Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction in University of East London Essay

Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction in University of East London Academic Libraries in Docland Campus - Essay Example The campus must try to perceive the expectations of the customer for the internet services, to provide the best service. East London Academic Libraries in Docland Campus is one of the famous libraries on U K. Various types of services are provided by this university to people who need it. Also, this library has sophisticated, modern outlook. This library consists of almost 1250 internet hubs for the use of the learners. An individual, group or business firm that has direct or indirect share in a business for the reason that it can influence or be influenced by the business actions, aims and rules. Key stakeholders in a trade business consist of creditors, consumers, administrators, workers, government, proprietors, dealers, unions, and the society from which the industry draws its resources. â€Å"Some are in labs, others in resource centres. The uni accommodation is nearly all served by wired connections to the uni network too - be careful to see if the rest is able to have any int ernet connection. You'd think it should, but the comments on the unis website make you wonder... Many of the facilities are accessible 24 hours a day. Others will shut at 9pm and may not be available all day if the room is used as a classroom. Teaching rooms across campus have Concepts and Evaluation of the quality of the customer service of the internet service: Customer satisfaction of consumers of Costco Wholesale Corporation helps to assess how goods offered by the Costco wholesale corporation meet the expectations of the client. This element is required to be properly monitored and translated into a number of assessable parameters. In the modern day, customer satisfaction for business organisations has developed its significance. The customer satisfaction for the services provided by the University of East London Academic Libraries in Docland Campus may decrease if the campus fails to meet the expectations of the customer. Good customer service helps to increase the customer lo yalty towards the products. So that before offering products, the organization can identify the requirement of the consumer regarding the product. The campus of East London is one of the flourishing modern campuses, which is progressively more popular for superiority in both education and study. This university is ranked as the No 1 campus in the United Kingdom. One of the recent campus enlargement plans is the Internet service or Information technology suits. A service blueprint of the University East London Academic Libraries in Docland Campus is a graphical or illustrational demonstration of the procedure engaged in offering a service. The function of the service blueprint is to offer an understanding of the various service procedures to the populace engaged in offering these services. It is also a practical instrument for assessing the efficiency of obtainable service procedures and designing such innovative or superior procedures. â€Å"Computing and multimedia facilities are available for general use, along with specialist subject-specific facilities in our academic schools. Free wi-fi internet access Over 1,500 networked computers providing free email and internet access, software including MS Office, specialist learning and teaching packages, and statistical

Capstone Project Essay Example for Free

Capstone Project Essay Apple has been known to be an inherently personal computer company. However, it is also well known that there is no better example of innovative strategic thinking and execution. Apple’s strategy has remained to creating and sustaining value for customers across the world. Jobs returned to Apple in 1997 and the company never looked back since. However, it is also said that Apple lost the pc business because of ignoring the trends in pc industry. Apple’s business strategy is primarily based on innovation for creating differentiated products. It has built products that are cool to use as well as simple and intuitive. Its products are best known for the amazing experience they provide. However, Apple kept taking calculated risks and entered new markets boldly. It was visible in the release of innovative products like iPod, iPhone etc. Inherently it is a pc company and uses its competencies in developing hardware and software for developing effective, efficient and innovative products. In fact, its iPad, iPod, iPhone and Mac are all computers. (Harris, 2010) Apple’s success is mainly the result of innovative technology and design innovation. In this way we can see that Apple has enjoyed continued success in the market through innovation and matchless design. Apple’s vision is also based on continuous innovation which is visible in the products it makes. Its mission is also to be the leader in the digital revolution by making revolutionary products. We know that Apple is the market leader in terms of most innovative electronic products and the customers’ choice also. The business environment for Apple Company is highly competitive both domestically and globally. (Harris, 2010) However, its products qualify as global products and are preferred by customers all around the globe. In fact it is through innovation that the company has remained a global leader in terms of technology. Its iPhone took  the world by storm in 2007. Apple has strong capabilities in product design and engineering as well. In fact the smart phone boom was sparked by Apple through its release of iPhone in 2007. Initially, the market was shaped by the customers in US and other developed markets. However, the growth for smart phone market is now coming from the Asian and developing countries mainly. However, if anyone is challenging its position then it is Samsung which has emerged as a competitor for Apple. Till a few years ago, Samsung was just trying to catch up in the smart-phone market. Now, apart from being the world’s largest technology company by revenue, Samsung has set Apple on its back foot. It is now trying to overtake Apple. Samsung’s galaxy series became the customer’s preference soon after entering the market. In fact Samsung is considered to be the best when it comes to learning from its competitors. But they also remain customer centered at the same time. In fact Samsung keenly observes what its competitors are bringing to the market. It keeps a watch over the recent trends and does not take much time to release its own version of the innovation. (Nisen, 2013) Apple also has a huge cash pile, but when it comes to taking risks and putting the money behind it, Samsung appears to be far ahead of Apple. Apart from that Samsung also spends a larg er part of its revenue on research as compared to Apple. It spends 5.7% of its revenue on research as compared to Apple’s 2.4. Actually, Samsung is a diverse business that is made of chips, displays and a variety of other technology. Its main benefit to Samsung comes in the form of the ability to compete on price and offering features which others cannot. However, it is important to note that Samsung is more than just a smart-phone maker. It is a conglomerate, a manufacture as well as the world’s largest chip maker. These factors play in Samsung’s favor. Many of the components of the smart phones are made by Samsung itself which gives it a cost advantage. (Nisen, 2013) When we compare Samsung with Apple we can see that Apple relies on external partners, which sometimes also leads to difficulties and delays. Though Apple has a well-managed and futuristic supply chain, yet it does not have the cost advantage like Samsung. One important factor regarding Samsung is that it has provided many lower end options for the developing world. In case Samsung continues to bring game changing products to the market like its Galaxy series, it can move from a close second to being the market leader. Samsung’s advertising expenditure  is also quite high which has really paid it as well. Samsung has been successful domestically as well as globally. Its most products especially the galaxy series has taken the markets in the developing world by storm. (Nisen, 2013) Apple is considered to be the market leader in the computer software and hardware industry. The main reason behind its growth and success over years are the innovative products it has brought to the market. One of the most important strengths of Apple is its incredible brand loyalty. It has a very high number of brand loyal customers. These customers will even line up before Apple stores at night in freezing cold to be the first to lay their hands on a new released iPhone, iPad or Mac. Strong financial strength is also a major strength off Apple. Apart from these things Apple is also known for its strong brand reputation and strong advertising and marketing teams and its retail stores. We already know of Apple as the leading innovator in the mobile device technology. However, apart from the above mentioned strengths there are some weaknesses also. As analysts have mentioned without Steve Jobs in leadership, the pace of innovation at Apple has slowed down a bit. Recently it also faced problems from its main supplier and producer Foxconn which led to unwanted difficulties and delays. So, its reliance on external suppliers gets to be one of its primary weaknesses. Apart from that Apple operates in a highly competitive industry and the competition sometimes affects its margins also. Its profits are also affected due to similar but low priced offerings from its competitors. Another important weakness which generally goes in the favor of its competitors is that its products are generally high priced. This all has also led to a decline in the market share of the company. However, despite all the above mentioned weaknesses it can certainly not be denied that Apple is a customer focused, futuristic and innovative company and it is certainly due to its focus on design and innovation that the company has a vast array of opportunities ope n before it. Its main opportunity lies in the growth of smart-phone and tablet market. Increased demand for iPhones and iPad also brought new opportunities for Apple. With iPad mini the company has also set its foot in the small tablet market. Despite the innovations it has brought till now to the market, the company has still significant room left to innovate further. In fact its opportunities lie in continuous innovation. Release of the TV is also being  seen as a great opportunity for Apple to amaze its customers which it does like no one else. However, it is not easy to be and remain the market leader and it holds true regarding Apple also. Apart from that its reliance on external suppliers has also proved a threat for it. Competitors like Samsung have the cost advantage since they produce their parts themselves. This is a major threat for Apple which it cannot afford to neglect. The company is increasingly threatened by the price pressure from Samsung over key components. Samsung’s main strength lies in its diversified product portfolio. In fact the company has a really large product portfolio which includes mobile phones, tablets, TV, camera, pc, printers and many more items. In most of these product categories Samsung itself holds a significant market share. It is today the number two in terms of market share in the cell phone industry. Not just this Samsung was able to catch Nokia’s market share by superior innovation in smart phones. Apart from that Samsung has also remained ahead consistently in terms of design and innovation. A very important strength of Samsung is that it has been able to take advantage of the markets of growing economies. In fact it has been able to obtain a large market share in the growing economies because of its low end products. Another key strength of Samsung is that most of its products can easily be integrated with various software’s. It is not so with Apple and its devices are generally not compat ible with different operating systems. Apart from being known for its innovation and design, Samsung is well known for its relatively cheap products. Added to all this is Samsung’s global brand recognition. But apart from its strengths Samsung has some weaknesses also. Firstly, it is not as ahead in terms of software and hardware as Apple. It does not have either its specific operating system or software. It is a very important advantage for Apple and to become the number one in the industry Samsung would need to beat Apple. Apart from it, Samsung is focused on making too many products and its profit margins are also very low. Its competitors like Apple are the largest buyers for its electronic equipment’s also. Still there is a large pool of opportunities lying open before Samsung which is mainly due to increased demand for smart phones in the developing economies. Its galaxy series has been a great hit globally. Apart from that demand for quality products from Samsung has also risen greatly. The expansion of tablet market has also brought new  opportunities for Samsung and the company has also obtained large benefits from it. The main threat before Samsung is the fall in the prices of smart phones. Samsung faces increased threats from Apple because of its innovative technology and design also. Apple’s release of ITV is also being seen as a threat for Samsung. Technological change is happening rapidly and Samsung will also need to innovate consistently to remain at the position it is. Price wars as well as decreased margins also bring additional threats for Samsung. Generally companies have to adapt their business strategies and products to different cultures when they are trying to sell to various countries with different cultures. This is referred to as globalization. However, this thing does not become very important for companies like Apple which sell nothing but innovation. English is a global language and Apple’s designs are generally simple and easy to use. As such Apple does not face great difficulties trying to adapt to various cultures and its strategy roughly remains the same across cultures. As we can see that cultural differences do matter in business. Yet, Apple sells the same iPad in Tokyo as it does in Toronto. (Jacobs, 2010) Instead of competing on localization, Apples competes on the pace of innovation across cultures and countries. It is due to its pace of innovation that today it is a global brand. However, the case is different for Samsung, which is said to design globally but adapt locally for success. Every day it ships millions of products to customers around the world. Samsung believes that it is important t to understand the local culture to meet the local needs. It is necessary to understand the local culture to understand the customers’ preferences. One important example of its globalization strategy is its establishing of Lifestyle research labs in various countries including UK and India as well as Singapore and China. (Samsung, 2013) Apple has some distinct organizational competencies which differentiate it from others. Its competencies include its business model, corporate culture; focus on customer as well as control of the entire ecosystem. Why Apple is generally able to generate lots of buzz is because of its fastidious attention to design like its founder Steve Jobs. Most importantly it is the ability and practice of putting user experience first that keeps Apple ahead of others. Apple is known for being customer focused and it reflects in the success of its pr oducts. Apple is known for its design and ease of use. Its iPhone is  in fact a great example of the same. Apart from innovation and technology there is one other core competency that is the key driver behind Samsung’s success. Samsung believes in building an organizational culture of learning and development. Samsung has also established a work culture that promotes learning and development for its employees. The company has also established a Creative Development Research Institute System to provide its employees with the opportunity to pursue creative ideas. This initiative is aimed at encouraging the employees to develop creative ideas and be more entrepreneurial. Samsung has a highly diversified product portfolio and it is also in more places than Apple. But it sometimes also results in diverted focus. If possible Samsung should try to limit it so that it can focus on specifically important products. Apart from that Samsung would need to invest much more in innovation and desig n to pull customers off iPhones. It will also need to go beyond marketing and just bigger screens. Samsung has been concentrating on offering cheap products for the markets in developing countries. Yet it remains to do more on innovation as the technological market keeps changing rapidly. Samsung will need to specifically concentrate on design and better technological innovation. Apple has been winning due to its focus on innovation and design. However, it is not having a very significant advantage which is of producing the components for its iPhones. It is also relying on external suppliers and it leads to difficulties and delays. Apple should especially concentrate on its suppliers. In this backward integration can be highly helpful for Apple. In this way it will be able to have better control over its suppliers which will minimize delays and other difficulties. Apart from that it will also provide Apple with significant cost advantage. Apple has in fact used forward vertical integration to reach closer to its customers. It has opened Apple stores in multiple countries around the world. Apple is thinking of opening newer Apples stores in the markets it has tapped newly. In fact it does not just bring Apple closer to its customers but is also an example of effective corporate level strategy. The popularity and demand of Apple’s products is high. As a result Apple is trying to reach a larger number of customers through its own stores, since scalpers jack up the prices. However, the strategy that worked in the favor of Apple was that of diversification. Apple diversified itself from computers to consumer digital lifestyle and  entered the mobile phone market also. Since then it also brought a vast range of game changing products to the market which became highly successful. In case of Samsung the backward vertical integration strategy has worked. Many of the components that go into the smart-phones are made by Samsung itself and the company also gains significant cost advantage due to it. Apart from that this strategy also benefits it by allowing it higher flexibility in terms of what and when it produces. In fact Samsung’s business model is based to a great extent on this competency. The corporate governance structure of Apple is designed keeping in mind effective decision making as well as appropriate monitoring of compliance and performance. The board of directors at Apple oversees the CEO and the senior management. This monitoring is done in order to ensure ethical and operation of Apple Inc. In fact it is an efficient method to monitor that the top management is working ethically and properly. Apart from that this method also ensures that there are no frauds or manipulations as well as prevents any problem at the corporate level. Apart from that the board also conducts a self-evaluation to find if the board and its committees are working properly. The compensation committee does an annual review of the executive performance including the CEO. This review is also evaluated by the board to ensure the CEO is providing effective leadership to the company. The board of directors at Samsung is composed of seven members of which four are external directors. This ensures the independence and transparency of the board’s decisions. The board of directors also meets regularly to discuss management issues and other important things. The directors are not allowed to engage in business activities in the same industry without approval from the board. It has been done especially to minimize any risk of conflict of interest or unethical behavior. Samsung is a company considered to be over hierarchical and also to be dominated by its founding family. There has been significant criticism of its governance structure. Firstly, the company should stop its owner centered managing system since due to it the company cannot remain independent of its chairman. The rights of minority shareholders as well as economic justice get eroded in this system. Samsung will need to change this structure. (Kim, 2012) The company should follow a structure where th ere is more transparency related to ownership. Apart from that to improve its profitability and sustain its position, Samsung will need to invest more and  move further in terms of innovation. It will also need to move its focus from products to customers. In case of Apple, it will need to adopt its business strategy to obtain cost advantage like Samsung. One major drawback of Apple is that its products are very costly generally. In this regard Apple should go for backward integration to obtain significant cost advantage. Apart from that the company should continue to focus on innovation and design to remain competitive. Apple has been using forward vertical integration successfully but it also needs to use backward integration for further success and managing costs. Pressure from competitors like Samsung is rising and company will need to be focused on managing the price issue to beat the competition. The smart phone market is currently driven by two factors. These include large screens as well as cheap products. However, Apple currently provides none of these. Despite not being the most attractive segment cheap devices still drive the sales volume. A number of second tier Asian brands have also started eating into Apple’s market share. The fight between Apple and Samsung is going to be really hard. Apart from it both companies will also have to fight hard for their respective positions in the market against the emerging challengers. Apple’s target continues to remain the high end market. It has still held itself from releasing a low cost product since it may eat into its profitability. Currently, Apple and Samsung are the only vendors who have their market shares in double digits. Yet, their combined market share fell in 2013 which denotes that the road ahead is going to be tough. Still, the two are the most dominant players in the global smart phone market. In fact the decline was largely due to inability of Apple to grow according to the broader smart phone market. However, it is still the market leader. (Osawa Grundberg, 2014) But on the other side it cannot be denied that Samsung has been inching closer through its strategy of innovation and price competition. In fact if Samsung is able to manage its winning spree as it did in case of Galaxy smart phones, it will grow at faster pace than Apple. Apple would have to pay attention to certain other things also apart from differentiation through design and innovation to retain its leadership position. Still, taken together these companies seem to be dominating the smart phone market and will continue to for the coming years. References: Nisen, M. (2013). Samsung Has A Totally Different Strategy From Apple, And Its Working Great. In Business Insider. Retrieved September 6, 2014, from http://www.businessinsider.in/Samsung-Has-A-Totally-Different-Strategy-From-Apple And-Its-Working-Great/articleshow/21250813.cms Jacobs, E. (2010). Navigating cultural differences. In Financial Times. Retrieved September 6, 2014, from http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f3e2f464-937e-11df-bb9a 00144feab49a.html#axzz2w9RbDZqJ Samsung Designs Globally and Adapts Locally for Worldwide Success (2013). In Samsung. Retrieved September 6, 2014, from http://global.samsungtomorrow.com/?p=28148 Osawa, J., Grundberg, S. (2014). Apple’s Smartphone Market Share Drops as Samsung’s Edges Up. In Wall Street Journal. Retrieved October 16, 2014, from http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2014/01/28/apples-smartphone-market-share-drops-as-samsungs-edges-up/ Harris, M. (2010). New Product Markets†¦create and dominate them Apple style! In Harconllc. Retrieved September 6, 2014, from http://harconllc.com/wordpress/wp- content/uploads/2013/04/DominateMarketsAppleStyle.pdf Kim, L. (2012). Samsung’s family battles over corporate governance, will it be a risk? In Quamnet. Retrieved September 6, 2014, from http://www.quamnet.com/newscolumnistcontent.action?articleId=2323716request_loc le=EN_US

Role Of Logistics In Supply Chain Management Information Technology Essay

Role Of Logistics In Supply Chain Management Information Technology Essay Logistic is defined as a business planning framework for the management of material, service, information and capital flows. It involves the management of complex information flow, communication, distribution, and control systems that are required in todays business environment. It is a channel of the supply chain that adds value of time and place utility  [2]  . The role of logistics is to manage the balance that is between the little details and the key components that are involved in a product. Looking at my chosen organizations, here are some of the suitable information collected: HMV Group operates distribution centers that play a vital role in the supply chain and the delivery of stock to stores and customers from their suppliers. The role of logistics at HMV is especially important in its goal to transform from a one-dimensional retailer to a broader entertainment brand. HMVs management has embarked in a three-year transformational strategy to restructure their supply chain to achieve efficiencies that would bring about improvement in their operating profit. One of their key initiatives in the fiscal year of 2009 is the implementation of new centralized distribution center for its Waterstones business which served as a facility to facilitate the delivery and distribution of their goods. This resulted in substantial reduction in suppliers transportation requirements, and added efficiency to their supply chain operation. GlaxoSmithKline manages their supply chain with a global logistics team. Their core mandate is to enable supply and demand across the nodes in the chain, while simplifying this process through the implementation of standardization to facilitate the global IT systems. The role of logistics at GSK also involved the provision of warehousing and transportation as well as the management of pack and component portfolios  [3]  . One major initiative of GSK in 2010 is its partnership with Couzens Storage Solution for the installation of computer-controlled vertical life storage systems in its new facility in Harlow, Essex. This system helps maximize floor and cube space by providing fast access to storage with the help of technology. The technology implemented here instructs the picker to check and automatically update stock records with the internal system and add tracking capabilities. These will essentially help GSK to monitor their inventory and track shipments to ensure timely deliv ery to the customers. BT Group The role of logistics in BTs supply chain management is aimed to drive the business of BT, in particularly in customer service delivery and cost transformation. BT certainty understands the role of logistics, and the importance to control costs with maximum efficiency in any supply chain operation. BT actually offers the BT Field Force Automation which is essentially a tailored BT product to improve customer service, cut overheads and increase productively. They also offer another product called the BT Auto-ID which allows their customers to track assets with RFID (radio frequency ID) technology to gain more visibility throughout the supply chain. Extend research to Procurement practices in chosen organizations Procurement plays an essential part in the delivery of goods and services for organizations. This is the process of obtaining goods and services from the preparation stage through to the approval of the invoice for payment. HMV Group Initiated the integration of IT and back office functions, and centralized procurement of non-sale goods that could bring about potential cost savings of over  £40m annually  [4]  . This is known as sharing services to attain greater economies of scale by combining several small procurement agents into one centralized system. Joint partnership with Unipart to create a new book hub to serve stores and its website as a centralize location for its distribution functions. Product department in HMVs head office is responsible in facilitating product negotiations to obtain the best offers for their customers, and the maintenance of the latest range of products both instore and online. Employ the use of bar coding and tags to identify items and facilitate the just-in-time system of timing the purchases from their suppliers to keep inventory costs low. Engage in green public procurement practice such as its Automated Meter Reading (AMR) and electricity procurement to improve billing, monitoring and reporting capabilities  [5]  . GlaxoSmithKline Operates a shared service through its centralized Global manufacturing and supply (GMS) network that runs its procurement operation on behalf of GSK to purchase supplies for their business needs. Has an in-house procurement/purchasing department that manages GSK purchases on particular categories, its facilitation of e-bid events/auctions, project management, supplier condition and negotiations and stakeholder engagement. Leverage technology with the use of computer-controlled vertical life storage systems that checks, automatically updates stock record with internal system and tracking capabilities to help them manage their just-in-time system for timing purchases. BT Group Invested in automation with electronic interfaces to liaise to supplier directly from CRM. Integrated core Supplier with its customer order system through a centralized B2B gateway system, where its suppliers can interface. Implemented ORACLE Financials as BTs core Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software that offers tools such as ORACLE eBusiness suite and iProcurement to manage their outgoing orders to suppliers. Employs the SEBEL software, a customer relationship management system, to keep track of customer information and details while also measuring consumer satisfaction and preferences. Discuss the factors considered to improve logistics/procurement practices Procurement, which is the process of obtaining goods and services from the preparation stage through to the approval of the invoice for payment, is also known as sourcing, and some of the common procurement practices involve: Purchasing Planning Standards Determination Specifications Development Research and Supplier Selection Value Analysis Financing and Price Negotiations Inventory Control and Stores Using these known theoretical factors, one can apply these to improve the logistics and procurement practice at NewG. Application of practices to NewG From the aforementioned research in section 5.1 and 5.2, NewG Furniture can certainly draw from the expertise of these established organizations and use these practices to apply to their own business operations. NewG can implement these practices: Operation of a NewG centralized distribution center: A centralized distribution centre such as a single B2B gateway will bring about significant cost savings in transportation and also allow NewG to reduce their carbon footprint in facilitating the delivery process to their stores and customers. Share services by appointing a specialized NewG purchasing/procurement unit that manages NewGs purchases on particular categories, its facilitation of e-bid events/auctions, project management, supplier condition and negotiations and stakeholder engagement. Leverage technology in warehousing to maximum the real estate of NewGs facilities and optimize the space in their warehouses. Employ ERP software such as ORACLE Financials to utilize the tools like iProcurement to manage NewGs just-in-time supply chain management. These would also be the infrastructure to support buyer-supplier communication, and include the real time messages (i.e status, delivery, etc) such that anyone in the supply chain can be provided with accurate information. Engage in BT Field Force Automation to improve NewGs customer service, cut overhead and increases productively. Similarly, use BT Auto-ID offer to enable NewG to track assets with RFID technology to gain more visibility throughout the supply chain Task6 NewG Furniture Supply Chain Strategy, 2011 and beyond NewG Furnitures strategy is to ensure full integration to be achieved with their suppliers in order to provide the best experience for both your internal and external customers. With the use of technology, there will be a marked improvement in the flexibility to collaborate with a wide breath of NewG suppliers to meet NewGs needs for its annual expenditure on goods. The 2011 and beyond strategy is to incorporate the latest form of technology available to optimize the supply chain management process and NewGs market competitiveness. The four phases to implement this Supply Chain Strategy are: Phase 1 Improvement Assessment and Analysis Define opportunities based on operations strategy and performance shortfalls Define targets, quantify benefit and prioritise Phase 2 Analyze supply chain and processes Modeling the current supply chain flows Measuring service and financial performance. Phase 3 Design Improvement Run simulations on model supply chain Generate ideas through improvement teams Align supply chain, process and information Define process change and technology deployment Phase 4 Detailed Planning and Implementation Develop detailed designs and plans Define business case Manage change  [6]   The strategy proposes to offer a range of electronic trading options, from which suppliers can select from, to meet their different requirements. These will be relayed back to the suppliers where they perform their assessment of which would best suit their requirements and maximize their return on investment (ROI). Next, NewG Furniture should enforce a standard protocol of having single trade arrangement and single invoicing arrangement for suppliers, to standardize transactions during the ordering processes, by providing: A single portal interface used for on-line ordering Comprehensive supply chain network (automatic order acknowledgement, invoice, status checks, receipts, etc) Most cost effective supply chain by using centralized distribution centers Accurate allocation of expenditure NewG Furniture should work towards automation with electronic interfaces to suppliers with the introduction of EDI. From 2011 onwards, management should seek to automate as many processes as possible within the supply chain. One way to do this is to implement Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Planning and Bid Support applications to allow a direct interface to suppliers. These systems will help capture data and orders from NewGs customers and give them additional insight in the procurement process. Single B2B Gateway NewG Furniture could facilitate its customer order systems by launching a single B2B gateway through which suppliers can interface. This will include the latest technology available and enable suppliers to send and receive messages through a consistent and stable platform. The system will automatically send real-time updates to inform on the status, time dispatched, delivery, etc, such that NewG Furniture will always be aware of the progress should their customers inquire. Additionally, NewG Furniture should also encourage their suppliers to embrace new technologies and further collaborate by sharing information and integrating inter-company processes to improve resource utilization  [7]  . On-line Ordering The next proposed step is for NewG Furniture to invest in ERM software that provides tools such as iProcurement/iBuy to pave the way for on-line ordering. Orders through these online channels should automatically churn out approve purchase requisition, which in turn should generate a purchase order (PO) to the supplier. NewG should also follow the NO PO NO PAY policy, whereby supplier are advise to only proceed until a formal purchase order is received. Multiple Ordering and Invoicing Options Such functionally should be available to manage the relationship with suppliers by provision of different options for ordering and invoicing. Centralized Distribution and SMART facilities NewG Furniture should launch a centralized distribution facility to bring about significant cost savings in transportation and also allow NewG to reduce their carbon footprint in facilitating the delivery process to their stores and customers. They could also introduce high-tech systems in their facilities to provide fast access to storage and maximize the real estate of their facilities. Embedded chips NewG Furniture can employ the proprietary offering from BT called the BT Auto-ID which will allow NewG to track their assets with the RFID (radio frequency ID) technology to gain more visibility throughout the supply chain. Supply Chain Improvement Strategy and Benefits Analyzing the inputs of the supply chain improvement strategy, one can assess the beneficial impact by the following: Single portal / Single B2B Gateway Suppliers can interface, allow NewG to benefit from better manage their supplier relations. Allow companies in collaboration to share information and integrate the inter-company processes and improve resource utilization. Online Ordering Facilitate the automation process of ordering, where orders will automatically churn out the necessary follow ups and documents to send to counterparties. Provide an additional platform for NewG Furniture to generate sales and thus improving their sales figures. Opens their target market to an international audience which would bring a marked improvement in overall sales. Centralized Distribution and SMART facilities Reduce their overall carbon footprint and transportation costs to have a centralized unit facilitate the delivery process. Cost savings generated can be re-directed to invest in product development or acquiring strategic assets. Embedded Chips Allow NewG to micro-manage their assets in the delivery process and provide customers with more visibility to achieve higher customer satisfaction. Barriers to overcome in an organization in this implementation No doubt, the implementation of a supply chain improvement strategy will come together with quite a few barriers to overcome. In order to design a comprehensive strategy, these issues will have to be identified by the management and addressed without delay. Firstly, the primary barrier in the implementation process is obtaining the sufficient capital and resources. The implementation of the aforementioned 2011 and beyond, Supply China Strategy requires substantial investment in the necessary technologies. Without sufficient capital, NewG Furniture will find it difficult to fully exploit the new technological innovations that are used in the marketplace today and would not be able to successful put their implementation in action. The next barrier would be to address the resistance to change in the organization. According to behavioral research studies, it is common wisdom that it is a basic tenet of human behavior to resist change  [8]  . This encompasses the more dramatic changes like major restructuring to the minor changes like implementing a new procedure. Thus, it is paramount for management to anticipate and plan strategies to tackle this resistance. This implementation should be initiated with an introduction of the change with periodic follow-through and consistent monitoring over the long-term. The last barrier to be overcome to ensure the successful implementation of this Supply Chain improvement strategy would be to address the technical competencies of the employees at NewG Furniture. It would be ideal for employees to undergo training and equip them with the necessary skills to effectively operate the new systems and application that are installed. Conclusion Following this strategy, NewG will be able to achieve overall business performance in particularly in four key areas in process, measurement, information management and technology. This would directly lead to benefits of increased competitiveness and profitability, and position NewG Furniture to fully capitalize on investment opportunities and expand its market share. The new technologies would result in improvements in the supply chain process and enable rapid feedback as well as the ability to manage supplier relationship. NewG Furniture could also realize benefits of improved customer service, greater efficiency and lower inventory costs with shorter cycle and lead times, and a much more simple supply chain.

Seven Solitudes of Lorsa Lopez and The Spirits Essay -- Comparative, S

The assumed power of men has been an issue of gender politics throughout Seven Solitudes of Lorsa Lopez by Sony Labou Tansi and The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende. The African and Latin American cultures have become societies vulnerable to traditional biases of women being the weaker race, liable for blame of men’s problems. Through their attitudes, physical strengths and abusive behaviors physically, verbally and emotionally, men continue to oppress the women of their societies. Male power has been institutionalized by society, while women continuously combat their socially-accepted roles by using the only weapons to their disposal: their voices and sexuality. Estina Benta and Clara try to conform to their own standards of life by attempting to defy their male spouses. Using the power to voice their opinions and withhold strong self-confidence, both are able to control the emotions of their male authorities. (Provide context for this quote) â€Å"Clara walked around like a silent†¦shadow. She didn’t even look at [him]. She walked right past [him] as if [he] were a piece of furniture. [They] hadn’t resumed sleeping in the same bed† (Allende 113). Abstaining from communication and sex, Clara is able to expose Esteban’s vulnerability and gain her own power and independence. This particular vulnerability that is revealed through Esteban Trueba is the very essence of his eventual downfall. He â€Å"felt defeated for the first time in his life† (104) (put citation at the end of the sentence) which led to his abusive, possessive behavior towards Clara. â€Å"He wanted far more than her body; he wanted control over that undefined and luminous material that lay within her† (96). The necessity of obsessive control over women is the backbone o... ...m as he needed to be loved, even if it meant he had to resort to extreme measures. [But] he realized that Clara did not belong to him and that†¦she probably never would† (96). â€Å"Taking charge using his physical advantage Esteban â€Å"pulled her from the bed, dragged her down the hall, pushed her down the stairs, and thrust her into the library† (132). Words such as â€Å"pulled,† â€Å"dragged†, â€Å"pushed† and â€Å"thrust† correlate to sexual violence, which is a man’s only dominating feature that can keep him in a position of power. However being a strong individual does not mean having physical strength, rather it means strong-minded, emotionally stable and the power to speak out; all weapons of the women of African and Latin American cultures. Through their words and actions such as sex strikes, their power is illuminated and true equality is found because â€Å"women are also men† (23).

Objectification of Women Through Advertisements Essay

The images of advertisements reflect the social and cultural aspects of a society. These images define the values and establish attitudes of the people in a society towards the imagery projected in the advertisements. One of the highly used imagery in the advertisement across almost all the cultures is that of women. By using this imagery in the advertisements, one of the critical attitudes established among the audience is that of women are objects. There are advertisements where women are used as a subjective image but mostly women are displayed as a commodity or an object. Objectification relates to the imagery of an entity which is a person but is seen or displayed as an object. Women have been used as objects to be desired by advertisers for years now to increase the sales of the products and this strategy has worked wonders for producers; for example magazines like Playboy and Hustler would not sell at all if it is not for the sexual display of women. It is argued that since the women who take part in such advertisements give their consent towards the kind of image the advertisements project. However, objectification of women is not just the concern of the models involved in the advertisement but the whole population that views that advertisement because it affects the value system and culture of the masses. For example, the Excessive use of blonde women in the advertisements during 70s and 80s projected to the masses that blonde women are more attractive and desirable to men. However, when surveyed, 70% of women thought that blonde women are more desirable to men and only 35% men actually expressed their preference for blonde women. This way advertisement has used women as objects to establish false beliefs of beauty, independence, and power. Sigmund Freud, one of the greatest psychiatrists, also developed a theory which could be well related to the objectification of women in advertisements as a source of desire. His theory of the â€Å"unconscious mind† states that it constitutes of the largest part of a person’s mind and contains desires and memories which are not readily available to the conscious mind of a person. However, there exist different stimuli which may, if exposed to a person, bring these unconscious desires and memories to the conscious mind. Therefore it could be argued that since â€Å"sex† is seen as the most basic element of our social needs, it is often suppressed in our unconscious mind and the objectification of women in advertisements bring these desires to our conscious mind. In the light of the theory of â€Å"unconscious mind†, it could be proposed that the exposure of women in most of the advertisements today only acts as a stimulus to invoke the hidden desires of the audience till it becomes a need. And once it becomes a need people look for ways to satisfy this physical need disregarding the subjective elements involved in the process. The idea of women empowerment had taken a great flight since post WWII with the help of the media. When most men were fighting during the WWII, women had to take up the roles of men back at home. After the war ended and the men returned, women had to go back and adapt to their roles as housewives and mothers. This was the time when the media hit them and promoted the message of women empowerment with the use of women in their advertisements. The magazines communicated to the women that they had the potential and capability to build careers, acquire achievements and shift their role from that of housekeepers. From that time onwards, media has played a massive role in promoting the concept of power and empowerment for women by displaying women more often in their advertisements and with slogans like â€Å"Just do it†, â€Å"the idea of willpower†, and â€Å"take control†. The use of women in advertisements has not only made women powerful in the eyes of the male population but also given a boast to the self esteem of women and has made them more authoritative than ever before. More so, the use of women’s body in advertisements and movies has established the perception in the minds of the population that women may use their bodies to get things done and achieve success. Through advertisements using women, the society has also created a wrong perception that beauty is a prerequisite to the independence and success of women and also that it is through the beauty and consumption of certain products that women can excel in their careers and lives. The highly explicit use of women in the advertisements has also led to rivalry between different brands of a product. The rivals try to get the most popular celebrities and models for their advertisement and expose them more than their rival to gain more attraction from the target market and therefore increase the sales. It is seen these days that many companies hire brand ambassadors for the sole purpose of attracting the market and make people associate the product with the sexual desire created by the presence of the brand ambassadors; no doubt it increases the consumption. For example, the famous perfume Chanel has hired various top celebrities as there spokes-model like Nicole Kidman and Keira Knightley. In fact the perfume was initially brought to fame by Marilyn Monroe in the 1950s. The display of zero-size models with slender frames and nicely tuned body parts has led to an increased dissatisfaction of â€Å"body image† among the women. The dissatisfaction is measured by difference between a person’s â€Å"body image†, which is a person’s perception of his/her body, and the ideal body type displayed in the form of models in advertisements. Although, this dissatisfaction has always existed amongst the women, it has grown rapidly since last 25 years. This is because the media has increased its standard of what is a â€Å"normal† body size. For most of the women this ideal body size portrayed by the media is the gateway to happiness. It is through these advertisements in the media that women have established in their minds that they need to achieve that ideal body size, shape and weight in order to find a good spouse, a great career, and be acceptable to family, friends and public. The models with perfectly shaped bodies are depicted as glamorous, rich and powerful in the advertisements and therefore a perfect body is seen as the passport to happiness. However, women do not know that only 5 % of all the women have the potential and body-type to achieve the ideals displayed by the models in the advertisements. Conclusion Today, the objectification of women has reached great heights; almost every other advertisement is using this concept to promote a product. What needs to be realized is this behavior has not only degraded the status of women but has also hurt the moral values of the global society. It has also given false hopes to millions of people and has distorted the image or reality for many. And the consequences are also very apparent in the form of the kind of treatment women get from men and the number of women suffering from anorexia for example. All the aspects discussed on the objectification of women call for strong system which could align the activities of the advertisers to more ethically sound principles. References: 1. Onyejekwe, C. J. (2005). Advertising and Exploitation of Female Sexuality. Retrieved from http://www. quietmountainessays. org/Onyejekwe. html 2. Body Image. (2009). Body Image. Retrieved from http://www. snac. ucla. edu/pages/Body_Image/Body_Image. htm 3. Media Advertising. (2010). Women in the Media. Retrieved from http://www. 123helpme. com/view. asp? id=18401 4. Lukes, S. A. (n. d). The Gender Ads Project. Retrieved from http://www. ltcconline. net/lukas/gender/pages/power. htm 5. Gladen, N. R. (2008). Media Objectification of Women. Retrieved from http://medialiteracy. suite101. com/article. cfm/media_objectification_of_women 6. Boeree,C. G. (2009). Personality Theories. Retrieved From http://webspace. ship. edu/cgboer/freud. html

Philosophy Of Education Paper Essay

As with any successful profession, there must be a strong foundation on which  to build upon. This foundation in the field of education is your personal philosophy of education. Successful teaching includes diversity of every student’s backgrounds, and levels of ability. Without losing sight of goals, my beliefs of teaching and learning are very specific. First, I believe every child deserves to receive an education. No matter their race or income, every child deserves to learn. The are innocent beings, and these children are going to be our future someday. More specifically, the philosophy that I would teach to my students would be Cultural Nationalism. â€Å"The cultural nationalist teacher focuses exclusively on the experience of the oppressed group as the center or pivot of the curriculum† (Asante, p. 4). I want to use what is going on in the world and focus on their cultural experience. This allows children from oppressed groups to feel nurtured in their school environment day by day. Another philosophy that I have is, I believe a teacher should make learning fun for his/her students. When children are having fun at school, It makes them want to come back and keep coming back. Regular curriculum can get pretty boring. Making the curriculum fun engages the students into learning, and helps them understand it better. Also, I believe in staying involved with professional development so we can continuously learn new things. It is important to me to keep using updated technology  in classrooms. â€Å"Matthew Arnold warned that faith in machinery was humankind’s greatest menace† (Postman, p. 36). I do not believe in what  Arnold stated. I think that new technology in the classrooms is constantly helping teachers and the whole education process. Next, I believe in striving to have positive relationships with students and parents. It is very important to have somewhat of a personal relationship with your students and their parents. It really shows that you care as a teacher. Developing positive relationships with your students allows you to understand them more. This allows you to figure out the best way to teach each and everyone of your students. There are times when we encounter students that require a little more effort than others. When we are faced with this type of situation teacher must reflect on the true meaning of teaching. This will enable the teacher to embrace the difference in the learning styles of students and allow the teacher to develop innovative strategies for reaching such a diverse population. Teachers should give all students the chance to let their creative juices flow. With a little nudge and some encouragement there is no end to what a student can do. Teachers must realize that the impact that we have on our students last a lifetime. I can always remember being told knowledge is power. This statement has been true for decades and surely will be true in the future.