Pre-Trip Inspections Essay Essay Example

Pre Pre-Trip Inspections Essay Essay Pre-Trip Inspections Essay Essay Road accident is a major security concern in the main roads. There are several causes of route accidents but the unexpected events in our roads are ever blamed on the driver. This is because it is assumed that the driver is in full control over the vehicle. However. the major causes of route slaughter in any portion of the universe include mechanical jobs and failures in the vehicle. bad main road designs. unequal route care or foolhardy drive or a combination. It is unfortunate to observe that despite the high figure of people diing on the roads. the route accidents can be prevented to some degree. The Department of Transport every bit good as the jurisprudence enforcement bureaus has made several efforts to implement traffic regulations in order to cut down the figure of route slaughter and related deceases. One of these steps has been the debut of pre-trip review. This paper will analyse the different facets and importance of pre-trip review as a safety step. Pre-Trip Inspection The pre-trip reviews are compulsory demand by the Department of Transport as one of the steps to cut down route slaughter. However. this regulation is one of the most profaned regulations by commercial vehicle drivers today. Furthermore. bulk of the members of the populace are incognizant of these demands. Majority believes that a pre-trip review is an review done by the driver before he or she gets behind the wheel but that is non true. All commercial vehicle drivers are required by the jurisprudence to transport out and log a pre-trip and post-trip review as stipulated in the Highway Traffic Act. A commercial vehicle is designated as any vehicle deliberation over four and half tones. a public service vehicle with a capacity greater than eleven including the driver or a school coach. Pre-trip review of commercial vehicles is carried out by the driver before the first trip every twenty-four hours. In some instances. one trip may take several yearss. In such instances. the pre-trip review must be done before the trip starts and subsequent reviews should be done non later that each remainder halt ( Broemsen. 2009 ) . The review demands by the Department of Transport require that the driver of a commercial vehicle should be satisfied that the vehicle is in good operating status before the start of the trip. The driver can merely be assured of the safety of the vehicle on the route if he or she reviews the last driver study on the status of the vehicle. The driver is expected to subscribe the study to bespeak that he reviewed the study and all the reported mechanical mistakes have been repaired. A commercial vehicle driver can merely be satisfied that the vehicle is in good working status if all the indispensable accoutrements of the vehicle are in order. This includes the brakes. brakes connexions. manus brakes. maneuvering wheel. headlamps. signals. wipers. driving mirrors. tyres and matching devices. Some of these accoutrements such as mirrors need to be checked any clip during the trip whenever the vehicle is parked ( Federal Register. 2006 ) . Safety of the vehicle. lading. the driver and other route users is an of import ground why the Department of Transport enforces pre-trip review. The jurisprudence therefore requires the truck driver to guarantee that all the exigency equipments are in order during the review. The driver is considered to hold committed traffic offense incase he or she fails to utilize the exigency equipment whenever there is demand. Many commercial vehicles are involved in the transit of lading. Inspection of the lading on board and the lading security system is of import before the start of the trip. The thrust should guarantee that the weight of the lading is good distributed and the security devices are in order ( Federal Register. 2006 ) . Different organisation or conveyance companies may hold different policies to better the safety and care of their commercial vehicles. Regardless of such policies. the Department of Transport requires that the driver must determine that the vehicle is in good running status before the start of the first trip. The Highway Traffic Act requires that the driver present a legible written study to the necessary authorization after the trip review. However. this is seldom done. The study should incorporate the description of the vehicle such as the home base figure. the dawdler towed or the unit figure depending on the organization’s policies. The day of the month of review and the mechanical defects noted if any should besides be recorded on the study. In instances where there are no defects or safety concern that have been noted by the driver. he or she is expected to do a statement to that consequence. The study is valid with the signature and name of the driver or the person who was responsible for the review ( Broemsen. 2009 ) . If the driver or the inspector detects or suspects any defect or safety concern. he or she should describe to the relevant authorization in conformity with the organisation or company policies. However. if the defect noted is of sensible safety concern. this should be reported instantly and the relevant steps to rectify the job be taken before the trip can get down. The jurisprudence farther requires that a driver of any commercial vehicle should hold the current transcript of the review study of the vehicle and the dawdler if any at all clip. The advantages of such pre-trip can non be underestimated. Checking the conditions of the vehicle before the start of the trip is cost effectual and increases safety. This is as a consequence of decreased holds as a consequence of dislocations which save on the cost every bit good as important decrease of accidents in the roads as a consequence of mechanical jobs that can easy be rectified before the start of the trip. By following the systematic process of review provided by the section of conveyance. the driver or inspector will transport out an effectual review within a really short clip ( Sulek. 2005 ) . A commercial vehicle such as a truck tractor can cover 1000s of stat mis without dislocations or doing sensible holds to the driver if it is taken attention of decently. Pre-trip review is one of the basic processs that are recommended for proper attention of the vehicle. The basic importance of this review is the cost saved by the conveyance company or the organisation if the guidelines are followed to the latter. Inspection ensures that the investing of the company is protected and the live of the drivers every bit good as other route users are non at hazard. Effective review ensures that common booby traps associated with the conveyance industry which are by and large expensive are avoided which saves on the running cost ( Broemsen. 2009 ) . In any conveyance concern. the greatest cost incurred by the proprietors is the care cost. It is dearly-won for the proprietor of the commercial vehicle to replace worn out parts every bit good as paying the cost of fix. The cost is much higher when the concern lost during unneeded dislocations is considered. Every clip a commercial vehicle is out of the route as a consequence of dislocations that can be avoided. the truck proprietor loses money. This in many instances leads to interrupt of the full concern in the long tally due to the associated loses. Any experient commercial vehicle driver or proprietor is cognizant of the fact that preventative steps are really of import in commercial vehicles operations if they have to remain in concern and do net income. This is true even without sing the increased safety as a consequence of timely review of the vehicles ( Sulek. 2005 ) . It is apparent that effectual pre-trip review prevents the happening of accidents and dislocations. It is considerable safer and cost effectual to mend a minor mistake detected during review that mending a monolithic dislocation on the route which may be associated with other uncalled for costs such as accidents and incommodiousnesss. Pre-trip review gives the driver the assurance in the conditions of the vehicle and the likeliness of being involved in accident as a consequence of mechanical dislocation is reduced significantly. It is estimated that bulk of accidents affecting commercial vehicles are as a consequence of mechanical dislocations and can easy be avoided by review to observe the lack before the start of the trip ( Sulek. 2005 ) . Following the pre-trip review guidelines for all commercial vehicles is hence non of import merely because it is a legal demand but is an of import process that ensures that the investing. the driver and other route users are safe. It saves on cost every bit good as lives. The commercial vehicle driver driving a faulty vehicle wittingly or unwittingly should be cognizant of the fact that he or she portions the route with other automobilists and walkers and is seting their lives at hazard ( Broemsen. 2009 ) . In a nutshell. it is a traffic offense punishable by the jurisprudence for any commercial vehicle driver to drive on the route holding non conducted the pre-trip review as stipulated in the Department of Transport counsel. The driver is apt for prosecution in a tribunal of jurisprudence if he is found driving a commercial vehicle without a transcript of the review sheet. However. as stated earlier. this is one of the most profaned compulsory ordinances in the traffic regulations and the jurisprudence hatchet mans do non see this jurisprudence every bit of import as it is expected. It is of import to observe that during the pre-trip review. the driver has over two 100 things to look into on the commercial vehicle if the review has to be effectual. This is non to state that the pre-trip review is likely to take the better portion of the driver’s twenty-four hours. The review can take less than 30 proceedingss which is much less compared to the cost of the safety hazards and dislocations incase it is non done. Even an extended review by the relevant authorization ever takes less than one hr and includes mechanical review every bit good as review of the drivers report among other things ( Broemsen. 2009 ) . One of the most of import facets the driver needs to look into is the conditions of the Surs. Cost related to tyres’ jobs is the largest individual dislocation disbursal in conveyance concern. It accounts for more than a 3rd of the care cost of commercial vehicles. It is hence really of import for the driver to pass considerable sum of clip guaranting that the Surs are in good working status before the start of the trip and during the trip whenever the vehicle is parked. Nine out of 10 commercial vehicles dislocations are caused by under hyperbolic Surs ( Federal Register. 2006 ) . Under hyperbolic Surs besides contribute to cut down lifetime of the Sur by up to a 3rd. Under hyperbolic Surs are besides responsible for fuel inefficiency and heat buildup. The driver should besides inspect the Sur togss. tear and wear which is irregular and clefts and take the necessary steps. Proper working Surs guarantee the cost of dislocations is decreased and safety is enhanced ( Federal Register. 2006 ) . Brake failure is a major cause of accident in both commercial and non commercial vehicles. Checking the interrupting systems on a regular basis is hence an of import facet of commercial vehicle review. The criterion every bit good as the parking brakes should be in good on the job conditions before the driver is satisfied to get down the day’s trip. The sum of liner should be sensible and the systems should be maintained in conformity with the guidelines. This counsel requires the driver to look into that the force per unit area systems are in good working status including the rate of gas linkage. The rate of force per unit area build up and low force per unit area sensing systems should be proper in order to give timely dismay. However. the most important cheque for the interruption systems is the fluid leakages. This is the first and most of import review a commercial vehicle driver needs to look into which can be easy noticed by fluids on the land around the vehicle. This should be followed by look intoing the coolants. fluids and oil degree in the goon ( Federal Register. 2006 ) . It is of import to guarantee that all the gages such as temperature. force per unit area. fuel and oil gages are in good on the job status. No driver in his right head can bury to look into the fuel degree instantly after turning on the vehicle. Checking the electric systems of the vehicle is an every bit of import facet of vehicle review to determine safety. The warning visible radiations. turning signals. brake signals. headlamps every bit good as the doorbells should be in good order to avoid uncalled for minor accidents due to hapless communicating with other drivers on the route. In general. the full electric constituent of vehicle should be in good on the job status. Frayed or lose wires are safety jeopardies because they can be easy exposed and possible cause fire as a consequence of short-circuiting which may be really hazardous particularly if the lading in extremely inflammable ( Federal Register. 2006 ) . Decision Due to the big figure of route slaughter in the roads affecting commercial vehicles. for the safety of the investing. the lading or riders. the driver and other route users. it is of import to guarantee that all safety steps are taken. One of the most of import safety steps is to guarantee that the vehicle is in good on the job status. The driver demand to guarantee that the truck has no mechanical mistakes by conductivity a pre-trip review. This is a demand by the jurisprudence though it is one of the most profaned mandatary traffic Torahs. Reference Broemsen. M. ( 2009 ) . Commercial Truck Maintenance: The Importance of a Pre-Trip Inspection. retrieved on 10th May 2010 from: hypertext transfer protocol: //www. goarticles. com/cgi-bin/showa. cgi? C=1598113. Federal Register ( 2006 ) . Title 49 – Transportation system: Department of Transportation Parts 300 – 399. ISBN 1577857763. ProStar Publications. Sulek. J. M. A ; Lind. M. R. ( 2005 ) . â€Å"Fail-Safe Methods for Paratransit Safety. † Journal of Public Transportation. Vol. 8. No. 4. pp 65-66

UNIFICATION IN GERMANY&IN ITALY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

UNIFICATION IN GERMANY&IN ITALY - Essay Example A cobbler can serve his people but he cannot dominate them in any way. In his speech, Otto von Bismarck laments on the Socialist Law. He said that socialist law should ensure the lives of workers are improved and protected. Citizens should be allowed to self-defense themselves and also help them when they are dissatisfied. Bismarck blamed the social democratic leaders for anxiety to rule citizens without satisfying them. He said his stand is to support absolutist government. He also laments that, it is the responsibility of the state to workers from any accidents that may occur. The state should also protect the workers when they become old. The state should control the private stock companies in order to ensure that workers are not exploited by the employers. Another objective of the state according to Bismarck is to protect the helpless citizens in the society. Bismarck also talked about the way people understand freedom. He said that people have used freedom to mean dominance of the free people over others. He gave an example of freedom of speech which he said that it gives the speaker freedom to dominate. He also said that freedom of church gives priests chances to dominate. He urged that freedom perspective should be changed for the better. This is one of the unifying factors that Bismarck used to unify Germany. John Leighton talks about commune in Paris. In this document, he talks about the centralized nation state that Otto von Bismarck and Lincoln had proposed. A revolt occurred in this nation and French National Guard was sent to suppress but they did it differently. They murdered some of their officers and joined. They later decentralized the area. John talks about the commune. He is complaining to the landlord concerning their responsibilities. He says that without a tenant, landlord would not be gaining any more. Therefore, landlord should be aware of the status of his or her tenants and treat them correctly. Tenants were

Describe and explain the experiences of African colonial subjects Essay

Describe and explain the experiences of African colonial subjects during either or both of the world wars - Essay Example Unconditional possession of these colonies provided imperial powers with the manpower that kept the promise of making their rulers richer and stronger because of their natural resources and enabling them to wage war anywhere in the world (Anon, 2012). Europe rationalized its colonization of Africa as their moral duty to lift Africans from their primitive stage of civilization. Rulers built on the preoccupied ideas of people travelling to Africa and established the need to make African civilized. Europeans always saw African from their cultural prism, moreover, their preoccupation with skin color and physical attributes made these ideas even stronger (Anon, 2012).Therefore, even great contributions during the World War I and World War II could not win acknowledgement for colonial African soldiers. In an effort to rise above prejudice, this paper briefly explores the contributions of colonial African subjects during both of the World Wars. World War I World War I is considered to be tr uly a world war due to diverse military action and participation of people from five continents of the world. African colonized countries and subjects were specifically influenced by the results of WWI (AHA, n.d.).World War I imparted a profound and many-sided impact on colonies. The Balkan confrontation transformed into a general European war in mid-1914 and turned into an extra-European dimension because a few confronting states were considered to be the most powerful colonial powers. Just after the breakout of war, fights started in many parts of the world and most of the territories were conquered by the Entente power very soon. German African colonies were defended by African soldiers and German officers called 'Schutztruppen'. South Africa invaded the German South West Africa on behalf of the Entente powers that triggered problems for South Africa itself; however, 11,500 Anglophobe Boer people joined German side as a result of rebellion (Koller, 2008, p.111). The most prominen t and early reaction was the anger that is raged throughout African colonies due to conscription of mostly young African colonial subjects into European armies. However, the war had even more critical consequences. African subjects came to know that their masters are nothing but ordinary humans like themselves. African subjects expected rewards and compensation from their rulers for providing services to them. The compensation was expected in the form of money, and social and constitutional changes that can transform their lives back home. It triggered a hope amongst African subjects and made them realize that they deserve to be treated in a better way. Educated African subjects followed President Wilson's invitation to acknowledge the government on the basis of their national determination. The term refers to the idea that people should be free in their respective political boundaries (AHA, n.d.). Colonialist Powers Mission During World War I, European empires conscripted nearly 19 2,000 Senegalese Tirailleurs from sub-Saharan Africa who were sent to the Western Front in Cameroon, Turkey, and Togo. In particular, the French prized their possession of troupes indigenes as their assault troop on their battle front. In this Great War, approximately 30,000 to 31,000 African subjects lost their lives, several others were wounded, and some returned to their colonies as disabled for life(Mann, 2006, pp.16-17). Moreover, the French had planned the recruitment of one

Italian Market Entry By Superior Chocolate Marketing Essay

Italian Market Entry By Superior Chocolate Marketing Essay Superior Chocolate (SC) is a UK based producer of high quality organic chocolates. The firm has three product lines, namely (a) block chocolate, (b) chocolates for special occasions and (c) speciality chocolates. All chocolates are produced with high quality organically grown ingredients. Whilst the company is far smaller in size than the global and regional market leaders, the firm has established market presence in the UK, the USA and Australia and production facilities in the UK and Australia. The company has adopted a comprehensive marketing strategy for (a) improvement of competitive advantage by improvement of financial strength, and (b) expansion into other markets, in both emerging and developed countries. SC is now actively examining the potential of different foreign markets for entry and expansion, from various business perspectives. Objectives This study aims to investigate and analyse the potential of the Italian market for entry by Superior Chocolate. The study entails the conduct of a focused situation analysis of the Italian market and an examination of the various routes for entry. Such analysis and examination is followed by appropriate recommendations and a concluding section. 2. Analysis of Italian Market The analysis of a national market for purposes of entry and expansion by foreign business organisations is a complex and multi-dimensional task that involves assessment of various market factors, environmental conditions, extent of competitiveness and existing opportunities and threats (Gilligan Wilson, 2005, p 48-51). This study focuses on important market factors in order to produce a representative snapshot of existing conditions and to thereby facilitate decision making on entry and expansion options. Market Analysis Whilst Belgium and Switzerland are globally known for the excellence of their chocolate making skills, chocolates are extremely popular in most European countries and both the UK and Italy have strong chocolate markets (Mintel, 2010, p 1-2). Chocolate consumption in the UK at approximately 600,000 tonnes per year is however much more than that of Italy, which consumes approximately 215,000 tonnes every year (RTS Resource Ltd, 2010, p 1-2). The consumer expenditure on chocolates in European countries in 2007 is detailed in the chart provided below. Consumption of Chocolates in Europe (RTS Resource, 2010, p 1) Information obtained from various surveys and reports lead to the following conclusions about existing market conditions in Italy and other European countries. Expansion of the chocolate market in the immediate future appears to be limited because of low population growth forecasts, depressed economic conditions and competition from other snacks and indulgences. The market is reaching saturation level and much of its growth is coming from market segments rather than from total expansion. The market is in a state of maturity and growth is less than 1% every year. Marketing experts feel that European chocolate sellers should try to improve their market shares by (a) exploiting the health properties of chocolate, (b) engaging in product differentiation through use of shapes, ingredients and packaging, (c) increase in brand diversification, (d) introducing low calorie and low sugar products, and (e) developing the super premium sector. Whilst opportunities do exist in the chocolate market, they are becoming increasingly difficult to find because of increasing market competition and fragmentation (RTS Resource, 2010, p 2). Environmental Analysis Careful environmental analysis of target markets enables prospective market entrants to understand the various environmental features that are different, in small or large measure, in such target markets from those of their existing markets. An understanding of such differences helps organisations in shaping their entry strategies (Hooley, et al, 2008, p 81-86). Such environmental analysis is normally carried out through the examination of political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal aspects in line with the well known PESTEL format (Hooley, et al, 2008, p 81-86). It is however unlikely that any significant political, environmental and legal issues could cause concerns about the entry of Superior Chocolate in Italy because both Italy and the UK are governed by EU regulations and norms. SC should thus, for purposes of environmental analysis, focus mainly on economic and social issues (Mintel, 2010, p 1-2). Italy is an advanced and affluent nation with an annual GDP of 1.74 trillion USD and a per capita income of 29,900 USD. The ongoing economic recession has however hurt the Italian economy significantly and both annual GDP and per capita income have reduced significantly from 2007 levels. Future growth prospects are also not very optimistic and the country expects to face bleak economy conditions for some years to come. Such depression in economic conditions has obviously led to reduction of discretionary incomes, losses of jobs and decrease in consumer spending (Central intelligence, 2010, p 2-3). The consumption of chocolates has however not been affected, even though the segment has not shown any significant growth in the last two years (Mintel Snapshotà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¦, 2010, p 4-9). Whilst such trends provide reason for some optimism, continuance or worsening of economic conditions could well lead to reduction in demand and consumption of chocolates in Italy. Italy is an ageing society and with the death rate exceeding the birth rate, the population of the country is decreasing steadily. The average age of the country, at approximately 44 years, is higher than the average European age and significantly higher than that of the UK. With consumption of chocolates being associated with children and young people, the growing average age of the country could lead to stagnation or even reduction in demand for chocolates in future. Italian society is also culturally very different from that of the UK (Central intelligence, 2010, p 2-3). Italians are fiercely proud of their history, society and culture and tend to be ethnocentric in their choice of products. This is even more pronounced in personal preferences like clothes and food. Research has conclusively revealed that greater levels of ethnocentricity by and large lead to preferences for local products, thereby making it difficult for foreign companies to enter and expand in such markets (Arvi dsson, 2003, p 34-39). Porters Five Forces Analysis Porters Five Forces Model provides a useful tool for the analysis of the extent of competitiveness in a particular industrial or sector. Such analysis is done by investigation of five specific market forces, namely (a) the extent of rivalry between market participants, (b) the power of buyers, (c) the power of sellers, (d) the potential threat from new entrants, and (e) the threat from substitutes (Porter, 2008, p 7-15). The extent of competition between market participants is intense. As a strong consumer of chocolates and cocoa products, the Italian chocolate market is crowded by global, regional and local suppliers. With Belgium and Switzerland being geographically proximal, numerous chocolate producers from these countries service the Italian market. The power of buyers is very high because of the numerous choices available to them. The power of suppliers is however low because the ingredients used for production of chocolates are essentially generic in nature and freely available. Chocolates are an easy entry business area in terms of investment and technology and the threat from new entrants, especially those of local origin is high. With new developments in foods and snacks occurring frequently, the threat from substitutes is also high. It is evident from the above analysis that the market for chocolates in Italy is not just sophisticated, mature and slow growing, but also intensely competitive in nature. Areas of Opportunity Whilst the market for chocolates in Italy is undoubtedly slow-growing and intensely competitive, the popularity of chocolates among western populations is an undeniable fact. Italy, with a consumption of more than 200,000 tonnes per year is the fourth largest consumer of chocolates in Europe (Mintel Snapshotà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¦, 2010, p 4-9). Such a strong market undeniably provides opportunities for new entrants. Superior Chocolate, with its range of high quality chocolates produced with organically grown ingredients will essentially target the premium segment of the product. It should be able to find strong niche opportunities through careful differentiation of product qualities and carefully chosen marketing and distribution strategies. Consumption of chocolates is now being associated with a range of medical benefits and chocolates could in future become a strongly recommended consumption product for ageing populations (Stibich, 2009, p 1-2). Such changes in consumption patterns could be significantly important for the ageing Italian population and lead to strong growth in chocolate consumption in future. It is important to note that Italy just about one third of the chocolate consumed in the UK, even though its population is practically 80% of that of the UK. Increase in per capita consumption levels of chocolates in Italy to those of the UK can lead to significant market expansion and cr eate substantial market opportunities for Superior Chocolate. Entry Routes International expansion and marketing not only requires very careful analysis of market situations and business environment but also an appropriate choice of entry strategy. Business firms wishing to enter new markets can choose from a range of alternatives starting with direct export of products to importers in target markets to appointment of franchisees, setting up of joint ventures or investment in fully owned facilities (Kotler, et al, 2008, p 71-77). The choice of entry routes is shaped by a number of external and internal considerations like existing production capacity, distance of target market from current production centres, cost of investment in production facilities in target locations and local environmental considerations (Kotler, et al, 2008, p 71-77). Most organisations that supply non-perishable products to proximal countries choose direct exports as the favoured mode of entry and support such exports by strong local marketing and distribution facilities (Hooley, et al, 2008, p 81-86). Whilst direct exports could facilitate the entry of Superior Chocolate into the European market, the additional freight and cold chain costs could well make the firmà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s products uncompetitive in the long run, especially in comparison with competitors in proximal countries or those who have local production facilities. SC must essentially aim to establish its captive production facilities in Italy, even though it can initially enter the market through direct exports. Such a medium term strategy will not only enable it to be more competitive in terms of costs and prices but will also enable it to adapt and customise its products in line with local preferences. The company must, if such a strategy is adopted, decide between putting up its own facilities and entering into a joint venture with a local business firm for production and manufacture of chocolates. The decision to set up own facilities in foreign countries, whilst keeping full control of the business within the organisation, is however far more difficult to implement because it calls for detailed environmental and cultural knowledge of the target market. The adoption of the joint venture route on the other hand entails entering into a partnership with a local organisation for sharing of investments, management control, responsibilities and profits of the proposed business (Adcock, 2000, p 35-42). Whilst joint ventures require mutual understanding, collaboration and a spirit of give and take and beneficial partnership, they enable foreign companies to associate with local business organisations and take advantage of their knowledge of local environmental, social and cultural condit ions (Adcock, 2000, p 35-42). 3. Recommendations The foregoing analysis of market and environmental conditions leads to the inescapable conclusion that the Italian market for chocolates, whilst strong and with potential for good future growth, is at present increasing very slowly and is furthermore fragmented and intensely competitive. With the Italian economy experiencing a prolonged period of economic downturn, Superior Chocolate will have to face and overcome intense competitive challenges and difficult market conditions in order to establish and expand its product line. The demanding market and environmental conditions, coupled with the ethnocentric social and cultural environment, call for the careful selection of entry strategy. It is recommended that the firm should engage in planned market activity and enter into an agreement with a strong, reliable and well known local business firm for production and sale of chocolates. Such a strategy will enable SC to obtain extensive information about local market realities and customer preferences and adopt appropriate business strategies. Market leaders like McDonalds, KFC and Mark and Spencer are using the joint venture route successfully to expand their operations in foreign locations. Superior Chocolate will also benefit from adopting such an entry route. 4. Conclusions Superior Chocolate is a UK based producer of high quality organic chocolates. The firm has three product lines, namely (a) block chocolate, (b) chocolates for special occasions and (c) speciality chocolates. The company has adopted a comprehensive marketing strategy for (a) improvement of competitive advantage by improvement of financial strength, and (b) expansion into other markets, in both emerging and developed countries. This study investigates and analyses the potential of the Italian market for entry by the company. The analysis makes use of a focused situation analysis of the Italian market and an examination of the various routes for entry for its final recommendations. The analysis of market and environmental conditions leads to the inescapable conclusion that the Italian market for chocolates, whilst strong and with potential for good future growth, is at present increasing very slowly and is furthermore fragmented and intensely competitive. The demanding market and environmental conditions, coupled with the ethnocentric social and cultural environment, call for the careful selection of entry strategy. It is recommended that the firm should first enter the market through direct exports and thereafter enter into an agreement with a strong, reliable and well known local business firm for production and sale of chocolates. Such a strategy will enable SC to obtain extensive information about local market realities and customer preferences and adopt appropriate business strategies.

Biological Theories of Aging

Aging is a biological phenomenon all the living things are undergoing. We are not sure about anything in the world except the aging. We are approaching getting nearer to the death from the time of the birth onwards. No living thing in the world has the ability to defeat death as it occurs sometimes naturally and sometimes accidently. Aging has different dimensions like physical, psychological, and social. There are many biological theories with respect to aging.Simple Deterioration, Non-programmed Aging and Programmed Aging, Autoimmunity theory, Free radial theory, Telomerase Theory of Aging etc are some of them. This paper briefly explains some of the biological theories of aging mentioned above. Aging: Simple Deterioration Theory/ Wear and tear theory Simple Deterioration Theory argues that Aging is the accumulative result of universal deteriorative processes such as oxidation, molecular damage, wear and tear, or accumulation of adverse byproducts (Goldsmith, p. 3). Even though man and machine are two entirely different things, both of them have certain similarities in their functioning.No machine is able to function more than particular period of time because of the wear and tear due to continuous work. Same way bodies of the living things are also undergoing continuous work which causes damages to the parts of the body. Even though we refill the fuels in the form of food, nutrients and water, there are certain limitations for the body of the living things to survive for a longer period. In chemistry, most of the chemical reactions yield products and by-products. These by-products are not necessarily the intended one.Same way our body chemistry also yields different by-products which are harmful to our health and may reduce our life span. At the same time we cannot avoid the production of such by-products Aging: Non-programmed Aging Theory Non-programmed theory of aging believes that aging is a passive result of an organism’s inability to better resis t fundamental deteriorative processes. Moreover aging serves no purpose, is not an adaptation, and is not programmed (Goldsmith, p. 8). Our body is undergoing lot of changes and processes virtually in very seconds. Most of the activities inside our body are beyond our control.For example, the pumping of blood by the heart is not done with our permission. We cannot stop any of the internal functions. Everything inside our body is tuned to do certain things and any malfunctions occur inside our body may result in diseases. We are passive observers of our body functions. Aging: Programmed Aging Theory â€Å"Organisms are purposely designed and genetically programmed to age or otherwise limit life span because the deterioration and life span limitation serves an evolutionary purpose† (Goldsmith, p. 9). It is unimaginable to think of a world without death for living things.The earth might not be able to give shelter to all the living things if death was not there. So as part of th e natural evolution process, nature has programmed death; natural and accidental to all the living things. August Weismann (1834–1914), the great German theorist and experimental biologist of the 19th century, was one of the first biologists to use evolutionary arguments to explain aging. His initial idea was that there exists a specific death-mechanism designed by natural selection to eliminate the old, and therefore worn-out, members of a population.The purpose of this programmed death of the old is to clean up the living space and to free up resources for younger generations (Gavrilov &Gavrilova) Aging: Autoimmunity theory This theory argues that our body has the tendency to reject its own tissues with the increasing age (Biological theories of aging, p. 21). For example, it is difficult for the older people to take heavy foods because of digestion problems. Moreover, it is a fact that we are losing many hairs and skin and nail cells periodically. In other words, our body has the tendency to reject certain things as time passes.Free radical theory Free radical theory says that certain chemical compounds in our body does damage which accumulates to produce aging (Biological theories of aging, p. 22). Our body is just like a factory. We know that a factory can produce lot of industrial wastes and these wastes can sometimes affect the functioning of the factory. Same way our body also produces lot of harmful wastes. Some of them will be released through, stools, urines, and sweats. But most of the harmful wastes will be accumulated at some part of the body like Kidney. Kidney stone is a common disease occurring in many people.Kidney failures can cause problems to the blood purification purpose and death can happen. Telomerase Theory of Aging Discovered by scientists at the Geron Corporation, Telomerase Theory of Aging argues that telomeres (the sequences of nucleic acids extending from the ends of chromosomes), shorten every time a cell divides. This sh ortening of telomeres is believed to lead to cellular damage due to the inability of the cell to duplicate itself correctly. Each time a cell divides it duplicates itself a little worse than the time before, thus this eventually leads to cellular dysfunction, aging and indeed death (Kleinsek Ph.D. ) We have the ability to either accelerate or slow sown the DNA damage. Those who have the ability to slow down the DNA damage may live much longer than those who have not such abilities. DNA can be repaired using artificial means up to certain extent which can delay the death. But under no circumstances, it is possible to avoid death as per the researches and findings till now. Conclusions Aging is a natural phenomenon incorporated to all the living things by nature in order to find spaces for the coming generation.Even though there are many biological theories are there with respect to aging and death, all of them unanimously agree that death is inevitable.Works Cited 1. â€Å"Biologica l Theories of Aging†. 16 March 2010. 2. Gavrilov Leonid A and Gavrilova Natalia S. 2002. â€Å"Evolutionary Theories of   Aging and Longevity†. 16 March 2010. 3. Goldsmith, Theodore. C. 2009. â€Å"Theories of Biological Aging†. 16 March 2010. 4. Kleinsek, Don Ph. D. â€Å"Theories of Aging†. 16 March 2010. http://www. antiaging-systems. com/agetheory. htm |

Dell Jit

Dell – Supply Chain Management Case Study 1 Case Contents 1. Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 2 2. Dell – Company Overview †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 2 3. Dell Products and Services †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 3 4. Dell – Key Facts †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 4 5. Dell Timeline†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 6. Dell – Business Segment Information†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 6 7. Dell’s Evolving Supply Chain Strategy†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 7 7. 1. Typical Working of Dell’s Supply Chain †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 7 7. 2. Five key strategies in Dell’s successful Direct Model †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 7 7. 3. A supply chain with old technology is of little value â € ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 8 8. Restructuring at Dell †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 8. 1. New Distribution Channels – Direct Model and Retail Strategy †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 8 9. Integrating the Supply Chain †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 9 This case study covers the following issues: 1. Examine and analyze Dell’s Direct model, its basic working, success and future challenges 2. Typical Working of Dell’s Supply Chain and future supply chain challenges 3. Highlights Dell’s evolving Supply Chain practices and strategy and steps being taken by it to recapture its lost market leader positionCase Study Keywo rds: Dell, Direct model, Supply Chain Management, Supply Chain Strategies, Build-to-order model, Inventory optimization, PC Manufacturing, Retail Distribution Channel, HP, Notebook computers, Desktop personal computers, Competitive Business Strategies, Sustaining competitive advantage, Michael Dell 1 Please note: This case study was compiled from published sources, and is intended to be used as a basis for class discussion. Accuracy of information cannot be guaranteed. Please do not copy without permission.  © casestudyinc. com 2008 1. Introduction Dell thinks about their offerings as microprocessors, disk drives and frames-per-second graphics. But consumers just want a computer they can be proud of when they show it to their friends, listen to music, watch videos and do office work† – Christian Terwiesch, a Wharton professor Dell has been following its unique ‘direct build-to-order’ sales model for more than 20 years. Customers can plan their own configu ration and place orders directly with the company via the phone or its Web site. Over the years, Dell’s supply chain efficiencies and direct sales gave it a competitive advantage.In 2006 however, Dell faced several problems. Many customers complained about long delays in supplies. Recall of Sony battery cells in its laptops brought undesirable media hype to the company. Increasing discontent of customers led to a slowdown in sales. Consequently, Dell lost its market leadership to HewlettPackard Co. (HP). Industry analysts felt that, with Dell's competitors also improving their supply chains and matching Dell's direct model, the company had been losing its competitive edge. Dell will have to bear additional costs with its foray into retail distribution thereby minimizing its cost advantage.Besides, profit margins of Dell will drop further since it will have to offer incentives to compete with HP in retail stores. Though Dell spruced up its product design and range but Apple is clearly far ahead of it. Many experts feel that such new initiatives will only distract Dell from its supply chain operations. 2. Dell – Company Overview Dell is a leading technology company, offering a wide range of computer product categories. Its product categories include: desktop computer systems, mobility products (notebooks), servers, storage, software and peripherals, and services.Dell is the number one supplier of personal computers in the United States, and the number two supplier worldwide. Dell also offers various financing alternatives, asset management services, and other customer financial services. Dell has manufacturing locations worldwide. Dell’s build-to-order manufacturing model allows it to substantially reduce costs and at the same time offering customers the ability to customize their product purchases. 3. Dell Products and Services Product Lines and Brands Desktop PCs †¢ OptiPlex †¢ Dimension †¢ XPS †¢ Alienware †¢ Vost ro Servers and Networking PowerEdge and PowerConnectStorage Dell | EMC and Dell PowerVault Mobility XPStm and Alienware, Inspiron and Latitude lines of notebook computers Software and Peripherals Dell branded Printers, software titles, televisions, notebook accessories, networking and wireless products, digital cameras, power adapters, scanners, and other products Enhanced Services †¢ Infrastructure Consulting Services †¢ Deployment Services. †¢ Asset Recovery and Recycling Services. †¢ Training Services †¢ Enterprise Support Services †¢ Client Support services †¢ Managed Lifecycle services Financial Services Various customer financial services for business and onsumer customers in the U. S. through Dell Financial Services L. P 4. Dell – Key Facts Dell: Quick Facts Company Type Corporate Headquarters Revenues Industry Employees Manufacturing Facilities Distribution Product Lines Brands Major Competitors Business/Growth Strategy Key Executive s Name, (age),Designation Website Public (NASDAQ: DELL) Round Rock, Texas $57. 4 billion (fiscal 2007) Hardware, PC Manufacturing Approximately 90,500 total employees (Fiscal 2007) †¢ Brazil — El Dorado do Sul †¢ Florida — Miami (Alienware) †¢ North Carolina — Winston-Salem †¢ Ohio — West Chester †¢ Tennessee — Lebanon and Nashville Texas — Austin †¢ Ireland — Limerick and Athlone (Alienware) †¢ China — Xiamen †¢ Malaysia — Penang Worldwide †¢ Desktop PCs †¢ Mobility products †¢ Servers and Storage †¢ Software and peripherals and †¢ Services †¢ OptiPlex †¢ Dimension †¢ XPS †¢ Dell Precision and Alienware MJ-12 ® †¢ PowerEdge †¢ Dell PowerVault †¢ Inspiron †¢ Latitude †¢ HP †¢ Acer †¢ Lenovo Direct customer model Highly efficient manufacturing and logistics, and New distribution channels to reach custo mers Michael S. Dell (42) Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO Donald J. Carty (61) Vice Chairman and CFO Michael R.Cannon (54) President, Global Operations Stephen J. Felice (50) Senior VP and President, Asia Pacific-Japan Mark Jarvis (44) Senior VP, Chief Marketing Officer David A. Marmonti (48) Senior VP and President, EMEA www. dell. com 5. Dell Timeline Dell Timeline 1983 Michael Dell used to upgrade IBM compatible PCs in his spare. (He was a freshman at the University of Texas, Austin) 1984 Michael Dell established PC's Ltd with sales US$ 6 million in its first full year of operations 1985 Turbo PC, first computer introduced by the company. Turbo PC was advertised in computer magazines and sold directly to customers 993 Dell joins the ranks of top-five computer system makers worldwide 1996 Dell pioneers Internet sales with earnings approx 1 million dollars per day just seven months after launch of www. dell. com 1998 The company changed its name to Dell Computer Corporat ion 1999 Dell introduces E-support tool to provide online technical support 2000 Online sales continue to grow to $50 million per day 2001 Dell achieves No. 1 ranking on global market share 2003 Dell launches Dell Recycling initiative 2004 Inventory turnover rate in Dell was at 107 times a year, compared to 8. 5 times at HP and 17. times in IBM. 2005 â€Å"America’s Most Admired Company† – Fortune Magazine 2005, 2006 Dell faced several problems, and lost its position as the largest selling PC manufacturer to HP 2007 Dell announced that it planned to move most of its global supply chain and manufacturing operations to Singapore, which would function as the company's ‘shared headquarters 2007 Michael Cannon assumes responsibility as the Head of Global Operations Organization 2007 Michael Dell (Michael) returned as CEO on January 31, 2007 2007 Retail partnerships with Wal-Mart, Staples, Gome, Bic Camera and Carphone Warehouse 2007Dell launches the Direct2Dell corporate blog and other idea forums to listen and engage customers 6. Dell – Business Segment Information Dell conducts operations worldwide. Dell is managed in three geographic regions: †¢ †¢ †¢ Americas Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) Asia Pacific-Japan (APJ). Major Business Segment Based in Americas Round Rock, Texas EMEA Bracknell, England APJ Singapore Covers Business – sales to corporate, government, healthcare, education, and small and medium business customers U. S. Consumer – sales primarily to individual consumers and selected retail partners Covers Europe, the MiddleEast, and Africa. Covers the Asian countries of the Pacific Rim as well as Australia, New Zealand, and India 7. Dell’s Evolving Supply Chain Strategy Dell’s past performance has been the result of its direct customer model. Dell’s success is attributed to a constant focus on delivering directly to its customers, related technology and services a t the best value. Dell’s operations involve highly efficient manufacturing and logistics to lower the cost of technology. 7. 1. Typical Working of Dell’s Supply Chain Dell Supply Chain works as follows: 1. Customer places an order, either by phone or through the Internet on its website . Dell processes the order in 2-3 days by evaluating financial feasibility (credit checking) and technical feasibility (technical con? guration) 3. Dell processes the order to one of its manufacturing locations 4. These plants can put together, test, and package the product in about eight hours 5. Dell typically plans to ship all orders no later than ? ve days after receipt 7. 2. Five key strategies in Dell’s successful Direct Model Five key strategies in Dell’s successful Direct Model †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Rapid time to volume Built to order products Elimination of reseller markupsSuperior customer service and support Low inventory and capital investment 7. 3. A supply chain with old technology is of little value The direct model involves bypassing retailers and selling personal computer systems directly to customers. This helps avoid the delays and costs of an additional stage (holding inventory) in the supply chain. Typically, each technology component loses about 0. 5 to 2 percent in a rapidly changing environment. A supply chain with old technology is of little value. Dell maintained very little inventory and concentrated on pacing its products through its supply chain.This also meant that there was no question of selling old products at a discount. 8. Restructuring at Dell Dell failed to meet its quarterly financial forecasts. Consequently, Dell lost its market leadership to Hewlett-Packard Co. (HP). In order to settle a few accounting issues, the company decided to restate its financial results for the last four years. Michael Dell had to take the CEO’s responsibility again, replacing Kevin Rollins. Michael Dell felt th e importance of increasing the capacity, via the direct model, to manufacture close to its customer and fully integrate its supply chain into one global organization.To do so Dell had to innovate and adapt its supply chain model to help drive differentiated product design, manufacturing and distribution models. He began a series of restructuring exercises. 8. 1. New Distribution Channels – Direct Model and Retail Strategy While part of the restructuring involved cutting 8,000 jobs, or 10. 0% of its workforce, the biggest surprise was the move of Dell to complement its ‘direct sales model’ with sale of PCs through retailer channels as well. To reach even more customers globally, Dell launched new distribution channels to reach commercial customers and individual consumers around the world.This meant moving from a model of direct sales to making its goods available in stores across the world. This move allowed Dell to reach customers that it could not reach directl y previously. From June 2007, it started placing its products in the shelves of Wal-Mart and Sam's Club stores. In December 2007, Dell also announced that its Dell laptops and desktop computers will be sold through Tesco stores in Britain and Ireland as well as the high-growth eastern European markets of Poland, Czech Republic, and Slovakia. In U. S. Asia and Europe, Dell added Best Buy, WalMart, Staples, China's Gome Stores, Japan's Bic Camera, France's Carrefour and British phone retailer, Carphone Warehouse to sell its products at nearly 10,000 retail outlets worldwide. In December 2007, Dell also chose WPP, the world's second-largest marketing, media and communications conglomerate after Omnicom, to create a new agency that will handle $4. 5 billion in accounts over the next three years. Dell hoped that creating the agency would increase the time and money spent focusing on marketing and customers rather than pitching for the next project 9.Integrating the Supply Chain Earlier, Dell's manufacturing, supply chain and procurement activities functioned separately. Procurement functioned as a standalone unit, the regional business executives were in-charge of manufacturing, and supply chain was a part of the worldwide operations of the company. All Dell's factories had been managed regionally, and procurement functioned as a separate division. Michael aimed to integrate its supply chain and achieve higher efficiency and quality through Global Operations Organization (GOO). GOO is Dell's center for integrating its global manufacturing, procurement

Chinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart - 1628 Words

Since the initial use of the literary device of tragic heroes, various renowned works of modern literature have implemented it. There are two types of tragic heroes Greek and Shakespearean. A Greek tragic hero is defined as a character of noble or high standing, who is destined for suffering, downfall, or defeat, due to forces outside of his control. A Shakespearean tragic hero is defined as a character of noble or high standing, who attempts to do the right thing, but in doing so â€Å"misses the mark† and does the wrong thing, ultimately bringing about his downfall. In many modern novels the existence of a tragic hero can be argued. An example is the postcolonial novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. The novel follows the struggles of a†¦show more content†¦In doing this he is not only freely choosing that but is also going against what he was told. A Shakespearean tragic hero is often attempting to do the right thing but â€Å"miss the mark† and does t he opposite. In Thing Fall Apart this is not the cause for the protagonist Okonkwo, when he kills Ikemefuna, the young boy sacrificed by Mbaino to Umofia to prevent war, he does it out of fear of being weak. Okonkwo not only kills Ikemefuna out of fear but he was earlier told by Ezeudo, is oldest man in the village, to not take part in his death. This shows that Okwnko committed this act of violence for self-gain as opposed to being the right thing to do. â€Å"He heard Ikemefuna cry, My father, they have killed me! as he ran towards him. Dazed with fear, Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down. He was afraid of being thought weak† (Achebe 61). Achebe distinctly writes that when Ikemefuna runs towards Okonkwo he is fearful and he draws his machete and kills him. This displays that Okonkwo although high in rank is not a noble man. He has distanced himself from all things seen as weak or feminine in his society to the point where acts of violence are his responses to situatio ns where he is fearful. His actions in this part of the novel directly go against the definition of a tragic hero. In killing Ikemefuna in an attempt to appear courageous, Okonkwo carries out this action for self-assurance of his own strength but in doing so he displays his fearful nature. Okonkwo