai and Fukushima (Bill, 2011).Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The tsunami destroyed several integral power plants and cables in the area which prevented numerous factories from operating within the immediate vicinity. The resulting destruction of several roads prevented raw materials froming going to the factories that needed them. The death of several family members prevented a large percentage of the workforce from going to the factories. The radiation scare from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant made the remaining workers unwilling to go to work due to the threat of radiation poisoning (Kluger et al., 2011). Examining the Issue The issue most companies have with natural disasters is that they stop the process of production in businesses located in the area of a disaster by affecting not only the workers, but also the facilities themselves and the capacity of raw material; suppliers to gather the necessary supplies for their clients. The degree of damage to production facilities can thus be considered as inversely proportional to the strategy of procurement that companies will apply. As such, this will be elaborated on in the next section in order to get a better idea of the strategies that can be employed after a disaster occurs. Minor or no Damage to Production Facilities Minor or no damage is the best outcome after a natural disaster since this ensures that the supply line of a company can be restored within a matter of two to three weeks while the company itself deals with the aftermath of the disaster (i.e. repairing facilities, replacing equipment, etc.) (Wimmer, 2000). This also comes in the form of restoring the delivery of raw materials to the factory, as well as encouraging workers that have not died to come back to work as well as having to send condolences to the families of workers that had died during the course of the disaster (Wimmer, 2000). Medium Scale Damage to Facilities During instances of medium scale damage to production facilities, this can come in form of light to moderate damage of the facility, the surrounding machinery and possible flooding in certain areas which will need to be dealt with (Chopra Sodhi, 2004). In the case of medium scale disasters, it can take up to one to two months to get the factory working again. For buyers, this means that they can either wait for production to start back up or they can switch to a temporary supplier until such a time that their original components supplier can re-establish itself in their supply line (Financial performance, 2006). Large Scale Damage to Facilities Large scale damage to production facilities means the destruction of the building itself along with nearly all of the factory’s production equipment and machinery. During such instances, it is unlikely that a company will be able to supply anything for at least a year or more due to the necessity of having to rebuild their facilities that were destroyed (Financial performance, 2006). For buyers, this means re-establishing a new supply line with a comp letely different company. Summary There is an old saying that states that you should not put all your eggs in one basket, what this means for the strategy of procurement in light of the possibility of natural disasters is to diversify sourcing strategies in order to prevent the possibility of being supply blocked There are several possible procurement strategies that could be employed in order to diversify supply lines for products, however, while each method does have its own merit, it also comes with several negative aspects that should be taken into account before creating a procurement strategy that centers around them. Ethicality Statement The research process for this paper primarily consisted of document analysis in order to gather the necessary facts and figures. During the entire process of research and examination, the researcher followed proper research ethics by: Utilizing only relevant academic literature for examination Checking alternative sources of information to e nsure that the information being utilized is accurate Implementing proper citation and acknowledge for the instances where information from relative academic sources were utilized In no way were any research subjects (though none were utilized) harmed during the process of data collection. None of the information utilized within the study has been falsified in any way. Overall, the research can confidently state that through the aforementioned practices that were implemented, this research study has followed proper ethical research guidelines in researching and presenting information for this report. Client Report Possible Procurement Strategies to Avoid Supply Problems due to Natural Disasters The first strategy that has been developed by this report would be to diversify the supply of integral components through several suppliers in diverse regions and countries instead of a single main supplier for the component (Perry, 2007). The advantage of this method is that should the area of one supplier be affected by a natural disaster, the remaining supply lines would still be viable and could â€Å"pick up the slack† so to speak of the lost supply line (Perry, 2007). One problem with this method is the fact that by separating the amount of components supplied through several companies, the company purchasing them actually loses out on savings from buying in bulk that could have come from ordering from a single company (Dillon Mazzola, 2010). Based on this, procurement strategies in the future will need to take into account what they desire out of their supply lines, either constant supply reliability through diversification of buying strategies or savings through concentration in a single company (Dillon Mazzola, 2010). Another problem to take note of when it comes to supply diversity is the possibility of shifting quality standards when sourcing from different companies from different locations. Companies have their own set of quality standards, busine ss culture and safety regulations that they adhere to depending upon the region in question. For example, companies within China have a much lower degree of corporate social responsibility as compared to companies within Japan, the U.S. and various European countries. Their production processes often do not take into account the subsequent environmental impact of heavy industrial manufacturing processes which enables them to use procedures that would seem environmentally unethical in companies within countries with strong standards of corporate social responsibility. Sourcing the same type of component from Germany, China and Japan would result in two distinct differences, namely: the price of the component and its inherent standard of quality (Manuj Mentzer, 2008). What this means for a company that is attempting to diversify its supply chains is that there would be a distinct difference in cost between the parts supplied as well as overall quality (Manuj Mentzer, 2008). This wou ld result in the components of the same product being invariably better or worse than others. This of course creates a problematic situation for a companys quality standards since the differences in component quality have to be taken into account during the quality control process. Another possibility that could be taken into consideration is that assuming the quality standards of the suppliers a company is sourcing a single component from are the same the company could merely source the same component from different locations to avoid interruptions in the supply chain. The inherent problem with this situation is the differences in cost due to the distance of delivery. If a company were to source products from different suppliers yet all of them are located in the same general area this makes the concept of supply diversity useless since they would all be hit by the same natural disaster. One method around this would be source products from different regions or better yet different countries (Skoufias, 2003). The advantage of this method is that it would prevent natural disasters from hitting all suppliers at one time. As mentioned earlier, the problem with this is the differences in overall costs in delivery with some locations that are nearer obviously costing less than those that are far away. In cases such as this, companies would then choose to have a majority of their supplied components coming from locations that are nearby thus lowering the cost of transportation (Skoufias, 2003). In this situation, it is assumed that all components cost the same and that it is the cost of delivery that causes differences in prices. Another approach to the problem comes in the form of simply obtaining suppliers from locations that are not prone to natural disasters thus there would be little risk of disruptions. While this method of procurement is sound, there is still a problem as to whether there would actually be a components manufacturer in an area that is not easi ly affected by natural disasters. Work Log Work Log 1 During this week it was determined that while there are a variety of possible solutions available to prevent interruptions in the supply chain, they are not without significant setbacks. The inherent problem with trying to prevent any and all supply chain interruptions while taking into account the possibility of natural disasters is the fact that there are too many factors at work to actually create a 100% effective plan that can mitigate all problems. It was discovered that the best possible solution would be diversify the supply chain to such an extent to ensure that production does not stop completely should a supplier be affected by a natural disaster. Work Log 2 While it was mentioned in the earlier work log that diversification would help to reduce the potential threats brought about by natural disasters, it was determined that this would cause problems in terms of profitability as compared to sourcing from a single suppli er. The fact remains that anchoring a supply chain to a single lone supplier can and will cause problems to a buyer should an outside event affect their production capability as seen in the case of Apple Incorporated and their suppliers in Japan. Work Log 3 Research into possible areas not directly affected by natural disasters shows that areas located in the Middle East have fewer natural disasters as compared to other locations around the world. Unfortunately, their industries are neither agriculturally nor industrially based and, as such, would prove to be viable locations for sourcing only if a company was dealing with petroleum based products. If not, they would not prove to be useful at all. Work Log 4 In this work log, the viability of sourcing from a single supplier was examined. Unfortunately, as it was stated earlier, this means the supply line is isolated to that particular supplier and should anything happen to that company as a result of a natural disaster the productio n capabilities of the company sourcing that particular component would grind to a halt. Overall Summary Through this activity, I have come to learn that businesses do not operate within a vacuum and, as such, business managers and product sourcing specialists need to take into consideration a plethora of different factors when it comes to ensuring the integrity of their respective supply chains. While natural disasters cannot be anticipated in their entirety, the fact remains that plans can still be established which should help to lessen their impact on a company’s supply chain. Reference List Bill, O 2011, ‘Japan Hit by Massive Earthquake’, OReilly Factor (FOX News), Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost. Bunkley, N 2011, ‘Japans Automakers Expect Longer Delays’, Academic Search Premier, p. 1. Chopra, S, Sodhi, M, 2004, ‘Managing Risk to Avoid Supply Chain Breakdown’,  MIT Sloan Management Review, vol. 46, no. 1, pp. 53-62. Dillon, R, Mazzola, J 2010, ‘Management of disruption risk in global supply Chains’, IBM Journal of Research Development, vol. 54, no. 3, pp.1-9. Financial performance 2006, ‘Supply chains after disruptions an event study’, Supply  Chain Management, vol.11, no. 1, pp. 25-33. Japan Earthquake, 2011, ‘Thoughts and Implications’, Emerging Markets Monitor, vol. 16, no. 47, pp. 1-3. Kluger, J, Harrel, E, Powell, B, Walsh, B 2011, ‘Fear Goes Nuclear’, Time, vol. 177, no. 1, p. 34. Lohr, S, Bunkley, N, Kopytoff, V 2011, ‘Supply Disruptions of Power and Water Threaten Japans Economy’, Academic Search Premier, p. 1. Manuj, I, Mentzer, J 2008, ‘Global supply chain risk management strategies’,  International Journal of Physical Distribution Logistics Management, vol. 38, no. 3, pp.192-223. Perry, M 2007, ‘Natural disaster management planning A study of logistics managers responding to the tsunami’, Intern ational Journal of Physical Distribution   Logistics Management, vol. 37, no. 5, pp. 409-433 Shuguang, L, Jun, L, Hayes, K 2010, ‘An agile and diversified supply chain reducing operational risks’, Competitiveness Review, vol. 20, no. 3, pp. 222-234. Skoufias, E 2003, ‘Economic Crises and Natural Disasters Coping Strategies and Policy Implications’, World Development, vol. 31, no. 7, p. 1087. Stecke, K, Kumar, S 2009, ‘Sources of Supply Chain Disruptions Factors That Breed Vulnerability and Mitigating Strategies’, Journal of Marketing Channels, vol. 16, no. 3, p. 193. Wimmer, S 2000, ‘Procurement Pros Stay Afloat in Wake of Natural Disasters’,  Government Procurement, vol. 8, no. 2, p. 7. Winslow, G 2011, ‘Japan Quake Shakes TV Equipment Suppliers’, Multichannel News, vol. 32, no. 12, p. 25.