Supply Chain Strategy Essay Example for Free

Supply Chain Strategy Essay What recent changes have caused supply chain management to gain importance? 2. With so much productive capacity and room for expansion in the United States, why would a company based in the United States choose to purchase items from foreign firm? Discuss the pros and cons. The use of foreign firms can provide a U. S. firm more alternatives in selecting a supplier. The pros are more choices, potentially reduced costs in the areas of materials, transportation, production, and distribution, and potentially moving closer to a foreign market. The cons are the distance is generally increased, communications problems are increased due to distance, culture, and technology. There may be problems with customs, government regulations, political stability, etc. 3. Describe the differences between functional and innovative products. Functional products are staples that people buy in a wide range of retail outlets. Typically, they do not change much over time, have low profit margins, stable predictable demand and long life cycles. Innovative products, on the other hand, give customers additional reasons to buy. Fashionable clothes and personal computers are examples of innovative products. Innovative products have short life cycles, high profit margins, and volatile demand. 4. What are characteristics of efficient, responsive, risk-hedging and agile supply chains? Can a supply chain be both efficient and responsive? Risk-hedging and Agile? Why or Why not? As a supplier, which factors would you consider about a buyer (your potential customer) to be important in setting up a long-term relationship? The financial stability and credit worthiness of the company is of primary importance. The reputation of the company visavis their supplier is also very important. For example, is this a company that is fair with its suppliers and honors its payables in a timely fashion? Is the technological match between supplier and customer sufficient? Will delivery schedules and quantities be stable, facilitating smooth operations? For the value density example in Exhibit 10. 9, what would the effect be if a competing firm offers you a similar service for 10 percent less than Federal Express’s rates? 7. What are the advantages of using the postponement strategy? Process postponement delays the process step that differentiate the product to as late in the supply chain as possible. The advantages of this approach are that lower levels of inventory, and fewer models are needed to match customer requirements. This results in higher levels of customer satisfaction at a lower cost.

Andina Bottling Company Case Essay -- Business Cola Products Latin Ame

Andina Bottling Company Case Andina is a major distributor of Coca-Cola products in Latin America. The market for soft drinks is very competitive in Latin America. The dominate brands are not necessarily Coca-Cola or Pepsi brands. For a company to succeed in the distribution and manufacturing of soft drinks in Latin America, they need to be efficient. The plants need to work at capacity or close to it. The distribution also has to be logical. It is not worth it for them to sell to less populated mountain areas. The point of the new system that Andina is introducing is going to make sales, distribution, and manufacturing easier. The three countries are going to share their information with each other. Control panel and the rest of the system will be successful if Andina can convince each country that they can trust it. Andina is doing a good job of trying to unite the three subsidiaries through Control Panel. For Andina to succeed in the bottled drinks manufacturing and distribution business, they need to be the most efficient that they can be. There are many bottled drinks in Latin America. There are many knock-offs of Coca-Cola as well. Andina is facing a lot of competition. They need to make sure that they are selling to a larger audience and not to a smaller one. There is no point in concentrating a large amount of your sales force on a mountain area or one that is spread out over some distance unless there is a large population that the drink is marketed to. If the mountain region makes up less than 5% of the company’s sales, they should try to focus on a more populated area with more of a target market. In the case, it talks about how this happened in Argentina. They had 25,000 clients that accounted for only 3% of their sales, (10). The distribution costs were incredibly high on these customers. The smaller clients were raising their distribution costs because deliverin g a case here and a case there adds up. When it comes to manufacturing, the company needs to make sure that they have enough outputs for the demand. Also the sales force needs to target the correct market. If the sales force focuses on a market with low consumption, their sales are not going to be as good as a market with high consumption. With the implementation of the new system and control panel, Andina is trying to bring their company together. T... ...elped solve. In order for Control Panel to work fully, Andina corporate needs to convince their Brazilian subsidiary that the Control Panel is here to help not hurt them. Also it seems like a case of the managers being afraid of losing their jobs to other managers such as one from Chile. The corporate headquarters needs to reassure them that Control Panel is not a way to fire the employee but there to help them do their job more effectively and efficiently. Maybe a training session with the employees could help boast their confidence in the system. For the managers in Brazil, they could hold like a managers retreat and inform them of how useful the whole system and it components are. They could also try to reassure them that they will not be losing their jobs because of the implementation of the new system. Andina is making a very good effort to combine their company. They seem to be willing to work with each subsidiary to try and make the manufacturing and distribution processes easier. They need to continue to take the path they are currently on. They also need to keep reassuring their subsidiaries that this new system and all it components are there to help not destroy.

History of education Essay

â€Å"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. † –Nelson Mandela The importance of learning is to enable the individual to put his potentials to optimal use. Education makes man a right thinker and a correct decision-maker. It achieves this by bringing him knowledge from the external world, teaching him to reason and acquainting him with past history, so that he can be a better judge of the present. With education, he finds himself in a room with all its windows open to the outside world. A well educated man is a more dependable worker, a better citizen, a centre of wholesome influence, pride to his community and honour to his country. A nation is great only in proportion of its advancement in education. Education is Self Empowerment. Receiving a good education makes a person strong enough to look after himself in any given situation. It keeps him aware of the given surrounding as well as the rules and regulations of the society. It’s only through knowledge that one can question authority for its negligence or discrepancies and only then that can a person avail his rights as a citizen and seek improvement in the structural functioning of governance and economy. As a whole, people can bring about development only when they know where improvement is necessary for the greater good of mankind. Education gives a better understanding to the person, it helps realize potential and qualities one possesses as a human being. It helps tap into latent talent, so that people can sharpen their skills. Education teaches what man lives and struggles for. It cultivates an integrated life. By so doing, it gives significance of life. It helps restores financial stability and dignity of life. It is the essential basis of a good life. Education enlightens and lifts a nation to heights of progress. The problem in India is that it has adopted democracy without preparing the ground for it by educating population. But its never too late to undertake mass programmes of Adult education or Social education. Adult education is the education of grown up men and women. In the complex modern times, people must be knowledgeable and be aware of what they are doing and what is being done to them. To create such sentience every responsible citizen should take up this social cause and educate the knowledge deprived people. Teaching a daily worker for just an hour daily can change their lives in propitious ways as it was rightly quoted by Neil Armstrong, ‘One small step is a giant leap for mankind’. In recent history our country has taken up good measures to ensure a high educated population by taking up several social causes and concentrating on the rural areas, since they comprise a majority but the system has been laid back due the restraints imposed by old cultural ethics. For the past few centuries in India, the girl has been completely neglected even as a human being, her sole purpose of life has been to feed the family and bear a child. Good education has been denied to women. It is argued that women have their domestic duties to perform and that, if they were educated, they would bury themselves in their books and have little time for attending to the management of their households. But what people fail to understand is education involves knowledge of the means by which health may be preserved and enable a mother to consult such modern books as will tell her how to rear up her children into healthy men and women and skilfully nurse them and her husband, when disease attacks her household. The purpose of education is not just earning a livelihood but education makes an individual into a good human being, which is passed on to the next the kith and kin. It is true that, the education of girls has lately taken a slight leap but this is only in a very small segment of Indian society. Unless the motion is fast and continuous, and includes more of poor urban and rural girls in the field of education, there can be no hope of having a developed and first world country status for India. â€Å"When a man is educated, only he is educated but, when a woman is educated, a family is educated. † – Indira Gandhi â€Å"Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mineworker can become the head of the mine, that a child of farworkers can become the president of a great nation. It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another. † – Nelson Mandela.

Season and Scientific Aspect

Essay I started fasting in Navratri only 2 years ago and continued keeping it for both the seasons. I was more interested in the scientific aspect of fasting, i. e. during the period of season change human body is more prone to external infections than rest of the year. Also praying to â€Å"shakti†, the power or energy which is source of all the actions and is best represented by solar influences is not only part of Hinduism but every religion believes in it. So this exercise of fasting, for me, is to maintain both physical and mental balance during climate change.The rules of Navratri clearly say that, we should not consume meat, alcohol, grains and regular salt. I always take enough calories which can keep me going all day, so I don’t feel any difference from other days. There come few moments of weaknesses when I can feel that my stomach is empty and I can’t have anything to eat (because I don’t have access to kitchenL) and when I want to eat something â€Å"chatpata† and again I can’t have it(because I am not allowed to L) .Most difficult of all is 8th day when it seems impossible to go on anymore and that too in a place where everyone else can eat pizza and chili potato. The people around you also affect a lot about how you feel in these days. It’s a lot easier to keep fast when I am at home. In a nutshell, 9 days of navratri are more about self control. The human body is detoxified due to this practice. In the end when it is over I can feel significant changes, I feel good because it becomes easier to avoid unhealthy meals. Basically this exercise is effective in long term.

the history of jazz essays

the history of jazz essays Hugh Arkinson May 6, 2004 From the beat of ragtime syncopation to soaring gospel choirs mixed with call-and-response vocalizations and the moody blues, jazz has become a much-loved form of music worldwide. Since it came out of the South in the late 1890s, this indigenous American creation has impacted nearly every type of music heard in the United States today. Indeed, it is as American as apple pie. A significant relationship exists between the origins of jazz and the history of African-Americans. To entertain themselves and get through the grueling days, plantation slaves would perform music that would remind them of their African homeland. Their songs, sounds and compositions would be on the wide variety of singing, rhythms and melodies that ranged throughout the continent. As Francis Bebey notes in African Music: A Peoples Art, the main characteristics of the African West Coast are the metronome sense (keeping a beat in mind), the simultaneous use of several meters and the responsorial (back and forth) form of singing with overlap between leader and chorus. The central African area is distinguished by its great variety of instruments and musical styles and polyphony (where more than one melody is played at the same time). African music is also famous for exciting rhythms. These were played on the most popular African instrument, the drum (Bebey 92). The American slaves made drums of many different shapes and sizes and played them with the palms of their hands, their fingertips or sticks. Other percussion instruments were the shakers and jingling anklets. The jangling created an off-beat rhythm. The slaves also made string instruments. The most popular was the fiddle, which was played with a curved bow. In order to make these instruments, the slaves made do with whatever they could find. Large beef bones were used like wood blocks or drumsticks. Jawbones became scrapers when the teeth were cl...

A Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Kansas with Academ Personal Statement

A Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Kansas with Academic Preference in Mathematics Intends to Get a Major in Statistics in the University of Kansas Module Personal ment Growing up, I wanted to pursue my education in the United s owing to the fact that it has the best institutions of learning and offers competitive career opportunities for graduates. I was born in China but moved to the U.S. to pursue my undergraduate degree. In the four years that I have lived in the country, I have learned a lot from the diverse population and on top of this, I recently graduated, with a bachelor of science degree in May 2014, from the University of Kansas. I majored in mathematics and minored in business. My academic preference has always been inclined towards the field of mathematics. This has given me a firm foundation for statistical and mathematical inquiry and equipped me with the skills and competencies that are needed to survive in a professional career in the same field. My job at Nantong Chengchang Mechanical Engineering Co. Ltd. gave me a chance to experience the practical aspect of business. Additionally, it gave me diverse knowledge in various sectors including mathematics and statistics. I served as a teaching assistant at the University of Kansas, School of Liberal Arts and Sciences. This experience taught me how to interact with people from various backgrounds. This experience also improved my public speaking capabilities. Through other work experience I have learned the value of leadership skills, customer services, and the significance of thoroughness and dependability. I have a wide range of core competencies that I have acquired over the years. I am flexible, meticulous and analytically minded and possess strong logical reasoning skills, all of which are important for the study of mathematics and statistics. I deal with challenges head-on and have excellent multitasking capabilities. I am a supportive team player and have demonstrated dedication and positive work ethics over the years. I am a fast learner and have excellent public speaking and excellent interpersonal communication, as throughout my stay in the United States I have interacted with individuals from different socio-cultural backgrounds. My bilingual competency is demonstrated through my fluency in English and native Chinese. I have an excellent understanding of MS Office including PowerPoint, Excel and Word. I am also highly skilled in C++ and STATA software. I am familiar with programming languages such as Java and Pascal. This is definitely an advantage in the study of statistics a nd mathematics. My academic qualifications are a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and a minor in Business from the University of Kansas. My work experience at Nantong Chengchang Mechanical Engineering Co. Ltd. was eye-opening and helped in developing requisite skills. In this company I productively took part in controlling various daily operations. I actively participated in streamlining the setting-up of a production and safety management technique. This resulted in improved efficiency in plant management. Additionally, I engaged in the formulation of two tender processes during the entity’s bid on two contracts with China International Marine Containers. The company, as a result, won one of the tenders. My experience as a teaching assistant at the University of Kansas, School of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Mathematics Department, taught me valuable lessons. I developed a plan that helped students achieve a better understanding of the course materials. The students recorded improved performance in their tests and assignments. I have excellent leadership skills since I served as an orientation volunteer in the International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) in the university. I have won awards in the National Olympiad in Informatics (NOI) in 2003 (Second Prize), 2004 (Third Prize) and 2006 (Tenth Place). This demonstrates my spirit to compete and succeed in all that I do. To sum up, I am a highly motivated, dynamic and focused undergraduate with a passion for statistics and mathematics, database management, and strong research inquiry. I am also keen on details. I am enthusiastic and self-driven, and seek an opportunity to study in a healthy and supportive learning environment that fosters leadership skills and professional growth while encouraging development of the team spirit. I believe that my core competencies, educational background, work experience, and awards demonstrate why I am an appropriate candidate to pursue a major in statistics in the University of Kansas.

History Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

History - Assignment Example Preparation of United States was scornfully insufficient for the warfare. Disasters occurred at the part of America as the force leaded by General William Hull had to surrender to the Canadian force headed by Isaac Brock. Then again the American Army showed good performance on the seas. Constitution achieved victory over Guerrià ¨re and Macedonian was taken over by America and these two are considered the most glorious achievements of the warfare although in 1813 the British supremacy was established on the sea war. In 1813, September, America got the victory at Lake Erie and it paved the path of advancements of United States against the rivals. During the initial months of the year 1814 the economical condition and the supply of resources suffered decline which made the prospects gloomy for America. New England took a hostile approach and Napoleon came back to Europe which helped Britain to invest more power in the ongoing war. In 1814, September, the British fleet was conquered ne ar Plattsburgh. In the month of August the British army made an expedition to the Chesapeake Bay and won at Bladensburg. They burnt the White house and the capitol city Washington. But the victory of Britain was stopped at Fort McHenry near Baltimore. The force of Jackson moved towards New Orleans in Louisiana in the month of November, 1814. Within the period of December 1814 to January 1815, the city was defended from the huge British force headed by â€Å"Major-General Sir Edward Pakenham†. After the â€Å"Treaty of Ghent† the british army stopped further attacks on New orleans. According to Madison US was very much capable of defending themselves and also to capture a large share of Canada at the time of Napoleon’s defeat. Canadian colonies did not have much force from the British. The problems of the Northwestern Frontier were resolved temporarily by the â€Å"Jay Treaty†