Thursday, November 28, 2019

Logistics costs free essay sample

Logistics cost form an important part of the overall cost structure in any organization. Focus needs to be on renegotiating freight and shipping rates, reduction in overall freight costs and streamlining operations. The following are the measures (ways) that can be used to reduce cost in logistics New carriers: The use of Constant market rate check is a best practice. Usually, logistics managers get into a comfort zone with the existing carriers. The organization should look on other carriers which offers lowest cost of transportation. Market rate check will bring to light other more economical operations. New carriers may be more flexible in their price. Freight costs: There are several options to optimize freight costs. Renegotiation of minimum billing to a minimum for a zone needs to be explored. Product delivery coordination is another useful tool to streamline freight costs. Arrangements with a number of smaller carriers also provide the best rate/best service combination. We will write a custom essay sample on Logistics costs or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Internet offers excellent tools for comparing and optimizing freight costs. Improve shipping and receiving: Streamlining shipping and receiving practices will offer savings. This can happen through reduction of long time for receiving. Starting point should be mandating delivery appointments. A flow chart needs to be made of all the operations to determine wasteful processes and combining existing processes. Technology: Internet tools enable substantial reduction in paperwork. Documents are scanned and emailed to customs, ports etc. In case of cross border trade, documents needs to reach at least twenty four hours in advance to avoid delays at the border. Technology also allows coordination of all shipments to optimize loading. This minimize delays in delivery. Managing returns: Reverse logistics is an important element of freight costs. Most companies offer a liberal returns policy. If the customer is not satisfied with the product, it can be returned in a certain period depending on the seller. At times, the seller also arranges to pick it up. There should be streamlined processes so as to minimize costs associated with reverse logistics. Audit of freight costs: Use specialized agencies that provide post payment audit of freight bills. These agencies are usually paid on a profit sharing basis. These audits also provide valuable insight into patterns and other cost reduction opportunities. Deborah Catalano Ruriani explained other ways (measures) of Cost reduction as: 1. Eliminate supply chain bottlenecks. By periodically reviewing and analyzing their supply chain networks, companies can be able to pinpoint issues and proactively address them. Strategies to reduce or eliminate bottlenecks include addressing vessel schedule planning, ensuring proper documentation and regulatory compliance for imports and exports, and revamping network design. 2. Reduce inventory at the port, manufacturing sites, and warehouses. Companies often stock excess inventory because they lack supply chain visibility. To effectively reduce excess inventory, you have to gain reliable information on future orders. Visibility software can help. 3. Cut demurrage and detention fines. While an occasional fine may not seem like much, these costs can add up. Auditing carrier bills and tracking where issues occur in the supply chain can substantially cut fine payments. 4. Identify opportunities to shift modes. Without adequate visibility into logistics operations, a company may not realize that an air shipment could move by sea at a much lower cost. Companies that use technology to evaluate modal options typically see a five- to eight-percent cost reduction. 5. Use postponement strategies to divert inventory at an international gateway. A successful postponement strategy can dramatically lower forecasting errors as well as improve customer service by reducing out-of-stocks. Companies also can cut transport costs by reducing inventory misallocations and shipping more items in bulk. 6. Use preferential trade agreements. Companies that take advantage of preferential status can save millions in duties and taxes. A software system that automates the qualification process can save time and effort, as well as improve compliance and data accuracy. 7. Rebalance supply and fulfillment networks by determining tax-efficient sourcing and distribution strategies. Companies must periodically review their supply chain networks to assess duties and logistics costs, labor costs, regulatory controls, and global political climates. By comparing geographic options, taking into account the costs and regulations of each option, companies can optimize their supply chain. 8. Become a self-filer. Using technology to connect electronically with brokers lowers entry filing costs and reduces manual entry errors. It also can enable pre-clearance of goods at borders and reduce the number of staff needed internally to manage logistics operations while boosting productivity hence reduce cost. 9. Contro l your procurement process. By implementing a process-based workflow that includes tracking and managing order acceptance, consolidating invoices, creating shipments and generating documents— and by extending that process to trading partners— companies can reduce cycle times, cut supply chain execution costs, and better support compliance initiatives. 10. Implement performance management metrics and tools. Companies need a system, data, and tools to benchmark actions and make informed decisions. Developing a performance management process allows companies to manage service providers and critical cycle times to lower costs and continually improve performance 11. Understand the true costs of sourcing overseas. Calculate freight, duty, brokerage, and inventory carrying costs to support these lengthened supply chains. Also factor in such items as the costs of engineers flying overseas. Once you understand the true total landed cost and total impact to the business 12. Focus on eliminating the variability out of transit times. The more variable the transit times are, the more likely it is that the receiving party is using more premium freight, building buffers of inventory, or ordering more often and more quantity than necessary to compensate for the uncertainty. Understanding these dynamics can lead to the conclusion that paying higher freight costs to insure higher variability actually saves your company in total costs. 13. Control your express shipping costs. Typically when a company runs into a supply chain issue, it will have an entire shipment sent on an express/expedited (highest cost) service level basis. Panicking often results in higher costs. If the company would just do a little bit of calculating it can determine the amount of goods that are needed immediately and have that amount sent using express/expedited service level, while the balance of the shipment can be sent using a standard (lower cost) service level. 14. Informed decision-making. Provide to the decision-makers/customers of your logistics network the cost of freight for each service level, the reliability of each lane for each service level, and the true cost of carrying inventory so they can make informed decisions. People generally want to be good corporate citizens and will select the less expensive option that still meets their needs CHARACTERISTICS OF COST REDUCTION (HARD COST SAVINGS) The following are the characteristics of â€Å"Hard† cost savings, which is understood as tangible bottom line reductions are: year-on-year saving over the constant volume of purchased product/service, actions that can be traced directly to the Profit and Loss Account, direct reduction of expense or a change in process/technology/policy that directly reduces expenses, process improvements that result in real and measurable cost or asset reductions, examination of existing products or services, contractual agreements, or processes to determine potential changes that reduce cost, and net reductions in prices paid for items procured when compared to prices in place for the prior 12 months or a change to lower cost alternatives. COST AVOIDANCE (SOFT COST SAVINGS) â€Å"Soft† cost avoidance is much more difficult to define. The following are Suggested definitions, which includes: Cost avoidance is a cost reduction that does not lower the cost of products/services when compared against historical results, but rather minimizes or avoids entirely the negative impact to the bottom line that a price increase would have caused, when there is an increase in output or capacity without increasing resource expenditure, in general, the cost avoidance savings are the amount that would have been spent to handle the increased volume or output, and Cost avoidances include process improvements that do not immediately reduce cost or assets but provide benefits through improved process efficiency, employee productivity, improved customer satisfaction, improved competitiveness, over time to mention the few, cost avoidance often becomes cost savings. N. B: Cost avoidance is a cost reduction that results from a spend that is lower than the spend that would have otherwise been required if the cost avoidance exercise had not been undertaken. This accounts for the situations where spend is higher due to higher demand but overall cost per unit is lower, where up-front investments reduce overall spend in one or more categories over a multi-year initiative, and where a process improvement or product replacement resulted in a lower operating cost or cost per unit compared to what the company would have spent had the company not improved the process or replaced the product. To Sum up, if the organization adopts this open definition of cost avoidance, and maintains a document of common examples and their associated metrics, which is updated each time a new type of project is encountered that could result in a cost avoidance, the organization can fully quantify the â€Å"hard† and â€Å"soft† savings delivered by the sourcing team to the management team. Measures of Cost Avoidance: Resisting or delaying a supplier’s price increase, this is one of the ways of cost avoidance whereby the organization use techniques to resist or delay supplier price increase in avoiding cost. Use of purchase price that is lower than the original quoted price, The organization purchases its requirements at a lower price than what was initially quoted by the supplier so as to avoid cost. Value of additional services at no cost, the firm makes sure it avoid or prevent cost by making sure after sale services are obtained for free for instance installation, free training. Long-term contracts with price-protection provisions,the firm enters into long term contracts with the aim of cost sharing with the supplier. Introduction of a new product or part number requiring a new material purchases and spend is lower. COST REDUCTION CHALLENGES Some of the challenges faced by a company as they seek to assess cost reduction include: Cancellation of net savings due to an increase in the business unit’s cost structure, Supply management’s role in the cost savings allocation decision, Chronology of supply management’s involvement and the need for budget cuts, Visibility, in terms of systems, people, and metrics, Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) concept for purchases items/services, Multi-year issues in cost savings, and Creating a proper incentive structure for supply management personnel. TYPES OF COST REDUCTION AND AVOIDANCE The following are types of cost reduction and avoidance that need to be recognized as valid cost savings. This section presents some types of cost reduction and cost avoidance that can contribute significantly to the organization’s bottom line. Negotiated Discounts against Material Cost Increases If the products being sourced are primarily made from a commodity whose average market price or index has increased significantly since the last sourcing cycle, and a buyer manages to negotiate a price that increases less than the increase in underlying material costs since the last sourcing event, this is a valid cost avoidance. Substitution If a buyer manages to find another product that performs the same function, or is able to collaborate with a supplier to produce a functionally equivalent specification that is more economical to produce, then the buyer has obtained a cost reduction on behalf of the organization.. Waived Fees This form of cost avoidance is quite self-explanatory. For example, if a supplier normally charges an installation fee for a new piece of equipment, but the buyer is able to negotiate free installation, than this would be an example of cost avoidance of the waived fee variety. Another example would be free training or services. However, this is one example where the cost avoidance is not equal to what the vendor quotes, but what the market average for the service is.. Inventory Reduction This occurs when the buyer comes up with a strategy to reduce the inventory that the organization needs to hold at any given time. Since all inventories is associated with a carrying cost, inventory reduction often represents significant cost savings to an organization over time. Inventory can be reduced when a buyer finds a supplier who can handle a shorter lead time or when inventory is turned over to a vendor who specializes in inventory management (Vendor Managed Inventory). Process Improvement Processes consume overhead, and overhead costs money. Thus, any significant process improvement could represent a significant cost avoidance to an organization. However, unlike the other types of cost avoidance, process improvement cost reductions can be a bit tricky to evaluate. The key is to look at the average number of units of product or work produced per day, week, or month prior to the improvement and the number of units of product or work produced per day, week, or month after the improvement and calculate a percentage improvement N. B: By doing this, the organization will have clearly defined cost reduction efforts, tied them to savings, defined their relative importance, and defined the share of the credit that will go to supply management in a cross-functional initiative. The organization will also have avoided the problem where the team over concentrates on finding â€Å"hard† dollar savings, which is a serious problem if raw material and energy costs keep rising significantly and the largest savings potential is in the â€Å"soft† savings realized by long-term process and product improvements. Transloading to Maximize Cost Savings By Deborah Catalano Ruriani Tags: Transportation Management Transloading offers a cost-effective way to bring ocean containers inland to distribution centers. By transferring cargo without sorting the contents for shipment to a single destination, transloading services can reduce total landed costs, and—when combined with value-added services such as palletizing and shrink-wrapping—reduce handling at the destination. Jeff McCorstin, senior vice president of air and ocean products for UPS Global Freight Forwarding, offers these tips for maximizing savings with transloading services. 1. Understand general transloading rules. Transloading offers the greatest cost savings when ocean containers can be consolidated into fewer, larger domestic trailers. The cargo in three 40-foot ocean containers typically fits into two 53-foot domestic trailers. 2. Ensure overall transportation savings outweigh additional handling costs. Sometimes the savings are negated for destinations located farther east from the U. S. West Coast discharge port. 3. Consider palletizing cargo during transloading. To best use space in ocean containers, cargo is rarely palletized at the point of origin. Palletize during the transloading process to improve distribution center (DC) handling efficiency. 4. Factor transloading into transit time estimates. Unloading, handling, and reloading ocean container cargo near the port of discharge takes time. Allow up to three days to ensure customer delivery commitments are met. 5. Ensure your cargo fits the bill. Transload operators charge additional fees for containers with more than a certain number of cartons. The additional costs for containers with several thousand small cartons could offset any transportation savings. 6. Ensure handling flexibility by making Customs entry at the port. While it is a common practice to clear ocean containers at their final inland destinations, it is better to make entry at the port of discharge. This ensures maximum flexibility in handling cargo, and eliminates the need to move the shipment in-bond, saving additional costs. 7. Increase supply chain efficiency with merge-in-transit offerings. This type of deconsolidation allows importers to combine products arriving in containers from different origins/shippers by transloading near the port of arrival into domestic trailers. And if importers source from domestic suppliers—who may also have product arriving via container—this cargo can be merged in transit to arrive together at the designated DC. 8. Use transloading to expedite delivery to final destination. Transloading near the port of discharge provides the flexibility to bypass DCs and speed delivery to the end customer. The reduced DC handling charges and improved time in transit can help trim supply chain costs. 9. Avoid costly containers. Instead of shipping less-than-containerload, 20-foot, or light-loaded 40-foot containers from multiple overseas vendors to your inland DC, ship fully loaded/optimized containers to a single container freight station near the port of discharge. From there, they can be transloaded, merged in transit with other inbound cargo, and shipped to the final destination using the transport mode that best fits the importers needs. 10. Set up transloading programs in advance. Having your service provider involved in coordinating with the origin forwarder translates into better service levels and reliability. Flexible Structure Flexible operations are preplanned contingency strategies to prevent logistical failures. A typical emergency occurs when an assigned shipping facility is out of stock or for some other reason cannot complete a customer’s order. For example, a warehouse may be out of an item with no replenishment inventory scheduled to arrive until after the customer’s specified order delivery date. To prevent back-ordering or delivery cancellation, a contingency operating policy may assign the total order, or at least those items not available, for shipment from an alternative warehouse. The use of flexible operations is typically based on the importance of meeting the needs of a specific customer or the critical nature of the product being ordered. A flexible logistics capability that has gained popularity as a result of improved communications involves procedures for serving predetermined situations as part of the basic logistical strategy. The flexible logistics rule and decision scenarios specify alternative ways to meet specific service requirements, such as assignment of the order to different shipping facilities or changing methods of delivery. A strategy that utilizes flexible operations is common practice in four different situations. First, the customer designated delivery facility might be near a point of equal logistics cost or equal delivery time from two different logistics facilities. Customers located at such points offer the supplying firm an opportunity to fully utilize available inventory and logistical capacity. Orders can be serviced from the facility having the best inventory position or the available transportation capacity to achieve timely delivery. This form of flexible logistics offers a way to fully utilize system capacity by balancing workloads between facilities while protecting customer service commitments. The benefit is operating efficiency, which is transparent to the customer, who experiences no service deterioration. A second situation justifying flexible distribution is when the size of a customer’s order creates an opportunity to improve logistical efficiency if serviced through an alternative channel arrangement. For example, the lowest-total-cost method to provide small shipment delivery may be through a distributor. In contrast, larger shipments may have the lowest total logistical cost when shipped factory direct to customers. Provided that alternative methods of shipment meet customer delivery expectations, total logistical cost may be reduced by implementing flexible policies. A third type of flexible operation may result from a selective inventory stocking strategy. The cost and risk associated with stocking inventory require careful analysis to determine which items and how much to place in each warehouse. With replacement parts, a common strategy mentioned earlier is to stock selected items in specific warehouses with the total line being stocked only at a central facility. In general-merchandise retailing, a store or distribution center located in a small community may stock only a limited or restricted version of a firm’s total line. When customers desire nonstocked items, orders must be satisfied from an alternative facility. The term master facilities is often used to describe inventory strategies that designate larger facilities for backup support of smaller restricted facilities. Selective inventory stocking by echelon level is a common strategy used to reduce overall inventory risk. The reasons for selective stocking range from low product profit contribution to high per-unit cost of inventory maintenance. One way to operationalize a fine-line inventory classification strategy is to differentiate stocking policy by system echelons. In situations following such classified stocking strategies, it may be necessary to obtain advanced customer approval for split-order delivery. However, in some situations firms that use differentiated inventory stocking strategies are able to consolidate customer orders while intransit for same-time delivery, thereby making the arrangement customer transparent. The fourth type of flexible operations results from agreements between firms to move selected shipments outside the established echeloned or direct logistics arrangements. Two special arrangements gaining popularity are flow through cross-docks and service supplier arrangements. A cross-dock operation involves shipments from multiple suppliers arriving at a designated time at the handling facility. Inventory receipts are sorted by destination across the dock and consolidated into outbound trailers for direct delivery. Cross-dock operations are growing in popularity in the retail industry for building store-specific assortments and are common methods of continuous inventory replenishment for mass merchants. Cross-docking of merchandise direct from manufacture to a customer’s retail store eliminates the work and cost associated with utilizing distribution warehouses. Another form of flexible operations is to use integrated service providers to consolidate products for delivery. This is similar to consolidation for transportation purposes discussed in the previous section of this chapter. However, as a form of flexible logistics, specialists are used to avoid storage and handling of slow-moving products through the mainstream of the echeloned logistics structure. Such service providers can also provide important value-added services. For example, Starbucks Coffee Company has a long standing relationship with OHL, a logistics service provider. Starbucks has approximately 17,000 company-owned and licensed retail outlets. OHL provides logistical support to Starbucks by offering the typical range of 3PL services plus technology support. This operating relationship has existed for over a decade. Figure 2. 5 introduces flexibility to the logistical operating structures previously illustrated. A prerequisite to effective flexible operations is the use of information technology to monitor inventory status throughout the logistical network and provide the capability to rapidly switch methods for servicing customer orders. The use of flexible operations in emergency situations has a well-established track record. The overall improvement in information technology is resulting in flexible operations becoming an increasingly important part of basic logistics strategy. Cutting Costs From Your Logistics Budget By Tags: Supply Chain Management If you want to reduce logistics costs, you have to take the time to review your processes. Nathan Pieri, senior vice president of marketing and product management for Rutherford, N. J. -based Management Dynamics, offers these tips for trimming your logistics budget. 10 tips for reducing supply chain logistics costs Aug. 9, 2005 Bernie Hart EMAIL Tweet Comments 0 As companies continue to manufacture and source materials from overseas, controlling costs remains a top priority for those involved in international trade. One key factor that should be monitored more closely is logistics management, which covers all activities relating to the procurement, transport, transshipment and storage of goods. Depending on the industry sector, supply chain logistics costs account from 5% to 50% of a product’s total landed cost. Some issues effecting logistics costs: Fuel prices remain high and ports continue to experience delays, resulting in higher transportation fees. Increasingly complex international trade laws and security measurements threaten to lengthen delivery times and increase warehousing costs. According to a recent report by TechnologyEvaluation. com, a typical air-freight shipment takes eight to twelve days. Of this, the cargo is en route only 5% of the time. The rest is spent sitting in warehouses waiting for the required documents and compliance checks. Following are 10 Tips on Reducing Supply Chain Logistics Costs: 1. , that domestic buy may look a lot better. Sourcing from Ohio to your U. S. plant, distribution center or customer may, in the long run, be more cost effective than sourcing from China. 23. Tariff engineering. Strategically source and manufacture products to take advantage of classification duty rates and eligibility for special trade programs such as NAFTA. 4. Consolidate. If you have multiple suppliers in one country, consolidate their goods into one shipment. In addition, if you always have LCL (less than container load) shipments out of one country, try to find another LCL importer of goods from that country. You may be able to partner and consolidate to a more cost-effective FCL (full container load) shipment. 5.. 6. Sometimes insurance doesn’t pay. Often when a company has a shipment of premium goods they tend to use the Carrier’s Insurance. Carriers Insurance is very expensive. If the company is self insured, which most companies are, they should check their insurance policy to see if it covers shipment of goods. If it does, then they do not need to add the extra cost of Carrier’s Insurance. 7. Automate compliance processes. Companies that implement software solutions to automate trade compliance are able to speed the cycle times associated with tasks being performed manually, such as document preparation, and eliminate the associated errors. Automated compliance procedures also bring fewer delays at border crossings, resulting in on-time delivery, adequate inventory levels, increased customer satisfaction, and the avoidance of fines. 8.. 9. Planes, trains and automobiles. Which is cheapest? In general, rail is more cost-effective than trucking or air. Water is cheaper than air shipment. No matter the mode of delivery, always try to get three quotes for movements. 10. Be aware of non-tariff trade barriers. Companies need to be more aware of the increasing level of non-tariff trade barriers that are in force to reduce sweat shop labor and support human rights and animal welfare issues. These restrictions can bring importers increased liability and compliance costs.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

How to Study If You Only Have Minutes to Cram

How to Study If You Only Have Minutes to Cram Weve all been there: you either procrastinate or forget about a test until the last minute, at which point you realize that you have less than an hour to cram in as much knowledge as possible. Heres how to make the most of your cram session and study for your test in an hour or less. Find a Quiet Study Space If youre at school, head to the library or a quiet classroom. If youre studying at home, turn off the TV, shut off your phone, power down the computer, and head to your room. Politely request that your friends and/or family give you time to study quietly. If you have only a short period of time  to cram, youll need 100% of your focus. Review Your Study Guide If youve been lucky enough to receive a study guide from your teacher, use it! Study guides are a crammers best friend. Read through the study guide as many times as you can. Memorize as much of the content as possible, using mnemonic devices like acronyms or songs. You can also try reading out loud and discussing the content with a friend or family member. Dont worry about making flashcards or taking notes- an in-depth review of the study guide itself will be more effective. Crack Open the Textbook If you do not have a study guide, grab a pen and a notebook and open up your textbook. After youve confirmed which chapter(s) the test will cover, read the first two pages of each relevant chapter. Look for major ideas, vocabulary, and concepts, and as you read, summarize any words or phrase that are bold or highlighted in the text. (You can do this summary process in writing if you have time, or simply state your summary out loud). After youve read the first two pages of every chapter, read the last page of every chapter and answer the review questions in your head. If you cant figure out an answer to a review question, look it up in the textbook before moving on. These review questions are often good previews of the type of content to expect on your test. Review Notes, Quizzes and Assignments Dont have access to your textbook? Gather as many notes, quizzes, and assignments relevant to your upcoming test as you can. Your personal notes will hold plenty of useful information, and your teachers quizzes and assignments are often one of the main sources of test questions. Read every page as you would a study guide or textbook chapter, focusing on key terms and concepts. Try to memorize as much of the content as you can with mnemonic devices. Quiz Yourself Using your study guide, textbook, and/or previous assignments, hold a quick quiz session. Look for key terms, then cover up the answers with your hand and try to define them. Next, look for big concepts, then flip over the pages and explain the concepts in your head. Circle or write down any topics you have trouble with and review them several times. If you have time and access to a study buddy, he or she can help out by guiding you through one last quiz session, but self-studying is just as productive. Write Down Your Mnemonic Devices As soon as the teacher hands out the test and says begin, write your newly-created mnemonic devices (acronyms, phrases, etc.) down on your test paper. Seeing these mnemonic devices will jog your memory as you go through the test. Ask the Teacher for Help If you get confused or stuck during the test, dont be afraid to raise your hand and politely ask for help. Many teachers are willing to guide you in the right direction, particularly if they know you to be a hard-working student.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Personal Philosophy For Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Personal Philosophy For Education - Essay Example It is in view of the above discussed needs in their totality that it is observed, discipline has to be married with dignity (Curvin, Mendler and Mendler, 2008, p.14-20). The students are found to learn best when the teacher possesses a consistent personal philosophy of education so that â€Å"an acceptable theory of discipline (for all occasions and events) can be evolved to provide needed direction and help reduce teaching complexities and and increase effectiveness (Edwards, 2008, p.23). The major benefit of having a philosophy of education is that it â€Å"serves as a guide and helps eliminate problems that stem from having to make decisions without the benefit of a firm set of principles† (Edwards, 2008, p.25). Personal philosophy of education can be defined as â€Å"a consistent well-understood system of beliefs and associated theories† that a teacher depends upon for guidance in his/her professional acts (Edwards, 2008, p.25). ... 31 - 32). But once the teacher has evolved a concrete philosophy of education, there is always an option for the teacher of comparing one’s bahaviour and actions with that philosophy and correcting deviant behaviour and actions. The students learn best when the teacher defines all the professional practices, leadership and management skills and behaviours related to personal effectiveness based on his/her personal philosophy of education (National Institute of Education Singapore, n.d.). The professional practices are related to various aspects like, supporting the growth of the child, ensuring quality in the learning exercise of the child, providing quality learning of the child in CCA, and cultivating knowledge through perfect command over the subjects taught, encouraging reflective and analytic thinking, promoting initiative, rendering knowledge with a creative edge and with a focus on the short term and long term future requirements (National Institute of Education Singapo re, n.d.). Similarly, leadership and management skills to be exercised by the teacher have to include winning hearts and minds of the students through empathising rather than mere systemising and also through understanding the classroom environment and developing the children (Baron-Cohen, 2004, p.2-6; National Institute of Education Singapore, n.d.). Leadership and management is also about working with others, which in this particular context is related to working with the parents and in teams that include students, teachers and the school administration (National Institute of Education Singapore, n.d.). Finally, the third aspect of ensuring that

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Business Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Business Proposal - Essay Example The aim is to provide coffee services. Coffitoff will start its online business from England mainly London and then at later stage expand its market to other parts of the UK. London is the business hub of the UK and it is there where the product will be tested. The business will be started as a sole proprietor and if need arises it will go public to attain funds. The coffee beans are exported from other countries. This increases the cost of the coffee in the UK as compared to the American or Asian countries (Casenotes, 2004). Coffee is not easily affordable in the UK. The global recession that took place in 2008 has made consumers very careful of how they spend their money. Coffee is regarded by many as a product of surplus need rather than an immediate one. People in the UK can go without drinking it (Ireland, 2009). Consumers look to save every penny in these harsh economic times. As newer coffee machines are coming into the market it is becoming easier for people to purchase and keep these machines in their home. It is cheaper to make coffee at home rather than ordering online (Hashemi, 2002). The target market for Coffitoff comprises of business professionals who find it hard to stop by a coffee shop for a cup of coffee. Recent research shows that 60% of all business executives would like to have a cup of coffee at least once a day in London (Richardson, 2014). Out of the 60% only about 18% of the professionals make it to the coffee shops. This means that 42% of the people are deprived of this need as they do not have time for coffee. Coffitoff will look to cater this segment of people (Richardson, 2014). 1. Rivalry: Online business is still very new and is growing. At the moment, there are over a dozen online coffee shops in the UK. Brand identification is very important to maintain the rivalry and market position between coffee shops (Pride, 2008). 2. Threat of substitutes: The threat of

Sunday, November 17, 2019

International Business Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

International Business Finance - Essay Example Through competitor analysis, the company can differentiate the products supplied to these new regions, and effectively overcome the impeding competition from existing suppliers (Johnson 2012). Overcoming competition remains fundamental towards ensuring successful entry into international markets. Competitor analysis could assist the company in reaching competitive edge within the international business ventures. The production methods utilised by competitors can provide the company with possible production methods to use within these regions. This will also enable the company to analyse possible production technological advancements that could be introduced, and improve the production. Introduction of new production technology could enhance production and reduce production costs. Economic status The economic status shall include the analysis of the economic systems, within these regions, and institutions. This would provide the company with information regarding the availability of e ssential natural and human resources within the target regions. The available human resources could enable the company establish the best production methods, sustainable within these regions. The economic status shall enable the company to decide on strategic approaches to take when making market entries into these regions. In a libertarian economy, for example, market entry would be easier because of limited interference from governments (Glaeser, 2010). Most economies of Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia remain relatively static with considerable government regulation. Understanding of these factors would enable the company to strategise on effective methods of coping with the government influence (Jethani 2011). Government influence in these economies limits the freedom of conducting business and could frustrate investors when assumed. Political system The company should consider the political systems in existence within the target markets. The political system immensely affects th e policy formulation and economic stability of any country. The political systems within different countries determine the influences of government owned enterprises on private businesses. While the operation of government owned enterprises depends on political systems, their influence on private businesses could affect the operations of private enterprises (Hatch, et al. 2011). Political systems could therefore, affect private businesses through offering government enterprises better operating environments, hence instigating unfair competition. Bureaucratic political systems implement controls on private enterprises while letting government owned businesses to operate freely, giving government enterprises a competitive edge. International conflicts, influenced by political systems, could also have adverse effects on international businesses. Countries experiencing international conflict could have sanctions imposed on them, and participation in international activities, including b usiness, significantly affected. Legal factors The legal system within any country affects the capacity to effectively conduct business. An analysis of the legal systems remains essential in enabling the company to determine best operating methods, applicable within the legal systems. Existence of corruption within numerous African countries could become a hindrance towards stability of operations. Corruption could become deeply rooted vice in a country’s culture that it becomes inculcated into national values

Friday, November 15, 2019

Symbol Quilts Story

Symbol Quilts Story Symbolism of Quilt in â€Å"Everyday Use?† by Alice Walker: An Analysis Symbol has been accepted by various scholars as one of the most important aspects of any piece of literature, since the entire plot revolves around it. â€Å"But what is a symbol? A symbol does not direct our attention to something else as a sign does. It does not direct at all. It â€Å"means† something else. It somehow comes to contain within itself the thing it means. The word â€Å"ball† is a sign to my dog and a symbol to me. If I say â€Å"ball† to my dog, he will respond like a good Pavlovian organism and look under the sofa and fetch it. But if I say â€Å"ball† to you, you will simply look at me and, if you are patient, finally say, â€Å"What about it?† The dog responds to the word by looking for thing; you conceive the ball through the word â€Å"ball.† Walker Percy Attribution: Walker Percy (1916-1990), U.S. novelist. The Message in the Bottle, ch. 7, Farrar (1975). In Alice Walkers short story â€Å"Everyday Use?† various symbols exist among which the most dominant is the quilts. Quilts are a fine example of a folk craft that started as simply useful and become emotionally charged. The patterns become artistically ambitious and emotionally meaningful, and the fabric used carried meaning as well. Not only that, but also how the quilts were made became part of the social structure. The symbolism of the quilts can be argued in various ways, depending upon the perspective either intended by the author or perceived by the reader. In this story, however, represent the connectedness of history and the intergenerational ties of the family. Now why are quilts so important in this story is it because it is the essence of pride in the family and needs to be displayed or is it because is it because it helps Dee feel superior over her own sister Maggie. Dee wishes to acquire the quilts because her grandmother stitched them by hand and in order to show her affection Dee wants to display the quilts by hanging them on the wall on her home. This does show her pride in her family but then again Dee gets outraged when her mother expresses her wish to give the quilts to Maggie. This is the point where Dees pride falls in the grey area. In Dees words â€Å"Maggie cant appreciate these quilts . . . Shed probably be backward enough to put them to everyday use . . . Maggie would put them on the bed and in five years theyd be in rags†. Dee does accept that the quilt represent her cultural heritage but never tried to understand the purpose of the quilts. Until the time when her mother and grandmother explained her Dee had no clue that giving Maggie the quilts help carry on the family tradition. It is not only important to accept Quilting as important tradition but to pass it as well. A tradition has no meaning if there is no one knows about it. Giving the quilts to Maggie is the best way to affirm that the connection of heritage will enhance and not only just bleakly exist. Thus, the above statements reveal the importance of symbolism. The same quilts represent heritage to both Dee and her mother but they perceive it quite differently than the other. Dee wants to preserve heritage and strongly believes that they are objects meant to be proud of and what can be a better method to reveal the pride by displaying them to the entire world. She is unable to perceive the knowledge and history attached with the quilts, and due to that fact her idea of â€Å"heritage† loses its very meaning to the core. According to her mother, however, one can not learn ones heritage until the tradition that tags along with it is understood. Dee has yet to experience the outside world, whereas Maggie has felt the treatment of the entire society while still remaining within the confines of her home. Dee feels as if her mother is unaware of the meaning and the importance of her familys heritage. But has she ever tried to realize her own heritage? In order to understand it took her mother and grandmother to make her reach down deep down in her soul. It was only then that Dee realized that although she had learned to live life with no boundaries, she has not yet attained the level of at which she could realize what is the most important question of her life What exactly is her heritage? Work Cited http://education.yahoo.com/reference/quotations/quote/54101 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everyday_Use http://www.bownet.org/jmcdermott/everyday_use__by_alice_walker.htm

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

The Origin Of Basketball And I Essay -- essays research papers

Over the years since basketball was invented, its popularity has gotten very big. The game is played all over the world and has made a lot of people rich through its many professional leagues. The National Basketball Association is, by far, the most popular league in the world, but a lot of people like to watch college, high school, and recreational basketball as much. The game of basketball is one of the most popular and exciting games to watch or play on any skill level. In December of 1891, Dr. James Naismith was a teacher at the Young Men's Christian Association Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts. It was winter and one of his superiors, Dr. Luther Gulick, asked of Dr. Naismith to come up with a game that could be played during the winter months ("History"). Dr. Naismith had played rugby and he didn't like the roughness of that game. He wanted a team game which would get rid of most physical contact ("Basketball"). The game contained elements from American football, soccer, and hockey ("History"). Dr. Naismith contemplated the way the game should be played and what should be used for a goal. His original idea was to have a vertical goal. When he consulted some of his students, they brought to his attention that people would be able to block an attempt to score by simply raising their hand in front of the ball. He then came up with the idea of a horizontal goal in which the players would have to throw the ball in an arc. This would mean less force would be needed to get the ball in and it also meant that the opposing players wouldn't be able to block a shot so easily (Anderson, 5). He then asked a custodian to hang to boxes from the balcony in the gym. The custodian came back and said that he only had to peach baskets. That would have to do. The first ball used was a soccer ball. Since there was eighteen kids in his class, each team consisted of nine players (Vancil). Since the baskets were placed on the balconies, which happened to be ten feet high, the players needed a ladder to get the ball out after each score. By 1897, the size of teams had reduced to only five players and the ball was replaced with a slightly larger leather ball, very similar to what is used today ("Basketball"). As the popularity grew, more people began to go and watch th... ...it still does. The first great pro team was the Original Celtics of 1915 ("History"). It survived the NBL and dominated the NBA. The Celtics also changed the game into a future. The Celtics proved to be the best team in history. They were the first dynasty. Under some of the best coaches every to coach, they won an average of 57.6 wins out of 80 per season (Vancil, 12). They won eight championships in a row, and have a total of sixteen which is five more than any other team. The other great team throughout the ages was the Lakers. They won five championships in Minneapolis and six more after they moved to Los Angeles, for a total of eleven (Vancil, 26). The turning point for the NBA was the 1966-67 season. The Celtics were dominating and Bill Russell, the center for Boston, made $100,000 for that year (Vancil, 13). The fan interest was at an all-time high. In 1951 the first All-Star Game was held. The east had five of the leagues top nine scorers and beat the west easily. Eight years later, the Basketball Hall of Fame was built in Springfield, MA. It hold the names of great players, referees, coaches, and people of importance to the development of the game of basketball.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Book Review: Creating Effective Teams Essay

Creating Effective Teams: a Guide for Members and Leaders is a book by Wheelan (2013) designed to do as the title states; guiding members and leaders to create effective teams. Wheelan (2013) begins the book by highlighting the reasons that groups are important. Wheelan (2013) states that throughout history, â€Å"Groups have played a major role in both the survival of human beings and the development of human culture† (p. 1). The majority of the book is based on 4 stages that create a group of individuals into an effective team. The first stage is called dependency and inclusion. According to Wheelan (2013), the first stage of the group is characterized by group members becoming dependent upon the group leader. During this first stage, members must learn to trust each other. Wheelan (2013) highlights three goals that should come out of the first stage. The first goal is to have group members begin to develop a sense of belonging as well as recognize predictable patterns of interaction. The next goal is to develop loyalty to the group. The final goal is to create a safe environment for members in order for them to share and contribute ideas and suggestions. The second stage is called counterdependency and flight (Wheelan, 2013). This stage is the natural transition from reaching the goals of stage 1; members will begin to feel that they don’t need to be dependent upon the leader, which results in group members fighting amongst themselves. This is an inescapable part of the process and is actually healthy for the group if managed properly. With the proper management, Wheelan (2013) identifies one goal for stage 2: creating a cohesive set of goals, values and operational procedures. According to Wheelan (2013), the third stage is called trust and structure. If the group is able to work through the conflicts and is abiding by the goals set in stage 2, then group members begin to trust each other, become more committed to the group and cooperation greatly increases. There are two goals identified by Wheelan (2013). The first goal of stage three is to solidify positive relationships between members. The second goal is to engage in more mature negotiations about group roles and organizational procedures. Once the three are stages are worked through the n the fourth stage, Work (Wheelan, 2013), can be accomplished. Wheelan (2013) identifies the fourth stage as a time of intense team productivity and effectiveness. This is the stage that is the result of creating the effective team. Once the four stages have been identified and understood, Wheelan (2013) goes on to elaborate on how a group leader can keep the team effective. Wheelan (2013) speaks of 10 keys to productivity (goals, roles, interdependence, leadership, communication and feedback, [discussion, decision making and planning], implementation and evaluation, norms and individual differences, structure, cooperation and conflict management). Wheelan (2013) also shares the ways that group members become effective team members (don’t blame others, support the leader, promote effective problem-solving, etc†¦) as well as how a leader can be an effective team leader (be direct and confident, involve members in leadership, adjust your leadership style to the group, etc†¦). Finally, Wheelan (2013) highlights effective organizational support for teams, which includes an organization support checklist. Concrete Response There really wasn’t a video roll that played in my head, but I can apply this concept to my job. Currently, I am a supervisor for a wellness center that works with people living with a mental illness. I see the group that I work with as a team because we are working toward one goal. This goal is to help the members living with a mental illness learn to gain independence, work on social skills and work on personal goals that they would like to establish. I feel as if my job is to create and effective team, first with my co-workers and then next with the members of the wellness center. As I was reading the four stages of a group, I can definitely see how that works out. When I first started there, I was definitely in the first stage with my co-workers and the members. Eventually stage two did happen and conflicts began because as a new supervisor, I had changed some rules and regulations that were received poorly at first. Eventually we were all able to work through the new changes and developed trust, stage 3. Once trust was developed, then we were able to get to the task at hand, which was achieving the goals set by each member and are now in the working stage of the team. It was interesting to read the text and apply to my personal life. The one thing that I did notice is that I’ve been there for almost a year and I can confidently say that it took a few months of hard work to be where I am not with the members and my co-workers. Reflection I really enjoyed the book and I can definitely see how a team can become effective when each stage is performed properly. The questions that I had with reading the book were; what happens if I am not able to complete a stage? What happens if the group members are not cooperative? And how do you handle a group that is there voluntarily versus involuntarily? While the book offers great advice and ideas, there didn’t seem to be much room for error. Even when it came to the four checklists (team performance, effective member, effective leader and organization support) there were grades, but there was no explanation or tips on how to turn your poor grade into a positive grade. This book is a great conceptual book and a good book for advice but I feel as if Wheelan (2013) designed the book to be used as a resource that should be worked with other books and your own personal viewpoint. I don’t think that I am trying to outsmart Wheelan (2013); but for me as a reader, my assumptions of the book based on the title were not what I had expected. I was partially correct that this was a how-to book, but what I did not expect was that there wouldn’t really be anything about how to correct problems. This is almost like a user’s manual for group leaders; it tells you what to do, but not what to do when you make a mistake. I would use this book with another resource. Action So what am I going to do about it? How will I take this book and apply it to my life? What is a 3 step action plan that I can take? There are a lot of different steps that I can take with this book, but what hit me the most is the chapter on how I can be an effective team leader. So the first step that I would like to do is learn how to apply the leadership skills applied for each stage. According the Wheelan (2013), during the first stage I need to learn to me a directive and confident leader. During the second stage, I need to understand that when members begin to demand more participation in running the group, I must slowly begin to empower them to have it. During the third stage I need to be able to involve members in the leadership of he group. Finally, during stage four, I must be able to participate as an expert member of the team. Being able to master those skills will greatly help me when it comes to team leadership. The second action plan that I will do is to take those checklist and actually fill them out and see if I need to change in the areas of team performance, effective membership, effective leadership and organizational support. I feel as if what I will do what the checklists are to make copies of them or look for them online and pass it out to my team members and the wellness center members also. Finally, what I would like to do is to audit the productivity of the team based on the 10 factors highlighted by Wheelan (2013); (goals, roles, interdependence, leadership, communication and feedback, [discussion, decision making and planning], implementation and evaluation, norms and individual differences, structure, cooperation and conflict management). As stated in the section above, I will be using this book as an additional resource to really help improve my leadership abilities; especially at work, but also in other aspects of my life.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Filipino Biologist Angel Alcala and Artifical Coral Reefs

Filipino Biologist Angel Alcala and Artifical Coral Reefs Angel Alcal has more than thirty years of experience in tropical marine resource conservationa. Angel Alcala is considered a world class authority in ecology and biogeography of amphibians and reptiles, and is behind the invention of artifical coral reefs to be used for fisheries in Southeast Asia. Angel Alcala is the Director of the Angelo King Center for Research and Environmental Management. Angel Alcala - Degrees: Undergraduate degree Silliman UniversityPh.D. Stanford University Angel Alcala - Awards: 1994 - The Field Museum Founders Council Award of Merit for contributions to environmental biologyMagsaysay Award for Public ServicePew Fellowship in Marine Conservation Work with Philippine Amphibians Reptiles: Angel Alcala has done the most comprehensive studies on Philippine amphibians and reptiles, and minor studies on birds and mammals. His research done between 1954 to 1999 lead to the addition of fifty new species of amphibians and reptiles.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Vietnam essays

Vietnam essays During the Cold War, the United States of America was determined to act as the superior nation in the world. They believed that every country was inferior to them in regards to military power, economic stability and moral beliefs. After the assassination of former President John F. Kennedy, the Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson took over in Washington. He was pressured to follow through on the late President's programs and policies on Vietnam which involved the demonstration of America's strength and responsibility. It is believed that American intervention in Vietnam was caused by structural weakness in the National Security Council and not enough attention to long- range policy planning. In addition, Johnson's inexperience and naivety regarding foreign policy and the positive belief of creating a perfect world. A main cause of American involvement was the weakness of the mechanism for determining the framework of foreign policy. The establishment of the National Security Council came about in 1947. It was to bridge the gulf between considerations of foreign policy and considerations of the military force which was to conduct external relations.1 Apparently, the U.S.A. had had no central authority that linked the organizations of the Military Services and the State Department. As a result, the government decided that in order to be successful in international affairs the two groups had to basically work together. The NSC ensured detailed coordination of all major factors of U.S. foreign policy decisions.2 It was odd that both President Truman and Eisenhower had success with this organization and when Kennedy came to office he decided to change it. He preferred to rely on small groups to be responsible for policy formation and execution therefore, he was more "comfortable...with a broad know ledge of foreign affairs and a strong distaste for being hemmed in by too much organization".3 This informal system carried serious dangers of in...

Sunday, November 3, 2019

CRIMINAL JUSTICE - CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ASSESSMENT, CONSISTENCY, Essay

CRIMINAL JUSTICE - CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ASSESSMENT, CONSISTENCY, SENTENCING AND PROSECUTION - Essay Example er only 48% believed that criminal justice system is effective to bring criminals to justice; fewer still believed that the system was able to deal with cases efficiently, and only 26 % believed that the needs of the victims were met by people. 2 So overall, these findings show that people perceive that Justice System treats suspects well yet, it is not always capable to protect the rights of victims. Ethnical minorities however are more confident that their rights can be protected by current criminal justice system, though they perceive that the legal system might be prejudiced to them if they are suspects or witnesses in the case. 3One of the most serious conclusions that can be drawn from British Crime Survey is that the confidence of the victims decreases once they have contacted the police. In order to evaluate the level of confidence of the population in current legal system, BCS of 2000, asked respondents how good the job of various agencies was performed. According to the finding all agencies mentioned in the report had received high rankings, however there was sharp decrease in the level of confidence in the police, whereas the level of confidence in al other agencies decreased less sharply. 4 Apart from evaluating the level of confidence, the survey also provided some insight in the factors that contributed to the decline of confidence. The survey found that men were less confident in criminal justice system than women; those of middle aged were less confident than young men and women. The more educated the person is the less confident he is in the justice and efficiency of the system. However, there was almost unanimous agreement among all groups of people that legal system protected the rights of accused and suspects. 5In spite of the fact that there was some variations in the perception of efficiency of the justice legal system among various groups of population as Black and Asian respondents treat criminal justice system better than white

Friday, November 1, 2019

Catch-Up Problem in Developing Countries Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Catch-Up Problem in Developing Countries - Essay Example Those that had to depend on bailouts from the IMF were forced to accept a wide-ranging reform program as obligatory conditions for the rescue loans. The themes of this paper are (1) that the Asian crises were the inevitable outcomes of the dirigiste development policies the Asian economies pursued in their successful catch-up growth, (2) that such an institutional regime, however, finally met its match in the form of free-market global capitalism, especially in terms of unbridled capital flows, and (3) that East Asias present trend of deregulation and marketization is all the more pushed by the institutional requirements of the Internet revolution as the region struggles to catch up in the digital age. Any successfully developing economy climbs a ladder of growth. Until the arrival of a New Economy, all the advanced economies had, in the past, trodden a path of industrial structural transformation from the "Heckscher-Ohlin" labour-intensive industries (typified by textiles) to the "nondifferentiated Smithian" scale-driven industries (steel, basic chemicals, and heavy machinery), to the "differentiated Smithian" assembly-based in dustries (automobiles and electric/electronics goods), and finally to the "Schumpeterian" R&D-intensive industries (specialty chips, biotechnology, and new materials) (Ozawa 1992). This conceptualization of stage-based process of industrialization is in line with a "leading sector" theory of growth a la Joseph Schumpeter, which envisages a sequence of stages in each of which breakthrough innovations (new technologies) create a certain new dominant industry as the main engine of growth. This stage-demarcated sequence of growth can be clearly seen in the history of industrial capitalism. Great Britain was the first country that introduced the Industrial Revolution and quickly moved from textiles to steel and heavy machinery.