Emerging Logistics Strategy Essay

The purpose of this paper is to identify and describe the emerging business logistics strategies which have emerged in the market place over the last few decades and will remain dominant well into the better half of twenty first century. Analysis through this work will argue that the two strategic concepts, namely supply chain integration and cycle time compression, represent distinctly different yet complementary approaches to corporate logistics which form the frameworks around which hundreds of firms are building successful logistics system. INTRODUCTION Logistics Strategy is the science of evaluating the most cost effective methodology of distributing goods to market while achieving service level objectives. It is important for companies to recognize that logistics strategy can be product-specific, customer-specific, and location-specific and that supply chains for each industry are dynamic and evolving. It is always a challenge for logistics strategy planners to develop a series of logistics strategies for different clients, integrating manpower, facilities and workflow in the logistics strategies together to compromise with other clients’ logistics strategies. The choice of an appropriate and effective logistics strategy must be guided by the objectives of the firm as well as by its capabilities and resources. In addition, the development of successful logistics strategy must recognize and deal with important factors and conditions in the firm’s external business environment. The environment of logistics has changed greatly because of global integration and the gradual shortening of lifecycles of products. For that reason a brief overview of what are, perhaps, the most significant of these factors in the business environment like increasing globalization, mergers and acquisitions, downsizing, new IT systems etc. are also discussed. In this paper, contemporary logistics strategy and evolution of emerging strategies like SCM and Cycle time reduction will be explained. Implementation issues and other challenges like reaping the benefits of IT,  choosing a trade-off between complementary strategies; integration issues etc. are elaborately discussed. This paper will mostly discuss the logistics strategy which the companies are adopting to succeed in the emerging markets like India, China etc. Emerging markets are becoming hot destinations for carrying out business mainly because of access to low cost labors and material. However at the same time how the firm mitigates the risk associated with doing business in foreign territory and how it manages the associated cost of transportation will also be discussed. Logistics Strategy and its importance When a company creates a logistics strategy it is defining the service levels at which its logistics organization is at its most cost effective. Because supply chains are constantly changing and evolving, a company may develop a number of logistics strategies for specific product lines, specific countries or specific customers. The supply chain constantly changes and that will affect any logistics organization. To adapt to the flexibility of the supply chain, companies should develop and implement a formal logistics strategy. This will allow a company to identify the impact of imminent changes and make organizational or functional changes to ensure service levels are not reduced. Parameters Involved in Developing a Logistic Strategy A company can start to develop a logistics strategy by looking at four distinct levels of their logistics organization. * Strategic: By examining the company’s objectives and strategic supply chain decisions, the logistics strategy should review how the logistics organization contributes to those high-level objectives. * Structural: The logistics strategy should examine the structural issues of the logistics organization, such as the optimum number of warehouses and distribution centers or what products should be produced at a specific manufacturing plant. * Functional: Any strategy should review how each separate function in the logistics organization is to achieve functional excellence. * Implementation: The key to developing a successful logistics strategy is how it is to be implemented across the organization. The plan for implementation will include development or configuration of an information system, introduction  of new policies and procedures and the development of a change management plan. Components to Examine when Developing a Logistics Strategy When examining the four levels of logistics organization, all components of the operation should be examined to ascertain whether any potential cost benefits can be achieved. There are different component areas for each company but the list should at least include the following: * Transportation: Does the current transportation strategies help service levels? * Outsourcing: What outsourcing is used in the logistics function? Would a partnership with a third party logistics company improve service levels? * Logistics Systems: Do the current logistics systems provide the level of data that is required to successfully implement a logistics strategy or are new systems required? * Competitors: Review what the competitors offer. Can changes to the company’s customer service improve service levels? * Information: Is the information that drives the logistics organization real-time and accurate? If the data is inaccurate then the decisions that are made will be in error. * Strategy Review: Are the objectives of the logistics organization in line with company objectives and strategies. A successfully implemented logistics strategy is important for companies who are dedicated to keeping service levels at the highest levels possible despite changes that occur in the supply chain. Current logistics operating environment Since 1990s, the environment of logistics has changed greatly because of global integration and the gradual shortening of lifecycles of products. The mode of production in enterprises has changed from the traditional mass production mode led by products into the mass customization production mode to facilitate increasing global market competition. Srinivasa (2001) pointed out three main reasons of such revolution. 1. Change of manufacturing strategy In the past, logistics was recognized as a distinct function with the rise of mass production systems. Since 1990s, the Japanese philosophy of distributed manufacturing and lean manufacturing has become the key technique which is widely adopted around the world. Consequently, the logistics operation is  forced to change in order to fit such new Japanese manufacturing strategy. As a whole, logistics has become an extremely complicated process in which expert knowledge is required. 2. Change of customer demand Business environment as a whole is becoming extremely volatile. As product life cycle becomes shorter, manufacturers can no longer push their products down the supply chain easily. On the contrary, it is the consumer who pulls the products along this supply chain. Price and quality are no longer sufficient to thrive in this market. As speed to market and flexibility of the supply chain become the winning criteria, logistics management has grown much more complex in order to satisfy these conditions simultaneously. 3. Globalization As enterprises expand their markets beyond national boundaries, the need for more sophisticated services like multi-modal transport and international trade rules compliance increases. Hence, redesign of logistics operation is essential in order to achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness on these issues. These issues revealed the complexity of logistics management in that traditional logistics operation which includes large quantity of stock storage and distribution cannot fulfill the real time, flexibility logistics service demand among the supply chain parties. Moreover, since logistics network has became more complex, it takes time to make critically decision in resource allocation and work task arrangement accurately. In the current dynamic scenario where business landscape has changed a lot and more and more business are becoming customer centric firms have realized that to remain competitive they need to consider logistics as a part of their strategy and not just another fu nction. Companies have gained significant advantages over their competitors by focusing and crafting a logistics strategy which suits their requirement. However, there is no fixed Logistics strategy solution in place for any type of industry. It depends on and varies from the type of goods, nature of industry, the market it serves etc. Below are some of the questions that a firm’s logistics strategy must address. Fast / Slow -A company logistics strategy must handle fast moving products differently from slow and medium moving products within their own  distribution center(s) and within their distribution network. It is to be seen is it economically beneficial to set up regional â€Å"fast† facilities and a centralized â€Å"slow† facility? DSD / Non-stock – A company must have a clear understanding of all of the cost components and lost profit opportunities for products that are deemed â€Å"Direct store Delivery† or â€Å"non-stock† items. There has to be a logistics strategy in place that clearly delineates when an item should be inventoried. Third Party Services -Does your company need to own and/or operate its own distribution facilities or is it more effective to have third party logistics providers manage some or all aspects of your logistics functions? What are the economical, service and other considerations your company needs to consider before taking these steps? Hub and Spoke -Are there economical cost of goods advantages to sourcing products into a centralized distribution center that subsequently distributes to regional facilities or branches through a hub and spoke distribution network? Inbound Logistics -Are there opportunities to reduce your landed cost of goods through improved inbound logistics strategy including load consolidation, reduced handling, backhauls, etc.? Outbound Logistics-Are there opportunities to reduce your outbound transportation costs through improved private fleet routing? Through improved carrier rate shopping, through load consolidation opportunities, etc.? Facility Consolidation-Is your company operating too many distribution centers that are underutilized? What are the economical benefits and service impacts of closing one or more of your distribution points? Inventory reduction-Is your company carrying the right assortment and inventory levels to achieve service level objectives? To minimize inventory assets, to minimize storage and handling costs? Supply Chain-Are there opportunities to work with your trading partners to reduce supply chain complexities and improve service levels for specific products / vendor product lines? Are there internal supply chain policies that hinder cost-effective operations? Global Logistics-Are there opportunities to improve global logistics to reduce inventory levels in the supply chain? To reduce order cycle times? To reduce supplier lead times? To reduce logistics costs? With these questions in mind we proceed to see what have been few emerging and successful strategies and what the challenges in implementing them are. Emerging Logistic Strategies: Given the expanding complexities of global operations, information about logistics costs and capabilities is crucial to evaluating whether and how to leverage emerging markets as a means for increasing profit margin. Globally, there has been a trend to source from or manufacture in low-cost jurisdictions and emerging markets. This trend, however, is often offset by increased logistics costs and delivery times, along with a growing number of complexities that need to be managed. Senior management has begun to realize that lowering unit procurement costs does not translate directly to lower per-unit total landed costs — the total costs associated with importing goods or parts from distant emerging market locations. The complexities of managing logistics in emerging market locations ultimately add to the total landed costs of the associated goods. Therefore, the process of redesigning supply chain operations to establish logistics management capabilities in emerging markets is a fundamental dimension of a long-term business strategy. Components of this strategy should include a focus on end-to-end integrated operations design and sound process discipline. Further, this focus should include a means to achieve flexibility, responsiveness and resiliency to enable more effective competition in today’s environment of increasingly dynamic global business conditions. To leverage opportunities in emerging markets, companies must transition or expand from managing logistics in a limited number of local geographies to managing them in emerging market geographies worldwide — in a very efficient, agile manner that supports the responsiveness and flexibility associated with an On Demand Business. Companies can leverage specific approaches to transforming their global logistics capabilities and better support the business goals of lower cost sourcing or fulfillment by taking advantage of emerging market jurisdictions. Global supply chain management — a rapidly changing environment Because of competitive pressures in the global marketplace, companies are rapidly migrating to low-cost sources of labor and materials, which are typically located in countries that also represent emerging market opportunities. But the speed of this change may bring challenges associated with escalating shipping costs and increased supply chain risk, and these challenges could exceed a company’s internal skill and resource capacity. If  you are adopting global sourcing practices, you may not yet have the foreign trade experience necessary to manage regulatory compliance and related global supply chain management complexities. For example, multiple, autonomous business units within an organization can contribute to a fragmented logistics process as well as create missed opportunities for leveraging economies-of-scale. Individual business units may also lack the necessary economies-of-scale needed to establish a competitive foothold and gain sufficient influence in emerging markets. Balancing inbound and outbound supply chain logistics requires a comprehensive strategy that incorporates all the key functions of a supply chain to accelerate or expand sourcing from emerging markets. This horizontally integrated approach also helps you make strategic decisions regarding partnerships, shipping and other factors, to help ensure that savings from global sourcing are not eroded by increased logistics costs. Even more significantly, such a strategy can enable you to go beyond sourcing to position your organization to leverage your logistics capabilities to sell and distribute products within those emerging markets. Challenges to leveraging emerging markets in supply chain cost management As you expand your geographic reach of global sourcing into emerging markets, you will likely encounter a growing number of supply chain and logistics challenges, many of which directly or indirectly contribute to a large portion of total landed costs. Each issue can be grouped into one of two categories: tangible or intangible. Tangible challenges of working in emerging markets include obvious things such as the limited physical infrastructure of roads, bridges, harbors and airports. Other limiting items include the communications infrastructure needed to support the necessary IT connectivity. As constraints due to infrastructure bottlenecks represent a clear challenge, government agencies are more aptly able to focus on these items because the benefit for improvement extends beyond just the business sector. Enhancements to physical infrastructure help the greater population of the emerging marketplace and contribute to modernizing an entire region or industry. Physical infrastructure improvements tend to have greater visibility and  political momentum, and often involve just a few government agencies. For example, the current infrastructure expansion in China as described by EFT Research in late 2005:1 †¢ Between 2005 and 2008, more than US$70 billion per annum will be spent to create 75,000 new mil es of expressways †¢ Forty-three airports have been added since 2001, a major focus for expansion †¢ By 2010, China plans to double the number of shipping port berths from the 34,000 currently in use and will spend approximately US$6 billion each year to do so †¢ Between 2005 and 2020, China will build 25,000 km of new rail lines at a cost of US$250 billion. The net effects of current infrastructure limitations in China and other emerging markets are longer-than-expected lead times and greater variability in shipment cycle times. These factors have a direct impact on owned inventory levels and the overall cash-to-cash cycle time — both of which drive the need to tie up more working capital in the supply chain. These shipment cycle time delays, which can be typical, are often offset by shifting to expedited, or premium freight service levels. However, these shifts to faster service levels are what significantly erode the expected savings in procurement and sourcing. While tangible infrastructure and expansion challenges within emerging markets often get the most press and visibility, it is the intangible items that create the greatest headaches for global logistics managers. The list of intangibles consists of items that often carry â€Å"hidden costs† not fully grasped by companies entering an emerging market. Included are all the tariffs, duties, taxes, customs declarations processes, security and compliance requirements, and the daunting task of dealing with government agencies and multiple third parties in a foreign language. The complexity is exacerbated by variables that can constantly change and remain in a near-fluid state. Managing day-to-day events is complicated by the need to factor in multiple working locations, distant time zones, multiple handoffs of products and associated information, different national holidays, language and cultural barriers, and the ongoing regulatory changes. For example, effective January 1, 2006, the Ministry of Commerce of China updated numerous regulations for export processing zones, while at the same time Chinese customs issued new regulations for bonded logistics parks that support export-related handling activities. Understanding how such changes  impact your supply chain requires in-country operating experience and deep collaborative relationships with logistics services providers who manage daily in this dynamic environment. Not to be overlooked is the significant influence that culture and management style can have on implementing and managing a logistics operation. For example, some of the fundamental differences prevalent in the Far East: confrontation avoidance, top-down decision making and agreements formed through handshakes with less regard to contractual specifics are the norm. While the Western approach to dealing with supply chain partners and vendors is to collaborate and pursue a win-win outcome, that attitude rarely prevails in many emerging market locations. Do not underestimate the impact of negotiating style and approach for dealing with suppliers found in different business cultures. In emerging market countries where rule of law can be erratic, establishing sound relationships with known entities is critical. Getting a jump on technical obstacles to integrated supply chain management Leveraging emerging markets as both product source and product destination can be a dynamic response to global market pressures; however, many companies are not well positioned to take advantage of these opportunities. The key objectives for the technical aspects of managing logistics in emerging markets are to build flexibility into the design, develop a core competency to bring logistics suppliers on board in a seamless fashion, and to enable meaningful information capture that supports continuous improvement. For example, effective supply chain management depends on visibility into the status and location of in-transit materials and products, but many companies do not have these systems in place. Fortunately, many technology-based solutions are available from a range of providers. Nearly all transportation companies offer some type of shipment status or information-sharing system accessible through their Web sites. In addition, there are dozens of advanced logistics planning and execution software applications that companies can install and use themselves. While there is no comprehensive solution that effectively serves all industry verticals and logistics partners across the supply chain, it remains critical that companies efficiently integrate multiple applications across diverse trading partners. Even with an integrated value chain that seeks to  leverage leading applications, true visibility into order and shipment status across the logistics chain depends on tightly defined processes and the ability of all logistics partners to exchange and provide timely status reports on materials in transit. Managing logistics within and outside of emerging market locations can make these processes even more challenging — the increase in variables makes consistent execution and the timely exchange of information very difficult to achieve. Meanwhile, the very nature of an emerging market means that the number of logistics services providers with the appropriate experience is limited. And switching logistics providers can be very expensive. So part of the challenge becomes finding partners who either have the appropriate experience or have established networks and partnerships with reputable local providers. Managing and mitigating the risks associated with emerging market logistics In order to address the challenges of leveraging emerging markets as a cost reducing, and eventually, a profit-boosting strategy, companies are finding that they need to develop a strategy for managing logistics that can support multiple service-level requirements. As one element of such a logistics strategy, you need to determine how, where and to what extent the services of logistics suppliers should be engaged. There are several logistics management options to consider before you enter a new or emerging market. One end of the spectrum involves developing extensive multifunction logistics talent within your company, and then managing specific tactical activities and numerous contracts with logistics suppliers that provide narrowly defined services within a specific region or country. In this scenario, pitfalls include the time it takes to develop or recruit the necessary level of logistics talent and leadership, and the administrative cost of managing dozens, if not hundreds, of logistics suppliers. The other end of the spectrum involves leveraging already established and proven capabilities of a few logistics service providers — or even one — who can orchestrate the many activities, dependencies, and relationships across a global logistics network. Companies taking this approach are able to react to new and emerging opportunities in a shorter, more cost-effective time horizon. Figure 1 summarizes the spectrum of relationships with logistics partners. Figure 1: Logistics service provider options While core asset-based logistics providers are critical to logistics execution, there continues to be a competitive desire among service providers to offer strategically integrated solutions with a global reach that include already established relationships in key emerging market locations. As companies decide which model to pursue and which logistics service provider(s) to engage as potential long-term partners in an emerging market, there are a number of factors to consider: †¢ Experience with integrating logistics across the supply chain and related business functions such as direct procurement †¢ Demonstrated ability to lead supply chain transformation in phased initiatives that align with current and future customer requirements †¢ An understanding of the unique characteristics of the emerging market(s) where you are considering expanding sourcing activities or establishing operations and distribution capabilities †¢ Familiarity with your industry vertical and the nature of your supply chain requirements †¢ Proven capabilities to advise on support and manage international trade and customs regulations †¢ The capacity to offer robust middleware as an enabler of cross-functional IT integration with multiple supply chain partners †¢ The experience and capacity to act as information broker between you and your supply chain partners †¢ Infrastructure and business process designs that are highly scalable and redundant †¢ A track record of solid financial health and sound corporate governance A global logistics view in alignment with a top-down business strategy helps to avoid a piecemeal logistics contracting or outsourcing management approach that could exacerbate the challenge of integration and shipment visibility. Your approach to outsourcing should help you develop a responsive, plug and play, logistics management capability that will support your entry into emergi ng markets. This is also a key capability for enabling an adaptive global supply chain footprint and competitive advantage. To further support this goal, it is important to consolidate and align your supply chain management infrastructure, processes and procedures to reduce costs and improve efficiency. Leading logistics providers now have the resources and expertise to help you design your network and make location decisions that optimize the tradeoffs in cost, service level and risk; but you should be aware that such companies may also be driven by their own business goals. When you  receive advice about which emerging markets to target, ask yourself whether this advice is aligned to your business goals, or whether it reflects the logistics supplier’s own growth strategy. It is very important to look for an objective logistics partner who can establish clear business performance metrics and accountability for the entire ship-to deliver cycle. This includes activity from the shipping dock in the source country through each leg and mode of shipment. Such information should be a key part of the overall supply chain performance management dashboard — your logistics service provider should be able to supply you with a range of data and performance metrics such as on-time delivery, damage rates, error rates, cost/sales percentages and related financial metrics that drive continuous improvement efforts. IBM Case Study — overcoming emerging market implementation hurdles Strong global partnerships with leading logistics suppliers are a highly valued asset when it comes to entering emerging markets. IBM offers a case in point. Several years prior to the sale of their personal computing division to Lenovo, IBM shifted PC fulfillment operations to low-cost jurisdictions and emerging market locations. IBM had been conducting business in China for many years, which provided a leverage point for establishing the necessary legal entity and business model to support a manufacturing operation that could act as a global fulfilment center for a limited line of products. Setting up shop in one of China’s free-trade zones offered proximity to key suppliers and abundant availability of low-cost labor during a time of intense, industry wide cost pressures. But from a logistics management perspective, the implications seemed daunting. IBM needed to design and implement the capability to ship from a factory in Shenzhen to customer locations in the United States, Europe and the rest of Asia. This effort required robust process design with multiple logistics suppliers, not to mention the trade-management-related complexities associated with exporting from a free-trade zone to numerous other countries — most of which had their own unique entry and customs-related procedures. In the high-tech industry, the supply chain must be responsive and fast. In logistics, this means pre-clearing shipments through customs while flights are in-transit. The most minor of data inaccuracies on the commercial invoice or shipping  manifest during the entry process can delay shipments for hours. While an import delay of only a few hours may not seem drastic, the result can be a missed cutoff time with the in-country ground service delivery provider. This means an entire day can be added to the shipment cycle time. IBM found that design and implementation challenges resided at the most basic levels. The infrastructure and necessary processes just for getting the trucks from the manufacturing site to the Hong Kong airport caused delays. The frequency and timing of the flight schedules became the hard constraint that all other cutoff times were forced to meet. Getting the necessary level of lift capacity during the high-volume, end-of-quarter seasonal peaks required frequent communication and forecast updates with freight forwarders. Continuous design improvements were needed to reach the necessary process and system integration needed between the freight forwarder, broker and customs agents in the designated country. For small shipments, IBM took advantage of integrated services provided by UPS and FedEx, both of which have ground and air assets for multi-leg shipment continuity. More problematic were larger shipments requiring multiple third party logistics organizations in a series of freight and information handoffs. IBM believes that a core logistics objective should always be to design and implement an integrated end-to-end solution that includes a process and technology design spanning all involved parties, from the shipping site to the final customer delivery location. Other emerging-market implementation hurdles faced by IBM China is not the only major emerging market with strategic significance to the IBM supply chain and global business model. For many years, IBM has sold and distributed products in East European countries. Over the past two years, IBM has expanded operations in countries such as Hungary and the Czech Republic. IBM’s most recent effort included going live with assembly and fulfilment operations with an OEM partner in Hungary. Prior to making a decision about the final location, IBM conducted a network optimization study. Its purpose: to understand the tradeoffs between fulfillment costs, logistics costs, inbound transit times from supplier locations, and outbound transit times to customers throughout Europe. The longer transit times and greater variability were key to understanding if entering the Hungarian marketplace to seize the benefit of lower fulfillment costs was an optimal  supply chain decision. The distance from the manufacturing site to the primary airport in Budapest is a three-hour commute on a two-lane highway. For time-sensitive orders, this long transit time effectively pushes back the cutoff time for shipping to around noon, a loss of nearly a half day. Once the decision was made to operate and ship finished products from Hungary, several supply chain and logistics design points became important to the overall cost reduction strategy. Here are some key elements that helped enable logistics management for IBM in an Eastern European emerging market location: †¢ Extended vendor managed inventory (VMI) programs and pricing agreements with OEM partners to ensure purchase-order flow continuity and control †¢ Extended IBM’s logistics contract agreements to components suppliers on inbound lanes in order to mitigate rising logistics costs and transit time variability †¢ Formed strong partnership with logistics service provider to allow for vendor on premises activity — service supplier resources and systems that manage the flow of finished goods off the back dock †¢ Utilized the network of experienced logistics management professionals in the European region to ensure operational communications and continuity within the same time zones †¢ Took advantage of IBM business presence in-country and local resources to ease the language, culture, and knowledge barrier during transition and initial set up. The above examples reflect IBM’s ability to efficiently enter and enable logistics operations as a strategic component of our global business operating model. Figure 2: IBM logistics cost savings 1995–2004 The cost savings illustrated in Figure 2 were realized during a time when IBM was entering emerging market locations to enable an integrated global footprint. The largest portions of savings were in procurement by utilizing fewer core service providers, and the physical network design efficiencies of operating in key emerging market locales. Realizing competitive advantage from logistics transformation You can prevent rising costs and complexities from eroding the benefits of your global sourcing strategy. The advantages of a strategic approach to logistics are broad and can result in a significant increase in shareholder value. In fact, managing logistics  costs, service-level lead times and overall supply chain security is critical to your marketplace competitiveness. Figure 3: IBM Global Logistics Operating Model The IBM model for managing global logistics highlights its capabilities as a Global Trade Orchestrator. IBM is able to scale this capability for both internal divisions and external customers. The key to managing global logistics is to enable your company’s supply chain with the capability to efficiently unplug from one location or operating scenario, and enter a new or emerging market location. This capability will be both a strategic requirement and a competitive advantage, as long as worldwide business, economic and socio-political variables remain dynamic. Enabling this strategic capability requires cross-function process design, technology integration, and subject matter expertise ranging from network optimization, logistics contract and operations management to global trade and compliance management. This level of orchestration and collaboration is very scalable when merged seamlessly with a global governance model and strategically oriented leadership. Cycle time compression Logistics managers have long recognized the importance of order cycle time, and this concept has entered into the planning and operation of inventory control and distribution systems for decades. More recently, logistics executives have come to recognize the strategic significance of planning, and indeed reducing, the cycle times in their systems. Throughout many different industries, and taught by the examples of successful Japanese competitors, firms are working to reduce the total time required to bring products to marketplace. As George Stalk and Thomas Hout explan in their best-selling book competing against time, today, time is on the cutting edge of competitive advantage. The ways leading companies manage time- in production, in sales and distribution, in new product development and introduction- are the most powerful new sources of competitive advantage. A cycle time compression logistics strategy can be applied to distribution and production, and firms have also shown how the strategy can be employed in product development and roll out. In one frame of reference, cycle time can  be thought of as the time which elapses between the point at which a customer places an order and the point at which the property is received. Traditionally, logistics managers have attempted to control or reduce this order cycle time by increasing in stock availability rates, pre-positioning field inventories close to customers, or using premium flight services to speed delivery. While effective, these tactics are not without cost. From another point of view, customer order cycle times are obviously important, but they do not measure the true response time of the firm since the finished goods inventory performs the function of uncoupling the demand process from the production process. From this point of view, the cycle time is the length of time material remains in the firm as it flows from raw material, to production, to finished goods, and on to delivery to the customer. Attacking this cycle time has several benefits. First, it makes the firm more responsive; that is, the firm may be able to produce and distribute a product to a given customer more quickly. Second, cycle time reduction will reduce the time that material is held as inventory, and hence will increase inventory turnover and return on assets. Firms have employed many different tactics to achieve cycle time compression in their logistics processes, but most successful applications share these common characteristics: (1) The responsiveness of the total system is increased. The firm can more quickly respond to changing customer requirements because the logistics system has become more flexible and adaptive, and more easily able to react to changes in plans. (2) Inventory levels are reduced at all points in the system as on-hand stocks come to reflect more closely true customer requirements. (3) Risk and the associated costs of risk are reduced. As the cycle time falls, the demand forecasting horizon can be reduced, which reduced the risk of stock out, lost sales, obsolescence, redistribution, expediting, and all the other problems associated with forecast error. (4) The information content of the system increases. The system comes to rely  on fast and accurate transmission of information as a substitute for the inventory previously used to operate the system. To reduce cycle time companies need to look at the four major discrete cash cycles within their firms. The sales cycle is the first one to tackle. How long does it take from first contact with a customer to get a signed purchase order? Typically you’re incurring, and paying for, sales expenses during that process. If your normal sales cycle is three months, is there any way to collapse it to two months? One of the best ways to answer that question is by bringing together people within the organization who both work in the sales arena and interface with it. It can also be helpful to have someone from the outside who is not all that familiar with the process in the review. Benefits of cycle time reduction are common in all four areas. The result will be reduced cycle times that translate into a more effective organization and additional money in the bank. Cross-docking: The need for speed In today’s high velocity supply chain world, companies are increasingly focusing on distribution methods that will drive efficiency and increase customer satisfaction. Gone are the days where customer service was merely a buzz word. With the focus on customer service, companies have moved away for a supply driven business towards a demand driven business. Companies are also constantly searching for ways to reduce inventory and holding cost. The increase in speed has forced companies to search for ways to reduce product cycle time and move product quickly and cost effectively. Over the years, companies have seen a dramatic increase in the number of stock keeping units (SKU). The increase in the number of SKUs has added complexity to the business and also has increased the cost and time needed to manage the business. Department heads face additional pressure as they are required to stock shelves with the right products and ensure that customer demand is met all times. In today’s high speed world, shipping windows are changing rapidly, as retail clients demand increased speed to meet store requirements. To achieve these goals, cross-docking has been pushed to the frontline of the distribution strategy. What is cross-docking? Cross-docking is a system that relies on speed and agility and is normally used in hub-and-spoke operations. Cross-docking, in short, is the shipment and receiving of goods by bypassing the storage facility. In the process of cutting out the need for a storage facility, inventory can move quickly from one end of the supply chain to the other. Cross-docking is a fairly simplistic way of handling inventory that involves loading and unloading inventory from an incoming truck onto an outboard truck. During cross-docking storage time varies. However, most experts would agree that anything less than two days can be considered as cross-docking. In some cases staging also takes place. For all of its simplicity, cross-docking requires detailed planning and collaboration with partners. Companies require advance knowledge of product shipment and final destination of goods. Setting up the required infrastructure and systems can take time and capital. Logistic managers are increasingly making use of technology such as Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) and automated processes. It is important to note that technology is not the key to success. However, the right system can smooth out problems and increase visibility in the chain. Companies now have the ability to send products on a Friday night, receive them on Saturday, and sell the products later in the day. How is it used? Cross-docking is used in a variety of strategies that include consolidating loads of less-that-truck load (LTL) carriers, consolidate loads from multiple suppliers and/or plants, deconsolidating orders, and preparing for shipping. Cross-docking can be divided into different complexity levels including one-touch, two-touch and multiple-touch. One-touch is considered the highest productivity as products are not loaded on the dock, but is loaded directly on the truck. During two-touch the focus is on load optimization and driving efficiencies. Inventory is received and staged on the dock, without making use of a storage facility. During multiple-touch, products are received and staged for reconfiguration and customization. An increasing number of companies are starting to use cross-docking in their operations. In a 2008 cross-docking trends report in the US, 52 percent of respondents stated that use cross-docking with a further 13 percent planning to start cross-docking in the next 24 months. A number of companies are  outsourcing cross-docking. By doing so, they avoid the challenges of setting up and running a cross-docking operation. Many companies start small and pilot projects are common as they explore the configuration that best fits their needs. For cross-docking to succeed it needs to be a coordinated effort that relies on close partnership and collaboration. What are the advantages? One of the key advantages of cross-docking is that companies are reducing their need for warehousing space, which reduces inventory holding cost. Cross-docking facilities are much cheaper to set up and run than warehouses and companies can save on the capital investment in warehouses. In some cases, companies can reduce warehouse floor space and sell off or lease out underutilized facilities. Companies like Toyota have designed and built their own cross-docking facilities. Normally these facilities are strategically located to reduce distance and maximize support. Some of the biggest advantages for companies are transport related. Companies can achieve significant cost savings, by consolidating loads of LTL carriers. Pallets that are heading for the same destination are consolidated and staged by order sequence. By doing this, companies can reduce the distribution cost of the total supply chain and pass the savings on to the consumer. By making use of cross-docking, companies can furthermore reduce the impact of rising energy cost. Companies like Toyota have used this strategy to great effect. With the increased reliance on Just-in-Time (JIT), parts are being shipped at higher frequency and lower quantity. By making use of cross-docking, Toyota has reduced distribution cost by consolidating smaller part supplies into consolidated loads. Cross-docking has allowed companies to increase JIT and remove waster or muda in the organization. The increased speed in the supply chain helps companies to reduce product cycle time and move product quickly and efficiently down or up the chain. In Toyota’s case, this has allowed them to increase delivery frequency and in some cases even double delivery cycles. Cross-docking also have some major benefits where inventory is limited. As inventory is not kept in storage, companies require less stock. The reduction in inventory will reduce holding cost and at the same time satisfy demand. One of the major benefits of cross-docking is also the reduction of labour cost. With the downturn in the  economy, companies will increasingly look at cross-docking as a possibility. Cross-docking can reduce staff numbers and their associated labour cost and also gives the organization greater flexibility during an economic downturn. Many companies, however, do not start cross-docking primarily for cost reasons. They start to improve customer service. Today’s customers require greater speed and are also more demanding. Companies should establish clear goals and be willing to test different options. For companies that want to streamline operations and increase the supply chain velocity, cross-docking may be the right solution. Implementation Issues and Conclusions Many firms have embraced and employed supply chain management and cycle time compression strategies in their logistics operations with dramatically positive results. However, not all such attempts have been successful, nor has every implementation proved straightforward or simple. In this section, I will list observations and conclusions drawn from scores of firms which have implemented these logistics strategies: (1) Supply chain management and cycle time compression are complementary strategies. The logistics manager is not forced to choose between these two strategies in and either/or basis. In fact, the two strategies are often mutually supportive and self-reinforcing. The strategies so frequently are seen together that it can be difficult or arbitrary to distinguish between them. In practice, the distinction between the two strategies is often blurred. A principal reason to develop supply chain management is often to capture and amplify the benefits of cycle time compression by applying the strategy at all levels in the chain. (2) Each strategy has common barriers to successful implementation. There are many pitfalls involved in employing these strategies, but the most significant problems are generally of two types: High complexity. The new systems are usually much more complicated than the systems and procedures which they replace. Supply chain management, as embodied for example in a quick response system, requires co-ordination of SKU-level item flows across firm boundaries in near real time with great precision and reliability. Low  inventory levels place the entire operation at risk to errors at any level in the system. New data systems and communications systems are needed to drive the logistics flow, and these systems are needed to drive the logistics flow, and these systems must perform flawlessly. In a successful cross docking operation, vehicle schedule and despatching is crucially important as well, and completely reliable carriers must be found. High trust. Supply chain management and cycle time compression must be based on high levels of trust within the various parts of a given firm, such as between production and distribution and between sales and distribution. In addition, very high levels of trust must be established and maintained between buyers and sellers in the supply chain, as well as between shippers and carriers and warehouses. Supply chain members must share and safeguard highly sensitive data, and all parties must be given candid estimates of production schedules, shipping status, and delivery dates. Inability or unwillingness to share these data will generally frustrate meaningful attempts to establish the close co-ordination implied by these strategies. (3) Information technology is the key enabling technology. Another common thread in the successful implementation history of these strategies in American firms is the reliance on fast and accurate information technology. Most such logistics systems use barcode scanning or some other form of automatic identification to provide input of SKU-level transaction data onn sales, inventory and shipments. Data are normally telecommunicated between various operating locations, usually by EDI. In addition, some form of high-level logistics system software is needed to guide the operation of the strategy. (4) Inventory reduction as a benefit. Most successful case histories of supply chain management or cycle time reduction will include inventory reduction, but inventory reduction will not be the whole story. Generally, inventory reduction will be one item on the list of benefits and cost savings which were sought or obtained. In many cases savings due to inventory reduction will be substantial, while in other cases inventory reduction may be a relatively minor consideration. (5) Successful logistics strategies must be integrated with production, marketing, and total corporate strategy. Supply chain management and cycle time compression are strategies which are often highly compatible with the overall strategy being pursued by the firm. Compression of the logistics component of the firm’s total cycle time is an integral component of the firm’s overall strategy of time-based competition. Logistics cycle time compression and supply chain co-ordination are also highly supportive of the general strategy of flexible manufacturing towards which many firms are moving. Many other firms are moving towards a marketing strategy which looks beyond mere ―customer satisfaction in an attempt to move past the competition by ―delighting the customer. In this context, compression of logistics cycle time increases the responsiveness of the logistics system to the customer’s desires. Incorporating the customer into the formal supply chain system should improve the level of support provided to the customer as well as increase the customer’s ability to convey its needs and wants to the firm and have them acted on. In this way supply chain approach will work to reinforce the marketing strategy. Supply chain management and cycle time compression are complementary logistics strategy which progressive firms are employing in many different ways and in many different settings. These strategies are not simply or easily developed, but the results achieved through their use are often dramatic. Any firm which is truly serious about competing in the marketplace should very carefully consider the implications of these strategies for its operations.

Professional Development Plan Essay

In order to develop a plan that will address the characteristics of my group and me as a leader; a thorough review of the completed DISC assessments much be completed on an individual basis and an overall plan can be derived thereafter. The individual analyses are as follows: Individual Assessments Jeremy Conner, Jessica Mills, and Brian Tuck are all predominately categorized as cautious in style. Their tendencies include: being tense with themselves and others when under pressure, having a natural curiosity about people, being concerned about what people think, feel, and expect, having strong attachments to their personal interests, underestimating the time required to complete tasks, being intuitive and observant about situations and people, associating their self-worth with their work, and being intrigued by concepts, ideas and processes. They are known as the assessors and tend to have strong opinions about people and groups with whom you do not identify or agree. Robert Mills was predominately categorized as interactive in style. This style’s strengths include: enthusiasm, charm, persuasiveness, and warmth. The cautious style is gifted in people skills and communication skills with individuals as well as groups. They are great influencer’s. They are idea-people and dreamers who excel at getting others excited about their vision. They are optimist with an abundance of charisma. All of these qualities help them influence people and build alliances to accomplish their goals. I was predominately categorized as a dominance style. My primary motivation is accomplishing bigger and better goals according to an internal timetable. I prefer to be involved in my chosen activities from start to finish, and I  resist people who are obstacles to my achievements. My tendencies include: disliking being told what to do, or when and how to do something, being reluctant to change what I think or how I feel, delegating tasks only if absolutely necessary, acting competitively, especially when pushing myself to new levels or in new directions, making sure that production is completed on schedule, depending on plans for action and follow-up routines, and becoming tenacious and focused when under pressure. Team Development Plan Based on the analysis of the DISC assessments, I would put myself in a leadership role on the team with Robert as my supervisor, and Jeremy, Jessica, and Brian as subordinates. My style is more fit to a leadership role due to my desire to accomplish bigger and better goals. This desire allows me to look bigger picture which must be done from an upper management perspective in order to keep the company ahead of the curve in all aspects of business to avoid pitfalls. Robert’s natural charisma and persuasiveness would make him great at motivating the rest of the team. This does not mean that Jeremy, Jessica, and Bryan aren’t just as important to the team success. All workers from top to bottom are needed for a business to be successful. I strongly believe in the phrase â€Å"you are only as good as your weakest member†. For this reason, I would make sure that they were given a chance to air their grievances and make suggestions on changes that should be made. I must make sure to allow every team member to have a say in the business processes because this is a weak point of my particular style. Flexibility on my part must be a focal point to ensure that all team members feel heard and feel like they hold value in the company. Conclusion All of the information in the above plan will be closely monitored and periodic meetings will take place to allow time for all employees to voice their grievances or concerns to ensure that full compliance is being achieved. It is very important that regular monitoring is performed to ensure that the company stays on track and will help ensure the long-term success of the company. Realizing each individual’s style as well as their strengths and weaknesses will allow a more personal and individualized  approach to be taken in regards to team dynamics and goal attainment. References University of Phoenix. (2014). DISC Assessments [Multimedia]. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, LDR531 website. DISC Test and DISC Assessment: Explained. (2013). Retrieved from https://www.discinsights.com/whatisdisc#.VBMXGGOEzSg

Resistance and Conflict Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Resistance and Conflict Management - Essay Example he institutional environment in an organizational and people who are involved in such conflicts try to degrade the other person or party even if it is at the expense of overall cost of the organization. Conflicts reduce productivity and discourage parties involved as their performance level cannot be at the optimal (Katz, and Kahn, 1966). Leaders tend to avoid conflicts that occur in the organization and do not pay much attention to the conflicts (Montana, 2008). However, in avoidance strategy leaders separate the parties involved in the conflict or limit their interaction. Avoiding conflicts might lead them into bigger issues later on therefore it is important to resolve such conflicts at an early stage. At times, leaders or top management of the organization imposes their own decision on the parties involved in the conflict by making use of their power (Montana, 2008).. Such decisions might discourage even both the parties involved in the conflict. Though, such decisions might be in the favour of parties that enjoy dominancy or which is more favourable for the leader or decision maker. It is also one of the strategies used by leaders to resolve organizational conflict in which a resolution which might satisfies at least some part of every party involved in the conflict and therefore every party compromises on something and gains something. So, everyone would be satisfied eventually. In this strategy leaders tend to come up with a resolution with the help of discussions which is in the best interest of one of the groups involved in the conflict but this resolution might be at the cost of other parties involved. The problem with such strategy is that the dominant group might enjoy and would be able to make the decision go in his favour thus the best possible decision for the long term success of the organization might not be taken. As a leader, it is important to first analyze the situation and then take decision however considering the pros and cons of the

Utopianism and Idealism in Boy Meets Boy Assignment

Utopianism and Idealism in Boy Meets Boy - Assignment Example Does this utopian secondary school give false want to LGBTQ youthful mature people that there could one day be a world like this where everybody is so tolerating? I might contend that as opposed to imparting a false trust in junior book fans that Levithan give adolescent bookworms the reasonable depictions of what their lives could be similar to and characters that book lovers could join with instead of overstated spoofs like Infinite Darlene. The issues in the story is that social order has desires for its part and unfortunately being hetero is simply a normal standard and to go against that standard is not taken compassionate. The world is not how it is depicted in Boy Mets Boy the "perfect world" is not this present reality that Lucy exists in. Social order, and Lucy, anticipated that her will like and need young men on the grounds that that is the reason social order has let her know to do. It is terrifying to go against the standards, to go against your folks desires and the desires you had for yourself to acknowledge your emotions as typical. This accentuation on practical issues and circumstances that

Organizational Behaviour Case Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Organizational Behaviour Case Analysis - Essay Example Motivation Motivation in simplest terms can be defined as a means of providing motives. Motives can act towards making the work, towards doing a job more efficiently or for distorting the work environment. The lack of any positive motivation by the managers often results in an automatic provisioning of negative motivation. Motivation may be defined as the state of an individual’s perspective which represents the strength of his/ her natural inclination to exert efforts towards some particular behavior. How somebody makes use of his/ her efforts towards a goal is determined by the motivating/ de-motivating factors. It is through their behavior that employees give expression to their commitment to work, level of motivation and their attitudes. Maslow has detailed five hierarchies of needs for someone to put in their best foot forward. But in this scenario, the only need that seems to matter the most is the ‘physiological need’. The freelancers are getting paid for the efforts being made at the call centre. As for the other needs, Tom can certainly not promise the part-time workers job for a fixed period or good perks, better working conditions etc. This rules out the safety needs. The Belonging needs play a role when the freelancers are not supposed to develop a sense a belonging with the organization. At best some of the freelancers can work for the sake of friendly relations with Tom. Esteem needs and self-actualization needs come into picture only when the individual foresees a future for himself in the organization or develops a deep rooted affinity for the organization and sets a goal for himself or herself in the organization or amongst the society. At the most the freelancers can set for themselves the goal of spending some quality time with the call-centre, remaining in the good books of Tom and continuing some extra bucks in the evening hours. Therefore Tom basically needs to motivate the freelancers to put their best foot forward. It has been observed that while some of the part-timers are indeed quite effective in collecting the information, there are some others who have not been performing well. The payments are being handed out to all the workers at the end of the week. This being a 'off the book' operation, no systematic performance appraisal is done by the man in charge. But, it needs to be emphasized here that if such practice is allowed to continue for long, it will have an adverse impact even on those who seemed to enjoy their evening talking with people and recording their details. Therefore, Tom needs to put in place some mechanism which takes care of such aberrations and improves the efficiency levels as well. Here all the employees basically belong to the same hierarchy and there are no means to differentiate between their levels. Therefore, Tom will have to come out with ideas rewarding good performances while discouraging reluctant performers. This will certainly help in motivating the good tele -callers

Global Finance Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Global Finance - Assignment Example Lastly, information provision- the market provides information for firms in various countries on market situation, which helps in decision-making (Holton, pg.139-141). Bond offered on discount is that which is offered at less than its par or face value. Due to a bond’s maturity, discount is arrived at by deducting the market price from principal amount of the bond (Holton, pg.23). Ordinary shareholders may be paid dividend or not, preference shareholders must be paid dividend. In case of liquidation, preference shareholders are paid first while ordinary holders are paid last. Preference shares have a fixed amount of dividend; ordinary shares dividends are flexible depending on the company performance. Preference shares are callable and have no voting rights while ordinary shares are non-callable and have voting rights (Holton, pg.77-79). The three components include acceptance market, which are institutions with the specialty in accepting bills of exchange as the second signatories. Secondly, we have the bill market, which are intermediaries between the buyers and sellers of the bills. They at times do the discounting of the bills on their own accounts. The third component is the collateral loan market and it works in the form of loans and cash credits (Holton, pg.198). Futures are preferred at times over Forwards because they are traded publicly unlike forwards, who are only traded between two parties who are confidants; it involves transactions of securities in the future coupled with present agreements (Holton, pg.127). It is true that options can have a positive value despite being out of the money. This is possible as have been on American options which can be traded any time, the only condition is only that they must positive time premiums for them to trade at positive prices despite being out of the money (Holton, pg.217). Default risk on the other hand is

Japanese Multinationals and the Management of Human Resources in Essay

Japanese Multinationals and the Management of Human Resources in United Kingdom Subsidiaries - Essay Example In the present day and age, the conduct of business leans increasingly towards international operations and managing human resources is increasingly critical to the success of business and . However, published research supports the notion that construction of human resource management for a business takes place within strong national boundaries. Thus, although information and communication technologies continue to transform organisational structures and business processes, breaking down organisational and geographic boundaries, national human resource management traditions engrained in the culture of a multinational headquartered in a country often intermingle with culture and traditions of the country in which a subsidiary is located. Although multinationals from a host country retain elements of traditional and cultural values, including those from Japan, United States of America and elsewhere, it is difficult for multinational corporations to exhibit core traditions from Japan, Am erica, etc. in subsidiaries located overseas for managing employees. When expanding overseas, a failure to integrate successfully managers and other key personnel from host countries into the management process of foreign subsidiaries is likely to present severe negative outcomes for a parent company. After all, foreign multinationals must serve clients in a host nation, comply with its laws and compete effectively in a nation with its own traditions, culture, business values and needs. A multinational must have due regard for national culture and organisational culture in a subsidiary, which must cater to the locals while shaping effectively the collective. Material and spiritual culture in a host country together with aspirations of employees, their preferences and tastes influence the treatment of employees and success of a subsidiary. (Keeley, 2001, Pp. 15 – 20). Multinational enterprises must have due regard for local employment laws, industrial relations and ethics

Role of the judiciary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Role of the judiciary - Essay Example Thesis Statement: The American constitution stipulates that the main function of the nation’s foreign policy is to protect and reinforce the position of the United States as a sovereign and independent state. The history of the American constitution in terms of Foreign Affairs The U. S. constitution, as documented by the nation’s Founding Fathers, stated that it was the nation’s aim to assume ‘the earth’s powers, equal to the rules of nature as were intended by God’ (Chomsky, 2004). Essentially, all other rules, including those that dictate foreign policy, have to observe this objective in all attempts to adopt stances of foreign policy as well as shared power. All regulations concerning the American foreign policy are formed through consultations between the nation’s Commander-in-Chief, executive and legislative branches. Even in the days of the first president of America, George Washington, there were difficulties in creating a releva nt, consistent, and practical foreign policy. Theoretically, the creation of foreign policy ought to correspond with the objectives of national interest. The federal government’s position, as one of the factors that contribute towards the formation of foreign policy, stems from the Supremacy Clause; which stipulates that Federal law is the supreme law in America and even precludes state law. The American constitution was first formed by the founding fathers as a contract of a revolutionary tobacco democracy which was led by an enlightened pseudo-government made up of merchants, paramilitary planters, and lawyers (Murray, 2013). The first American government, which was headed by George Washington, wanted to ensure that the new young nation would be able to survive in spite of the existence of powerful opponents in the European continent. In those early years, American foreign policy was aimed towards ensuring that the new nation avoided potential conflicts with European superp owers while also establishing itself as an autonomous member of the then group of free nations. This would be hard to accomplish as the nation was crafted out of a bloody conflict with the then greatest power, the United Kingdom, and had a weak and disorganized army. The United States also came into existence at a time when there was no organization, such as an international court, to arbitrate between warring nations. War was considered as being the only honorable method of solving serious disputes. In the late 1700s, only the self-interested sovereign nations were recognized as the major principalities on the international stage. When it was first formed, the American constitution worked alongside congressional powers to standardize commerce with other states, to sustain the armed forces, and create government regulations to oversee immigration and naturalization clauses. The ‘Articles of Confederation’ was America's primary constitution, and was confirmed in 1781. Th is was a time when the nation was merely a disorganized confederation of thirteen states, each of which were conducting themselves as nations in their own right (Brzezinski, 2004). America’s national government was made up of a congress and a singular legislature. The Articles of Confederation allocated to congress the abilities to oversee the running of foreign affairs, the regulation of national currency, and determination of all issues to do with war. Moreover, these activities were limited

Leadership & Ethics for Managers Research Paper

Leadership & Ethics for Managers - Research Paper Example Often organizations go through processes that redefine the way a company operates. The CEO of the company has the vision and the strategic plan to transform the organization. Companies in the 21st century do not longer seek individualism in the actions of its employees. Teamwork and cooperation have become a hot trend in the business world. The current approach and strategy of the CEO of the organization is to move to a team environment and to push many of the decisions to the lowest possible levels in order to achieve a team based empowered organization. The most valuable resource of any organization is its people because of the ability of humans to think, communicate and use judgment (Feinberg, 2012). The CEO is facing some resistance to change from the rest of the managerial staff of the organization. It is the duty of the leader to find a resolution to the problem. The first step towards finding an alternative solution to the dilemma is to open the lines of communication between the workers and the managers of the firm. The new plan that the CEO of the company wants to implement should be assessed by the entire organization. The managers should listen to the input of the workers about the proposed plan. Two concepts that many people visualize as similar, but in reality differ a lot are leading and managing. One of the purposes and visions of leaders is to inspire groups of people in organizations to aspire to achieve common goals (Entrepreneur, 2002). Leading involves motivating others to achieve a higher level of performance. Leadership can come from any person in an organization which implies that leadership abilities are not limited or exclusive of a managerial position. Sometimes companies gain the benefit of having strong leaders among the floor employees. Good leaders have excellent communication skills and are active listeners. Being an active listener can help an employee enhance his productivity and it improves a person’s ability to influenc e, persuade, and negotiate (Mindtools, 2012). One of the key differences between leading and managing is that managing entails complying with the basic managerial functions. Some of the basic managerial functions are planning, staffing, organizing, and controlling. Another difference between the two concepts is that managers are responsible for the actions of their subordinates. The CEO is trying to manage instead of leading this change initiative. Evidence that the CEO is using a managing approach is that the leader created a plan and provided a layout of the work structure that he expects the employees to follow. The managerial mandate of the CEO is to implement a team based work structure. One of the mistakes made is relying too much on managing instead of leading change. To lead change the corporate executive must convince others of the benefits of the change instead of imposing his will and vision on others and making unilateral decisions. The managers of the organization at fi rst glance did not like the plan of the CEO. It is highly possible that the managers felt threatened by the change management initiative because they felt their power and control would be diminished by the move. The CEO of the firm has to start a direct dialogue and negotiation process with the managerial staff. The use of formal meetings is a method that can be used to interchange ideas and opinions

Poetry of Nature Essay Example for Free

Poetry of Nature Essay Many poets are inspired by the impressive persona that exists in nature to influence their style of poetry. The awesome power of nature can bring about thought and provoke certain feelings the poet has towards the natural surroundings. If you bear in mind the disposition of some of the things in life that move us like human beauty, love or the beauty of nature you will understand that they have one thing in common. They do not last forever, as sad as it seems, Ladies and Gentleman. Yes they too will eventually die out. Why? Who knows? However it is a fact that when poets write a poem they wish to make their words appealing, as to impress the reader with the intensity of their own experience so they immortalize that sense of feeling that makes their poems last. Wordsworths poem, Nutting is a classic portrayal of a man finding time to escape the harsh bitterness of life and escaping to a world of isolation, solitude and loneliness that exists in nature. Id particularly like to focus on the second part, which has a greater significance in regard to nature, then the other part, which might appear irrelevant. In demonstrating the use of descriptive features Wordsworth has created the perfect sanctuary that one can only ever dream about. The wording used in this section is uncomplicated and evocative. Common language served Wordsworths purpose well, for the simple words were direct in their purpose. They expressed feelings that had been known and repeated many times before, and therefore contained a certain durability in his speech. And I saw the sparkling foam, And-with my cheek on one of those green stones that fleeced with moss, under the shady trees, lay round me, scattered like a flock of sheep. In this poem there is much evidence that expresses his loneliness, solitude, and isolation to the rest of the world at that moment in his life. And fade, unseen by any human eye; where fairy water-breaks do murmur on forever; It is obvious that through this perception Wordsworth is generally speaking of past experiences. Wordsworth believed that nature played a key role in spiritual understanding and stressed the role of memory in capturing the experiences of childhood. His poetry just like his beliefs relays a sense of feeling towards aspects of spiritual understanding. I felt a sense of pain when I beheld the silent trees, and saw the intruding sky. Then dearest Maiden, move along these shades in gentleness of heart; with gentle hand Touch-for there is a spirit in the wood. I believe Wordsworths motivation in this poem is to let us know that the powers of nature is magical and extremely great. The gracefulness of nature does contribute to the inner feelings of someone who appreciates it (mostly those who want time out for themselves). I believe we need to be with nature, feel it, and take advantage of one of lifes many gifts. PAUSE Lets not forget the main characteristics that nature offers like its visual and harmonious features as well as its auditory features. I believe sound has a very important part to play in nature. This is reflected in John Clares poem Pleasant Sounds In this poem you will notice that it is composed in a tactical verse form that allows the use of onomatopoeia to give the poem a visual imagery. The crumbling of cat-ice The rustle of birds The whizzing of larger birds The trample of robins The fall of an acorn The flirt of the ground-lark. The use of Onomatopoeia throughout the poem allocates descriptive words through each sentence that elaborately enhances the effect of poem. The poets appeal to our imagination may be his ability to execute certain emphasis that makes the words stand out from everyday speech. Clares interpretation of the poem is not just about sound but is also about his love for nature and the love that he has for the animals. PAUSE Like Pleasant Sounds Clares poem Autumn also gives way to visual imagery in light of the poems descriptive attitude. The way in which Clare has introduced rhyme into this poem enhances the visual imagery making it stand out. However it is seen that the sentences tend to drag on too long *There is a dryness in this particular type of poetry. *Religious sentiment, consecrating the affections and natural *And these moods always brought with them faultless expression In comparison to Pleasant sounds there is no sense of sounding, theres more a sense of the parch dryness of the earth. There is almost an uncomfortable feeling that doesnt let you feel that sense of soothingness like you did with Pleasant Sounds. In Autumn one is more intuned with the earth in its stage of dryness and shallowness. The words are entwined to give the feeling of parchness and dryness. Clares usage of the term over baked bread to describe the ground What essence is there in nature that moves us? Is it the fact that our lives are so fast forward that we tend to overlook what it has to offer? Wordsworth makes this poetic message immortal with his powerful and emotional words. Like Wordsworth, Clare utilizes more emphasis upon nature and the natural world. To study the deeper meaning of poetry through great poets like William Wordsworth and John Clare is always a challenge and an adventure. It brings the mind to contemplate things to which you dont often think about, such as your personal connection with nature.

Urban Areas: Population, Land Use and Health

Urban Areas: Population, Land Use and Health Urban Areas Arun Persaud Discuss land use, population, health and sanitation in urban areas. Introduction According to Ramsawak and Umraw (2001), â€Å"all the people residing within a specific geographic area, for example, within a nation, a geographic region, a state, or a city is called its population†. The population density of an area can be defined as the number of people living in a particular area of land at a particular time. Population density can be influenced by a variety of factors which include physical factors such as relief or height of land, climatic and natural vegetation, influence of agriculture, industrial influence and also urban influence (Ramsawak and Umraw, 2001). An urban area is an area that has a dense population of people and has a density of structures such as roads, railways, housing and commercial buildings. The area usual functions as a marketing town, commercial hub, administration, manufacturing and industrial sites and also tourism. Examples of urban areas include cities, towns and suburbs. Urbanization is the movement of people from rural areas to urban areas. This results in negative impacts for both areas. The rural area often suffers from brain-drain while a lot of physical pressure is placed on the receiving urban area. The urban area usually becomes overcrowded and there is a shortage of housing and other facilities. There is also usually a rise in pollution level and low level of sanitation (Ramsawak and Umraw, 2001). Sanitation is simply the provision of facilities and services to get rid of waste products such as sewage and garbage. This is very important because it promotes a healthy environment and also protects the population from any health threats which may be connected to exposure to these wastes. Land use in urban areas Land use can be defined as the use of land by human. This involves the management of land and also the modification of land into built environment so as to meet the need of the present population or the population which will utilize the land (Dickinson and Shaw, 1977). The effects of land use may include deforestation, soil erosion, soil degradation, salinization and urban sprawl. Urban sprawl can be defined as the expansion of the urban area population into area that was once classified as rural area. There are six major types of land uses in urban areas. These include:- Residential land use- The use of land for people to live. This usually makes up about 40% of an urban area. The type of housing in an area is based on the residential density which is the number of houses per hectare. Residential density may be low density (thirty units per hectare), medium density (thirty to a hundred units per hectare) or high density (exceeds a hundred units per hectare). Transportation land use- Land which is used for transporting people and goods from one place to another. This is influenced by the amount of people residing in the urban settlement, the more people the more vehicles the road infrastructure has to support and the more parking spaces will be needed. Transportation land usually makes up about 32% of the urban area. Transportation land includes land spaces which are utilized for roads, subways, railroad tracks and airports. Commercial land use- Commercial areas in an urban settlement can take up about 5% of the land. These commercial areas are used business activities such as restaurants, shopping malls and service stations which are very important in maintaining a healthy economy in the community. Industrial land use- Industrial land spaces within urban areas usually take up about 6% of the urban land and are usually found along railways or water ways. Industrial land use is the use of land for the establishment of industries factories such as power plants. Institutional land use- Land which is used for schools, hospitals, government offices, churches and other places of religious offering. Institutional land uses usually take up about 10% of an urban area land. Recreational land use- Land which is used for leisure activities example playgrounds and parks. Population Urban areas are usually very densely populated. This is so because of a variety of reasons which may include rural migration and over-population, industrialization, natural increase, lack of public and social services in rural areas and commercial sector. Rural migration is the movement of people from rural areas to urban areas. This is resulted from persons chasing after an improvement of their standard of living through employment and a better life, which may be available in urban areas. Over-population causes pressure on the land and this encourages persons to migrate to urban areas. A continuing movement of persons will eventually lead to rural depopulation and a gradual increase in urban population. There are a few industries and employment opportunities in rural area so people from here usually go seek jobs in urban areas where they could earn a livelihood. Increasing industrialization in urban areas attracts new rural migrants. Industrialization creates job opportunities. The transfer of such large numbers of people is partly as a result of the concentration of economic activities is in the urban areas. Natural increase occurs when the crude birth rate is more than the crude death rate. This simply means when there are a greater number of births over deaths in a given population The lack of basic public and social services in rural areas result in migration to urban areas where facilities such as adequate schools, transportation facilities, health facilities and telephone services are made available to the population. Even the roads in the rural areas are in poor conditions and farming areas are often inaccessible, hence the quality services in the urban areas attract the rural population. An urban area can be classified as the commercial sector in that large amount of whole sale and retail activities are undertaken here. The central business district (C.B.D) provides varied commercialized services and rural migrants are attracted to the urban areas because of these services. There is a greater opportunity for them to gain employment and also some may become involved in street vending or even self-employed since there will be market available for their services which they can provide. Urban areas face problems as a result of dense population. These include unemployment problem, traffic congestion, shortage of housing facilities and public services. A high rate of unemployment still exists within urban areas even though there are industrial and commercial activities present. This is so because rural migrants keep moving to urban areas and also there is a natural growth of the urban population, hence there is a greater demand for jobs. The unavailability of jobs for the younger population especially can result in an increase crime rate. This heavy increase of population over time leads to a shortage of housing facilities since there is a greater demand of housing. Many persons cannot afford the high cost of living and facilities since they may not be gainfully employed or they are unemployed. This leads to the development of slums/ghettoes or shanty towns and also squatting becomes a large social problem (WHO, 2014). Squatting can be defined as occupying a piece of that that is abandoned or unoccupied. Squatters do not own or rent the land nor do they have any legal rights to use the land. A shanty town consists of houses which a re poorly built from scavenged materials such as cardboard boxes, plywood, metal sheets and plastic sheets. Traffic congestion is a major issue within urban areas. This is so because as the population grows the road infrastructures have to support more day-to-day traveling of people, goods and materials within the urban area and also in and out. Therefore, inadequate road networks and parking spaces for the dense population of urban areas result in daily traffic congestions. There is a lack of public services and inadequate facilities such as educational and recreational facilities with an increased population. With an increased population, educational facilities are stretched to their limits and this result in a demand for more educational facilities and also educational improvements. The recreational facilities would have been established to be used by the past population but with a gradually increase of population these facilities may become inadequate. There is also a lack of sanitary facilities due to urban population growth and pressure is placed on the existing facilities. Health and Sanitation With a rapid increase of urban population there is a lack of sanitation, a shortage of water supplies and also a lack of facilities for the disposal of the large amounts of garbage produced. This all leads to the pollution o the environment (Water supply and Collaborative Council, 2010). Pollution can be defined as the accumulation of any unwanted substance within the environment. Some causes of poor sanitation of urban areas include:- Since urban areas are usually densely populated, there are a large amount of solid waste being produced and also waste water being produced. These solid waste materials are usually not collected regularly or there maybe restrictions on the amount of solid refuse which will be collected by authorities per household. This may lead to persons finding alternative ways to dispose refuse or a gradual buildup of refuse which results in an unaesthetic sight and an unhealthy environment. Waste water being produced is not usually being treated right or not being treated at all. When this water mixes with fresh water it contaminates it and makes it unhealthy to drink and even use for domestic purposes such as washing clothes or bathing (Water supply and Collaborative Council, 2010). The leakage of sewers, waste and latrine contents result in the pollution of underground water. Underground water as the name suggests, is water that flows below the surface. It is also referred to as subsurface groundwater. Underground water is often used by dwellers of the slum population as a drinking source or for domestic uses such as bathing and washing. This could result in health threats (Water supply and Collaborative Council, 2010). There is also a lack of Faecal Sludge Management (FSM) systems. This allows the buildup of sludge in poorly built pits which causes the sludge to mix with the underground water and illegal dumping of waste from private pit emptier in the sea/river. This causes health risks to the environment and all the components of it (Water supply and Collaborative Council, 2010). Urban areas usually contain industries and factories which may result in pollution of the environment. This pollution can occur in the form of smoke into the atmosphere, waste water being drained out into the water ways and also solid waste materials maybe disposed poorly. As seen above, there is a relationship and interconnection with sanitation and the health of the environment and all biotic life within it. In order to obtain or maintain a good sanitation level the waste and sanitation management has to keep up to pace with the growing population since the more people the more waste and physical pressure on the environment, services and facilities from them. In urban areas there is a greater demand for social services such as health programs since a greater population has to be catered for. A densely populated region results in a low ratio of doctors and nurses to patients with in the health system. Therefore, there is an increase requirement of finance to to establish adequate health facilities with treatment and medication for all and also more money will be needed to employ new staffs and personnel to attend to these patients (Gabriel, 1989). References Ramsawak, R. and Umraw, R. (2001) Modules in Social Studies with SBA Guide CXC Questions, Caribbean Educational Publishers. Dickson, G.C. Shaw. M.G (1977) What is ‘land use’?, http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/20001161?uid=3738168uid=2129uid=2uid=70uid=4sid=21104345935161, 12th Aug 2014. Dr. Sadik, N. (1996) State of the world population 1996: Changing Places: Population, Development and Urban Future, https://www.unfpa.org/swp/1996/index.htm, 12th Aug 2014. Water supply and Collaborative Council. (2010) Sanitation/Urban Sanitation, http://www.wsscc.org/topics/sanitation/urban-sanitation, 12th Aug 2014. Unite For Sight (n.d.) Urban Versus Rural Health, http://www.uniteforsight.org/global-health-university/urban-rural-health, 12th Aug 2014. Gabriel, B. (1989) Access to Health Care in Urban Areas of Developing Societies, http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/2136988?uid=3738168uid=2129uid=2uid=70uid=4sid=21104912929123, 13th Aug 2014. Smart Development Stories. (n.d.) Urban Faecal Sludge Management Program, http://www.snvworld.org/en/countries/bangladesh/our-work/urban-faecal-sludge-management-programme, 12th Aug 2014. Internet Geography. (n.d.) Population, http://www.geography.learnontheinternet.co.uk/topics/popn1.html, 15th Aug 2014. World Health Organization. (2014) Global Health Observatory, http://www.who.int/gho/urban_health/en/, 15th Aug 2014. Farooq, U. (2012) Characteristics of Rural and Urban Community, http://www.studylecturenotes.com/social-sciences/sociology/360-characteristics-of-rural-and-urban-community, 14th Aug 2014. Global Warming: Causes and Effects Global Warming: Causes and Effects Global Warming is defined as the increase of the average temperature on Earth. As the Earth is getting hotter, disasters like hurricanes, droughts and floods are getting more frequent. It is responsible for the conspicuous increase in storms, floods and raging forest fires we have seen in the last ten years, though, say scientists. Tier data show that an increase of one degree Celsius makes the Earth warmer now than it has been for at least a thousand years. Out of the 20 warmest years on record, 19 have occurred since 1980. There have always been natural climate hangs Ice Ages and the warm intermediate times between them but those even, a temperature rise as fast as the one we have seen over the last 30 years has never happened before, as far as scientists can ascertain. Moreover, normally the Earth should now be in a cool-down-period, according to natural effects like solar cycles and volcano activity, not in a heating-up phase. What Is The Greenhouse Effect? Seen from space, our atmosphere is but a tiny layer of gas around a huge bulky planet. But it is this gaseous outer ring and its misleadingly called greenhouse effect that makes life on Earth possible and that could destroy life as we know it. The sun is the Earths primary energy source, a burning star so hot that we can feel its heat from over 150 million kilometres away. Its rays enter our atmosphere and shower upon on our planet. About one third of this solar energy is reflected back into the universe by shimmering glaciers, water and other bright surfaces. Two thirds, however, are absorbed by the Earth, thus warming land, oceans, and atmosphere much of this heat radiates back out into space, but some of it is stored in the atmosphere. This process is called the greenhouse effect. Without it, the Earths average temperature would be a chilling -18 degrees Celsius, even despite the suns constant energy supply. In a world like this, life on Earth would probably have never emerged fr om the sea.  Our planet, however, has no glass walls; the only thing that comes close to acting as such is our atmosphere. But in here, processes are way more complicated than in a real greenhouse. Like a radiator in space only about half of all solar energy that reaches the Earth is infrared radiation and causes immediate warming when passing the atmosphere. The other half is of a higher frequency, and only translates into heat once it hits Earth and is later reflected back into space as waves of infrared radiation. This transformation of solar radiation in to infrared radiation is crucial, because infrared radiation can be absorbed by the atmosphere. So, on a cold and clear night for example, parts of this infrared radiation that would normally dissipate into space get caught up in the Earths atmosphere. And like a radiator in the middle of a room, our atmosphere radiates this heat into all directions. Parts of this heat are finally sent out in the frozen nothingness of space, parts of it are sent back to Earth where they step up global temperatures. Just how much warmer it gets down here depends on how much energy is absorbed up there- and this, in turn, depends on the atmospheres composition. How do these things happen Nitrogen, oxygen, and argon make up 98 percent of the Earths atmosphere. But they do not absorb significant amounts of infrared radiation, and thus do not contribute to the greenhouse effect. It is the more exotic components like water vapour, carbon dioxide, ozone, methane, nitrous oxide, and chlorofluorocarbons that absorb heat and thus increase atmospheric temperatures. Studies indicate that until some 2.7 billion years ago, there was so much carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane in our atmosphere that average temperatures on Earth were as high as 70 degrees. But bacteria and plants slowly turned CO2 into oxygen and the concentration of CO2 in our current atmosphere dropped to just about 0.038 percent or 383 parts per million (PPM), a unit of measurement used for very low concentrations of gases that has become a kind of currency in climate change debates. Can we control global warming? Yes we can control global warm by creating jobs, saving consumers money, and protecting our national security. By investing in renewable energy and energy efficiency, and increasing the efficiency of the cars we drive, we can take essential steps toward reducing our dependence on oil and other fossil fuels that cause global warming. Using energy more efficiently and moving to renewable energy (wind, solar, geothermal, and bio energy) would significantly reduce our emissions of heat-trapping gases. Since the burning of fossil fuels releases large amounts of carbon dioxide-the leading cause of global warming-but renewable energy does not, increasing the share of our electricity generated from renewable resources is one of the most effective ways to reduce global warming emissions. Cars and trucks are another significant source (45 percent) of carbon dioxide emissions. A serious effort to address global warming must therefore reduce emissions from cars and trucks.We know that the earth is very sensitive to small changes in the amount of incoming sunlight. What about launching relatively small amounts of Mylar foil into low earth orbit? By picking the right orbits, we control how much sunlight they reflect and how long they stay up. We even could use a more complex idea of Mylar balloons with a few millbars of a specially formulated gas.  As soon as sun light strikes it, the balloon fully expands reflecting sunlight, but on the night side of the planet, the balloon collapses to allow heat to flow past it into space from earth.  We could use EM accelerator launch tubes to place them into orbit, bypassing the need for chemical rockets.   All this method can help to control global warming Maybe use lasers at a frequency that Mylar doesnt reflec t, to burn up any extra balloons that our real-time calculations say we dont need for that year.

Free Hamlet Essays: Talk and Action in Hamlet :: GCSE Coursework Shakespeare Hamlet

Talk and Action in Hamlet The character of Hamlet is very prestigious, but he has many shortcomings. In many cases, he shows that he is all words and no action. He waits until the very last minute to take a course of action. Hamlet realizes this, and he wishes that he had the characteristics of Fortinbras, Laertes, and Horatio. During the course of the play, Hamlet just talks and talks about what he plans on doing, but when an opportunity arrises to make good on his word, he backs down. for instance, when he finds Claudius praying, he could have easily killed him and been done with it. but instead, he makes up an excuse for himself, saying that it is dishonorable to kill someone in the church. Even Laertes agreed with Claudius when he said in Act IV, Scene 7 that "no place indeed should murder sanctuarize." The only times that Hamlet takes action is when he has no choice. He takes action when he is sent to England. He only does anything, because if he doesn't, he will be killed. The other time that he uses action instead of words is, of course, at the end. but by that time, it is already too late. Laertes, on the other hand, was quite the opposite. He was all action and no talk. A very headstrong character, he was rash and let his emotions make his decisions for him. an example of this is when he finds out about his father's death, he immediately assumes it was Claudius and enters the castle by force, fully intending on killing him. This is what Hamlet needs to be like, but only in moderation. Sometimes, when the time calls for it, you must act on instinct, without having to think it through for a couple of days. Hamlet didn't want to be brash and end up getting killed like Laertes did, but then again, Laertes did avenge his father's death a lot faster than Hamlet did. And in spite of all the thinking and planning, Hamlet still ended up the same way that Laertes did. Fortinbras was a mix of the previous two. He carefully planned out his strategy, and then acted on it when they were finished. He showed that he was not too reckless by sending his captain ahead of him to announce that he was coming, so that the king might have repay him instead of fighting him and losing men.