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.

Capstone Research Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Capstone Research Paper - Essay Example related to pre-drinking among current college students, questionnaires and focus groups were conducted in order to collect qualitative data related to the topic. In response to the pre-gaming phenomenon, policymakers in both educational and governmental contexts should take appropriate action to reduce the risks to students who partake in these activities. While institutions should not advocate pre-gaming, especially among those who are under the minimum legal age for drinking, they should also shy away from making the wrong decision and simply displacing the behavior into a less safe environment. Pre-drinking, or â€Å"pre-gaming†, is an increasingly common practice among college students aged between 18-25 years old because of a number of factors. To explore these factors, a body of research has emerged to shed light on motivations for why individuals partake in pre-gaming activities, which will be subsequently reviewed. Once existing research is described, this paper will discuss an independent study performed with a questionnaire and focus groups with a sample of college students discussing their own experiences with pre-gaming. Comparisons between their feedback and the findings of the overall literature on pre-gaming will be discussed at length. Policy implications for educational and governmental institutions in response to these findings will be explored in greater detail. Pre-gaming involves taking heavy amounts of alcoholic drinks in a private setting before going to a social event in a licensed drinking establishment such as nightclubs or bars (Wile & Werlinsky, 2000, p. 7). In recent decades, level of alcohol consumption among young adults has increased to record highs. Most studies have attributed such increases to the widespread availability of affordable alcohol and increased prevalence of drinking events for young adults, particularly those enrolled in post-secondary education institutions. In the United States, about 38% of college students have

Planning (Local Development Framework) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Planning (Local Development Framework) - Essay Example Local Development Framework (LDF)- This is essentially a folder of documents outlining the spatial planning development strategy of a local area. These are prepared by the district councils, unitary authorities and local park authorities. LDF and RSS together shall shape the development planning system in a community. One key aspect of the new system is the role of local community involvement in the plan making process. The Local Development Framework (LDF) will include several Development Plan Documents (DPDs) and a number of Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs). The Development Plan Documents, along with the Mayor of London's London Plan, Development Plan and will be the basis upon which all planning decisions are made. The main DPDs in LDF are as follows: Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) - this document sets out how and when the communities and local stakeholders will participate in the revision of local planning documents as well as consideration of planning applications. The most important benefit of SCI would be "front loading" which basically means that communities get the opportunity to participate in planning process and make a difference at the very beginning of each document development. Ready access to information, active contribution from the stakeholders and regular feedback make it vibrant. Essentially SCI addresses the following : Local Development SIssues on which the community involvement is being sought-The entire range of local development documents on which community shall be involved. Methodology of community involvement- The process of receiving and spreading of information, policy and plan development procedures and feedback process. Who to involve- To ensure that even those groups who do not get involved in planning process are involved so that the participation is truly broad based. Annual Monitoring Report- Assessment report of the progress and effectiveness of an LDF submitted to the government by a local planning authority. It will include critical analysis of the following: Achievement of objectives as per the policies especially delivery of sustainable development. Consequences of the policies as intended or not. Relevance of objectives and assumptions behind the policies. Achievement of targets as set out in LDF Range of local and standard (Core output) indicators. Recommendation on adjustment to local development scheme if needed. Local Development Scheme- This is the scheme of the local development documents (LDDs) which will be produced giving their time and order of production. It is the threshold for the community and local stakeholders to know: about the planning polices of the authority for a particular place or an issue. status of those policies details and timetable for production of all the documents which comprise Local Development Framework over a three year time period. Other optional documents may include Supplementary Planning Documents (which explain the LDDs or add details to them) and Local Development Orders (which extend permitted rights for a particular form of development) or Simplified Development Zones (Areas where growth needs to be stimulated by granting waiver of planning fees or the need for a formal application) It was found that the existing documents were too detailed and complicated for the general public to understand. These actually hampered public participation rather than encourage it. In order to address these issues and to educate & inform general