Saturday, December 28, 2019

Importance of Use Social Networking and Developing Website for Pomegranate Cafe Free Essay Example, 1500 words

While developing websites for pomegranate caf , a non-profit sector company, the company needs to take care of certain important fundraising tools as well as some volunteers. People can visit site due to any reason, but these recommendations will compel the visitors in making some donations or at least getting involved through some other processes. The most important tips while developing an official website for a non-profit sector operating company include the following areas. The website must contain the company s basic information including the company s address, telephone number, location, email address etc. This section needs to be made in a way that is easy to navigate. All the information provided here must be recent and functional. The mission and vision statement also need to be present in the centre. Adequate information about staff must also be present. The websites need to convey the image of organizations personality which is coherent with the fundraising techniques an d marketing materials in order to develop strong relationships with donors. The philosophy of organization must be depicted by the overall presentation of the website, for instance, homey, scientific, traditional etc. We will write a custom essay sample on Importance of Use Social Networking and Developing Website for Pomegranate Cafe or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page In this regard, the company can put up a list of some current and ongoing projects. Apart from this, visitors must also know the total amount that has been donated to date.

Friday, December 20, 2019

Hiv / Aids Among Female Injecting Drug Users - 4317 Words

HIV/AIDS among Female Injecting Drug Users in the U.S and Female Injecting Drug Users in China Special Topics in Health: HEA By Jennifer Montas Globally a large number of the population is infected with HIV/AIDS each year. According to the Center for Disease Control (2010), women represent about 20% of the estimated 47,500 new HIV infections in the U.S. in 2010. Often we hear of drug use mentioned as one of the potential risk factors of HIV/AIDS transmission, particularly injecting drug use. In 2007, injecting drug use was the third most frequently reported risk factor for HIV infection (Strathdee Stockman, 2010). Among those†¦show more content†¦I would also like to know more about female drug users who are HIV positive, as my best friend died from the disease which she inherit from her parents who were both active drug users. I would like to raise awareness in others and further educate myself, regarding the dangers of drug use and HIV/AIDS transmission. As a health educator it is important to know potential behaviors which drive females to become drug users. In addition it is important to know about drug use and its susceptibility to impair judgement, and other possible forms of drug use such as, alcohol, methamphetamines, and cocaine which can also impair judgement and also create room for susceptibility. Female drug users in particular run a greater risk of susceptibility, as girls and women often start using drugs with their partners (Miljana, Verica, Sladjana, Jelena Vesha, 2012). A study of 50 Injecting drug users determined that out of 19 males who are injecting drug users and are in a relationship with a female who is also an injecting drug user; their female partners had the first contact with drugs through them. The study also showed how, on the other hand only one male out of the 50 participants reported that their first experience with drugs was through a relationship with a womanShow MoreRelatedHiv And Aids : Hiv / Aids Essay1414 Words   |  6 PagesWomen with drug addictions has conclusively linked with HIV/ AIDS since this epidemic has started. HIV is the acronym for human immunodeficiency virus and it causes the immune system to become weak. As a result, this causes the body to be terrible at protecting itself against diseases and other viruses. HIV causes damage by harming the immune cells in the body. The immune cells it affects are called CD4 positive (CD4+) T cells, which are vital for fighting infections in the body. HIV metamorphoseRead MoreThe Epidemic Of Thailand Kingdom1477 Words   |  6 Pages Thailand kingdom is one of the success stories related to HIV incidence reduction. Located in the middle mainland peninsula of South East Asia region and surrounded by other 5 South East Asia countries (Burma, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and Malaysia), Thailand population has growth rapidly from 20.6 million in 1950 to around 66 million in 2015 (1,2). During 1980-1991 Thailand kingdom is one the countries that have a high rate of HIV/AIDS in South East Asia. It grouped with Cambodia, Burma and someRead MoreResearch Proposal1939 Words   |  8 Pagesestimated to be HIV positive Bangladesh is a low HIV prevalence country. The country faces a concentrated epidemic, and it’s very low HIV prevalence rate is partly due to prevention efforts, focusing on men who have sex with men (MSM), female sex workers (FSWs), and injecting drug users (IDUs). In Bangladesh the first case of HIV was detected in 1989, according to NASSP 2008, Government of Bangladesh source, till December 2008, the re were 1495 reported cases of HIV and 476 cases of AIDS, among them 165Read MoreEastern vs Western India2630 Words   |  11 PagesEastern India has a literacy rate of 59.7, which is much lower than the national literacy rate of 64.8. While male literacy is lower than the national average, female literacy in the East is much higher than the national average of 43.9. Workers account for 37.1 percent of the population of East India. The ratio of both male and female workers is lower than the averages for India. Unemployment Tourism Industry GDP Agriculture Economic Reforms Population The Eastern region of IndiaRead MorePrevention of Spread of Hiv/Aids1798 Words   |  8 Pagesmain ways the HIV can be spread: 1. Sexual intercourse 2. Intravenous drugs 3. Blood transfusions (which are very rare now because all blood is tested) HIV is spreading like wild fire among adolescents because they dont believe it can happen to them. Prevention for positives is only possible if a person knows his or her HIV status. Voluntary counseling and testing strategies (VCT), a cornerstone of HIV prevention, has generally been seen as a first defense against the spread of HIV disease, withRead MoreHIV/AIDS and Women4590 Words   |  19 PagesIntroduction : 2 2. HIV/AIDS : 2 3. HIV/AIDS and women : 2 4. Special signs and symptoms of HIV/AIDS in women : 3 5. Vulnerability of women to AIDS : 3 6. The challenges that HIV/AIDS infected women faced : 4 7. Transmission of HIV to women : 5 8. Global distribution of HIV/AIDS among women : 5 9. The impact of HIV on women : 7 10. Prevention : 9 11. HIV treatment : 9 12. Prevention Challenges : 11 13. The Global Response to HIV/AIDS : 11 14. The GlobalRead MoreAids Awareness3713 Words   |  15 PagesWhen AIDS first emerged, no-one could have predicted how the epidemic would spread across the world and how many millions of lives it would change. There was no real idea what caused it, and consequently, no real idea how to protect against it. Now, in 2004, we know from bitter experience that AIDS is caused by the virus HIV, and that it can devastate families, communities and whole continents. We have seen the epidemic knock decades off countries national development, widen the gulf between richRead MoreInjection Drug Users Lower Risk Of Transmitting Infectious Diseases When There Is A Needle Exchange Program2239 Words   |  9 Pageshave shown that injection drug users lower their risk of transmitting infectious diseases when there is a needle exchange program available. There has not been a valid study of whether or not the amounts of time needles are returned to the exchange programs are harmful to communities. The Journal of Public Health, conducted surveys, evidence from needle exchange sites, jails, and institutions that needle exchange programs are effective in reducing illnesses such as HIV and AIDS (Burt Theide, 2016)Read MoreImpact Of Hiv In Nigeria704 Words   |  3 Pagesmillion (PRB 2016) and an HIV prevalence of 3.4% (FMoH 2013), HIV/AIDS continues to be a major public health concern in Nigeria. Recent estimates indicate that the annual number of new infections in the country has been on a steady decline, decreasing from 288,870 in 2009 to 220,394 in 2013 (NACA 2014). Nigeria’s epidemic is generalized, with wide variations in HIV prevalence within the country, across age groups, and population sub-groups. Across age groups, the national HIV prevalence ranges fromRead MoreWomen Injecting Drug Users ( Widus )1977 Words   |  8 PagesWomen injecting drug users (WIDUs) in Tanzania face significant risks to drug related harms that require specific gender appropriate responses . The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disproportionately infects WIDUs at a rate 55-68% higher compared to their male counterparts (Ratliff et al., 2013). In Tanzania, drug related harm reduction currently exists by means of needle and syringe programs (NSPs) and opioid substitution therapy (OST) (UNAIDS, 2016). Despite the presence of these harm reduction

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Macbeth vs macduff free essay sample

In the play of Macbeth, Shakespeare adds similar themes to each of the characters; Macduff and Macbeth are no exception. Even though Macbeth and Macduff may have very similar qualities such as; bravery, hunger of power, and many more, as the play develops, these characters slowly start to change, revealing that both characters are as different as fire and ice. They are each viewed differently from each other and by others. Even though they both murder, they both do it for different very different reasons, Macbeth kills for greed and selfishness whereas Macduff kills Macbeth to avenge his slaughtered family and to protect the country. Macbeth was indeed a true tragic hero. He had many noble qualities as well as several tragic flaws, but this didn’t mean he wasn’t a courageous, brave and a good nobleman who was sadly haunted by superstition and a selfish ambition. Through the play, his flaws start to overcome his qualities to the point where they cannot be seen in him anymore. We will write a custom essay sample on Macbeth vs macduff or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This major change starts right after he commits the murder of Duncan. Here Macbeths personality is clearly becoming astray. Macbeths theme becomes tyrannical and evil, completely opposite as in the start of the play. Macduff was never a man of many words but he was an honest man, and because of this everyone listened when he spoke. We first see Macduff’s honesty as he expresses his raw grief at the Kings murder: O horror, horror, horror! Tongue nor heart/ Cannot conceive nor name thee! (act 2, scene 3). His grief is so much that not even the kings own son appears to mourn the loss of the king, as much as Macduff. But not even grief was enough to keep this man from paying attention to his surroundings. He is so noble that he was only one who dared to ask why Macbeth killed the guards senselessly. Instead of wasting time on his suspicions, he decides to leave for England. Most might think that this is a cowardly act, but this is actually a brave act which was intended to aid Malcolm in enrolling the English armed services against Macbeth. Macbeth and Macduff were similar in their bravery and skill on the battlefield. They are also similar through the respect they both received from others and this was shown at the beginning of the play when Macbeth was described as ‘valiant’ as well as ‘worthy’ by the king, just like Macduff was also shown to be admired after he had murdered Macbeth which then allowed Malcolm to become the rightful king, at the end of the play. We see how much their minds are alike since they both are highly driven by their passion and this shows us that they will do anything to fulfil their goals and their ambition is almost identical in the sense that they both have leads them to murder to complete their goals. In the end Macbeth and Macduff are very similar in some ways, but are different in more ways. Macbeth thought of rewards and promotions, he wanted to be rich and have a lot of power, yet he did not take the responsibility to worry about the very same people he was ruling over. Macduff was different; he was very loyal to his country. He always put the country and his people before anything. He was always willing to help and do the right thing. He wanted to please everyone. Even though they are both power hungry, Shakespeare uses Macbeth to show the terrible effects that ambition and guilt can have on a man who lacks strength of character.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Journal of Financial Service Professionals - MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Journal of Financial Service Professionals. Answer: Part 1 Lee and Kate have been married since the year 2008 and they have known each other since their college days. They have two children named Wyatt aged 5 year and Sawyer aged 3 year. The Lee works full time and gains significant amount of income and on the other hand Kate works part time and plans to work full time once Sawyer joins kindergarten. The couple have the objective of planning their insurances in such a manner so that all their objectives would be met and they along with their children would have a secured lifestyle. Hence, the insurance planning objectives of the couple have been given below: The initial objective of planning the insurance has been to safeguard the future of Wyatt and Sawyer as both of them are infants and have a long course of life ahead of them. In this respect, insurance plans have to be taken with the help of which the future life of their children can be secured. The health status of the Lee addresses that he has plantar fasciitis and occasional joint pain. The family history of Lee even highlights the chances of bowel cancer. The doctor has even suggested taking care of his sleeping and eating habits and has asked not to take much stress. Hence, with these issues it is essential for Lee to purchase an insurance that would be able to provide financial remuneration to his family in case of death and permanent or temporary disablement. In case of any such scenario, his family can be secured and would be able to maintain a smooth and healthy lifestyle. Lee and Kate has observed that their children is quite young and have a long way to go in their life. The couple even has the plan of making their children attend college or universities and educate them so that they can have a successful career. In order to do the same, it is essential that the couple purchases an insurance plan that would be able to meet the future educational expenses of their two children. The couple have individual cars and the cars need to be insured in order to safeguard them from any sort of unprecedented events. Lee draws significant amount of salary annually and therefore needs to purchase insurances that would be able to remunerate similar amount of money to his family so that their financial scenario can be sustained. The other insurance objective has to safeguard their property where they reside so that in case of any unprecedented events their children will and spouse would be able to live properly. The need for insurance even revolves around the fact that the couple has an outstanding mortgage for the house they have bought and in case of any unprecedented events the liability to pay the mortgage would fall on their infant children. Insurance would be helpful in paying the mortgage on their behalf. Part 2 There are various problems that are pertinent with the death, disability or retirement of the couple. These issues need to be highlighted so that the couple can make adequate changes in their plans. There has been an observation that their children are infant and they require sufficient amount of expenses with the help of which they can educate their children and can create a healthy career for them. In case of death, disability and retirement of Lee, the permanent income would be hampered and the family would face financial issues and therefore his plan of educating his children and establishing a career for them would face problems. In the same scenario if the same happens to Kate, then the level of financial issues would be lower but the dependency level would be higher on Lee and therefore he has to maintain various strategies with the help of which the absence of Kate can be mitigated. Lee works in a beer company and earns significant amount of salary with the help of which the he can take care of his family and the associated expenses. Lee has the anticipation that few years down the line he would even get promoted and his salary would increase. However, in case of death, permanent disablement and retirement, this permanent source of income would cease and thereby a huge amount of pressure would fall on Kate and her children. They would be facing adverse financial problems. In case the employment of Kate is ceased due to retirement, death and disability, the level of income would be hampered and she would not be able meet her personal expenses and the investments made by her would diminish. Overall, her family would face problems as well mentally and financially. Lee and Kate have various assets and liabilities that are owned by them. In case Lee expires or has permanent disablement, his permanent income would stop and thereby the investments and the insurances purchased by them would have a serious impact due to non-payment of the premiums. Lee has a mortgage loan for the purchase of the property where they reside and therefore in case of permanent disablement and death the responsibility to pay the mortgage would fall on Kate considering that their income level has fallen as well. In case of Kate, the same issue is persistent as Lee would be burdened with extra responsibility to earn and pay the mortgage and even taking care of their children single handed. Kate and Lee have a mortgage on the house and have various investments in funds and banks and therefore it is their obligation to take care of the same with the help of which the couple can have a safe, healthy and peaceful life. Therefore, in case of death, retirement or disablement, the obligations would fall on the family and repayment of the mortgage, additional payment in the investments would increase. The couple would not be able to undertake further investments as well. Hence, this can have an impact on the financial position of Lee and Kate. The other beneficiaries include the medical insurance in order to cover for any critical medical illness which they may face as they grow older. The couple have a retirement plan and have the objective of maintaining the similar lifestyle even after their retirement. In case of disablement and death, there would be an impact on the retirement plan as the savings that is being undertaken in the retirement savings plan would either stop or decrease and thereby the savings amount for the future could be reduced. Part 3 This section looks to provide the recommendations that could be given to Lee and Kate with respect to insurance planning and retirement planning. There has been an observation that Lee has various insurance and investments but the level investment and insurance can be improved. It is recommended for Lee that he increases the tenure for the RC term policy from Sun Life. He can even increase the sum insured amount by 20% as with the advent of time there will be rise in the cost of living and the educational expense of their children. The Group Benefit Plan, of which Lee is a part, has coverage of his family and his children till the age of 21 or 25 years. However, Lee has to purchase an insurance that would cover the life of their children even after they reach the age of 21 or 25 years. Both Wyatt and Sawyer need to have individual insurance for them with the help of which they can have a secured lifestyle. Lee has another life insurance over which a supplementary insurance is existen t. The premium for this insurance is paid by the employer. But the amount of money that is insured is significantly low as Lee has three dependents. The amount needs to be increased in order to maintain the financial stability of the family even after his death. Lee needs to have individual insurances for Kate as well as she is his wife and in case of any her death Lee can receive certain financial remuneration as well. Maintaining individual insurance for everyone in his family is essential and therefore it is recommended. Lee does have health care and dental care coverage that is included in the Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada. But with the advent of time they would be growing old and would need additional medical expenses and therefore Lee needs to purchase a medical insurance which would remunerate for the medical expenses. In case of any hospital related incidents Lee and his family would even receive cashless facilities and thereby would initiate their treatment timely. L ee can purchase medical insurance from Sun Life as well that would be covering his spouse as well so that every one of them is safe and secured. It is even recommended that Lee undertakes a home insurance as the home they have purchased is relatively new and they have mortgage pending as well. Therefore keeping the house insured can assist in paying the loan back in case anything happens to the couple. The retirement plan that Lee has can be improved as well as his income would increase and with time, issues related to health. There are product recommendations for Kate as well. Kate is a working woman and looks to work full time once Sawyer starts going to kindergarten. She has the expectation that her income would become double then. Hence, she can purchase insurance for herself that would be inclusive of medical insurance as well. Kate can even think of purchasing retirement savings plan so that in case of any mishaps between Lee and Kate, she can have an independent retirement plan for herself. She needs to undertake various investments in RBC Financial Group and thereby have her own savings as well. Both Kate and Lee have debts and therefore investments that have to be undertaken should be inclusive of paying for the debts and the mortgage that is existent for them. Part 4 The recommendations that have been suggested is affordable due to the fact that Lee has significant amount of income and therefore this income would be significant enough with the help of which further insurances can be purchased. Kate earns $ 24,000 annually and expects to get her income doubled. Hence, with this level of income the two products recommended for her can be purchased with ease. The suggestions that have been provided is existent within the current cash flow by adding in the expenses and adjusting the income that Lee and Kate receives. The adjustments that have been made have been highlighted in the cash flow and these adjustments have been made by reducing the expenses that are unwanted for the couple and their family. The reduction in these expenses and the increasing their level of income can be useful for the development of effective cash flow statement. This would even counter the additional insurances that would be purchased. There are no recommendations in the restructuring of debt as the level of debt that is present is precise and the payment amount is appropriate. The adjustments that have been made in the cash flow statement has been highlighted in the table below and the changes have been made in accordance to the new products that have been recommended. The assumptions that have taken includes that the rate of interest is constant and there has been growth in the investments and income growth. Cash Flow Statement Current Recommended Particulars Lee Kate Total Lee Kate Total Gross Income $ 83,500 $ 24,000 $ 107,500 $ 83,500 $ 24,000 $ 107,500 Canada Child Benefit $ 6,000 $ 6,000 $ 6,000 $ 6,000 Car Allowance $ 3,600 $ 3,600 $ 3,600 $ 3,600 Premium for Insurance -$ 185 -$ 185 -$ 222 -$ 222 Premium for Disability Coverage -$ 807 -$ 807 -$ 807 -$ 807 Contribution to Defined Benefit Pension Plan -$ 10,020 -$ 10,020 -$ 10,020 -$ 10,020 Mortgage Payment -$ 4,428 -$ 4,428 -$ 8,856 -$ 4,428 -$ 4,428 -$ 8,856 Groceries Pharmacies -$ 8,100 -$ 8,100 -$ 16,200 -$ 8,100 -$ 8,100 -$ 16,200 Property Tax -$ 2,400 -$ 2,400 -$ 4,800 -$ 2,400 -$ 2,400 -$ 4,800 Utilities -$ 2,250 -$ 2,250 -$ 4,500 -$ 2,250 -$ 2,250 -$ 4,500 Car Insurance -$ 1,080 -$ 1,080 -$ 2,160 -$ 1,080 -$ 1,080 -$ 2,160 Gas -$ 2,100 -$ 2,100 -$ 4,200 -$ 2,100 -$ 2,100 -$ 4,200 Clothing -$ 900 -$ 900 -$ 1,800 -$ 900 -$ 900 -$ 1,800 Entertainment -$ 1,800 -$ 1,800 -$ 3,600 -$ 1,800 -$ 1,800 -$ 3,600 Phone, Internet Cable -$ 960 -$ 960 -$ 1,920 -$ 960 -$ 960 -$ 1,920 Home Insurance -$ 450 -$ 450 -$ 900 -$ 540 -$ 540 -$ 1,080 Group Supplementary -$ 60 -$ 60 -$ 75 -$ 75 RESP -$ 2,640 -$ 2,640 -$ 2,640 $ 2,640 Spousal RRSP -$ 2,400 -$ 2,400 -$ 2,400 -$ 2,400 Medical Insurance -$ 1,440 -$ 1,440 Net Cash Savings $ 46,520 $ 5,532 $ 52,052 $ 44,938 $ 5,442 $ 55,660 Bibliography Lynch, K.M., 2016. Solid risk management system should include insurance planning to protect assets. Parthemer, M.R. and Christie, J.C., 2016. Insurance Planning and the Possible End of Life as We Know It: Low Interest Rates and Family Entity Discounts.Journal of Financial Service Professionals,70(4), pp.24-33.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Paul Reveres Midnight Ride Essays - Foundrymen, Paul Revere

Paul Revere's Midnight Ride Paul Revere was a very patriotic man who would later save some of the leaders of what now is our country. Paul was a silversmith in the town of Boston. He came over to the colonies from France. His father taught him the silversmiths trade. He also became a gold and copper smith. Then on, He became very interested in patriotism and independence from Britain. He engraved alot of cartoons which were published in the Boston news papers. He was also one of the fifty people who took place in the Boston Tea party. He married Sarah Orne and had eight kids who most died at infancy. Then his wife Sarah died after having their eighth child . A few years later he married Rachel Walker and had eight more children. He served for the people of Boston as a special messenger.(101) On March 5, 1770 people were taunting the British and throwing snowballs at them . They got so fed up and started firing shots. Six people were killed. The Boston Massacre was just one of the many violent acts that were to follow. After the Boston Massacre the British removed all taxes except for a small tax on tea. Boston wasn't the only town who refused the tea just one of the most violent. Paul Revere and his accomplices came up with a plan. They would paint their faces and dress up like Indians and go aboard the boat that held tea from the East India Company. They emptied the tea chests into the water while people cheered from the docks. One man stole some tea for his own use had to run around town(100) with no water or breaks and they also nailed his coat to a wall which was some kind of symbolic gesture. After the Boston Tea Party King George shut off Boston Harbor which was Boston's only resource. Paul's first ride was to ride to other colonies and tell them about what happene d and to ask them for

Sunday, November 24, 2019

The Fab Four essays

The Fab Four essays Inspired by the simple guitar-and-washboard music of Lonnie Doengan and later by United States pop artists such as Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, and Little Richard, John Lennon formed his own group, the Quarrymen, known present day as the Beatles. The Beatles originally started out with five members but later decreased to four, and all of the members were from Liverpool, England. The Beatles struggled to their rise to fame, and the first time their song was played in the United States it was actually a fluke by a local disc jockey. There was a period of Beatlemania in both Europe and the United States and the Beatles also won more awards and set more records than any other band in the history of music. Unfortunately the Beatles broke up in 1970 and present day two of the members are deceased. The remaining members are still in the record industry and go on tours all over the world. The British rock group, the Beatles, took the world of popular music by storm during the 1960s and left a lasting impact on todays pop and rock and The rock and roll band, the Beatles, was made up of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Richard Starkey, or more commonly known as Ringo Starr. John Winston Lennon was born October 9, 1940 in Liverpool, England. Lennon has been exhumed in print more than any other popular musical figure, and Lennon has also changed many lives , ...he changed many lives, mostly for the better (mtv.com). Lennon was tragically murdered on December 8, 1980 in New York City, New York, every year on the anniversary of John Lennons death the world still mourns his death. James Paul McCartney was born June 18, 1942 in Liverpool, England. Although commitments to the Beatles not unnaturally took precedence, bass player and vocalist McCartney nonetheless pursued several outside projects during this tenure. Guitarist George Harrison was born ...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

The Implications of the Great Recession of 2008 on U.S. Unionization Essay

The Implications of the Great Recession of 2008 on U.S. Unionization - Essay Example In other words, banks issued too much loans directed in real estate and as a consequence, prices were pushed up. In addition, Hetzel (2012) notes that debts grew faster than income and in the long run more people were unable to service their loans. This followed a financial crisis as the situation pushed banks to near bankruptcy and closure. One of the areas in the economy greatly affected by the recession of 2008 was employment sector. In light of the fact that a huge percentage of workers is presented by unions, this discussion elucidates the implications of the great recession of 2008 on U.S. unionization. To understand the implications of the 2008 great recession on U.S. unionization, it would be of significance to first describe unionization prior to the recession. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the percentage of workers represented by unions was at the highest level in the 1950s at 35 percent of the entire workforce (Hetzel, 2010). In 1983, figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that 17.7 million workers were unionized (Hetzel, 2010). This figure represented 20.1 percent of the total workforce in the U.S. In 2009, Hetzel (2010) notes that the figure had dropped to 12.3 percent of the total workforce. Though the number of union members was reducing from the 1950s, the rate was stringent in 2009 and 2010 after the great recession of 2008. In 2010 for instance, approximately 612,000 union memberships were lost (Tilly, 2010). Before explicating the implications of the 2008 recession on U.S. unionization, it would also be important to demonstrate its impact on the rate of unemployment. Tilly (2010), in a documented material directed to the Global Labor University Conference in Berlin in 2010, asserted that the rate of unemployment peaked in the period following the great recession of 2008. In fact, Tilly (2010) notes that unemployment rate rose to

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Organizational Managment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Organizational Managment - Essay Example In this regard, it has been observed that the organizational change usually brings a change in the quality, cost and satisfaction of the product or service that the organization manufactures or produces, respectively. For instance, Reid et al. (2010) undertook a detailed study of the health care organizations to evaluate the change in the quality, cost and satisfaction in the organization after the incorporation of patient-centric medical home model. The model required that the healthcare policies and regulations should be re-written with the focus on patient care, requirements, needs and wants instead of management’s point of view. As a result, the study showed that after the implementation of the model, the patient’s burnout cases, their experiences at the hospital and the costs of the facility have improved substantially within the lapse of twenty four months since the incorporation. This shows that there is a positive relationship of the cost, quality and satisfacti on of organization and its customers with the organizational change. Reid, R.J., et. al. (2010). The group health medical home at year two: cost savings, higher patient satisfaction, and less burnout for providers. Health Affairs, 29 (5): pp. 835-843. Retrieved 29 July 2012 from

Monday, November 18, 2019

Native American Religious Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Native American Religious Studies - Essay Example His studies on this group of people covered the language of Western Apaches, patterns of silence in social interaction, witchcraft beliefs, and ceremonial symbolism, and others. The idea for Wisdom Sits in Places originated from a conducted study of Apache places; how the Apache refer to their land, the place-names; the stories behind the names of each place, and how these place-names are being used in everyday conversations by Apache men and women. The publication is a stunning informative study of the use of landscape and language in the social life of the Western Apaches. And one would find it wonderful how language influence and shape the way a person thinks, and how wisdom can sit in places, and that a race’s language is intimately linked to the land where they sprang. The book is divided into four sections: Quoting the Ancestors, Stalking with Stories, Speaking with Names, and Wisdom Sits in Places. Each chapter revolves around the design that landscape and language serve distinct purpose in the life of Western Apaches. Chapter 4 is a look on the path of wisdom in the Western Apache society. In this, Basso, with the guidance of an Apache friend named Dudley Patterson, explained that there are two conditions of the mind: "steadiness of mind" (bIni gonldzil), and "resilience of mind" (bIni gontliz). These two conditions will in turn lead the person to another mental condition: which he called â€Å"smoothness of mind† (bIni godilkooh), considered being a more desirable mental condition. These three conditions, according to his study, are not inborn; therefore, an individual needs to work on his mind in order to gain wisdom. Working on one’s mind could be through being observant on different places, learn their place-names, and then reflect on traditional narratives that give emphasis on the importance and intrinsic worth of wisdom. The idea of

Friday, November 15, 2019

Supplier Relationship Importance And Supply Chain Management

Supplier Relationship Importance And Supply Chain Management In todays increasing economic environment, organisations are looking for new techniques to improve their competitive advantage. The focus of my research is in the area of purchasing which have now become a strategic function and a key reason in positioning competitively among all other competitors. The paper discusses that in recent years, the relationships between buyers and suppliers have been continuously receiving a considerable attention for effective operations within organisations. Traditionally, supplier-buyer relationships were regarded as adversarial, arms length transactions. However, the approach towards managing this relationship is changing and moving towards a more collaborative approach due to the fact that now suppliers are important sources to gain competitive advantage to operate in global markets in terms of their expertise, knowledge and ability of sharing risks. [Research paper Journal] The research aims to provide an understanding of supplier relationship management, factors of supplier evaluation and selection process, and the elements that contribute to the establishment of a productive customer/vendor relationships. Such a study is important for buyers to build and maintain effective relationships with their suppliers for consistent cost reductions while working together to mutually create revenues and other benefits. The paper recommends that this information may work as a reference guideline for buyers when initiating cooperative relationships with their supply sources resulting in advanced purchasing and strategic supply chain management in their organisation. The research method adopted in this dissertation is secondary exploring various business journals, business websites, textbooks and articles. Due to continuous new product developments, product innovations and increase in costs, managing supplier relationships will further become crucial in the near future. Due to this reason, therefore, this paper discusses the requirement of supplier relationships and how this shift in organisational strategy towards building relations has and will going to change the employees role, companys processes and organisational goals. The findings from this research provides an evidence of how companies have improved their supply chain operations through understanding the importance to develop effective supplier relationships as part of their core business activity for not only to achieve success within procurement department but also to successfully complete other supply chain cycle such as maintaining production flow at all times, planning accurately, inventory handling, logistical issues and achieving financial benefits. Examples included findings from large organisations of Hong Kong, Rolls Royce, GE, and Japanese firm Toyota. The main conclusion that can be drawn from this research is that every organisation must emphasise the need to actually develop world class suppliers that helps in building long-term relationships, reduction in costs, improved QCDS (quality, cost, delivery and service) criteria, improved customer service, mutual information sharing, reducing the NPI (new product inspection) costs and becoming world class organisation in the market. Introduction Nowadays, the majority of Organisations believe that their companys real assets are embedded in the quality of the relationships shared between the business and their stakeholders such as clients or customers, employees and suppliers. Developing and managing supplier relationship will be the main subject throughout this project. The objective of this research is to investigate the importance of the need to focus more on building collaborative relationships with their strategic suppliers by large manufacturing companies. With increase in globalisation and restructuring of several organisations, procurements role has changed focusing more towards costs, quality, flexibility and technology. [Herbig and OHara, 1995; Goh and Lau, 1999] In the previous years (traditionally), purchasing was considered as a secretarial function in which the buyer-supplier relationships were viewed as being adversarial and unsurprisingly results in a win/lose outcome. Before, business operations from manufacturing to assembling the finished goods were prepared in-house but now many organisations have moved towards a more combined approach where manufacturing firms have started concentrating more on their core competencies only and rest outsourcing nationally and internationally to satisfy their customer expectations. Organisations are going lean i.e. working towards continuous improvement, adopting just-in time and total quality management and eliminating wastes. This highlighted the requirement for most of the lean organisations to grow cooperative supplier-buyer relationships to achieve real productivity, improved design and quality that are unattainable unless the supplying partners assist in product innovation. Hence, several manufacturers have recognized their ability to become world class competitors based on establishing high levels of trust and cooperation among their suppliers. [They and Briggs (1994)] For example, highlighting the case of Rolls Royce, the engine manufacturer, that outsources 70% of their material from external supply chain and thats the reason Rolls Royce try to encourage their suppliers to work openly and jointly contributing to their performance. Rolls Royce belief in building good supplier relationships assures quality and competitiveness to their product offerings and helps to achieve customer standards. The growing face of domestic and global competition has led to understand the manufacturing companies to practise global sourcing which is a strategy to improve companies competitiveness in the international market through reducing costs, improving quality, increased exposure to universal technology, and improving delivery and reliability. A connection or association is known as a relationship. Relationships are said to be when individuals, organisations and internal or external groups to an enterprise interact. At recent times, relationship marketing describes long-term marketing strategy that emphasise on building and maintaining long-term relationships with customers rather than just focusing on one-time sale approach. At business level, relationship marketing is applied to variety of purchasing supplier relationships in the context of a broader network of interconnected purchasing, supplier and competitor organisations. Supplier relationship is defined as a systematic approach to supplier evaluation, selection and ongoing relationship management with the goal of cutting the costs of goods and services boosting profits? Supplier relationship management is a proactive approach of an ongoing business links to secure a competitive advantage within the organisation, focusing more on overall relationships between the supplier and the customer (buying organisation) rather than focusing on specific contracts. The idea is to develop trust and understanding of each others requirements and interests while providing assistance to each other. For example, Rolls Royce sends their experts to their sub-contract suppliers to improve their technology and performance standards. Such relationships bring profit and provide competitive advantage. [http://www.ogc.gov.uk/process_supplier_performance_and_contract_management_6368.asp] Today, most of the companies have realised that doing business jointly with their strategic suppliers will enhance their organisational ability to respond quickly to demand changes, focus on core business only and hence, results in implementing best practises. For example, Rolls Royce believes their supplier make very essential contribution to their business performance as over 70% of their manufacturing costs comes from external supply sources. focus more on their core competencies such as encouraging suppliers to work with transparency, openly and together to enhance continuous improvements. rather than Small to Medium size Enterprises and many local businesses use Transactional Purchasing whereas Large Enterprises use Relationship Purchasing to compete strongly in this economic climate. Transactional Purchasing Relationship purchasing Focus on short, discrete purchasing Focus on supplier retention Short-term orientation Long-term orientation Arms length Closeness Simple buyer-seller relationship Complicated, including internal relationships Emphasis on price, quality and delivery in the offered product No Innovation Emphasis on price, quality, delivery other factors, like innovative design as a collaborative exercise b/w purchaser and supplier Moderate supplier contacts High level of supplier contact with each contact being used to gain information strengthen the relationship Little sharing of information Significant sharing of information, including cost information and transparency Introducing Supply chain management The project is focused on process for choosing world class suppliers, importance of building supplier relationships, various supplier development approaches and process of negotiation required in purchasing that plays a vital role in todays supply chain management. Explaining what is supply chain management and its various elements that are necessary for the movement of goods and services within the business. Supply chain management consists of the intra and inter-organisational co-ordination of business functions that act as both transformative and support functions. This emphasises managing supply chain effectively must be a key activity within the businesses. [Mentzer et al. (2001)] Supply chain combines flow of materials, goods, and information (includes money) that floats within and between organisations linking with a variety of tangible and intangible facilitators, e.g. relationships, processes, activities and integrated information systems. Different views of supply chains are implemented in terms of a process when operations are emphasised, a logistical channel when emphasises marketing, a value chain whey looking at value added activities, and a demand chain when considering customer satisfaction. [Peck H. (2006)] Key elements of supply chain The key elements of supply chain are that links with each other by the movement of products. The following explains that supply chain starts and ends with the customer: [http://logistics.about.com/od/supplychainintroduction/a/into_scm.htm] Customer This is the customer that starts the value chain by deciding to make a purchase of a particular product for example, in an aviation industry procuring turbine blades or a fan shaft which is offered for sale by an organisation. At this stage, the customer contacts the sales team and places purchase order with a right quantity and delivered on a right date. If in case, this product needs manufacturing then the purchase order includes a requirement that must be fulfilling by the production facility. Planning The requirement for planning occurs when customers purchase order is received and processed with other existing orders. Production plans are created by the planning department to generate products to accomplish the customers order. If manufacturing requires, then raw materials are purchased to complete the process. Purchasing The list of materials e.g. raw materials and services is obtained which is required by the production department to complete the purchase order. Then purchasing team issues purchase orders to procure raw material from selected suppliers on their manufacturing site on a requisite date. Inventory The raw materials that are received from suppliers are checked for quality and moved into the warehouse. The invoice is received for the parts that are delivered by the supplier and then materials are stored until there is a demand from a production area. Production According to the production plan, the raw materials from the inventory are moved into the production area where product manufacturing takes place and creates the finished product. Once the parts are completed, they are again sent back to the warehouse and stored prior to delivery to the ultimate customer. Transportation Logistics department then finds the most efficient shipping method in order to achieve on-time delivery at the right date mentioned by the customer. After goods are received by the customer, an invoice is sent by the organisation (supplier) for delivered products. Outlining Case study: GE-Aviation In this project, there will be discussion on relationship purchasing within aviation industry considering GE Aviation as a case study. Suggesting methods of procurement and ways of maintaining GEs existing and new relationships with suppliers. On-line procurement is one of the major processes that I will be focusing in my project which GE adopts within their business that not only reduces the cost and saves time but also provides the right amount of communication with its suppliers at the right time. For example, GE-Aviation has its own department for RB211 jumbo jet engine where there are teams responsible for engineering, operations, purchasing and billing. The engine gets repaired and maintained on site. For RB211 engine type, GEs biggest supplier is Rolls Royce who is the OEMs and can provide material many times. Using SAP software within the whole organisation saves a huge amount of time for purchasing transactions and also makes easy for GE purchasing team to analyse demand raised and provide forecasting to their suppliers for each product by just looking into the system and working through its historical past. GE uses Relationship Purchasing in which they believe to maximise their revenue it is very important to have good supplier relationships. Some of the key approaches/strategies required before working towards building relationships are as follows: Selecting a world class supplier Companies that outsources internationally their materials opens the opportunity to identify potential suppliers, evaluate and reasonably short list them that result with the best supplier. This is considered as one of the most important process to perform by the procurement team that aims to choose the best supplier that ensures reliable supplies with low risk involved and maximises the overall value to the buyer. The following are the seven key steps involved in supplier evaluation and selection process: (Fig 7.5 Supplier evaluation and selection process [pg 163]) Recognise the need for supplier selection The first step is to recognise the actual need for selection of supplier. Purchasing team must work with new product development department in order to recognise future buying behaviours. Purchasing groups proactively select suppliers and anticipate demands rather than wait until a demand rises. The process to start this evaluation arises due to the following scenarios: Through new product development Poor performance received from existing internal and external suppliers Closure of the contract Procuring new tools and equipments Thinking to expand business into new markets or products Due to inadequate capacity of existing suppliers Throughout outsourcing and re-engineering analyses Deciding to reduce the size of the supply base Identifying the main sourcing requirements All the way through evaluation process, procurement team must keep an eye on what they are intended to do. Acquiring materials is not just important but also focus to meet specific requirements set by the other internal customer and indirectly by other supply chain members. For example, an aviation company like GE that makes engines has to buy all the machinery and spare parts along with buyers taking care to ensure a perfect quality products are delivered on time. Establishing sourcing strategy Developing purchasing strategies results in long term alliances that buyers look each time to compete in todays growing competition. Several vital strategic decisions that affect the selection of suppliers are: Picking single or multiple suppliers Creating short-term or long-term contracts Suppliers wish to develop working partnerships rather than arms length relations Working with suppliers that can provide support with product designs rather than those who cannot modify designs Having choice of local, domestic, foreign or global suppliers Therefore, sourcing strategies and policies must be carefully re-evaluated during supplier selection as requirements changes frequently in shorter times because of changing market conditions, changing consumer preferences and accustomed corporate goals. Identifying potential suppliers This stage identifies a list of suppliers that can actually have the capability to deliver of what is required by the customer. Buyers can use various numbers of sources to develop the preliminary list of supply sources by a quick search of company websites as well as long and detailed search for companies that can support with design and make specialised products. A rule of thumb must take place to determine the effort to be used into supplier selection by comparing the existing suppliers efficiency and strategic importance of an item because too much effort and expensive resources are wasted; too little effort and potential suppliers might be missed in this initial search criteria. Following are the sources of information widely-used to identify potential suppliers: Current suppliers Using existing suppliers who are already on the preferred list which are consistently meeting buyers requirements that reduces the purchasers time and effort in evaluation of supplier capabilities. But at the same time, existing supplier may not always provide the world class long term results and that is the reason why organisations scan information continuously to recognize potential new sources. Sales representatives and agents Marketing information received from these individuals can become a valuable source of information for new product offerings. Buyers keep this information in their file for future reference even if there is no urgent requirement for a supplier service. Internet searches Nowadays suppliers launch customer websites as part of their marketing approach and help the buyers with detailed information from a simple search of possible suppliers. Various other websites can also help in discovering and assessing important information like reviews, comparisons, comments, analyses and case studies of potential suppliers. Experience Experienced individuals working within purchasing team generally carries a wide knowledge about various capable suppliers as experienced buyers have already worked in a particular industry for many years and familiar with the main suppliers and their features. Internal sources Operating different business units within large organisations, each may have their own procurement department. Therefore, other units in the same organisation becomes a valuable source of information exchange to buyers through informal meetings, formal team sessions, an internal database, purchasing newsletters, etc. Limit suppliers in the selection pool At this stage, the procurement team must consolidate and analyse the information gathered on potential supply sources that helps them to make informed decisions. Getting a long list of suppliers is just the initial task but buyers then have to eliminate the weakest suppliers until they attain the strong shortlist. Therefore, the final supplier is then selected from this list. The following are the entry qualifiers features that influence buyers final decision [Howard (1998)]: Financial strength Appropriate business strategy Strong supportive management Proven manufacturing capability Design capability There are also many reasons that influence buyers decision to procure material on the following basis: Buying directly from the original manufacturer or distributor Original equipment manufacturers mostly offer lower prices that avoid the costs of wholesalers and retailers along with profit margins. The final choice must be considered on the basis of four factors including the size of the purchase, the manufacturers policies of direct sales, availability of storage at buyers facility, and the required additional services. Local, national, international and global suppliers Choosing international suppliers are more favourable as they usually offers the best price along with technical support but these have to be balanced by higher shipping costs, stocks, communication problems and common risks involved. Also, choosing local suppliers are considered more responsive to fluctuating demands, small deliveries and regular changes in purchase orders using Just-in-time method that not only supports local suppliers and allows the buyers to enhance local economy but also helps in building community goodwill. Large or small suppliers Usually buyers focus on suppliers capability to do the work rather than selecting on the basis of its size. But a buyer must keep in mind the unexpected increase in demands that can only be dealt by larger firms providing extra capacity to overcome these fluctuations. At the same time, in order to create a diversified supply base, buyers intentionally deal with smaller suppliers. Multiple or single sourcing When there are numerous different suppliers available then it becomes very difficult to make a decision of how many to use? Most of the organisations have chosen a trend to reduce the supply base that will benefit them accordingly. Determining method to select supplier This is the last stage where buyers are left with four to five suppliers in their shortlist and decide to evaluate these remaining organisations by looking at the alternatives in more detail for example, using supplier-provided information, supplier/customer visits, preferred list of suppliers and third-party information. Supplier-provided information Detailed information can be acquired through requesting price quotations. Information received from quotations are then used to understand the product description and supply which is then followed by another requests of a detailed cost breakdown of the price quoted by suppliers initially that must include the costs of labour, materials, overheads and profit as buyers also require operational details to finally evaluate them. Supplier visits One of the most efficient ways of getting an overall view of suppliers capabilities and performance is to visit suppliers facilities by a cross-functional team. Generally, these visits are expensive and time consuming so a buyer must balance their desire to gather as much information as possible confidentially. The following table shows important information points that a buyer must collect during its visit: Management capability Quality management Technology levels Planning and scheduling effectiveness Financial strength Personnel relations E-business capabilities Sophistication and efficiency of operations ISO certifications Skills, knowledge and experience of workforce Evidence of good management and housekeeping Types of inventory Nature of the goods inwards, stores and outwards areas Environmental practices Employee employment contracts Any significant changes planned or expected Contact details of key decision makers Use of preferred suppliers This is a list of suppliers created by the purchasers to reward their best suppliers that consistently meets their strict performance criteria. The list can also be used as an incentive to improve the existing suppliers performance and assessed accordingly. External or third-party information This consists of all the other information available about a potential supplier. For example, Total quality management is a system that insists suppliers to meet the quality standards as similar to buyers and generates a flow of related information throughout the supply chain. Selecting supplier and signing agreement This is the final step to choose the supplier followed by signing a contract. This includes different purchasing orders required for routine and major items, i.e. using standard purchase orders for routine items whereas, detailed negotiation is required to agree on specific details for major items that increases the complexity in the purchase order. Supplier evaluation criteria After considering various steps in selecting suppliers, the buying organisation must analyse the following questions with the supply organisation in order to progress outside their traditional purchasing relationships and possibilities for long term relationships with them: [Spekman (1988)] Has the supplier signified a dedication or willingness for a longer term relationship? Is the supplier enthusiastic to perform resources to develop this relationship? Is the supplier willing or able to participate at the early stage or throughout the stage of product design? Has supplier brought any unique service to the business? Is the supplier showed their interests or commitment towards customers problems and effectively solving them together? Is the supplier is interested in improvements and innovations in the operations? Is there any openness of sharing and exchanging information between both companies? How much knowledgeable is the supplier about the customers industry and business? Is the need for confidentially exchanged information taken seriously? Supplier management and development In todays time, the need to improve supplier performance is open in large or small organisations and for this reason; the purchasing teams must introduce a supplier relationship management (SRM) approach to achieve their organisational goals and success in global purchases of technology. Therefore, this calls for managing resources efficiently throughout supply chain collaborations, dedication required from supply managers, creating standardised best practices effectively and tools required for tracking and evaluating the results. The process must begin with effective supplier performance measures required to undertake strategic supply or procurement decisions for the organisation. [Minahan T. And Vigorose M. (2002)] Effective supplier performance measurements What to measure The factors important to assess the performance includes: Delivery performance The purchase orders that are sent to suppliers involves all the appropriate information on deliveries, with quantities, lead times and due dates. Therefore, it is buyers responsibility to check regularly that how well a supplier actually meets their expected conditions. Cost performance There are many ways that can measure cost performances for example, monitoring real price delivered by the supplier after adjusting increase in the prices (inflation). Quality performance In order to measure quality, the best criteria for buyers is to check that products are delivered in 100% perfect condition with no defects. This also includes comparing previous performances, latest performance with mutually agreed standards and various other figures. Other qualitative factors in supplier performance Factor Explanation Problem solving Suppliers attention to provide solutions to the problem Technical skills Comparing suppliers manufacturing capacity with other business suppliers Reporting progress Suppliers incomplete reporting of existing problems and identifying and communicating other potential problems Corrective action Suppliers timely response to requests for corrective actions and requests for changes Cost-reduction plans Suppliers enthusiasm to find techniques that helps to reduce the total purchase cost New-product development support Suppliers capability to reduce time and cost required for new product development Buyer/seller compatibility Rating subjectively how well a purchasing firm and a supplier work together Therefore, the above are various other factors that help the buyers to measure the suppliers technical ability and closeness of both parties relationships. Reporting frequency This includes preparing reports to provide a clear feedback to supplier on their performance. Purchasing management must communicate with their buyers to send these reports by reviewing them weekly, monthly, quarterly or annually which is then followed with more face-to-face team meeting that reviews their actual performance, discussion on targets, identify potential improvements, examine changes, and so on. Any problems (for example, supplier fails to meet the required standard) occurred during crucial time must be addressed with special reports and meetings to avoid any financial and operational problems. Use of measurement data Procurement staff can make use of data collected from its measurement systems in many ways including: Identifying suppliers which are not meeting the performance goals and highlighting areas that calls for improvements, followed by corrective actions taken to raise the performance to acceptable levels or else finding new suppliers. It helps in discovering excellent performances achieved from supplier which then helps identify preferred suppliers that qualify for long term alliances. It also recognises the worst performing suppliers that are continuously not improving and needs to be removed from supply base whereas offering more work to superior suppliers. Supplier measurement techniques There are three techniques discussed for evaluating performance of suppliers, each differs in their use, level of subjectivity, resources required and implementing cost. Categorical techniques These techniques considers a particular aspect of performance, for example lead time and classifies a set of categories for performance rating as excellent, good, fair or poor and therefore, helps buyers in deciding which supplier is good or bad. This is an easiest system of measurement, easy to use, comparatively inexpensive and also the most subjective. There are some drawbacks of using this technique as they do not provide a clear analysis of performance, slower than automated systems and regarded as the lowest of the three techniques in terms of reliability. Scoring model This method overcomes the subjectivity of categorical technique by calculating a weighted score for different performance categories. This is more reliable and requires reasonable implementation cost providing flexibility for buyers to change the categories included as well as weights allocated to each. Cost-based techniques -This technique is the most comprehensive that can help the buying organisation to look for the total cost required for doing business with a particular supplier by identifying the lowest purchase price is not always the lowest cost of acquisition. Hence, this technique works through collecting data from the purchasing firms information system, analysing the total cost including the additional occurring costs whenever a supplier fails to perform as per expected by the buyer. This can be calculated using formula of supplier performance index (SPI) SPI = Total pur Supplier Relationship Importance And Supply Chain Management Supplier Relationship Importance And Supply Chain Management In todays increasing economic environment, organisations are looking for new techniques to improve their competitive advantage. The focus of my research is in the area of purchasing which have now become a strategic function and a key reason in positioning competitively among all other competitors. The paper discusses that in recent years, the relationships between buyers and suppliers have been continuously receiving a considerable attention for effective operations within organisations. Traditionally, supplier-buyer relationships were regarded as adversarial, arms length transactions. However, the approach towards managing this relationship is changing and moving towards a more collaborative approach due to the fact that now suppliers are important sources to gain competitive advantage to operate in global markets in terms of their expertise, knowledge and ability of sharing risks. [Research paper Journal] The research aims to provide an understanding of supplier relationship management, factors of supplier evaluation and selection process, and the elements that contribute to the establishment of a productive customer/vendor relationships. Such a study is important for buyers to build and maintain effective relationships with their suppliers for consistent cost reductions while working together to mutually create revenues and other benefits. The paper recommends that this information may work as a reference guideline for buyers when initiating cooperative relationships with their supply sources resulting in advanced purchasing and strategic supply chain management in their organisation. The research method adopted in this dissertation is secondary exploring various business journals, business websites, textbooks and articles. Due to continuous new product developments, product innovations and increase in costs, managing supplier relationships will further become crucial in the near future. Due to this reason, therefore, this paper discusses the requirement of supplier relationships and how this shift in organisational strategy towards building relations has and will going to change the employees role, companys processes and organisational goals. The findings from this research provides an evidence of how companies have improved their supply chain operations through understanding the importance to develop effective supplier relationships as part of their core business activity for not only to achieve success within procurement department but also to successfully complete other supply chain cycle such as maintaining production flow at all times, planning accurately, inventory handling, logistical issues and achieving financial benefits. Examples included findings from large organisations of Hong Kong, Rolls Royce, GE, and Japanese firm Toyota. The main conclusion that can be drawn from this research is that every organisation must emphasise the need to actually develop world class suppliers that helps in building long-term relationships, reduction in costs, improved QCDS (quality, cost, delivery and service) criteria, improved customer service, mutual information sharing, reducing the NPI (new product inspection) costs and becoming world class organisation in the market. Introduction Nowadays, the majority of Organisations believe that their companys real assets are embedded in the quality of the relationships shared between the business and their stakeholders such as clients or customers, employees and suppliers. Developing and managing supplier relationship will be the main subject throughout this project. The objective of this research is to investigate the importance of the need to focus more on building collaborative relationships with their strategic suppliers by large manufacturing companies. With increase in globalisation and restructuring of several organisations, procurements role has changed focusing more towards costs, quality, flexibility and technology. [Herbig and OHara, 1995; Goh and Lau, 1999] In the previous years (traditionally), purchasing was considered as a secretarial function in which the buyer-supplier relationships were viewed as being adversarial and unsurprisingly results in a win/lose outcome. Before, business operations from manufacturing to assembling the finished goods were prepared in-house but now many organisations have moved towards a more combined approach where manufacturing firms have started concentrating more on their core competencies only and rest outsourcing nationally and internationally to satisfy their customer expectations. Organisations are going lean i.e. working towards continuous improvement, adopting just-in time and total quality management and eliminating wastes. This highlighted the requirement for most of the lean organisations to grow cooperative supplier-buyer relationships to achieve real productivity, improved design and quality that are unattainable unless the supplying partners assist in product innovation. Hence, several manufacturers have recognized their ability to become world class competitors based on establishing high levels of trust and cooperation among their suppliers. [They and Briggs (1994)] For example, highlighting the case of Rolls Royce, the engine manufacturer, that outsources 70% of their material from external supply chain and thats the reason Rolls Royce try to encourage their suppliers to work openly and jointly contributing to their performance. Rolls Royce belief in building good supplier relationships assures quality and competitiveness to their product offerings and helps to achieve customer standards. The growing face of domestic and global competition has led to understand the manufacturing companies to practise global sourcing which is a strategy to improve companies competitiveness in the international market through reducing costs, improving quality, increased exposure to universal technology, and improving delivery and reliability. A connection or association is known as a relationship. Relationships are said to be when individuals, organisations and internal or external groups to an enterprise interact. At recent times, relationship marketing describes long-term marketing strategy that emphasise on building and maintaining long-term relationships with customers rather than just focusing on one-time sale approach. At business level, relationship marketing is applied to variety of purchasing supplier relationships in the context of a broader network of interconnected purchasing, supplier and competitor organisations. Supplier relationship is defined as a systematic approach to supplier evaluation, selection and ongoing relationship management with the goal of cutting the costs of goods and services boosting profits? Supplier relationship management is a proactive approach of an ongoing business links to secure a competitive advantage within the organisation, focusing more on overall relationships between the supplier and the customer (buying organisation) rather than focusing on specific contracts. The idea is to develop trust and understanding of each others requirements and interests while providing assistance to each other. For example, Rolls Royce sends their experts to their sub-contract suppliers to improve their technology and performance standards. Such relationships bring profit and provide competitive advantage. [http://www.ogc.gov.uk/process_supplier_performance_and_contract_management_6368.asp] Today, most of the companies have realised that doing business jointly with their strategic suppliers will enhance their organisational ability to respond quickly to demand changes, focus on core business only and hence, results in implementing best practises. For example, Rolls Royce believes their supplier make very essential contribution to their business performance as over 70% of their manufacturing costs comes from external supply sources. focus more on their core competencies such as encouraging suppliers to work with transparency, openly and together to enhance continuous improvements. rather than Small to Medium size Enterprises and many local businesses use Transactional Purchasing whereas Large Enterprises use Relationship Purchasing to compete strongly in this economic climate. Transactional Purchasing Relationship purchasing Focus on short, discrete purchasing Focus on supplier retention Short-term orientation Long-term orientation Arms length Closeness Simple buyer-seller relationship Complicated, including internal relationships Emphasis on price, quality and delivery in the offered product No Innovation Emphasis on price, quality, delivery other factors, like innovative design as a collaborative exercise b/w purchaser and supplier Moderate supplier contacts High level of supplier contact with each contact being used to gain information strengthen the relationship Little sharing of information Significant sharing of information, including cost information and transparency Introducing Supply chain management The project is focused on process for choosing world class suppliers, importance of building supplier relationships, various supplier development approaches and process of negotiation required in purchasing that plays a vital role in todays supply chain management. Explaining what is supply chain management and its various elements that are necessary for the movement of goods and services within the business. Supply chain management consists of the intra and inter-organisational co-ordination of business functions that act as both transformative and support functions. This emphasises managing supply chain effectively must be a key activity within the businesses. [Mentzer et al. (2001)] Supply chain combines flow of materials, goods, and information (includes money) that floats within and between organisations linking with a variety of tangible and intangible facilitators, e.g. relationships, processes, activities and integrated information systems. Different views of supply chains are implemented in terms of a process when operations are emphasised, a logistical channel when emphasises marketing, a value chain whey looking at value added activities, and a demand chain when considering customer satisfaction. [Peck H. (2006)] Key elements of supply chain The key elements of supply chain are that links with each other by the movement of products. The following explains that supply chain starts and ends with the customer: [http://logistics.about.com/od/supplychainintroduction/a/into_scm.htm] Customer This is the customer that starts the value chain by deciding to make a purchase of a particular product for example, in an aviation industry procuring turbine blades or a fan shaft which is offered for sale by an organisation. At this stage, the customer contacts the sales team and places purchase order with a right quantity and delivered on a right date. If in case, this product needs manufacturing then the purchase order includes a requirement that must be fulfilling by the production facility. Planning The requirement for planning occurs when customers purchase order is received and processed with other existing orders. Production plans are created by the planning department to generate products to accomplish the customers order. If manufacturing requires, then raw materials are purchased to complete the process. Purchasing The list of materials e.g. raw materials and services is obtained which is required by the production department to complete the purchase order. Then purchasing team issues purchase orders to procure raw material from selected suppliers on their manufacturing site on a requisite date. Inventory The raw materials that are received from suppliers are checked for quality and moved into the warehouse. The invoice is received for the parts that are delivered by the supplier and then materials are stored until there is a demand from a production area. Production According to the production plan, the raw materials from the inventory are moved into the production area where product manufacturing takes place and creates the finished product. Once the parts are completed, they are again sent back to the warehouse and stored prior to delivery to the ultimate customer. Transportation Logistics department then finds the most efficient shipping method in order to achieve on-time delivery at the right date mentioned by the customer. After goods are received by the customer, an invoice is sent by the organisation (supplier) for delivered products. Outlining Case study: GE-Aviation In this project, there will be discussion on relationship purchasing within aviation industry considering GE Aviation as a case study. Suggesting methods of procurement and ways of maintaining GEs existing and new relationships with suppliers. On-line procurement is one of the major processes that I will be focusing in my project which GE adopts within their business that not only reduces the cost and saves time but also provides the right amount of communication with its suppliers at the right time. For example, GE-Aviation has its own department for RB211 jumbo jet engine where there are teams responsible for engineering, operations, purchasing and billing. The engine gets repaired and maintained on site. For RB211 engine type, GEs biggest supplier is Rolls Royce who is the OEMs and can provide material many times. Using SAP software within the whole organisation saves a huge amount of time for purchasing transactions and also makes easy for GE purchasing team to analyse demand raised and provide forecasting to their suppliers for each product by just looking into the system and working through its historical past. GE uses Relationship Purchasing in which they believe to maximise their revenue it is very important to have good supplier relationships. Some of the key approaches/strategies required before working towards building relationships are as follows: Selecting a world class supplier Companies that outsources internationally their materials opens the opportunity to identify potential suppliers, evaluate and reasonably short list them that result with the best supplier. This is considered as one of the most important process to perform by the procurement team that aims to choose the best supplier that ensures reliable supplies with low risk involved and maximises the overall value to the buyer. The following are the seven key steps involved in supplier evaluation and selection process: (Fig 7.5 Supplier evaluation and selection process [pg 163]) Recognise the need for supplier selection The first step is to recognise the actual need for selection of supplier. Purchasing team must work with new product development department in order to recognise future buying behaviours. Purchasing groups proactively select suppliers and anticipate demands rather than wait until a demand rises. The process to start this evaluation arises due to the following scenarios: Through new product development Poor performance received from existing internal and external suppliers Closure of the contract Procuring new tools and equipments Thinking to expand business into new markets or products Due to inadequate capacity of existing suppliers Throughout outsourcing and re-engineering analyses Deciding to reduce the size of the supply base Identifying the main sourcing requirements All the way through evaluation process, procurement team must keep an eye on what they are intended to do. Acquiring materials is not just important but also focus to meet specific requirements set by the other internal customer and indirectly by other supply chain members. For example, an aviation company like GE that makes engines has to buy all the machinery and spare parts along with buyers taking care to ensure a perfect quality products are delivered on time. Establishing sourcing strategy Developing purchasing strategies results in long term alliances that buyers look each time to compete in todays growing competition. Several vital strategic decisions that affect the selection of suppliers are: Picking single or multiple suppliers Creating short-term or long-term contracts Suppliers wish to develop working partnerships rather than arms length relations Working with suppliers that can provide support with product designs rather than those who cannot modify designs Having choice of local, domestic, foreign or global suppliers Therefore, sourcing strategies and policies must be carefully re-evaluated during supplier selection as requirements changes frequently in shorter times because of changing market conditions, changing consumer preferences and accustomed corporate goals. Identifying potential suppliers This stage identifies a list of suppliers that can actually have the capability to deliver of what is required by the customer. Buyers can use various numbers of sources to develop the preliminary list of supply sources by a quick search of company websites as well as long and detailed search for companies that can support with design and make specialised products. A rule of thumb must take place to determine the effort to be used into supplier selection by comparing the existing suppliers efficiency and strategic importance of an item because too much effort and expensive resources are wasted; too little effort and potential suppliers might be missed in this initial search criteria. Following are the sources of information widely-used to identify potential suppliers: Current suppliers Using existing suppliers who are already on the preferred list which are consistently meeting buyers requirements that reduces the purchasers time and effort in evaluation of supplier capabilities. But at the same time, existing supplier may not always provide the world class long term results and that is the reason why organisations scan information continuously to recognize potential new sources. Sales representatives and agents Marketing information received from these individuals can become a valuable source of information for new product offerings. Buyers keep this information in their file for future reference even if there is no urgent requirement for a supplier service. Internet searches Nowadays suppliers launch customer websites as part of their marketing approach and help the buyers with detailed information from a simple search of possible suppliers. Various other websites can also help in discovering and assessing important information like reviews, comparisons, comments, analyses and case studies of potential suppliers. Experience Experienced individuals working within purchasing team generally carries a wide knowledge about various capable suppliers as experienced buyers have already worked in a particular industry for many years and familiar with the main suppliers and their features. Internal sources Operating different business units within large organisations, each may have their own procurement department. Therefore, other units in the same organisation becomes a valuable source of information exchange to buyers through informal meetings, formal team sessions, an internal database, purchasing newsletters, etc. Limit suppliers in the selection pool At this stage, the procurement team must consolidate and analyse the information gathered on potential supply sources that helps them to make informed decisions. Getting a long list of suppliers is just the initial task but buyers then have to eliminate the weakest suppliers until they attain the strong shortlist. Therefore, the final supplier is then selected from this list. The following are the entry qualifiers features that influence buyers final decision [Howard (1998)]: Financial strength Appropriate business strategy Strong supportive management Proven manufacturing capability Design capability There are also many reasons that influence buyers decision to procure material on the following basis: Buying directly from the original manufacturer or distributor Original equipment manufacturers mostly offer lower prices that avoid the costs of wholesalers and retailers along with profit margins. The final choice must be considered on the basis of four factors including the size of the purchase, the manufacturers policies of direct sales, availability of storage at buyers facility, and the required additional services. Local, national, international and global suppliers Choosing international suppliers are more favourable as they usually offers the best price along with technical support but these have to be balanced by higher shipping costs, stocks, communication problems and common risks involved. Also, choosing local suppliers are considered more responsive to fluctuating demands, small deliveries and regular changes in purchase orders using Just-in-time method that not only supports local suppliers and allows the buyers to enhance local economy but also helps in building community goodwill. Large or small suppliers Usually buyers focus on suppliers capability to do the work rather than selecting on the basis of its size. But a buyer must keep in mind the unexpected increase in demands that can only be dealt by larger firms providing extra capacity to overcome these fluctuations. At the same time, in order to create a diversified supply base, buyers intentionally deal with smaller suppliers. Multiple or single sourcing When there are numerous different suppliers available then it becomes very difficult to make a decision of how many to use? Most of the organisations have chosen a trend to reduce the supply base that will benefit them accordingly. Determining method to select supplier This is the last stage where buyers are left with four to five suppliers in their shortlist and decide to evaluate these remaining organisations by looking at the alternatives in more detail for example, using supplier-provided information, supplier/customer visits, preferred list of suppliers and third-party information. Supplier-provided information Detailed information can be acquired through requesting price quotations. Information received from quotations are then used to understand the product description and supply which is then followed by another requests of a detailed cost breakdown of the price quoted by suppliers initially that must include the costs of labour, materials, overheads and profit as buyers also require operational details to finally evaluate them. Supplier visits One of the most efficient ways of getting an overall view of suppliers capabilities and performance is to visit suppliers facilities by a cross-functional team. Generally, these visits are expensive and time consuming so a buyer must balance their desire to gather as much information as possible confidentially. The following table shows important information points that a buyer must collect during its visit: Management capability Quality management Technology levels Planning and scheduling effectiveness Financial strength Personnel relations E-business capabilities Sophistication and efficiency of operations ISO certifications Skills, knowledge and experience of workforce Evidence of good management and housekeeping Types of inventory Nature of the goods inwards, stores and outwards areas Environmental practices Employee employment contracts Any significant changes planned or expected Contact details of key decision makers Use of preferred suppliers This is a list of suppliers created by the purchasers to reward their best suppliers that consistently meets their strict performance criteria. The list can also be used as an incentive to improve the existing suppliers performance and assessed accordingly. External or third-party information This consists of all the other information available about a potential supplier. For example, Total quality management is a system that insists suppliers to meet the quality standards as similar to buyers and generates a flow of related information throughout the supply chain. Selecting supplier and signing agreement This is the final step to choose the supplier followed by signing a contract. This includes different purchasing orders required for routine and major items, i.e. using standard purchase orders for routine items whereas, detailed negotiation is required to agree on specific details for major items that increases the complexity in the purchase order. Supplier evaluation criteria After considering various steps in selecting suppliers, the buying organisation must analyse the following questions with the supply organisation in order to progress outside their traditional purchasing relationships and possibilities for long term relationships with them: [Spekman (1988)] Has the supplier signified a dedication or willingness for a longer term relationship? Is the supplier enthusiastic to perform resources to develop this relationship? Is the supplier willing or able to participate at the early stage or throughout the stage of product design? Has supplier brought any unique service to the business? Is the supplier showed their interests or commitment towards customers problems and effectively solving them together? Is the supplier is interested in improvements and innovations in the operations? Is there any openness of sharing and exchanging information between both companies? How much knowledgeable is the supplier about the customers industry and business? Is the need for confidentially exchanged information taken seriously? Supplier management and development In todays time, the need to improve supplier performance is open in large or small organisations and for this reason; the purchasing teams must introduce a supplier relationship management (SRM) approach to achieve their organisational goals and success in global purchases of technology. Therefore, this calls for managing resources efficiently throughout supply chain collaborations, dedication required from supply managers, creating standardised best practices effectively and tools required for tracking and evaluating the results. The process must begin with effective supplier performance measures required to undertake strategic supply or procurement decisions for the organisation. [Minahan T. And Vigorose M. (2002)] Effective supplier performance measurements What to measure The factors important to assess the performance includes: Delivery performance The purchase orders that are sent to suppliers involves all the appropriate information on deliveries, with quantities, lead times and due dates. Therefore, it is buyers responsibility to check regularly that how well a supplier actually meets their expected conditions. Cost performance There are many ways that can measure cost performances for example, monitoring real price delivered by the supplier after adjusting increase in the prices (inflation). Quality performance In order to measure quality, the best criteria for buyers is to check that products are delivered in 100% perfect condition with no defects. This also includes comparing previous performances, latest performance with mutually agreed standards and various other figures. Other qualitative factors in supplier performance Factor Explanation Problem solving Suppliers attention to provide solutions to the problem Technical skills Comparing suppliers manufacturing capacity with other business suppliers Reporting progress Suppliers incomplete reporting of existing problems and identifying and communicating other potential problems Corrective action Suppliers timely response to requests for corrective actions and requests for changes Cost-reduction plans Suppliers enthusiasm to find techniques that helps to reduce the total purchase cost New-product development support Suppliers capability to reduce time and cost required for new product development Buyer/seller compatibility Rating subjectively how well a purchasing firm and a supplier work together Therefore, the above are various other factors that help the buyers to measure the suppliers technical ability and closeness of both parties relationships. Reporting frequency This includes preparing reports to provide a clear feedback to supplier on their performance. Purchasing management must communicate with their buyers to send these reports by reviewing them weekly, monthly, quarterly or annually which is then followed with more face-to-face team meeting that reviews their actual performance, discussion on targets, identify potential improvements, examine changes, and so on. Any problems (for example, supplier fails to meet the required standard) occurred during crucial time must be addressed with special reports and meetings to avoid any financial and operational problems. Use of measurement data Procurement staff can make use of data collected from its measurement systems in many ways including: Identifying suppliers which are not meeting the performance goals and highlighting areas that calls for improvements, followed by corrective actions taken to raise the performance to acceptable levels or else finding new suppliers. It helps in discovering excellent performances achieved from supplier which then helps identify preferred suppliers that qualify for long term alliances. It also recognises the worst performing suppliers that are continuously not improving and needs to be removed from supply base whereas offering more work to superior suppliers. Supplier measurement techniques There are three techniques discussed for evaluating performance of suppliers, each differs in their use, level of subjectivity, resources required and implementing cost. Categorical techniques These techniques considers a particular aspect of performance, for example lead time and classifies a set of categories for performance rating as excellent, good, fair or poor and therefore, helps buyers in deciding which supplier is good or bad. This is an easiest system of measurement, easy to use, comparatively inexpensive and also the most subjective. There are some drawbacks of using this technique as they do not provide a clear analysis of performance, slower than automated systems and regarded as the lowest of the three techniques in terms of reliability. Scoring model This method overcomes the subjectivity of categorical technique by calculating a weighted score for different performance categories. This is more reliable and requires reasonable implementation cost providing flexibility for buyers to change the categories included as well as weights allocated to each. Cost-based techniques -This technique is the most comprehensive that can help the buying organisation to look for the total cost required for doing business with a particular supplier by identifying the lowest purchase price is not always the lowest cost of acquisition. Hence, this technique works through collecting data from the purchasing firms information system, analysing the total cost including the additional occurring costs whenever a supplier fails to perform as per expected by the buyer. This can be calculated using formula of supplier performance index (SPI) SPI = Total pur

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

A people and a nation :: essays research papers

Oral Cancer consists of cancer cells in the mouth, including the lip, gums cheeks, tongue, tonsils, and floor of the mouth. In 1992 there were approximately 11,500 new cases diagnosed and 2,200 deaths in the United States. It’s a proven fact that more men then women are affected.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The primary cause of mouth cancer is tobacco use. Like smoking, chewing, and dipping. Smokers are 4 to 15 times more likely to develop cancer of the mouth. Another cause of this cancer is chronic or excessive alcohol consumption. Epidemiological research has indicated that the risk of cancer is higher among people who drink, even if they don’t smoke. If they do smoke, the risk is multiplied. Other risk factors include certain nutritional deficiencies, and even too much sun can cause some cases of cancer of the lower lip.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Early cancers of the mouth may appear as red, slightly raised areas with ill-defined borders. There could be a lump that can be felt with the tip of the tongue or a sore that doesn’t heal. Eating or drinking may be difficult and cause some soreness.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many types of cancer you can be diagnosed with. A symptom of lip cancer may be an enlarging growth that repeatedly forms a dry crust that bleeds when removed. It may not be painful unless it becomes an open sore or gets infected.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cancers of the gum may appear as a toothache, loose teeth, or a sore that does not heal. Bleeding and mild pain may occur if the area is injured.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The most common symptom of tongue cancer is a mild irritation. Pain may only occur during eating or drinking. Extensive involvement of the muscles of the tongue can affect speech and swallowing. Advanced tumors may produce a bad smell.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cancer of the tonsils often does not produce any symptoms until it is somewhat advanced, at which point there may be a sore throat that is aggravated by eating, drinking, and an earache.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Diagnostic procedures may include a manual exam by a doctor, x-rays, and a biopsy. There are different stages for cancer of the mouth, here are some; o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Stage 1- cancer is no more than 2 centimeters and has not spread to lymph nodes in the area o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Stage 2- the cancer is no more than 2 cm but less than 4, and has not spread to lymph nodes. o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Stage 3- the cancer is more then 4 cm or the cancer is nay size but has spread to only one lymph node on the same side of the neck as the cancer and the lymph node is no larger than 3 cm.