Sunday, November 10, 2019
Morality and Law
We begin this essay with a word about freedom- it is cherished by those who possess it and yearned for by those who have yet to experience it.à Nonetheless, freedom carries with it a high level of responsibility- perhaps not only to follow the letter of the law, but also to pursue oneââ¬â¢s freedom with some level of civility or morality.à Therein lies the paradox- where should the line, if any, be drawn between morality and law.à In this essay, several controversial topics which toe the line between legality and morality will be presented and discussed in the hopes of drawing some valid conclusions about this issue.DrugsIf it is safe to say that legally prescribed and utilized drugs are accepted by all but the most staunch of religious zealots, it is also safe to say that illegally prescribed drugs, street drugs and the abuse of any drug is considered immoral, but not by all.à In some parts of the world, certain drugs that would land someone in jail in other nations a re legally and socially accepted.à à This fact in itself brings to light an interesting perspective on the issue of morality and law- how closely related is law and morality?In the case of drugs, the relationship seems to be somewhat disjointed in some instances, because illegal drugs are quite literally one of the largest industries in the ââ¬Å"civilized worldâ⬠.à This can be interpreted as proof that everything that is illegal is not necessarily viewed as immoral as well as a clear example of the dynamic between the expression of freedom and the violation of the rights of others, for any freedom, if it harms innocent people through its exercise, needs to be reevaluated for the common good (Peach, 2002).AlcoholWhen speaking of alcohol, the very topic is in itself enigmatic; for all intents and purposes, alcohol can be classified as a drug because of its ability to alter the senses, distort perceptions, and attract the abuser into a spiral of addiction.à However, i t is considered by the vast majority of the world to be a legal drug, which is to say that it is legal for those of established age to buy, sell, and use alcohol.When left to oneââ¬â¢s own devices, the use, purchase or sale of alcohol can be illegal; for example, the operation of motor vehicles while under the influence of alcohol is illegal, as is the sale/purchase of it to/by underage or visibly impaired individuals. Additionally, any use of alcohol is considered morally wrong by many religious/ethical groups.à Therefore, in alcohol, we see the embodiment of the morality/legality argument- some things are legal in some cases, illegal in others, but also reviled in many circles in any circumstance (Peach, 2002).ProstitutionRegarded as the worldââ¬â¢s oldest profession, prostitution in one form or another has existed since there has been something of value for which one human being could offer sexual favors to another.à In the 21st century, we see a world where prostitut ion is legal in some nations/parts of nations, and illegal in others.à In the nations where it is legal, it would be assumed that this is so due to the moral tolerance of the masses to allow such a practice.à In a nation like the United States, where very few states allow prostitution, a moral divide exists between advocates and opponents.à Therefore, an interesting point emerges- the possibility that in many cases, societal norms dictate the letter of the law.à When the majority opposes or supports something, or takes no action either way, laws, it can be said, reflect the will of the majority itself (Peach, 2002). Pornography Pornography is yet another illustration of the will of the people to dictate the law, but with a twist- very few people publicly support pornography as something which is good for the general society, yet it is allowed to exist as something legal in many jurisdictions as long as certain universal rules are not violated, such as the use of children in pornography, abuse of innocent victims, etc.In this instance, it is likely that the tolerance of pornography as something legal, yet immoral has as much to do with the pursuit of money on the part of those who benefit financially from pornography as it does with the prurient interests of the public at large.à People who wish to have something immoral because they like it are often times more prone to ignore the bigger picture of the detriment to society that something like pornography represents. Domestic ViolenceViolence against oneââ¬â¢s own family members is illegal/immoral in some societies, and not in others- why is this so?à The main reason is associated with religious beliefs.à In theocratic nations, where religious leaders dictate policy and law, there are those cases where the abuse of a wife by a husband, for example, is tolerated if the husband feels it necessary, whereas the abuse of children is almost universally reviled (Peach, 2002).à An interesting point emerges in this situation- the power of morality in some cases to shape the word of law.ConclusionIn this essay, we have seen that morality and law are in some cases exclusive of each other, related in others.à Still further, each of these in some situations can overpower the other due to societal norms, religion, etc.à Whatever the case, in conclusion, one point has become abundantly clear based upon this research- morality cannot always be legislated, nor will morality always make the best laws.à Perhaps the issue of freedom, which began the essay, is a fitting final word- without freedom, the human race suffers, but with it, suffering can also become rampant.à It is the responsibility of the people of the world to exercise freedom-with restraint.ReferencesPeach, L. (2002). Legislating Morality: Pluralism and Religious Identity in Lawmaking. NewYork: Oxford University Press.
Thursday, November 7, 2019
Chemical Composition of Black Powder or Gunpowder
Chemical Composition of Black Powder or Gunpowder Black powder is the name given to the earliest known chemical explosive. It is used as a blasting powder and a propellant for firearms, rockets, and fireworks. The composition of black powder or gunpowder is not set. In fact, several different compositions have been used throughout history. Heres a look at some of the most notable or common compositions, plus the composition of modern black powder. Black Powder Basics Theres nothing complicated about the formulation of black powder. It consists of charcoal (carbon), saltpeter (potassium nitrate or sometimes sodium nitrate), and sulfur. Charcoal and sulfur act as the fuel for the explosion, while saltpeter acts as an oxidizer. Sulfur also lowers the ignition temperature, which increases the combustion rate. Charcoal is used instead of pure carbon because it contains incompletely decomposed cellulose. It has a much lower autoignition temperature. Black powder made using pure carbon will ignite, but it wont explode. In commercial black powder preparation, potassium nitrate or another nitrate (e.g., sodium nitrate) usually is coated with graphite (a form of carbon). This helps prevent electrostatic charge build-up, reducing the chance a stray spark will prematurely ignite the mixture. Sometimes black powder is tumbled with graphite dust after it is mixed to coat the grains. In addition to reducing static, the graphite reduces moisture absorption, which could prevent gunpowder from igniting. Notable Black Powder Compositions Typical modern gunpowder consists of saltpeter, charcoal, and sulfur in a 6:1:1 or 6:1.2:0.8 ratio. Historically significant formulations have been calculated on a percentage basis: Formula Saltpeter Charcoal Sulfur Bishop Watson, 1781 75.0 15.0 10.0 British Government, 1635 75.0 12.5 12.5 Bruxelles studies, 1560 75.0 15.62 9.38 Whitehorne, 1560 50.0 33.3 16.6 Arderne lab, 1350 66.6 22.2 11.1 Roger Bacon, c. 1252 37.50 31.25 31.25 Marcus Graecus, 8th century 69.22 23.07 7.69 Marcus Graecus, 8th century 66.66 22.22 11.11 Source: The Chemistry of Gun Powder and Explosives
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
Writing Graduate School Entrance Essays
Writing Graduate School Entrance Essays If you are thinking about applying for graduate school, chances are you once applied (and were admitted) to undergraduate school. That being the case, Im certain you had to compose a personal statement to accompany your undergraduate application. Remember that? Wasnt it fun? No? Well, then youre out of luck. Because you have to repeat the process all over again with graduate school entrance essays. Lets face it: no one likes to write an entrance essay and/or personal statement composition for college admission. In addition to being personally revealing and creatively stifling, the things are just plain difficult to compose. Unfortunately, college admissions boards use these essays to separate the average from the above average applicants. So you might as well make the most of it. Graduate school application essays are, in my opinion, much easier to write than those for undergraduate school because youve already gone through the process once already. Heck, you might even want to locate and dust off your undergraduate statement for inspiration. After all, its not really plagiarism if youre copying from yourself. When writing your graduate school entrance essays, it helps to go easy on yourself. Allow for plenty of time and prepare for some frustration. In the end, your graduate school essay, whether its a nursing essay, a residency statement, or an MBA essay, is going to determine your future. So no pressure.
Sunday, November 3, 2019
U.K. Energy Sustainability Public Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words
U.K. Energy Sustainability Public Policy - Essay Example The intention of this study is Public Policy as a set of rules, or guides promulgated by governments to ensure that the branches of government all deal with issues in a similar, consistent manner, according to the laws and constitution of the particular country. Inevitably, public policy is not simply decided by an elected government: it is influenced and changed by pressure, or lobby groups, by organisations within the society or community, and by the public at large and its perceptions. While public policy can be confined to domestic policy and thought, the increasingly globalising world means that it is not only internal pressure which is brought to bear on government and their policy formulation, but also international trends and necessities. Thus, although this essay will focus on the Energy Policy of the UK Government, some consideration must necessarily be given to the influence that international trends in energy policy have on the UK. The Department of Energy and Climate Cha nge formulates public policy in this area and relies on two pieces of legislation: the Energy White Paper of 2007, and the Low carbon Transition Plan of July 2009. Four key policy goals were tabled in the 2007 paper: â⬠¢ The UK should be on a path to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 60%, and significant cuts should be evident by 2020; â⬠¢ The UK should ensure reliable energy supplies; â⬠¢ Competitive markets in the UK and internationally should be promoted, so that sustainable economic growth is possible, and productivity can improve;à and Every home in the UK should be adequately and affordably heated. Additional considerations are highlighted in the policy, among them the production, distribution and use of electricity, fuel used for transport, and heating. The longer-term intention is to contribute to the worldwide fight against climate change, and to ensure secure, clean and affordable energy for the UK itself. By 2008, the policy included emphasis on the energy ma rket, offshore gas and oil, and investment in nuclear power. Direct control of energy in the UK economy now does not lie with the government, after the liberalisation and nationalisation policies of the 1980s and 1990s, and while UK energy is recognised as being highly reliable in delivery to the population (Bowlby, 2011, website) there are a significant number of UK citizens in fuel poverty. Yet,
Thursday, October 31, 2019
International Business Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words - 1
International Business Environment - Essay Example Once a British colony, Kuwait's independence was granted in 1961. Throughout, its economy's survival is almost entirely bolstered by its oil production and sales. With the income, the government can have considerable support for its revenues, and attract in foreign workers (Factsheet, 2007). When Iraq under Saddam Hussein absorbed Kuwait in the 1990s, Iraq was overthrown from the country by a US-led military coalition, an event known as the 1991 Gulf war. With that aid, Kuwait became a close ally of the US (Factsheet, 2007). As IMF and the World Bank encouraged most of the countries to do, Kuwait opened to foreign capital and vied for international investment starting from the 1990s. Mainly, Kuwait's strategy is to produce and sell as much oil as they can worldwide that it would become largely, the sole provider of the world's oil and US would certainly have it in its interests. (Pfeifer, 2002) Being the fourth largest producer now, this isn't a far-fetch goal. FDI had been advocated by many to be the boost developing economies need in order to progress sustainably. Globalization through FDI is a mainstream event since the 90s. But policymakers in Kuwait as in the other developing countries are not aware that when their economic fundamentals do not match what is needed for this increase in FDI, however many the incentives they offer to attract FDI , they would just go to waste. But, internationalization through exports is Kuwait's overriding strategy; it is a country looking toward development by globalizing through FDI. (Nunnenkamp, 2001) Kuwait's Foreign Direct Investment A costly financial initiative like the later-to-be-discussed FDI Law is implemented because Kuwait anticipates the potential benefits to outweigh these costs. But the view's shortcoming is that Kuwait, like the others, cannot be sure if FDI really could do much in gearing them towards development. After all, the impact of FDI relies on many
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Exploring Another Ethnicity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Exploring Another Ethnicity - Essay Example I wondered if my friends would identify a mosque as a different place as I thought the church was at that particular time. Having been brought up in a deeply rooted Islamic culture, I had never associated myself with any other religion before but I knew about their existence. My prior knowledge concerning Christianity and the urge to prove what really happens in other religions however helped me to gain some confidence, which could not be sufficient to withstand uneasiness. I thought it unfair to have religious differences such as one religion dominating a particular region of the world. As an Arab amongst the congregation, I appeared odd and abandoned due to the hijab I was wearing unlike the warmly and familiar feeling I usually have when I attend mosques. In fact, at some point I could hide my face when I realized that someone within the congregation was staring at me. The similarity between the church and the mosque is that the attendees recognize their way of worshipping and rel igious status as the best compared to others. There is uniformity in the way Christians and Muslims carry out their prayers when they are in their prayer gatherings. Christians do have a pastor who conducts the prayers as it is in mosques where there are Imams guiding Muslims in worship. Additionally, there are two different holy books used by the two distinctively different religions by their respective followers in worshiping. Interestingly, the two different religions believe in God whom they respect and fear (Stefon, 2010). Quran and Bible share most of the stories especially in the Old Testament such as the stories of Moses and Abraham that really connects the two religions. I further realized that Christians also believe in continuous prayers at specific times such as in the evening and early mornings just like Muslims. Additionally, both religions do have almost similar believe concerning family issues such as women submitting to their husbands and prohibition of sex before m arriage. However, there are numerous beliefs that both religions do not agree on such as the existence of trinity according to Christiansââ¬â¢ beliefs and the fact that Jesus is a son of God as claimed by Christians. Muslims believe that Jesus was a human prophet and not divine as claimed by Christians and that there is only one God who is the creature of the universe. Muslims further believe that God who is referred to, as Allah is the father to everyone and that there is nothing special or divine about Jesus that should make him worshiped directly or indirectly. Muslims also believe in original sin and that Jesus did not die on the cross to save humanity from sin but instead God made it to appear so. Christians strongly believe in salvation in the name of Jesus to cleanse their original sins that Muslims are strongly opposed to (Ra?isa?nen 2010). My perception towards Christianity is influenced by the Islamic belief that Jesus was not Godââ¬â¢s begotten son hence should not be worshiped as Christians do since he was just a prophet and a great teacher. Additionally, Muslims consider that calling Jesus God or son of God is blasphemy and that there is no day Godââ¬â¢s word has never existed. Muslims do not believe that Jesus died for our sins as claimed by Christians that all their (Christians) sins were forgiven after the death of Jesus on the cross. Muslims regard themselves as perfect and the true
Sunday, October 27, 2019
Effectiveness Of Information Technology On Supply Chain Management
Effectiveness Of Information Technology On Supply Chain Management Supply Chain Management is the concept known as the management of the materials and the information across all the partners within an industry including customers customers and suppliers suppliers. Supply Chain Management introduces the initiatives for competitive advantages to companies and it reinforces the use of technology for more accurate and faster communication among supply chain partners. The field of supply chain management has become tremendously important to companies in an increasingly competitive global marketplace. The term supply chain refers to the entire network of companies that work together to design, produce, deliver, and service products ( Hausman, 2001) Generally speaking, the supply chain is the sequence of enterprises from suppliers to end customers. The National Research Council refers to it is an à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¦..association of customers and suppliers who, working together yet in their own best interest, buy, convert, distribute and sell goods and services among themselves resulting in the creation of a specific end product ( National Resource Council, 2000) According to the Mentzer Supply chain management is defined as the systemic, strategic coordination of the traditional business functions within a particular company and across businesses within the supply chain, for the purposes of improving the long-term performance of the individual companies and the supply chain as a whole. (Mentzer et al.,2001 in www.emeraldinsight.com) Companies cannot work for themselves and are hence automatically part of at least one supply chain. The key participants are the manufacturers and their respective suppliers that collaborate to create and support the end-product as well as the customers that purchase the latter. A typical supply chain comprises the following layers.( Werner, 2002) Primary producer Multiple tiers suppliers Ones own company Intermediary trade in the form of wholesale and retail End-users A supply chain is the process of moving goods from the customer order through the raw materials stage, supply, production, and distribution of products to the customer. All organisation have supply chains of varying degrees, depending upon the size of the organisation and the type of product manufactured. These networks obtain supplies and components, change these materials into finished products and then distribute them to the customer. Managing the chain of events in this process is what is known as supply chain management. ( Ligus, 1999) The bullwhip effect is a major cause of supply chains problems. It describes how small fluctuations in demand at the customer level are amplified as orders pass up the supply chain through distributors, manufacturer, and suppliers. As an example consider disposable diapers. Babies generally consume diapers at a more or less consistent rate when aggregated over a large group of customers. Nevertheless, order fluctuations invariably become considerably larger as one moves upstream in this supply chain. Consequences of the bullwhip effect can be severe, including excess and fluctuating inventories, shortages and stock outs, longer lead times, higher transportation and manufacturing costs, and mistrust between supply chain partners.(Fisher, 1997) The Supply Chain Operation Model (SCOR) was designed to enable companies to communicate, compare and learn from competitors both within and outside of their industry. It only measures supply chain performance but also effectiveness of supply chain reengineering. Further it has the ability to test and plan future process improvements. The SCOR is a process reference model. Process reference models integrate the well-known concepts of business process reengineering, benchmarking, and process measurement into a cross functional framework( SCC,2001) The evaluation of supply chain management information technology enables companies to integrate activities and organisations that were previously separate. Inside a larger organisation the key element for forging new efficient processes is sharing data between functions in real time. The objective is to eliminate administrative tasks that were develop when information could only be shared by sending documents between these areas. ( Eloranta, E Holmstrom, J et al., 2001) Information technologies are no longer considered as nice to have instead it is believed that is a must. Whoever uses the information technologies effectively in managing his business will have more chance to succeed in todays world. Capturing the necessary data is one part of the race but filtering and changing the data into information effectively is the most important concept. Companies produce vast amounts of data everyday but they require advance tools to manipulate the data to reach the informative data which helps to manage their business. The purpose of this research is to introduce the supply chain management concept and initiatives; and point the information technologies used in this area to achieve the expected benefits from the management of a supply chain. It emphasis how information technologies effect supply chain management and how can it be used to manage the supply chain more effectively. In this piece of work, the basics of Supply chain management and the initiatives of the supply chain management are being described. The effects of information technologies, as the inevitable backbone of the supply chain management, will be explained in detail. 3. Rationale for Chosen Topic: Companies strive to improve market share, grow corporate profit, and gain strategic advantage. In order to achieve these goals, supply chain competency must be placed at the heart of a companys business model. Firms realize that the competition is driven by customer demand. Effective supply chain management can offer customers high quality products and services with low prices. Effective SCM can help lower production and distribution costs through seamless cooperation between business partners in their supply chain. The big retail chains have fought to a standstill in price wars over the last decade. Now they are realising that the lending edge IT is an invaluable weapon in the battle for market share ( Masters) 4. Research Questions: Formulating a series of questions adds clarity to the research process. Therefore, the fundamental questions for the proposed research topic are: What are the benefits of IT on management of supply chain? What are the effects of IT system on supply chain management? What are the benefits of vendor managed inventory in supply chain management? 5. Research Objectives: The research objectives explain the purpose of the research and define standards for what the researcher is going to do. The objectives specify the information needed to accomplish the research process. The aim of this research is to gain a better understanding of supply chain management and how affect IT on management of Supply Chain by analyzing the vendor managed inventory (VMI). This VMI concept will be introduced and its benefits to supply chain management 6. Literature Review: Information is crucial to supply chain performance because it provides the foundation on which supply chain processes execute transactions and managers make decisions. Without information, a manager will not know what customer want, how much inventory in stock, and when more products should be produced and shipped. In short, without information a manager can only make a decision blindly. Therefore, information makes the supply chain visible to a manager. Given the role of information in a supply chains success, managers must understand how information is gathered and analysed. This is where IT comes into play. IT consists of the hardware and software throughout a supply chain that gathers, analyses, and acts on information. It serves as the eyes and ears of management in a supply chain, capturing and analysing the information necessary to make a good decision. Using IT systems to capture and analyse information can have a significant impact on a firms performance. For example, a major manufacturer of computer work-stations and serves found that much of the information on customer demand was not being used to set production schedules and inventory levels. The manufacturing group lacked this demand information, which forced them to make inventory and production decisions blindly. By installing a supply chain software system, the company was able to gather and analyse data to produce recommended stocking levels. Using the IT system enabled the company to cut its inventory in half because managers could now make decisions based on information rather than educated guesses. Large impacts like this underscore the importance of IT as a driver of supply chain performance. (Chopra, S. and Meindl, P., 2001) An efficient way to improve the effectiveness of SCM is to use Information Technology (IT). IT-solutions improve the integration with other actors in the supply chain and make the business processes more effective. This is done by reorganizing the processes and automating the information-flow between the businesses involved (Wu et al., 2004). Information technology has developed in a very fast pace in the area of supply chain management. This has generated new tools and solutions to handle the information sharing between different actors in supply networks. These types of supply chain technologies are of great current interest which is indicated by a research made by AMR Research Inc. The research indicates that nearly $15 billion been spent on SCM software since 1999 in the US alone (Ruppel, 2004). The most typical role of IT in SCM is reducing the friction in transaction between supply chains partners through cost-effective information flow. Conversely, IT is more importantly viewed to have a role in supporting the collaboration and coordination of supply chains through information sharing. Present IT as one of the key cures for bullwhip effect in supply chains. IT can be used for decision support. In this instance the analytical power of computers is used to provide assistance to managerial decisions. (www.emeraldinsight.com) Supply chain management is a vital part of the search for competitive advantage, today there is a wide range of software technologies that help to provide lean and efficient supply chains. All of which enable data, which might previously have been seen half way around the world by mail, to be delivered almost instantly with little cost or effort. (Johannson, M., 2003) A fast development of information technology has given the information flow within the supply chain a more central role than before. IT is a very important component within supply chain management and the development of IT has created many new opportunities for managing the supply chain. (Paulsson, U., Nilsson, C-H., Tryggestad, K., 2000) The internet is seen as the next big supply chain opportunity as it has gained increased reliability and security over recent years. As businesses have gained experience of this technology they are now able to take full advantage of sales automation through the internet. (Johannson, M., 2003) The supply chain absorbs as much as 60 to 80 percent of a sales dollar. Therefore it is of great importance to evaluate and analyze how the supply chain activities can be done more efficiently. This thesis focuses towards these types of activities, when a real-time IT-Logistics solution is implemented within the supply chain. This is done by many companies and the supply chain is becoming more and more essential to the firms competitive strategy. (Ballou, R. H., 2004) Information Technology (IT) is playing an increasingly critical role in the success or failure of the supply chain. IT ranks highly as the essential ingredient and backbone for the success of supply chain integration.(Barut, M., Faisst, W., and Kanet, J.J., 2002). IT has become one of the keys to operating success. It is impossible to achieve an effective supply chain without IT. Since suppliers are located all over the world, it is essential to integrate the activities both inside and outside of an organization. This requires an integrated information system (IS) for sharing information on various value-adding activities along the supply chain. (Gunasekaran, A. and Ngai, E.W.T., 2004) As customer demand steadily increases the importance of the application of information technology became clear, However success is not guaranteed by the technology itself, but by its application. (Eloranta, E Holmstrom, J., 2001) Over time, there have been numerous initiatives that have attempted to create efficiency and effectiveness through integration of supply chain activities and process. They have been identified by names such as quick response, electronic data interchange ( EDI), short cycle manufacturing, vendor-manage inventory (VMI), continuous-replenishment planning ( CRP), and efficient consumer response (ECR). (Coyle, J.J, Bardi, E.J., Langley, C.J., 2003) Electronic Data interchange ( EDI) allows companies to place instantaneous, paperless purchase orders with suppliers. EDI is not only efficient, but it also decreases the time needed to get products to customers as transaction can occur more quickly and accurately than when they are paper based. (Chopra, S. and Meindl, P., 2001) Prior to installing EDI many retail outlets would place orders for goods during stock out situations. For manufacturers this meant unpredictable peaks and falls in the order process, therefore making it difficult to establish a manufacturing cycle for their products. Retailers would stock up at the beginning of the season and face increasing stockholding costs plus the risk of having to mark down products at the end of the season to make way for new products. (Stafford, J., 1997) Continuous Replenishment Program (CRP) is an efficient replenishment concept within the Efficient Consumer Response (ECR) arena. It focuses on improving the flow of products in the supply chain, both forward to the customer and eventually the end customer, and backward to the supplier.(Ahlerup, T., 2001) Vendor manage inventory process can be defined as A mechanism where the supplier creates the purchase orders based on the demand information exchanged by the retailer/ customer To say this is a simple terms, VMI is a backward replenishment model where the supplier does the demand creation and demand fulfilment. In this model, instead of the customer managing his inventory and deciding how much to fulfil and when, the supplier does. The Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) concept is one type of joint chain scheduling which takes care of the customers demand. This leads to increased flexibility for the supplier and efficient replenishment for the customer. (Vollmann, T. E., et al 2005) In order to make this work, it is necessary to have compatible systems that can support several standards of information flows from different actors. According to Vollmann this can be done through an open IT-architecture with a common platform for all actors within the network. VMI also helps by conveying customer demand data to the manufacturer, who can then plan production accordingly. This helps improve manufacturer forecasts and better match manufacturer production with customer demand. (Chopra, S. and Meindl, P., 2001) Vendor managed inventory (VMI) is a technique that allows suppliers to be empowered by managing inventories of agreed-upon items. VMI is now a widely practiced initiative in the retail industry. For example, Procter and Gamble (PG) and Wal-Mart have developed well-functioned VMI systems. A Web-based VMI system, in which the suppliers monitor inventory information via the Internet and replenish the items according to a predetermined contract, will improve customer service, reduce inventory buffers, reduce administrative costs, and reduce uncertainty for the supplier. The literature review identifies that IT is expected to have a pivotal role in managing supply chains, now and in the future. In fact it seems that the use of IT is crucial, especially in fast-moving industries, and particularly for managing contemporary supply networks. Moreover, the close relationship of the concept of SCM and IT sometimes makes it hard to assess which one contributes benefits. For example implementing a VMI model with EDI information transmission can lead to substantial reduction of inventories and at the same time increase material availability. 7. Research Methodology: The research design phase starts with the election of research methodology for the proposed study. The objectives of the study, the availability of information, cost of obtaining data, and appropriateness of the topic determines the research methodology used for the study. As the research is exploratory in nature, Qualitative research will be deemed more appropriate by choosing a case study, exploration of question of what the benefits of IT in SCM are. For the purpose of this investigation many different forms of primary research will be gathered by doing email and telephone interview. The goal is to understand the current state of IT implementations in SCM and what practical benefit they have recognised in SCM. Through the gathering of this primary research the information is mainly qualitative, this type of research does not involve numbers and figures or analysis of part performance but rather finding out peoples opinions and feelings, this type research also becomes increasingly important as a way of trying to predict further into the future. ( Dooley, D. Dransfield, et.al.1999) I will also use secondary data from the previous researcher, surveys and some contemporary issues. Secondary information will be used as a starting point for the further primary research, therefore it will be used in a majority of the research, this is due to the limitation of primary research and there is also a great deal of valuable information available through secondary research that the researcher fell need to be included, as it provides a good foundation for which to compare primary information and will therefore ensure validity. 8. Data Collection Methods: The data collection or gathering process is the stage in which the researcher collects data about the proposed topic. In this study, primary and secondary data collection method will be used to identify the nature of the problem. The articles from the business journals, the business books and other publicized material will be investigated to present the ideas of different academics on the issue of managing strategic change. Their findings on the issue will be included and research process and the comparison of opposite ideas will be based on the ideas of these academics. Athens Online Journals, University Libraries, Barnet Libraries, City Business Library , and British Library will be used to collect the required articles and books for the investigation. 9. Data Analysis: This is the stage where the researcher accomplishes several procedures to transform the data into useful information which helps answering the management problem and phenomenon. The proposed data analysis approach is qualitative data analysis method for this research. Data obtained through email surveys and telephone interview, various text books, journals and articles will be critically analysed by using a structured and systematic approach. The first aim here is to approach to the concept systematically and rigorously by doing so. The second aim is to establish a relationship between different ideas and structure them to reach to a conclusion. 10. Resource Requirements: The library facilities will be helpful to find sources such as published copies, course books, journals and samples. Internet is the most powerful source to gather information about companies, published copies, journals, samples, literature and secondary data. The other researches about the same subjects will be obtained through Internet websites and library.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)