Introduction to Supply Chain Management Essay

1. According to the text, key ingredients for developing successful supply partnerships include all of the following EXCEPT: a. Personal relationships b. Individualized objectives c. Mutual benefits and needs d. Performance metrics 2. The combination of the purchase price of a good and additional costs incurred before or after product delivery can be referred to as: a. Total cost of acquisition b. Total cost of ownership c. Purchase requisition cost d. Total procurement cost 3. Benefits of implementing an effective supplier certification program include all or the following EXCEPT: a. Building long-term relationships b. Reducing time spent on incoming inspections c. Increasing supplier base d. Recognizing excellence 4. A company using a weighted-criteria evaluation system has established these 5 categories and the appropriate weight in parentheses: Quality (0.30) Responsiveness (0.20) Delivery (0.20) Cost (0.20) Technology (0.10) Company X received the following ratings in each of the five categories: Quality(90), Responsiveness(80), Delivery(80), Cost(90), Technology(90). What is their total score? a. 87.0 b. 85.5 c. 86.0 d. 84.0 5. SRM software should be capable of: a. Automating transactional processes b. Making information flow between partners more visible c. Integration of the supply chain making it possible to monitor multiple departments and processes both internally and externally

Personal Barriers to Online Learning Essay

Online learning or e-Learning refers to application of electronic technology for the delivery of instructional content or knowledge domains. Beamish et al. (2002), defines e-Learning as: â€Å". . . a wide set of applications and processes allied to training and learning that includes computer-based learning, online learning, virtual classrooms and digital collaboration. These services can be delivered by a variety of electronic media, including the intranet, internet, interactive TV and satellite. † In spite of the great flexibility and varied range of tools that e-Learning can provide to imparting education, implementing any e-Learning system can be a complicated and complex endeavour and online learning can be a very frustrating experience for the student as well as the teacher. A number of personal barriers affect students and teachers alike in any online learning system. Personal Barriers of Students The technology available with students determines the nature of the course content to a large extent. Students may simply not have the required bandwidth to access high-end multimedia content. The course designer has to tailor the contents to suit the technology availability of the students. This is especially true of e-Learning courses catering to international community scattered all over the world. In such cases severe constraints may have to be imposed on the utilization of technology resources available at the end of the imparting institution. The design would then have to optimized for dial-up users with at the most 800Ãâ€"600 pixel monitor screen resolutions. In fact, many universities take special care to ensure prior to registration that their respective e-Learning course content is accessible to the students. â€Å"Technical infrastructure deficiencies on the student side can impede course activities, especially in an online distance-learning environment. † (Arabasz, 2003, pp. 42) The proficiency level of the student in using ICT tools would enhance or undermine his e-Learning experience to a great extent. In the international context it would be unwise to expect uniform familiarity with ICT usage. A student, previously not exposed to ICT, will therefore not only have to handle the course requirements, but will also have to acquire the requisite skills in ICT to pursue the course effectively. From the learner perspective, literacy and IT skills and aptitude for self-direction, being confident and motivated to participate in online learning have also been identified as potential barriers to effective online learning (Australian Institute for Social Research, 2006, pp. 15). The factor that students have to study in isolation in an e-Learning system has triggered off many debates. Many perceive this isolation as a crippling obstacle to the development of e-Learning systems for higher education. Brouner and Flowers (1997) even suggested that the lack of human interactions in the incorporation of technology into higher education would have to be effectively made up by increased human contact. The e-Learning environment lacks the discipline and time regulations imposed on students in conventional education. This requires students to be more motivated, better time managers and more attentive during e-Learning sessions. The lack of the proximity and personal touch of the instructor as in a traditional classroom can create a communication chasm that both the instructor and the student may find difficult to surmount. In a situation where eye contact and proximity are limited, students cannot be disciplined nor affirmed by eye contact and body language (McKnight, 2000). Time is another constraint that affects online learning negatively. Whilst education has now extended geographically it has limited students with time restrictions (Jones et. al. , 2004, pp. 14). Trials and Tribulations for the Faculty Time is perhaps the biggest investment that the instructor has to make. The amount of time required to develop and maintain an e-Learning course is usually not anticipated by the people involved. The instructor has to spend a lot of time on restructuring and reengineering the course for e-Learning delivery. A complete over hauling is required. Instructors also need to give time for technical and pedagogical training as instructions in e-Learning differ radically from conventional approaches. Last but not the least, the instructor has to spend considerable time corresponding or communicating with students. A very important aspect of e-Learning is the views or approach of the instructor. The instructor could be trying to make the e-Learning experience as good and fruitful as the conventional classroom’s. It is a case of trying to replicate the conventional classroom in e-Learning. The second approach could be the instructor’s effort to improve the instructions through the medium of e-Learning. The instructor will have to decide on which approach to adopt, a decision that could profoundly influence the very character and quality of the e-Learning content. Technical issues can hamper an instructor’s efficiency or performance. The instructor is often not familiar with the technologies that are utilized. Development in multimedia would require knowledge of Flash, Shockwave and similar tools. It is difficult to find persons skilled in both the application technology and the field of education. The problem of technology extends to the teacher who may not be proficient in the software. The dependency on technology also tends to undermine the faculty’s confidence at times. â€Å"Are things going to work when I’m in the classroom? Will the Internet be up? Do I need to bring back-up materials on a disk? Will the last instructor have left things in good shape? These [issues] may be more basic than you’d expect, but dependability is still a major issue. † (Arabasz, 2003, pp. 41) Online Learning therefore requires very careful planning and implementation in order to achieve success.

A Review of Intelligence for an Age of Terror (Treverton, 2009).

Introduction This book by Treverton (2009) is argued here to be a vitally important area of work that looks specifically at the way in which the use of intelligence has naturally had to change as a result of modern society. Interestingly, although there is a clear aim not to apportion blame specifically for the recent atrocities, the author indicates that he feels there is a link between the United States and their flawed approach to intelligence and the high profile terror attacks that have taken place in the US. Significantly, the author is very careful not to apportion blame or finger point and maintains a balanced and critical approach when trying to establish a link and to look at the role of intelligence. Main Arguments Presented In this book, the author actually goes on to break down the failures, in order to try to identify the impact that the specific shortcomings are having on the magnitude and nature of the target of the threats. He recognises in this analysis that, in many cases, the intelligence approaches are enshrined in the Cold War security approaches of looking at the organisation and the tactical decisions of the intelligence offerings, rather than focusing on the actual threats that are being faced in the current climate (Riley et al 2005). One of the main aspects of the book which provides added value to the information that is being presented is that, although the author spends time identifying the failings, he also spends some considerable time looking at the way in which the changes he suggests could be implemented, in practice. As a professional with experience in the field, this shows and adds considerable value to what would otherwise be a potentially academic discussion. In order to achieve this, the author takes a very pragmatic view, with the initial stage being to look at the nature of the risks that are looking at being targeted from intelligence operations. He states that recognising the threats is the first step towards then being able to r ecognise the way these should be handled. It is this pragmatic approach which looks at both the practical reality and the academic study that makes this book so informative in the area of intelligence being used in the terror context. The author follows themes and after identifying them he then goes on to look at how intelligence should be reformed to deal with the modern challenges. In order to identify the best way to deal with intelligence and to look at the reform of intelligence culture, there is a need first to consider the actual route of the threat and where it emanates from. One underlying argument and theme which is presented by the author here and which adds particular value to the discussion, in the opinion of the reviewer, is to look at the role of the nation state as being at the root of the changing dynamic. For example, during the Cold War, the focus of terror attacks was typically nation states and as such the intelligence gathering focussed on these entities. As ti me has passed, the nation states have become much more than simply target areas. Nation states can often offer a great deal of information that adds to the knowledge and understanding of the general issues of intelligence. Increasingly however in the modern context, the non-state actors play a vitally important role and it is argued by the author here that much of the role of the modern intelligence officer is to look at understanding the distinctions and various nuances that exist within these non-state actors, in such a way that their own motivation and actions can be better understood (p.141) Linked to this thread of discussion and again a vitally important aspect of the role of intelligence is that there are considerably more individuals, groups and entities that are involved in the area of intelligence gathering to prevent terrorism. With this increased number of people involved, the author places a great deal of focus on the idea that, whilst agencies may well have the technol ogy to share information, they do not necessarily have the appropriate policies in place and therefore the underlying policies need to be reviewed, if modern challenges are going to be dealt with. As an overall position, the author maintains that there needs to be a reasonable means of supplying information across all relevant actors and to ensure that the information which is being presented is relevant and measured, so that the correct people can react quickly and appropriately. By focusing on some of the practical difficulties faced in the current climate, it is argued here that the author gains a much higher degree of legitimacy than other academic analyses in this area may achieve; in particular, the author recognises that it is necessary to take a balance between the need to improve security, but also to provide privacy and security for individuals’ information (Snowden, 2002). He notes that paying attention to legality and legitimacy is in fact increasingly important t o the anti-terror efforts and that there then needs to be a total review of the policies associated with anti-terror activities as the main way of managing and combating such issues. He supports this by suggesting that factors such as encouraging intelligence authorities to create a method whereby they can share information with other entities in a constructive and balanced manner is as important, if not more so, than the actual intelligence itself. Conclusions On balance, it is argued that this book presents an interesting and well informed opinion on the modern challenges facing the intelligence industry. By being an author who has practical experience in this area, it is suggested that this allows the text to gain legitimacy and also to take a more rounded view of the challenges being faced. Finally, providing practical and well backed up suggestions for the future means that this text presents real value to the area of intelligence and counter terrorist activities. It is concluded, therefore, that this is a well-balanced and informative text that fills a gap within the current understanding of the intelligence industry. Reference Riley et al., (2005) State and Local Intelligence in the War on Terrorism, Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation Snowden, D (2002) Complex Acts of Knowing: Paradox and Descriptive Self-Awareness, Journal of Knowledge Management, Special Issue, September. Treverton, G. (2009). Intelligence for an Age of Terror. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Discuss a specific aspect of two essays that had an impact on you Assignment

Discuss a specific aspect of two essays that had an impact on you - Assignment Example This expresses the form of lying to oneself in the sense that individuals tag along with what people think is right yet deep inside they have a different view. Ericsson encourages individuals need to stand for something or fall for anything. This phrase does describe the image presented by group thinking individuals fall for the mindset presented by a group blocking individual ideas. Ericsson explains that this form of lying combines other forms of lying such as ignoring facts omissions denial and selective memory (Ericsson, 2005). The essay salvation introduces us to a 13-year-old boy. The Christian description of salvation as presented by the boys’ aunt gives the boy the idea of what to expect in his salvation process (Hughes, 2003). The boy believes in this definition that he struggles in his process of finding salvation. The boy does not get the chance to find his own meaning of salvation he sticks to the definition, and experience presented by other people (Hughes, 2003). He lies about being saved to make his aunt and happy, but he is haunted deeply by this act. Lying does have consequences many times we lie and feel guilty. At some point, we have participated in-group thinking and most times we end up regretting actions done because of doing what other people suggest. It is true to say that lying does lead to

Green transportation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Green transportation - Research Paper Example Any means of transport that has low impacts on the environment including non-motorized transport are regarded as green transport. The energy produced from the sources of energy that are environmentally friendlier relative to the fossil fuel is defined as green energy. All renewable sources of energy are therefore included in green energy and according to the definition nuclear energy can also be included under green energy. Research is in progress around the world to explore new paths that will bring out solutions to the environmental hazards that human beings have to face in the present world. All scientists are of the opinion that increased use of renewable sources of energy can be one potent solution to this problem. Sustainable development and renewable energy uses share an intimate connection. The research acts as the evidence on the importance of keeping the environment pollution free and how using green transportation can emerge as the contributing factor. The results from the research will aware people more on using environment friendly modes of transportation that are fuel efficient and cheap. Apart from the environment point of view the project has an economic viewpoint as well. The less developed countries which lack oil reserves, a significant part of the budget have to be kept to buy oil. Foreign currency moves out of the country and those countries fail to break the vicious circle of ineq uality. An average automobile in United States achieves a fuel economy of 11.6Km/kg. The economy is equivalent to the rate of energy consumption. The figure is 2.5MJ/km for OECD countries. The extraction, transportation as well as refining of automotive fuel necessitate almost 20 percent of crude oil energy (Ulrich, 2006, 8). The usage of energy causes pollution to the environment. Now t is assumed that an individual owns a bicycle and uses it while travelling. Such activities cause zero

The Difference Between Licensing and Credentialing Assignment

The Difference Between Licensing and Credentialing - Assignment Example In addition, one must pay a fee of $100 for certification. In addition nurses are required to renew their national nursing certification after every two years upon which one must pay $75 as renewal fee. Additionally, nurses are required to have successfully completed thirty hours contact for ongoing education (Pennsylvania Department of State, 2013). On the contrary, the requirements for credentialing as an advance practice nurse may include; a license of a registered nurse as well as relevant education as specialist nurse. In addition, one must have met all the Pennsylvania regulatory requirements for an advanced clinical nurse (Zaccagnini & White, 2011). The multi-state licensure has the impact to both mobility of nurses and nursing practice among different states. In addition, multi-state licensure helps to improve delivery of health care. For example, it helps in carrying out telenursing (Sharpe, 2001). In addition, the legal process required to be licensed as well as be credentialed as advanced practice nurse may include: a person must have been licensed as a nurse. Secondly, one might be issued with a document that is separate from license by the Pennsylvania Board of Nursing. This document defines the scope of practice for an advanced nurse. Thirdly, a confirmation is obtained to from the Pennsylvania Board of Nursing to verify whether one has been authorized to practice as advanced nurse. In addition, one must collaborate with the entire nursing requirement as may define by the law (DeNisco, & Barker, 2013). Pennsylvania Department of State (2013).Nursing License Map: Nursing Licensure made Simple. Retrieved ; on 29th June

How can a creative corner encourage a group of 3-4 year old Essay

How can a creative corner encourage a group of 3-4 year old mathematical development - Essay Example Often, creativity is not a word associated with formal learning of subjects such as mathematics (Hall and Robinson, 2003). However, many researchers and scholars have been exploring the effectiveness of using creativity for mathematical development (Hall and Robinson, 2003). This article tries to explore whether a creative corner can encourage a group of 3.-4 year old children with mathematical development. It attempts to look at some of the creative activities that are used, the benefits and also the role that a practitioner has to play in promoting mathematical development. Young children have a natural ability to create fantasies, ask questions, explore their surroundings and carry out experiments. Therefore, the toddler age is one where the level of creativity is often maximum (Prentice, 2000). According to Prentice (2000), as children get older, the level of creativity reduced and hence, creativity is seen more in children who are in the age group of 3-4, when compared to the children who are in the age group of 5-6. According to Russ, (2003), creativity in young children can be fostered through three main aspects - they include setting up a creative environment, developing creative modules and programs as well as the skill or ability of the instructor in using these aspects. According to Talboys (2004), creativity is something that can extend to all the aspects of learning, including mathematics and not necessarily limited to activities such as art, theater of dancing. From a conventional perspective, children were encouraged to learn only very limited things through creative activities such as role play. Most of the curriculum, especially subjects such as mathematics and social science, were approached only from a formal classroom environment (Russ, 2003). According to Jean Piaget’s theory on mathematical development, the children undergo a staged development, where by between 0-2 years

Summary and response Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Summary and response - Assignment Example But your own argument has to identify the â€Å"they say† you are referring to make it clear to the audience (Graff & Birkenstein 43). Although we agree that you shouldn’t keep the readers in suspense for too long about your central argument, you also need to present that claim as part of some larger conversation. When responding to argumentative writing, it is often best to agree and disagree simultaneously. This allows you to avoid simple yes or no response and therefore present a more complicated argument. One can use templates to assist him in writing as they help one become more creative and original and I think it also provides a sense of direction too (Graff & Birkenstein 70). In â€Å"Her Point Is† Summarizing refers to any information from others that you present in your own words, including that which you paraphrase. It points out that a good summary requires balancing what the original author is saying with the writer’s own focus. One has to incorporate both the original author’s views and also give his or her own side of the coin. In summary writing you put yourself in someone else’s shoes send join in the conversation whether you are agreeing or disagreeing with the conversation. Just like how actors must convincingly become characters who in real life they detest. But the writer has to be cautious not to be carried away by his own influence and end changing the whole meaning and intent of the original text. In other words during summary, reflect both the source you are summarizing and add your own views (Graff & Birkenstein 115). However, the writer may decide to deliberately give his or her own spin to someone else’s argument in order to reveal a shortcoming in and this is referred to as Satirical Summary. The other may disagree or agree with the author or at times do

Week 5 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Week 5 - Assignment Example The Learning Team had found that the initial ethics program that had been implemented by the company for over a year had lacked major factors that are needed for the proper upbringing of the ethics practiced within the company. The previous ethics program did not take into consideration the checking up on the rest of the staff that were working under the supervisors and managers. Studies have shown that training classes that are aimed at all of the employees in a company are the best teachers with regard to ethical behavior and meeting the expectations of the company’s top officers (Hadden, 2009). Proper enforcement of the company policies are also in need of improvement as a number of employees take for granted the lack of discipline that is given to them by the managers and supervisors. Seeing the changes that need to be made in order to improve the company, the Learning Team suggests the following in order to address the needed changes in the Ethics program within the company: gaining proper feedbacks from company employees and ethical training for employees. In order to address to the training for the employees at hand, studies have shown that a role playing type of company training would help employees interact more with one another and build rapport with one another. Proper ethics training would prove to create a good amount of accountability and would result to an environment that workers would make the right decisions in terms of ethics and thus include the maintenance of a highly productive work environment for them to stay in (Hadden, 2009). In order to get results on the implementation of the new set of company policies on the employees, rewarding systems are one way of catching the attention of the employee but instead of the reward, per se, attracting the employee, the work that comes from the reward would be something they would strive for more.

Coopers Creek Wine Management Essay Example for Free

Coopers Creek Wine Management Essay 1.0 Introduction Coopers Creek, established in 1982, became one of New Zealand’s more successful medium-sized wineries by following a strategy of resource leveraging via networks of co-operative relationships with other New Zealand winemakers in the domestic and export markets. This strategy allowed Andrew Hendry, the managing director, to consciously manage the growth of the company to retain the benefits of small size. However, with increasing globalisation of the wine industry, the changing nature of export markets, the early maturity of the New Zealand industry and the constrained supply facing New Zealand wine makers, Andrew Hendry was faced with the decision of how to position a smaller company for the future. He had to decide whether the network-based strategies that served the company so well continued to be appropriate under conditions of industry concentration, increasing competition and emerging globalisation. (Robbins S, 2006) 1.1 The NZ wine industry When Andrew Hendry established Coopers Creek, the New Zealand environment was highly regulated. By 1984, the New Zealand government had initiated a programme of deregulation, which included devaluation of the New Zealand currency, exchange rate flotation and general anti-inflationary measures. (Porter M, 2001) The opening of New Zealand’s domestic market meant that businesses had to improve their efficiency substantially over a short period. The agricultural sector sought out new markets, to replace the loss of their traditional dependence on the UK market with its increasing commitment to its European trading partners, and new products, reflecting a growing awareness that much of New Zealand’s exports were of a commodity nature. This period saw growing exports to Australia, the United States, Japan and the rest of Asia and exports of predominantly sheep meat and dairy produce being accompanied by more fresh fruit, venison and wine. A further response to fiercer competi tion at home and in overseas markets was an increasingly strong focus on quality, a case in point being the New Zealand wine industry. The New Zealand wine industry accepted the consequences of the liberalisation  of the domestic economy and recognised the need to understand how on-going changes in the international economic environment affected its prosperity and how to plan accordingly. Building from a low international base in the 1980s ($4.5 million in exports in 1987), New Zealand wine exports achieved phenomenal growth and accounted for $168 million in 2007, comfortably exceeding the $100 million by 2007 target set in 1999. The UK market was the most important export market for the industry in 2007, and at $84 million it accounted for around 50.22 per cent of total exports by value and 54.28 per cent by volume. Europe accounted for 66 per cent of exports with 85 per cent of that going to the UK. Four large firms, namely Corbans, Montana, Nobilo and Villa Maria, dominated the wine industry in New Zealand in 1999. The following year, Montana purchased Corbans and Nobilo was bought by BRL/Hardy of Australia. Between them, these large firms accounted for around 80 per cent of all exports in 2007, with another 17 medium-sized companies, of which Coopers Creek was one, handling 16 per cent in combination. For the most part, industry participants exported between 30 and 35 per cent of their production, but a few producers had much higher export intensity. (Wheelen, 2006) 2.0 Key Issues The key issues are: (Study Guide, 2008) (1)Despite entering early maturity, coopers creek remained constrained by issues of supply. (2)The cost of new land for grape planting was rising and more previously marginal land became economic to grow on, the problem was still one of access to capital for these resources. (3)A possible over supply of grapes in New Zealand, which could lead to heavy discounting. (4) A contraction in ownership within distribution companies in New Zealand and in USA, which could lead to certain markets being effectively closed to coopers creek. (5)Protection of strategically important grape supplies so the can insure they still get a proportion of the very highest quality grapes. 3.0 Planning 3.1 Life Cycle From a demand perspective, the worldwide wine consumption has stagnated. According to the Wine Institute, there is only a 2.04% growth in wine consumption from 1997 to 2001. In fact, worldwide consumption dropped from 227,875 hectoliters to 226,646 between 1999 and 2000. Generally there is a drop in consumption from the traditional wine drinking countries like France and East European countries, whilst demand has growth significantly from China. (Grant R, 2005) The production of wine has shifted from the traditional vineyards in France to the rest of the world. There are New-World Wines from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. These wines are generally thought to be of moderate to high quality and are essentially challenging the traditional wine producers on the quality front. Furthermore, there are wines coming out from China and India. Because of the lower wages in these countries, wines can now be produced at a fraction of the costs of the French vineyards. Price has now become a big challenge that the traditional wineries have to face. Some authors even suggest that the Old-World producing countries like France has followed growth decline and now has entered a second life phase. While the New-world countries are in an emerging or growth phase As the industry moves towards maturity phase of its life cycle, the pace of consolidation will increase. (Times of India,2007) 3.2 PESTEL Analysis The following is a review of the major environmental factors, which will impact the industry to a large extent. A closer examination of the more important factors amongst them will allow for a tighter integration between the external environmental factors and the corporate strategy chosen for Coopers. Political factors Government regulation has always played a major role in the WI. There are increasing concerns that there will be new barriers and trade impediments to trade in the WI. One such example is the trade disagreement between US and European Union in the level of farm subsidies that the US alleged that the EU farmers receive. The same allegations may also be similarly levied on the European vineyards. In the Wine Institute report on International Trade Barriers to U.S. Wine 2006, European wine producers were noted to have received certain subsidies . Tariffs also have been the most important barrier to the international wine trade. Some governments impose unusually high tariffs on wine imports. Recent announcement in the media like India opening its market and slashing duties on imported wine and spirits bring good news to the industry, as this will allow them to enter this lucrative untapped market. Though due to WTO pressure the tariff has been reducing, which has lead to major wine producing countries imposing various non-tariff trade barriers. One such non-tariff trade barriers are research fundings made available by local governments to improve the overall harvest yields and quality of the countrys grapes . Economical factors The rising number of middle class worldwide has led to an increasing appreciation of wine and demand for wine. In developing economies of China and India, this class of consumer is expected to increase significantly over the next decade. With the continued increase of economic growth rates for both countries, these consumers can now afford to consume wine is expected to grow significantly as well . The effect of currency fluctuations on the WI will continue to play an integral part in influencing the WI. The proportion of wine being exported outside the wine producing country has increased. Even in a traditionally large wine consuming market, the proportion of wine, which ends up in foreign land, has been increasing. The continuing trend of exporting to new markets such as India and China is going to increase as wine producers cope with the declining wine demand in traditional home markets As a result, the wine producers exposure to fluctuations in currency exchange rates will increa se further. Socio-cultural factors The increased spending power, sophistication of the middle class in many countries with increased tendency of copying the west has helped to increase the demand for wine consumption. This growing group of earners from various countries is often well traveled highly educated consumers with needs and wants for the better things in life. The number of middle class across Asia is expected to grow by 1 billion in the next 8 years . With the shift in demographics in the developing countries, there will be more wine drinkers in the future. Increasingly, there are also more scientific evidences that there are health benefits to be derived from moderate drinking of wine especially red wine. As a result, there is an increasing acceptance of the beverage as health-product leading to a healthy heart. Technological factors Innovation and technological factors continue to drive improvement in production yields and better storage of wine. The Australian WI today has transformed itself from a small cottage industry to one of the largest exporter of wines internationally, even to the extent of eclipsing some of the older Old-World countries. The great leap forward for Australia can be attributed to the Australian wine producers clustering to innovate and improve existing processes. (Read C, 2006) The growth of e-commerce infrastructure and the increasing acceptance of buying things online have led to new opportunities for wine connoisseurs and wine producers alike. With this new technology, niche wine growers are able to reach out to the individual wine consumers without being drowned out by the marketing noise generated by the large wine producers. The ability to ship small quantities directly to individual wine drinkers without passing through layers of middlemen may mean that small niche growers may be able to find their position in a market dominated by large brand names . Environmental factors Within the Food and Beverage (FB) industry, the WI is markedly different from the other products due to the fact that FB products are limited by market, while the WI is limited by resource (land and grapes). Reason being wine is grown in moderate climates and on certain types of soil. Sudden climatic changes may adversely affect production yields or may even destroy crops all together. The significant changes expected in the environment from global warming, rising sea levels, rising carbon emissions and increasing acidity in the waters will all add to contribute to the adverse conditions for which growers will find themselves in. These conditions together with a scarcity of good arable land may act to constrain or even reduce the industrys supply. On the positive side, in one of the rare articles published in Newsweek on the positive effects of global warming, the author highlights that fast melting of Artic glaciers and increase in global temperatures may lead to opening of new vine yards in many parts of the world with weather conditions similar to the Frances Champagne region. Legal factors External environmental legal factors have acted in line with other environmental factors changes. For example, the advent of the Internet e-commerce has resulted in changes in legislation for wine sales, which crosses state lines in the United States . In addition, the origin of the grapes used to make wines also became a contentious issue for many wine-producing countries. The origin of these grapes and the proportion of local grapes used became an issue for branding and labeling of wines; as governed by new local legislation controlling wine labeling. 4.0 Organising 4.1 Porters 5 forces analysis We have analyzed Coopers internal environmental factors using Porters Five Forces analysis. Being in a specialized industry, it is not easy for another player to just come in wanting a portion of the pie. The WI requires specialized skill sets, special knowledge and extensive experience to stay competitive. It also needs very high investment especially for equipments used for processing of wine. This indirectly induces high entry cost which  is work as a barrier of for new entrants. There is also the expected retaliation faced by new entrants from existing players. Coopers together with other existing players may collaborate to deter competitors from coming in. For example, Coopers may start dropping its price and the other existing players may follow suit leading to a price war. On the whole, the force of threat of entry is low here. 4.2 Threat of Substitutes This industry faces stiff competition from not only other wineries but also from other alcoholic drinks such as beer, spirit and pre-blended mixed drinks and carbonated drinks. Product-for-product substitution is also possible should customers of Coopers decide to try out other brands/types of wine. For the health conscious, bottled water, energy drinks and natural fruit juices also provide competition. Possibility of generic substitution is also there where as customers may prefer to spend on purchasing cigarettes rather than drinking wine. Thus, there is a high force of threat of substitutes in this industry. 4.3 Threat of entry Competitive rivalry among existing firms is evident in this industry. Larger companies are acquiring smaller wine producers to monopolize the market resulting in dynamic competition amongst these companies. As the WI is at its mature stage, companies start to take market share from competitors to survive. As there are too many wine producers, adding on to the high power of buyers, companies may decide to go for price wars due to high fixed costs to gain market share. This industry has high entry and exit barriers due to the extensive capital investment and knowledge skill set needed. In addition one must have sustainable resource, as it takes several years for wine to mature. This means that industry players do not have many choices. Again this induces competition amongst them and price wars and low margins situations are likely to happen. Based on the information above, the groups came to the conclusion that the industry is Medium Attractive. 5.0 Directing 5.1 Porters Generic Competitive Strategies Using Porter generic competitive strategies, we find that Coopers has the ability to outperform its competitors by adopting a strategy of Focus Differentiation. Porter proposed that a firms competitive advantage in an industry is determined by its competitive scope – i.e., the breadth of companys target market coupled with companys unique resource (product range, distribution channels, target market etc.), For Coopers the scope of the target market is narrow. It is mainly targeting niche markets for premium wines in the wine drinking markets of Europe, US, Australia, Japan and a few emerging Far Eastern Asian markets. When targeting niche markets, the company either can go for Cost Focus or Differentiation Focus. Coopers should not be following the Cost focus strategy as NZWI compete in the high quality premium category wines. Reduction of overall cost is achievable only to a certain extent, as this industry is highly capital intensive with many inherent costs along the supply chain. Instead Coopers should concentrate either on particular market segment, or product line segment or geographic market with high growth potential or all three. By following a differentiation strategy Coopers would be able to better focus its resources capabilities to the serve the special needs of a narrow strategic target more effectively than its competitors. 5.2 Bowmans strategic clock Using Bowmans competitive strategy clock† too, Coopers falls under category 5, Focused Differentiation. This strategy is similar to the Porters generic model, which tries to provide high-perceived product benefits justifying a substantial price premium usually to a selected niche market segment. Coopers can use this strategy in new markets, by targeting sales into the same niches in more countries. While in established markets Coopers could even adopt Category 4 Differentiation –with price premium by offering better wine at the same price or by pricing it slightly higher than competitive brands in the same price bracket, to take advantage of the fact that fine quality wine will always demand a premium and at the same  promote it as premium category. (Meredith R, 2007) Cost Leadership may not be sustained for Coopers because of some of the following reason: Competitors can imitate – differentiation may not be sustainable it can easily replicated by competitors like South African or South American wine producers Bases of differentiation become less important to buyers Competing on just quality to demand high price may not be enough. For example in price conscious markets like UK, Holland and Germany, wines from South American and South were seen as better value than NZ wine Target segment can become structurally unattractive: Structure erodes This could happen for Coopers target market in US, restaurants and boutique retailers. They may form a group for centrally sourcing activities to drive down costs, somewhat similar to what happened with Tesco Supermarket Chain (UK). (Aylward, 2006) Demand disappears – there may be new research findings in future that may lead to lower consumption of wine. Or even they may be new legislation banning consumption of alcohol products in public places similar to that of smoking, which may lead to total disappearance of a target segment. From the evaluation of Coopers core competencies, the followings were recognized. Coopers is a typical entrepreneurial venture in that the founding entrepreneur, Andrew, had driven its development and growth. A critical factor of success of Coopers is Andrews ability to build relationships, within the context of an innovative and flexible approach, in order to leverage critical resources to pursue growth. Coopers strategy was based on having a carefully controlled but finite quantity of wine to sell every year. With Andrews commitment to quality, it has earned itself a relatively good reputation in the industry. From the evaluation of the KSF of the WI, the followings were recognized. Historically, the NZWI had focused on the production of premium wines, given its constrained supply, small scale, high cost structures and distinctive ‘clean and green growing conditions. Availability of consistent high quality products that has strong brand value and recognition are highly sought after and considered KSFs. 6.0 Monitoring 6.1 Wineries Both management employees of wineries play a key role and yield great power in terms of the quantity type of wine to be produced. Great deal of collaboration exists between the local wineries to share knowledge costs. 6.2 Grape growers Being key players, they control the quality and quantity of grapes grown. Many of the wineries are backward integrated by owning lands or having long-term contracts with individual producers. Power of suppliers is low. 6.3 Industry Associations Wine Organizations in NZ like Wine Institute, former Wine Guild with backing of the NZ government are very powerful. All Wineries have to take up compulsory memberships and contribute towards funding running of the organizations. These key roles of these organizations are promoting NZ wine in international markets, lobbying with foreign governments to open new markets, lowering of trade restrictions and tariffs etc. They also initiate research programmes and training for the entire industry, funded by the wineries. (Zalan T, 2005) 6.4 Consumers The final end user, this group needs to be well informed kept satisfied by providing high quality premium products with consistent quality and availability at affordable prices. Power high. 6.5 NZ Government NZ government is a key player with considerable power who has played a  pivotal role in the development of the NZWI. The government has been implementing new legislations in consultation with NZWI to meet the current market requirements. Some examples would include changes in government policy in the 1980s making it favorable for local manufacturers to export to foreign markets . (Harvard University, 2007) 6.6 Distributors, Retailers, Buyers Buyers like Supermarkets are powerful players who dictate the price type of wine stocked on shelves. WI is a buyer driven industry, where buyers hold a lot of power. 6.7 Domestic and Foreign investors This group needs the minimal amount of effort. They are satisfied as long as they get a good return on their investments. 7.0 Critical Analysis 7.1 Competitor Analysis The world WI is currently experiencing a situation of over-production. In the EU alone, it was reported by Food Drink.com that there is a surplus o f 1.5bn litres of wine, enough for every European Union citizen to take roughly four free bottles each. Millions of Euros have been spent to turn these excess wines into industrial alcohol. (All Things, 2006) The WI is a highly fragmented, with over a million wine companies around the globe. None of the firms control more than 1% of the retail sales, with top 10 players controlling 11% of the global market share (based on volume) . These industry competitors come from different wine growing countries and continents. This is especially true for Old-World Countries in Europe (France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Germany) accounts for 60% of the world wine production and 80% of world trade . In contrast, the New-World Producers (Australia, South Africa, Argentina, Chile, USA, New Zealand) wines are more consolidated. On average these countries appear to be more structurally attractive compared to Old-World Countries. Moreover, in the last decade the industry structure has been undergoing dramatic change. There is a growing trend of consolidation. Cash flow rich alcoholic beverage  companies are investing in the WI as their own markets of beer and spirits are maturing. 7.2 Stakeholder analysis The WI being a competitive industry has a varied, vibrant and balanced group of stakeholders, with frequent and varied channels of communication. All the forces involved try to build consensus within which the primary decisions in the industry are made. 7.3 Life-Cycle Analysis We have identified Coopers to be in the phase of Mature stage in the life-cycle model. In view of its competitive conditions, we also identify there may be many competitors which are likely to resort to price-cutting strategy for volume. Therefore one of Coopers directive is to differentiate its product portfolio through leveraging on its enhance brand equity to promote customers retention and loyalty within its existing customer-based and new customer groups whilst consistently driving cost efficiency through economies of scales and innovative efficient ways of bringing cost down. (Pape E, 2007) 7.4 Positioning analysis Coopers currently enjoy relatively good brand equity amongst its market segment. To infuse the same branding principle across distinctive first label allows them to capitalize on its already successful branding strategy, further maximizing the returns of their marketing investment especially for the second label. 7.5 Value chain analysis Through new ways of doing things such as possible bottling in import markets to reduce shipping costs, backward integration either through ownership or long term leasing with good quality of vineyards across NZ and beyond, could potentially reduce their overall cost per unit yet enabling them to utilize cost advantage strategy to expand the perceived value for the brand. 7.6 Business profile analysis This growth strategy do not require a complete reinvention of wheels, it  capitalizes on the existing goals and values of the group, its resources and capabilities, its structure and management systems and its industry environment to further produce enhanced features and products thus major increase in expenditures is not expected, instead an increase in financial perform is forecasted due to the additional opportunities from new market penetration. (Heijbroeck, 2003) 8.0 Recommendations: 1.The expansion of the cooper’s creek network of export markets and the development of second labels. These second label wines could generally be sold at lower prices thus protecting the price status of the Coopers Creek labels but gaining extra sales volume for the company. In most cases the second labels will sell through different distributors. 2.The above strategy will also help with over reliance on a few key distributors. In the case of the rapidly growing US market, coopers creeks have not appointed one exclusive national importer. Instead they will sell to some 20 independent importer/distributors in different states either by direct shipment from the winery or out of a warehouse in California. This will ensure the company doesn’t become a victim of the rationalisation of a large importers or distributors catalogue of wines carried. (Kogut B, 2006) 3.The steady acquisition of control of the vineyards producing their best grapes. That has taken the form of either complete acquisition by purchase, long term leases or the establishment of joint ventures with the vineyards under cooper creek’s management and tied up under long term supply contracts. In the last two years they have purchased three vineyards, leased one and entered one joint venture with an existing contract grape grower. They are currently looking at two further existing vineyards with a view to purchase or lease. 4.Continue to produce consistently high-quality products. 5. Maintain and increase its brand equity and recognition as a premium wine producer. 6.Establish international supply management to facilitate its global market operations. 7.Maintain or improve its already good relationships with stakeholders. 8. Ensure there is cost efficiency in its operations so as to maximise profit with minimum cost. 9.Last but not least, continue innovating in terms of its product and marketing. †¢Current  turnover is NZ$5.5M †¢Current production is at 1100tonnes per year (approx 85,000 cases) and aiming to be 1800tonnes by 2008 †¢They should purchase more of their own vineyards in the Hawkes Bay region in the last few years which would prove beneficial to them. †¢They should increase production of Pinot Noir which is one of their best vineyards by 400% and this will become a feature varietals alongside Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay for the future †¢All wine is made on site at their Auckland vineyard. On site facilities include Cellar door tasting room and retail shop, Plant buildings (tanks) and bottling line, warehouse and barrel store, landscaped gardens with picnic areas and children’s playground. (Johnson, 2005) A cellar/courtyard wine bar will open for lunches and private group bookings late 2003. Plans have been drawn up for a cafà ©/function centre but as yet no time frame as to when maybe initiated, which should be implemented soon. (Nielson A, 2006) 9.0 Conclusion It can be concluded, the NZWI is still considered to be at an early maturity phase of its lifecycle, as evidenced by a small number of takeovers and increasing concentration. As the industry matures, there is a need for NZ wine producers to retain focus on quality, differentiated products, while holding their premium price position. In addition, they need to play to their strengths in white wines and introduce more red wines into their portfolio. (Ghoshal S, 2007) As a company, Coopers needs to realize the trend toward deteriorating industry profitability is a constant threat in mature industries. As rivalry encourages overinvestment in capacity, international competition increases, and as differentiation is undermined by commoditization, attaining a competitive advantage becomes essential to achieving positive economic profits. Cost is the overwhelmingly important key success factor in most mature industries and three cost drivers tend to be especially important: Economies of scale, low-cost inputs and low overheads. Cost efficiency in mature industries is rarely a basis for sustainable  competitive advantage; it is typically a requirement for survival. Deteriorating performance among mature companies typically triggers the adoption of turnaround strategies, of which the company must choose the most suitable one for its profile. Coopers have so far maneuvered its way past the many problems that plague other producers. However, more emphasis might be needed in terms of differentiating itself from the other NZ brands. It would have to build on its brand equity, and continue to leverage on Andrews contact network. Most importantly, the establishment of a succession-planning project would also has to be included in future strategic plans so that the company will continue to prosper should Andrew decide to depart or retire. (Robbins S, 2006) 10.0 BIBLIOGRAPHY: 1. (Johnson, 2005) Johnson, Scholes Whittington , Exploring Corporate Strategy, Prentice Hall, 2005 2. (Porter M, 2001) Porter Michael E., The Competitive Advantages of Nations, The Macmillan Press Ltd., 2001 3. (Wheelen, 2006) Wheelen, Thomas L. and Hunger, David J., Strategic Management and Business Policy, Prentice Hall, 2006 4. (Grant R, 2005) Grant, Robert M., Contemporary Strategy Analysis, Blackwell Publishing, 2005 5. (Read C, 2006) Read, Charlotte, Stakeholder Consensus Marketing. An explanatory national competitivess model for the New Zealand Wine Industry, September 2, 2006 6. (All Things, 2006) All Things Considered. Washington D.C., Global Warming Endangers California Wine Industry, December 5, 2006 7. (Times of India,2007) India plans duty cuts on wine, spirits, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/India_Business/India_plans_duty_cuts_on_wine_spirits/articleshow/1897262.cms, April 12 2007 8. (Pape E, 2007) Pape E., Bordeaux Meets Beijing; Chinas eager oenophiles are reviving the flagging French Wine Industry, Newsweek, April 16, 2007 9. (Meredith R, 2007) Meredith, R. and Hoppough, S., Why Globalization Is Good, Forbes, New York, April 16, 2007 10. (Aylward, 2006) Aylward, D. K. and Glynn, J., SME Innovation within the Australian Wine Industry: A Cluster Analysis, 2006 11. (Smith J, 2006) Smith, J.M, The e-Commerce Pendulum, Brandweek, September 18, 2006 12. (Pape, 2007) Pape, Eric Vineyards on the move Newsweek, April 2007 13. (Nielson A, 2006) Nielson, A., Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy, Vol.29, Iss 2, Spring 2006 14. (Asimov E, 2005) Asimov, E., New York Times. (Late Edition (East Coast). New York, N.Y., August 31, 2005 15. (Zalan T, 2005) Zalan, T., Global, Local or Semi-Global? The Case of the Wine Industry, Australian Centre for International Business, Working Paper, No. 6, August 2005 16. (Heijbroeck, 2003) Heijbroeck, Arend M.A., Consequences of the globalization in the wine industry, Report made by Rabobank International, Symposium International, October 8 2003 17. (Ghoshal S, 2007) Ghoshal, S, Global strategy: An organizing framework. Strategic, Management Journal 8, 2007 18. (Kogut B, 2006) Kogut, B., Designing global strategies: Comparative and competitive value-added Chains, Sloan Management Review (Summer), 2006 19. (Porter M, 2004) Porter, M. E.,Clusters and the new economics of competition, Harvard Business Review, November-December 2004 20. (Harvard University, 2007) How Competitive Forces Shape Strategy. Harvard Business Review, March-April 2007 22. (Slater S, 2002) Slater S. Malcolm, Michael Porter. Notes on Diversification As a Strategy. Harvard School Publishing, 2002 23. (Slater F, 2002) Slater F. Stanley, Olson. Eric, A Fresh Look at Industry and Market Analysis, Business Horizons. Kelly School of Publishing, January-February 2002. 24. (New Zealand Growers, 2006) New Zealand Wine Growers Research Committee, Research Development Strategic Plan, December 2006 25. (Robinson J, 2008) Robinson, Jancis, The Fast-Changing World Of Wine, http://www.sifst.org.sg/pdf/article-thefastchanging.htm. 26. (Robbins S, 2006) Robbins S., Bergman, R., Stagg, I. Coulter, M. @006, Management, 4th Edition, Prentice Hall, Sydney. 27. (Study Guide, 2008) Foundations od Management Study Guide 2008, Southern Cross University.

Conventional in situ construction

Conventional in situ construction 2.1 Introduction In architecture and building, in situ refers to construction which is carried out on the building site using raw materials. In-situ is most commonly a mixture of aggregate (known as builders mix) blended with portland cement and clean water, that is free of oils, acid and others. Portland cement is made from lime, silica, alumina and gypsum with the raw materials being readily available throughout the country. Aggregate meanwhile is most commonly sand, gravel and crushed stone and constitutes 60 to 75pc of the volume of most concretes. In-situ concrete is strong, durable, stable, readily available and relatively economic in terms of construction and life time maintenance. It is the ideal structural material, in building sites that have difficult access. Other qualities that make it an ideal construction medium include the ability to control of form and shape, the enclosure of space and structure in one material, its compatibilty with most other materials, the ability to form integral surface finishes and colour of its compatibilty with most other materials. In-situ concrete structure usually used in industrial and commercial service industry such as school,hospital and hotel.The basic form of in-situ concrete structure are columns, beams, walls and floor. Compare that withprefabricatedconstruction, in which building components are made in a factory and then transported to the building site for assembly unlike insitu method of construction. Conventional building method or in situ construction method, is also defined as components of the building that are made at site through the processes of timber or plywood formwork installation, steel reinforcement, and cast in situ. Conventional buildings are mostly built of reinforced concrete frames. The traditional construction method uses wooden formwork. It is much more costly for construction which includes labour, raw material,transportation and low speed of construction time. This system is suitable for a country where unskilled labour is limited. There is no heavy machinery or high technolog y involved compare to precast method. 2.2 Advantages of using in situ The objective of an in situ method is to eliminate and reduce the traditional site-based trades like traditional timber formwork, brickwork, plastering and to reduce labour content. By using in situ method, alteration can be made at the last minute, design can be proceed as the structure is built and the rates of the production can be fast. 2.3 Disadvantages of using in situ However, conventional in-situ construction method also have their own disadvantages. It will lead to the higher amount of wastage compare to precast method. For example, in term of mixture of cement,sand and aggregates. It also require all activities involve high labour and plant on site. Besides,construction is also influenced by the weather and the reinforcement and formwork tend to be labour intensive.

Costs, revenue and breaking even Essay -- Business and Management Stud

Costs, revenue and breaking even INTRODUCTION In this part of the coursework I will be looking at costs, revenue and breaking even. To do this we will have to work out our fixed costs, variable costs, expected total revenue, the amount of cars needed to break even and whether we make a profit or loss. A Business Plan Material and Equipment Fixed costs All of these materials and supplies will be bought from a local D.I.Y shop. * 4 sponges incl. 1 revolving sponge: -  £32 * 4 buckets: -  £10 * 4 scrubbing brushes for wheels: -  £4 * Advertising Leaflets: -  £5 * 4 chamois leather: -  £12 Total fixed costs: -  £63 Variable costs The washing up liquid can be bought from any local shop, but the water will be supplied from each of us from our homes although we wont be actually paying for the water it is included for business purposes. * Washing up liquid (10 cars per bottle): -  £2.50 * Water: -  £0.20 (per car) Total Variable Costs: -  £0.45 (per car) Breakeven This is a table to show a break-even analysis for a high price of  £4.00 per car. --------------------------------------------------------------------- No. f. Costs v. Costs t. Costs Revenue Profit/ Loss Of cars. ( £) ( £) ( £) ( £) ( £) 0  £63 0  £63 0 ...

The Writing Process Essay -- Writing Composing Papers Essays School

The Writing Process Writing can be a very difficult process for those who do not know how to go about constructing a work of writing. I have my own ideas on how I think the writing process should be done. Time and good ideas will make for a good paper because when I begin writing a paper or an essay I take a day to think of all the possibilities to write about. If I am lucky if I have the chance to come up with my own ideas rather than have them given to me, but if that is not the case then I follow my simple steps to get through with my work .   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To start off, I remember that it may take awhile until I am sure on what I am going to write about for the topic. It is all right to change the subject many times if I absolutely have to. Absolutely do not start out writing the paper with the opening or ending paragraph. It is best to do the end and beginning paragraphs once I have finished completing and editing the entire paper.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First of all I sit down where I can really concentrate on my topic, and I make outlines. I start off with numbers and label them what the topic of the paragraph is going to be about. After I finish figuring out what each paragraph will be about, I then go in subdivisions on the details that will be included in each specific paragraph. This will help to avoid getting off of the subject and the paper will be in a good order.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After finishing the outline, I go on to start writing down ideas that are at the top of my ...

Letter From Birmingham Jail Essay -- Papers

Letter From Birmingham Jail The American civil rights movement through the 1950's and 60's was a turning point for our country as a whole. Probably the most influential leader of that time was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. King became a leader because of his ability to captivate crowds with his powerful speeches. One of the most important letters he wrote was while he was incarcerated in Birmingham, Alabama. The letter was to eight fellow clergymen that were from Alabama. The "Letter From Birmingham Jail" was in response to some criticism from the clergymen. King calmly tries to state his purpose for his crusade for civil rights in the south. He uses three rhetorical strategies in his letter like: facts, allusions, and questions to inform the clergymen about what he and his people are dealing with as a whole "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" said King in his letter (page 317). King asks his readers questions about him and his people's actions and then answers them in an intelligent and strong willed manner. He asks, "Why direct action? Why sit-ins, marches, and so forth? Isn't negotiation a better path?" (page 318). King asked the questions that the clergymen would have asked him. By asking those questions, then he can answer the questions that are main points in his letter that clarify some of the actions that have been enforced in the south. This was a strong rhetorical strategy for King to persuade ... ...tegies such as facts, allusions, and questions almost as perfectly as can be used in a letter. He made his reasons concise and straight to the point. Do I think he could have written a better letter? Not at all, that was the best letter I have ever seen in my life. Martin Luther King Jr. was a well educated man of great promise a couple more years. This letter was an excellent account of his powerful words that he can produce and a good example of his extreme intelligence. I am going to leave you a question to think about. How could the country as a whole have been different with Martin Luther King Jr. around this world a couple years longer? Bibliography: The Dolphin Reader- Lee Sulton 1997

Which impacts are the more serious effects arising from volcanic eruptions

Assess the extent to which primary rather than secondary impacts are the more serious effects arising from volcanic eruptions. (30 marks) A volcano is an earth hazard that occurs on faults between tectonic plates on a destructive boundary and an eruption is a natural disaster. A primary impact happens immediately after the disaster and before any response like death or collapsing or destruction of buildings. A secondary impact occurs later after the disaster, such less farm produce or a reduction in tourism.The severity of these impacts will differ considerably in a MEDC and LEDC where volcanic eruptions have taken place. These may be seen in the Mount St. Helen volcano eruption as well as in the Iceland volcanic eruption. They may also show that the impacts vary from volcano to volcano, place to place. Primary impacts are just as serious in LEDCs as in MEDCs. In the volcanic eruption of Mount St Helens there was little they could do to reduce the primary impacts of this disaster in an MEDC. Mount St Helens erupted in 1980 and killed 57 people even though an evacuation was set up and carried out.Even with money put aside to be put into a preparedness scheme they could not foresee that the volcano would erupt sideways causing the devastation to be more widespread. The evacuation beforehand had helped reduce the number of casualties which probably would have been more difficult in an LEDC environment. Research is looking into long period events such as volcanic eruptions however it is only at the stage where the only means is to monitor the volcano to see if it is about to erupt and try to reduce the primary impacts.However they can’t be predicted or how violent they will be so in cases such as Mount St Helens there is little to reduce the primary impacts. This shows how the primary impacts of some volcanic eruptions can be reduced by monitoring, however in the case of more severe eruptions there is little that can be done to reduce the primary impacts ari sing from a volcanic eruption, the only option being evacuation. The severity of secondary impacts will mostly depend on the response seen after the disaster.Due to its level of development an MEDC will most likely have money or back up to carry out a proper response scheme which is why secondary impacts in MEDCs are less serious. Another reason for there being much less secondary impacts in MEDCs is that due to the country’s higher GDP per capita, less people will live near to a volcano as they have enough money to be able to live in a place where they are less vulnerable to an earth hazard, as the area next to the volcano is less valuable in an MEDC.People in MEDCs do have a choice of where to live but in countries like Japan many people live within reach of volcanic eruptions in a dangerous area and these numbers are likely to increase as world population continues to grow. In LEDCs people often have no choice and are less aware of the risks. Therefore the primary impacts are more likely to be serious as more people in potential danger compared to an MEDC where there is less likely to be many people around in the area.However some volcanic eruptions can cause secondary impacts despite all this, the eruption of the Icelandic volcano in 2010 caused huge secondary economic impacts all over Europe due to an ash cloud. It was the largest disruption of air travel since World War Two, caused the BMW plant in Germany to close down for a month due to lack of parts and cost the European airline industry  £130 million a day. This shows how in MEDCs secondary impacts can be reduced with effective response, however in severe cases there can be no way to prevent secondary impacts arising from volcanic eruptions.In LEDCs more people live in the shadow of volcanoes due to poverty, shanty towns tend to arise in places where other development won’t happen due to the dangers such as on steep hills, on unstable ground or next to volcanoes; this causes the peopl e living there to be extremely vulnerable. This was seen in the Philippines in 1991 when Mount Pinatubo erupted killing 800 people, most of who died due to ash causing buildings to collapse which is a primary impact. This shows that in LEDCs, just as in MEDCs, there is little that can be done to reduce the primary impacts arising from a volcanic eruption.Secondary impacts in LEDCs tend to be severe as most don’t have a suitable response plan due to an ineffective government and may rely on aid to reduce secondary impacts. Secondary impacts can still occur even if primary impacts have been reduced; this was seen in the eruption of Montserrat in 1995. It’s most recent eruptions being very violent and has followed growth and collapse of lava domes inside the crater. It caused ash and lava flows affecting the population severely, however the secondary impacts where much worse.Mudflows such as lahars occurred due to a combination of water and volcanic ash and dust. There we re fires, landslides, a tsunami, crop failure and famine. All of these occurred due to and after the volcanic eruption. These had greater impacts on the population as the population of Montserrat fell from 10,728 (1990) to 6,409 (2000). Mainly due to the secondary impacts of the eruptions showing how, in LEDCs, secondary impacts can be very severe. Primary impacts are the more serious effects arising from volcanic eruptions rather than secondary impacts.This is because no matter whether you are in an MEDC or an LEDC the primary impacts from most eruptions are severe as you can’t build ‘volcano proof structures’ to protect buildings or land. Primary impacts are also where the most fatal incidents occur, like many deaths due to the eruption its self or collapsing of buildings. Although secondary impacts are also severe in LEDCs they can be reduced and over time more countries will develop to the stage where secondary impacts are able to be decreased in number.

Creating a Safe Environment: 2-4 year Olds Essay

As an early childhood provider working with 2-4 year old children I will be sure to provide a safe, healthy, and appropriate indoor and outdoor learning environment that helps their developmental characteristics. When preparing my indoor learning environment as well as my outdoor learning environment I have to take into consideration each child; their needs, their skills, their backgrounds, etc. For my indoor learning environment it is extremely important to make sure that the area is welcoming for the students as well as the parents, I will make sure that the area is lit properly (natural light and/ or energy saving bulbs) and full of colors. The furniture in the classroom will be child sized and very sturdy. Children will also be assigned their own cubbies where they will be able to place their knapsacks and other belongings (this gives them a hint of independence). There will be different sections of the classroom for different activities (reading area, drama/pretend play area, ci rcle area, music area, etc.), not just for play but will enhance their social, emotional, physical and cognitive domains. I will also make sure that the entire classroom is cleaned on a daily basis and all toys are sanitized. I will also be sure that all sockets are covered with protectors and make sure that there are smoke detectors and fire extinguishers and an evacuation plan in the facility, as well as having clear pathways in case of an emergency. In the kitchen area I will make sure that all cabinets so children will not be able to have access to any hazardous materials as well as any foods. Also in the kitchen area I will have a bulletin board accessible to all kitchen staff to list the name of the children in the facility and their allergies (if any). In the restroom I will be sure that all toilets and washbasin’s are to the children’s reach so they can be more independent and for those who are being potty trained be sure that there are more than enough and be certain that they are cleaned (by an adult) after every use. Children will be encouraged to wash their hands often to reduce the spread of germs to each other. For  the outdoor learning environment, I will definitely make sure that the area is properly gated; there is no high grass or trash around on the floors. I will also make sure that the children have easy access to the restrooms, and be sure that there is a first aid kit handy. I definitely will make sure of the child to teacher ratio; this helps with keeping an eye on the children, which helps reduce the chances of one of them being seriously hurt. I will also make sure of the following: â€Å"Selection of play equipment is appropriate for children’s ages, play equipment is in good condition (e.g. no broken or rusty parts, missing pieces, splinters, sharp edges, frayed rope, open â€Å"S† hooks, or protruding bolts), Large pieces of equipment are stable and anchored securely in the ground; finishes are non-toxic and intact, Equipment is placed sufficiently far apart to allow a smooth flow of traffic and adequate supervision; an appropriate safety zone is provided around equipment, and, a variety of play surfaces (e.g. grass, concrete, and sand) is available; shade is provided† (Marotz, 2012), just to name a few. One thing that we have to keep in mind as an early childhood provider is the relationship between a person’s safety, health and nutrition. Parents entrust that their children are well taking care of each time they drop them off in our care; they want to make sure that they are feed a well-bal anced healthy and nutritional meal, and that they are safe from danger, so how is it that some may feel that these three things are not related. In my personal opinion they work hand in hand and very much so dependent on each other. Health, safety, and nutrition are very much so interrelated. Health is a state of wellness. Complete physical, mental, social, and emotional well-being; the quality of one element affects the state of the other; safety refers to the behaviors and practices that protect children as well as adults from unnecessary harm; and, nutrition refers to the science of food, its chemical components (nutrients), and their relationship to health and disease. It includes all of the processes, from the ingestion and digestion of food to the absorption, transportation, and utilization of nutrients, and finally the excretion of unused end products. Nutrients are essential for life and have a direct effect on a child’s nutritional status, behavior, health, and development† (Marotz, 2012). I cannot help but to agree with these examples given and it is best to have children practice these things as young as possible. In the 2-4 year old age group children  really mimic what they see us doing as adults. So if we eat healthy, exercise and practice thi ngs such as good hand washing, what do you think they will do? There are so many age-appropriate learning activities and toys that reinforce the important of health, nutrition, and safety for the 2-4 year old age group. I have listed a few that really caught my attention. This game will be considered a group game, this game teaches the children to identify their alphabets (upper and lower case) as well as their number; this game is called â€Å"Homemade Letter Bingo†, as we know â€Å"children learn through play. And letter or number bingo is a great place to start. The following items needed for this game are: printable bingo cards: numbers, alphabet, or numbers and letters, printable caller cards, small objects to use as markers, such as marshmallows, cereal, pennies, or M&M’s† (Richards, 2014). A second learning age-appropriate activity is that of â€Å"Cereal Patterns†: Practice patterning the fun way—by playing with your food! Using a Fruit Loop-type cereal and yarn, help your preschooler create crunchy, edible patterns. The following items needed for this learning activity is that of: Fruit Loops or other loop-shaped cereal in a variety of colors, small bowls or cups, age-appropriate scissors, yarn or string, and masking tape† (Edwards, 2012). Building blocks are great toys for children (whether blank or with letters on them). With building blocks it helps children in this age group (2-4 years old) with their problem solving skills, but what you will find most amazing is what they build out of the blocks. A nd another toy that will be considered age-appropriate is that of a kitchen set that will be located in the drama/pretend area. With this toy children pretend that they are chefs working in nice restaurants, they pretend that they are a parent cooking a nice meal for their families and the list goes on and on. But what I find so amazing with this age-group is that there is no limit to their imagination. However, we as educators have to continue to encourage the children to use their imagination, because they not only learn from us, we learn from them. An ideal location, space, and security of a center or school is very important, not only to the early childhood provider, but to the parents as well. â€Å"Nowhere is health and safety more important than in group programs serving young children. When families enroll children in a program, they expect that the teachers will safeguard their child’s well-being. They assume the facilities, toys, and  equipment will be safe for children’s use, that teachers will carefully supervise their children’s activities, that the environment is clean, and the food is healthy. These expectations require teachers to be well informed and knowledgeable about how to create and maintain environments that protect and promote childrenâ€℠¢s health and safety† (Marotz, 2012). We have to make sure that there is adequate space for the children to move around inside and outside; it is good to also make sure that the facility is not in a noisy location where the children can be easily distracted. But most of all we have to think about the health of our little ones, we have to make sure that the building is properly inspected so we can protect them as well as ourselves from potential hazards. As early childhood providers/educators it is our sole responsibility to make sure that the children that we care for will be given the best education and protection, this includes their safety, nutrition and health. One thing that I live by and believe is that the children are our future, so it is our duty to mold them from young. I choose to work with the age group of 2-4 year olds because the one thing that amazes me with them is their imagination which increases their ability to learn. As an educator for such young children you have to able to open enough for them to teach you as well. I feel that Reggio Emilia Approach said it best â€Å"children are capable of constructing their own learning† (Isbell & Raines, 2007). References: Bradford-Edwards, S. (Sept. 7, 2012). Cereal Patterns. Retrieved from http://www.education.com/activity/article/fruit-loop-patterns/Isbell, R.T., & Raines, S.C. (2007). Creativity and the arts with young children. Belmont, CA: Delmar. Marotz, L.R. (2012). Health, safety and nutrition for the young child 8th edition. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Richards, S. (May 9, 2014). Homemade letter bingo. Retrieved from http://www.education.com/activity/article/letterbingo_preschool/

Dead stars Essay

The short story, â€Å"Dead Stars† was written during the American Colonization of the Philippines, a time when the modern short story, critical essay, and free verse poetry were introduced. English was the medium of learning, and became, as well, the language of the learned. This was also the time when utilitarian literature was slowly being overshadowed by the individualistic, modern view of creating â€Å"art for art’s sake†. Dead Stars by Paz Marquez Benitez (1894-1983), which came out in the Philippines Herald in 1925. This work, the first of only two short stories published by Benitez, is considered the first modern Philippine short story. It is a story of the frustrations, confusions, and heartbreak that arise from unrequited love. INTERPRETATION Dead Stars is a story about the fickleness of Alfredo Salazar, a man in his thirties who is about to be married to a woman named Esperanza after four years of their being engaged. It begins with Alfredo staring out from the open window, who is being talked about by his father and sister regarding his marriage and his love life. We are told that he was so in love, that â€Å"at the beginning he was enthusiastic–flowers, serenades, notes, and things like that–† towards Esperanza. But his sister has observed that something has happened to him, that he was no longer aggressive and perhaps, youthful. Their father then explains that it is normal, that long-engaged people are â€Å"warm now, cool tomorrow†, that Alfredo was having his â€Å"last spurt of hot blood†. Alfredo â€Å"fell in love† with another woman in just a few weeks of his â€Å"neighboring† to the Martinez Residence, where Julia Salas stayed for her visit. Julia too, seemed to have fallen for Alfredo, but both knew that what they had was against, perhaps, morality, and was subject to the scrutiny and judgement of the society. Alfredo, being an engaged man, should not involve himself with others. But he chose to live a lie, he believed he found â€Å"youth† and â€Å"heart’s desire† up in the hills with Julia. He always reasoned that † If a man were married, why, of course, he loved his wife; if he were engaged, he could not possibly love another woman.† But then he immersed himself in an illusion, in a dream that he can possibly be with Julia despite hurting Esperanza, and of course, breaking a lot of society’s rules. In the end, in his final encounter with Julia where the girl did not seem to respond to his last show of love, there he was redeemed from that delusion, that all along he was holding on to nothing; that all along he was looking at dead stars. REFERENCES: http://melonagrace.weebly.com/dead-stars-by-paz-marquez- benitez.htmlhttp://josecarilloforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=19.0

Company Assessment

We have examined the characteristics of the organization of graduates, retention rate, and persistence that will help students graduate and pursue employment in their field. We evaluated each students program from Associates, Bachelors, Masters, and Doctoral programs at Argosy university. The most significant cause of fault is the students first semester. As a result, if a student can make it pass their first semester, then the chances of them continuing In the program Increases dramatically.The research shows that the over the last two years student enrollment has dropped. As University we want to encourage students to graduate from our school with their diploma and have them employed with in the first year of earning their degree. The report states that people are unaware of the university and we want to Increase the amount of awareness about the school. Numbers are on the rise but it is not the numbers that we want to be. Consumer knowledge needs to be increased about the Universi ty and establish a reputable reputation.Argosy University latest decision was put forth by the Research and Development department. They evaluated the report to focus on target marketing of highly populated areas. This report assesses the challenge to bring in new students and increase the awareness of the university. The new direction of the University over the years to come is to increase the amount of student body and graduates. Interviewer – Interviewee – Value of a Team Environment: Admission Representatives, 2 Academic Counselors, 2 Student Finance Counselors and 1 manager.It is their Job to help enroll each student into class, make sure their Financial Aid is correct, and to make sure that each student is prepared for the first class. The team works well together with communication and helping each other tit information that is needed for the student. Depending on the circumstance of the student it can impact the way the team is operating. For example, a student can be missing information on their Financial Aid, they can be in default, or they might not be in contact with the Admissions Representative. The biggest they lack is new ways to open up the opportunity of the Admissions Representatives.It all starts with the Admissions Representative. If the AR is in a bad mood then he or she could lose the students interest right away. It is important to keep up the motivation of each AR in order to increase enrollment. Because the Admissions Representatives are not allowed to receive compensation for the amount of students they enroll. It is pure determination that allows someone to succeed because there is no reward for the AR. Each person has a different need and it is up to the manager to see what motivates each employee to become successful.According to the article, The Value of Teamwork, by David Tenant, â€Å"The talents that are brought from others in different areas of the company strengthen a team. Plus, by working together to form th e team's objectives, approach, and planning, they will generally become a cohesive unit that an also adapt and change as new challenges become apparent. It is through this mechanism that teams are surpassing individual performance within companies? and companies are taking notice. † Recommendation: It is important that everyone on the team communicates properly.Make sure that everyone is communicating by e-mail or even in the meeting that are set up everyday. Create a checklist that needs to be filled out and initialed by each team member, to make sure that the student is moving through the process efficiently. Have the manager go to each person, individually, and see how the student is moving wrought the process. This will help everyone be into the details and it everyone will be in communication of the process. Job satisfaction of the employees: When it comes to the satisfaction of the employees, there is a stand of 50/50.While the majority of employees love their Job, they sometimes feel overwhelmed, stressed, or even feel overlooked for some of the positions. People want more responsibilities and they want to feel like they are contributing to the team. Some of the employees help out the manager by running morning meetings, setting up charts, and assisting other employees when needed. There has been a resent layoff and some employees are worried about keeping their Jobs. Ryan's tells his employees to stay focus on the student, what their fears are, get to know them, and see how we can assist the student to get into college.When we focus on the confirmed need of the student, we realize how we better assist them obtain their degree. One of the ways that Ryan makes sure that his employees are happy at work doing something different, employees don't feel like they are doing the same monotonous routine. So sometimes they will have mini trainings, play games, or a reassert chat. The breakfast chat can be about anything they want. It took a while for the em ployees to trust Ryan but they started to come around and have been building great relationships with all of his employees.Recommendation: Have a meeting with each employee and ask them what they would like to change. If people are tired of the routine, then have an appreciation day for your employee. How does the company communicate change: In this industry company changes happen all the time. It is sometimes communicated in big group settings, small meetings, e-mails, or in the morning addles. Recently there was a change in structure of the amount of Directors that are in the position. They went from 8 Directors to 4. Even though the change impacted only a certain amount of employees, it however reduced that position by 50%.It required more work by the other Directors but it was a change that needed to eliminate the â€Å"dead weight. † Efforts made to motivate your employees: There are many way s to motivate an employee so that he or she is willing to do their Job. Ryan ta kes this part of his Job very seriously and he takes great interest in his employees. There are four things Ryan takes to heart as a manager, he takes interest in the future of his employee's career, in their work-life, listens, and helps them anyway he can.Ryan says, â€Å"In order to have great employees, you need to have a genuine interest in all of your employees. It has worked and it has generated results. † Manager's who take interest in their employees, generally have people who are not willing to put fourth the extra effort. I believe that when you have a manager, like Ryan, who really cares about you, not Just an employee but as a person, you aspect them more and you are willing â€Å"to go the distance† if they ever need you too. My suggestion for this topic is to talk to your employees.Everyone has a different intrinsic and extrinsic type of motivation. It is up to the manager to seek out each employee and see what his or need may consist of. I think that hi s falls in line to getting to know your employee. You might find out things you never knew about them, simply by doing a one on one. Assistance offered in helping your employees to deal with stress management: This is a very high pressured Job and sometimes it can get overwhelming. That is why to make sure that you commit yourself to doing a one on one with each employee.If you find yourself in a situation where someone is not reacting well, then you as a manager, need to address that situation. Everyone is different and it is up to you as a manager that you handle the situation properly. One way to get an employee out of the stress is to have them get up and take a walk. This will help them calm down and then get back to the work at hand. Taking walks is a great way to relieve stress. It gives you the opportunity to breathe and focus on what is important. This is why we have breaks in the workplace.Take advantage of your breaks and try not to think of work. This will help you reset and focus on the rest of your day. It is important to know your role as a manager and how to help people succeed. If people are not succeeding then maybe you are not doing your Job as a manager. A great manager knows his or team and they help people who are managers who helped me through the tough times, I work harder for them than anyone else. References: The Value of Teamwork By David Tenant, conference's. Org/gemmed/ DVTTheValueofTeamwork. PDF

Integration in SEC Football Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Integration in SEC Football - Research Paper Example In southern US colleges, the policy of segregation was deeply ingrained. Universities and colleges refused to admit Black students. Thus, it was natural for their teams to be White with no African-Americans. After the Second World War, the University of northern states desegregated and they admitted numerous African-American players to their respective teams. In spite of this, southern schools remained fully segregated. These colleges went as far as refusing to play desegregated teams from universities from the North even if the games were played in the North2. The Southeastern Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the southeast of the United States. It has its headquarters in Birmingham, Alabama. It participates in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I. Currently, it sponsors team championship in nine men's sports and twelve women's sports. This makes it one of the largest in the world. As a sports institution located in the South, it was plagued with the issue of segregation for many years. It was part of a larger effort to prevent mixing of Blacks and Whites in America. This trend changed when the changes of the Civil Rights Movement hit the institutions of the United States. In doing this, the following objectives would be met: The integration of African-American footballers into the SEC can best be described in the wider context of the SEC and its unique position in American history. This is because SEC football is just a subset of the SEC which went through several changes as a unit rather than in individual sports. Thus, the approach that can best be used would be to examine the SEC as a whole with the emphasis on football. Â  

Entrepreneurship Outline Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Entrepreneurship - Outline Example The intention of this study is an entrepreneurship as one of the major activities for fostering economic growth. Entrepreneurs are essential instigators for renovation in an economy, and entrepreneurship accelerates the growth for new economic and industrial prospects and effectual resource utilization. The efficacy of an economy is improved when entrepreneurs perform to simplify trade between organizations or countries with different inclinations and resource endowments. Economic progress takes place when entrepreneurs accelerate the generation, distribution and application of pioneering thoughts. Entrepreneurship not only takes advantage of new business prospects by proper distribution of resources, but it also pursues new potentials for resource utilization and thus re-draws the limitations of economic movement. As a result, entrepreneurial activities help to reduce the unemployment rate and poverty. The association between entrepreneurship and employment is covered with uncertain ty. It can be stated that lower degree of entrepreneurship can result in low economic development which in turn can impact on the level of employment rate. Entrepreneurs can create new businesses and organizations, which generate job opportunities, therefore reducing the unemployment rate. On the other hand, new businesses and organizations are considered of having low rate of survival and growth due to huge competition in the market, thus this fact argues that entrepreneurship can lead to unemployment. ... Research Objectives The study will have the following objectives: To measure the impact of entrepreneurial activities on employment in the UK To discover the relationship between entrepreneurial activities and job creation To know the view of people in the UK towards new innovations and businesses To identify the effect of entrepreneurship in the economic development of the UK Research Question and Hypothesis The study will seek to resolve the following research question: â€Å"Does entrepreneurial activity create an impact on the employment rate in the UK?† In order to resolve the above research question, hypothesis has been developed which can help to understand the relationship between entrepreneurship and employment in the UK. The null hypothesis (H0) will be = â€Å"Entrepreneurial activity increases the employment rate in the UK† The alternate hypothesis (H1) will be = â€Å"Entrepreneurial activity does not increase the employment rate in the UK† The hypot hesis will be tested with Pearson correlation analysis by using statistical data. Background of the Study In present days, relations among new creations, new business proprietorship and economic growth have been acknowledged for substantial consideration from researchers and policy creators. The increasing unemployment rate in several countries along with inadequate economic development has prompted the policy developers to provide higher attention to entrepreneurship and self-employment. Entrepreneurship has been recommended by many researchers as a cure against higher unemployment and slow economic development. Europe and other industrial economies of the world have practiced substantial industrial reforms in last

Operational Decision Making Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Operational Decision Making - Research Paper Example The corporation’s core mission encompasses focusing on availing quality products and services in its specialized field not only nationally level but also globally (â€Å"ADNOC†). Description of Operations In quest to attain its varied final products, the company utilizes the present’ sophisticated technological knowhow in drilling crude oil and gas from its 100 wells nationally (â€Å"ADNOC†). The company contrary to when its capacity was 2.7 million bbl per day in 2000 now has tremendously increased whereby currently it is twenty one million bbl per day, hence making the state being among the leading players in the market (Wildcat Publishing 56). After drilling, transportation of raw materials - mainly crude oil and natural gas from the wells is by pipelines to the refineries (â€Å"ADNOC†). This is where real cracking of raw materials usually takes place to lighter products essential in other industries. Main inputs, which the company relies on in clude, 1. Crude oil In refineries, this raw material usually undergoes fractional distillation to obtain lighter and good quality products that are essential in diverse retail corporations. These include kerosene, diesel, petrol and in lighter or top chambers of the fractionating equipment comprise only cooking gases. 2. Associated gas Process entailed in handling or refining this form of raw material is extremely complex. Mainly, it encompasses refining by eliminating impurities found in the gas, which are non-hydrocarbon quantities and fluid from the pure product (â€Å"Pipeline Magazine†). After refining has taken place, respective authorities via pipes package the gas into LPGs then store it in warehouses ready for collection and distribution. 3. Non-Associated Gas This is a low-graded raw material mainly obtained from gas wells whereby after transportation through pipes from its respective regions, usually undergoes hydrogenation in the plant then stored in warehouses af ter packaging in cylinders. 4. Crude oil byproducts These encompass materials that have not undergone complete cracking process whereby recycling is an option to separate them into lighter components essential in gas industries like pentane. Supply Chain Decisions In order to increase on the company’s profitability, it will entail integrating of both private and retail distributors. This is to ensure the company does not incur high expenses because of tasks, which could have been undertaken effectively by other potential players specialized in this field, which is transportation. This operational decision will be effective due to the company’s high quality products due to its adoption of TQM, which up to date comprises one of the key strategies. Consequently, this will pose a significant impact on strategic objectives whereby their scope will only be within the company in ensuring once the products are in the market can sell well due to uncompromised quality. This impl ies clientele’s preference to ADNOC’s products will be high due to the company’s quality consistency. Hence, application of product differentiation strategy will significantly contribute to altering in a way some of the company’s objectives towards being customer centered (McGuigan, James & Frederick 338). Contrary to conventional way of numerous companies, lowering prices in quest to attract clients but in real sense