Folic Acid

Folic Acid is a B vitamin, specifically B9. It is an essential nutrient required by the body to create healthy new cells. While we hear about it mostly in regards to pregnancy, it is important to understand that the need for folic acid goes even beyond this. Folic acid is essential for the body to create red blood cells which in turn prevents anemia. It is also plays an important role in the metabolism of homocysteine, an amino acid. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for all men and women 14 and older is 400 mcg.Men often don’t realize this as the benefits to pregnant women are more publicized, but any human being is in need of proper amounts of folic acid to insure the body is able to create new red blood cells to nourish the body with oxygen. The recommendation is to either get this amount by using a dietary supplement or eating foods fortified with folic acid. Folic acid is the synthetic version of folate and appears to be absorbed by the body (also known as bioavaila ble) much better than the folate occurring naturally in food.One mcg of food folate (also called 1 DFE – Dietary Folate Equivalent) is equal to 0. 6 mcg of synthetic folic acid. This means that to meet the RDA from food alone, a woman or man would have to eat food naturally containing about 667 mcg per day (400/0. 6 ) which might prove difficult. Folic Acid is especially important to pregnant women. Women that have sufficient Folic Acid in their diet before and after they conceive, have a 50-70% less chance of having a baby with a brain or spine defect such as spina bifida or anencephaly . 1) Because of this the recommended dietary allowance for pregnant women is higher than for a woman that is not pregnant. The RDA for pregnant women is 600 mcg as opposed to 400 mcg. Any woman of childbearing age should be taking between 400 mcg – 600 mcg per day as about half of all pregnancies are unplanned. If a woman does not start supplementation until she is pregnant she has alr eady lost some of the benefits, though starting it as soon as possible is still better than continuing with no supplementation. After her child is born she should continue supplementing as the RDA is 500 mcg during lactation.By consuming adequate folic acid while breastfeeding, a woman is providing her child with folic acid through her breast milk while still having enough to nourish her own body. There is continued study into other possible benefits of folic acid. One area of study is whether folic acid aids in prevention of heart disease. The studies have specifically looked at the amino acid homocysteine. Folic acid is known to break down homocysteine in the body. High levels of homocysteine in the blood are related to a higher risk of heart disease, but this hasn’t conclusively been shown to be a cause of heart disease.Because of the lack of evidence the American Heart Association (AHA) is not at this time considering hyperhomocysteinemia (too much homocystein) a major ri sk factor for cardiovascular disease. AHA’s recommendation is to try and get the recommended allowance from fruits, vegetables and fat free or low fat dairy products. They say that supplements should only be used when the diet does not supply enough. Evidence is clear for folic acid supplementation reducing homocystein levels but is still lacking on whether homocystein will lower risk for cardiovascular disease. 2) Another area of study is folic acid’s role in reducing risk of certain forms of cancer. Low levels of folic acid in the blood have been linked to colon cancer, but it is too early to say if folic acid supplements can reduce risk of colon cancer. Other cancers that have been studied in relation to folic acid are breast, ovarian, pancreatic, esophageal, and stomach. Some have shown benefits to supplementation, but the results were not reproduced in subsequent studies, so at this time there is no recommendation for supplementation of folic acid to reduce risk o f cancer.The American Cancer Society similar to the AHA recommendation is to eat a healthful diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables that contain folic acid along with other vitamins. Folic acid plays many important roles in the body. There is no doubting that it is essential. The reason that we need a constant stream of it is because it is not stored in large quantities in the body. It is water soluble. Fat soluble vitamins are stored for longer in our system. When ingested, the body uses what it can and the rest comes out in urine, in very little time the body will need more.We discussed how pregnant women get a proven benefit, and studies continue on its role in reducing risks of other diseases, but regardless of what additional benefits are found, it is clear that without folic acid in our bodies, we would not be alive. Folic acid aids in the production of red blood cells and the synthesis of DNA and RNA. Folate even has a role in the digestive system! It works with vitamins B 12 and C to help the body digest and synthesize proteins. Lastly, folic acid helps tissues grow and cells function, it is an integral part of the body working as it should.You might wonder what would happen if you stopped consuming folic acid in the form of supplements or foods. One consequence that is quite likely under these conditions is folate-deficiency anemia. This type of anemia occurs when red cell production slows and the body no longer has a sufficient amount. Without enough red blood cells, oxygen cannot travel around the body quick enough. In a severe form, where the body is not making enough red blood cells over a period of time, the heart can start to malfunction. To compensate for the lack of oxygen getting to the body, the heart will start to beat faster in an attempt to correct the situation.Over a period of time this can cause congestive heart failure and even death. Shorter term symptoms would be fatigue, headaches, and pallor. Recovering completely from anemia ca n take several months. (3) The good news however is that folic acid is readily available. Beef Liver is a good meat source of folic acid with about 185 micrograms in 3 ounces. While liver is a great source, there are luckily many others for those of us that are not liver fans. Other natural sources are black eyed peas and spinach. Both have about 100 mcg of folate per 1/2 cup.Other vegetable sources are great northern beans (90 mcg), asparagus (85 mcg in 4 spears), vegetarian baked beans (60 mcg in 1 cup), broccoli (50 mcg in 1/2 cup), romaine lettuce (40 mcg in 1/2 cup), and avocado (45 mcg in 1/2 cup). If you prefer fruits, some examples of fruit sources are oranges, cantaloupe, papayas and bananas. A serving of each of these provides between 25-30 mcg of folic acid. Besides folate occurring naturally in foods, some foods are fortified as a result of the folic acid fortification regulations published by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) Foods that are folic acid fortified incl ude cereal, pasta, and bread.Some cereals have 100% recommended daily value of 400 micrograms in 3/4 cup. One bowl of some cereals could provide your daily requirement of folic acid! Other cereals are fortified but to a lesser degree having about 100 mcg per 3/4 cup. Rice and breads are often fortified as well. One half cup of rice has 65 mcg of folic acid, while one slice of bread has 25 mcg. One of the latest news stories highlighted that folic acid was recently studied in its relation to academic success. Swedish researchers found that teens with higher levels of folic acid circulating did better academically than those with lower folic acid levels.The study noted that while there is no scientific evidence that taking folate supplements will be beneficial for teens, the results of this study show that there is a relationship. (4) Fruits and vegetables are certainly important in a diet, but in addition to healthful food, there seems to be clear evidence that a daily supplement or deliberate consumption of folic acid fortified foods will ensure you are reaching the RDA and allowing your body to function to its highest capacity. The Upper Limit recommendation is 1000 mcg, so there should be low concern if you, for example, have a day with high folate foods plus a supplement.Toxicity related to folic acid is very rare. While I always understood that folic acid was important to take as a supplement for pregnant women, I now understand much more deeply the importance it has for everyone. Before born, a baby is using folic acid to assist in development of the brain and spine. As a teen, there might be an academic benefit to having higher folate levels. Research has also pointed towards the elderly being less likely to have dementia and Alzheimer’s with proper folate intake.Throughout life, folate contributes to development and functioning of the brain and day in and day out folate helps your body function. ——————â⠂¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€œ 1. http://www. cdc. gov/ncbddd/folicacid/about. html 2 http://www. heart. org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/Homocysteine-Folic-Acid-and-Cardiovascular-Disease_UCM_305997_Article. jsp 3. http://www. mayoclinic. com/health/anemia/DS00321/DSECTION=complications 4. http://www. nlm. nih. gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_114147. html Sample MenuWhile I am now convinced that a folic acid supplement is the best way to ensure adequate consumption of folic acid, the below menu is assuming I am not regularly taking a folic acid supplement. the menu doesn’t include all food I would eat, just those that have folic acid. Breakfast: 1 cup Cherrios – 50% RDA = 200 mcg Lunch: 1/2 cup Success White Rice (fortified) – 20% RDA = 80 mcg 4 Asparagus spears – 22% RDA = 85 mcg Snack: 1 banana – 8% RDA = 30 mcg Dinner: 2oz Barilla medium shells – 30% RDA = 120 mcg Total: 515 mcg Another si mple choice is to have 1/3 cup of All Bran Buds for breakfast. This has 400 mcg! 100% of daily recommended value.

Supply Chain Management for Manufacturing Industry

The main objective is to know about the SCM of manufacturing industry to know we have analyses several topic are: †¢Supply chain is a network of all firms relationships that gat a product to market, including the original acquisition of raw materials; production of the item at a manufacturing facility; distribution to a retailer; sale of he finished item to the customer, and any installation, repair, or service activities that follow the sale. †¢ How to effectively manage the supply chain is a central issue for all levels of management, regardless of industry. †¢This workshop has been designed and tailored by Mr. Ejazur Rahman amassing his over a decade experience in working and managing the Supply chain function of a reputed global manufacturing and marketing organization. To know Successful supply chain management requires decisions.To know scm, competitive, sales and marketing strategies. Who should attend the programmed? Inventory management system of scm. How to a chieve excellence in scm. Supply Chain Management for Manufacturing Industry Supply chain management (SCM) is the oversight of materials, information, and finances as they move in a process from supplier to manufacturer to wholesaler to retailer to consumer. Supply chain management involves coordinating and integrating these flows both within and among companies.It is said that the ultimate goal of any effective supply chain management system is to reduce inventory (with the assumption that products are available when needed). As a solution for successful supply chain management, sophisticated software systems with Web interfaces are competing with Web-based application service providers (ASP) who promise to provide part or all of the SCM service for companies who rent their service. Supply chain management flows can be divided into three main flows: †¢The product flow †¢The information flow The finances flow The product flow includes the movement of goods from a supplier to a customer, as well as any customer returns or service needs.The information flow involves transmitting orders and updating the status of delivery. The financial flow consists of credit terms, payment schedules, and consignment and title ownership arrangements. †¢1. Supply Chain Management – What and Why? †¢2. Objectives of a Supply Chain †¢3. Decision Phases in a Supply Chain †¢4. Process Views of a Supply Chain †¢5. Supply Chain Performance : Achieving Strategic Fit 6. Drivers of Supply Chain Performance †¢7. Designing the Supply Chain Network †¢8. Demand and Supply Planning in a Supply Chain †¢9. Planning and Managing Inventory †¢10. Designing and Planning Transportation Networks †¢11. Achieving Supply Chain Excellence in a manufacturing/service organization 1) Supply chain management what? Supply chain management (SCM) is the management of a network of interconnected businesses involved in the ultimate provision of prod uct and service packages required by end customers (Harland, 1996).Supply Chain Management spans all movement and storage of raw materials, work-in-process inventory, and finished goods from point of origin to point of consumption (supply chain). – Supply chain management (SCM) is the oversight of materials, information, and finances as they move in a process from supplier to manufacturer to wholesaler to retailer to consumer. Supply chain management involves coordinating and integrating these flows both within and among companies.It is said that the ultimate goal of any effective supply chain management system is to reduce inventory (with the assumption that products are available when needed – Supply chain management (SCM) is the oversight of materials, information, and finances as they move in a process from supplier to manufacturer to wholesaler to retailer to consumer. Supply chain management involves coordinating and integrating these flows both within and among companies. It is said that the ultimate goal of any effective supply chain management system is to reduce inventory (with the assumption that products are available when needed).As a solution for successful supply chain management, sophisticated software systems with Web interfacervice for companies who rent their service. Why supply chain management The definition, put forward by an American professional association, is that Supply Chain Management encompasses the planning and management of all activities involved in sourcing, procurement, conversion, and logistics management activities. It also includes the crucial components of coordination and collaboration with channel partners, which can be suppliers, intermediaries, third-party service providers, and customers.In essence, Supply Chain Management integrates supply and demand management within and across companies. More recently, the loosely coupled, self-organizing network of businesses that cooperates to provide product and s ervice offerings has been called the Extended Enterprise. [1] Supply Chain Management can also refer to Supply chain management software which are tools or modules used in executing supply chain transactions, managing supplier relationships and controlling associated business processes.Supply chain event management (abbreviated as SCEM) is a consideration of all possible occurring events and factors that can cause a disruption in a supply chain. With SCEM possible scenarios can be created and solutions can be planned. functions Supply chain management is a cross-function approach to manage the movement of raw materials into an organization, certain aspects of the internal processing of materials into finished goods, and then the movement of finished goods out of the organization toward the end-consumer.As organizations strive to focus on core competencies and becoming more flexible, they have reduced their ownership of raw materials sources and distribution channels. These functions are increasingly being outsourced to other entities that can perform the activities better or more cost effectively. The effect is to increase the number of organizations involved in satisfying customer demand, while reducing management control of daily logistics operations. Less control and more supply chain partners led to the creation of supply chain management concepts.The purpose of supply chain management is to improve trust and collaboration among supply chain partners, thus improving inventory visibility and improving inventory velocity. Several models have been proposed for understanding the activities required to manage material movements across organizational and functional boundaries. SCOR is a supply chain management model promoted by the Supply Chain Council. Another model is the SCM Model proposed by the Global Supply Chain Forum (GSCF). Supply chain activities can be grouped into strategic, tactical, and operational levels of activities. Strategic Strategic network optimisation, including the number, location, and size of warehousing, distribution centers, and facilities †¢Strategic partnership with suppliers, distributors, and customers, creating communication channels for critical information and operational improvements such as cross docking, direct shipping, and third-party logistics †¢Product life cycle management, so that new and existing products can be optimally integrated into the supply chain and capacity management †¢Information Technology infrastructure, to support supply chain operations †¢Where-to-make and what-to-make-or-buy decisions Aligning overall organizational strategy with supply strategy Tactical †¢Sourcing contracts and other purchasing decisions. †¢Production decisions, including contracting, scheduling, and planning process definition. †¢Inventory decisions, including quantity, location, and quality of inventory. †¢Transportation strategy, including frequency, routes, and contra cting. †¢[Benchmarking] of all operations against competitors and implementation of best practices throughout the enterprise.†¢Milestone payments †¢Focus on customer demand. Operational Daily production and distribution planning, including all nodes in the supply chain. †¢Production scheduling for each manufacturing facility in the supply chain (minute by minute). †¢Demand planning and forecasting, coordinating the demand forecast of all customers and sharing the forecast with all suppliers. †¢Sourcing planning, including current inventory and forecast demand, in collaboration with all suppliers. †¢Inbound operations, including transportation from suppliers and receiving inventory. †¢Production operations, including the consumption of materials and flow of finished goods. Outbound operations, including all fulfillment activities, warehousing and transportation to customers. †¢Order promising, accounting for all constraints in the supply c hain, including all suppliers, manufacturing facilities, distribution centers, and other customers. 2)The Objective of a Supply Chain The objective of every supply chain is to maximize the overall value generated. The value a supply chain generates is the difference between what the final product is worth to the customer and the effort the supply chain expends in filling the customer’s request.For most commercial supply chains, value will be strongly correlated with supply chain profitability, the difference between the revenue generated from the customer and the overall cost across the supply chain. For example, a customer purchasing a computer from Dell pays $2,000, which represents the revenue the supply chain receives. Dell and other stages of the supply chain incur costs to convey information, produce components, store them, transport them, transfer funds, and so on.The difference between the $2,000 that the customer paid and the sum of all costs incurred by the supply c hain to produce and distribute the computer represents the supply chain profitability. Supply chain profitability is the total profit to be shared across all supply chain stages. The higher the supply chain profitability, the more successful the supply chain. Supply chain success should be measured in terms of supply chain profitability and not in terms of the profits at an individual stage. Having defined the success of a supply chain in terms of supply chain rofitability, the next logical step is to look for sources of revenue and cost. For any supply chain, there is only one source of revenue: the customer. At Wal-Mart, a customer purchasing detergent is the only one providing positive cash flow for the supply chain. All other cash flows are simply fund exchanges that occur within the supply chain given that different stages have different owners. When Wal-Mart pays its supplier, it is taking a portion of the funds the customer provides and passing that money on to the supplier. All flows of information, product, or funds generate costs within the supply chain.Thus, the appropriate management of these flows is a key to supply chain success. Supply chain management involves the management of flows between and among stage sin a supply chain to maximize total supply chain profitability. 3) Decision Phases In a Supply Chain Successful supply chain management requires many decisions relating to the flow of information, product, and funds. These decisions fall into three categories or phases, depending on the frequency of each decision and the time frame over which a decision phase has an impact. 1.Supply chain strategy or design: During this phase, a company decides how to structure the supply chain over the next several years. It decides what the chain’s configuration will be, how resources will be allocated, and what processes each stage will perform. Strategic decisions made by companies include the location and capacities of production and warehouse f acilities, the products to be manufactured or stored at various locations, the modes of transportation to be made available along different shipping legs, and the type of information system to be utilized.A firm must ensure that the supply chain configuration supports its strategic objectives during this phase. Dell’s decisions regarding the location and capacity of its manufacturing facilities, warehouses, and supply courses are all supply chain design or strategic decisions. Supply chain design decisions are typically made for the long term (a matter of years) and are very expensive to alter on short notice. Consequently, when companies make these decisions, they must take into account uncertainty in anticipated market conditions over the next few years. 2. Supply chain planning: For decisions made during his phase, the time frame considered is a quarter to a year. Therefore, the supply chain’s configuration determined in the strategic phase is fixed. The configurati on establishes constraints within which planning must be done. Companies start the planning phase with a forecast for the coming year (or a comparable time frame) of demand in different markets. Planning includes decisions regarding which markets will be supplied from which locations, the subcontracting of manufacturing, the inventory policies to be followed, and the timing and size of marketing promotions.Dell’s decisions regarding markets a given production facility will supply and target production quantities at different locations are classified as planning decisions. Planning establishes parameters within which a supply chain will function over a specified period of time. In the planning phase, companies must include uncertainty in demand, exchange rates, and competition over this time horizon in their decisions. Given a shorter time horizon and better forecasts than the design phase, companies in the planning phase try to incorporate any flexibility built into the suppl y chain in the design phase and exploit it to optimize performance.As a result of the planning phase, companies define a set of operating policies that govern short-term operations. 3. Supply chain operation: The time horizon here is weekly or daily, and during this phase companies make decisions regarding individual customer orders. At the operational level, supply chain configuration is considered fixed and planning policies are already defined. The goal of supply chain operations is to handle incoming customer orders in the best possible manner.During this phase, firms allocate inventory or production to individual orders, set a date that an order is to be filled, generate pick lists at a warehouse, allocate an order to a particular shipping mode and shipment, set delivery schedules of trucks, and place replenishment orders. Because operational decisions are being made in the short term (minutes, hours, or days), there is less uncertainty about demand information. Given the const raints established by the configuration and planning policies, the goal during the operation phase is to exploit the reduction of uncertainty and optimize performance.The design, planning, and operation of a supply chain have a strong impact on overall profitability and success. Continuing with our example, consider Dell Computer. In the early 1990s, Dell management began to focus on improving the improved performance. Both profitability and the stock price have soared and Dell stock has had outstanding returns over this period. 4)Supply Chain Process Platform The winners in fiercely competitive markets create agile and efficient business processes, supported by flexible, reliable and cost-effective technology.When your market position depends on your supply chain, you need processes and solutions that work together seamlessly to provide the information and automate the activities you need to operate most effectively. All of Manhattan Associates' solutions operate on a common Servic e Oriented Architecture (SOA) platform, to maximize the value of your technology investment. With Manhattan Associates' Supply Chain Process Platform, you can easily integrate any or all of our applications into your existing systems or add new solutions from our suite of products.That means dramatic reductions in complexity and faster implementation whenever you need new functionality. With shared master and transaction databases, data capture management (such as voice and RFID) and a real-time alert system that operates across all Manhattan Associates' solutions, the Supply Chain Process Platform provides a safeguard that flags any inconsistency in your data, ensuring a safe implementation and continued smooth operation. Our Supply Chain Process Platform offers flexibility, scalability and supportability to meet the requirements of the most complex supply chains for the most demanding companies.The Manhattan Supply Chain Process Platform: †¢Makes customizing your solutions to meet your business requirements easier than ever †¢Simplifies adding new functionalities or incorporating technical innovations †¢Provides a shared platform for collecting, managing, distributing and acting on information and events that flow through the supply chain †¢Ensures that solutions are robust, scalable, resilient and consistent across all components. Uniting the Platform Applications for Maximum ValueThe Supply Chain Process Platform provides a foundation for all Manhattan platform applications: †¢Supply Chain Intelligence: With easy-to-read reports presenting powerful analytics, you can monitor the performance of your suppliers, carriers, customers and employees from one intuitive dashboard. †¢Supply Chain Visibility: See a single, consistent, real-time view of your entire global supply chain. †¢Supply Chain Event Management: Receive notification of all supply chain events as they occur and respond immediately across your full supply chain. 5) Supply Chain Performance : Achieving Strategic Fit Competitive strategy: defines the set of customer needs a firm seeks to satisfy through its products and services ? Product development strategy: specifies the portfolio of new products that the company will try to develop ? Marketing and sales strategy: specifies how the market will be segmented and product positioned, priced, and promoted ? Supply chain strategy: – determines the nature of material procurement, transportation of materials, manufacture of product or creation of service, distribution of product –Consistency and support between supply chain strategy, competitive strategy, and other functional strategies is importantAchieving Strategic Fit(1/2) ? How is strategic fit achieved? ? Other issues affecting strategic fit How is Strategic Fit Achieved? ? Step 1: Understanding the customer and supply chain uncertainty ? Step 2: Understanding the supply chain ? Step 3: Achieving strategic fit Step 1: Understan ding the Customer and Supply Chain Uncertainty (1/3) ? Identify the needs of the customer segment being served ? Quantity of product needed in each lot ? Response time customers will tolerate ? Variety of products needed ? Service level required ? Price of the product ? Desired rate of innovation in the product Overall attribute of customer demand ? Demand uncertainty: uncertainty of customer demand for a product ? Implied demand uncertainty: resulting uncertainty for the supply chain given the portion of the demand the supply chain must handle and attributes the customer desires ? Implied demand uncertainty also related to customer needs and product attributes ? First step to strategic fit is to understand customers by mapping their demand on the implied uncertainty spectrum Step 2: Understanding the Supply Chain (1/2) ? How does the firm best meet demand? ? Dimension describing the supply chain is supply chain responsiveness Supply chain responsiveness — ability to – respond to wide ranges of quantities demanded –meet short lead times –handle a large variety of products –build highly innovative products –meet a very high service level ? There is a cost to achieving responsiveness ? Supply chain efficiency: cost of making and delivering the product to the customer ? Increasing responsiveness results in higher costs that lower efficiency ? Figure 2. 3: cost-responsiveness efficient frontier ? Figure 2. 4: supply chain responsiveness spectrum ? Second step to achieving strategic fit is to map the supply chain on the responsiveness spectrumStep 3: Achieving Strategic Fit ? Step is to ensure that what the supply chain does well is consistent with target customer’s needs Other Issues Affecting Strategic Fit ?Multiple products and customer segments ? Product life cycle ? Competitive changes over time 6)Drivers of Supply Chain Performance Supply chains are becoming increasingly global and ever more complex, as organiza tions try to support strategic management practices such as entering new markets, increasing the pace of new product introductions, improving the reliability and speed of order fulfillment . . . all the while trying to lower supply chain costs.For organizations to work closely with their suppliers, logistics providers, distributors and retailers, their supply chains must be streamlined and technology-enabled. However, organizations that want to streamline their supply chains must first understand what is working well, what is not and where the opportunities for improvement are. These companies need to have a way to measure the performance of their supply chain on an ongoing basis. Traditional approaches of measuring supply chain performance — scorecards, dashboards and reports showing supply chain metrics — suffer from three shortcomings: 1) They are not linked to strategy. ) They have a silo approach. 3) They have a flat hierarchy. Let's examine each of these shortcom ings more closely. They are not linked to strategy. It can be difficult to see how a supply chain metric affects your overall objectives. If the metric is trending in the wrong direction, which aspect of your supply chain strategy will be affected? Without a framework that links each metric to a certain element of strategy, the context behind a metric can get lost. When such context is missing, it becomes a challenge for organizations (large ones in particular) to get everyone to see the common vision.Next-generation Supply Chain Performance Management (SCPM) systems will need to be able to show the link between any metric and the element of strategy it impacts. They have a silo approach. Current supply chain analytics solutions do a good job of showing the performance of metrics for individual departments, such as cost per unit purchased, percentage of on-time supplier shipment for the procurement department, or set-up times, capacity utilization and percentage of scrap for the pla nt.However, this type of silo approach sacrifices the overall process and end goals in the interest of improving the performance of an individual department. As a result, functional silos are reinforced within the organization. The key is to measure the performance of overall business process in such a way that poor performance of a departmental metric could be overlooked in the interest of increasing the overall business process performance. To achieve this, next-generation Supply Chain Performance Management systems will need to do more than show departmental metrics – they need to have a process orientation. They have a flat hierarchy.The metrics that help you measure the overall performance of your supply chain are not standalone — they are related to each other, sometimes in a hierarchical fashion. Such relationships help you drill down and better understand root cause more effectively. For example, if a hierarchical relationship were developed between outbound sh ipment cost metric and those metrics that affect shipment costs, your system will tell you that outbound shipment costs are trending up despite the carrier rates trending down due to lower fuel costs, because your express freight shipments in a certain division are up significantly month over month.However, most current supply chain analytics have no way to define such relationships. Next-generation Supply Chain Performance Management systems of tomorrow will need to be able to define and show relationships between metrics. What supply chain performance management systems must include All these issues need to be addressed by next-generation Supply Chain Performance Management systems. Such systems should include three capabilities: an analytics framework; a process orientation; and linkages. Analytics framework.The ideal SCPM system should allow a user to define a complete framework for supply chain analytics. This framework should include: †¢overall supply chain objectives; â € ¢the top-line metrics that affect the objective; †¢the description, targets and acceptable range for each metric; and †¢a list of reports where the metric can be found. 7. Designing the Supply Chain Network Overview In today’s volatile business environment, many companies are expanding, merging, contracting, or otherwise redesigning their supply chain networks.Here learner applications of optimization models to the analysis of these network design problems. Modeling concepts are reviewed as well as practical methods for data gathering and validation, model implementation, and scenario construction. New applications will be presented including network design models to plan for new products, to manage production and inventories of products with short shelf lives, to select vendor contracts, and to control CO2 emissions. Several case studies will be presented along with discussions of network design problems faced by course attendees.Who Should Attend This program is intended for: †¢Managers and analysts responsible for network design decision-making †¢Managers and analysts responsible for acquiring or developing, and applying data-driven modeling systems to support network design decision-making †¢Consultants who direct or participate in network design studies †¢Academics who teach supply chain subjects to students in management and engineering Participants will not need advanced analytical skills to fully absorb material presented in the program. )DEMAND AND SUPPLY PLANNING IN SCM SCM facechallenges to people at manufacturing companies who need to gauge customer demand and respond to changes in demand, even when they take place at a moment's notice. Manufacturers' responsiveness and agility in the areas of sales and operations planning (S;OP) and demand management—the two major parts of supply chain planning—are still hampered by cumbersome, static processes. Common problems include: †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Lack of r eal-time, robust, and actionable data. †¢Lack of integration among financial, operating, sales, and marketing plans. †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Inability of people to share information and documents. †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Poor analytical capabilities and collaborative planning environments. †¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Lack of alert and monitoring capabilities. Solutions Supply Chain Demand and Supply Planning solutions from Microsoft and its partner ecosystem help manufacturers change the way they manage their supply chains to become more demand-driven, adaptive, and responsive.By improving people's visibility into customer demand and supplier capabilities, these solutions create an environment that enables real-time decisions about manufacturing activity, which can lower inventory while improving customer service. Demand management solutions offer real-time demand management business processes, delivered with an integrated business intelligence and collaboration framework, to empower people with collaboration a nd analytic capabilities.Sales and operations planning (S&OP) solutions, which include connected systems, process workflows, event management, and live communication, offer collaboration, analysis, integration, workflow, and monitoring functionality throughout all phases of a manufacturer's S;OP workflow—beginning with the baseline forecast created by people in the manufacturer's sales and marketing departments, all the way through the forecast for a specific customer, the creation of a consensus forecast, supply planning, resolution and exception processes, approval and budgeting, sales allocations, order promising, and communication with the manufacturer's production facilities. Infor Supply Chain Management is a global solution with implementations at over 1,600 customer sites in 40 countries. Backed by domain experts who know supply chain management and the challenges you face, our supply chain planning and execution solutions comprise the following key components: Strate gic Network Design —modeling and optimization tools for determining the most effective number, location, size, and capacity of facilities to meet customer service goals; time-phased tactical planning for determining where and when to make, buy, store, and move product through the network.Demand Planning —forecasting tools, web-based collaboration interface, and sales and operations reporting and metrics that help companies predict and shape customer demand with greater accuracy. Distribution Planning —inventory analysis and time-variable stock target calculations for ensuring the optimal balance between service levels and inventory investment; synchronized replenishment plans for all network points right back to manufacturing and supplier sources for better visibility. Manufacturing Planning —constraint-based advanced planning system for engineering, assembly, and repetitive manufacturing environments; similar tools for process manufacturers. Production S cheduling —finite capacity scheduling for engineering, assembly, and repetitive environments, as well as batch-process production facilities.Transportation and Logistics Planning —transportation planning, transportation procurement, route planning, transportation management, small parcel shipping, and international trade logistics for global, multi-modal operations. Warehouse Management System —end-to-end fulfillment and distribution including inventory, labor, and work and task management, as well as cross-docking, value-added services, yard management, multiple inventory ownership and billing/invoicing, and voice-directed distribution. RFID —comprehensive RFID-enablement framework delivering business value through process optimization for manufacturers and other companies, as well as compliance solutions for retail, pharmaceuticals, the US Department of Defense, and others.Event Management —proactive, real-time exception management technology for detecting conditional change anywhere in the supply chain and communicating it instantly for resolution. 9)Planning and managing inventory By Curt Barry Inventory is most likely the largest balance sheet asset in your company. How well you plan, purchase, and manage your inventory largely determines your level of customer service and profits. But selling goods in multiple channels means dealing with channel-specific planning and inventory needs. Planning and inventory systems In most companies, the systems for merchandise planning and inventory control remain highly fragmented by channel.For promotional planning, many multichannel companies need to be more diligent and use a single promotional calendar rather than channel-specific schedules on which merchandise planning is based. These should include in-store promotions, catalogs, and e-mail campaigns. Internet inventory management philosophies are slowly evolving in most companies. Traditional catalogers now average more than 50% of sales from the Internet, although much of that business is generated by receipt of the catalog. Products may be active and available longer if there is stock. What sells online is heavily influenced by placement on landing pages and organization and ranking within category product searches.The online product assortment can be more extensive than that in a single catalog. Internet may have a total chain assortment different from any one store or region. The Website may have a clearance or liquidation aspect. These principles of planning and managing inventory are not industry established best practices, but are being hammered out in the trenches every day. From a purchasing perspective, companies are rolling multiple channel plans and forecasts together into a single purchase order management system to write Pos. When will there be true integrated systems for planning and inventory systems? For most companies, not any time soon. Retail and direct channels have different data needs and processes.It will probably be a few years before commercial software companies that cater to retail and direct have the most basic of systems in place. MICROS Retail, Direct Tech, and Manhattan Associates all have development projects to bring channels together in terms of planning and inventory systems. Channel Inventory – a distribution view With all the complexities of planning and inventory control, how are distribution centers accommodating the channels? When multichannel marketing was in its infancy more than a decade ago, the prevalent thinking was to have a single DC that would process both direct and retail replenishment orders. There would be one pooled inventory, one staff and one facility — end of discussion. But logistics thinking is changing.But to accomplish this, they have the additional overhead of multiple facilities and staffing, and their warehouse management and order management must be capable of managing multiple inventories and allocating a nd filling orders. As e-commerce in retail companies has grown substantially, logistics management has come to realize that picking, packing, and shipping of small orders is very different from full-carton replenishment to stores. With large volumes it may prove to be more efficient to have dedicated centers for direct. Another of the real drivers behind this shift is the realization that without having separate sales and stock plans, there is no accountability by business units to make their sales plans.So if the first unit to allocate inventory gets the stock, then there may not be inventory for later drops of a catalog, e-mail campaigns, initial stocks to open stores, etc. Other companies use a â€Å"virtual inventory† concept, not in the sense of drop-shipping, but of the inventory system being able to keep planned sales by product and SKU by channel, and being able to reserve inventory for the channel business unit. Importing’s effect Where we source product is al so changing how we can plan and manage it. Much of the multichannel world relies on imported product. Even if you buy from a domestic distributor, chances are that merchandise is imported.Additionally, companies may not be looking at a fully loaded product cost including agent's/broker's fees, demurrage, duty rate, product development costs, and buyer's travel. Couple that with warehouse storage space requirements for container size receipts and the inventory carrying costs. All of this leads to higher inventory and carrying costs and slower turnover. What to do about it? †¢Use mixed container loading, where appropriate. †¢Weigh the increase in per unit cost to take smaller quantities. †¢Move the entire merchandise and creative planning calendar for promotions back and do each season earlier (no easy task). †¢Challenge merchants to look Stateside to try to get the product with smaller quantities, or to develop product in the U. S. and later roll it out off-shore if it sells. †¢Tackle the issue of ccounting for all the product costs to be sure you have an accurate, fully loaded cost and sufficient initial markup without being overstocked. Liquidating overstocks Inventory that doesn't sell and liquidation are two dreaded aspects to merchandising. Because you have to take in larger imported orders and distribute to more channels, you need a cost effective strategy for in-season liquidation and clearance. In a cost-based system it's hard to determine how much gross margin is lost in marking down retail prices. Our experience is that it may represent 2% to 4% of net sales at least. What to do about it? †¢Develop a liquidation strategy. Options include clearance catalogs, Web specials, bind-in or package inserts, sales pages, and telephone offers. Develop a report showing candidates for liquidation based on rate of sale. †¢Develop an age of inventory report that will age products in time brackets (30 days, etc. ) to stay on top of inventory. transportation, importing, retail versus direct packaging, technology used in the supply chain and DCs, etc. All this necessitates setting standards with vendors so that you aren't working on an exception basis with every one. Vendor compliance and supply chain In most multichannel businesses the size of the product assortment and vendor base have grown dramatically. Supply chains have become increasingly complex with modes of vendor compliance is at the heart of efficient supply chain management.Routing inbound shipments to reduce costs and scheduling inbound appointments can help speed product flow through the DC, significantly helping in turn to reduce inventory levels. Automating the supply chain through advanced shipping notifications (ASNs), RFID, and cross-docking to stores can go a long way toward reducing costs, but these cannot be implemented without a comprehensive vendor compliance policy. Start small by communicating your company vision, the need for on-time delivery, routing guides, inbound dock standards like carton labeling, product specifications, accounting and paperwork requirements, contact list, and the costs of back orders. Begin a charge-back policy and implement it with your largest vendors.Later, you can add other items that are typically included, such as service level standards, packaging, labeling, case labeling, valued and value-added services, logistical requirements, scheduling appointments, cross-docking and direct-to-store requirements, charge back for non-compliance, etc. The trend is to push compliance back up the supply chain. This means as many value-added services as possible — packaging, marking, quality inspections — performed by vendors or merchant reps in factories. Catching errors at the source and using source-based services speeds inventory flow, and any such issues are cheaper to deal with in the vendor's environment. 10)ACHIEVING SCM EXCELLENCE A new survey reveals what separates manufactu ring industry leaders from laggards IT HAS BEEN several years since a comprehensive and independent survey of the state of supply chain management (SCM) in the paper manufacturing industry has been carried out.A lot has happened both in the industry and in the field of SCM during this time. Moderator Consulting carried out an extensive survey during July-October 2005 to see where we stand today. Altogether 11 European paper companies participated in the survey, which covered issues such as SCM strategy, process and management models, reporting systems, managing customer relationships, efficient operations, people and supporting systems and future plans. The respondents covered all the main product groups in nine European countries. The results of individual companies were obviously kept strictly confidential. Common terminology and definitions were used in the survey to ensure common understanding of the questions and issues.The results provide a good cross-section of the industry p erformance and challenges. Besides being a major cost and working capital factor, SCM can also be considered a source of significant competitive edge. Some of the findings are listed below. 1. Nearly half the respondents still need to develop more robust SCM strategies. While all companies said they have an SCM strategy, the content, communication and integration into overall business strategy in many cases leaves much to be desired. For instance, some companies had no logistics provider strategy or did not include development of cost factors. 2. The industry has clearly been moving toward a more integrated management structure.Most SCM-related decisions, such as strategy, demand planning and vendor and location management are nowadays made at corporate / business area levels, with sales companies and mills mostly in an execution role (Figure 1). However, even though management structures are more integrated, several companies have yet to adopt more of a process approach, with the p rocesses and their ownerships defined. Systems for monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs) seem nowadays to be at a reasonably good level in nearly all the respondent companies. 3. The outsourcing process appears to be complete. The dominant logistics management mode is nowadays clearly â€Å"preferred partnerships† – on average 60%, and covering the whole infrastructure.Interestingly although â€Å"preferred partnerships† was stated as the dominant transport mode, respondents still had between 50 and 100 regular haulage â€Å"partners† in use on average. This may indicate room for some further consolidation. IT systems management is the exception to the outsourcing rule: very few companies have outsourced this aspect of their operations. 4. Many companies still need to segment their customers and define corresponding service levels for each customer or customer group. This may mean that these companies are offering the same service, such as dedicate d stocks or a 24 hr/ single pallet delivery – with corresponding costs – to all or most of their customers.This can hardly be optimal from a cost-to-serve viewpoint, unless price supplements are enforced. However, customers rarely accept such surcharges nowadays. 5. Surprisingly few customers participate in the demand planning processes (only five to 10 on average). Participation in this context means active involvement and, considering the industry's forecasting challenges this may offer an improvement in some industry segments. Transaction automation with customers and logistics providers also offers big potential: only 10-20% and 50% respectively said they currently transact electronically. More standardization is needed. 6. Most companies seem quite satisfied with their IT systems.On a scale of one (very dissatisfied) to five (very satisfied), a clear majority of the companies gave a mark of four for most of their systems, such as mill execution, sales and distribu tion and data warehousing. The substantial investments in IT systems over recent years appear to have paid off in a number of cases. 7. Most companies were satisfied with both the number and caliber of their SCM personnel. Main training requirements were focused on customer relations issues. 8. Future development needs to be carefully planned. As generic future goals, most respondents stated that their main focuses are on cost and inventory reductions, as well as on improving customer service. Improved internal integration and process management was also listed as a priority generic target.However, these may be conflicting targets, unless planned carefully. More specifically, the respondents were asked to prioritize a list of 14 specific SCM initiatives provided, based on their planned implementation in the next three years initiatives included issues such as RFID, vendor managed inventory (VMI), activity based costing, harmonization of IT infrastructure, e-commmerce with logistics providers and offering outsourcing capabilities to customers. The clear â€Å"winners† were VMI, e-commerce projects and collaborative planning, forecasting and replenishment (CPFR) following close behind. These are huge undertakings with significant risks, resource and planning requirements.However, the companies that successfully implement them would take their supply chain to an entirely new level of sophistication, responsiveness, efficiency and transparency. Finally,The industry has been moving toward a more integrated and customer-centric management approach. Industry and customer consolidation are the most likely reasons for this. IT systems and performance monitoring finally appear to be in good shape in most companies. This is a good basis for future development, even though many companies revealed some worrying weaknesses in a number of critical areas and are clearly lagging behind the leaders. The leading companies – based on this survey – can best be characterized as having a clear, comprehensive and well-communicated SCM strategy.They also have an integrated management structure and KPI monitoring in place; processes are defined in detail; service/cost tradeoffs are optimized; logistics partners are managed efficiently; they have implemented wellfunctioning IT systems; and have competent and well trained people, all of which are reflected also in their costs and performance. Is this just good, basic management? Easy to say, much more difficult to accomplish in real life! Furthermore, the leaders have ambitious plans for the future – especially in areas involving their customers. These companies are clearly outperforming their peers and they are well positioned to increase their competitive edge by efficiently and intelligently serving their customers.

Book Review on Life Strategies for Teens Essay

This book tells about the ten Life Laws that the author’s father has written about, but into a way that teens can easily understand. These Life Laws are to get us understand more why our lives are like this at the moment, what we have done has led our lives to be like this. The Laws are to help us to get back onto the right track with life, dealing with the problems we face, creating our own lives and future. It tells us that it is up to ourselves to create a life that we want; it is all by our control. I haven’t learnt really much, in a narrow speaking definition, of studying in this book, as it most tells me about the attitude and things to do, concerning our whole lives but not just on studying. But Life Law Four ‘You cannot change what you do not acknowledge’ did help me to see that there are actually more I can do to improve my results and to achieve success. I came to know that I should have done much more. As it says in the book that ‘Life rewards action’ as Life Law five, I came to realize that I have much more that I want to achieve than I had even thought of. As I get to know that not until I do it, I would never know what is out there waiting for me. There are always greater possibilities than we could ever imagine for ourselves. We should always aim for more and higher, as long as you have the desire and is willing to do the things you want to do, you always can, in one way or the other. So after reading the book, there are a few things I would like to achieve. I would, of course, want to keep up with my result, as the curriculum will only be harder and requires more effort to be paid. Schedule is expected to be filled up with homework, tests, exam and revision, as well as projects of different subjects. Apart from keeping up my result and a GPA of 3. 5 or above, I would like myself to do more extra work for studying, like to prepare more before the lesson, read some more extra information about that topic, or even do more drilling papers. History is the subject that I would like myself to work extra hard on, not for getting an ‘A’, but to enrich myself with the subject and be more passionate about it. Other subjects are to be work hard on as well, but I will just put more effort on History, as t is what I want to do and is able to do. I should really strive the best and to exceed myself for my goals. Also, in a broader meaning of studying, I have learnt much about my life from this book. It somehow teaches me to have a better attitude on different aspects in life, with friends, with parents, in school, and most importantly me. About what I should do for the rest of my life, how I should deal with problems, face difficulties, and to go through the life journey with a smile on my face, as least knowing why everything would happen in such a way, and to change it into the way I want life to be. Both the first Life Law and the second Life Law, which are ‘You either get it, or you don’t’ and ‘You create your own experience’ it is just so true in my life. I really I had been struggling before I made the decision of switching school a year ago. I wasn’t doing so well in my school or with my classmates. I felt so ‘whatever’ all the time, thinking that this is just what I get, I have to go with it, I have to suffer it, etc. I didn’t think that I could have changed it, I didn’t think that I could change my own life into a better way. It wasn’t until one day, while chatting with my friend, she was talking all about the fun things she experienced in school, and I was thinking ‘Oh, I just wish I could be like her as well. ’ Then, she asked me ‘Hey, how is your school going? ’ I was astonished. I was thinking that I had told my friends a thousand times that my school isn’t going well and I simply hate it, why could she ask me like this? So, I asked her ‘I told you it isn’t so great, why you are asking again? ’ She shrugged ‘Well, I don’t know if you may have changed it or do something with it, as to make yourself happier or what. I froze there, wondering why on earth she thought I could have changed my life into a happier stage. Then I started to think hard, is there something I can change? Is my life really having no hope at all? From there, I thought as hard as I could ever have. Then, I gradually understand why I had my life so miserable and I chose to change it with the decision of switching school. By now, I have proven that I have my own control with my life. I see the change in myself, from not knowing what I am going to do with my life, to having a clear goal on my life and being optimistic with my own life. I have more friends, I work harder in school, I started to get better results, etc all these I can see myself changing and it proves that I really do have the power to change my life into a better way. After reading the first two Life Law, now I understand more on my life. I now get to know how I have chosen for myself to be happy. It is always good to know that you have done something right, isn’t it? And I am now more sure of how to make myself happy in my life. Now, here comes the third Life Law of ‘People do what works’. It tells that people, teenager here, sometimes found themselves doing something stupid over and over again. In this chapter, it stated that the people continue to do these things because they are getting ‘payoffs’. I get to realize why I still come back home later than my mum expected and I always knew that I am going to be scolded or even punished, but still I continued to be late at home. After reading this chapter and know more about it, I got to understand that my ‘payoffs’ is having more time with friends and don’t need to be home under my parents’ control. As I got to know what is my ‘payoffs’ and what I have in return, I can now balance the two things that I want. I can now tell myself that if I go back home punctually and always tell where I would go to my parents, they’d trust me and give me more degree of freedom and I could have more time with my friends. I now see another way to get what I want. Life Law Six: There is no reality, only perception. It somehow tells me that sometimes how I think of other people may not be the exact way that they think. I now get to know that I can choose how I think of other people and myself. By knowing this, I can now choose how to think others and the way I treat them. If I can always look at the good side of people, I can be happier with them, since I know they are good people with good intension. My life could be happier. As my emotions would be affected by my perceptions about people around me. I also learn that I should be influence by my personal view on a person, as there is always a great possibility that I would misjudge them. For the rest of the Life Laws, they are also useful and can be applied to my life, as to make my life happier and more meaningful. By ‘We teach people how to treat us’; I know that how I should do to earn my parents’ trust, and y own freedom. More importantly, I now understand how I should do to get a good impression with people. All the ten Life Laws have brought me to a deeper understanding of my present life, not just how I study but my life being myself and what I should live my whole life. Life Law Seven ‘Life is managed, it is not cured’ it emphasized once again that we are the one who controls our lives. We should always choose for ourselves, the way we treat others, the way we treat ourselves. This book has taught me much about life, not just studying in school but studying through my whole life.

Motivating Secondary Schooling Children Assignment

Motivating Secondary Schooling Children - Assignment Example 195). Sockett's statement expresses a basic premise about the role of motivation: It leads to possibilities for fostering the development of students' potential or "life chances" (Mclnerney & Van Etten, 2001, p. x). In some rare cases the educator is lucky enough to have a group of students who all arrive with enthusiasm for the subject. They have well developed study skills and a strong aptitude towards learning. In these instances the task for the educator is to maintain this enthusiasm and to utilize it to ensure these already advanced students continue to achieve high levels of success. However, the circumstances for educators are often quite different. Their study skills may be underdeveloped and the academic learning may be less than impressive. It is for this reason that an educator should be armed with the knowledge and skill to develop or even create motivation. A central theme of this paper is that teachers have a primary responsibility in education to help students cultivate personal qualities of motivation that can give them resources for developing aspiration, independent learning, achieving goals, and fostering resiliency in the face of setbacks. Perhaps this responsibility is even more important in the context of the motivational problems and challenges faced in the home and in schools in the early 21st century. The research on the issue will include reviewing the literature on motivation and discussing of teaching approaches that stimulate students' motivation. The research paper will also focus on subject interest and draw upon the practical experiences of teachers faced with students whose level of interest in their subject matter is low. Student's discouragement to learn is not uncommon and arises widely throughout the educational system. During the years of compulsory education, the lack of motivation is a matter of constant conc ern. Students are faced with a wide ranging curriculum designed to provide a well rounded education. Amongst the myriad of research subjects there will be some favored topic/subjects, while other subjects may not be that interesting to an individual student. Successful teaching will almost inevitably require the adoption of a different approach to the teaching and learning activities undertaken. Definition and overview of motivation Motivation is a theoretical construct used to explain the initiation, direction, intensity, persistence, and quality of behavior, especially goal-directed behavior (Maehr & Meyer, 1997). Motives are hypothetical constructs used to explain why people are doing what they are doing. Motives are distinguished from related constructs such as goals (the immediate objectives of particular sequences of behavior) and strategies (the methods used to achieve goals and thus to satisfy motives). For example, a person responds to hunger (motive) by going to a restaurant (strategy) to get food (goal). Motives are usually construed as relatively general needs or desires that energize people to initiate purposeful action sequences. In contrast, goals (and related strategies) tend to be more specific and to be used to explain the direction and quality of action sequences in particular situations

Qualities of manhood Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Qualities of manhood - Essay Example Fourth, do feel the cool waters of Niagara Falls’ deep expanse. Consequently, implementing such activities will make you understand that nature is your friend during times favorable and unfavorable manhood situations. Further, do make your best decisions during manhood (Bouyssou 16). First, do determine the problem. Next, do gather valid and relevant data. Third, do list down probable alternatives that may resolve the problem. Lastly, do implement the best alternative. Consequently, these activities ensure better decisions during your manhood years. In terms of conquering life’s challenges, learning will enhance your chances. First, do start learning starts at home (Donoghue 115). Second, do accept your parents unselfishly showering you with their growing up experiences in order to better overcome the grinding uphill climb called life. Third, do learn everything from your teachers consequently, doing these activities will equip you to surpass of life’s formidable challenges. Moreover, do prepare for possible unfavorable situations during manhood (Lliff 107). When in California, do prepare for forest fires. When in Boston, do prepare for bombing surprises. When in Florida, do prepare for hurricanes. When in New York, do everything to avoid being hit by air attacks. Consequently, preparation will reduce the ill effects of unfavorable manhood situations. Additionally, do prepare for life’s unexpected surprises during manhood (Bouyssou18). Do prepare for possible appearance of unidentified flying objects. Do prepare for unexpected tornadoes. As an expectant father, do prepare for twins to appear. Consequently, preparation for surprises will train you to inject acts that will reduce possible unfavorable manhood outcomes. Further, do learn everything needed to shorten your path to achieving your own preset goals and objectives in life (Donoghue 118). Do learn from the masters. The masters include the textbook

HeLa cells still being used in science especially in Ebola virus Essay

HeLa cells still being used in science especially in Ebola virus - Essay Example Though the cells have been beneficial to the entire society, the way they were extracted, and the way they are being used has been criticized by many authors. Despite criticism, HeLA cells are still being used for every aspect in science today, and are being used to develop vaccinations that can fight the Ebola Virus, which has become a great threat to human beings. â€Å"The Immortal life of Henrietta† by Rebecca Skloot highlights how HeLa cells have been beneficial to the entire world. On October, 4, 1951, Henrietta Lacks, a 31 year old woman, and a mother died of cervical cancer. As it was the norm to take biopsy samples from patients, doctors took her cancerous tumors to enhance their study. However, this was done without her knowledge. Doctors, George Gey and Mary Kubicek, overcame laboratory failures, and succeeded in keeping human cancer cells alive and growing forever. Since then, the HeLa cells have been used to develop important vaccines and cancer medicines. In Skloot’s book she writes that the cells are also being used in processes such as cloning, gene mapping, as well as in vitro fertilization (Skloot 369). Moreover, cancer survivors who were being treated alongside Henrietta were not aware until mid-1970s that the cells from Henrietta’s cancer have been used to save their lives. After this discovery, many med ical researchers sought to know more about the cells, and why they are special. University of Minnesota scientists discovered that the cells could be infected with a virus that causes polio. With this knowledge the cells provided a quick way test of the usefulness of the Salk polio vaccine. It was discovered that if vaccinated patients produced antibodies that would prevent the disease, his or her blood plasma would prevent polio when it mixed with HeLa cells and poliovirus in laboratories. The research has been operated and funded by African-American researchers

Bsc in Management Studies - Business Environment-Coursework- Coursework

Bsc in Management Studies - Business Environment- - Firstgrade - Coursework Example Report also discussed as to how Intel captured the personal computer processor market and completely revolutionized it. However, the emerging trends on mobile computing suggest that the Intel may be lagging behind in this segment of the business. Extensive competition in the chip business for the smart phones and tablet computers has resulted into the vanishing of Intel’s traditional competitive advantage in the market. Trends suggest that the manufacturing of personal computers- a segment where Intel is market leader despite the fact that it’s getting tough competition from AMD- is shrinking. This reduction into the personal computer manufacturing therefore could result into the loss of market share for Intel. The final section of the report discusses some of the strategic approaches which Intel can take to overcome the challenges posed by external environment. Introduction External business environment plays a key role in shaping the current and future strategies of a firm. Learning organizations therefore always attempt to understand and explore their business environment and subsequently adjust and develop their business strategies in such a manner which can offer them competitive advantage in that business environment. ... (Kew, & Stredwick, 2005, p14). Intel is the leading semiconductor chip maker in the world and is based in California, US. Intel works in an industry where technology rapidly changes and the overall pace of change is quite rapid. Such an environment therefore requires the firms like Intel to continue to develop and invest heavily in research and development. Further, the trends are shifting towards mobile computing and more and more new products are being introduced in the market almost providing the same functionalities like a computer but they are more mobile and light in nature. These trends therefore suggest that the semiconductor chip manufacturing industry may go through a radical shift. How these factors can affect Intel in future and how Intel should respond to them is what will be discussed in this report. This report will focus on identifying key priority issues faced by Intel and how these issues can affect Intel in short term. Intel Corporation Intel Corporation started it s operations in 1968 from California, US as a computer chip manufacturer. It mainly manufacturers the microprocessors used in most of the personal computers however, it also manufactures motherboards for the personal computers, network interfaces, portable flash memory chips, integrated circuits and other technologies which are used in the communication technology. (Argyris, 1999) Intel started to manufacture memory chips initially however; it shifted its focus during 1981 when it started to produce computer microprocessors. Intel is therefore also credited with the invention of silicon based microprocessor which has completely revolutionized the personal computer industry by offering it the speed and accuracy to perform complex tasks at relative ease. Intel’s

An Australian Airline (Qantas) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

An Australian Airline (Qantas) - Essay Example Center of discussion in this paper is Qantas, an Australian Airline that had so far been enjoying premium brand equity but lately ash been experiencing declining sales and market share. Turnaround strategy should involve extension and expansion of the geographical region. Qantas plans to extend its services with an Asian hub and serve the underserved Asian markets. SWOT analysis had revealed that opportunities in this region are immense but they should focus on being a premium corporate airline. Earlier the recommendation was to focus on new product development, look for newer destination with fewer carriers and attract new customer base. Thus the first alternative to continue with Qantas brand and extend service in international sectors is not feasible and has inherent risks. Therefore, the airline should start its new carrier as a premium corporate airline with focused leadership having string corporate vision. They should be able to provide all on-board facilities based on an eval uation of customer needs and convenience. This strategy is in alignment with its corporate vision which is to operate the world’s best premium airline. This strategy would require 3-4 years to become effective as fresh agreements, landing rights, and delivery of new aircrafts would have to be obtained. This also requires training and development of the staff, better employee relationships and focus on profit maximization. This is an achievable strategy as the airline has abundance of experience in being a legacy carrier. They also have experience of dealing with the Asian clients because of Jetstar, their LCC. It is expected that this strategy would be able to provide the expected synergies. 2. Alternative recommendations Qantas Airlines, proposing to start a premium carrier with as Asian hub is subject to regulations imposed by the Australian government as they face charges against layoffs. It has been recommended that the new premium carrier should focus on Singapore as the hub and the strategy that has been recommended was to focus on product development and new market development. This strategy would disturb its agreement with Oneworld partners and especially Cathay Pacific. This paper analyzes the proposed recommendations and provides alternative strategy identification and discussion. 2.1 Alternative strategy 1 As of now the strategy is to start a new premium brand with a minority stake which would help them obtain landing rights in Asia and also feed the base hub with international traffic. However, this strategy could lead to fragmentation and dilution of its core brand as it already runs a low cost Jetstar subsidiary which operates in Asia. They should hence focus on the base brand and develop it. 2.1.1 Gap Analysis The airlines vision is to be the first 'next generation' premium carrier (Qantas, 2009). Brand Qantas is well established in the minds of the people and continuing with the existing brand instead of a new carrier would be a strategi c fit with their corporate visions, mission and goals. They have the necessary resources in terms of human capital such as trained pilots and operations staff. This strategy would eliminate the existing pilot agitation in Australia and they could save face against government opposition. 2.1.2 Changes in the current marketing strategy With this new strategy Qantas would not have to focus on new product development. However, their target segment, market positioning and the distribution channels would remain the same. They could continue to offer new destinations to the new segments through innovative strategy. To differentiate itself from other products, 2.1.3 Expected results This strategy would help in better allocation of resources and utilization of unutilized resources. At the same time, financially there would be cost savings as the new brand need not be promoted separately. Marketing efforts too would be

The Pros and Cons of Using Encryption as a Key Technological Solution Essay

The Pros and Cons of Using Encryption as a Key Technological Solution to Corporate Security - Essay Example Moreover, the encryption can be employed to offer high level security to e-mail, network communication, data and information stored on hard drives or any portable or mobile disks, as well as other information that necessitates safety (Cook, 2000). This paper discusses some of the main areas and aspects of encryption and its main applications, organizational implications and the evolution of old and current practices. Application of Encryption Encryption is technique of translation of information and data into a clandestine code. Additionally, the technique of encryption is the most efficient method to assure data security. In this way, to interpret an encrypted file, we should have access to a password or else secret key that facilitates us to decrypt it. Unencrypted information as well as data is known as plain text; hidden or encrypted data is known as cipher text (Webopedia, 2010). An unbelievable development of the Internet has energized companies as well as customers in a simila r way through its assurance of altering the means we subsist and work. It is very simple to purchase and sell goods all through the world using a computer or laptop. However safety and security is a main distress on the Internet, particularly when we are utilizing it to transmit sensitive data and information among diverse groups of people (Tyson, 2010). In case of Encryption techniques we need to encrypt a huge number of secret information and data. For example in case of web based business or corporate data transfer we need some sort of sensitive and high value information like credit-card information, confidential communication, social security information, susceptible business details, personal details and bank-account information. In this scenario, the information security is offered on computers and over the Internet through a multiplicity of techniques. An easy and straightforward security technique is to simply put sensitive information on removable storage media similar to moveable pen drives or peripheral hard drives. However the majority well-liked types of safety the entire depend on encryption, the procedure of hiding and encoding data and information in such a manner that just the person (or computer) that has the decoding key is able to decode the message (Tyson, 2010). Evolution of Encryption In its first kind, people have been trying to hide certain data and information that they desired to keep in their own control through alternating parts of the information by means of signs, pictures as well as numbers. Earliest Babylonian merchants employed intaglio, a part of plane stone engraved into a collection of images as well as a number of writings to recognize them in trading matters. However, through this method, they are creating what these days we recognize as 'digital signature.' The people are acquainted with that a specific 'signature' having relation to this merchant, however just he had the intaglio to generate that specified signature. C ertainly, technology nowadays has developed at such fast swiftness that requires caring for information develops by decreasing the dependability of older encryption

Supply and Demand Essay Example for Free

Supply and Demand Essay Various factors, including fluctuations such as increases or decreases in prices, can cause a change in supply and demand as well. This paper will attempt to discuss different economic principles and factors and how they are affected by change. In the current situation, GoodLife Management manages seven rental properties in the city of Atlantis, and over the course of 7 years has to be flexible with its pricing due to changes in demand. Economics is literally defined as â€Å"the study of how human beings coordinate their wants and desires, given the decision-making mechanisms, social customs, and political realities of society† (Colander, D. C., 2010). Simply put, economics focuses on three things: 1) what, and how much, to produce; 2) how to produce it; and 3) who to produce it for. Microeconomics is the study of individual choice, and how that choice is influenced by economic forces; while macroeconomics is the study of the economy as a whole (Colander, D.C., 2010). When looking to microeconomic principles, scarcity is the first that comes to mind. The more scarce a service or product, the more the supplier will be able to charge for it. In the situation at hand, when the influx of employees began coming to Atlantis, GoodLife was able to raise the prices of their apartments. Consumers had the choice of whether to rent the apartment for the price given, or go to a neighboring town, where the price might not be as high. A rise in the population of Atlantis led to a greater demand for housing. This in turn contributed to the rise in rental prices. Next would be opportunity costs, which is the â€Å"benefit that you might have gained from choosing the next-best alternative† (Colander, D.C., 2010). Again, this comes down to consumer choices. If someone could live in a neighboring town and pay less rent, they would have a longer commute; whereas if they lived in Atlantis in the GoodLife apartments, they would pay more for rent, but have more ti me to spend with family due to the lack of commute. On the other hand, macroeconomic principles include the invisible hand, and economic forces. Economic forces are a reaction to scarcity. The economic reaction of GoodLife could be one of two – it could lower prices to entice consumers to rent its apartments instead of going to neighboring communities. If consumers were, indeed, paying the price for apartments and there were not many left, GoodLife could also raise the price of those apartments because there are not as many to choose from. Invisible hand is the principle that â€Å"gives more power to the supplier of something that is in short supply† (Colander, D.C., 2010). If there are not many apartments left to rent because the majority of them are all rented, and there are more interested consumers than apartments, the invisible hand says that GoodLife can raise the price and get a higher premium for those apartments because of the demand. A shift in the demand curve in this simulation is when GoodLife needed to have a 15% vacancy rate. In order to do this, it lowered apartment rental prices, thereby increasing the demand for the apartments. A shift in the supply curve occurred when GoodLife raised the prices of their apartments to $1,550 per month in order to cover maintenance fees for all apartments. They were able to supply more apartments at this rate. Housing prices in my area have continued to drop because there is a large supply, however there is not currently a demand. Until consumers begin purchasing houses again at a fairly consistent rate, the prices will continue to stay low. Once people begin consistently purchasing homes again, the prices will begin to rise back up. The price elasticity of demand for goods and commodities determines a consumer’s behavior in the event of a price change. Products which are price elastic will experience dramatic movements in demand in response to price changes. If prices are lowered, consumers will demand more of the product; however, if prices increase, consumer demands for the product will be lower. Suppliers who supply goods that are price elastic will deliver fewer units to the market when prices fall, and more if prices rise. References: Colander, D. C. (2010). Economics (8th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Investopedia (n.d.) Economics Basics: Demand and Supply. Retrieved from Investopedia.com, http://www.investopedia.com/university/economics/economics3.asp#axzz1x3HdbLol

Conventional Approaches To Strategic Management

Conventional Approaches To Strategic Management The aim of this essay is to critically analyse and evaluate the application, validity, limitations and uncertainties of the conventional approaches of strategic management in this rapidly changing business context. It briefly outlines strategic management as it is traditionally taught, studied and practised and how organisations determine what strategies are apt within various business environments. In keeping with the goal, the essay disputes the validity and applicability of the traditional approach in todays deconstructing situation where the opportunities and challenges make any kind of logical strategic planning fail. Through the arguments stated in this paper, a combination and a right mix of prescriptive and emergent approaches is essential and needs to be incorporated in the strategic management process for continuity. Thus conventional approaches with its pros and cons, still prevail in todays economic business context. In any business venture, strategy is a vital factor for the efficient functioning, growth, development, continuity and success of a firm. It aims to achieve a set goal and embarks a direction for the future. Organisations require collaboration, cautious planning and the mindful implementation of planning. To maximise the effectiveness of strategies and to ensure the smooth functioning and success of the business, they have to be managed skilfully. So what is strategy? What role does strategic management play in this global economic world? The word strategy has been implicitly used in various ways even if it has been conventionally defined in only one. It is widely accepted that there is no single or universal definition of strategy, however the various descriptions of strategy allows people to manoeuvre and manipulate through this difficult pitch. Mintzberg(1994) defines strategy in 5 different ways. Plan A consciously intended course of action to ensure objectives are achieved. Ploy Basically a subset of plan and is a trick intended to outsmart or overcome an opponent or a competitor. Pattern Series of action which involves consistent behaviour over time which may or may not be intended. Position Locating the organisation within a environment. Perspective It is conceptual as well as cultural and is concerned with how an organisation itself sees and perceives the business environment. The above 5 Ps may be applicable in vastly different areas and can also be interrelated. Johnson Scholes (2008) defines strategy as the direction and scope of an enterprise over the long term; which achieves advantage for the firm through arrangement of resources within a demanding environment, to meet the needs of the markets and accomplish the expectations of the stakeholders. The process of strategic management includes analysis of the internal and external environment, formation of strategy, implementation of strategy, and evaluation of strategy. The theory of strategic management is analysed within an integrated model of context, content and process. There are two approaches for organisational change: The Prescriptive Approach which works best in a stable environment and Emergent Approaches which is used in an unpredictable fashion. These approaches are the widely known strategic models and must be examined thoroughly within the context of the fast paced, highly competitive and increasingly dynamic business environment. The prescriptive approach, also known as deliberate strategy is a traditional approach to strategic management. It is a deterministic and systematic plan of action designed to achieve a specific goal for the long term. It is usually the responsibility of the top management to establish lucid strategic directions through analysis and evaluation and then implement them through the successive layers of the organisation. Porter(1996) states that competitive strategies are about an intended course of action of being different from the rivals and differentiating yourself in the eyes of customer by doing various unique activities which add value and by positioning yourself competitively in the environment. Porter maintains that deliberate strategies are intentional and planning ahead is important and should be formulated and articulated by leaders in a predictable and controlled environment to achieve the goals and objectives. Porter also states that trade-offs and operational effectiveness are an integral part for sustainability. Conversely, Mintzberg (1994), one of the biggest critics of prescriptive approach developed the emergent approach to strategic management. He states that in emergent strategies the final objective is unclear and it a process of evolution, adaption, alternation and continuity. Emergent strategies are more successful in this chaotic world as they are unintentional and are the result of impromptu response to unforeseen situations which emerge over time. For example, Sam Walton, the founder of Wal-Mart, decision to open his second store in a rural area rather than a big city, for convenience of logistics and management efficiency was a fantastic winning emergent strategy. Also as there was less competition and people would travel to buy products which offered value at the lowest prices, made the business successful. An emergent strategy increases flexibility in times of turbulence and allows the firm to respond to opportunities and make the most of the threats. Mintzberg argues that the emergent strategies are the result of constant learning, adjusting and experimentation of different variables. Many of the world discoveries have happened accidently and would not have taken place if it was dictated by formal planning of strategy. On a negative note, as the emergent strategy is not a systematic and linear process, formulation and implementation occur simultaneously which would lead to slow, messy and jumbled development. Brews and Hunt points out that overdependence on emergent strategy can lead to underperformance of the organisation. On the other hand, deliberate strategies are planned and put into action, however due to the unrealised and unpredictable changes in the business environment; most of the planned strategies are not implemented. SWOT gives an insight on the internal and external factors which are helpful and harmful for achievement of a specific objective of an organisation. PESTLE is an analysis of the macro environment in which the firm operates. VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS points out the primary activities which are directly related to production of products (eg logistics, sales) and the secondary activities (eg Human Resource, technology) which are not directly involved in production, but are essential for the efficiency and effectiveness of the process. It defines the core competencies of the firm and its helps to figure out the competitive advantage over cost and its competitors by adding value to the various activities. PORTERS 5 FORCE framework is an simple but powerful tool to understand the context in which the firm operates and analyse the attractiveness and economic performance of an industry which would lead to more sustainable financial returns to the stakeholders. According to Porters bestselling book Competitive Advantage, the forces that influence the profitability of an industry in a business environment are the entry of new competitors, the bargaining power of suppliers, the threat of substitutes, the bargaining power of buyers and the rivalry amongst existing competitors. The above four are important tools in the strategic management process. Porter states that strategic management is all about plotting a way through the mesh of threats and opportunities mounted by external competitive forces. The uncertainty, chaos and instability that characterise global market contest any kind of predictibilty, which is a requisite base of many a traditional process of strategic management (Pitts, 2000). Brown Eisenhardt (1998) states that traditional approaches to strategy often collapse in the face of rapidly and unpredictability changing industries. The technological advances have accelerated the process of communication and globalisation has expanded significantly. The shift and restructuring in government policies and the recent terrorist attacks have impacted companies. The challenges of formulation and implementation of strategies within a framework where global catastrophic events have an undulating effect on local market conditions, has been underestimated by management, according to researchers. Trends in the biophysical ecosystem has changed and threatened humans and other species in various geographic areas. Events such as the terrorist attack on the twin tower building in New York on September 11, 2001, or the Tsunami in Japan has an undermining effect on the global financial markets. The rational approach to strategic management which is a top down approach helps to resolve the complexities of a firm in its stable environment. It is considered as a logical and continuous process which involves defining the mission and setting long term objectives, systematic and exhaustive analysis of the competitive environment, creating and evaluating alternative strategies, implementing the various strategies and finally monitoring the performance. Ansoff(1965) states that it helps to organise complex activities and employ a greater control over various business units which leads to domination of marketplace. This approach is founded on the idea that firms are adapted to cope with changes in their environment by taking rational and comprehensive decisions (Chaffee, 1985). Due to incapacity of predicting the future, this approach is very linear and unrealistic and is based on the thinking and assumptions of the upper level management. In a complex and unstable environment the values and the role of mainstream strategies are still unclear and may lead to more complications rather than solutions. It may weaken the flexibility of the firm to cope with prospective changes taking place in its environment (Wally Baum, 1994). In Mintzberg(1994) opinion, rational methods of strategic management leads to inflexibility, encourages excess bureaucracy and confines creativity and spontaneity. On the contrary, Ansoff(1991)argues the fact that conventional strategies are much more effective than a trial and error process when it comes to collecting and analysing relevant data and aligning the firm with its internal and external environments. Porter(1996)maintains that mainstream strategies can cleverly play a vital role in determining a suitable strategic direction for the firm. It can significantly help companies to avoid expensive errors and survive and sustain in a highly competitive environment (Aram Cowan, 1990). Adopting the conventional strategic approach, would help in ensuring a systematic assessment of numerous plausible options, encouraging creative thinking and ideas, enhancing internal interactions and communications, increasing motivation and commitment of staff, identifying pertinent opportunities, ensuring coordination of organisational activities and anticipating potential change. The size of a firm is a factor of high importance when it comes to adopting strategies. Often, strategic planning and management is considered a major tool for large enterprises. Due to its complexity, a comprehensive strategy is needed, as compared to, small and medium sized firms. In (Mintzberg, 1994)opinion, smaller firms operates in less complex environments and their internal operations and procedures are manageable by a smaller hierarchy, hence they abandon the formal strategy process. Smaller businesses would do well if they adopt emergent strategies especially in turbulent periods. The conventional strategies are based on a sole quantitative purpose and are very cold and give little or practically no consideration to human factor (Muchinsky, 2000). It fails to utilise people as the competitive advantage of the firm. Due to the traditional approaches to strategy, many organisations fail to realise the potential of their people, inspite of the rhetoric claim that people are the firms real strategic asset (Gratton,2000). Truss(1999) argues that a healthy organisation can be formed by incorporating humanistic principles and by aligning strategic human resource management with the rational conceptualisation of strategies, thereby evoking behaviours necessary to individual growth and effectiveness of the organisation. Along with the Human Resource of a firm, leaders too play a central role in achieving people based competitive advantage in modern organisations. The conventional approaches to leadership either is transactional reward the employee in exchange of desir able results or contingent identify leaders based on the circumstances of the firm and execution of specific strategies(Landrum, Howell Paris, 2000). Eisenbach, Watson Pillai(2000) states that these approaches are insufficient and advocates transformational leadership as the apt approach. Guest Schepers,( 1997, p 37) considers a transformational leader as a person who brings about change by formulation of a vision for the future and means of realising this mission by communication and necessary action. A leaders vision should also consider the essential interests of the key stakeholders of the organisation along with the employees needs such as growth and motivation (Ford Ford,1994). Beugre(2006) states that a transformational leader should exhibit individualised attention, positivity, encourage logical thinking and inspire the followers for team unity. Steve Jobs of Apple and Bill Gates of Microsoft are classic examples of transformational leaders who have achieved momentous s uccess with a articulate vision which have persuaded their followers (Giladi, 2000). Participation of share holders in formulation of strategies is crucial. Freeman (1984) defines stakeholders as any individual or group who can affect or is affected by the achievement of an organisations objective. It is intended to explain and guide the structure and operation of the established organisation. Many traditional strategy tools have ignored some shareholders, sidelined others and constantly traded off the interests of others against preferred shareholder group. This approach may be suitable in stable environments. However, in a dynamic, volatile and fast changing business world, the limitation of this approach becomes increasingly evident. Integration of shareholder interests into the very rationale of the firm and exploring, managing and balancing relationship with shareholders must be managed in a lucid and strategic fashion to ensure long term success of the firm. Incorporating value based management system, understanding morality and ethics play a significant role i n the enhanced performance and profitability of the firm in the long run. Ansoff(1965) contrasts that stakeholders might be a barrier on the objective and actions of the enterprise and might constraint the development of the firm. With the advent of the 21st century and the emergence of digitisation, globalisation and new technology traditional strategic tools like value chain analysis, Porters 5 forces, have become less useful. In todays varied business world, there is a need for strategists to develop more comprehensive and reasonable measures for better performance and must consider a wider array of industry organisations, bases of competitive advantage and higher level of complexity and uncertainty. As the industry conditions progresses or changes, strategies should also evolve. Scenario Analysis differs from the traditional approach and is a contemporary approach to strategic management which analyses the possible future events by taking into consideration alternative plausible outcomes that the future may unfold. It is not about predicting or projecting the future but a means of learning and improving our understanding of the long term global effects of the current trends and their interrelation considering the uncertainties and volatilities in the business context; which helps a company to make flexible long term plans. The traditional approaches rely on the notion that the future will be very similar to the past and present and works in a relatively stable environment, however scenarios help managers to prepare for the future and improve their decision making ability by stimulating out of the box thinking. The well known example of this methodology would be of Royal Dutch Shell, who by implementation of scenario planning was the only energy company to su rvive and sustain the oil price crisis in the 1970s. Scenario techniques if combined with other approaches can In summary, the traditional approaches to strategic management provide a structured and orderly approach to decision making in the strategic making process. These approaches still constitute a basic indispensable and feasible framework; however it is not sufficient alone for the profitability of a firm. Contemporary strategic approaches should be incorporated in the base model to make it more entrepreneurial and adaptable. Though the dynamic approaches can prevent control over action and may jeopardise a lack of direction, it considers the uncertainty of the future and emphasises on the flexibility of reaction to enhance the functionality of the organisation in this fast growing, turbulent and uncertain world. In essence there is no one size fits all or best approach to strategy. The organisations should adapt and align the conventional strategies such as internal and external analysis with the real time techniques to ensure continuity and facilitate organisational and individual lea rning. The management should seek the best way of combination, customisation and balance of elements from both the approaches for survival and sustainability in this tumultuous world. Rather than using the approaches individually and in isolation, they should complement each other in order to handle the intricacies of the business and still succeed over the changing conditions.