Career Development through International Mobility Essay

Career Development through International Mobility - Essay Example The LVMH Company came into existence as a result of the merger of Moet et Chandon, one of the largest manufacturers of champagne in the world, with a renowned manufacturer of cognac, Hennessey. In 1987, this group further merged with a fashion house, Louis Vuitton. LVMH is a France based group with over 56000 human resources out of which 63% employees work in different locations of the world. There exist 50 prestigious brands under this group, making it recognized as a global giant. It deals with various activities that include business in fashion goods and leather, spirits and wines, perfumes and cosmetics, watches and jewelry, among others. In this assignment, is going to major in the company of Christian Dior, because it is LVMH’s major holding company. It possesses 42.38% of its shareholding and voting rights of 59.3%. Christian Dior’s mass shareholder is also the chairman of both companies. He is LVMH’s CEO. By successfully integrating various famous inspira tional brands, other companies that offer luxurious products, e.g.  Richemont and Gucci, which are now the division of French conglomerate, are doing the same. The assignment also covers Chateau d’Yquem, which is a part of the oldest variety of the group, the manufacturer of first-class vintage wine. In order to make possible the adjustments of cross-cultures, a challenge to train its expatriates for international projects is being faced by LVMH. Therefore, the process of adjustment, involving the training of the employee along with his/her family, would be accelerated. Currently, the language courses are being developed by both pre-departure and post-arrival training. Intercultural training needs to be completed shortly as there exists an international position that needs to be filled without any delay. Due to this short training, the pressure to perform is not executed on such employees. In few cases, new joiners are helped by subsidiaries and the permission is granted to trainees for preliminary field trips. However, as per rule, before sending a candidate to an international exposure, some former international exposure, for instance, through studies or previous professional exposure, must be possessed by him. The kind of business conducted by LVMH requires its employees to possess the mobility factor. Usually, the employees are not found turning down international projects and assignments but it has been observed that the factor that hinders the mobility of an employee is related to the spouse. To tackle this, those young graduates are offered international assignments who are mostly single and who realize the importance of such international assignments as these are likely to help them develop effectively.  

Community Service Essay Example for Free

Community Service Essay Before actually partaking in community service, I always thought of it as a means of overworking students for the employers to save money, but after actually getting myself involved in itI realized that doing community service is actually a privilege for us the volunteers. It gives us an opportunity to gain experience, widen our skills and get a better understanding of the hard labour and it is a process that essentially goes into the outcome of a product or service. Community service has literally made me realized how little I contribute to my country, how little I know about my country and has brought to my attention and conscience that I should try my best to assist more—free of wage—in the continuous growth of my economy. Doing my service at St. Rose Nursery, has opened my eyes to the not so easy process of growing flowers, plants and trees; for example how important fertilizers are and what a big difference the right fertilisers make—and also the different types of fertilizers and their functions . Before I never really understood the beauty of them nor did I realize how much work went into nurturing and harvesting them, but now I am more aware and more concerned about the health of trees and how they are treated and even situated in a pot or the ground. On my first day at St. Rose Nursery, I was given a tour of the compound and while getting the tour, I could not help but feel relaxed and free. The ambience of the nursery changed my mood and thought completely; it had me wondering why do we stress out ourselves? Also it made me realize that I should take time to get in touch with nature and myself. After being introduced to the employees, I felt intimidated because I was the only female surrounded by five males so I saw that as a challenge in terms of them underestimating me and my abilities but after talking to them for a little I felt right at home and was able to be myself and even challenge myself by learning to pot plants, fertilize them and water them all in one day. They were all so helpful and very explanatory and took the time to show me exactly what to do before I did it, at the end of the day I excelled and  accomplished far more than they expected; the good energy at the nursery led me to spend longer hours there than I actually expected to spend per day. Throughout my time at St. Rose nursery, I would like to believe that I have brought a youthful and eager emotion to the compound; despite the fact that we worked in separate areas. I believe that I have shown them that a woman can be productive in the nursery field and can also keep up with their speed and even surpass them; I stared of potting only 1 plant per 2 minutes and by the end of the day, I was able to plant 2 plants per minute—it was fun and we turned it into a game—I observed the workers fertilizing the plants and heard the headman tell him that he was applying too much so I made an attempt to fertilize the next batch of plants and was told that I had done a good job! Not too much and not too little; I felt pleased and proud of myself—I had done better than someone who had much more experience in that field than me. It is funny how one can assume that plant nurturing to be a simple and senseless skill, well I learned the hard yet interesting way that it is far from simple and a lot of thought and precision goes into the whole process, from the pot the plant goes into, the climate atmosphere and type of soil that it is planted in. I have learned from this experience that it is possible to push myself a bit further when trying to accomplish a certain task in a given amount of time, I have learned that I am far more patient than I thought and most importantly I have learned that I personally stress myself over minor issues instead of taking time to breathe, relax and find a solution for it; through this I have come to the conclusion that I should find more time to clear my mind and possibly do something that I find interesting, productive and selfless to release my stresses of life. I have learned that even though I am an introvert, working with people is not that bad after all it just takes getti ng used to them and knowing how to work to suit all their different personalities. I also learned that working with other people really helps to get more work done faster. I honestly can say that I enjoyed the interaction with people who were not of my norm; I enjoyed the whole learning about new trees and their fruits,  smells, blooming and reproduction time. I enjoyed planting and reposting plants and most importantly I enjoyed the view of the surroundings. This endeavour was a challenging one in terms of patience and precision but in the end it all paid off, because I was blessed with the opportunity to enhance my gardening skills and was given the opportunity to be social with people who I would normally be afraid to talk to or even be around. Before transposing myself into the real life community service equation, I thought to myself and made an oath to myself that my main aim was to simple complete my thirty hours of community service as fast and as soon as possible, but after starting and observing the nursery, I realized that it would provide me with far more knowledge and far more fun and experience than I expected and I realized that it would be in my best interest to use it to my advantage to gain a greater skill. I believe that service to others is important because it is a good way to give back to the community and also to increase one’s level of experience and variation. I believe in my distant future I would once again volunteer my time to another estate to expand my comprehension and also to help improve my community and help improve myself as a person. The people at the St. Rose Nursery are very hospital and down to earth, to the point where I can honestly say that there is nothing I would change about their mannerism. To potential volunteers, I would like to advice them to go into the experience open minded and willing to learn. I would also suggest that they find something that is within their comfort zone or something at that they at least have a strong interest in learning or have a passion for, simply because if one does something that they do not like or will not like, then they will not enjoy the experience to the fullest and similarly if one does something that seemed interesting to them before they actually partook in it, then they would draw from that experience that it is simply not something they would like to do in the future and would have learned a valuable lesson.

Logistic and Transport Management to Reduce Health-care Cost

Logistic and Transport Management to Reduce Health-care Cost CHAPTER 1 1.0: Introduction The Health Care Sector in Mauritius provides medical solution and services to the general population in Mauritius. The Health sector budget is more than 10 Billion rupees annually excluding capital expenditure projects for infrastructural works such as construction of Hospitals and other health institutions. The overall health in Mauritius is a cause of great concern today, both for the government and for the public. Fundamental changes are needed in the health sector in an attempt to improve the quality of life. As such, one of the main sector where it deserves many changes is the logistic sector which encompasses the flow of information, the supply chain management, the procurement sections and the transport management. Logistics, a poorly understood and often un-appeared process, accounts for a sizeable portion of a hospitals operating budget. Studies have shown that 30% to 46% of the hospital expenses are invested in various logistical activities and that almost half of the costs associated with supply chain processes could be eliminated through the use of best practices. Today medical costs have escalated heavily and has become the number one issue in health care for the past decades. Government, as well as private companies are working hard to find solutions so as to reduce health care cost. New technologies are currently being developed so as to ease the services as well as to reduce cost taking into consideration of efficiency and effectiveness. Methods of delivering health care cost are profoundly being changed. Medical information by way of web-enabled technology is quickly replacing the more traditional ways people seek advice and information. Today quality management of patient care and managing logistic to reduce health care cost are integral cost reduction tools that are currently being studied in most health service program. 1.1: Problem statement Although logistic and transportation system is smoothly running to palliate the whole movement in the healthcare sector, there is still room for improvement which can also contribute to reduce heavy cost and contributing to save money, i.e. public fund. In fact the Transport Section situated at the Vagrant Depot at Grand Riviere North West Port Louis caters for all the movement of goods, people and services throughout the whole country. The service level of this system is difficult to measure as a whole but can be concluded as to be enough good but still need improvement as there are many loopholes which needs to be considered and corrective measures taken in order to achieve a better quality service. Many attempts have been made to improve the service quality of the existing transportation system and with the help of Internal Control remarks and National Audit report, many remedial actions have been taken but still the Ministry is facing a big challenge to fully satisfy all stakeholders in the health sector and improve the health services. From experience and observation made, it is concluded that customers and other stakeholders of the transport system, also need changes and as individual, should add their contribution so as to improve continually. It is therefore obvious that users of transport section need to be continually monitored so as to enhance the service level and hence to determine customer needs and bring customer satisfaction. 1.2: Study Aims The aims of studying management of logistic is to consider that part of Supply Chain Management that plans, implements, and controls the efficient, effective, forward, and reverse flow and storage of goods, services, and related information between the point of origin and the point of consumption (up to patients) in order to meet customers requirements as well as to reduce cost in the long run. It needs to see how the Logistic and supply Chain Management can contribute to improve the logistic and distribution system in the Ministry of Health and Quality of life. Today many companies are managing their logistic system by the help of information system thus keeping database of the daily activities, the planning and the action taken so as to facilitate the workload and not only satisfy their customers but also to delight them. Objectives of the study To identify along the distribution channel where there have been poor planning and control. To identify the method that can be used to reduce cost and save public money. To assess whether these studies can contribute in the implementation of the strategies for reducing cost in the health sector. To identify those factors that will bring changes in the whole system. To formulate recommendations and strategies so as to improve the system. 1.3: Vision and Mission of the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life 1.3.1: Vision The vision of the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life is to build a healthy nation through the delivery of compassionate, quality and cost-effective services to the population. 1.3.2: Mission Statement Enhance the health status of the population; Improve the quality of health care delivery with a view to increasing patientssatisfaction; Enhance social equity through the provision of a wider range of health services to the whole population; Ensure that the health sector is consolidated and that the health services remain accessible to every citizen. This can be implemented with the help of the Logistic and Supply Chain Management so that the movement of medical and pharmaceutical products, medical staffs and patients are transported at the right time and right place without causing any deficiency and break in the supply chain. 1.4: Outline of the study Chapter 1: Introduction This chapter provides an overall description of the Logistic and Supply Chain Management, more precisely in the Transport Section, at the Ministry thus exposing the aims and objectives of the study. Chapter 2: Literature Review This chapter reviews the definition, the literature of theories, the concept, the history, the interrelation between transportation and logistic, the routing planning, the implied transport cost and the implementation of the Supply Chain Management among others. It describes about various theories and concepts that has been applied in various context to the logistic and transportation system for improvement in the service level. Chapter 3: Methodology This chapter gives guidance to this dissertation. In fact the methodology explain various variables used through questionnaires and perceptions from people and other users in the Supply Chain at the Ministry of Health and Quality of life to reach a conclusions and make recommendations. Chapter 4: Results and Discussion This chapter looks at the overall results obtained in the survey made (questionnaires) and helps in making analysis of the results thus exposing them diagrammatically through graphs and charts. Chapter 5: Conclusions and recommendations This chapter concludes the study made and sets recommendations in the system that will lead to changes which will help to reducing cost as well as improving the system in terms of Quality. Chapter 2 Part 1 Literature review 2.0:0 Definition of Logistic TheOxford English Dictionarydefines logistics as the branch ofmilitary sciencehaving to do with procuring, maintaining and transportingmateriel, personnel and facilities. Another dictionary definition is the time-related positioning of resources. Logistics is commonly seen as a branch ofengineeringthat creates people systems rather than machine systems. When we talk in terms of HRM logistics means giving inputs i,e recruiting manpowers which ultimately works for the final consumer or to deliver services. There is, realistically, no ‘true name or definition that should be pedantically applied, because product differs, companies differs and system differs. â€Å"Logistics is a diverse and dynamic function that has to be flexible and has to change according to the various constraints and demands imposed upon it and with respect to the environment in which it works. And therefore these terms are used interchangeably, in literature and in the business world. (logistic and distribution management Alan Rushton) 2.1:0 OVERVIEW OF LOGISTICS 2.1.1: Definitions Council of Logistics Management (1991) defined that logistics is â€Å"part of the supply chain process that plans, implements, and controls the efficient, effective forward and reverse flow and storage of goods, services, and related information between the point of manufacture and the point of consumption in order to meet customers requirements†. Johnson and Woods definition (cited in Tilanus, 1997) uses â€Å"five important key terms†, which are logistics, inbound logistics, materials management, physical distribution, and supply-chain management, to interpret. Logistics describes the entire process of materials and products moving into, through, and out of firm. Inbound logistics covers the movement of material received from suppliers. Materials management describes the movement of materials and components within a firm. Physical distribution refers to the movement of goods outward from the end of the assembly line to the customer. Finally, supply-chain management is somewhat larger than logistics, and it links logistics more directly with the users total communications network and with the firms engineering staff. The commonality of the recent definitions is that logistics is a process of moving and handling goods and materials, from the beginning to the end of the production, sale process and waste disposal, to satisfy customers and add business competitiveness. It is ‘the process of anticipating customer needs and wants; acquiring the capital, materials, people, technologies, and information necessary to meet those needs and wants; optimising the goods- or service-producing network to fulfil customer requests; and utilizing the netw ork to fulfil customer requests in a timely way (Tilanus, 1997). Simply to say, ‘logistics iscustomer-oriented operation management. Logisticsis the management of the flow ofgoods,informationand other resources in arepair cyclebetween the point of origin and the point of consumption in order to meet the requirements of customers. Logistics involves the integration of information,transportation,inventory, warehousing, material handling, and packaging, and occasionallysecurity. Logistics is a channel of thesupply chainwhich adds the value of time and place utility. Today the complexity of production logistics can be modelled, analyzed, visualized and optimized by plant simulation software. 2.2:0 History and Advancement of Logistics Logistics was initially a military activity concerned with getting soldiers and munitions to the  battlefront in time for flight, but it is now seen as an integral part of the modern production  process. The main background of its development is that the recession of America in the  1950s caused the industrial to place importance on goods circulations. It was initially developed in the context of military activities in the late 18th and early 19th centuries and it launched from the military logistics of World War II. The probable origin of the term is the Greek logistikos , meaning ‘skilled in calculating. (BTRE, 2001) Military definitions typically incorporate the supply, movement and quartering of troops in a set. And now, a number of researches were taken and made logistics applications from military. 2.3.0: INTERRELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN TRANSPORTATION AND LOGISTICS Without well developed transportation systems, logistics could not bring its advantages into good transport system in logistics activities could provide better logistics efficiency, reduce operation cost, and promote service quality. The improvement of transportation systems needs the effort from both public and private sectors. A well-operated logistics system could increase both the competitiveness of the government and enterprises. 2.4.0: Transportation Costsas a Characteristics in Logistics Transport system is the most important economic activity among the components of business logistics systems. Around one third to two thirds of the expenses of enterprises logistics costs are spent on transportation. According to the investigation of National Council of Physical Proceedings of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies, Vol. 5, pp. 1657 1672, 2005 Cost related to Transportation of goods does not only includes fuel cost but include the followings: Overhead cost Maintenance cost Drivers and loaders / helpers salaries Depreciation cost Management cost Fuel cost Transport costs have significant impacts on any organization, be it a public body, i.e. a government institution or a private firms. In may organization, transportation cost are influenced by the ways users are managing and utilizing. These represents the cost of moving a passenger or a good from one place to its destination, including all associated cost involved within the activities. These rates are often visible as transport service providers should be aware of the all information to secure the transaction. 2.4.1: Factors that affect transportation cost The most important factors that affect transportation cost are thus:- Geography This factor is mainly concerned with distance and accessibility. Distance is commonly the most basic condition affecting transport costs. It can be expressed in terms of length, time, economic costs or the amount of energy used. It varies greatly according to the type of transportation mode involved and the efficiency of specific transport routes. Type of product. Many products require packaging, special handling, are bulky or perishable. As such, in the case of health sector, it involves moving medical items, pharmaceutical products, patients, medical staff, medical services etc Economies of scale. Another condition affecting transport costs is related to economies of scale or the possibilities to transportation of goods in larger quantities so as to lower the cost. As far passengers are concerned, it should involved merging of trips within the same route. Energy Transport activities are in fact large consumers of energy, especially fuel and oil. Consideration has to be given to minimise trips and hence minimising fuel consumption. Mode. Different modes are characterized by different transport costs. Reduction in cost is also due to different mode of transport. For example one cannot transport a small box of 25 kg in a lorry of 5 tons. This could well be transported in a small van or a car which will use less fuel. 2.5.0: Deficiencies that Drive Up Logistics Operations Costs Logistics, a poorly understood and often unappreciated process, accounts for a sizeable portion of a hospitals operating budget. Studies have shown that 30% to 46% of hospital expenses are invested in various logistical activities and that almost half of the costs associated with supply chain processes could be eliminated through the use of best practices. In hospitals, logistics cover not just support services such as purchasing, stores and the pharmacy, but also health care services such as patient care units and operating rooms. Many activities that could be carried out by support personnel are often on the list of duties performed by health care personnel. The result is that the internal supply chain within a hospital is often highly fragmented. Logistics is a complex process. The people involved vary with the type of products in questions: for example, stores manage medical and non-medical supplies, the pharmacy looks after pharmaceutical products; and food services manages the procurement and processing of food products. 2.6.0: Materials and Methods in transportation and logistics The literature on accounting in health care industry covers a number of themes. Many researches have been carried out and many titles and articles have been provided regarding how to reduce the escalating medical costs and improve quality management in transportation and logistics. Some have been successful, while others have shown failures. Procurement, storage, mobilization, distribution and other aspects of providing material assistance to the health sector, and the handling of those supplies, require a good organizational structure to ensure the efficient management and utilization of resources that in emergency situations, tend to be limited. This structure is provided by logistics, the strategy of achieving practical objectives promptly and methodically while making the most effective use of available resources. 2.6.1: The two basic premises: 1. Supply logistics cannot be unprepared at the time of an emergency. Organizations of health institutions must see it as a cornerstone of emergency planning and preparedness efforts. Employing resources appropriately, and being able to secure those that are not at hand, depends on first identifying their availability and location, as well as the sources for obtaining them. All those activities demanded by logistical deployment during an emergency the mechanisms for standardizing the various processes and all the necessary documents for recording information and controlling, monitoring and following up on the flow of supplies must be prepared, understood, and tested in advance. 2. The various stages in the flow of supplies, from their point of origin to the moment they reach their recipients whether they be the organizations managing the emergency or the actual beneficiaries of the assistance are a chain made up of very close links. This is called the chain supply. How any one of these links is managed invariably affects the others. Supply management must therefore be the focus of an integral approach that looks at all the links in the sequence and never loses sight of their interdependence. This is known as supply chain logistics. Some of these procedures reflect the standards of international organizations involved in disaster response. Many others, however, are the distillation of concrete experiences by those in the field. Information in PAHO/WHOs Scientific Publication Medical Supply Management after Natural Disasters 2.7.0: Supply chain management (SCM) SCMis the management of a network of interconnectedbusinessesinvolved in the ultimate provision ofproductand servicepackages required by end customers (Harland, 1996). Supply chain management spans all movement and storage ofraw materials, work-in-process inventory, and finished goods from point of origin to point of consumption (supply chain). Definition of Supply Chain Management (SCM) provided by the APICS Dictionary: It defines SCM as the design, planning, execution, control, and monitoring of supply chain activities with the objective of creating net value, building a competitive infrastructure, leveraging worldwide logistics, synchronizing supply with demand and measuring performance globally. Supply chain management is the systemic, strategic coordination of the traditional business functions and the tactics across these business functions within a particular company and across businesses within the supply chain, for the purposes of improving the long-term performance of the individual companies and the supply chain as a whole (Mentzer et al. , 2001 ). A customer focused definition is given by Hines (2004:p76): Supply chain strategies require a total systems view of the linkages in the chain that work together efficiently to create customer satisfaction at the end point of delivery to the consumer. As a consequence costs must be lowered throughout the chain by driving out unnecessary costs and focusing attention on adding value. Throughput efficiency must be increased, bottlenecks removed and performance measurement must focus on total systems efficiency and equitable reward distribution to those in the supply chain adding value. The supply chain system must be responsive to customer requirements. Global supply chain forum:- Supply Chain Management is the integration of key business processes across the supply chain for the purpose of creating value for customers and stakeholders (Lambert, 2008). According to theCouncil of Supply Chain Management Professionals(CSCMP), â€Å"S upply Chain Management encompasses the planning and management of all activities involved in sourcing , procurement , conversion, and logistics management.† It includes the important components of monitoring and collaboration withall partners in the chain. They can besuppliers,agents, service providers, andcustomers, users and other stakeholders in the chain. In fact, supply chain management integrates both supply and demandmanagement within and across companies. Accordingly to the same Council (CSCMP), self-organizing network of businesses that cooperate to provide product and service offerings has been called theâ€Å"Extended Enterprise†. â€Å"A supply chain, as opposed to supply chain management, is a set of organizations directly linked of the upstream and downstream flows of products, services, finances, and information from a source to a customer. Managing a supply chain is supply chain management† (Mentzer et al. , 2001). Supply chain management softwareincludes tools used to execute supply chain transactions, manage supplier relationships and control associated business processes. Supply chain event management (abbreviated as SCEM) is a consideration of all possible events and factors that can disrupt a supply chain. With SCEM possible scenarios can be created and solutions devised. 2.8.0: Transport Management System (TMS) TMS are one of the systems managing thesupply chain. They belong to a sub-group called Supply chain execution (SCE). TMS, has become a critical part of any (SCE) Supply Chain Execution and Collaboration System in which real time exchange of information with other SCE modules has become mission critical. Transportation Management Systems manage three key processes of transportation management: 2.8.1: Planning and Decision Making in Transportation and Logistics TMS will define the most efficient transport schemes according to given parameters, which have a lower or higher importance according to the user policy: transport cost, shorter lead-time, fewer stops possible to insure quality, flows regrouping coefficient†¦ 2.8.2: Transport follow-up TMS will allow following any physical or administrative operation regarding transportation: traceability of transport event by event (shipping from A, arrival at B, customs clearance†¦), editing of reception, custom clearance, invoicing and booking documents, sending of transport alerts (delay, accident, non-forecast stops†¦) 2.8.3: Measurement of the Transport Management System TMS have or need to have a Logistics KPI reporting function for transport. Various functions of a TMS: Planning and optimizing of terrestrial transport rounds Transportation mode and carrier selection Management of air and maritime transport Real time vehicles tracking Service quality control Vehicle Load and Route optimization Transport costs and scheme simulation Shipment batching of orders Cost control, KPI reporting and statistics Typical KPIs include but not limited to: % of On Time Pick Up or Delivery Performance relative to requested Cost Per Metric mile; km; Weight; Cube; Pallet 2.8.4: Route Planning and Optimization Reduce Distribution Costs Fleet Miles Daily routes are created using powerful algorithms and street-level routing, in conjunction with your business constraints Increase Resource Utilization-Make better use of existing resources by delivering more and driving less. The answer to increasing volume is not always to put more vehicles on the road, but to make smart, efficient Make Sound Business Decisions -Understand how delivery costs affect the profitability of each customer by knowing the actual cost per stop Set Driver Standards Creating route plans and gathering actual information allows you to set performance standards and expectations-which can result in less overtime and better driver performance Decrease Routing Time Let your routers spend less time configuring routes and more time assessing what-if scenarios to produce better, more efficient routes. Contingency Planning Prepare for holiday or seasonal spikes and other what if scenarios Reports Driver manifests, maps, directions, resource utilization, customer delivery cost, actual versus projected by route and by stop, planned route summaries and many more reports to help consistently in evaluating a system. 2.8.5: Load Optimisation A Quick Load Design which should be also accurate for many Route Types Each route requires different loading system. In fact different types of equipment are used at different loading and unloading bays depending on the routing system. Multiple Loading Strategies These are different types of techniques used for operating at the loading and unloading bays. It could be in terms of software or some working methods used by machine operators so as to increase the output of work by minimising physical efforts. Building Load in advance a common techniques applied by many warehouses is to pre-build or to prepare the load in advance and store them in some identified location and which will be useful and same time in a Pre-Build Orders Load orders to be picked, built and pre-staged throughout the day, all while continuing to have them allocated to the correct route and truck during the final loading pass Load Design to Reduce Product Breakage Most breakage occurs within the first 10 minutes of a route due to poor packing. Reports Final load sheet, driver check-out, load validation and pick sheets provide you with all of the detailed information required. 2.9.0: Supply chain management must address the following problems 2.9.1: Distribution Strategy Definition of strategy â€Å" A strategy is a pattern of major objectives, purposes or goals and essential policies or plans for achieving those goals, stated in such a way as to define what business the company is in or is to be in and the king of company it is or is to be .† (Drucker, 1961) 2.9.2: The distribution strategy The business environment is unpredictable and complex to anticipate and forecast effectively. As such strategies have to be developed so as to meet the need of everybody in the supply chain. These include patterns of actions that should be planned and intended in the management of the transport so as to handle the distribution channel in a more appropriate way. This strategy can also be developed in the supply chain management whereby it will raise a question of centralising or decentralising the warehousing and delivery. This strategy will of course reduce the day to day transport arrangement problem. 2.9.3: Trade-Offs in Logistical Activities: There are many activities in logistic system andTrade-offs may increase the total cost if only one of the activities is optimized. For example, a full loaded lorry distributing stores is more economical on a cost than less than the lorry load capacity (e.g. half lorry load). The full lorry load of a product will reduce transportation costs and will therefore decrease the inventory holding costs which may in turn decrease total logistics costs. It is therefore imperative to take a systems approach when planning logistical activities. These trade-offs are key to developing the most efficient and effective Logistics and SCM strategy. 2.9.4: Distribution Network Configuration: number, location and network missions of suppliers, production facilities, distribution centers, warehouses, cross-docks and customers. 2.9.5: Tiering of Suppliers Organisations have for many years sought to reduce their supplier base as they seek to implement a lean supply regime. Segmenting the chosen supply base into tiers gives a measure of priority in the management of the supply chain. The first tier is reserved for the immediate and direct suppliers of assemblies / manufacturers etc, whereas the second and third tier suppliers are reserved for component suppliers who supply the first tier suppliers, thus removing them from direct involvement with the manufacturer. Therefore tiering is important in the direction and management of the supply chain as the first tier supplier is responsible for ensuring that there has been a movement in the supply chain and also is receiving from his direct supplier. Information: Integration of processes through the supply chain to share valuable information, including demand signals, forecasts, inventory, transportation, potential collaboration, etc. Inventory Management: Quantity and location of inventory, including raw materials, work-in-progress (WIP) and finished goods. Cash-Flow: Arranging the payment terms and methodologies for exchanging funds across entities within the supply chain. Holding a huge amount of inventory mean huge capital tide up and therefore involving large amount of money and also increasing the holding cost. A good management in logistic and supply chain will undeniably give rise to a good cash flow and managing fund equitably. Several models have been proposed for understanding the activities required to manage material movements across organizational and functional boundaries.One model is the SCM Model proposed by the Global Supply Chain Forum (GSCF). Supply chain activities can be grouped into strategic, tactical, and operational levels. Importance of Supply Chain Management Organizations increasingly find that they must rely on effective supply chains, or networks, to compete in the global market and networked economy. In Peter Druckers (1998) new management paradigms, this concept of business relationships extends beyond traditional enterprise boundaries and seeks to organize entire business processes throughout a value chain of multiple companies . During the past decades, globalization, outsourcing and information technology have enabled many organizations, such as Dell and Hewlett Packard , to successfully operate solid collaborative supply networks in which each specialized business partner focuses on only a few key strategic activities (Scott, 1993). This inter-organizational supply network can be acknowledged as a new form of organization. However, with the complicated interactions among the players, the network structure fits neither market nor hierarchy categories (Powell, 1990). It is not clear what kind of performance impacts different supply network structures could have on firms, and little is known about the coordination conditions and trade-offs that may exist among the players. From a systems perspective, a complex network structure can be decomposed into individual component firms (Zhang and Dilts, 2004). Traditionally, companies in a supply network concentrate on the inputs and outputs of the processes, with little concern for th

The Compelling Motives of European Imperialism Essay -- European Histo

The Compelling Motives of Imperialism The presence of Europe in Africa in the late nineteenth century was one of extreme power. The countries of France, Britain, and Germany had especially large claims to the African continent during this time. The motives of imperialism for these countries greatly define Europe at this time. Insatiable desires for economic markets, power and political struggles, the motivating belief in Social Darwinism, and the European idea of superiority were the driving forces at the European home front in the late nineteenth century. Many of the causes for imperialism in Africa were evident in Joseph Conrad’s turn of the century novel, Heart of Darkness. Successful domination of Africa was not attainable prior to the eighteen hundreds. The obstacles of travel and disease were too powerful to overcome. However, with the development of the steamship and the protection from malaria in the form of quinine, Europeans tackled Africa with a renewed energy (Sanderson â€Å"Imperialism notes†). A European council congregated in 1885 and drew up the Berlin Act, which was responsible for the carving of Africa into pieces of land for the major imperialistic powers in Europe (Lehmann â€Å"The Scramble for Africa†). Political and nationalistic rivals were fueled and each European power desired to prosper greater than their competitors did. Political goals were often achieved through imperialism. Countries competed for â€Å"strategic passages† and â€Å"overseas bases† in locations throughout Africa (Lehmann â€Å"European Imperialism). The goals of achieving the most power and wealth from various regions throu gh imperialistic measures were realized during the age of imperialism. A new source of economic resources for eve... ...rialism in the nineteenth century. Links and Works Cited: http://www.usd.edu/honors/HWB/1999/1999f/index.htm Clayton Miles Lehmann compiled this website. It is based upon Imperialism, with my attention to â€Å"European Imperialism† and â€Å"The Scramble for Africa†. There is also a map depicting the carving of Africa. http://www.angelfire.com/tx/sandersonAP/NotesImp.htm This website provides note-like structured description of European imperialism by Dr. Sanderson. It highlights reasons for imperialism and different areas that were imperialized. http://www.hcc.hawaii.edu/~patrick/151/africa.htm Patrick M. Patterson designed this website. A description of Africa before European imperialism is provided here. There are also explanations of the delay of imperialism and some causes of it. Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. New York: The Modern Library, 1999.

History of Japan Essay

1. What are the key features of the Tokugawa settlements that were worked out under Ieyasu and Iemitsu? What is the rationale behind this system? In what ways might it be considered `centralized feudalism`? The Tokugawa settlements that were worked out under the rule of Ieyasu and Iemitsu were mainly forms of centralized feudalism.   The Tokugawa period, particularly the Ieyasu Shogunate, was based on a strict class hierarchy.   This was based on the old structure created by Toyotomi Hideyoshi (Bryant 2005).   It was comprised of the warrior-caste of samurai who were at the top of the hierarchy and they were followed by the farmers, the artisans, and the traders. The key feature of the Ieyasu Shogunate was the implementation of the feudal military dictatorship by Tokugawa Ieyasu.   This system of â€Å"centralized feudalism† was the key tool which helped the ruling body in restoring political and social order after a long period of warfare and chaos.   The system was such that there were feudal lords who controlled their own domains but they subject however to the whims of the Shogun who was characterized as the defacto ruler for Japan.   The ascension to Shogun was hereditary and thus led to the control by the Tokugawa Shoguns from the 1600s to 1868 (Sadler 1937). Tokugawa Ieyasu was able to gain control of the entire country through this method.   Though once a Daimyo himself, he soon became a Shogun and began exercising power over the 250 other daimyos all over Japan.   This was the centralized system that the Tokugawas were able to establish and relevant to this system was the â€Å"Alternate Attendance System† or the sankin kà ´tai (Sadler 1937). This system simply meant that every daimyo had to live every alternate year in the capital city of Edo under the penalty of permanently living in the city and leaving his life and heir behind in case such a task was not fulfilled.   Needless to say, this had immense implications for the history of Japan.   It meant that there were huge transfers of wealth since the daimyos had to finance their trips.   It also led to the fostering of a sense of loyalty to Edo as every daimyo after 1700 felt drawn to Edo as a native of the city (Sansom 1961). The situation was not so different during the time of Tokugawa Iemitsu who was the grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu (Bryant 2005).   Iemitsu’s rise to power was predicated by the abdication of Hidetade in his favaor.   Hidetada installed all of his advisors and veteran daimyo in the service of Iemitsu but soon after, Iemitsu appointed most of his childhood friends and was soon able to carry on the installation of a strong and centralized form of administration similar to that by his grandfather Tokugawa Ieyasu.   While there were those who opposed such an act, Tokugawa Iemitsu simply removed all opposition and remained in power (Sansom 1961). The reason that these periods were considered as â€Å"centralized feudalism† was the fact that though there were different domains that were ruled by the daimyos, all power still emanated from the Shogun (Bryant 2005).   The Shogun ruled under the authority of the emperor and in fact ruled over most, if not all, of the activities of the realm.   This was eventually overthrown and replaced during the Meiji Renewal. 2. How would you characterize Meiji Japan`s economic development? In what ways was it distinctive? What role did the state play? Meiji Japan’s economic development was characterized by the Meiji Renewal which was a series of events that led up to major changes in Japan’s political and social structure (Beasley 1995).   The arrival of the Black Ships of Commodore Matthew Perry ushered in a direct response from the Shogunate and thus the Meiji restoration began.   It was during this same period that Japan established itself as an Imperial Power. The foundation of the Meiji Renewal was the formation of the Satsuma-ChÃ… shÃ… « Alliance between SaigÃ…  Takamori, who was the leader of the Satsuma domain and Kido Takayoshi, who was the leader of the ChÃ… shÃ… « domain (Jansen 2000).   Initially brought together to challenge the ruling Tokugawa Shogunate and installing the emperor into power, the Satsuma-ChÃ… shÃ… « Alliance succeeded in altering the political structure of Japan.   The two leaders, SaigÃ…  Takamori and Kido Takayoshi, were supported by Emperor KÃ… mei (Beasley 1995). The distinct characteristic of this period was the fact that it ushered in the industrialization of Japan (Jansen 2000).   It also led to the emergence of Japan as an island nation that possessed military power by the year 1905.   The slogan for Japan during this time was fukoku kyohei, which translates into â€Å"Enrich the country, strengthen the military.† The manner in which this Renewal was accomplished was by creating a group in which all the power was consolidated against the remnants of the Edo period government, the shogunate, daimyo, and the samurai class.   Thus the Meiji Oligarchy was formed.   During this period, the Tokugawa lands were seized and placed under the direct control of the government.   Some of the Daimyos who protested such an act eventually relented and returned their domains to the Emperor which lead to the creation of a central government in Japan for the first time in its history and also allowed the new centralized government to exercise direct power throughout the entire realm (Beasley 1995). The pivotal point came in 1871 when all the Daimyos were brought before the emperor and it was decreed that all domains were now to be returned to the Emperor (Jansen 2002).   These â€Å"returned† domains were converted into prefectures that were under the control of a government appointed governor. The next step came in the abolition of the four divisions in Japanese society that had previously existed.   This led to the abolition of the Samurai class, which at that time numbered nearly 1.9 million, and led to the development of the Japanese military which was now open to peasants (Beasley 1995).   Nationwide conscription was now established in order to fill in the ranks left by the former Samurais and every male was mandated to serve in the new armed forces of Japan for four (4) years upon turning 21. The state therefore played a very critical role in all of this as it was under the state that the abolition of traditional political structures was engineered and the abolition of the social classes was commenced.   The establishment of a strong Japanese Imperial Army also played a great role as it provided the state with the power that it needed in order to institute the reforms that is sought to implement (Jansen 2000).

Life in the Chiaroscuro Essays

Life in the Chiaroscuro Essays Life in the Chiaroscuro Paper Life in the Chiaroscuro Paper The novel depicts the political situation in Milwaukee in 1904 to be very corrupt and dishonest in every way. Police officers would not put people in jail because â€Å"there was no evidence† when there was clearly evidence that they would just ignore. The government was corrupt in the sense that the elected officials would do things to benefit themselves and their friends who help them. Everyone in the police force would look out for those people who the mayor told them to look out for. This is why those who were supposed to be in jail, are not. The high up officials who were part of the corruption had the means to destroy anyone who went against them. They had the power to do whatever they wanted and never suffer any type of consequence. I think that this is an accurate portrayal of corruption and politics in Milwaukee in this time period because there are very many similarities in the book and what actually happened. David Stuart Rose served five terms as mayor in Milwaukee. His corrupt mindset was held in office for 10 years. â€Å"He was elected in 1898 until 1906 and again in 1908-1910. He suggested improving the port by building docks off of Jones Island. He said that the rivers were becoming inadequate to meet the demands of trade. He was rumored to have accepted $50,000 from an electric utility but he was never found guilty in court. He was known for his corrupt administrative. He allowed brothels and casinos to operate even though it was against Milwaukee rules. While he was mayor, police were asked to turn â€Å" blind eye† upon the request of City Hall. After people started to realize what was going on, he was eventually elected out of office and a Socialist was elected in. Emil Seidel was the first Socialist mayor of Milwaukee in 1910. The book also depicts politics in 1904 in Milwaukee accurately because in the book, it says that Theodore Roosevelt makes a speech and is shot in the middle of it. Without leaving to seek medical help, he stood there and finished his 90 minutes speech. Theodore Roosevelt really did give that speech in Milwaukee. John Schrank also, in fact, shot him because he thought that a president should not serve more that two terms. Schrank was caught and spent the rest of his life in a mental hospital. After Roosevelt was shot, he went on with his speech and said, â€Å"Friends, I shall ask you to be as quiet as possible. I dont know whether you fully understand that I have just been shot; but it takes more than that to kill a Bull Moose. But fortunately I had my manuscript, so you see I was going to make a long speech, and there is a bullet there is where the bullet went through and it probably saved me from it going into my heart. The bullet is in me now, so that I cannot make a very long speech, but I will try my best. Some of the goals of American Socialist reformers in the early 1900’s were â€Å"low-cost housing, workers compensation, old-age pensions, public ownership of municipal services, and labor reform. † These goals compare to the goals of the American Socialist reformers in the novel because the reformers in the novel want to take care of corruption and get the mayor out of office. They want things to be better for everyone living in Milwaukee, not ju st the mayor and his friends. The American Socialist reformers wanted better pay, better jobs, and better benefits for workers. They wanted to prove to the people of Milwaukee that they do not need David Rose to be in power. They wanted to show that a socialist can do just fine in office, if not better than Rose. The American Socialist reformers were still not very popular so they wanted to gain popularity with the people. â€Å"While the Socialist Party was on the rise in America, it was still fairly limited in strength. Eugene Debs would never be president. As for the mayor, I was not so sure. † The role that ethnicity and race play into the novel is that people were segregated and treated differently by society as a whole. On Jones Island, it was mostly Polish and German people known as Kashubes. They were far away from the city life, living on technically a peninsula all by themselves with almost no visitors going there. They were not wealthy at all and lived in houses â€Å"so close together that you could, if you so chose, stand on one rickety porch while shaking hands with someone standing on the porch next door. † Another way ethnicity and race play into the novel is when Benjamin’s father told him when he was a boy that â€Å"you’d best avoid the wrong sort of people. Gamblers, politicians, and negroes. His father thought that in order to succeed and to stay out of trouble, he must avoid those types of people. When Benjamin walked into Slaughter’s Turf Cafe, he noticed that the people in there are the exact people who his father told him to avoid. This book is very valuable to Milwaukee because people who actually live there everyday should know what happened in their own backyard. The way basically the entire government in the city of Milwaukee was corrupt is a bit disturbing. The way things used to be politically was completely corrupt and there is no doubting that. I found the book to be extremely interesting and I loved learning about what happened in a city that is so well known in today’s society. I’m sure that the people of Milwaukee who read this book are very shocked to know what happened in the city they live in. I would expect that even the people who are not very interested in history, found it to be very fascinating to learn about what happened before their time. This book is also very valuable as a supplement to the study of American history in general because we, as Americans, should know and understand the way things used to be. It is important to learn about corruption in the government because corruption was part of the reason why some of the movements were started. It is also important because through corruption, people started to realize that the people they were voting in were only helping themselves. This made people start thinking more on whom they wanted in office and what issues they wanted changed. Putting the supernatural aspects aside, A Life in Chiaroscuro is a believable and compelling story depicting life in a typical American city. I think it is like a typical American city because back in the 1900’s, corruption was not an uncommon thing. Corruption was everywhere in many cities especially big, major cities. The government did not necessarily want to take over everything in a city. They wanted to do things to benefit themselves. There is a part in the book that shows that elected government officials link themselves to important businessmen to help themselves out and their friends. â€Å"In the midst of it all, the mayor lines his pockets with bribes from the industrial sector, particularly from John Beggs. In big cities during the 1900’s, there were many people involved in corruption. There were elected officials, police officers, businessmen, and even just wealthy people who wanted to become wealthier. This is a perfect example of the people in the book and what they did to become more powerful and wealthier than they already were. [ 1 ]. Ferguson, Paul-Thomas. A Life in Chiaroscuro. Rock Isla nd, Illinois: Paul-Thomas Ferguson, 2008. Print. [ 2 ]. mule (Civil War). Wisconsin Historical Society. Wisconsin Historical Society, 1996. Web. . [ 3 ]. Kestenbaum, Lawrence. Index to Politicians: Rose. The Political Graveyard. Lawrence Kestenbaum, 1996. Web. . [ 4 ]. Ferguson, Paul-Thomas. A Life in Chiaroscuro. Rock Island, Illinois: Paul-Thomas Ferguson, 2008. Print. 30. [ 5 ]. Rogina, Jeffries L. It Takes More Than That to Kill a Bull Moose: The Leader and The Cause. About Theodore Roosevelt: President and More, from The Theodore Roosevelt Association. The Theodore Roosevelt Association, June 1998. Web. . [ 6 ]. Norton, Mary Beth, David M. Katzman, David W. Blight, Howard Chudacoff, and Fredrik Logevall. A People and a Nation: A History of Mary Beth Norton, Carol Sheriff, David M Katzman, David W. Blight, Howard Chudacoff. Google Books. Suzanne Jeans, 2008. Web. . [ 7 ]. Ferguson, Paul-Thomas. A Life in Chiaroscuro. Rock Island, Illinois: Paul-Thomas Ferguson, 2008. Print. 149. [ 8 ]. Ferguson, Paul-Thomas. A Life in Chiaroscuro. Rock Island, Illinois: Paul-Thomas Ferguson, 2008. Print. 32. [ 9 ]. Ferguson, Paul-Thomas. A Lif e in Chiaroscuro. Rock Island, Illinois: Paul-Thomas Ferguson, 2008. Print. 65. [ 10 ]. Ferguson, Paul-Thomas. A Life in Chiaroscuro. Rock Island, Illinois: Paul-Thomas Ferguson, 2008. Print. 155.

Constitutional Convention essays

Constitutional Convention essays Comparing essays from John Roche and Richard Hofstadter Since the beginnings of the Constitutional Convention, the Founding Fathers of our great country and their motives, during the time of the writing of the constitution, have been questioned and analyzed. This still holds true to this century. Two historians, John P. Roche and Richard Hofstadter, have both published essays giving their interpretations of what happened during that time in our countries history. Although both of thee essays were written within twenty years of each other the historians give two very different views on the events of the Constitutional Convention. Richard Hofstadters The American Political Tradition and The Men Who Made It shows a history of our nation that we do not usually see interpreted. He believes that the Constitution was written by men who were not looking to create a government for the people, they looked to create a good political constitution to control him [the people]. This idea is only further proven by the words of the Founding Fathers themselves. The people of the newly founded United States wanted a democratic government. However, according to Hofstadter: Democratic ideas are most likely to take root among discontented and oppressed classes, rising middle classes, or perhaps some sections of an old alienated and partially disinherited aristocracy, but they do not appeal to a privileged class that is still amplifying it privileges This idea that democracy is only meant for the classes whom do not have much power is one that affected the ideas of the convention greatly. It was due to the fact that of all the men present only half a dozen... were not sons of men who had considerable position and wealth. Even though these wealthy would have considerable power in a non-democratic government they agreed that the people should not be without a voice in the government. Hofstadter ...