Marketing and Marketing Strategy Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Marketing and Marketing Strategy - Coursework Example The first product that I choose was an automobile. This was a high involvement purchase. This is because the product was expensive and would have a significant impact on my life. Moreover, this was a product that I had to spend a considerable amount of time and also effort searching for. This was also so because there were significant differences between the brands that were available at the time in terms of their performance and quality ("Indmedica - CyberLectures - High Involvement Purchase Decisions", n.d., p. 2). However, the second product that I chose, newspaper, was a low involvement purchase since the product was that which is habitually purchased and therefore the decision of choosing it required very little effort. It was also a low involvement purchase because the newspaper had insignificant effect on my lifestyle and was not that an important investment. 1st Product: Automobile The following are the 5 buying decision process that I followed in buying this product. a) Prob lem recognition This is the stage I realized that I actually needed a car. I would want to conveniently travel to my job place every morning but could not do so as I did not have a convenient means of transport. b) Information search This is where I started looking for what could solve my transport problem. I looked for information on the convenient means that I could use to travel to my workplace and concluded on buying a car. c) Evaluation of alternatives Here, I took into consideration all the car models that were available and which one of them would best fit my needs. I also considered the alternatives that were available for me including their prices and the shops selling them. d) Purchase decision After all the considerations and consultations, I decided to buy a model of my choice. This is where I also walked to the shop that I had chosen and actually paid for the car. e) Post-Purchase evaluation This I did after the purchase. I evaluated the car that I had bought; its impor tance and how convenient having it would be. I also confirmed that I had made the right choice. 2nd Product: Newspaper I only followed two processes for my second low involvement purchase. a) Problem recognition This is where I discovered my need for the newspaper and decided to buy one. b) Purchase evaluation Here, I went straight to the nearest and easily accessible shop and bought the newspaper that I wanted. Question 2 My first purchase was a high involvement purchase and this meant that I had to follow all the processes of consumer purchase. I had to make sure that I had put into consideration all the facts and information concerning the product that would make me chooses the right one. Unlike the first one, the automobile was very expensive and therefore there was no room for mistake in my purchase. This required me to carefully evaluate all the then available alternatives and make a solid decision based on facts considerations. In buying this high involvement product, automob ile, I had to first look for information after identifying my problem. I also had to evaluate all the possible alternatives before making my final purchase. Contrary to this, for the second low involvement purchase, newspaper, I did not have to do a lot. This was a product that I usually bought so I knew what I needed. The only thing that I wanted was a shop that was nearby and a place where I could easily; conveniently and quickly buy the newspaper. For these reasons, unlike

Measles, Mumps And Rubella

Measles, Mumps And Rubella Measles, mumps and rubella are three of the most highly and commonly acquired infectious diseases in children; however, they can affect people of all ages. These viruses occur throughout the world and are highly communicable airborne pathogens which can spread by close contact with an infected person. Although still a problem in many developing countries, thanks to immunization programs around the world these viruses are much less common now. Efficient and early vaccination against measles, mumps, and rubella are highly successful at preventing the diseases and most children who receive their shots are being not only protected during childhood, but generally have a life long immunity. The measles virus (MV), a member of the Morbillivirus genus in the Paramyxovirus family, is a 100-300 nm enveloped virus that contains a single-strand, negative-sense RNA genome in a helical nucleocapsid which encodes for six structural proteins and two others which are involved in viral entry. The F (fusion) and the H (hemagglutinin) proteins are important in pathogenesis since together they facilitate receptor biding, fusion of the viral membrane, and cellular entry of into the epithelial cells in the upper respiratory tract of the host [*,*]. Measles is highly infectious and once infected an individual can experience clinical features such as fever, maculopapular rash, cough, coryza (runny nose), conjunctivitis, and the pathognomonic Koplik spots ( punctuate blue-white spots which appear in the buccal and lower labial mucosa) which generally occur 1-2 days before the rash[ ]. In some cases complications such as diarrhea, otitis media, pneumonia, encephalitis, blindness, and second ary infections by common bacteria and viruses may arise. In some extreme cases subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), a rare degenerative disease of the brain which generally emerges six to eight years after a primary measles virus infection, may also onset. Measles is typically an infection of childhood and protective immunity is life-long, such that a second case of measles in a child or adult would be highly unusual. Before the widespread vaccination efforts against measles in the 1960s the virus had a case-fatality ratio of about 5% in children, which was higher for children and infants in developing countries, where even today a fatality rate of up to 20% can occur. A highly effective live- attenuated vaccine for measles has contributed to the low incidence levels compare to the pre-vaccine era and even some regions of the world have documented its complete eradication. Measles is commonly diagnosed based on its distinctive symptoms, hence why laboratory diagnosis is rarely use. However, given the success of the vaccination campaigns, physicians in low measles prevalence areas may become less familiar with the disease and accurate diagnoses may become challenging in the future. Mumps Virus, like measles, also belongs to the family Paramyxoviridae, but its genus is Rubulavirus. Akin to measles, mumps is a 150-200 nm enveloped spherical virus with surface spikes projecting from the envelope. Inside the envelope, a large helically arranged nucleocapsid encloses negatively stranded RNA whose genome contains about 16,000 nucleotides. Clinical Symptoms of mumps include mild fever, anorexia, malaise, headaches and acute onset of unilateral or bilateral parotitis. Parotitis tends to take place within the first couple of days of the infection and may first be expressed through earache and tenderness of the swollen parotid or salivary gland. Mumps is highly contagious, and 90% of those that are susceptible and are exposed to the infection will themselves become infected. However, 30-40% of those with the infection are actually asymptomatic (Rubin and Farber, 1994). Complications can include meningoencephalitis, orchitis in males or oophoritis in females, as well as p ancreatitis. The live-attenuated mumps vaccine is often given along with measles and rubella in the MMR vaccine. The diagnosis of mumps is usually done based on the expression of the clinical features, in particular the presence of parotitis. There are unique challenges for the laboratory diagnosis of mumps in previously immunized individuals whose immunity may have diminished either in the absence of a second booster dose of vaccine or in areas where mumps disease, and thus exposure, is minimal. However, It has been concluded that the most rapid and sensitive diagnosis of mumps can be acquire by ELISA (Enzyme- linked Immunisorbent Assay) method. Rubella virus, commonly known as German measles, belongs to the family Togavirida, genus Rubivirus. Rubella virions, although enveloped like measles and mumps, are much smaller, approximately 60-70 nm in diameter and contain approximately 10,000 nucleotides in a single-stranded, non-segmented, positive-sense RNA genome inside a semi-spherical nucleocapsid. Rubella is usually a mild disease and is characterized by a low fever and a generalized maculopapular rash. Other symptoms may include lympadenopathy, conjunctivitis, and sore throat. Symptoms of acquired rubella are often mild and in up to 50% of cases asymptomatic. Complications are not common in rubella patients, but generally occur more often in adults than in children. Arthralgia and arthritis are common complications among 70% of infected adult women. Other complications such as encephalitis and hemorrhagic manifestations can also be experience, but these are generally rare. Although a relatively mild disease rubella can be q uiet serious if acquire by pregnant women. Pathogenesis Measles, mumps, and rubella are highly contagious viral illnesses that can be transmitted by aerosol generated when an infected person expels saliva through coughing or sneezing, or by direct contact with respiratory secretions. Following infection of a vulnerable host, all three pathogens begin replication in the respiratory tract where they initially target the respiratory ephatelium of the nasopharynx and continue onto the regional lymph nodes. This localized replication phase is followed by a viremia in which the viruses spread onto multiple other organs. In the case of measles, a primary viremia where the virus moves onto other lymphoid tissue takes place 2-3 days after infection. Around days 5-7, the virus spreads to multiple other organs such as the kidney, liver, and skin through a secondary viremia. In mumps, after 12 to 25 days of exposure a viremia arises which lasts from 3 to 5 days. This viremia allows the virus to spread to multiple tissues which include the meninges, a nd glands such as the salivary, pancreas, testes, and ovaries. Inflammation of the infected tissues causes the hallmark symptoms of the disease, parotitis and aseptic meningitis. Akin to the mumps and measles, rubella after 5-7 days of replication in the nasopharynx area follows a viremia which spreads to the lymphatic system and establishes a systematic infection. Clinical signs and symptoms for measles, mumps, and rubella occur after an incubation period of about 10-12, 14-18, and 12-23 days respectively. For measles, a prodromal period of 2-4 days marks the beginning of the clinical stage of the infection. Here, thin epithelial cells of the respiratory tract and the conjunctive began to be broken down by the virus leading to an inflammatory reaction, also a characteristic symptom of the disease. Thicker mucosal surfaces of the buccal cavity are then affected given rise to the Kopliks spots. The appearance of the spots marks the start to a delayed-type hypersensitive reaction (DTH) which gives rise to the rash. The primary antiviral immune responses to MV coincides with the appearance of the rash, and is here when the presence of IgM antibodies and of CD4+Â  and CD8+Â  T cells in areas of MV-infected epithelial cells takes place. Following this, neutralizing IgG antibodies are also introduced and in conjunction all four immune responses are completely effective in controlling viral replication and concluding the infectious process. Viral antigen is absent from skin lesions and the virus is not shed from this surface, however shedding of the virus occurs from the nasopharynx from the beginning of the prodrome until 3-4 days after the rash emerges. As mentioned, measles is a typical self-limiting infection, and can be resolved by an efficient immune response; however patients with T-cells deficiencies, unable to develop a rash, commonly experience complications such as SSPE. Several months following an acute MV infection, a prolonged state of immunosuppression, which frequently predisposes patients to many secondary bacterial, viral, and parasitic infections, ensues. Mumps virus (MuV), similar to measles, causes non-specific prodromal symptoms such as mild fever and malaise during its incubation period. Upon viral entry, replication primarily takes place in the nasal mucosa and the epithelial layer of the upper respiratory track, which progressively moves on to penetrating the draining lymph nodes. From here, the viremia spreads the virus onto the parotid glands, kidney, pancreas, and central nervous system (CNS). Infection in the salivary glands produces parotitis-inflammation of the parotid glands-the most common clinical manifestation of mumps. Inflammation and swelling of the glands, visible during the first two days of infection in 30-40% of patients, is due to tissue damage and a subsequent immune response prompted by viral replication. Additionally, propagation into the kidneys can extend the infection and cause viruria. Potentially infectious virus is excreted in the urine for a period of two weeks following onset of the disease. Nonethel ess 1/3 of infections are subclinical, this being more common among adults than children. About eleven days after exposure, humoral immune response is established and the presence of neutralizing antibodies such as IgG (immunoglobulin G), IgM and IgA emerges. These antibodies help terminate the viremia and in the case of IgA it stops secretion of infectious mumps virus in the saliva. Virus shedding into the saliva begins a couple of days before the onset of clinical parotitis and ends about 8 days later. Parotid swelling culminated after 4-7 days. Although the most common expression of mumps leads to parotitis, it is important to note that the clinical course of mumps is extremely variable. Diseases such as meningitis and orchitis, commonly regarded as complications, could instead be seen as systemic manifestations of mumps. Meningitis is a common course of mumps and is characterized by inflammatory cells in the cerebrospinal fluid of the patient. This development is common in 15% of the patients and normally resolves within 3-10 days without secondary consequence. Orchitis-testicular inflammation-is the most common complication among post-pubertal male patients occurring in as many as 50% of cases. Ochitis usually follows parotitis, with an abrupt onset of testicular swelling, tenderness, nausea, and fever; pain and swelling generally only last 1 week, although tenderness may last longer. The rubella virus (RV), like mumps and measles, replicates around the epithelium of the buccal mucosa and the nasopharyngeal lymphoid tissue. Contrary to Mv and MuV, after its incubation period and the subsequent viremia, rubella symptoms abruptly appear in children with the emergence of a rash. Prodromal symptoms are only mildly observed in adults 1-5 days before the appearance of the rash. This rash may last up to three days, starting as distinct pink maculopapules on the face, moving onto the truck and following to the extremities. Patients are most infectious immediately prior to the rash and throughout its duration. Viremia ends with the onset of rubella-specific and IgM antibodies shortly after the rash phase, which is about 2-3 week after initial exposure. Chronic enlargement of lymph nodes-Lymphadenopathy-may also take place up to a week before the emergence of the rash and last up to 10-14 days after it. Cervical and occipital lymph are frequently affected. Rubella is usuall y mild in childhood and early adulthood, with up to 50% of cases being asymptomatic, however rubella presents a bigger threat when acquired during pregnancy, especially if infection is in the first few weeks of pregnancy. Congenital acquire rubella virus infections in pregnant women during the first trimester of pregnancy can result in severe congenital abnormalities in the children (Congenital rubella syndrome, CRS) including deafness, cataracts, glaucoma, cardiovascular abnormalities, and mental retardation. Other outcomes of congenital rubella can lead to premature delivery and even fetal death. In 85% of cases of pregnant women who were infected during their first trimester, the babies were prematurely harmed. It is suggested that the rubella virus enter the fetus through the mothers blood stream. Since the developing fetus is especially vulnerable to illness because its immune system is not yet strong enough to permanently fight off infection, the virus remains in the body, and can leads to CRS. Concisely, while all three infections have a similar infection patterns, only measles and rubella virus are viral infections which affect the respiratory tract, whereas mumps is a viral infection of the salivary glands that causes swelling. Also all three diseases are relatively mild and in many cases asymptomatic. Nonetheless rubella, although a milder infection of the respiratory tract than measles when developed by a pregnant woman, it may lead to birth defects in the infant which the other two dont generally cause. Therapeutic strategies Currently there is no cure or treatment for measles, mumps, and rubella, efforts are generally focused on relieving symptoms until the bodys immune system manages to fight off the infection. However preventive measures such as attenuated live vaccines have been developed for all three pathogens and are currently being administered to children and adults around the world in a trivalent form known as the Measles-mumps-rubella vaccine or MMR. Measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine is used to protect children, as well as adults from acquiring the disease. The administration of the vaccine provides with lifelong immunity to all three diseases and has a 95% efficacy. It is highly recommended that children should get 2 doses of MMR vaccine, the first being administered between 12-15 months of age and the second at ages 4-6, commonly right before the child begins kindergarten or first grade. The vaccine is also recommended for adults who have not been previously immunized against any of the thr ee viruses or are at a higher risk of exposure such as health care providers, international traveler, and university students. It is important to note that there are also contraindications to the vaccine and some people should no use it. Those who have preciously experience severe allergic reactions to one or more of the vaccine components or to a prior dose of MMR should not be vaccinated. Pregnant women should not be administered MMR or any of its components. Additionally, women attempting to become pregnant should avoid pregnancy for at least 30 days after vaccination with measles or mumps vaccines and for 3 months after administration of MMR or other rubella-containing vaccine because the risk to the fetus from the administration of these live virus vaccines cannot be excluded. Following the publication of a paper by British researcher Andrew Wakerfield in the medical journal The Lancet in 1998, huge controversy surrounded the idea of whether or not the MMR vaccine might cause autism. In his paper Wakerfield reported that MMR vaccine caused intestinal inflammation that led to translocation of nonpermeable peptides to the bloodstream and, subsequently, to the brain, where they affected development. In his report, the cases of eight children who developed autism and intestinal problems after receiving the MMR vaccine were discussed. However, to determined if these suspicions were correct, researchers preformed a series of studies in which they compared hundreds of children who had received the MMR vaccine with hundreds who had never received the vaccine. They found that the risk of autism was the same in both groups, thus agreeing that the MMR vaccine does not cause autism. Some parents wary of the safety of the MMR vaccine stopped getting their children immu nized although no data supporting an association between MMR vaccine and autism existed and a plausible biological mechanism is lacking which has cause immunization rates to dropped, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States, given way to the outbreaks of measles and mumps led to hospitalizations and deaths that could have been prevented. Rubin and Farber, 1994. Pathology. J. B. Lippincott Company. 227 East Washington Square, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Racism Essay -- essays research papers

Discrimination - Racism   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Racism, the belief that one race possesses inherent traits that make that particular race superior, or racial prejudice. Discrimination has always been an issue globally, and within our nation. While it was more commonly accepted and practiced decades ago, it is still quite prominent in the hearts of many people worldwide and is demonstrated through their behavior. It was common practice to keep slaves, or people who submit entirely to another’s will, for work, and other duties. Slaveholding was allowed in the United States until 1865, when Amendment XIII was ratified. The date June 19th, 1865 is when the last slaves were said to be freed. Human Rights are basic fundamental rights, such as freedom from unlawful imprisonment, torture, or execution, which should be granted to all peoples. Civil Rights are mainly nonpolitical rights, such as personal liberties, that are included in the amendments to the US Constitution.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Segregation is the s eparation of different races/groups in living arrangement, social situations, and educational facilities, or other areas open for discrimination. The United States made the first step towards desegregation in 1954 with the Supreme Court ruling in the case of Brown v. the Board of Education. That case overturned the previous pro-segregation decision in Plessy v. Ferguson, and stated that separate but equal educational facilities were not, in fact, equal, and o...

Stefan’s Diaries: The Craving Chapter 23

We hailed a carriage heading uptown – Lexi told me I needed to save my strength for whatever came next – and got out without bothering to pay. This was what life was like for one such as Lexi, powerful and simple in her wants and desires. She didn't need any intricate, crazy plans for amassing wealth. She could compel anyone to do anything she asked, and life was incredibly easy. It was tempting, especially the aspect that was nonviolent. No one was hurt in any of her activities, except financially. Lexi must have read my thoughts because she grinned at me and waggled her eyebrows. â€Å"You should stick with me, my friend. Life like this can be sweet, not a curse,† she offered. I shook my head, smiling. â€Å"Thanks, but as you keep saying, I have my own path.† By the time we made it to the Sutherland mansion, its windows were dark and already draped in festoons of black crepe. In the strange half-light of the early hour, dew sparkled eerily off the matte cloth. The house was cordoned off. I gently forced the lock. Neither Lexi nor I made any noise until we came into the living room, when she gave a gasp. The coroners had removed the bodies but not done any cleanup work. The vast amounts of blood from their ripped-up bodies had seeped into the carpet and stained the marble floors beneath. Dark black splatters of dried blood covered the walls, matching the crepe outside. â€Å"My god,† Lexi whispered. â€Å"He massacred them.† I fell back into a chair, overwhelmed with guilt. It hadn't been long since I had discovered the poor family here, their bodies still warm with rapidly fleeting life. Backward and backward my thoughts ran, remembering the things I had done wrong, all of which had led up to this sad climax. If I hadn't run away from the reception†¦ If hadn't gone along with my brother's plans to begin with†¦ If I hadn't saved Bridget†¦ If I hadn't fled to New York†¦ If I hadn't made Damon drink blood to complete his transformation†¦ â€Å"This is my fault,† I moaned. I put my head in my hands. The trail of blood and death that wasn't even of my own devising followed me like a curse. â€Å"No, it's Damon's,† Lexi corrected promptly. â€Å"And Klaus's.† â€Å"I should never have come here†¦. I should have stayed as far away from humans as possible.† â€Å"Hey.† Lexi walked over to me, kneeling down and looking up into my face. She put a hand on my chin, forcing me to look back at her. â€Å"You didn't do this. Klaus did – he ordered this. And you had no intention of marrying into this family. That was Damon's idea. You told me yourself – he threatened to kill that roomful of people if you didn't go along. I would have killed him at that point, but he's not my brother.† I gazed into her dark eyes. â€Å"I've done so much wrong.† She bit her lower lip. â€Å"You made mistakes in the past. Bad ones. But you know that, and were doing your best to correct them, or at least avoid them in the future. That's why I am here, Stefan. You're worth saving.† A pain that had nothing to do with thirst made my throat ache. â€Å"Lexi, please†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I can see into your heart, Stefan,† she said softly. â€Å"I don't just appear out of the blue to save any vampire. You're different. And someday, maybe, you'll know that. And part of your curse will be over.† She leaned forward and pressed her lips against my cheek. I could feel the soft flutter of her eyelashes as she closed her eyes against my face. â€Å"Come on,† she said, backing up and chucking me under the chin. â€Å"We have work to do. I'll look around down here. You go get whatever things of yours the police haven't confiscated. I think you're moving out of this town for a while.† Between one breath and the next, between a trick of the light and the deepest shadow, she had changed. Sunny, friendly Lexi now had bloodred eyes and black veins around her face. Fangs glistened in what little light there was. She was in full predator mode, hunting for the slightest sign of the vampire. Even though she was just an older version of what I was, seeing her that way still sent a chill down my body. Lurking just beneath our skin, the monster was always ready to come out. With a heavy heart I plodded up the grand, dark wood staircase. There was no need to be completely silent; the few servants who remained were in their quarters in a distant wing, far away from the death and mess. I could hear their overloud voices, their discussions of prospects and other households – all desperate attempts to fend off the darkness that their employers had slipped into so suddenly. I wondered what Margaret was doing, vowing to get word to her about Klaus and his vendetta. She was probably in her own home with her husband, mourning her sisters and parents. Which was harder? To be dead, or to live with the memory of the dead? As a vampire, I would never know the former, but always experience the latter. I soon reached my room, where a night ago Bridget had thrown herself at me. I smelled traces of the violet perfume she had doused herself with. It had infiltrated my pillow and sheets. So much more childish than Katherine's scent, the subtle, alluring, complicated mix of citrus and spice†¦. I took a valise – another gift from Winfield, planning for our honeymoon, I suppose – and threw the few things I considered mine into it. My old clothes, some spare change, my journal. I flipped to an old page where I'd written about Katherine. September 8, 1864 She is not who she seems. Should I be surprised? Terrified? Hurt? It's as if everything I know, everything I've been taught, everything I've believed in my past seventeen years is wrong. I can still feel where she kissed me, where her fingers grasped my hands. I still yearn for her, and yet the voice of reason is screaming in my ears: you cannot love a vampire! If I had one of her daisies, I could pluck the leaves and let the flower choose for me. I love her†¦ I love her not†¦ I†¦ I love her. I do. No matter the consequences. Is this what following your heart is? I wish there was a map or a compass to help me find my way. But she has my heart and that above all else is my North Star†¦ and that will have to be enough. I snapped the book shut, curling my lip at my foolishness. Downstairs was the present reality and thinking about the past did no good. I threw the book into the valise and went downstairs. But instead of finding Lexi there to greet me, there was emptiness and a horrible, familiar scent. Death and decay. A faint breeze whistled through broken wood; the back door was left wide open. I shivered despite myself. The silence, Lexi's absence, howled like a banshee. A single piece of paper, the size of a ticket, fluttered on the floor. I picked it up, feeling dread prickle my skin. All it said was: PAYMENT NUMBER TWO – LUCIUS.

Relations Between Teenagers And Adults Essay

A common phrase that adults can testify to hearing from any given teenager is, â€Å"You don’t understand!† This proves a struggle between the youth and the adults that quite possibly is never-ending. Adults make assumptions about kids, based on the way they dress, which pushes kids further and further away. In the essay, â€Å"Goths in Tomorrowland† by Thomas Hine (2001), he emphasizes the beliefs that adults began the idea of youth alienation from older societies and the teenagers keep it that way. Donna Gaine’s (2001) essay, â€Å"Teenage Wasteland,† discusses four teenagers who were mocked and misunderstood by adults and reporters alike. Jon Katz (2001) lets the kids explain themselves about their seclusion from society and the misconceptions about them in his column, â€Å"More from the Hellmouth: Kids Tell About Rage.† The fear that elders show towards young people is merely a fear of the unknown. Adults are worried about the younger ge nerations because of their misunderstandings of the youth culture, their failure to accept youth into the adult society, and the instigation provoked from young people. Misunderstanding of youth creates the gap between adults and teenagers. Many teenagers spend their whole teen experience searching for someone to just understand them. A lot of them do not even make it through this experience because they give up feeling that no one knows what they are going through. Parents also fear for their kids because they do not understand them. A boy named Evan best explains this in â€Å"More from the Hellmouth: Kids Tell About Rage.† He says, â€Å"People fear what they don’t understand, and let’s face it, the world . . . isn’t something most people can understand . . .† (Katz, 2001, p.81). I can remember going through hard times of changing schools so frequently and my parents thinking it was so easy for me. When in reality, it was the hardest thing to do. It is hard on a kid to have to make friends, move, and then start all over again. When I tried to talk to them about it, they could never see where I was coming from or my point of view on anything. There is nothing that can be done for adults to be able to fully understand the younger generation. It is just a gap that is placed there by human nature and this generation gap can never be fully understood. Regarding my experience mentioned earlier, I noticed that my parents made no effort to understand what I was feeling and how their decisions would affect  me. That is what separated me from them, the fear of the unknown. The fact that the majority of adults make no effort to accept young people into their world is no alien idea. The teenagers from â€Å"Goths in Tomorrowland† were not accepted by adults simply for the reason that the teens dressed differently from what was considered to be normal dress. â€Å"They [adults] confuse thrashers with metalheads and goths because they all wear black. Then they assume that they’re all taking drugs and worshipping Satan† (Hine, 2001, p.71). Adults do not understand that teenagers are constantly searching to define themselves as individuals. Expression through clothing is a form of that. Yet, Hine’s article is not about merely how the teenagers dressed differently to express themselves, â€Å"It is about the ali enation of teenagers from adult society, and equally about the alienation of that society from its teenagers. The mere presence of teenagers threatens us [adults]† (p. 69). Is it the idea that this young generation of gothic-dressed supposed losers will be replacing the elders when their time is up that is so scary? Or are the youth of today causing this boundary that is formed by instigating the adults with things that they know scare them? The fault of the misunderstanding between youth and elders is not all due to the close-mindedness of adults. Young people draw adults to see them as irresponsible and immature by the way they act and carry themselves. It is almost as if they are purposely trying to show the world that they are independent, young, and can do whatever they please. The body alterations that young people use to assert that they are no longer children successfully frighten grown-ups, but they also convince them these weird creatures are well short of being adults. The ring through the lip or the nipple merely seems to demonstrate that they are not ready for adult responsibility. What they provoke is not respect but restrictions. (Hine, 2 001, p. 71) By showing off their ability to create their own identity, they are causing trouble for themselves. They should be able to express themselves freely, but instead they are left with no choice but to keep in and guard their emotions. Yet, by guarding their emotions by putting on these facades, they are â€Å"actively guarding their psychic space because the adults controlled everything else† (Gaines, 2001, p.66). Another thing that sometimes can separate youth from their adults is their inability to speak up. They are afraid that if they say what is on their mind or how they  are feeling that it could be used against them. According to Donna Gaines’ â€Å"Teenage Wasteland,† â€Å"Like any other alienated youth . . ., they don’t like to talk to adults† (p. 65). By talking to adults, they are giving themselves away and â€Å"whatever you [they] say can be held against you [them]† (p. 65). Their deepest and darkest secrets should only be shared with someone who understands them. This game of misunderstanding played between adults and youth has been going on since the beginning of time. They are considered to be in two different societies and it will be like that until the end of time. Adults do not completely understand teenagers and they never will. It is just the truth of being either an adult or a teenager. No one can understand both. Adults refuse to accept youth inside of their world and youth refuse to be a part of their elder’s world. It is a vicious cycle. Adults have to learn to let teenagers live their lives; even when they feel like protecting their children. References Gaines, Donna. (2001). Teenage Wasteland. In D. George & J. Trimbur (Ed.) Reading Culture. 4th ed. (pp. 63-66). New York: Longman. Hine, Thomas. (2001). Goths in Tomorrowland. In D. George & J. Trimbur (Ed.) Reading Culture. 4th ed. (pp. 68-73). New York: Longman.. Katz, Jon. (2001). More from the Hellmouth: Kids Tell About Rage. In D. George & J. Trimbur (Ed.) Reading Culture. 4th ed. (pp 78-83). New York: Longman.

Triassic-Jurassic Mass Extinction

Triassic-Jurassic Mass Extinction Over the entire 4.6 billion year history of the Earth, there have been five major mass extinction events. These catastrophic events completely wiped out large percentages of all of the life around at the time of the mass extinction event. These mass extinction events shaped how the living things that did survive evolve and new species appear. Some scientists also believe we are currently in the middle of the sixth mass extinction event that could last for a million years or more. The Fourth Major Extinction The fourth major mass extinction event happened around 200 million years ago at the end of the Triassic Period of the Mesozoic Era to usher in the Jurassic Period. This mass extinction event was actually a combination of smaller mass extinction periods that happened over the final 18 million years or so of the Triassic Period. Over the course of this extinction event, it is estimated more than half of the known living species at the time completely died out. This allowed dinosaurs to thrive and take over some of the niches left open due to the extinction of species that had previously held those types of roles in the ecosystem. What Ended the Triassic Period? There are several different hypotheses on what caused this particular mass extinction at the end of the Triassic Period. Since the third major mass extinction actually is thought to have occurred in several small waves of extinctions, it is entirely possible that all of these hypotheses, along with others that may not be as popular or thought of as of yet, could have caused the overall mass extinction event. There is evidence for all of the causes proposed. Volcanic Activity:Â  One possible explanation for this catastrophic mass extinction event is unusually high levels of volcanic activity. It is known that large numbers of flood basalts around the Central America region occurred around the time of the Triassic-Jurassic mass extinction event. These enormous volcano eruptions are thought to have expelled huge amounts of greenhouse gases like sulfur dioxide or carbon dioxide that would quickly and devastatingly increase the global climate. Other scientists believe it would have aerosols expelled from these volcanic eruptions that would actually do the opposite of the greenhouse gases and end up cooling the climate significantly. Climate Change:Â  Other scientists believe it was more of a gradual climate change issue that spanned the majority of the 18 million year time span attributed to the end of the Triassic mass extinction. This would have led to changing sea levels and even possibly a change in the acidity within the oceans that would have affected species living there. Meteor Impact: A less likely cause of the Triassic-Jurassic mass extinction event may be attributed to asteroid or meteor impact, much like what is thought to have caused the Cretaceous-Tertiary mass extinction (also known as the K-T Mass Extinction) when the dinosaurs all went extinct. However, this is not a very likely reason for the third mass extinction event because there has been no crater found that would indicate it could create devastation of this magnitude. There was a meteor strike that dates to about this time period, but it was rather small and is not thought to have been able to cause a mass extinction event that is thought to have wiped out more than half of all living species on both land and in the oceans. However, the asteroid impact may have very well caused a local mass extinction that is now attributed to the overall major mass extinction that ended the Triassic Period and ushered in the beginning of the Jurassic Period.

The Collapse of Gupta India

The Collapse of Gupta India The Gupta Empire may have lasted only about 230 years, but it was characterized by a sophisticated culture with innovative advances in literature, arts, and sciences. Its influence continues to be felt in art, dance, mathematics, and many other fields today, not just in India but across Asia and around the world. Called Indias Golden Age by most scholars, the Gupta Empire was likely founded by a member of a lower Hindu caste called Sri Gupta. He came from the Vaishya or farmer caste and founded the new dynasty in reaction to abuses by previous princely rulers. The Gupta were ardent Vaishnavas, devotees of Vishnu and they ruled as traditional Hindu monarchs. Advances of the Golden Age of Classical India During this Golden Age, India was part of an international trade network which also included other great classical empires of the day, the Han Dynasty in China to the east and the Roman Empire to the west. The famed Chinese pilgrim to India, Fa Hsien (Faxien) noted that Gupta law was exceptionally generous; crimes were punished only with fines. The rulers sponsored advances in science, painting, textiles, architecture, and literature. Gupta artists created marvelous sculptures and paintings, perhaps including the Ajanta caves. The surviving architecture includes palaces and purpose-built temples for both Hindu and Buddhist religions, such as the Parvati Temple at Nachana Kuthara and the Dashavatara Temple at Deogarh in Madhya Pradesh. New forms of music and dance, some of which are still performed today, flourished under Gupta patronage. The emperors also founded free hospitals for their citizens, as well as monasteries and universities. The classical Sanskrit language reached its apogee during this period as well, with poets such as Kalidasa and Dandi. The ancient texts of the Mahabharata and Ramayana were converted into sacred texts and the Vau and Matsya Puranas were composed. Scientific and mathematical advances include the invention of the number zero, Aryabhatas astonishingly accurate calculation of pi as 3.1416, and his equally amazing calculation that the solar year is 365.358 days long. Establishing the Gupta Dynasty In about 320 CE, the chief of a small kingdom called Magadha in southeastern India set out to conquer the neighboring kingdoms of Prayaga and Saketa. He used a combination of military might and marriage alliances to expand his kingdom into an empire. His name was Chandragupta I and through his conquests he formed the Gupta Empire. Many scholars believe that Chandraguptas family was from the Vaishya caste, which was the third tier out of four in the traditional Hindu caste system. If so, this was a major departure from Hindu tradition, in which the Brahmin priestly caste and the Kshatriya warrior/princely class generally held religious and secular power over the lower castes. In any case, Chandragupta rose from relative obscurity to reunite much of the Indian subcontinent, which had fragmented five centuries earlier after the fall of the Mauryan Empire in 185 BCE. Rulers of the Gupta Dynasty Chandraguptas son, Samudragupta (ruled 335–380 CE), was a brilliant warrior and statesman, sometimes called the Napoleon of India. Samudragupta, however, never faced a Waterloo, and was able to pass on a greatly expanded Gupta Empire to his sons. He extended the empire to the Deccan Plateau in the south, Punjab in the north, and Assam in the east. Samudragupta also was a talented poet and musician. His successor was Ramagupta, an ineffectual ruler, who was soon deposed and assassinated by his brother, Chandragupta II. Chandragupta II (r. 380–415 CE) expanded the empire still further, to its greatest extent. He conquered much of Gujarat in western India. Like his grandfather, Chandragupta II also used marriage alliances to expand the empire, marrying into control of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, and adding the rich provinces of Punjab, Malwa, Rajputana, Saurashtra, and Gujarat. The city of Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh became a second capital for the Gupta Empire, which was based at Pataliputra in the north. Kumaragupta I succeeded his father in 415 and ruled for 40 years. His son, Skandagupta (r. 455–467 CE), is considered the last of the great Gupta rulers. During his reign, the Gupta Empire first faced incursions by the Huns, who would eventually bring down the empire. After him, lesser emperors, including Narasimha Gupta, Kumaragupta II, Buddhagupta, and Vishnugupta, ruled over the decline of the Gupta Empire. Although the late Gupta ruler Narasimhagupta managed to drive the Huns out of northern India in 528 CE, the effort and expense doomed the dynasty. The last recognized emperor of the Gupta Empire was Vishnugupta, who ruled from about 540 until the empire collapsed around 550 CE. Decline and Fall of the Gupta Empire As with the collapses of other classical political systems, the Gupta Empire crumbled under both internal and external pressures. Internally, the Gupta Dynasty grew weak from a number of succession disputes. As the emperors lost power, regional lords gained increasing autonomy. In a sprawling empire with weak leadership, it was easy for rebellions in Gujarat or Bengal to break out, and difficult for the Gupta emperors to put such uprisings down. By 500 CE, many regional princes were declaring their independence and refusing to pay taxes to the central Gupta state. These included the Maukhari Dynasty, who ruled over Uttar Pradesh and Magadha. By the later Gupta era, the government was having trouble collecting enough taxes to fund both its hugely complex bureaucracy and constant wars against foreign invaders like the Pushyamitras and the Huns. In part, this was due to the common peoples dislike of the meddlesome and unwieldy bureaucracy. Even those who felt a personal loyalty to the Gupta Emperor generally disliked his government and were happy to avoid paying for it if they could. Another factor, of course, was the near-constant rebellions among different provinces of the empire. Invasions In addition to internal disputes, the Gupta Empire faced constant threats of invasion from the north. The cost of fighting off these invasions drained the Gupta treasury, and the government had difficulty refilling the coffers. Among the most troublesome of the invaders were the White Huns (or Hunas), who conquered much of the northwestern section of Gupta territory by 500 CE. The Huns initial raids into India were led by a man who is called Toramana or Toraraya in Gupta records; these documents show that his troops began to pick off feudatory states from the Gupta domains around the year 500. In 510 CE, Toramana swooped down into central India and inflicted a decisive defeat at Eran on the Ganges river. The End of the Dynasty The records indicate that Toramanas reputation was strong enough that some princes voluntarily submitted to his rule. However, the records do not specify why the princes submitted: whether it was because he had a reputation as a great military strategist, was a blood-thirsty tyrant, was a better ruler than the Gupta alternatives, or something else. Eventually, this branch of the Huns adopted Hinduism and was assimilated into Indian society. Although none of the invading groups managed to completely overrun the Gupta Empire, the financial hardship of the battles helped hasten the end of the dynasty. Almost unbelievably, the Huns, or their direct ancestors the Xiongnu, had the same effect on two of the other great classical civilizations in earlier centuries: Han China, which collapsed in 221 CE and the Roman Empire, which fell in 476 CE. Sources Agrawal, Ashvini. Rise and Fall of the Imperial Guptas. Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, 1989. Chaurasia, Radhey Sham. History of Ancient India. Atlantic Publishers, 2002.Dwivedi, Gautam N. The Western Limits of the Gupta Empire. Proceedings of the Indian History Congress 34, 1973, pp. 76-79.Goyal, Shankar. Historiography of the Imperial Guptas: Old and New. Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute 77.1/4, 1996, pp. 1–33.Mookerji, Radhakumud. The Gupta Empire. Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, 1989.Prakash, Budha. Last Days of the Gupta Empire. Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute 27.1/2, 1946, pp. 124-41. Vajpeyi, Raghavendra. A Critique of the Huna Invasion Theory. Proceedings of the Indian History Congress 39, 1978, pp. 62-66.

ACT Scoring Error Did You Get Someone Elses Scores by Mistake

ACT Scoring Error Did You Get Someone Else's Scores by Mistake SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Did you take the ACT and get a lower score than you expected? Do you think there may have been a scoring error? Maybe you filled in a section incorrectly or your exam wasn’t graded properly? Scoring errors on the ACT are rare, but they are possible, and there are ways to identify and correct these errors. This guide will go over the steps you need to take in order to verify your scores, as well as what you should do to improve your score on future ACTs if there was no grading error. Did ACT, Inc. Make a Mistake? It’s very rare for ACT, Inc. to make a mistake when grading exams or reporting scores, but it does happen. Each year, hundreds of students who took the ACT request score verification, and some errors are found and corrected. ACT, Inc. does make mistakes, but it is important to know that these mistakes are very uncommon. The vast majority of students who take the ACT have their exam graded and reported properly. Before you begin the process of verifying your scores, you should be aware that the most likely scenario is that you simply didn’t do as well on the ACT as you expected you would. This can be disappointing to hear, and while you may wish this were a world where one day you come home to find a letter telling you that your ACT score is actually 5 points higher than originally reported, at some point you do have to overcome denial and focus on improving your scores for future exams. Potential Causes of Scoring Errors There are multiple reasons why a test may have been scored incorrectly. Below are some of the most common causes of scoring errors. Errors Caused by ACT, Inc. Sending a test taker the wrong score report. Incorrectly printing a question or section time on a test booklet. Problems with scanning answer sheets or essays. Errors Caused by the Test Taker Filling answers in for the wrong section. Filling in the wrong test identifying code. Writing the essay with pen instead of pencil Incorrectly filling in answer bubbles (not filling the bubble in all the way, not shading dark enough, etc.) How to Determine If There Is a Scoring Error If you're concerned that your ACT scores are wrong, you have two options: ordering a Test Information Release and requesting hand scoring. I'll go over what each of these involves in the order that I would recommend you approach them. Order a Test Information Release If after looking over your ACT score report you feel that you scored very differently from what you were expecting and don’t understand why, you can order a Test Information Release (TIR). A TIR provides you with a copy of all of the multiple choice questions from your ACT, a list of your answers, the answer key, and scoring instructions. This information allows you to see exactly which questions you answered incorrectly. If you took the ACT with Writing, you will also receive the writing prompt and essay scoring rubric. Even if you don't suspect a scoring error, TIRs can be useful as study material for future ACTs to help you learn what mistakes you made and what areas you need to improve in. ACT, Inc. offers the option to order a TIR when you register for the ACT, and you may have already ordered one. If not, you can order a TIR up to three months after you take the ACT. Note that TIRs are only available for ACTs taken on national test dates in April, June, and December, and they cost $20 to order. You can order one by filling out the form on ACT website and mailing it in. Once you receive your TIR, look over every question carefully. Are the answers the report says you marked the same ones you remember choosing? Now that you have the answer key, do you understand why those are the correct answers? It may simply be that you thought you were solving questions correctly but actually weren’t. If this is the case, skip down to the â€Å"What to do if there wasn’t a scoring error† section, and learn ways to raise your score for future ACTs. If something still seems strange, and your answer list doesn’t match with what you remember answering on the day of the test, you may want to order score verification (hand scoring). Score Verification Score verification, or hand-scoring, is a way to confirm your ACT scores if you feel your exam was graded improperly or if you think you may have marked your answer sheet incorrectly (such as filling in answers in the wrong section). You can request the ACT score verification service if, after ordering a TIR, you still believe your exam was graded incorrectly. In most cases you'll want to order a TIR before hand scoring because the TIR is cheaper and can give you a lot of useful information that, in most cases, convinces you that your test was graded properly. However, you can also order hand scoring without ordering a TIR first if you think there is an issue that will be solved by hand scoring. Reasons to request score verification before a TIR: You think you wrote your essay with pen instead of pencil. Your essay isn’t visible on your free score report. You think you bubbled your answers in on the wrong section. You think you used the wrong test identifying code. To request hand scoring, you need to fill out this request form and mail it to the ACT up to 12 months after taking the exam. You'll need to write in your name (the official one you used for the test), address, and date of birth along with the ACT ID, testing location, and test date from your original score report. Also include a check payable to ACT Student Services with the applicable fee. Score verification costs $50 for the multiple choice questions, $40 for the essay, or $90 to have both verified. Mail all of these materials along with your request for Score Verification to: ACT Student Services P.O. Box 414 Iowa City, IA 52243-0414 ACT Inc. will inform you by mail of the results of your score verification within three to five weeks. The letter will tell you if your original scores were confirmed to be correct or not. If an error was found, your scores will be changed and your corrected reports will be sent to all your previous score recipients (such as colleges you sent your scores to) at no cost. Your score verification fee will also be refunded. It’s also possible for you to be in the room during the verification process, although you won’t have access to the test questions. However, this option is not really necessary unless you are particularly worried about your test being scored incorrectly again. If you are interested in this, state it in the letter you mail along with the rest of the information to the address above. The ACT doesn’t provide a lot of details about this service, but they do state that extra fees apply. You may want to call ACT Customer Service at 319-337-1270 to learn more before requesting this option. Unlike SAT hand score verification, if you order hand scoring for the ACT, your score will never go down if an error is found that isn’t in your favor. Your score can only go up or stay the same if you request ACT hand scoring. Special note: In the past, if you ordered hand scoring for your ACT essay, your essay was be reread and rescored. Now, however, getting your essay hand-scored just means ACT, Inc. will confirm your essay was scored following ACT guidelines (two independent graders, with a third grader stepping in if the two scores differed by more than one point in any domain. Learn more about how the ACT essay is scored here. After going through the above steps, you will know whether or not the ACT made an error while grading or sending your scores. What if there was no mistake, and that really is the score you got? Read on to find out what to do. What to Do If There Wasn't a Scoring Error Don’t feel like it is the end of the world if your ACT score is lower than you thought it would be. Your standardized test scores are only one component of your application, and you may have time to retake the ACT and aim for a higher score. ACT Inc. offers a service that allows you to choose which ACT scores you send to schools. This means that, as long as the schools you’re applying to don’t require you to send all your ACT scores (and we have a complete list of the schools that require all ACT scores sent), then one low ACT score will not affect your application if you retake the ACT and receive a higher score. It's also normal for your ACT scores to fluctuate from one test to another. Drops in score of up to three composite points are normal and can occur just due to chance. This is especially true if you had a high score (30+) on previous ACT sections. Check out our guide to learn more about changes in ACT scores, what’s normal drop in score, and what isn’t. Your scores may go down, but you won't be trapped in this creepy basement. How to Improve Your Scores Read on to learn specific strategies to help improve your scores on future ACTs. Identify Your Weak Areas Take some time to look over your TIR, if you ordered one. It has a lot of useful information and lets you see exactly which questions you answered incorrectly. Make note of the areas you answered the most questions incorrectly in and focus on them for your future studying. How can you improve a low section score? Check out these section-by-section guides: English The Top 9 ACT English Strategies You Should Use TheBest Methods and Strategies for ACT English Prep Math The 31 ACT Math Formulas You Need to Know More guides on everything from polygons to statistics Reading The Best Way to Practice ACT Reading How to Stop Running Out of Time on ACT Reading Science The Complete Guide to ACT Science 9 Reasons You're Missing ACT Science Questions Practice Don’t be unprepared for your next try at the ACT! Even though you’ve already taken the test before, you still need to study and practice for the next time. One of the best ways to do this is to take complete, strictly timed practice tests. Doing so will help you track your progress over time and help you identify where you are improving and where you still need to practice. Taking complete practice ACTs will also give you a more accurate estimate of what your score will be on a real ACT than simply taking one section at a time would. Review your results for these practice tests carefully so you learn what mistakes you made and how to avoid making them again in the future. You have to practice for the ACT, just like you would for a piano recital. (Colton Witt/Flickr) Consider Hiring a Tutor or Taking a Prep Course Sometimes, having a study plan developed by someone else is the best way to effectively target your weak areas and raise your score. There are a lot of great tutors and prep courses. Read our guide on finding the best tutor for you. Be Prepared on Test Day Simple logistics can be enough to have a significant impact on your test scores. On test day, make sure you are confident and prepared so you don’t let any outside circumstances affect your scores. Get enough sleep the night before the exam, bring a snack with you on test day, and know how to get to your test center. Having these things set will help you focus all your concentration on the test. Also, make sure you give yourself enough time before retaking the ACT. I recommend between two and four months so that you have enough time to practice and improve. Summary It’s very rare for ACT, Inc. to send incorrect ACT scores, but it does happen. If you are surprised by how low your ACT scores are, there is a process you can go through to get your scores verified, but be aware the chances of your scores changing is very small. To verify your scores should first order a Test Information Release so you can see exactly which questions you answered correctly and which you answered incorrectly. Comparing your responses to the answer key may be enough to clear up the problem and let you see what you did wrong. However, if you still believe there was an error, you can request hand scoring to have your scores verified. There is a fee for both of these services, and they must be requested within three months of taking the ACT. If there was no scoring error, there are multiple ways you can work to improve your score, including analyzing your score reports, taking practice tests, and using a tutor or prep program. You can find more information about ACT score verification here. What's Next? Are you interested in a test prep program? PrepScholar has the industry's leading ACT and SAT prep program. Built by Harvard grads and full scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible. Try a 5-day risk-free trial for the ACT or SAT today! Interested in getting a top score on the ACT? Read our guide on how to get a perfect ACT score, by a 36 full scorer. Disappointed with your ACT scores? Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically. Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article! Tweet Christine Sarikas About the Author Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries. Get Free Guides to Boost Your SAT/ACT Get FREE EXCLUSIVE insider tips on how to ACE THE SAT/ACT. 100% Privacy. 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Bodily Effects of Hazardous Materials Research Paper

Bodily Effects of Hazardous Materials - Research Paper Example Some technologically advanced landfills also leak from time to time. The tanks used to store petroleum or chemicals can easily leak and catch fire. Tanks in the underground can weaken and leak their hazardous materials. There are many risks when transporting hazardous materials, for example, when trucks overturn or train crash. People can also dump hazardous materials in sewer systems, warehouses that are abandoned or remote areas, ditches to escape the costs of safe dumping. There are three routes of entry that hazardous materials enter into the body: ingestion, absorption, and inhalation (SYKLI, 2012). Health risks commonly linked with hazardous materials are grouped as acute and chronic. It is a must for one to get medical attention when one is exposed to harmful materials. Most of these exposures have treatment if one takes immediate action. Acute/ immediate effects result from a short-time exposure to hazardous substances. Some of the immediate warning signs include headaches, nausea, dizziness, skin, eye or respiratory damage or irritation, unconsciousness and even death. The most noticeable and common warning signs are skin, eye, and respiratory irritation. Occurrences of deaths are very rare, and the majority of these exposures can be treated if immediate attention is taken. Chronic/delayed effects occur after a long time exposure to hazardous materials. The exposure can also be very small over a lengthened period. The effects mainly target the liver and kidneys as all chemicals that get into the body pass through these organs. A perfect example of an unending health effect is called lung cancer from radon inhalation or cigarette smoke. There are some products that can cause large health risks, though used as directed. For instance, there are products taken off the market or banned due to their health or environmental risks, for example, those containing PCTs, PCBs, asbestos fibers, mercury, lead and arsenic

Process-Centered Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Process-Centered Management - Essay Example This kind of management is one where all activities leading towards the achievement of organizational goals, are process driven with a deep-rooted influence on the channelization of material and information along the way. This has been regarded as an emerging trend where work in progress is concerned owing to the fact that it provides observations of a revolution that's only just begun. The natural leaders are among the first to have taken to and moving already from a procedure-based culture towards a process-based culture; from micro to macro; from a microscopic view to a telescopic view. Procedure-based task analysis has now been very systematically replaced by process-related performance technology where it is now believed that the kinds of work that people do, the jobs they hold, the skills they need, the careers they follow, the roles managers play, the principles of strategy that enterprises follow will shift towards handling processes that they are most suited to. The shift ha s been carried forth from the revolution of ideas, in which the keyword is radical, to the organized reworking of a society in need, in which the keyword is processed. Apart from banking, process centered management has been extremely effective in the IT industry as well. It is in this context that the as an invisible economic asset, there are important opportunities that are inherent in the concept of process-centered management. This has been triggered by the paradigm shift discussed above, where the time spent in inventory cycle is more important than the size of inventory held. We will now regard the company we are studying in order to reach more understanding of core processes as well as the marcoms outcome and other projections. Marcoms may be defined as the tryst between communication and marketing, a proportionate combination of which is required to give sales that vital push.

Case analysis of National Logistics Management Essay

Case analysis of National Logistics Management - Essay Example The company was founded in 1991 by Taylor, right from the start the company implemented an innovative approach- premium shipments were put by bid to the definite group of carriers. The former had to respond quickly in order to receive the order. Once several responses had been obtained the contract was awarded to the best bidder (the winner was determined by the number of factors: the price, the quality of the services provided and etc). NLM tracked the status of the order until the goods had been delivered, keeping all parties informed. Despite the obvious fact that this system was more convenient and more efficient, some carriers as well as plant managers were dissatisfied with it, but NLM took several steps to remedy the situation. The company has maintained its approach since 1991.The innovative strategy implemented by company has several important advantages: it saves time and money by allowing all parties involved in the process to communicate instantaneously without making sev eral phone calls and by expediting the process of premium freight. By now the company has managed more than 1.3 million of shipments, it has extensive network in North America and has build steadfast group of carriers. Environmental analysis. In today's world of ecommerce and internet, when goods and services can be purchased instantaneously online, only those companies that implement new technologies will be able to survive; thus the logistics companies have had to use internet to inform their clients about quotes, facilitate the shipments of the goods and track other information. Moreover, transport companies combined their resources with manufacturers and internet companies to expedite the delivery of their goods and improve the efficiency of the shipment. One of the most famous examples is the alliance of Ryder System Inc with Toyota, which was formed in order to increase the quality of transportation management. This process was also evident in airline industry where airlines use web-based systems in order to expedite business transactions. The implementation of high technologies into logistics industry has improved the quality of its business enormously. The notable reduction of the costs of logistics companies from 20% of GDP in 1960 to 10.5% of GDP in 1996 is one of the few results of this process.By 1999, internet based logistics companies had become ones of the most important players in the industry, and the shares of non-asset based carriers traded higher than the shares of asset based ones. Such companies as Celarix introduced new services such as g lobal tracking and landed cost assessment. Transplce, another player in the industry, increased the freight density across the carrier base of the company. Several other companies implemented new strategies as well. From the examples mentioned one can see that internet technologies have been playing one of the

Toy store investigation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Toy store investigation - Essay Example There was another aisle called â€Å"Little Mommy†, which consisted primarily of baby dolls, stroller, baby bottles and fake diapers. The final aisle was called â€Å"Princess and Meâ€Å". This was my favorite aisle, because it was so fascinating and eye catching. It was filled with princess crowns that are covered in fake jewels. It also had adorable shoes with heels, as well as fairy tale wings, tutus and ballerina shoes. There were many things I found very disturbing about this section. The first thing was the way they portrayed a woman’s role to these young girls, particularly at this age because their brains are like sponges. I feel this is just teaching them when they grow up they have to cook, clean and take care of their children while looking fabulous. I was also shocked by the career choices that are given to young girls as well. Motherhood was the number one role that was illustrated in this section. They also expect the girl to be friendlier and less viol ent because of the language used on the packages. They frequently uses words like ‘pretty‘, ‘lovely‘, ‘friends‘, and ‘together‘. These words are displayed in a round smooth lettering. The boys’ section was directly across from the girls’ section, decorated all in blue. This section was also categorized by different themes.

Organizations and Management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Organizations and Management - Case Study Example Some employees avoid interacting with members of other cultures/ethnicities and/or view them as "undesirable" staff. This case vividly portrays that interpersonal communication employed by the CEO is ineffective and inefficient caused by different values and traditions of people, and poor interaction between all employees. For instance, the CEO and Western employees have different perception and understanding of the "family" concept of organizational culture but the CEO is unable to recognize these difficulties and problems experienced by the subordinates. The "western" are perceived as impolite and disruptive because of different communication n corms and traditions which have not been communicated and explained to Westerns people by the CEO (Wood, 2003). 2. The case study vividly portrays the important role of CEO and his vision in organizational culture. Communication should be seen as a process by which knowledge that resides in one or more people comes to be represented in one or more others. Certainly the transfer of knowledge is not the only thing that happens in communication, and for certain purposes it may not be the most useful way of thinking about the process. Below we refer briefly to some other dimensions of communication that may be important for cooperative work. Underlying the knowledge transfer view of communication is the assumption that any communicative act rests on a base of mutual knowledge (West and Turner 2006). The example of Mainland Enterprises reveals a set of mechanisms derives from the fact that individuals can often be assigned to social categories, and such category membership often predicts individual knowledge. Of course, category membership is not a perfect predictor of knowledge. Conversation (and similar interactive forms) permits communicators to formulate messages that are tightly linked to the immediate knowledge and perspectives of the individual participants, because it affords the participants moment-to-moment information on each others' understanding. Such information permits the formulation of messages that are extremely efficient because they are based on a reasonably precise assessment of the hearer's current knowledge and understanding. The distinction between self and other is rather a rudimentary one, but it can be shown that the Western employees differentiate between message recipients (Knapp and Vangelisti 2004). The problem of misperception and misunderstanding is caused by patriarchal and autocratic management style of the CEO. he does not permit freedom of choice trying to control decision-making and problem-solving within the company. These causes provide stronger support for the common ground hypothesis than the relatively narrow margin of difference between the friend and stranger conditions would lead one to conclude, because the experimental situation was one that would minimize the likelihood of finding such differences. This situation proves that in communicating with "friends" and "family", employees are likely to have direct and detailed knowledge of the information

Internet Safety Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Internet Safety - Essay Example Confirmation of declared identity of institutions or users (Bejtlich, 2006). For the verification of identity are required suitable methods for various applications and services, as are the electronic contracting of convention, the control of access in certain data and services (e.g. for the tale-workers) and the verification of web sites (e.g., for internet banks). It should also be included the possibility of anonymity, since a lot of services do not only need the identity of user but reliable confirmation of certain criteria of (called â€Å"anonymous credentials†), as the solvency. Protection of communications or stored given opposite interception and reading by not permitted individuals (Greene, 2004). It is particularly required for the transmission of sensitive data and she is one from the requirements that correspond in the concern of protection of private life of virtuous networks of communications. It is a device which permits, restricts computer traffic in accordance to the security policies enforced in the business rules. Firewalls are either implemented through hardware, software, or both. They work best in detecting attacks that could enter or leave your system through an open port, such as worms and some Trojan horses. They do not scan the fragmented packets so in that way male wares attached to e-mails are still threats inside your network. The electronic communications can intercept and the data can be copied or modified. Interception it can be realized with various ways. Potential damage: The outlaw interception can cause damage, so as much violation of private life of individuals, what via the exploitation of data that they have been intercepted (Panko, 2004). Likely solutions: Defense against interception can emanate with the encryption of data that is transmitted via the network. Potential damage: The not permitted access has occasionally as motive mental challenge and no

Organizations and Management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Organizations and Management - Case Study Example Some employees avoid interacting with members of other cultures/ethnicities and/or view them as "undesirable" staff. This case vividly portrays that interpersonal communication employed by the CEO is ineffective and inefficient caused by different values and traditions of people, and poor interaction between all employees. For instance, the CEO and Western employees have different perception and understanding of the "family" concept of organizational culture but the CEO is unable to recognize these difficulties and problems experienced by the subordinates. The "western" are perceived as impolite and disruptive because of different communication n corms and traditions which have not been communicated and explained to Westerns people by the CEO (Wood, 2003). 2. The case study vividly portrays the important role of CEO and his vision in organizational culture. Communication should be seen as a process by which knowledge that resides in one or more people comes to be represented in one or more others. Certainly the transfer of knowledge is not the only thing that happens in communication, and for certain purposes it may not be the most useful way of thinking about the process. Below we refer briefly to some other dimensions of communication that may be important for cooperative work. Underlying the knowledge transfer view of communication is the assumption that any communicative act rests on a base of mutual knowledge (West and Turner 2006). The example of Mainland Enterprises reveals a set of mechanisms derives from the fact that individuals can often be assigned to social categories, and such category membership often predicts individual knowledge. Of course, category membership is not a perfect predictor of knowledge. Conversation (and similar interactive forms) permits communicators to formulate messages that are tightly linked to the immediate knowledge and perspectives of the individual participants, because it affords the participants moment-to-moment information on each others' understanding. Such information permits the formulation of messages that are extremely efficient because they are based on a reasonably precise assessment of the hearer's current knowledge and understanding. The distinction between self and other is rather a rudimentary one, but it can be shown that the Western employees differentiate between message recipients (Knapp and Vangelisti 2004). The problem of misperception and misunderstanding is caused by patriarchal and autocratic management style of the CEO. he does not permit freedom of choice trying to control decision-making and problem-solving within the company. These causes provide stronger support for the common ground hypothesis than the relatively narrow margin of difference between the friend and stranger conditions would lead one to conclude, because the experimental situation was one that would minimize the likelihood of finding such differences. This situation proves that in communicating with "friends" and "family", employees are likely to have direct and detailed knowledge of the information

Edgar Allen Poe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Edgar Allen Poe - Essay Example Montresor presents himself as an honorable man from a high social class. He tells that his family has deep roots, that "the Montresors, were a great and numerous family" (Poe, n.d.). To add significance of his social position, he tells the motto of his family which is "Nemo me impune lacessit" Poe. N.d.). Montresor presents himself as a good-natured man who does everything to protect his dignity. This is in itself perhaps not the most exalted of literary ambitions, though it is remarkably difficult for an author to avoid crossing the boundary from the terrifying to the merely laughable. It seems that Montresor has a perfect breeding and tries to prove his position protecting his good name. Montresor presents himself as a judge who condemns his friend Fortunato to death. Taking into account his appearance and costume, it is evident that his representation of himself does not coincide with his true nature. Poe depicts him in black silk mask which symbolizes evil nature of Montresor: "thus speaking, Fortunato possessed himself of my arm; and putting on a mask of black silk and drawing a roquelaire closely about my person, I suffered him to hurry me to my palazzo" (Poe. N.d.). Montresor tries to persuade readers and himself that the death of Fortunato is the only possible way to avenge. Poe depicts that the character of Montresor does not show remorse for his thoughts and plans trying to kill his friend. Poe underlines that the experienced world in this sense is a human creation, the product of the activity of the mind, Montresor's personality. Montresor explains that: "I must not only punish but punish with impunity. A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong" (Poe, n.d.). Poe's secure grasp of the subtleties of his environment is evident, but it is far more than a mere transcription of particulars. For while deploying descriptive detail in the conventional realistic way to build up a rich and convincing impression of the murder and the world he creates, Poe uses realism. Montresor himself shows only a desire to be alone. This suggests that Montresor's view of his own cruelty is a fearful one, that he is terrified and disgusted by it. "The clues are part of the larger "system" or "demonstration" motif of the story: Montresor, the diabolical rationalist, systematically demonstrates again and again that the arriviste, Fortunato, does not know, cannot distinguish" (Bloom, 1987, p 55). The plan of getting revenge consists of several stages in order to avoid suspicion and possible punishment. The date of the revenge has been carefully thought. Carnival is a time when people (servants) do not care much about their duties. For this reason, Montresor sends the servants away to the celebration. Montresor knows that Fortunato admires good wine and for this reason he ensnares him proposing to taste Amontillado. Montresor tells Fortunato "You have been imposed upon. And as for Luchresi, he cannot distinguish Sherry from Amontillado" (Poe. N.d.). this base flattery helps Montresor to pursued his victim to join him and drink little wine. The next step planed by Montresor is to astonish his victim. "The Amontillado!" ejaculated my friend, not yet recovered from his astonishment" (Poe, n.d.). After these words, Montresor

Collaborative Planning Forecasting And Replenishment Commerce Essay

Collaborative Planning Forecasting And Replenishment Commerce Essay Consider a company XYZ which produces various automotive parts. One such part is ABC, for which there is a rise in inventory level. The marketing team decides to launch a promotional campaign to boost the sales and ABC and curtail this rising inventory level. This promotional campaign was a great success and there was an increase in the sales of product ABC. The production department noticed this rise in sales of product ABC and they started producing more of ABC in anticipation of rising demand. This again resulted in an increase in inventory level (negated the entire motive of the campaign). This is a perfect example of the importance of information sharing (collaboration and Communication). A similar kind of issue occurs, when we do not share information in a supply Chain, resulting in Bullwhip Effect. In an organization, if different departments have different owners with different views and goals, they all try to maximize their individual profits. In the path of achieving this, they get deviated from their common goal of maximizing the overall profit of the entire Supply Chain. This deviation from the true goal leads to lack of coordination Inappropriate flow of information Due to incomplete sharing of information between stages (inter-organization and intra-organization), information is distorted. Today, for a given organization, there are a thousand of products. This increase in variety of products makes it next to impossible for the companies to exchange all information among all its suppliers Such inappropriate flow of information results in BULLWHIP effect. Here, fluctuations in orders increase as we move up the supply chain from consumer to retailer to wholesalers to manufacturers. Proctor and Gamble was the first to observe the bullwhip effect in its supply chain for Pampers diapers. They found that the raw material replenishment order at the supplier side had huge fluctuations as compared to fluctuation in demand at retail stores. Same way, HP also found that the fluctuations varied significantly with being very little at resellers point and increasing as moving up in the chain towards integrated circuit division (ICD). Here also, while the variation in product demands were very little, replenishment orders placed with ICD saw much more variability. A similar phenomenon can be seen in apparel and grocery industry. Lack of Coordination and its effects on Performance The Bullwhip effect A supply chain is said to be lacking in coordination if each stage (level) is concerned about optimization of its own objective. In doing so, various individual entities get deviated from a common objective or organizational goal to satisfy consumers by satisfying their needs and there by generating maximum profit for the organization. Information distortion is also one of the causes of Lack of Coordination, as in the case of diaper supply chain of PG. Areas affected by Bullwhip effect Manufacturing cost Inventory cost Replenishment lead time Transportation cost Labor cost Levels of product availability ( service level) Relationship across the supply chain Manufacturing Cost As a result of Bullwhip effect, Manufacturing unit of PG have to produce to satisfy the demand of diapers with much more variability. PG can respond to such variability by either holding of excess inventory or by producing more capacity, both of which leads to increase in manufacturing cost. Inventory cost The Bullwhip effect also results in increase in inventory cost. With increased variability in demand, P%G has to carry a higher level of inventory than would actually require in absence of Bullwhip effect. Thus, we can see a major increase in Inventory cost. A higher level of inventory will also mean an increased warehouse space requirement (again an increase in cost). Replenishment Lead Time The Bullwhip effect results in increased replenishment lead time. With the increase in variability in demand due to Bullwhip effect, scheduling at suppliers and PG are much more difficult as compared to a level demand. There are situations when the available resource (inventory) is not enough to meet the demand and there by resulting in higher replenishment lead time. Transportation cost The Bullwhip effect results in higher transportation cost. With the increased fluctuations in demand due to Bullwhip effect, there is a proportional fluctuation in the requirement of transportation. This results in a rise in transportation cost Labor Cost Labor cost increases in presence of Bullwhip effect. Labor cost at PG and its suppliers increase due to fluctuations in demand. Also, labor cost for receiving at retailers end increases due to this increased uncertainty. Now all these stages have option of either operating at excess labor or variable labor, both of which results in increase in labor cost. Level of Product availability One of the major outcomes of Bullwhip effect is the Out Of Stock situations. As we know, with increase in fluctuations in orders, PG is not capable of satisfying the needs of all its retailers on time, which in turn increases the likelihood of retailers going OOS resulting in a sales loss in the supply chain. Relationship across the supply chain The Bullwhip effect, having a negative effect on performance at all levels of supply chain results in bitterness in the relationship between these various stages of supply chain. Since each stage is working independently and is trying to achieve its individual goal, they are under an impression that they are doing it in right way. They start blaming other department of inefficiency and there by resulting in loss of trust. Performance Measure Bullwhip effect Manufacturing cost Increase Inventory Cost Increase Replenishment Lead Time Increase Transportation Cost Increase Shipping and Receiving Cost Increase Level of Product availability Decrease Profitability DecreaseThus, we can say that the Bullwhip effect has a significant effect on the overall profitability of the supply chain. There is an increase in cost and decrease in responsiveness. Obstacles to achieving coordination in Supply Chain Factors leading to local optimization at various stages of supply chain or increase in information delay are the root cause of difficulty in coordination in supply chain. The five major categories of obstacles are Incentive obstacles Information processing obstacles Operational obstacles Pricing obstacles Behavioral obstacles Incentive obstacle When there is a variation in incentive offered at different stages in a supply chain, there is an increase in variability in the productivity and reduction in total supply chain profits. Local Optimization: Suppose that the incentive of a floor manager at a local grocery store depends up on the profit they generate for that particular store. Here, the managers take all their purchasing and inventory decisions to achieve this goal only and not for the benefit of the entire supply chain. Buying and stocking decisions which are based on single stage optimization can never result in over all supply chain profitability. Improper sales force incentive: Very often, sales force incentive are designed in a manner to achieve local goals. Sales force incentive are based on the quantity sold to the distributors and not the end consumers. For example, consider an umbrella manufacturing firm, which offers its sales force an incentive on the sales target achieved in off season. To maximize their bonuses, sales force convinces distributors to buy more umbrellas even though there is no demand. This results in order variability with more demand in off season and less demand when actually there are sales. This kind of sales forces incentive result in order variability more than customer demand variability. Information processing obstacles Information processing obstacles occurs in a situation when there is a distortion in information regarding demand as it moves from customers to retailers to distributors to manufacturers. Forecasting based on orders and not on customer demand When there is a Bullwhip effect is a supply chain, the only communication between different stages is the orders they receive. Each stage sees its responsibility as fulfilling orders to its downstream. In such a scenario, a very small change in customer demand will result in large variability in orders placed by the distributors. The fact that each stage in a supply chain forecasts demand based on the stream of orders received from the downstream stage results in a magnification of fluctuations in demand as we move up the supply chain from the retailer to the manufacturer. Lack of information sharing Suppose a retailer increases the size of order for a particular product due to its planned promotion. Now, if the manufacturer is not aware of this planned promotion, it will see this increase in order as increase in customer demand and place orders with suppliers accordingly. So, when the retailer finishes its promotion, both manufacturer and distributor has a piled up inventory. Operational obstacles Operational obstacles occur at the time of placing and filling of orders. There are a number of fixed costs associated with placing of order, receiving or transportation of an order. Different retailers may prefer orders in lots to minimize such costs. Thus at the suppliers end there is large variability in order as compared to demand variability at retailers end. Now, if there a number of retailers associated with the same supplier, and due to placement of orders in lots, there might be some days when order may be erratically high as compared to other days as compared to demand. Such situations may also lead to large replenishment lead time. Pricing obstacles Lot size based quantity discounts occurs when there are discounts offered on large lots of order placed. These resulting large lots magnify the Bullwhip effect. There are a number of trade promotions and short term discounts. Such offers always boost orders, which are nowhere in sync up with the real demand. Such forward buying result in large orders during promotional activity or special discount rates but very small orders after that. Behavioral Obstacles Behavioral obstacles are problems in learning within organizations which later on contribute to the Bullwhip effect. Each stage of supply chain acts locally and is not aware of the consequences of its action on others. Different stages of the supply chain react to the current situation locally rather than trying to identify the root cause. Due to lack of common understanding and mutual trust, each stage plays a blame game on each other with no one taking the responsibility of these fluctuations. Lack of trust with in supply chain makes them all opportunistic at the expense of the overall supply chain profitability. This also results in duplication of efforts. Since individual entities do not share ideas and work in isolation, many a times they turn up doing the same task. Means to Overcome obstacles of Collaborative information sharing Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment Means to overcome these obstacles Improved information accuracy Alignment of goals and incentive across the channel Building strong partnership and mutual trust Improving Operational Performance All these efforts can be achieved by Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment. So what exactly is Collaborate Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment (CPFR)? Here, both sellers and buyers at all the levels come together and collaborate along all or few of these activities. Strategy and Planning Demand and Supply Management Execution Analysis At strategy and planning stage, all the partners involved discuss upon the scope of collaboration and assign roles and responsibilities and define checkpoints. They align all their activities including promotions, new product introduction, store opening and closing and inventory policies. Then, at demand and supply management, sales forecast using point of sales data give an accurate picture of demand. Now, as the forecasts become firm, they are converted to actual orders. Then, processes like production, shipping, receiving and stocking are executed. Now the last but most important task is analysis of KPI. There is always a need for identifying exceptions and evaluating metrics that are used to access performance. One successful CPFR implementation has involved Henkel, a German detergent manufacturer, and Eroski, a Spanish food retailer. Prior to CPFR, Eroski saw frequent stock outs of Henkel products, especially during promotions. At the inception of CPFR in December 1999, 70 percent of the sales forecast had an average error of over 50 percent and only 5 percent of the forecasts had an error below 20 percent. But, just within four months of CPFR implementation, the numbers changed drastically. Forecast errors above 50 percent reduced to 5 percent and more than 70 percent of the time, forecast error was below 20 percent. Customer service level also increased to 90% with an average inventory of just 5 days. CPFR implementation Scenarios Mentioned below are the most common CPFR implementation scenarios CPFR scenario Where applied in Supply Chain Industries where applied Retail event collaboration Highly promoted channels All industry other than those that practice EDLP DC replenishment collaboration Retail DC or distributed DC Drugstores, hardware, grocery Store replenishment collaboration Direct store delivery or DC to store delivery Mass merchants, Club stores Collaborative assortment planning Apparel and seasonal goods Specialty retail Common CPFR Scenarios Retail event Collaboration: In any retail supermarket, there are a number of events such as promotional activities and they affect demand very much.OOS and excess inventory, unplanned logistics cost and order placement costs are sometimes very high and may affect the overall profitability in the supply chain. Here the two parties involved identify specific brands that are to be included in collaboration. Each and every minute detail like promotion time and place, display tactics, advertisement are shared. Once, information sharing is done, a demand forecast is prepared and shared with in the two parties. PG is one such example which has implemented Retail event collaboration with many big retail chains including Wal-Mart. DC replenishment Collaboration This is one of the simplest and mostly used collaboration scenarios, where partners need to collaborate for forecasting on demand and DC withdrawals. This collaboration is comparably easy to implement since this collaboration requires aggregate forecast and does not require sharing of point of sales data. And slowly, with due course of time, this collaboration can be moved up to all other storage points in supply chain (from retail shelves to Inventory warehouse) Store Replenishment collaboration Store replenishment collaboration is one step ahead of DC replenishment collaboration. Here, collaboration is on store level point of sale forecast. These forecasts are used placing store orders. Benefits of store Replenishment collaboration is increased replenishment accuracy, improved service level and less Out of Stock situations, reduced inventory and greater visibility of point of sales data. Collaborative Assortment Planning For fashion apparels and seasonal products, demand follows a seasonal pattern. Thus, collaborative planning in these categories follows seasonality Hence, the forecasts rely more on collaborative understanding of industry trends, customer tastes and less on horizontal data. Why is CPFR important? Consider a consumer walking in to a retail grocery outlet to find that the product which he is looking for is not available (out of stock). For the consumer, it is great inconvenience and for the store owner, it is a loss of revenue. Such a situation is not only a plague in retail industry, but also a nightmare for manufacturing sector. Out Of Stock of one particular inventory in the manufacturing line can lead to zero overall production (bottlenecks). Mostly (70% to 75%), out of Stock occur at retailer level. Reasons for Out of Stock at retailer level: Lengthy Ordering Processes/Cycles Underestimated demand Un stocked shelves even though the products are at the store So, what is required to tackle such problems? End to end information channel Point of Sale information coming from retailer to the supplier. CPFR is one such process where we use common tools to capture data at all stages in the supply Chain. Pioneers to this practice are Wal-Mart and Tesco. They first linked their Point of Sale data from Retail stores to their Warehouses. This laid down the bricks to the building of an open information infrastructure. The second and more critical task in implementation of CPFR is managing cultural change. There has to be a willingness to share information. A mutual trust between different stakeholders is a must, since the required information to be shared is confidential most of the time. Benefits of Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment Lower inventory levels Increased sales Less overhead Reduced human errors ( data exchange) Better insight in customer demand resulting in better resource utilization, reduced inventory requirements. Improved and direct communication with customers Opportunity to provide category management Reduced replenishment time Less redundancy Increase service level and reduced stock outs Lower Inventory Level By having knowledge of exact inventory status of customer, the supplier has better control on lead time of his inventory. He knows his exact inventory requirements due to lower uncertainty. A better forecasting leads to lowering the need for safety stocks (also termed as buffer stock is the level of extra stock maintained to mitigate the risks of stock outs due to uncertainties in forecasting). All these factors combine to result in lower inventory. Increased Sales CPFR in place ensures the product availability at any given point. This results in a better customer experience and customer satisfaction. A satisfied customer becomes your loyal customers. A loyal, regular customer generates more revenue than a first time customer. Also, less stock outs at outlets result in less customers returning without any purchase. This results in increased sales. Better Resource Utilization Proper knowledge of customer demand due to end to end information sharing, results in a better forecasting. An improved forecasting numbers result in more planned decisions, clarity of mind in terms of inventory requirements and so a better RU plan. Increased Service Level Collaborative Planning, forecasting and Replenishment builds up a better forecasting model. In CPFR system, at each level, a supplier has access to real time sales and inventory data of a customer. As soon as the inventory goes below the safety level, a replenish order call is triggered. It helps customers to operate at higher service levels and lower inventories. Now, these are the benefits every supplier aspires for. Challenges in implementation of CPFR It is a universal truth that no benefit comes without a cost. Same way, with so many benefits associated with Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment, there are also few risks and hurdles to its implementation. With sharing of information at such a large scale, its misuse is one such risk. Often, one entity may have relationship with various competitors. Another risk involved is viability of change in technology. If one of the partners in collaboration changes its technology, the other is forced to do so or it may lose its collaboration. Thirdly, with the requirement of close interaction of the partners, a variation in their cultures can also play a very important role in making decisions of CPFR implementation. The inability to foster a collaborative culture across the partner organizations can be a major hurdle to the success of CPFR. However, one of the biggest challenges is that the demand information which is shared between the partners is often not used in an inte grated manner within the organizations. It is imperative to have integrated supply and demand, logistics and corporate planning within the organizations. This will help in maximizing the overall profit generated in the supply chain. Factors affecting Distribution Network design Elements of customer service influenced by network structure: Response time Product variety Product availability Customer experience Order visibility Return ability Supply chain costs affected by network structure: Inventories Transportation Facilities and handling Information Supply Chain Costs affected With a better visibility due to information sharing, the inventory requirement decreases, thereby reducing overall inventory cost. Also, a common supplier may have information (real time) of all its customers and can very easily club in various orders. This can be achieved by using MILK RUN model of distribution One truckload stopping at multiple points to replenish various customers. This helps him to reduce his transportation cost also. Implementation of centralized information systems (ERP, SAP) may eliminate the hassles of manually data entry and transfer. Though, the onetime cost of implementation of such systems might be very high, they reduce the human error probability. Such errors may result in inaccuracy in forecasting which will again result in higher inventory costs and out of stocks (loss of sales). Elements of Customer Services influenced Response time and Product availability CPFR builds up a better forecasting model. The actual demand information is used to generate replenishment orders. This helps vendors to improve their response time and less out of stock situations in the retail outlets. Customer Experience When a customer walks in to a retail store, there is a lesser chance of him finding an out of stock situation. Product availability (right product at right place) helps to increase customer satisfaction. Order Visibility With CPFR in place, the supplier can see the customer demand in actual and can anticipate the orders. This helps in reduction in errors in forecasting. A well informed and collaborated partners increases order visibility. All this is possible only due to Collaborative information sharing in the system.