Supply Chain Drivers

Logistics Drivers Facilities These are physical locations where merchandise is stored, assembled or manufactured. Two major types of facilities are production sites and storage sites. Decisions regarding the role, location, capacity, and flexibility of facilities have a significant impact on the supply chain’s performance. Facilities related metrics include; capacity, utilisation, cycle time of production, cycle time, flow time efficiency, product variety, processing/setup/down/idle time, average production batch size, and production service level.Inventory This includes all unprocessed material, raw materials being processed and completed merchandise. Change in inventory policies can alter the supply chain performance. For instance, a stationery shop can be responsive by stocking large amounts of stationery and satisfy customer demand from stock. However, a large inventory increases costs, rendering it less efficient. Stock reduction would make it more efficient but less resp onsive.Inventory related metrics include; average inventory, products with more than a specified number of days of inventory, average replenishment batch size, average safety inventory, seasonal inventory, fill rate, and fraction of time out of stock. Transportation Transportation involves moving inventory from one supply chain location to another. Transportation can take form with different combination of modes and routes, each with its own performance characteristic.Transportation related metrics include; average inbound and outbound transportation cost, average incoming and outbound shipment size, average inbound and outbound transportation cost per shipment and fraction transported by mode. ? Cross-Functional drivers Information This consists of data and analysis concerning all other drivers, that is, facilities, inventory, transportation, pricing and customers.It is arguably the biggest supply chain driver as it directly affects each of the other drivers. Timely and accurate in formation will enhance coordination and better decision making. Information related metrics include; forecast horizon, frequency of update, forecast error, seasonal factors, variance from plan, and ratio of demand variability to order variability. SourcingSourcing involves choosing partners to perform a particular supply chain activity such as production, transportation, storage, or management of information. This decision variable establishes functions that a company may undertake and those that it may outsource. Sourcing related metrics include; days payable outstanding, average purchase date, range of purchase price, average purchase quantity, fraction on-time deliveries, supply quality, and supply lead time.Pricing Pricing determines the amount a company will charge for goods and services offers in the supply chain. Pricing affects the behaviour of the customer buying a product or accessing a service, thus affecting supply chain performance. Pricing related metrics include; prof it margin , days sales outstanding, incremental fixed cost per order, incremental variable cost per unit, average sale price, average order size, range of sale price, and range of periodic sales.

10 Geographic Facts About Sichuan Province, China

10 Geographic Facts About Sichuan Province, China Sichuan is the second largest of Chinas 23 provinces based on its land area of 187,260 square miles (485,000 sq km). It is located in southwestern China adjacent to the countrys largest province, Qinghai. Sichuans capital city is Chengdu and as of 2007, the province had a population of 87,250,000 people. Sichuan is an important province to China because of its abundant agricultural resources which include such Chinese staples as rice and wheat. Sichuan is also rich in mineral resources and is one of Chinas main industrial centers. The following is a list of ten things to know about Sichuan Province: 1) Human settlement of Sichuan Province is believed to date back to the 15th century B.C.E. In the 9th century B.C.E., Shu (what is present-day Chengdu) and Ba (todays Chongqing City) grew to become the largest kingdoms in the region. 2) Shu and Ba were subsequently destroyed by the Qin Dynasty and by the 3rd century B.C.E., the area was developed with sophisticated irrigation systems and dams which ended seasonal flooding of the region. As a result, Sichuan became the agricultural center of China at the time. 3) Because of Sichuans location as a basin surrounded by mountains and the presence of the Yangtze River, the area also became an important military center throughout much of Chinas history. In addition, several different dynasties ruled the area; among them are the Jin Dynasty, the Tang Dynasty, and the Ming Dynasty. 4) An important note about Sichuan Province is that its borders have remained mostly unchanged for the last 500 years. The largest changes occurred in 1955 when Xikang became a part of Sichuan and in 1997 when the city of Chongqing broke away to form a part of the Chongqing Municipality. 5) Today Sichuan is divided into eighteen prefecture-level cities and three independent prefectures. A prefecture-level city is one that is below a province but ranks higher than a county for administrative structure. An independent prefecture is an area that has a majority of ethnic minorities or is historically important for ethnic minorities. 6) Sichuan Province is within the Sichuan basin and is surrounded by the Himalayas to the west, the Qinling Range to the east and the mountainous parts of Yunnan Province to the south. The area is also active geologically and the Longmen Shan Fault runs through part of the province. 7) In May 2008, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake occurred in Sichuan Province. Its epicenter was in the Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture. The earthquake killed over 70,000 people and numerous schools, hospitals and factories collapsed. Following the earthquake in June 2008, severe flooding from a lake formed by a landslide during the earthquake occurred in low-lying areas that had already been significantly damaged. In April 2010, the region was again impacted by a magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck neighboring Qinghai Province. 8) Sichuan Province has a varied climate with a subtropical monsoon in its eastern portions and Chengdu. This region experiences warm to hot summers and short, cool winters. It is also typically very cloudy in the winters. The western part of Sichuan Province has a climate affected by the mountains and high altitude. It is very cold in the winter and mild in the summer. The southern part of the province is subtropical. 9) Most of Sichuan Provinces population is Han Chinese. However, there is a significant population of minorities such as Tibetans, Yi, Qiang, and Naxi in the province as well. Sichuan was Chinas most populous province until 1997 when Chongqing was separated from it. 10) Sichuan Province is famous for its biodiversity and the area is home to the famous Giant Panda Sanctuaries which consist of seven different nature reserves and nine scenic parks. These sanctuaries are UNESCO World Heritage Sites and are home to more than 30% of the worlds endangered giant pandas. The sites are also home to other endangered species such as the red panda, the snow leopard, and the clouded leopard. ReferencesNew York Times. (2009, May 6). Earthquake in China - Sichuan Province - News - The New York Times. Retrieved from: http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/news/science/topics/earthquakes/sichuan_province_china/index.html Wikipedia. (2010, April 18). Sichuan - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sichuan Wikipedia. (2009, December 23). Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sichuan_Giant_Panda_Sanctuaries

Free Essays on Censorship On The Internet

Censorship on the Internet Five years after the first world wide web was launched at the end of 1991, The Internet has become very popular in the United States. Although President Clinton already signed the 1996 Telecommunication ActI on Thursday Feb 8, 1996, the censorship issue on the net still remains unresolved. In fact, censorship in cyberspace is unconscionable and impossible. Trying to censor the Internet its problematic because the net is an international issue, there is no standard for judging materials, and censorship is an abridgment of democratic spirit. Firstly, censorship on the Internet is an international issue. The Internet was constructed by the U.S. military since 1960s, but no one actually owns it. Thus, the Internet is a global network, and it crosses over different cultures. It is impossible to censor everything that seems to be offensive. For example, Vietnam has announced new regulations that forbid "data that can affect national security, social order, and safety or information that is not appropriate to the culture, morality, and traditional customs of the Vietnamese people." on June 4, 1996. It is also impossible to ban all things that are prohibited in a country. For instant, some countries, such as Germany, have considered taking measures against the U.S. and other companies or individuals that have created or distributed offensive material on the Internet. If the United States government really wanted to censor the net, there is only one solution - shut down all network links of other countries. But of course that would mean no Internet access for the whole country and that is disgust by the whole nation. Secondly, everyone has their personal judgment values. The decision of some people cannot represent the whole population of those using the net. Many people debate that pornography on the net should be censored because there are kids online. However, we can see there are many kids of pornographic magazin... Free Essays on Censorship On The Internet Free Essays on Censorship On The Internet Censorship on the Internet Five years after the first world wide web was launched at the end of 1991, The Internet has become very popular in the United States. Although President Clinton already signed the 1996 Telecommunication ActI on Thursday Feb 8, 1996, the censorship issue on the net still remains unresolved. In fact, censorship in cyberspace is unconscionable and impossible. Trying to censor the Internet its problematic because the net is an international issue, there is no standard for judging materials, and censorship is an abridgment of democratic spirit. Firstly, censorship on the Internet is an international issue. The Internet was constructed by the U.S. military since 1960s, but no one actually owns it. Thus, the Internet is a global network, and it crosses over different cultures. It is impossible to censor everything that seems to be offensive. For example, Vietnam has announced new regulations that forbid "data that can affect national security, social order, and safety or information that is not appropriate to the culture, morality, and traditional customs of the Vietnamese people." on June 4, 1996. It is also impossible to ban all things that are prohibited in a country. For instant, some countries, such as Germany, have considered taking measures against the U.S. and other companies or individuals that have created or distributed offensive material on the Internet. If the United States government really wanted to censor the net, there is only one solution - shut down all network links of other countries. But of course that would mean no Internet access for the whole country and that is disgust by the whole nation. Secondly, everyone has their personal judgment values. The decision of some people cannot represent the whole population of those using the net. Many people debate that pornography on the net should be censored because there are kids online. However, we can see there are many kids of pornographic magazin...

The Second Congo War

The Second Congo War In the First Congo War, the support of Rwanda and Uganda enabled Congolese rebel,  Laurent Dà ©sirà ©-Kabila, to overthrow Mobutu Sese Sekos government.  However, after Kabila was installed as the new President, he broke ties with Rwanda and Uganda. They retaliated by invading the Democratic Republic of the Congo, starting the Second Congo War. Within a few months, no less than nine African countries were involved in the conflict in the Congo, and by its end nearly 20 rebel groups were fighting in what had become one of the deadliest and most lucrative conflicts in recent history. 1997-98 Tensions Build When Kabila first became president of the Democratic Repubilc of the Congo (DRC), Rwanda, who had helped bring him to power, exerted considerable influence over him. Kabila appointed the Rwandan officers and troops who had participated in the rebellion key positions within the new Congolese army (the FAC), and for the first year, he pursued policies in regard to the continued unrest in the eastern part of the DRC that were consistent with Rwandas aims. The Rwandan soldiers were hated, though, by many Congolese, and Kabila was constantly caught between angering the international community, Congolese supporters, and his foreign backers. On  July 27, 1998, Kabila dealt with the situation by summarily calling for all foreign soldiers to leave the Congo. 1998 Rwanda Invades In a surprise radio announcement, Kabila had cut his cord to Rwanda, and Rwanda responded by invading a week later on August 2, 1998. With this move, the simmering conflict in the Congo shifted into the Second Congo War.   There were a number of factors driving Rwandas decision, but chief among them was the continued violence against Tutsis within the eastern Congo. Many have also argued that Rwanda, one of the most densely populated countries in Africa, harbored visions of claiming part of the eastern Congo for itself, but they made no clear moves in this direction. Rather they armed, supported, and advised a rebel group comprised mainly of Congolese Tutsis, the  Rassemblement Congolais pour la Dà ©mocratie  (RCD). Kabila saved (again) by foreign allies Rwandan forces made quick strides in eastern Congo, but rather than progress through the country, they tried to simply oust Kabila by flying men and arms to an airport near the capital, Kinshasa, in the far west part of the DRC, near the Atlantic ocean and taking the capital that way.The plan had a chance of succeeding, but again, Kabila received foreign aid. This time, it was Angola and Zimbabwe who came to his defense. Zimbabwe was motivated by their recent investments in Congolese mines and the contracts they had secured from Kabilas government. Angolas involvement was more political. Angola had been engaged in a civil war since decolonization in 1975. The government feared that if Rwanda succeeded in ousting Kabila, the DRC might again become a safe haven for UNITA troops, the armed opposition group within Angola. Angola also hoped to secure influence over Kabila. The intervention of Angola and Zimbabwe was crucial. Between them, the three countries also managed to secure aid in the form of arms and soldiers from Namibia, the Sudan (who was opposed to Rwanda), Chad, and Libya. Stalemate With these combined forces, Kabila and his allies were able to stop the Rwandan-backed assault on the capital. But the Second Congo War merely entered a stalemate between countries that soon led to profiteering as the war entered its next phase. Sources: Prunier, Gerald.  .Africa’s World War: The Congo, Rwandan Genocide, and the Making of a Continental Catastrophe  Oxford University Press: 2011. Van Reybrouck, David.  Congo: The Epic History of a People. Harper Collins, 2015.

The Role of Religious Beliefs in Promoting Social Conflict and War Research Paper

The Role of Religious Beliefs in Promoting Social Conflict and War - Research Paper Example The paper at hand analyzes how it happens and what often results in social conflicts as well as wars. Few religions or other such systems of beliefs cling on to their creeds and â€Å"dogmas,† without the slightest â€Å"compromise† with anything or anyone (Brahm n.pag). Religious dogmas play a major role in promoting conflicts. Almost every â€Å"religion† has different elements of â€Å"faith† systems which are meant to be â€Å"accepted† by its people, no matter what. Therefore, these people always tend to have an â€Å"extremist† approach and this acts as the root cause to all the problems (Brahm). According to Brahm, such type of people hold their religious views as the supreme one and have no respect for another religion or other people and this often â€Å"contributes† in arousing antagonism. Eric Brahm further says that this â€Å"escalates† the conflicts and brings in harmful consequences for all. The measures of â€Å"evangelism† with wrong approaches entail â€Å"conflicts† and persecutions. â€Å"Reli gious nationalism† is another element which one should not overlook (Brahm). Here, the national issues are articulated with the religion of the nation, which will entail in negative impacts more than positive ones (Brahm). Communalism is closely attached to this view. Communalism is a phenomenon, which comprises of various extremist approaches that are harmful both for the society as well as people. The every day havocs caused by communalism are evident from the news all around the world, where people follow communalism. Communalists say that a specific religious group have commonality with respect to their other socio-political needs too. This further creates sects and religion thus creates division among people. Such divisions, to a certain extent are considered good, as is the case for providing an identity for different people. However, when the identity issue crosses its bounds, antagonism rises and all types of complexities start to originate.

Green criminology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Green criminology - Essay Example These new categories are crimes of air pollution, crimes of deforestation, crimes of species decline and against animal rights, and crimes of water pollution. Crimes of deforestation Our area of consideration will focus on deforestation a category of green crime and we subject it to green criminology test. Deforestation as a crime against environment can be defined as the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a non forest use for example conversion of forestland to agriculture or urban use. Deforestation is often misused to include any activity where all trees in an area are removed but in temperate climates, the removal of all trees in an area in conformance with sustainable forestry practices is correctly described as regeneration harvest (Butler, 2009). People engage in deforestation for many reasons but the removal of trees without sufficient reforestation has resulted in damage to habitat, biodiversity loss and aridity it also causes ext inction, changes to climatic conditions, desertification, and displacement of populations. Disregard or ignorance of the value, weak forest management and lack of environmental laws are some of the factors that contribute to deforestation. deforestation has a number of causes, including corruption of government institutions, the inequitable distribution of wealth and power, population growth and overpopulation, and urbanization. Globalization is viewed as another root cause of deforestation. In 2000 the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) found that deforestation can result from "a combination of population pressure and stagnating economic, social and technological conditions. According to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) secretariat, the direct cause of deforestation is agriculture. The degradation of forest ecosystems has also been traced to economic incentives that make forest conversion appear more profitable than forest conse rvation. Many important forest functions have no markets, and hence, no economic value that is readily apparent to the forests' owners or the communities that rely on forests for their well-being. From the perspective of the developing world, the benefits of forest as carbon sinks or biodiversity reserves go primarily to richer developed nations and there is insufficient compensation for these services. Developing countries feel that some countries in the developed world, such as the United States of America, cut down their forests centuries ago and benefited greatly from this deforestation, and that it is hypocritical to deny developing countries the same opportunities that the poor shouldn't have to bear the cost of preservation when the rich created the problem. This is one of the major problems with green crimes where the developed nations are reluctant in implementing them (Patel-Weynand, 2002). Logging operations, which provide the world’s wood and paper products, also cut countless trees each year. Loggers, some of them acting illegally, also build roads to access more and more remote forests which lead to further deforestation. New crimes and criminals here would include those who deal in the destruction of rainforests and valuable lands; those who exploit natural resources for their own ends; and ‘black markets’ that develop around the sale of many of these valuable commodities. An example of a new kind of environmental crime may be

INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT - Coursework Example The UK fashion industry is a $45 billion pound industry which has seen accelerated growth driven by competitiveness. The industry is expected to grow at a high rate over the next few years as consumers become more fashion conscious and as their purchasing power increases. The industry is adopting innovative techniques like digital marketing with the changes in the evolving customer behaviour scenarios. The highly competitive nature of the industry is increased by the increased global expansion processes of different international fashion retail companies. The market of UK is considered as a market with high potential and has been a preferred market for different multinationals for expanding their business into. The industry is a highly concentrated sector with major influence of the large businesses in organizational terms. The sector is dominated by large international fashion retail businesses. London is the largest contributor of revenues for the fashion retailing industry of Unit ed Kingdom. UK fashion retailing is a significant driver of the global economy. Demographic factors are major indicators of expenditure as it has been observed that expenditure decreases with the increase in age of the consumer group. It is observed that the young age group is more fashion conscious and tends to spend more on fashion retail whereas the higher age group tend to spend lesser on the fashion retail and are more focused on spending in traditional brands. Fashion consciousness is more observed in the young age groups as well as the fashion conscious parents who buy apparels and accessories for their children (Burts and Sparks, 2003, p.4). The international trade agreements like the Economic Union Quotas; Multi-fibre agreement has been incorporated to facilitate the growth of the UK fashion retailing industry. The government focuses on supporting and encouraging the growth of the industry as it is a major