Walmart - International Logistics and Supply Chain Management Assignment

Walmart - International Logistics and Supply Chain Management - Assignment Example The chain store is renowned for its efficient supply chain management and control practices, which have enabled it to perform beyond the reach of its competitors in the consumer goods industry (Kallrath & Maindl, 2006). In particular, the company has employed state-of-the-art technologies in most of its operations to help improve service delivery. For instance, starting with bar coding to hasten its supply chain operations, Wal-Mart was among the first companies to follow up bar coding with RFID programs. Although the initial rollout of its RFID tagging programmes flopped, the current rollout, which started in 2010 is expected to be successful (Ingram et al., 2010). In fact, the latest rollout of Wal-Mart’s RFID program really excited its suppliers and vendors with the prospects of better and more efficient operations and increased profits. This paper explores Wal-Mart’s in-house fleet advantages and disadvantages, evaluates its state-of-the-art technologies and cross-d ocking operations. The Benefits of Cross-Docking to Wal-Mart In general terms, cross docking involves turning the demands from a company’s retail stores into purchase orders, which are then forwarded to manufacturers or suppliers (Kumar et al., 2009). The manufacturers then notify the stores about their capacity to produce and deliver the ordered goods in a timely manner. Once produced within the stipulated period, the goods are sent to a staging area where they are packed according to the procurement orders from different stores (Kumar et al., 2009). The goods are then delivered directly to the customers. The pre-requisites of docking are rather basic and easily monitored. The fundamentals pre-requisite are strong building foundations that support the entire cross docking process. The second pre-requisite is dedicated and experienced drivers who recognise and believe in prioritizing customer service above other things. Once employed, the drivers are filtered and assigned dut ies according to their capabilities. Further, the drivers’ reliability and competence to follow the laid down standards should be assessed. Wal-Mart also ensures that its drivers are committed to the standards set in the Private Fleet Driver Handbook. The drivers’ progress is then constantly monitored by the company so that the company is assured of the competence and reliability of its drivers. Fleet coordinators are also important in Wal-Mart’s cross docking operations as they inform drivers on expected time of arrival, departure and delivery of goods, which are quite precise according to Wal-Mart’s standards. Several changes had to be implemented in Wal-Mart’s managerial control if their cross-docking programmes were to be successful. Prior to the adoption of cross-docking, the company’s pricing, promotion and merchandising decision were centralised (Mentzer, 2001). However, with the implementation of cross-docking, focus was shifted to t he â€Å"demand chain† instead of the common supply chain. That is, instead of allowing retailers to push goods into the company’s shelves; customers did more of the pulling, according to their demands, tastes and preference (Kumar et al., 2009). Cross-Docking Saves Companies Time and Money Savings on time and money are the two most obvious and far-reaching benefits that Wal-Mart enjoys from using cross-docking. First, the company has the capacity not only to receive goods immediately but also the

Why does King consider horror movies conservative and reactionary What Essay - 1

Why does King consider horror movies conservative and reactionary What do you believe the role of horror movies to be in our society - Essay Example People try to display this belief by reacting with horror at whatever gory happens in the horror movies. Hence, King says that horror movies are conservative as they help people to confirm to themselves and to the world that they are ‘normal’ people as they fear and loath things that horror movies show. According to him, horror movies limit their goriness and ugliness by showing only those things which can be digested by human mind. In doing so, horror movies conform to the social expectations and hence, they remain conservative. King also says that horror movies are reactionary as they help people to avoid social change. By that he means that people avoid the social change by refusing to accept their attraction towards the antisocial and gory aspects of their mind. The fact remains that despite of knowing that horror movies are about gory violence, evil spirits, sinister vengeance etc., people still choose to watch the movie. If they had really felt repulsive towards the ugly, gory, violent and disgusting things in life, they would have chosen not to watch the horror movies, which are full of these things. However, horror movies provide only that which can be accepted by the society. Hence, they avoid change. The very fact that people choose to see the horror movie shows that there is something in their psychological make up which makes horror appealing to them. However, people refuse to accept it and rather than dealing this face to face, they suppress it. It is stored in their subconscious mind and they try to fight it by presenting themselves as a people who hate violence. Watching the horror movies is nothing but an attempt to display to the world that they are ‘normal’ beings and are just like other human beings who hate the gory things in life. Hence, King says that horror movies are reactionary as they oppose social change and reinforces the attitude of ‘normality’ in people. People find an outlet to their suppressed

Hidden Valley Resort Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Hidden Valley Resort - Research Paper Example Hidden Valley Resorts are known for the eco-friendly environment that they serve. This report aims at discussing the current marketing situation of the company and also aims at developing a few opportunities for the company. An analysis of the internal as well as the external environment of the company has been made which permits a chance to draw out the opportunities and to study the viability of the opportunities. The report will set down two to three opportunities for the company which can be used to help develop the current market condition. These will be accessed financially and the details like the changes that might occur within the operations of the company will also be discussed. The next section will provide a brief overview of the company and a high-level image of the operations will be discussed. Hidden Valley resorts are a renowned resort located about one and half hours Northwest of Townville in the Paluma range in Queensland. The location of the resorts has untouched nature at its best and there is a wide range of natural species of birds, butterflies, wallabies and also other nocturnal animals. The cabins are known for the carbon Neutral Resort and the operations are based completely on green working. The company operates completely on solar power and as explained on the website of the company, â€Å"... with the help of our friends at Climate Friendly we purchased carbon credits to offset the greenhouse gases we emit into the atmosphere and are now CLIMATE NEUTRAL†. The resort was introduced in 1982. The main focus of the resort then was to cater to the needs of the timber cutters, tin miners and the graziers. The resort has been owned and operated over the last 24 years by Ian and Bonnie McLennan and has been developed over the years to improve and become better.

Emily Elizabeth Dickenson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Emily Elizabeth Dickenson - Essay Example Reading Dickinson is not an intellectual enterprise, it is an emotional journey. Her poetry leads not to a finite conclusion, but invites to further rumination. This writer is thus inclined to explore the thesis articulated by Bray of Dickinson as visionary. Born in Amherst, Massachusetts in 1830, Emily Elizabeth Dickinson lived the life of a recluse, seldom leaving the house or entertaining visitors; her aversion to public life was such that she attended only one year’s schooling at Mount Holyoke Female Seminary in South Hadley, before returning home out of extreme homesickness. The few people she did come in contact with, however, profoundly influenced her thoughts and poetry, particularly the Reverend Charles Wadsworth. Many critics speculate that Wadsworth was the object of Dickinson’s â€Å"heartsick flow of verses† for the person she called â€Å"my closest, earthly friend†. It is not certain that the Reverend was Emily’s unrequited love is, however, because it might have equally been Massachusetts Supreme Court Judge Otis P. Lord, and Samuel Bowles, the editor of the Springfield Republican. Some even believe that this romantic inspiration may even have been Susan Gilbert Dickinson, wife of Emily ’s brother, Austin, by virtue of the many poems and letters dedicated by Emily to her – a matter to which feminist admirers of her work were quick to attribute her unique and eccentric writing style. Throughout her life, Dickinson’s siblings, Austin and Lavinia, were her constant friends and intellectual companions. Other influences in her poems were the seventeenth century English Metaphysical poets and her conservative Christian upbringing. Most biographies on Dickinson describe her work as having been undertaken in isolation and complete privacy; in truth, Dickinson undertook a lively and active correspondence with a good number of friends, among whom was her sister-in-law Susan Gilbert, literary

Outcast Theme in American Literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Outcast Theme in American Literature - Essay Example The leader was well aware of how much supportive press leaders who were behind him, such as John F. Kennedy, has gotten for their political support of arts, as well as how much goodwill the support of arts has generated home and internationally (Mihalache 34). He anticipated that through establishing a federal art agency that he might gunner more endorsement from the East Coast liberal development, which opposed most of his policies. The endorsement of arts is what constituted to the American outcast. Americas, prior to the â€Å"arts act,† were not always kind to the artists or people who basically opted to pull out of the traditional way of life so as to arrive at some knowledge and some individual integrity. The scientists, on the other hand, always seemed to receive all the praise whereas arts and humanities received mostly negatively reviews (Mihalache 34). The American outcast theme is also portrayed infamous American literature such as Rye, Huckleberry Finn, The Great G atsby, Scarlet Letter, Star Wars and Finding Nemo (Mihalache 35). All these works have the major theme of the main protagonist breaking away from the traditional way of life to living by trying to fulfil way the society has set for them but instead fulfil what they have set for themselves. Historically, the outcast arose from the mystique concerning frontier life (Mihalache 35). The Frontier Life, also referred to as the Turner Thesis, was an argument developed by historian Frederick Turner back in 1893, which held that American democracy was developed by the country’s frontier. As the 1774 to 1778 Governor of Virginia argued, Americans, at all times, think of a land that is far off even though they seem content with the one that they are already settled. The governor went on to say that if Americans attained paradise, they would still move on with the slightest chance of being promised an advanced place (Mihalache 35).

Social and cognitive constructivism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Social and cognitive constructivism - Essay Example However, to know, how successful technology-incorporated learning behavior concerning advanced order thoughts skill will dependent upon the strategy taken to the design, delivery, choice, and operation of suitable and efficient technologies with a support arrangement to preserve and maintain the learning transactions. For this purpose educationalists must attain fresh perception in numerous diverse regions mainly of philosophical direction to education and learning. A person’s philosophical orientation will speak how educationalists will analysis teaching, learning, knowledge, and the use of technology. Educationalists those who explain and eloquent in their rational situation concerning the use of technologies in the learning procedures make out what they are doing as they use technologies to facilitate the learning. Till now, the common rational course in instructional technology was instructivism. Instructivists - often as well referred to as objectivism - dispute that usin g an educational methods design replica can be useful to instructional planners to methodically recognize the syllabus to be taught , decide how it will be taught, and assess the teaching to decide its effectiveness. Particularly, educationalists require to be cautious on to what is that is to be taught and what is that already know earlier to the learning transactions. Further they are gradually arranged starting lower order to higher order learning. The instructionist stresses the significance of using an educational methods design model.

Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Communication - Essay Example It is therefore important to effectively correspond to all stakeholders on appropriate strategies and objectives for calamity control procedures. This paper describes the five critical assumptions of an effective disaster communication strategy. To understand the five critical assumptions of an effective disaster communication strategy, it is important to posit that these strategies are based on the divergent stages of an effective calamity management procedure. Disaster management is categorized into various stages i.e. mitigation, preparedness, responses, and recovery stages. Consequently, a useful calamity communication plan of action has five basic postulations. According to Haddow, Bullock and Coppola, these include â€Å"customer focus, leadership commitment, inclusion of communication in planning and operations, good information, and media partnership† (134). Customer focus Studies done in the past have elucidated the fact that an effective disaster control structure is ought to focus on the consumer. In other words, the first priority should be to benefit the consumer. According to Haddow, Bullock and Coppola, an efficient disaster control structure considers the requirements and desires of the consumer and necessitates all stakeholders to be alert, quick to respond, and instructive. It is of significance to consider the fact that the consumers of a disaster control procedure are varied and may comprise workers or employees from international organizations, national institutions, governments, as well as a number of additional stakeholders associated with calamity control. It may also comprise o local individuals. Available sources posit that information relayed to each of the consumers affected must be on the basis of individual or institutional requirements (135). Leadership commitment According to Haddow, Bullock and Coppola, the initial stages a successful disaster control plan of action is established or instituted in participation and involv ement of the individuals involved in decision making within the body or institution involved in the process. Decision makers in the body conducting the operation must be loyal in terms of giving out and publicizing facts associated with the impending calamity. It is also important to involve decision makers in other related bodies and stakeholders as well as the local leaders in propagating all the facts of the calamity. This is attributed to the fact that articulate discharge of the relevant and useful facts regarding an impending calamity is important and hence individuals with necessary communication skills such as local leaders of the involved body are ought to be involved (135). Decision makers in a calamity situation are also ought to candidly encourage, approve, and support effective sharing and exchange of facts and information among all the stakeholders. Preparation and implementation It is also of importance to posit that dedication and loyalty of decision makers in disast er correspondence in relation to forecasting, preparation, and necessary procedures is critical. An expert in correspondence matters should therefore be involved and be incorporated or integrated in the decision-making group. Discharge of relevant information and facts of an impending calamity as well as other plans of actions geared towards mitigations procedures has been made less complicated by the use