Home Style Cookies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Home Style Cookies - Essay Example nformation is sent to the storage silos where the ingredients are stored, afterwards, the ingredients are sent into a giant mixing machine where they are mixed in appropriate ratios. Then, the batter is poured in cutting machines, where individual cookies are cut. The cookies are sent to ovens, and flavored cookies are further sent for additional steps. Non filled cookies are cut diagonally rather than straight cut cookies as it takes less space. The cookies are sent to spiral cooling racks, after the racks they are placed in cookie boxes. The boxes are then sealed, wrapped and labeled. Yes, the company is making the right decision by not automating the packaging process. By doing so the company has a good quality control, by the fact that the destroyed cookies are not placed in the packages. And, the company is doing good for its society as well, providing job opportunities for the unemployed people. The size of the company is a big factor, if it is a small company manual labor is better for the company because that would result in low costs. If it was a large company it would have had other fields for jobs and the automation of packaging would be a better option in that case. Since the company makes cookies on the basis of orders, they dont have a lot of ending inventory. Plus whatever is produced, they are shipped immediately so that they dont have to be stored in the shelves. Because of this policy the company is able to minimize its storage and inventorial costs. The advantages that the company gets from not using preservatives in cookies are that they increase the health factors in their cookies which results in high customer demand. Because, people would prefer health over anything and since the cookies offer good health factors people will buy it in bulks. The limitations that the company gets from not using preservatives are, that the company has to sell the cookies immediately or it will result in the waste of the products. The life span of the

Fantasys Inability to Overcome Reality Essay Example for Free

Fantasys Inability to Overcome Reality Essay Although Williamss protagonist in A Streetcar Named Desire is the romantic Blanche DuBois, the play is a work of social realism. Blanche explains to Mitch that she fibs because she refuses to accept the hand fate has dealt her. Lying to herself and to others allows her to make life appear as it should be rather than as it is. Stanley, a practical man firmly grounded in the physical world, disdains Blanches fabrications and does everything he can to unravel them. The antagonistic relationship between Blanche and Stanley is a struggle between appearances and reality. It propels the plays plot and creates an overarching tension. Ultimately, Blanches attempts to remake her own and Stellas existences? to rejuvenate her life and to save Stella from a life with Stanley? fail. One of the main ways Williams dramatizes fantasys inability to overcome reality is through an exploration of the boundary between exterior and interior. The set of the play consists of the two-room Kowalski apartment and the surrounding street. Williamss use of a flexible set that allows the street to be seen at the same time as the interior of the home expresses the notion that the home is not a domestic sanctuary. The Kowalskis apartment cannot be a self-defined world that is impermeable to greater reality. The characters leave and enter the apartment throughout the play, often bringing with them the problems they encounter in the larger environment. For example, Blanche refuses to leave her prejudices against the working class behind her at the door. The most notable instance of this effect occurs just before Stanley rapes Blanche, when the back wall of the apartment becomes transparent to show the struggles occurring on the street, foreshadowing the violation that is about to take place in the Kowalskis home. Though reality triumphs over fantasy in A Streetcar Named Desire, Williams suggests that fantasy is an important and useful tool. At the end of the play, Blanches retreat into her own private fantasies enables her to partially shield herself from realitys harsh blows. Blanches insanity emerges as she retreats fully into herself, leaving the objective world behind in order to avoid accepting reality. In order to escape fully, however, Blanche must come to perceive the exterior world as that which she imagines in her head. Thus, objective reality is not an antidote to Blanches fantasy world; rather, Blanche adapts the exterior world to fit her delusions. In both the physical and the psychological realms, the boundary between fantasy and reality is permeable. Blanches final, deluded happiness suggests that, to some extent, fantasy is a vital force at play in every individuals experience, despite realitys inevitable triumph.

How Logistics Improvements Affect The Economy

How Logistics Improvements Affect The Economy Define Logistics Management and explain how logistics productivity improvement affects the economy as a whole as well as the position of individual consumer. The definition of logistics management (LM) varies from company to company but the most comprehensive definition is given by Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) as logistics management is the part of supply chain management that plans, implements, and controls the efficient, effective forward and reverse flow and storage of goods, services and related information from the point-of-origin to the point-of-consumption in order to meet customers requirements (Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, n.d.) Logistics Productivity Improvement and the Economy Logistics has become an enormously important component of the gross domestic product (GDP) of industrialized nations and thus affects the rate of inflation, interest rates, productivity, energy costs and its availability and other aspects of the economy as well. Ever changing business environment due to globalization, lead time reductions, customer orientation, and outsourcing has contributed to the interest in logistics (Hertz Alfredsson, 2003). The increase in global production sharing, the shortening of product life cycles, and the increase of global competition all underline logistics as a strategic source of competitive advantage (Arvis, Mustra, Panzer, Ojala, Naula, 2007). Moreover, in order to remain in competitive marketplace and earn reasonable profits, organizations interest in logistics has been increased. Logistics operations have become more efficient due to technological advancements which make it possible to deliver goods on time while reducing the cost involved. Global market access has been improved over the time with the advancement in technology and trade liberalization resulting in the economic growth and development of the countries. Patterns in the market competition situation are continuously dictating the supply chain flows (i.e. product, price and information flows) in a predictable, timely and cost-effective way. Global firms corporate decisions regarding which country to locate in, which suppliers to buy from and which consumer markets to enter are largely based on logistics costs, quality and service level. Therefore, the countries with higher overall logistics costs are more likely to miss the opportunity of globalization. Nearly every sphere of human activity is affected, directly or indirectly, by the logistics process. Certainly, the improved logistics is expected to have important economic effects. Lower logistics costs and services affect positively in production, distribution and trade and/or retail activities of the firms. Reduced/minimum logistics costs enable a production or distribution facility to serve a wider market area, with potential gains from economies of scale. It also means that a firm can draw supplies from a wider area with potential gains in terms of the cost and/or quality of parts and materials. Logistics costs include transportation costs, costs of owning and operating warehouses, ordering costs, and carrying costs of inventory (Consulting Decision-Economics, 2002). To understand, how logistics productivity improvement helps in boosting economic growth, the following Figure 1 represents how investments in transportation infrastructure (a sub-sector of logistics) can lead to g enerative effects and growth in the national economy. It can also be drawn that reduction in shipping costs and transit time and increase in schedule reliability can be expected to have significant impacts on inventory management at supply chain level. Figure 1: Transportation and the Economy Efficient Transportation Infrastructure Investment Increased Transportation Capacity, Efficiency, Reliability, and Level of Service Transportation Cost Savings Business Expansion (Relocation and Restructuring) Transit Time Savings (Reliability Improvement) Increased Competitiveness Increased Productivity Increased Economic Growth Source: (Consulting Decision-Economics, 2002) Consequently, the efficiency and reliability of the logistics system affects economic productivity which is the most important determinant of economic performance. Therefore, logistics industry is the artery and the basic industry of the national economic development in the world. Its development level is one of the important marks to evaluate the level of state modernization and comprehensive national strength. Logistics is the accelerator of the economic development and growth. The World Bank, with its professional and academic partners, has produced the Logistics Performance Index (LPI) to help countries develop logistics reform programs to enable trade and enhance their competitiveness. The LPI is a comprehensive index created to help countries identify the challenges and opportunities they face in trade logistics performance (Arvis, et al., 2007). Logistics Productivity Improvement and the Individual Customer In todays uncertain and changing business environment, firms must respond to changing customer need in order to remain successful. Customers expect many kinds of goods to be available with them whenever they need. When a person comes into a store with the expectation of having the desired item/article from the store and eventually walks away with or without it. If the item is either not available or in stock, there is a problem for both the retailer and the customer. The retailer loses business and the customer has to go another store/retailer for the item/article. The same situation applies to businesses buying supplies; it is costly to a business if it cannot obtain supplies when needed. To cope with this problem (i.e. stock outs) and to improve responsiveness to the customers businesses should carry inventory. But carrying inventory requires huge capital investments in constructing warehouses and insurance expenses to cover the risk of loss or damage. All of these costs are reduce d if inventory can be reduced. Inventory held in retail stores or at warehouses can be reduced if replenishment is fast and reliable. Firms that analyze their costs carefully, find that inventory and the number of warehouses can be reduced without loss of customer service by using more flexible and efficient transportation system. Such changes in a firms logistics set-up are sometimes referred to as a reorganization effect (Consulting Decision-Economics, 2002). Businesses are constantly under immense pressure to have enough stock to satisfy customers and to reduce the cost of carrying inventory as well. To accommodate these conflicting pressures, firms are left with no option but an efficient and effective logistics system enabling them reduced inventory costs while maintaining or improving the level of customer service (that is an increase in productivity). These productivity gains will not occur unless a firms management perceives that the logistics system is robust and reliable enough to support its plans. Zhang, Vonderembse Lim (2005) are of the view logistics flexibility and its components: physical supply, purchasing, physical distribution, and demand management flexibilities are related to each other and to customer satisfaction. Figure 2 portrays the relationship, how flexible logistics affects the customer satisfaction. Figure 2: Impact of Flexible Logistics Competence on Capability and Customer Satisfaction Flexible Logistics Flexible Logistics Competence Capability Physical Supply Flexibility Physical Distribution Purchasing Flexibility Demand Management Customer Satisfaction Source: (Zhang, et al., 2005) Logistics, as a business competence, deals with the attainment of customer satisfaction at the minimum level of (logistic) costs. Customer satisfaction or improved customer service, is reached as the suppliers of goods and services succeed in achieving the growing needs of consumers to deliver their products according to the ever emerging demands of the customers, not only with regards to the physical nature of these products, but also with regards to their demands of reliability and flexibility of the logistics organization. According to Lim Palvia (2001) a responsive and efficient logistics network helps the organization to satisfy their customers in a number of ways: Increase in product availability i.e. high order fill rate and promised delivery date Reduced order cycle time Reduced distribution system malfunction i.e. accuracy of billing and product delivery Distribution system flexibility Distribution system information i.e. notice of price change, new product information, shipping delay and order status information Improved post-sale product support Why has logistics been receiving more attention as a strategic function of the organisation? Discuss the key challenges faced by logistics today and identify what you see as the greatest area of opportunity for logistics, and explain why you chose this area. (Your answer should not exceed 2000 words). Logistics as a Strategic Function of the Organisation The strategic importance of logistics is well understood especially in organizations that identify customer service and not the physical product as the single output of any organization (Korpela Tuominen, 1996). For companies successful with logistics partners, a common factor overriding all others is the recognition that this business activity is an important part of marketing strategy (Bowersox, 1990). Braithwaite Christopher (1991) gave following reasons, why logistics is a strategic function for most of the organizations: Extended lead-times of supply Extended and unreliable transit times Multiple freight mode and cost options Intermediate component shipping with local added value Initially, logistics was considered to have a supportive role to primary functions of organizations such as marketing and manufacturing. But now they have stretched out to cover purchasing, warehousing and transportation activities, distribution, inventory management, packaging, manufacturing, and even customer service. More importantly, logistics management has evolved from a passive, cost-absorbing function to that of a strategic factor which provides a unique competitive advantage (Bowersox Closs, 1996). Companies committed to strategic use of logistics usually outperform the competition in speed and consistency of order cycle (Bowersox, 1990). Organizations do have some standards, they intend the customers to rely on and expect employees to adhere to. A product marketer for example, having 95 percent order fill rate, if want to increase it to 98 percent, will require a just-in-time or quick response inventory replenishment type of business strategy. Marketers will strive not only to consistently deliver complete orders to the customers at the time and location requested but also to expand the level of service to keep customers loyalty. By developing a high level of standards performance, the companies reduce the number of less-than-standard situations that have to be resolved. Moreover, high quality logistics service compliance is almost invariably less expensive than a procedure based on an expected percentage of failure that demands frequent correction (Bowersox, 1990). Advances in telecommunications and information technology have given companies the way to manage the physical movement of product over long, often circuitous, routes. Many carriers (for example DHL , FedEx and TCS Express Logistics in Pakistan) have invested heavily in track and trace systems to be able to establish the location of any consignment at any time, improving the visibility of the global supply chain to shippers and their customers. Also there is a growing competition among international companies to produce and deliver customized products and services fast and efficiently all over the world. Eventually, this will go hand in hand with an improvement of lead times to the extent that customized products have the same responsiveness as standardized products have now. Logistics has become a strategic function of the business organizations by providing competitive advantage through competence in delivery speed, reliability, responsiveness, and low cost distribution. Integrating logistics into corporate strategy has a greater effect on customer value than any other process, whereas, integrating logistics into overall organizational strategy is critical to reducing costs, entering new markets, creating customer service, and gaining competitive advantage. Logistics excellence has a significant impact on corporate profitability and firms can use logistics to create a competitive advantage. Key Challenges to the Logistics Today As businesses become more outsourced, virtual and as global customer markets expand along with the emergence of new regional supply capabilities, the need for improved skills of procurement and logistics as well as operational transformation becomes more acute. Organizations today face great challenges because the successful provision of many goods and services requires the effective integration of logistics activities across a complicating and lengthening supply chain. In recent years, most industries have recognized that substantial savings are available to companies that are able to coordinate and innovate within their logistics operations. Chiu (1995) identified following challenges, logistics systems are facing: Diversified products Short order cycle times Shipping in small quantities High frequency and reliability of deliveries Customer service orientation Low stock level and rapid inventory turnover Timely and accurate information requirements Cheong (2004) on the other hand, differentiated the challenges to logistics providers by their level of tangibility i.e. Logistics Network Configuration layer (most tangible), to Material Flow layer, to Information Flow layer, and finally to Relationship Management layer (least tangible) as shown in the figure. 3. Logistics network configuration is concerned with designing the optimal network to satisfy service requirements at the minimum cost and the challenges at this level consist of decisions regarding: number, size and location of warehouses; location; their links to the distribution centers; warehouse sizing allocation; and customer points. Second layer is material flow which refers to the movement of products from the upstream entities, via the logistics provider, to the downstream entities. Figure.3: Layers of Challenges Faced by Logistics Providers Source: (Cheong, 2004) At material flow level, the decisions on: inventory management; scheduling the transport; lot sizing; warehousing; and consolidating the products are the challenging areas of logistics management. Third layer is information flow, which refers to the flow of information throughout the supply chain and includes: order processing; information sharing; IT systems integration; Internet; and visibility. The final layer, the relationship management is concerned with performance measures and contract design. The biggest challenge in inter-company coordination is information sharing and the issue of trust (Cheong, 2004). Area of Opportunity The status of power in logistics industry is very much important in determining the future trends. In the USA, for example, the resellers and retailers have typically occupied a weaker power position in the logistics channel than the manufacturers whereas this has not been the case in Australia where the retail chains, particularly in the grocery industry, have always held the dominant position (Gilmour, 1993; Gilmour, Driva, Hunt, 1995). The opportunities for retail logistics are hence different from that of distributors. The most potential area of opportunity for overall logistics industry is information and computer technology in my personal view. Information and computer technology have had a significant impact on global logistics operations over recent years. Chiu (1995) identified five major information technologies which have become increasingly common in logistics: Point-of-Sale (POS) systems Bar Coding Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) Value-Added Networks (VANs) Electronic Ordering Systems (EOSs) In addition, there are some other terminologies i.e. Enterprise Requirements Planning (ERP), Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), Transportation Management Systems (TMS), productivity tracking software and Activity-Based Costing (ABC) software etc. which represent the status of IT in logistics. There are many examples of the use of WMS and other technology in warehousing, such as those systems installed at Hewlett-Packard, Malaysia Airlines, Texas Instruments, and Unilever Italia. Furthermore, there are some latest equipments as well, which are being used in warehouses and distribution centres including voice synthesizer and video text, to facilitate the receipt of an order; paperless picking warehouses using radio frequency (RF), and new transport equipments such as B-doubles scheduled and monitored by on-board computers facilitate the delivery of the order. Time-based competition has put the businesses under continuous pressure and to be successful in todays competitive environment the use of information technology has become obvious. Mentzer (1999) identified four specific strategies that organizations use in time-based competition: just-in-time (JIT), quick response (QR), vendor managed inventory (VMI) and continuous replenishment programs (CRP). Efficient consumer response (ECR) is another time-based competition strategy found primarily in the grocery industry that focuses on inventory replenishment, store assortment, promotion and product introduction. Collaborative, Planning, Forecasting, and Replenishment (CPFR) transfers end-customer information as far up the supply chain as possible to plan upstream supply chain activities such as distribution and production scheduling. The future of logistics development is subject to collaborative logistics and virtual or fourth-party logistics. Collaborative logistics is described as a model relying on real-time information which flows seamlessly amongst all parts of the supply chain. It is generally believed that collaborative logistics between companies participating in supply chain setups reduce the cost and increase the efficiency. Virtual or fourth-party logistics is described as third-party logistics providers who act as a general contractor of all logistics activities for an organization. In either of the situation, information technology has pivotal role in effective and efficient logistics. Identify the objectives of warehousing and explain different key performance indicators for all the Warehouse activities. (Your answer should not exceed 2000 words) Warehousing Objectives A warehouse is simply a commercial building used for the storage of goods. Warehouses are normally used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport agencies etc. Warehousing processes include receiving, put-away, order preparation/picking, dispatching and inventory management. In a warehouse, storing goods in an adequate space with the proper equipments by well trained personnel in a properly planned layout results in maximum protection of items (Tomkins, et al., 1996). So the objectives of a warehouse should be: Space utilization; Equipment utilization; Maximize human resources utilization; Reduce SKU handling and maintain required SKU; Minimize companys operating expenses; Accessibility of all materials; Protection of all materials (including companys assets); In order to achieve objectives of a warehouse business, the first step is to ensure right product, in right quantity, in right condition and on right time is received. Secondly, to allocate proper storage space to that inventory that maximizes the space utilization. Finally, while shipping an order, ensure right SKU, in right quantity, in right condition and at right time is dispatched. Moreover, the efficient and effective use of equipment and human resources is of prime importance. The size, architectural design, configuration and location of the warehouse, are also the major determinants of the success or failure of the company in chasing its objectives. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) of Warehousing Warehouse management is an area where logisticians can focus to gain maximum efficiency for minimum cost. Usually organizations measure their performance by analyzing if the things are going in the right way or not, and if not, what were the causes of poor performance? The main instruments for assessing performance are key performance indicators (KPIs), the specific characteristics of the process which are measured in order to describe if the process is realized according to pre-established standards. Moreover, KPIs measure the business health of an enterprise and ensure that all individuals at all levels are marching in step to the same goals and strategies. Neely et al. (1995) defined performance measurement as the process of quantifying the efficiency and effectiveness of an action or activity. There are some other reasons too for measuring performance: for improving performance, for avoiding inconveniences before its too late, for monitoring customer relations, for process and cost control and for maintaining quality. Selecting and defining KPIs is not as easy as it sounds. In the current marketplace, while purchasing business intelligence (BI), enterprise resource planning (ERP), supply chain management (SCM), customer relationship management (CRM) or business performance management (BPM) systems, there is the dilemma of choosing only few KPIs from the several hundred (or thousand) metrics that are included in the package. Key performance indicators (KPIs) reflect strategic value drivers rather than just measuring business activities and processes. Key performance indicators help aligning all levels of an organization (business units, departments and individuals) with clear targets and benchmarks to create accountability and track progress. Furthermore, they accelerate collaborative planning across the organization to ensure that everyone is operating from the same playbook. The success of any performance management program is thus dependent on selecting the correct KPIs. Selection of the wrong KPIs can result in sub-optimized results. While selecting KPs, it should be bore in mind that although all KPIs are metrics, not all metrics are KPIs. The trick is discerning between the two. In a study on performance measurement of a manufacturing warehouse, Birkholz (2004) used warehousing KPIs based on business processes: receiving, put-away, storage, order picking and shipping/dispatching. Warehousing KPIs were classified into five categories: financial, productivity, utilization, quality and cycle time. A summary of all the warehousing KPIs is given in Table 1. Table 1: Warehouse Key Performance Indicators Financial Productivity Utilization Quality Cycle Time Receiving Receiving cost per receiving line Receipts per man-hour % Dock door utilization % Receipts processed accurately Receipt processing time per receipt Put-away Put-away cost per put-away line Put-aways per man-hour % Utilization of put-away labor and equipment % Perfect put-aways Put-away cycle time (per put-away) Storage Storage space cost per item Inventory per square foot % Locations and cube occupied % Locations without inventory discrepancies Inventory days on hand Order Picking Picking cost per order line Order lines picked per man-hour % Utilization of picking labor and equipment % Perfect picking lines Order picking cycle time (per order) Shipping Shipping cost per customer order Orders prepared for shipment per man-hour % Utilization of shipping docks % Perfect shipments Warehouse order cycle time Total Total cost per order, line, and Item Total lines shipped per total man-hour %Utilization of total throughput and storage capacity % Perfect warehouse orders Total warehouse cycle time = Dock-to-stock time + Warehouse order cycle time Source: (Birkholz, 2004; Frazelle, 2002) Krauth et al. (2005) classified around 130 indicators used for assessing warehouse performance, such as storage surface, storage volume, storage racks, number and characteristics of docks, pallets per hour, pallets per square meter, opening hours, and assistance with customs etc. Liviu et al. (2009) grouped key performance indicators for warehousing into three categories: Inventory Management, Warehouse Performance and Order Fulfilment. The summary of these warehousing KPIs is given in Table 2. Table 2: Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) of Warehousing Inventory Management Measure Calculation Damaged Inventory (min.) Total Damage (lei) / Inventory Value Days on Hand (min.) Avg. Month Inventory (lei) / Avg. Daily Sales/Month Storage Utilisation (max.) Avg. Occupied Sq. m. / Total Storage Capacity Dock to Stock Time (min.) Total Dock to Stock Hrs. / Total Receipts Warehouse Performance Indicators Orders per Hour (max.) Orders Picked or Packed / Total Warehouse Labour Hrs Items per Hour (max.) Items Picked/Packed / Total Warehouse Labour Hrs Cost per Order (min.) Total Warehouse Cost / Total Orders Shipped Cost as % of Sales (min.) Total Warehouse Cost / Overall Sales Order Fulfilment Indicators On-Time Delivery (max.) Orders On-Time / Total Orders Shipped Order Fill Rate (max.) Orders Filled Complete / Total Orders Shipped Order Accuracy (max.) Error-Free Orders / Total Orders Shipped Order Cycle Time (min.) Actual Ship Date Customer Order Date Perfect Order Completion (max.) Perfect Deliveries / Total Orders Shipped Source: (Liviu, et al., 2009) Inventory Management measures are generally concerned with decisions regarding optimum level of inventory to be maintained. A higher value of Damaged Inventory indicator shows less effective inventory management. Days on Hand indicator shows the level of inventory in hand into number of days it will serve. It will have a lower value if contracts with suppliers are renegotiated and if are kept only the ones who are able to deliver products fast. Storage Utilization indicator shows the level of space utilization, for example, number of layers of pallets per rack. It also describes how efficiently space has been allocated to storage, dock and office. Dock to Stock Time indicates the efficiency of warehouse operations and its value can be reduced by introducing portable barcode readers and a barcode software. By solving the space related problems, both the issues related to product entry time and preparing them for delivery will be shortened. Warehouse performance indicators simply represent the operational efficiency and contribution to the overall profitability of the organization. A maximum value of Orders per Hour and Items per Hour is desirable while a minimum value for Cost per Order and Cost as % of Sales is likely to lever the profits of the organization. Order fulfilment indicators represent the firms operational performance as well as its responsiveness to the customers. A maximum value of On-Time Delivery, Order Fill Rate, Order Accuracy and Perfect Order Completion and a minimum value of Order Cycle Time shows a higher level of customer satisfaction, efficiency and contribution to the company profitability. Warehousing key performance indicators (WKPIs) can be used with benchmarking to indicate the overall state of warehouse operations. These are the meaningful measurements which can be referenced periodically to analyze the current financial, productivity, quality, and cycle time status for a warehouse facility. However, in addition to all the key performance indicators (KPIs) mentioned in Table 1 and 2, a tool is still required to automate processes in order to maximize the use of warehouse resources. This is where the integration of information technology becomes a key component in warehousing. Information technology is a key to improvement when considering world-class warehousing practices. In nutshell, performance indicators are useful for identifying the problems related to warehouse management and abnormal values of the indicators can be used to develop an efficient control system for a warehouse. The basic use of the concept is, it helps in identifying the causes of the problems and hence to diminish their impact or eliminate the causes, before is too late. It is true what is measured is managed, and, conversely, what is not measured merits little or no attention. Answer the below given questions (Each answer should not exceed 200 words): How is logistics related to the marketing effort? The marketing effort is based on the achieving organizational goals while focusing the target customers more efficiently and effectively than competitors. McCarthy (1981) popularized the idea of the marketing mix of price, promotion, product and place, the later (i.e. place) is directly related to logistics management. In providing the product to its right place, logistics plays an important role. The place component of the marketing deals a lot with customer service provided by a business, undertaking such tasks as on-time delivery, high order fill rates and consistent transit times. A product or service provides satisfaction to its customer only when it is available to the customer when and where it is needed. Furthermore, how logistics operations affect the major elements of marketing mix can be easily understood from the following figure. Product Price Promotion Place Customer Service level M A R K E T I N G Inventory Carrying Costs Transportation Costs Lot Quantity Costs Warehousing Costs Order Processing and Information Costs L O G I S T I C S Product is the set of benefits or utilities or characteristics which a customer receives as a result of its purchase. In order to increase sales or due to some other strategic decisions management may decide to lower

john dryden :: essays research papers

John Dryden was born on August 9, 1631 in the Vicarage of Aldwinkle All Saints in Northamptonshire, England (DISCovering Authors 1). He was a cute, young boy who was described as â€Å"short, stout, and red-faced† (Britannica 8). His father was a countryman, and both his parents were very fond of Parliament siding with the Parliament Party against the King (Britannica 1). He was eleven years old when the war broke out between the royalist forces and the revolutionary forces, and that is when his life began to change. It was the start of a period of time when England became a republic ruled by Parliament. His parents were well known around the town, and had a lot of connections with wealthy people. Because of those connections, they were able to find a scholarship so that he could attend Westminster School at a very young age (DISCovering Authors 1). His Professor, Richard Busby, provided him with an education (DISCovering Authors 1). It was here that he published his first poem, Upon the Death of the Lord Hastings (DISCovering Authors 1). This poem had special meaning for him because it was about one of his good friends who died of small pox. At the age of 19, he was elected to attend Trinity College in Cambridge. Dryden graduated in 1654 while earning a Bachelor of Arts degree (Britannica 1). A few months after his graduation, he received some very bad news- his father had died suddenly. He then became in charge of his family and the small estate where he grew up (DISCovering Authors 1). In 1658, his career was revived and he began to write once again. His first work was an elegy called Heroique Stanzas, which was about the death of Cromwell, and detailed how he was such a brave English statesman (DISCovering Authors 1). He began writing poetry in 1660 in the form of Neoclassical (Wasserman 40). That same year, he was granted a couple of patents from Charles II for a theatre. However, the plays were not too successful. Two years later, the theater was closed by the Puritans (Britannica 1). Dryden published Astraea Reddux in 1660 which was the most successful and prominent of all his poems. Along with others, they wrote a poem to welcome Charles II as he was being restored to the throne. It contained more than three hundred lines in rhymed couplet (Britannica 1).

Descartes and Skepticism Essay

Rene Descartes was a great scientist, mathematician and philosopher. He was known for his extensive work on skepticism, and in particular a piece called â€Å"Meditations on First Philosophy† (written in 1641) which is still widely used by modern philosophers. In this publication, Descartes’ aim was to demonstrate that a persons’ soul is eternal and that God exists. He explains in Meditation One that it is possible to question the existence of all things; in Meditation two he goes on to give details regarding the existence of the mind and the soul. In the Third Meditation he gives arguments of proof of Gods’ existence; and in Meditation Four he explains the difference between truth and error. In the Fifth Meditation Descartes provides further arguments to prove the existence of God and in the Sixth and final meditation he brings it all together as he demonstrates how knowledge of the mind can be guided by God and therefore validates the knowledge we have of physical world. (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2010). This essay will explain Descartes argument of the existence of God with specific reference to the Third Meditation discussed in the class handout- ‘Descartes and the problem of Skepticism’. Meditation Ð ¨- God’s Existence In the Third Meditation, subtitled â€Å"On God’s existence,† Descartes is certain that he is a â€Å"thinking thing† (pg 142) and sets out to prove God’s Existence. There were two major standpoints noted in his argument, though they were found to be closely linked. Firstly, he tackles the idea that his own existence and thoughts must have come from somewhere or something. He goes on to explain that the thought he has of God is one of an â€Å"eternal, infinite, omniscient, omnipotent, creator of all things† (pg 143). As a result, Descartes argues that the idea of God must therefore be far more complex than his mind alone can perceive- since his idea of God is that of an infinite, perfect being and Descartes himself is a finite being lacking enough formal reality to create such an idea on his own will. Put simply, Descartes believes that the idea of God could not have been created in his own limited mind; and he establishes that God must be the originator of his thoughts and therefore God exists. Secondly, Descartes battles with the idea that his existence must have a cause. He discusses the various possibilities that might have caused his existence including that he might have created himself; he might have always existed; his parents created him; that he was created by something less benevolent and perfect than God; and lastly, that it was God who created him. Descartes takes on an elimination process to figure out which one of these possibilities are likely true. He discusses that he could not have created himself because as he says â€Å"I would have given myself every perfection† (pg 146). Next he dismisses the idea that he always existed simply because as he describes that he is a dependent being that needs to be continually sustained by another. Descartes establishes that the idea of his parents being his creator only reintroduces the same problem regarding their own existence. He then thought of the possibility of a less than perfect God being his creator- but he argues that the idea of perfection that exists in his mind could not have originated from a non-perfect being. With this established, Descartes concludes that there must be a perfect God who is the cause of his existence and his perfect idea of God. In analysis of Descartes position, the observation is made that the basis of his argument is causal reasoning. This is shown when he suggests that there must be a cause of the idea of a perfect God and that this perfect idea must come from God himself. In my own reflection, I thought that living a predominantly Christian society might be the cause of my own idea of God. I have learnt all that I know about God from my parents and by extension the society. It therefore follows, that my parents’ idea of God might have come from their parents also, whose idea somewhere along the line came from the church- which is also made up of men who has parents. Descartes argument supports that at the end of this causal chain, there has to be a first cause, which is God. Since there is no direct of evidence proving or disproving the existence of God, the belief in his existence is widely accepted today, and the search for such a proof would always be a highly debatable and controversial topic. While there is still disagreement over Descartes argument as to whether or not God exists, it is generally agreed that God’s existence cannot be proved through the capacity of the mind and therefore we rely on such concepts as skepticism and reasoning to guide what we choose to believe of God. References * Smith, K. (2010, September 20). Descartes’ life and works. Retrieved October 11, 2011from http://plato. stanford. edu/entries/descartes-works * Class Handout- Descartes and The Problem of Skepticism.

Bridging the Gap

Bridging the Gap January 28, 2014 Poetry of the 17th century is unique because it is of a metaphysical nature and it is deeper in meaning that the courtly love poetry before its time. It focuses on love, death, and loss other than death such as innocence and material possessions. The seemingly imposable things such as the afterlife and Heaven are said to be metaphysical in nature and both subjects are present in the three selected poems for this paper. Ben Jonson exhibits grief upon the loss of his first daughter and his first son in the poems â€Å"On My First Son† and â€Å"On My First Daughter†, but his grief is displayed in different tones.Anne Bradstreet exhibits grief over the loss of her home and all of her material possessions in â€Å"Here Follows Some Verses Upon the Burning of Our House July 10th, 1666†, but her grief turns into a comforting tone as she realizes her true possessions are in Heaven, not on Earth. â€Å"Thou hast a house on high erect, f ramed by that mighty Architect, with glory richly furnished† (Ferguson, Salter, & Stallworthy, 2005, p. 467). The three chosen poems deal with loss and grief.The poet of each poem expresses religious beliefs in Heaven and the afterlife and a comforting tone is exhibited for the reader to find comfort in the possibility that a better life exists beyond life on Earth. Ben Jonson was a poet born in 1572 and died in 1637. His work is often considered classical dramatics. His poem â€Å"On My First Son† expresses sorrow for the death of his first son. The poem is an elegy which means the poem is a serious reflection and a mournful poem about the dead. This is a twelve line poem with six pairs of rhyming couplets. Line five is the most emotional line. â€Å"O could I lose all father now! † (Ferguson et al. p. 323). Jonson tries to see death as an escape from the world. There is a calmer tone later in the poem as the poet is speaking in a more positive mood, seeing his son as his finest creation. The poem is written from the 17th century England and childhood illnesses were often fatal. Hospitals, vaccinations against diseases, antibiotics and treatments were unknown during that time. Many children did not live very long. When they died, parents reacted to their death in a different manner than people in current society react to the death of a child. The poem is delivered in rhyming lines called couplets and it is addressed to the dead son.Metaphor is present when Jonson refers to his son as being lent to him. For seven years. â€Å"Seven years thou wert lent to me, and I thee pay exacted by thy fate, on the just day† (Ferguson et al. , p. 323). Jonson believes that all life is a gift from God, and now God is taking back his child at a young and tender age of seven. As Jonson grieves over his son, he also shows the reader how death is something to be envied. Perhaps death is something to look forward to. This feeling is explained in lines s even and eight when Jonson states â€Å"To have so soon scoped world’s and flesh’s rage, and, if no other miser, yet age† (Ferguson et al. p. 323). An escape from the turmoil that one encounters throughout life is escaped by death. Jonson also vows to not become too attached or to love someone too much in the future so he will not feel so much pain again. Jonson also wrote â€Å"On My First Daughter† which is an elegy about his first daughter who died at the age of six months old. In this poem, Jonson believes nothing lasts forever and death is inevitable. Written in the 17th century, childhood death was not uncommon. Jonson delivers sadness as well as a feeling of comfort and belief that the poet’s baby girl is in Heaven.A hidden message in this poem is that death is not the final destination. The religious thoughts throughout the poem offer peace and comfort about death and the afterlife. â€Å"Yet all Heaven’s gifts being Heaven’s due† (Ferguson et al. , p. 323) insinuates that nothing lasts forever and death is inevitable. Jonson sees his daughter’s death as if she belongs to God and now God has taken her back. This twelve line poem contains six pairs of rhyming couplets. Lines three and four demonstrate a rationalization of the death as well as the ability for Jonson to overcome his emotions more than a woman could. Yet all heaven’s gifts being Heaven’s due, it makes the father less to rue† (Ferguson et al. , p. 323). He also finds comfort in knowing he lost his daughter to death with her innocence intact. Because she died with her innocence, there is a special honor of believing she in honored in Heaven and Jonson finds comfort in the sad event of his daughter’s death. Jonson uses rationalism in his poems as he reasons with the death of his children. â€Å"On My First Daughter† has a different attitude and delivery from the attitude and delivery regarding his son’s death in â€Å"On My First Son†.He appears to accept his daughter’s death with less grief than his acceptance of his son’s death. The length of time he had with his daughter and his son could also determine the tone he took in each poem. He could have bonded with his 7-year-old son as where he did not bond with the 6-month-old daughter. He does however find comfort in believing both children are in Heaven and free from pain. He believes Heaven is a better place than living on Earth. Anne Bradstreet, born in 1612 and died in 1672, is the 17th century Puritan author of â€Å"Here Follows Some Verses Upon the Burning of Our House July 10th, 1616†.Her subjects within her poems were home, life, relationships, living, sorrow, and grief. Her faith and values are apparent throughout the poem. The rhyming of every two lines allows the reader to process the words before going to the next two lines. The nine six-line stanzas are written in plain style. The Puritan in Bradstreet preferred a plain style of writing that rarely included figurative language. She stressed simplicity, clarity of expression, the use of everyday words, and the implied metaphor even though most of her images and words are literal throughout her poem.The context of Bradstreet’s poem is the 17th century Puritan colonies in North America. The theme of the poem is that materials possessions are worthless and the only thing that is worthy is going to Heaven in the afterlife. The reader takes a journey through the descriptions of Bradstreet’s possessions before her true feelings are revealed regarding loss, material possessions, and a person’s salvation in Heaven. There are obvious sentence inversions to accommodate the demands of rhyme. This is present in the first line of the poem â€Å"In silent night when rest I took for sorrow near I did not look† (Ferguson et al. p. 466). The speaker becomes aware of her house burning down and s he informs her readers about the material objects in a material world. Pain and loss are explored while memories and fantasies about her home are revealed. â€Å"No pleasant tale shall e’er be told, nor things recounted done of old† (Ferguson et al. , p. 467). The statement reveals a woman mourning the material loss while also mourning the lost years of an imagined future in her house. The turning point in the poem occurs when the speaker is finished grieving over the ruins of her home.She begins to realize that she should focus on her home in Heaven and the beautiful afterlife she will have rather than her home on Earth. The last two lines of the poem express to the reader how the speaker truly feels. â€Å"My world no longer let me love, my hope and treasure lies above† (Ferguson et al. , p. 467). Bradstreet, like Jonson, finds comfort in believing in the afterlife and having faith that Heaven is where good and Holy people will spend eternity. Heaven, in both author’s beliefs, is a better place than living on Earth.The gift of Heaven through good works was a common belief during the 17th century. Jonson and Bradstreet both suffered a great loss. Jonson lost two children to death while Bradstreet lost her home and all of her possessions to a fire. They both grieved over their loss but in a different way. The end of each poem confirms the author’s religious beliefs that Heaven and the afterlife are better than life here on Earth. References Ferguson, M. , Salter, M. J. , & Stallworthy, J. (Eds. ). (2005). The Norton anthology of poetry (5th ed. ). New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Company.