The Top 10 Animal Rights Issues

Supply Chain Risk Management Free Essays

Supply Chain Risk Management is the concept of trying to foresee disruptions to timely supply of goods or services required by the organisation and creating systems to mitigate these at the lowest possible cost to the organisation and by so doing ensure that there will be continuity in the normal operations of the business. Supply chain risks have the potential to cripple a business’ operations and can have long and short term effects which may be difficult to recover from. A delay along a route is a short term problem whereas the presence of a monopoly supplier in the chain holding up stocks to force an increase in prices or shutting down for whatever reason is long term. We will write a custom essay sample on Supply Chain Risk Management or any similar topic only for you Order Now Certain types of disruptions are both difficult to anticipate and rare, but very damaging when they occur; for example, natural disasters such as earthquakes are difficult to predict but have the potential to ruin entire factories and road networks wreaking havoc to the entire supply chain. Disruptions to supply can be anticipated and countered by building inventory or by having multiple redundant suppliers since it is highly unlikely to encounter a scenario where multiple suppliers are simultaneously disrupted. Both of these processes can be described as building supply chain reserves. Concept of Risk Risk can be perceived from various angles; one of its basic definitions being the probability of threat of quantifiable damage, injury, liability, loss or any other negative occurrence that is caused by external or internal vulnerabilities and that may be avoided through pre-emptive action. 1 In developing an understanding of risk, it is necessary to incorporate its two fundamental facets; the first being the exposure to the uncertainty and the second being the actual outcomes upon occurrence of the event. 2 Hence, risk can be expressed as the product of probability and consequences of an event. Along with this, one must also be able to know the sources of the identified risk. 2 It is common to analyse risk by means of a matrix with 2 dimensions, probability and consequences but such an analysis has the main disadvantage of being reliant on risk perception. Risk perception depends on time, experience, location, attitude, position and possibilities to decide and scale of events. 2 It is also important to realise that risk has no technical value in and of itself, hence in developing a risk management process, the aim is to always do it at a minimum cost. 3 Risk Variety An overview of business risks in general is useful in understanding supply chain risk. Risks can be externally driven (environmental, external factors, competitors, customers, regulations), internally driven and decision driven. 3 At times, managing supply chain risk may be difficult because of the interconnection of individual risks and actions that mitigate one risk may end up exacerbating another. For example, nitrogen gas used for bottling in large amounts may displace the local atmosphere and cause asphyxiation. Increasing local stores may minimise the effects of a shortage of supply but immediately it increases storage costs and the possibility of leaks in a larger vessel. Broadly speaking, risks can be categorized as those that bring about delays in the supply chain and those that disrupt the normal flow. 4 Delays The occurrence of delays in material flows is the result of either of several possible factors such as; Inflexibility of suppliers hence inability to respond to changes in demand Poor output at supplier plants High levels of handling or inspections at border crossings In a scenario where these are frequent, historical trends can be used to create a forecasting tool against which with proper demand planning, these effects can be mitigated. In the local case of SZL, sugar is may be delayed by a day or two at the Limpopo Border post and analysis of past trends has allowed a conclusion to be drawn that a minimum and maximum stock level of 3 days and 1 week cover is sufficient to both cover for these drawbacks and at the same time neither be too much of an impedance to the cash flow of the organisation nor create a significant rise in local storage costs. Disruptions Disruptions by nature tend to be infrequent, difficult to predict and forecast but very damaging when they occur. Examples that fall under this category include labour strikes, terror strikes and fires. Some disruptions have effects that transcend over various industries and can even be international such as earthquakes or the tsunami in Japan in recent memory. Disruptions also adversely affect material prices which can pose a significant problem to business operations. These can be countered by building inventories or having multiple redundant suppliers. The decision making process however as to which path of action is governed by the following factors; Cost of inventory Cost of keeping inventory Accuracy of prediction of the disruption and available information Rate of obsolescence of material whilst in inventory Likelihood of disruption For instance, MM juice concentrates are a high cost in storage, requiring refrigeration to maximise on lifespan but the decision is made to keep a significant amount within stock because of the uncertainty of the supply delivery time and the reality that upon the sea, there may be unforeseen disruptions. However, in the case of bottle preforms, not more than a week’s cover is normally kept because of the usual reliability of the suppliers and low likelihood of low supply. A recent incident however has necessitated to review this as an intra-factory incident at Megapak caused a mini-crisis within the organisation. Risk Handling Often, the strategies employed by companies protect against recurrent relatively low impact risks in the supply chain but tend to ignore high impact low likelihood risks. Suppliers with quality problems represent a common recurrent problem (labels with SZL for instance). Top manufacturers will deal with the range of supply chain risks encountered by holding reserves in the form of excess inventory, excess capacity and redundant suppliers. 4 The key challenge facing management is to intelligently position and sizing of supply-chain reserves with a minimum impact on profits i. e. attain the greatest possible profit regardless of the level of supply chain risk and achieving this in an efficient manner. To development a risk management strategy that will work, it is necessary to first create a shared organization-wide understanding of supply-chain risk and then determine how to adapt general risk-mitigation approaches to local organizational circumstances. 4 This is achieved by stress testing and tailoring. Stress Testing This is a team exercise that aids managers and their organizations to both understand and prioritize supply-chain risk. A what-if scenario analysis can be employed to assist the key players to focus on the supply chain 1-link at a time. It is a brainstorming exercise that helps the company prepare for unforeseen events rather than the platform to debate the likelihood of such events. Such an exercise allows for risk-mitigation priorities to be made for the near, medium and long term. In addition to this, it leaves all involved parties with a clear idea of what risks might have an impact on sales, procurement costs, revenues, prices and possibly even reputation. 4 Tailoring Tailoring is the process of suiting the response to a risk to the organization and continuously monitoring to ensure that procedures and systems in place are suitable for the purposes of the business. How to cite Supply Chain Risk Management, Essays

The Effects of Inflation Targeting

Introduction Inflation is an increase in the prices of goods and services in the economy. It is linked to a variety of other economic factors and phenomena, both as a cause and result of inflation. These factors can be quite varied and can result in both negative and positive impacts on the economy.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Effects of Inflation Targeting specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Governments, usually through their central bank, have various methods to identify and reduce inflation. However, the response is invariably political in nature, primarily because the efforts to lower inflation can sometimes result in a lack of attention to issues such as unemployment. Additionally, inflation does not target all industries equally. Special attention to inflation made on the part of banks and government entities may insufficiently lower process in one industry, or ignore another sector. Due to th e globalized nature of the economy, allowing inflation to continue unchecked can have disastrous consequences, not only to the nation it originates in, but also in nations it is trading with. Prime example of inflation and poor economic or political responses and its effect throughout the world, is from the most recent recession of 2007-2009. Also known as the Great Recession which is one of the biggest financial crises since the Great Depression of the 1930’s. What is the principal premise behind inflation targeting? Inflation targeting is an economic policy where authorities set a monetary goal and shape the policy to match it through the use of interest rates and other budgetary tools. These figures are what dictate the prices of products within the country. Using this form of policy is a secure method in regulating the costs of conducting business. In other words, the amounts paid out in labor and production remains lower than the value received. In theory inflation targe ting is straightforward: the impending rate of inflation is predicted by the central bank, later on it is juxtaposed with the target rates which the government considers as appropriate for the economy and intends to achieve. The difference between the predicted amount and the goal determines how much monetary policy has to be adjusted (Mishkin, 2001). This type of financial manipulation is meant to avoid a shortage of available goods, as well as to encourage public investing and savings into capital funds such as stocks and bonds in order to maintain the overall money supply.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More What evidence indicates that managing the money supply is the principal task of inflation targeting? Inflation targeting is a method used by the Central Banks in order to control the economy as well as maintain stability in the financial markets. This means the B ank is responsible for keeping a balance between the supply and demand for money. Taking into account that numerous transactions use currency, there is a significant influence of money on economy of the country. In order to increase the supply of available funds, Banks will reduce interest rates, which encourage investments and also give more buying power to the consumer. An increased sale on goods persuades corporations to order more materials and increase production. The expansion of business performance requires more employees and influences on the demand for capital goods. The prices are raised with the influence of the situation caused on the stock market in a supple economy. This in its turn forces companies to deal with debts and equity. If the money supply continues to expand, prices begin to rise and banks will then raise interests’ rates in order to offset the inflation rate. However, if left un-monitored or in the case of the recent recession, reducing interest rat es too low will have a disastrous impact on the economy. Some experts believe this was the main cause of the current downturn; loose lending on the part of the Banks coupled with no-money down loans provoked a rapid rise in the housing market. When this same market crashed, a majority of the loans went into default and with no capital to collect on; Banks were facing real dangers of bankruptcy. Is there an ideal rate of Inflation? Ideally inflation rates should be stable at 2 percent per year allowing room for economic growth. Amounts which are over 3 percent or below 1 percent are generally a cause for concern. The United States for example, has experienced low levels of inflation recently due to the sluggish economy following the Great Recession. Currently the inflation rate is about 2.5 percent of the gross domestic product which is up from the negative 1.3 percent during the recent economic decline (Losman, 2010 Luojia Toussaint-Comeau, 2010).Advertising We will write a c ustom research paper sample on The Effects of Inflation Targeting specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Have monetary policy makers embraced policy initiatives through extensive understanding of these relationships? What does evidence show? After the recent economical crisis, emergency interventions were implemented in order to rescue many national financial systems. Stimulus plans and major bailouts became a major factor in financial policies. In the United States the â€Å"ARRA (The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009)† (Isidore, 2009), was created in order to take immediate action against the growing crisis. Its primary objectives include: job creation, investment in infrastructure, education, health and capitalize on the green movement. The estimated cost of the recovery program is over $700 billion (Isidore, 2009) The main principal behind the ARRA is that â€Å"†¦during recessions governments should offset the decrease in private spending in order to save jobs and stop further economic deterioration† (Isidore, 2009). Despite official statements made by government officials about recent economical stability, the general population remains pessimistic. Falling income, rising unemployment and an increase in energy and food costs, have critics believing the country is still in crisis and possibly facing another recession. Works Cited Isidore, Chris. â€Å"The Great Recession†. CNNMoney. March 2009. Web. July 2012. Losman, Danakan.. (2010). â€Å"The Rise of Stealth Inflation†. Challenge, 2010. Questia Trusted Online research. Web. July 2012. Luojia, Hu, Maude Toussaint-Comeau. â€Å"Do Labour market activities help predict inflation?† Economic Perspectives. Questia Trusted Online research. 2010. Web. July 2012. Mishkin, Frederic S. â€Å"Inflation Targeting†. National Bureau of Economic Research. July 2001. Web. July 2012.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This research paper on The Effects of Inflation Targeting was written and submitted by user Angelina Mayo to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

How to Answer Awkward Questions from Your Family on Thanksgiving

How to Answer Awkward Questions from Your Family on Thanksgiving At last! That much needed Thanksgiving vacation is just around the corner. This means your moms home-cooked meals, seeing all your family and †¦ answering those annoying questions your relatives love to ask. Dont be surprised that your family will ask highly personal questions about your relationship, college life and future plans. â€Å"When are you getting married?† â€Å"How are your grades?† â€Å"How is the weight loss going?† And thats just the beginning Your grandparents, aunts and uncles will ask about sensitive topics and you should be prepared to answer politely, in a humorous or even a bit sarcastic way. After all, this is a holiday and you dont want to fight with your family. Here is some advice on how to cope with awkward questions youre going to face. 1. Are You Dating Anyone? Almost everyone around the table will want to hear the answer. Your relatives are worried that you might be lonely, they think that it is not OK if a young person like you isnt in a relationship. Remember, you shouldn’t be embarrassed either youre single or just dont want to tell your family about a new boyfriend/girlfriend to avoid further questioning. Answer #1: â€Å"Im focused on my classes and getting a great job after graduation, so I dont have time for dating.† This diplomatic response will persuade your family that you are serious about your education. Answer #2: â€Å"Im dating several people right now, just cant decide who I like more.† Some humor will defuse a situation. 2. When Will You Start a Family? Marriage? Kids? If this is not in your upcoming plans, better prepare a nice answer. Your parents look forward to organizing â€Å"a wedding of the year† and having grandchildren in the near future. Try not to upset them. Answer #1: â€Å"Im not sure that Im ready to take on a responsibility of having a family.† It may lead to a lecture about how a great person you are and that you can cope with all the duties. Answer #2: â€Å"Family? Are you kidding me? Im a child myself.† It may cause some shock, but your relatives wont ask about your personal life anymore. Answer #3: â€Å"We are thinking about it right now. Ill tell you more details later.† This answer will give some hope to your family, and probably they wont ask about it till the next Thanksgiving. 3. What Do You Plan to Do After Graduation? It is absolutely normal if you havent decided what you are going to do after college, and it is not necessary to tell your family about that. However, if you want to hear a piece of advice, just ask. No doubt, your relatives want to teach you how to live. Answer #1: â€Å"Im going to †¦ (tell about your real plans).† Answer #2: â€Å"Im considering a few options: volunteer in a Buddhist Monastery in Nepal, catch fish in Alaska or (insert other crazy options). Which one do you like better?† 4. When Can We Come Visit You? Never! Never! Never! Surely, you dont want your parents to talk your my roommates or listen to what you should change in your apartments. Answer #1: â€Å"Let me think about it. I have a very busy schedule. Ill tell you when I have some free time.† And then you can always tell your parents how busy you are at college. Answer #2: â€Å"Visit me? Why? No, Ill come home more often.† 5. Why Dont You Eat Meat? Oh, again Because Im a vegetarian!.. Even if youve told your family that you dont eat meat for a hundred times, someone will ask you why youre refusing from that delicious turkey. Answer #1: â€Å"It is a personal choice and I hope that you can understand and support it.† It sounds like the answer of a grown-up, so your parents may be proud of you. Answer #2: â€Å"I dont eat tortured animals. Oh, let me show you one video and I suppose you also wont eat meat.† But be careful, your relatives might hate you after that. Meeting with relatives is fun until they start asking those awkward questions. However, with most families, it is inevitable. Just be prepared to hear these annoying questions and add some humor to your answers – it always saves the situation!

The Magic Tree House Book Series by Mary Pope Osborne

The Magic Tree House Book Series by Mary Pope Osborne The Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne has been popular since the first MTH book for young independent readers, Dinosaurs Before Dark, was published in 1992. By August 2012, there were 48 books in the series for independent readers, 6 to 10 or 11 years old, as well as 26 companion research guides (Magic Tree House Fact Tracker nonfiction books) for some of the books in the series. The Adventures of Jack and Annie All of the books in the series center around the time travel adventures of brother and sister Jack and Annie, who live in Frog Creek, Pennsylvania. The two discover a magic tree house in the woods by their house. In books #1 to 28, Jack is 8 years old and Annie is a year younger. Thanks to the book-filled magic tree house whose books have magical properties and whose owner, magical librarian Morgan le Fay provides them with exciting missions, the two have many exciting adventures. Each book focuses on a subject and story designed to pique the interest of young independent readers. The subjects and time periods vary widely, which means that there will most likely be some, or many, of particular interest to your child. The Basics Magic Tree House books #1 to 28 are generally between 65 and 75 pages long and target children 6 to 9. The reading levels are mostly between 2.0 and 2.4. The books are divided into brief chapters, each of which has one or more intriguing illustrations by Sal Murdocca, the illustrator for all of the MTH books. Teachers and parents looking for specific information about a variety of reading level measures for the books, as well as curriculum connections and lessons plans, will find Mary Pope Osbornes Magic Tree House Classroom Adventures Program site a valuable resource. Your children will enjoy the games, activities and fun, all related to books in the series and the subjects they cover, at the Random House Magic Tree House site. While you may want to have your child start with the first book in the series, which introduces Jack and Annie and enables your child to experience time travel via the Magic Tree House for the first time right along with Jack and Annie, its not necessary to read the books in a particular order. A prologue at the beginning of each book provides the necessary background information. However, to provide incentive for kids to keep reading, there is an overarching mission for each four books, but it is still not necessary to read even each of those books in a particular order. To give you an idea of a mission, in books #9 to 12, Jack and Annie have to solve four ancient riddles, one in each of the books, but since each of the books can be read independently, it will be up to young readers (or their teachers) to decide whether or not to read the books in groups of four. The books are available in paperback, library binding, and as audiobooks and eBooks. A full set of books #1 to 28 in the Magic Tree series is also available in paperback. Individual books are also available, as are books in sets of four. Benefits of a Good Series for Young Independent Readers In order for children to learn to be fluent readers, with good comprehension skills, they need to read a lot. When children are relatively new readers, they need to concentrate on decoding each word and comprehending what they are reading without a lot of distractions. It helps if they can find a series they like at a reading level they can comfortably read. Why? Every time they start a new book in the series, they dont have to get used to new main characters, a new story format, a different style of writing or anything else that would distract them from just enjoying the story. Its this enjoyment that will bring them back for more and more stories, which will help them become fluent readers. It also helps a lot to talk about the books with your children. Ask them to tell you about Jack and Annies latest adventure, what it was all about, and what they learned. For kids who prefer nonfiction or who want to know more about the subject of the Magic Tree House book they just read, see if there is a Magic Tree House Fact Tracker nonfiction companion research guide. Book List of Books #1 to 28 in the Magic Tree House Series Note that a CNB (for companion nonfiction book) at the end of each book listing means that there is a Magic Tree House Fact Tracker for that book. Dinosaurs Before Dark, Magic Tree House, Book #1 - CNBThe Knight at Dawn, Magic Tree House, Book Book #2 - CNBMummies in the Morning, Magic Tree House, Book Book #3 - CNBPirates past Noon, Magic Tree House, Book Book #4 - CNBNight of the Ninjas, Magic Tree House, Book #5Afternoon on the Amazon, Magic Tree House, Book #6 - CNBSunset of the Sabertooth, Magic Tree House, Book #7 - CNBMidnight on the Moon, Magic Tree House, Book #8 - CNBDolphins at Daybreak, Magic Tree House, Book #9 - CNBGhost Town at Sundown, Magic Tree House, Book #10Lions at Lunchtime, Magic Tree House, Book #11Polar Bears Past Bedtime, Magic Tree House, Book #12 - CNBVacation Under The Volcano, Magic Tree House, Book #13 - CNBDay of the Dragon King, Magic Tree House, Book #14Viking Ships at Sunrise, Magic Tree House, Book #15Hour of the Olympics, Magic Tree House, Book #16 - CNBTonight on the Titanic, Magic Tree House, Book #17 - CNBBuffalo Before Breakfast, Magic Tree House, Book #18Tigers at Twilight, Magic Tree H ouse, Book #19 Dingoes at Dinnertime, Magic Tree House, Book #20Civil War on Sunday, Magic Tree House, Book #21Revolutionary War on Wednesday, Magic Tree House, Book #22 - CNBTwister on Tuesday, Magic Tree House, Book #23 - CNBEarthquake in the Early Morning, Magic Tree House, Book #24Stage Fright on a Summer Night, Magic Tree House, Book #25Good Morning, Gorillas, Magic Tree House, Book #26Thanksgiving on Thursday, Magic Tree House Book #27 - CNBHigh Tide in Hawaii, Magic Tree House, Book #28 - CNB

Correctional Officers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 3

Correctional Officers - Essay Example In many cases female candidates with many years of work experience and efficiency were not allowed to be promoted only because of the reason that they were females. The ability of the female correctional officers will often be questioned by the administration and they are always doubted by the male co-workers. The female correctional officers will have to work extra hard to prove themselves.    Because of the nature of work and the high stress level in the corrections, it will be difficult to leave work at the workplace and therefore it becomes difficult for them to relax at home. Women are mostly not hired in male prisons because of the growing concern about their security and safety and there is also a possibility of violation of privacy of the inmates. The male prison administrators and the male guards found the presence of women as a problem. The courts have often recognized that there is always a possibility of assault on female correctional officers. There is also inequality in job  assignments to the women correctional officers especially in cases where there is a need of direct contact with the inmates. â€Å"The ambiguous and contradictory court rulings have provided no clear, definitive direction for resolution of the conflict between the equal employment rights of women correctional officers and the privacy rights of male inmates† (Tewksbury & Collins, 2013). Some of the researchers are of the view that the amount of psychological stress faced by the female officers has caused health concerns for them. The experience of the women correctional officers is complicated and filled with broken barriers. The male superior officers also sometimes do not provide the important information with respect to inmate interaction, which can help them to succeed professionally. The amount of freedom provided to the female correctional officers is minimum and they are made to work for longer hours. Senior male officers also disregard them in the context of their training and their social interactions and they also tend to exercise excessive supervision on them. The environment in the  correctional system does not give the required trust and respect to female officers. The possibility  of   sexual harassment by the inmates as well as colleagues is also another problem faced by the female correctional officers. Question 28 of 30 Summarize the management problems that special need inmates pose for corrections officials?   For this study, the special â€Å"populations are defined as those prisoners who exhibit unique physical, mental, social, and programmatic needs that distinguish them from other prisoners and for whom jail and prison management and staff have to respond to in nontraditional and innovative ways† (Stojkovic, 2005, p. 3). Correction officials are most often unable to effectively manage and supervise special need population of prisoners. The methods of management of the special need prisoners by the correctio nal leaders are many times questioned. Traditional methods of treatment of prisoners will not suit special needs inmates. In the traditional method, the issues of physical and mental health are not primary consideration. If the special needs population has to be effectively managed, the existing policies will have to be altered and innovative methods adopted.

Facts of Palese v. Delaware State Lottery Office Essay

Facts of Palese v. Delaware State Lottery Office - Essay Example Palese contacted the Lottery Office in writing, describing his predicament and was directed to wait for one year so that his claim could be reviewed. 11 months later, Palese read in the dailies that the Lottery Office had transferred his unclaimed lottery jackpot to the State’s General Fund. Palese contacted the Lottery Office again and was told to explain how he had purchased the lottery and lost the tickets, much to Palese’s compliance. Even after hearing that Palese still had the play slip, the Lottery Office held that he was to be denied his claim since he could not produce his actual winning ticket. Palese took the matter to the court for litigation while the Lottery Office equally rushed to dismiss Palese’s claim on the account that Palese could not sufficiently state his claim for which the relief was to be granted. In the case Palese v. Delaware State Lottery Office, 1546-N, as the plaintiff, Palese accuses the Lottery Office of unjust enrichment since it had taken his rightfully owned prize to the State’s General Fund. In this light, he wants the prize he had won to be accorded him. Whether or not the rules of the Lottery Act such as Lottery Regulation 18 and 19 should be amended to allow the Lottery Act to capture unforeseeable circumstances such as inadvertent destruction or loss of the winning ticket. The Court of Chancery of Delaware heard from both the plaintiff and the respondent and referred to the directives in the Lottery Act, the Lottery Regulation 18 and 19 to arrive at its verdict.